Retirement not a cure-all.

[Jumpinbare]

Successfully returned to my car. Heading back to sillyvisation

 

[Southern_Gentleman]

Since retiring, I have been able to dial back social interaction almost entirely. I mean, I still have to go grocery shopping, occasional doctor visits, etc, but mostly I am very solitary. This has greatly reduced the daily stress of having to function as an autistic in an NT world. It has been great. But in the absence of that daily stress, the non-social impacts of my autism and comorbidities have become more obvious.

I have dypraxia. I have fantastic long-term memory, but can forget what I am talking about in the middle of a sentence. Or lose a tool I was using 30 seconds ago when I haven't moved from where I used it. I frequently have to describe in detail what something is or does because I don't remember its name.

Today was very much a reminder that social issues aren't my only problems. I dropped a 32 ounce glass full of water in the middle of the kitchen floor. I didn't trip, or get jostled or bump into or something. I simply wasn't gripping the glass adequately. Shortly after that, I was walking and turned to the side and painfully stepped on my own toe with my other foot. I misplaced several tools while working on projects around the house. I lost my phone no less than 5 times, and had to use the house phone to call my phone and hunt it down from the ringtone sound.

This really was not an unusual day. The amount of time I have spent in my 65 year life looking for misplaced items would probably be measured in years. I have scars on every appendage including my head from all the running into walls, trees, doorways, or accidentaly cutting or impaling myself. I sprained my ankles so much as a child that my ankle ligaments became elastic. Now when my ankles give, they bounce right back. With my alexithemia, I am generally unaware of emotionality. Then at seemingly random times, I cry for hours, or find myself suddenly angry.

I had really hoped my solitary retired life would make things so much easier since I didn't have to deal with traffic, job frustrations, etc. Easier it is. Ideal it still isn't.

I fully understand. I retired in September. However, I work a part-time job. That is to say, it's on my terms. I work for so cheap and know so much more about my job than anyone that no one questions me or pushes me around. I do it to get out, stick some coin in the bank for another Hog, and to keep my mind and body still somewhat flexible. I have a place out in the country with some land, so I work it when I want, and I don't when I just feel like sitting on the porch and shaking my fist at the passing cars. One of my goals is to get a new Hog and ride someplace I've not been before my body tells me it can't do it anymore.

Solitary life is good, but being too solitary can be detrimental.

 

[Meowser18]

I literally looked in every room of the house as well as the car for my cell phone WHILE I WAS TALKING ON IT!

My goodness and I thought I was the only one who did stuff like that!

 

[Jumpinbare]

So been at my camp the last few days. I still don't have screening up, but I have my tent set up inside with no rain fly so it's like a mini screen room. I've been moving my chair and folding table inside the tent in the evening to escape mosquitos.

This morning my favorite AM/FM/Shortwave receiver fell and quit working. So this evening, I got out a screwdriver and voltmeter and disassembled, troubleshot, repaired, and reassembled it here on my folding table in my tent.

Everyone does this, right?

 

[Misty Avich]

I don't think I'll ever "lose" my social skills but I can lose my confidence. In fact I have lost my confidence. Before covid I was more independent and confident, always going out shopping and getting buses and meeting friends and family. But since lockdown, I seemed to have lost my confidence in doing those things unless I really have to, like if I have an appointment or something. Apart from going to work, I have become rather a shut-in, but I'm quite happy this way. I'm married so it's not like I'm lonely or anything, as having a husband and pets keeps me socially engaged at home, and I phone my aunts every day and keep in touch with friends on social media and see my family every now and again.
Back when I was in my late teens and early 20s I always wanted to be out (during the day that is, as I wasn't a party animal so was a shut-in at night). Now I've changed, I can stay indoors forever if I had my way. I just don't like the way society is any more and I don't really want to be a part of it. I just want to live happily in my own little utopia where I have complete control and feel safe and secure.

I have a friend who's retired now, and I'm pretty sure she's got ADHD, although at her age she probably hasn't really heard of it. She never married or had kids, but as worked all her life and now she's been retired for about 7 or 8 years. She lives alone but she doesn't get bored at all. She has friends that she phones (including me), and a couple of relatives, and sometimes they visit her. She also often wanders into town and does her groceries. But she spends most of her time at home and she loves it. And I know I'd be the same, I don't really get bored when I'm at home because there's always something to do, whether it's chores or entertainment, and when I have run out of things to do I just surf the web or take a nap. All these things you can't really do at work, which is why I can get bored at work.

 

[WhitewaterWoman]

So been at my camp the last few days. I still don't have screening up, but I have my tent set up inside with no rain fly so it's like a mini screen room. I've been moving my chair and folding table inside the tent in the evening to escape mosquitos.

This morning my favorite AM/FM/Shortwave receiver fell and quit working. So this evening, I got out a screwdriver and voltmeter and disassembled, troubleshot, repaired, and reassembled it here on my folding table in my tent.

View attachment 130717

Everyone does this, right?

I have been pleasantly surprised there are no mosquitos here even at night. Very unusual.

Of course anyone isolated has to work to fix what’s broken. Because there is no one else to do it.

My repair skills are probably not up to yours, but on remote canoe trips I have repaired stoves, sleeping bags, zippers, and even my canoe. Duct tape is my favorite go-to.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

Enjoying my retirement even found new puzzle My DNA see my thread in religion on blood type.

 

[Jonn]

Enjoying my retirement

#metoo.

Best time of my life.

 

[Jumpinbare]

#me3. I go camping nearly every week!

 

[Jonn]

I just don't like the way society is any more and I don't really want to be a part of it.

Join the club.
I am a semi-recluse IRL, and it works brilliantly for me.

 

[Misty Avich]

I'm not going to be able to retire when I'm in my 60s because they keep raising the pension age. That's why I work part-time now, because I know I'm not going to be able to enjoy life later I might as well enjoy it now. If I knew full well that I was going to retire, preferably at age 60 when women used to be able to retire, I'd probably work full-time safe in the knowledge that it won't be forever. But when you know you're going to work and work and work all your life forever, what is the point in doing full-time unless you have a mortgage or other costly responsibilities?

 

[Jonn]

#me3. I go camping nearly every week!

With 3 dragons, I mean 3 K9 kids, going out into the wilderness isn't really an option for me.
Too many snakes, spiders, and ticks in the bush in Australia.
Oh, the burden of fatherhood. <sigh>

 

[Jonn]

I'm not going to be able to retire when I'm in my 60s because they keep raising the pension age.

I'm one of the lucky ones bc I had some good ppl helping me at work.
I worked 28 yrs straight, put the money in real estate due to the tax benefits here in Australia, and was able to retire at 50.

I was very fortunate in some ways.
That is why I wanted to give back.
The irony is, that I was labelled a "groomer" because I had altruistic tendencies.
Don't you just luv life? <sigh>

 

[Jonn]

Since retiring, I have been able to dial back social interaction almost entirely. I mean, I still have to go grocery shopping, occasional doctor visits, etc, but mostly I am very solitary. This has greatly reduced the daily stress of having to function as an autistic in an NT world.

Exactly!

 

[Jonn]

Depending on your physical, financial, and mental health, retirement is a mixed bag. Without someone else telling us what to do all day, we have to figure out what to do on our own, 24/7

It helps to be financially independent, yes.
In my case, I never get bored.
I have difficulty keeping up with the news and YouTube clips each day.

Many people go to pot physically because they no longer need to be physically active. The same thing goes for mental fitness.

For me, it has been the opposite.
I am the slimmest I have been in for more than 20 years.
And, Ironically, my mental ability has improved in many areas.
2 steps forward and one step back.

Retirement has given me time to work out kinks in my thinking that has crippled me all my life in some areas.
"The Truth shall set you free", sort of thing.
But yes, it is only a matter of time before the ravages of ageing will overtake the benefits of an old codger cogitating.

 

[Au Naturel]

I lost 30 lbs after retirement. They have not returned. Stress eating, boredom eating and restriction from being active for 5 days a week slowly packed on the weight. I was able to slowly taper off the Prozac when I retired. Do not need it any more.

 

[vergil96]

Refrring to the first post in the thread, yes, the dyspraxia is the largest issue for me personally.

As for retirement, I had terms when I didn't have a lot of classes, and it works in a similar fashion, you need to stay busy to some degree for the body and mind to function properly, e.g. get good sleep, not get depression. It was true during the lockdown, I found my mood and sleep pattern go south quickly without daily walks. And without an interest to pursue when I already dealt with what I had to do. Being idle isn't what human beings are made for.

 

[Mary Terry]

I once looked for the belt I was wearing.

I've looked for the eyeglasses I was wearing. I bang into things all the time and get huge bruises on my arms and legs. I'm old so my skin is thinning; hence, the easy bruising. I made shrimp and sausage gumbo yesterday and somehow managed to splash seafood stock all over my shirt, face and hair when I was adding it to the pot. Then I had to take a second shower on the same day to get the fish stock out of my hair.

Sheesh. Stuff just happens to some of us.

 

[grommet]

I've looked for the eyeglasses I was wearing. I bang into things all the time and get huge bruises on my arms and legs. I'm old so my skin is thinning; hence, the easy bruising. I made shrimp and sausage gumbo yesterday and somehow managed to splash seafood stock all over my shirt, face and hair when I was adding it to the pot. Then I had to take a second shower on the same day to get the fish stock out of my hair.

Sheesh. Stuff just happens to some of us.

You understand I have done things like this. Doing something normal then knocking something over or spilling it. While trying to clean that up knocking something else over, then stepping on something and breaking that. Cleaning that up, the other thing, trying to get back to the thing I was doing. It happens so much. I used to tell people it happened and they thought it was funny. I t has never felt funny. Feels frustrating and sad. I have to be extra careful to see where I am reaching or standing.

 

[Jumpinbare]

With 3 dragons, I mean 3 K9 kids, going out into the wilderness isn't really an option for me.
Too many snakes, spiders, and ticks in the bush in Australia.
Oh, the burden of fatherhood. <sigh>

I have 3 wolf-hybrids at home. I also have an adult working age son living in the "mother-in-law suite" at the far end of the house. So the wolfies get their din-din and petting while I'm gone.