Is That REALLY What You Do When You Retire?

>> Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Every so often I run across people who have made (or continue to make) decisions about their lives and their purchases that leave me baffled.  I mean, really, I sit in my home, thinking about them, with my chin hanging down, trying to understand, "Why?"

Maybe some of you can enlighten me about some of these things.

I have a neighbor that moved "down south" a few years ago.  I'm not even sure I remember exactly when they moved in, but it has been probably 5 years or more.  They came from some place vaguely defined as "up north".  Their old home was far enough "up north" that all but the newest houses didn't necessarily have air conditioning.  Of course, there was snow, and a lot of it, if the tales are true, but I don't think this family had any driveway to shovel or anything like that. 

Anyway, about 5 or so years ago, they decided to move.  There was no job transfer, no family emergency, or any other "must move" factors in their decision.  They just decided the time had come to leave their old town behind and break ground in a new place.  So far, so good.  I understand the wanderlust.  I have it too, sometimes, but I usually get over it when I consider how annoying packing, selling the house, buying a new house, and unpacking will be. 

Are you with me so far?  Now here is the clincher.

They moved "down south" where we consider 80 degrees too cool to go to the pool and we don't break out the winter coats until January.  The catch is ... these people hate the heat.  They really do.  They find 82 degrees oppressive, and they won't go outside if the temperature is above 85.  Helloooooo, this is the south.  I mean, it isn't Florida, Texas, or other famously hot places, but people around here don't think summer has arrived until the thermometer reads 90. 

Why, then, did they pick this town to move to?  They had a whole cool (temperature-wise) half of the country to pick from.  Why here?  They knew they hated heat.  They tell me so all the time. 

I just don't get it.

Even better, when asked, why they moved "south?" they generally reply, "That is what you do when you retire." (Really?  The goal of retirement is to move to someplace you hate so you can complain about it all the time?  I had no idea.  I think I'll not retire.)

Then again, I've met more inexplicable people.  We know this family that is a little ... bit ... obsessed with the concept of the paper plate.  Now, I need to confess that I am not a fan of the paper plate.  I really don't see the point unless you are outside or away from household luxuries like automatic dishwashers.  So, already, I am biased.  I don't know why you would buy the "good quality" paper plates, especially because they aren't cheap, and modern dishwashers solve a lot of headaches.

Nonetheless, this family uses paper plates as a regular staple.  Why?  Allegedly so they don't have to wash dishes.  (Yes, they have an automatic dishwasher.)  The irony?  They DO wash the paper plates off so they can be used again.  (Yes, you just read that.)

I just don't get it. 

Then, just to be sure, I asked them why else they switched from real plates to paper.  Guess what they said?  "That's what you do when you retire."

Really?  That's it.  I am never retiring.

2 comments:

Yaya' s Home September 1, 2010 at 5:55 AM  

Hi there. I'm your newest follower an' you ain't heard the half of it, yet. Did you know there are people who retire so they can work at a different job? No, not out of necessity; they just wanna' try somethin' else. So they start a new job at entry level pay and as the low man/woman on the totem pole. Why? Because that's what you do when you retire. LOL. Not me; that's sure not what I do. Not any of the above.

~ Yaya

Karin Kysilka September 2, 2010 at 7:37 AM  

Yaya, I think we need to come up with a new word for what we believe "retiring" is all about, like "rabling" or something. then we'll set up our own conclaves where we can go Rable in our own way without all these silly rules that seem to follow retirement.

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