Ok, when I last left off, we were discussing laziness. But now I want to point out that sometimes you just look lazy to the outside world, when in fact you’re totally engaged in something fun. It just looks like you’re doing absolutely nothing. So, if you leave the house in the morning to go biking with a friend and find your wife is in the exact same spot in front of her computer when you arrive home, a) it is not reasonable to assume that she has been in that exact position all day, and b) it does not mean she is lazy.
Case in point: A couple weeks ago, Doug left for his bike ride, and I was in my pajamas at my computer eating breakfast. I had three things I absolutely had to accomplish that day, all of which involved sitting at the computer. I had to write a little tribute to a old friend that was retiring, make an email introduction to two people for the non-profit I volunteer for, and send an email to a friend that was going in for surgery the following day to offer my help. These things I accomplished by lunchtime.
I put in an hour on the elliptical machine, had lunch, and showered. When I came back downstairs, a friend had emailed me an old work question and I tried to answer it by going through my emails from 2005. Well, I couldn’t actually figure out the answer to her question but I became totally engrossed in reading old emails. There were a bunch of fun photos of some office parties that I hadn’t seen in ages. I relived my first month-long trip to Manhattan by reading all the emails I wrote to friends and family describing our adventures. I recalled how frustrated I was during my last year of work, when I read all the emails about how long it was taking to find my replacement. It reminded me how happy I am now to be retired, not just because I am done with all of the work angst, but also because I can now sit at my computer for hours reading old emails because really, I can do whatever I want.
Now I admit, this activity that doesn’t really look like an activity did derail my plans to mop the kitchen floor. Because, as I explained in my last post, that is a not-very-fun task that can always be done tomorrow. But if I had been mopping the floor instead of sitting at my computer when Doug arrived back home, it would have given him a totally different impression of how I spent my day. Perhaps it was the clue that I was no longer in my pajamas that stopped him from asking, “Have you even moved from that position today?”
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To be able to decide at the last moment to scratch the to-do list, jump in the RV, and leave the regular world behind for 3 days is what makes retirement so satisfying.
My wife and I work hard at the things that bring us happiness, try to steer clear of what doesn't, and never, ever think of ourselves as lazy, regardless of what it looks like to others.
Posted by: Bob Lowry | February 03, 2013 at 05:44 PM
Syd, if you don't mind my saying, I think your nice looking crossed bare feet are a perfect picture of being lazy in Early Retirement! :P
Posted by: deegee | February 03, 2013 at 06:54 PM
Bob: Well hopping in the RV for 3 days sounds anything but lazy anyway!
deegee: That's funny, I got an email from another reader today admiring my pedicure, thank you very much.
Posted by: Retired Syd | February 03, 2013 at 07:00 PM