Most professors with Emeritus status already are retired. That's one of the criteria for becoming Emeritus (or Emerita).
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Retiring in 2021 ........ Anyone Else?
- Thread starter covermego
- Start date
Most professors with Emeritus status already are retired. That's one of the criteria for becoming Emeritus (or Emerita).
I retired in June 2019 at age 69. Coming up on my 71st birthday next month.
I really enjoy the relaxed pace of retirement, and I do much less running around on errands and for business-related stuff than I used to. I have to work harder at getting exercise and have joined a fitness club to keep flexibility and strength. It is AMAZING how much harder it is to do some things than it was a decade or two ago.
My practice habits have never been very good, and they were practically nonexistent last year when i knew I couldn't play out anyway. My band is all about my age, and none of us really wanted to get together with the risk at our age. But I'm still teaching online, and I'm working on a book.
I really enjoy the relaxed pace of retirement, and I do much less running around on errands and for business-related stuff than I used to. I have to work harder at getting exercise and have joined a fitness club to keep flexibility and strength. It is AMAZING how much harder it is to do some things than it was a decade or two ago.
My practice habits have never been very good, and they were practically nonexistent last year when i knew I couldn't play out anyway. My band is all about my age, and none of us really wanted to get together with the risk at our age. But I'm still teaching online, and I'm working on a book.
I retired at 62 at the end of October from a job I really hated and my wife was retired with disability a couple years before that. Never thought I'd be the only breadwinner in the home but it's worked out fine now that it's over.
The house is paid off, the local housing market is insane, no kids, and lots to do for fun and interest.
The house is paid off, the local housing market is insane, no kids, and lots to do for fun and interest.
I've been unable to work for the last four years and applying for disability. If that is not approved I will go ahead and retire since I'm 62. Sadly my health is a serious obstacle to gigging but my projects should keep me busy.
Why should somebody retire just for you?
Retiring from work? I don’t think I ever want to retire completely. I just took a week long paid staycation because I was maxed out on paid time off and while it was nice to relax, I can’t really see myself sitting at home for long periods of time. My wife is a state employee and is setup to retire sooner. I work in healthcare. Could realistically hang it up at 55 if I want but I’d really like to open my own business while I’m young enough to still put in all the work to get it off the ground. Would like to open a restaurant/bar that supports all kinds of local artists. With a menu inspired by my kids that have some unique diet requirements (my oldest has celiac and my youngest has allergies) They don’t have many safe places to go out to eat. And really there’s nothing that’s 100% GF. Really because of the pandemic I might actually do it sooner than later. The pandemic put a lot of places around here out of business so there would be less competition if I did it sooner.
65 in October, but have been on a reduced-hour (and reduced $$) program with my law partners for two years, and will be in more of an advice/consultancy mode on greatly reduced hours for the next year or two, before completely hanging it up. Over these past two years I'd hoped to be playing more music than before, as I'm practicing trombone again and had been gigging a bit on bass, but the pandemic eviscerated the gigs, and I'm not one of those folks who can quickly jump from the lawyer mindset (paranoia/aggression/incoming and outbound hand grenades on many fronts, many times a day/anxious planning for future worst-case scenarios) to the mindset that guided my first career as a professional trombonist (open/supportive/eager to absorb and express thoughts, feelings, experiences/"be here now"). So my practice "routine" has been spotty, as I seem to need even more non-law time to get into the right frame of mind to improve my playing and make music. I will acknowledge that my law practice has been psychically rewarding: I represent labor unions and wage/hour plaintiff classes that encounter payment hazards when employers go insolvent. I don't make anywhere near the $$ of my opponents repping banks and companies, but I'm in better financial shape than my musician friends from back in the day (trustifarians excluded), and get a kick from holding our own against some of the best bankruptcy and entertainment finance lawyers in the world - a whole lot of directors, writers and performers have collected several hundreds of millions in residuals off of my work (even film musicians, indirectly, as they ride the pattern I've established for the Guilds). But I'm worn down, and eagerly awaiting my next step toward autonomy. I know a lot of folks who either love or entirely identify with their work, and who can't imagine what they would do with more time on their hands (my wife, for example...). Not me - I've piles of books to read, music to hear and play, and instruments to practice - I'd particularly like to get a few good years on trombone, before age and decrepitude take their toll.
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I wish... I'll be 56 this year, so I'm looking at another 11 years give or take. Unless of course my current employer again offers an early retirement package. The minimum age for the last couple of packages was 59, so if they offer again in 3 years, I will seriously consider it.
Best of luck to all those here who have retired already, or those who will this year - I'm jealous.
Best of luck to all those here who have retired already, or those who will this year - I'm jealous.
Obviously there's been a financial adjustment, especially last year.In other words, you're just poor.
Music and the Live Sound company were supposed to be my retirement plan...
My wife is younger and still working. I have SS and a small annuity as well as a small amount in an IRA.
Live music is starting to pick up, and I don't need that much to net what I was making before - expenses are way down...
I spent the last 10 years on my corporate career investing in tools and knowledge - and a kickass midsize venue PA system.
I'm equipped to do just about everything that needs doing, so there's not much outlay for external services. We've refinanced the property and that saved us a pile of money. We're both really good cooks and very rarely eat out.
I have the basses and amps I need, and anything new has to have a really good business case. Is there stuff I want? Sure...
Got laid off at the start of Covid, unemployed since, turn 62 in November, joining the ranks of the R-E-T at the end of this year and will look for some part-time easy work (and gigs, which are starting to come back now.)
I hear you. I was in higher ed for 40 years, but although I had one faculty appointment (and earned tenure) early on, in all that period I was producing education radio/TV/satellite/Internet materials. I never wanted to pursue research, and I fully understand departmental politics - of which I soon learned that I wanted no part.
The challenge is today that people my age (70) are still healthy and interested in what they're doing, and in many cases they are still doing good work.
I understand your frustration, especially with institutions increasingly getting stingy with tenure track appointments, but as they say, "it is what it is." My suggestion is to be as versatile as you can, get really good at online teaching, and keep ownership of the intellectual property in your courses, both face to face and online. You may need to shop around.
That right there is how it is done! Hats off to you sir!
From your reference to lab space I am guessing you are in the sciences. There are no labs in the humanities and I suspect few in the social sciences. I do not believe Emeriti would get office spaces if there are no office spaces to give. And the Emeriti who do get these spaces likely have retired only from teaching and plan to still research and write.
I play bass for a living. Even though I half-jokingly referred to this past year as an "involuntary retirement", I expect I'll continue to play until I'm physically unable or I drop dead.
The good news for me is that I can begin collecting my American Federation of Musicians pension in 6 years. (If I last that long.)
Ditto. Turned 50 at the end of March, and have 24 years with my employer. Not a dream job, but provides a good living for my wife and kids. Speaking of, my kids are 4 and 2. So... yeah, retirement probably won't be happening any time soon!
