When will I feel safe again?

[Phaedrus]

Isn't it sad, however, that so many people who are at the age of retirement cannot retire?

Once, again, I blame the system this country has implemented.

When you have people who can retire in their thirties and those who cannot at seventy, the problem is clearly the system.

[Little Lunch]

I've always had the feeling that I won't live until retirement.
Mind you, when I was younger I thought I'd be a homeless wino by now. :-)

[julep]

I don't think I've felt safe since age 5 or 6, and maybe not even then.  I think the trick is to do stuff despite feeling afraid. 

That said, I would love to be able to work again in the same room with my colleagues, which I won't be able to do until the vaccine/herd immunity is a lot more advanced.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I've always had the feeling that I won't live until retirement.
Mind you, when I was younger I thought I'd be a homeless wino by now. :-)

You can still do both!

[SYZ]

...I'm thinking of starting an Etsy business where I can sell some hats online.

As a matter of interest, quality rabbit-fur felt cattleman hats like these sell in Australia
for around A$150 to A$200.



The brims are often around 3½" wide and the crowns around 4" high, with a rabbit
skin or kangaroo skin inner band.

The "Akubra" brand is the only hat still made here in Australia.

[Mad Hatter]

...I'm thinking of starting an Etsy business where I can sell some hats online.

As a matter of interest, quality rabbit-fur felt cattleman hats like these sell in Australia
for around A$150 to A$200.



The brims are often around 3½" wide and the crowns around 4" high, with a rabbit
skin or kangaroo skin inner band.

The "Akubra" brand is the only hat still made here in Australia.

Oh yeah. I'm very familiar with Akubras. I had an Akubra Squatter. They make a very good hat for people who are just beginning to collect hats, and they're still a favorite of those who have been collecting them for a while too. The two most popular Akubra styles among collectors are the Federation IV, a tall and straight crowned Fedora that was based off the Indiana Jones 'Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' hat, and the other is the Campdraft, which is based on the Stetson Open Road hat. In fact, Akubra was one of a few hat companies that was licensed by Stetson to make the Open Road for them. When Stetson sold out Akubra continued the Open Road style and renamed it Campdraft. Both hats come "open crowned" rather than pre-creased.

[jerry mcmasters]

I have a friend who is 65 and in complete denial about work and retirement, has made zero plans, and will probably be one of those guys who dies in his sleep or of a heart attack six month after they put him out to pasture. Too many of us have 110% of our identity wrapped up in our work. It doesn't help that his wife is best taken in small doses.

I love my work, and would do it for free if I didn't need money. Indeed, after I retire, I probably WILL do it for free.

To me, retirement is less about not having to work and more about having total flexibility to pick and chose whatever work you do.

I also live mostly in my head and so if I have to, I can occupy myself with intellectual pursuits -- reading, research, learning new things.

The hatter is correct, everyone is different. Covid has been a form of (hopefully temporary) forced retirement for some of us, but for many introverts it has relieved them of burdensome obligations and entanglements that they much prefer to do without.

I will have the option next year of retiring with security and good money, or I can keep at it.  I am okay with either.  I like what I do, and don't greatly need the money at this point, but I also could easily find things to occupy my time and efforts in retirement.  I had an uncle that was allegedly going to fish and hunt when he retired, but it was too easy to just sit around and get hammered by noon so he didn't live long.  Probably you do have to have a plan and some goals to pursue to keep you busy.

[SYZ]

I will have the option next year of retiring with security and good money, or I can keep at it.  I am okay with either...

Personally—and considering the current (and future) state of the world—this would be
my choice, particularly if your future is financially secure.  I'd reckon that for anybody
over the age of, say, 55 years that'd be their best option too if they have superannuation
and/or a pension and paid health insurance.

[Little Lunch]

...I'm thinking of starting an Etsy business where I can sell some hats online.

As a matter of interest, quality rabbit-fur felt cattleman hats like these sell in Australia
for around A$150 to A$200.



The brims are often around 3½" wide and the crowns around 4" high, with a rabbit
skin or kangaroo skin inner band.

The "Akubra" brand is the only hat still made here in Australia.

Oh yeah. I'm very familiar with Akubras. I had an Akubra Squatter. They make a very good hat for people who are just beginning to collect hats, and they're still a favorite of those who have been collecting them for a while too. The two most popular Akubra styles among collectors are the Federation IV, a tall and straight crowned Fedora that was based off the Indiana Jones 'Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' hat, and the other is the Campdraft, which is based on the Stetson Open Road hat. In fact, Akubra was one of a few hat companies that was licensed by Stetson to make the Open Road for them. When Stetson sold out Akubra continued the Open Road style and renamed it Campdraft. Both hats come "open crowned" rather than pre-creased.

My favourite Akubra is Les Hiddens' (Bush Tucker Man) hat.
I'm a big fan of his. :-)

[Fireball]

I've always had the feeling that I won't live until retirement.
Mind you, when I was younger I thought I'd be a homeless wino by now. :-)

FWIW, my experience growing up was that males in my family died at 58 years old (or less). One uncle died at 37, one at 56, (the "or less" category), one uncle died at 64, and one uncle (AFAIK) is still alive, in his 90s. He's on my mother's side where many have lived into their 90s. The ones who died "early" all used tobacco, including one of my younger brothers, who died at 58 from tobacco-related disease. Neither side of our family should use tobacco. By the same token, not at the time knowing the relationship of tobacco and mortality in our family (these deaths mostly happened in the '80s or previously), I fully expected to be discovered dead at my desk long before my current age of 68. The females tended to live slightly longer, even into their 60s, and a couple into their 70s. Tobacco is a bitch, and those companies should be held accountable. They know what they are doing, even now. They've just shifted their marketing elsewhere, to poison and kill other people. 

[Little Lunch]

I've always had the feeling that I won't live until retirement.
Mind you, when I was younger I thought I'd be a homeless wino by now. :-)

FWIW, my experience growing up was that males in my family died at 58 years old (or less). One uncle died at 37, one at 56, (the "or less" category), one uncle died at 64, and one uncle (AFAIK) is still alive, in his 90s. He's on my mother's side where many have lived into their 90s. The ones who died "early" all used tobacco, including one of my younger brothers, who died at 58 from tobacco-related disease. Neither side of our family should use tobacco. By the same token, not at the time knowing the relationship of tobacco and mortality in our family (these deaths mostly happened in the '80s or previously), I fully expected to be discovered dead at my desk long before my current age of 68. The females tended to live slightly longer, even into their 60s, and a couple into their 70s. Tobacco is a bitch, and those companies should be held accountable. They know what they are doing, even now. They've just shifted their marketing elsewhere, to poison and kill other people. 

Have you seen the Phillip Morris 'Unsmoke the World' Campaign?
They claim they want to phase out cigarettes and bring in 'less unhealthy' options.
These guys are probably worse than nazis.

[TonyAnkle]

My wife is booked in for her jab this coming Monday, so that has put my mind at rest slightly. There is growing pressure on the government to vaccinate workers in the education sector (my line of work) but I'm not holding my breath on that one. I'm thinking that it will be late summer/early autumn when my turn comes, and that's due to my age rather than my occupation. Over the next couple of weeks we should see what effect lockdown has had on cases, fingers crossed they'll be on the decline.