[wdb]

Originally Posted by M_Six

There was a nightclub outside Weiden in Germany called the Tote Hose (not the best name for a night club). It was open all night. We'd spend a Saturday afternoon grilling steaks and drinking. Then crash for a few hours. Then wake up and have dinner and watch a movie. Around 11PM we'd head out to the Tote Hose and spend hours there. Ah, those were the days.

We did a similar thing at the Jersey shore. A relative lived in Ocean City; we'd head to their house on Friday night after work, party there for a while, and then head to The Dunes -- "Dunes 'til dawn" was their credo, they didn't even open until 10pm -- and party until the sun came up.

[vreihen16]

.

[M_Six]

^^^I had a friend who had a green one of those. We rode that silly thing everywhere with two us crammed on it.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by wdb

I remember being out at recess and trying to see how high we could swing on those big sets. We thought if we went high enough we could go right over the top and all the way around. What actually happened -- to me anyway -- was that once the swing got beyond a certain point the chains went slack and the whole works fell straight down! Quite a jolt.

Over here, apart from ropes and chain, we also had the variant with steel bars. With that type of swing you could swing as good as vertical, but not flip over the top (blocked). To go near max vertical, we used to stand on the swing (I don't recall anyone going all the way in seated position - too risky). Despite 'heavy duty use' (sometimes also two kids going up on the same swing), I don't recall any broken swings.

[3.0L]

Two of my grade school classmates had Doodlebugs. They were the envy of
the neighborhood. Of course it was illegal for kids to ride them on city
streets, but they managed to zip around the neighborhood without getting
caught.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Esteban

When I first met my wife in 1974 this was the car she owned.

A favorite car of Ralph Nader.

Good thing that you and your family didn't become part of the "Benefits" section of Ford's horrible bean counters 'ingenuity':

[Lady Jane]

[vreihen16]

...when you're walking from bed to the bathroom in the morning, and somehow wind up on the living room floor atop a crushed end table.....

[M_Six]

Oof!

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Oof!

I keep telling everyone that I will not make it until Christmas thanks to my involuntary retirement!

There are plenty of cases where people have died after working their whole lives within a year of retiring, I suspect because they no longer have the obligation of being a productive member of society.....

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

I keep telling everyone that I will not make it until Christmas thanks to my involuntary retirement!

There are plenty of cases where people have died after working their whole lives within a year of retiring, I suspect because they no longer have the obligation of being a productive member of society.....

Been retired/fired for almost 12 years now & I lasted under 6 years before my widowmaker. We males are pretty much defined by our work, and when that is gone, we appear to have no reason to get out of bed. Hobbies work, as well as travel. We've been in babysitting (2-3 days a week) mode for just over a couple of years now, and that's a BLAST!

I still haven't done the major things I wanted to do; my garage is still a mess and I have yet to really clean out my desk. Seems I'll get around to it

[Esteban]

The more things change the more they stay the same.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

Been retired/fired for almost 12 years now & I lasted under 6 years before my widowmaker. We males are pretty much defined by our work, and when that is gone, we appear to have no reason to get out of bed. Hobbies work, as well as travel. We've been in babysitting (2-3 days a week) mode for just over a couple of years now, and that's a BLAST!

I still haven't done the major things I wanted to do; my garage is still a mess and I have yet to really clean out my desk. Seems I'll get around to it

Here you are. Now get to work.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

I keep telling everyone that I will not make it until Christmas thanks to my involuntary retirement!

There are plenty of cases where people have died after working their whole lives within a year of retiring, I suspect because they no longer have the obligation of being a productive member of society.....

As you got plenty of time now as retiree, vreihen16:

"The Mortality Effects of Retirement: Evidence from Social Security Eligibility at Age 62" (2017) (PDF - 63 pages)
https://www.nber.org/system/files/wo...127/w24127.pdf

Summary:

• "The Mortality Effects of Retirement" (2018):
  https://www.nber.org/bah/2018no1/mor...cts-retirement
• "Data Shows Retirement’s Negative Effect on Mortality Rates" (2018):
  https://business.purdue.edu/news/fea...retirement.php

Remaining in good spirits (including being a grumpy ol' man yelling at a TV and a computer screen so now and then), preserving a good health, some new purpose in retiree life to avoid boredom and refraining from buying straightaway a Fat Boy Harley if you never rode any motorbike in your life (for an acquaintance of the past, retiree mileage was tragically cut short by doing that - may he R.I.P.).

[hubbahubba]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

I keep telling everyone that I will not make it until Christmas thanks to my involuntary retirement!

There are plenty of cases where people have died after working their whole lives within a year of retiring, I suspect because they no longer have the obligation of being a productive member of society.....

Well, to start with, quit telling everyone that! Don't talk yourself into it.

I don't know if this is feasible in your field, but, have you ever thought of starting a small consulting business? You obviously loved what you did, right? Do it on your own terms. Be your own boss, make your own hours, and give yourself a reason to drag your old butt out of bed every day. If that isn't feasible, work from home online? Go be a greeter at Walmart? My 83 year old dad works for a car dealership 3 days a week just driving service customers home and back. He loves it, get's plenty of social time with some interesting people, and he makes a few extra bucks. If you don't want to stop doing something, don't. Plenty out there for a retiree to keep busy with if you choose. Beats the heck out of wasting away.

[Pauly Wauly]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

I keep telling everyone that I will not make it until Christmas thanks to my involuntary retirement!

There are plenty of cases where people have died after working their whole lives within a year of retiring, I suspect because they no longer have the obligation of being a productive member of society.....

Looks like you need to find a part-time job before you kill yourself

[Mr Fix It]

I agree…retirement is not for sissies. The toughest part for me is that most men my age do not have the same interests I do. Most don’t do much of anything. I am 75….still do Mauy Thai 3 days a week ( with a little less intensity), still mess with cars obviously and still do some consultant work. Guys don’t ever stop moving, making mistakes, taking some risks, or learning. If you do you may be alive but you ain’t living.

[Lady Jane]

[Pauly Wauly]

I was watching the Olympics Breakdancing competition, AKA "Breaking", and now my whole body hurts
\

[kscarrol]

Did you see the Australian women? Not a break dancing expert by any means but it was not what I expected to see in break dancing…

[XK4]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

I keep telling everyone that I will not make it until Christmas thanks to my involuntary retirement!

There are plenty of cases where people have died after working their whole lives within a year of retiring, I suspect because they no longer have the obligation of being a productive member of society.....

Look at this as an opportunity to do what you enjoy. If you don't know what that is, I'd suggest finding and joining a volunteer service organization such as Kiwanis, Rotary, etc. that focuses on something important to you (kids, community service, food pantry, senior help, the environment, etc.). You will get to hang out with good people, do what service projects you want and make a new batch of good friends.

[Pauly Wauly]

Originally Posted by kscarrol

Did you see the Australian women? Not a break dancing expert by any means but it was not what I expected to see in break dancing…

No, I didn`t. I can`t breakdance if my life depend on it , I just happen to watch the men's breakdancing competition this afternoon.

I just watched a video clip on YouTube of the Australian women breakdancing, and I think those moves look legit