Jim DeLine's Website / Blog

Why are vacations different than retirement? I’m retired and I am trying to be better at it. My cruise this Spring taught me how.

On a cruise, you wake up in the morning with your whole day ahead of you. Let’s see. What will I do? I can go for a jog, workout, or just have a big breakfast including a Bloody Mary. During the day, I can explore the port city, order up a movie, maybe take a nap. I have my choice of restaurants for dinner, can take in a show, or try my luck at the casino.

But then I come home. And it is back to the routine. Why is that?

Once a year, my town (Lansing, MI) has an event called, “Be a Tourist in Your Own Town.” We are encouraged to discover the local sites including museums, the zoo, garden spots, etc. Wait. I’m retired. I can do that every day!

I know. I know. Real life demands things like doing laundry and grocery shopping. But, c’mon. How much time can chores take?

When you are retired, you can get up each morning with your whole day ahead of you. Go jogging, workout, or just have a big breakfast including a Bloody Mary. During the day, go for a bike ride, visit a museum or a garden spot, or do some volunteer work. In the evening, make yourself a nice dinner while listening to classic rock. Or you have your choice of restaurants. Then take in a movie or just binge watch some TV.

I have heard that retirement is where you get paid for doing whatever the hell you want. And it is. Since my cruise, I am trying to remember that every day.