Retirement Practice

It's day 4 of 4 days off. Not a holiday, vacation or stay-cation.. it's practice. Retirement practice. I need practice because I've never been out of work for any significant amount of time - maybe that year in college. Even in the Navy, when I wasn't deployed, I'd pick up a part-time gig just to keep from being idle. They say "The idle mind is the playground of the devil," and "Busy hands are happy hands." I'm not religious, but both of these quasi-biblical (or authentically biblical for all I know) apply to me.

What am I going to do when I don't have to be somewhere for 8 hours a day. Including travel time, prep and decompression afterwards, that frees up 8 to 10 hours a day!

So how, approximately, have I filled these hours these past few days?

Primarily, I train, exercise, workout, before I do anything else (even on work days) of any significance with the exception of eating.

Creative Stuff.... 2012

Sunday was my first day. I recovered from the annual Funky Luau and trained with my friend, Isabella on the banks of the Schuylkill River. It was mainly her workout, but I got a little something in too. At home I went siesta. When I woke up I spent time on the net and did some creative work; archive photos and work on my vidizeen project... and maybe laundry... household chores and fed myself (refueled).

The detail is necessary for me.

Monday - training at the YMCA after breakfast, then another meal at a diner. Walking home is good exercise and it kills time. Chores and creative stuff at home, then back to the Y to teach a fitness class. I'm usually finished eating for the day before 8PM. Sometimes I'll practice some exercise/strength and/or yoga moves before bed. I spend too much time on the net, which is what most concerns me about having too much time. The AM/PM workout schedule appeals to me.

Tuesday - up for a 2 mile (30 minute) jog before breakfast. When ever jogging evolves to running this will be a great time-killer. At my current pace 4 miles will eat up an hour - however, by the time I get to 4 miles my pace will be at 5 mph. There was a period several years ago that I committed to 2 hours outside training; a combination of running, calisthenics, body work on bars, yoga and stretching (cool down). This practice may make a comeback during retirement. (I have to allow myself to get used to that word.)

After the run, breakfast and recovery, a walk to the market. This kills about 90 minutes, including the shopping and putting the goods away. This may or may not be possible depending on where I'm living at any given time. House chores, food prep and creative stuff.

I spend too much time in front of this screen

Today, (Wednesday); slept a little later... (I want to maintain early rising. I don't mind being in bed before 10PM - unless there's a reason for me to stay up; currently there is none) ...just after 7AM - breakfast and at least an hour at the gym. Lifting today. With long breaks between heavy lifts an hour - 90 minutes goes fast. Walk 20-25 minutes, spend 30 more in a diner (recovery meal) then another 20 - 30 walking home. Still a lot of day left. Creativity and chores... which I slack on.

Looking over these notes I think the two elements that will most occupy my time in the post 8-hour slave-wage era will be exercise and creativity; creative ways to fund my next experience and creative ways to get more fit.

This was helpful. I didn't even get into the part where I explain why planning does me no good. I'll save that for later.