Isnt your Job fun fun and more fun?

Thats my only tought...

I played for free for 20 years and then descided to ask $25 per gig! I didn't get called, so I am now retired from gigging. I was a mailman for 37 years and retired now for 25 years. I am 80 and tired and retired. My body said enough is enough, yet I miss it. Hope you don't make the wrong choice, I wish you well Gary, you have and still are valuable help to all of us

I started getting my Old Age Security in April this year ( I was 65 in March), and I retired from Yamaha the same month. As it stands, I'm 90% glad I gave it up, and 10% not...I certainly don't miss the long hours on the road, especially during the winter months.

As far as gigging goes, I cut way back several years ago, and I charge a lot more per job when I do take them, so along with my pension, and my greatly reduced living costs (since selling my house and moving to an easier to maintain apartment) I get along just fine. I also do a few recording projects and private arranger tutorials that add to my income.

You can make and have all the money you want and buy lots of toys, but it ain't worth a hoot to you if your health is shot.

I've also been single (divorced) for quite some time now, and have no alimony and child support payments, and, I only have me and my own needs to look after which is also a big plus.

I'm glad I retired, and I'm glad I did it while I still have good health to enjoy all this great free time and no schedule to adhere to whatsoever. I still play every day for my own enjoyment. I haven't worn a watch in several years.

Good luck with your decision, Gary.

Ian

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/PreventiveCare/1980



Stay busy.....keep going every day!!

Yep...it's a good idea to keep busy...boredom is a terrible enemy.

I'm never bored, especially having my music to enjoy...I've always played for my own enjoyment first.

Then I have my video games, especially my awesome driving game, and I walk every day for exercise.

I haven't had cable or satellite television in nearly 20 years and I don't miss it.

The PC has become my entertainment as well as my window on the world.

Retirement, for me, means not having a schedule to adhere to, and I like that a lot!

Ian

I'm going to be 70 this month, and just took on a job that will take the better part of 5 years to complete.

Like many, I'm faced with "parts failure"...an MRI at 2:00 pm today to make a decision about rotator surgery....rosacia of my left eye which is a constant problem....planters in my left heel...damage to my left hand from a break-in...arthritis in both hands...the list goes on.

I quit a long-time corporate job in 1995 and have been working for myself since then.


I get to teach at the university level, write for financial and professional publications, produce brochures, packaging, point-of-sale displays, instruction sheets....write, film, edit
and score films and lots of other fun stuff. Music includes scores, performance with "egghead" legit organizations. Live playing includes work at a eat little country club and restaurant as much as I want, plus my trio with my son and grandson. Then, I have several regular charities I work with and am developing a plan to get into another, big-time, with the help of several friends here.

In short, I went from a degreed accountant (hated it) to doing just what I liked, and made a reputation being pretty good at it.

It's getting harder to do 2 day productions with no sleep, and I have to really hype myself up, sometimes, but this is FUN!

Just decided to start SS, so I must be preparing for cutting back at some point.

Mostly, I do for a living what I'd do for fun.

I think it's working for me....how long, I don't know!


Russ

If it's fun, it ain't work, Russ...that's why I still like to play the occasional gig; mainly to keep the kinks out, but also, I just love playin'. It never was for the money.

I hope Gary resolves this issue into something that works well for him on all counts.

When I retired, I never felt like I was giving up...I was just starting something else.

Ian

Russ, in my case, I worked in Cardio-Pulmonary Medicine for one of the most prestigious hospitals in the world, The Johns Hopkins Hospital. I loved what I did, but I eventually burned out when I had to take care of pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis, most of which died at a very young age. I walked away from medicine in 1975 and never looked back.

I've done lots of things since then, but the best job I've ever had was music. Yes, it's a job, and it's a full-time business venture as well. At least it is when you depend upon it for a living income. As a good friend of mine said this morning, he too will soon be retiring from music and it has been one Hell of a ride. And, as I told him, if I had to live this life again, I'm not really sure if I would want to change anything, other than exposing myself to asbestos in the Navy. Granted, like anyone's life, it has been somewhat of a roller coaster, but it sure has been a fun ride and there's really not much that I have not done, or accomplished in all these years. And, I've done some crazy $hit!

One of the primary reasons I decided that 75 was the likely cutoff point for me is health issues. My lungs are shot to Hell, some body parts no longer function as they should, and I hope to spend more time doing things with my wife. During the past 52 years, we really have not spent as much time doing things together, which is primarily my fault. This will soon change with retirement. At least I hope it will.

Cheers,

Gary

I guess that means next year's jam is out ?

It's not gonna be at my house next year, Bernie. Maybe I'll put one together in 2015 if I'm in the Florida Keys, but still not sure about that at this time.

Gary