General Chat

I welcomed it, I was a senior manager and also on several committees in the local area.
I retired and gave everything up to concentrate of my family. They are now my best friends, especialIy my son, we go to the pub every Thursday evening for a few jars. My wife and I take the grandkids on "adventures" and I feed my brain by going to the local college. I have done computer CLAIT courses, learnt holiday French and Spanish and my wife and I travel a lot.
I don't miss the "in control" thing at all and I also sleep a lot better.

We, us Housewives do have a Job title.
I cannot remember who or where it came from but was told I am classed as a Domestic Engineer.. Its True.
Linda x

well I only ever had office jobs, and now work in a supermarket, so no need for me to fess up to these when I retire - I will be retired period - keep em guessing.

Anyway the job I am most proud of you can never retire from, being a supportive wife and loving mother - and running a good home.

good one Merlin - really like that!!!!

Bob,

Have just read your Fred joke. Marvellous.

Fred.

Errol. Don,t be so Touchy.Years ago,I was a School Govenor,Unpaid and nobody was really interested in what you did,you just got on with it not expecting any pats on the back.But your own satisfaction of knowing you are helping the community was sufficient.Titles such as Col.Ret.Etc.that is what you were then,not as you are now,and that is what counts. Ann,Just for the record,When anyone asks me "What my Occupation is now" I tell them I,ve just taken up a new job entitled "Sex Maniac",Its amazing how quickly they stop wasting my time with the Survey.**M**.pmsl.:o)))>

Thank you all for your input.

Ann
Glos

I can confirm all that Daff has said.
My husband left the RN fifteen years ago, but he still gets mail from our bank and building society with his rank and letters after his name.
Of course, in the days of the IRA bombings, this used to worry us, as Service personnel were advised not to use their rank for obvious reasons.
Now we have given up trying to remind whatever computers send out mail that he is no longer a serving member of HM Forces.
Me? I long ago accepted that I was 'just a housewife and mother' - at which point I knew that a lot of people would immediately lose interest in whatever I had to say.
And now I am an official OAP, and not slyph-like anymore - well, I have become invisible!!
Unless I lose my temper!
I keep remembering that poem 'When I am old I shall wear purple' .

Well I have to admit to writing Sgnt Major retired on my Marriage certificate under Father's Occupation. I am still not sure whether this was for my benefit or the benefit of family researchers in years to come.

I do so dislike the label 'Housewife', merely for the fact that the words 'Just an' usually precede it. My usual retort is ' I am not married to a house'. My 'occupation' over many years has included numerous job descriptions.

When asked what my occupation is these days, my answer is 'Lady of Leisure'.

I often asked my oh why it is that the hours I spend doing genealogical research freely for others, or even any other voluntary work, is 'not' working when his work at a computer is. Perhaps the fact that he gets paid is supposedly harder on the brain :-)

Susan who could go on but won't :-)))))

lol Ann.... course not!! I'd pm you or phone you if you had... I have to use yer full title on a thread with more than one Ann... it's so I know who I'm talking to, lol

But I agree it does come over as stiff and formal, and you might have thought I was having a pop!! :¬s Sorry honeybun, not my intention at all!! I was just explaining... butting in, really. As you know I tend to do. ;¬))

Love

Daff xxxx

Hi Daff - do hope I didn't upset you with my remarks regarding titles!!! would never deliberately set out to upset anyone

Ann XX

Ann (in Glos,lol) I gave up work when hubby left the Army, he was dreading not being able to continue doing the job he was trained for, and is extremely good at. Fortunately, he was well enough thought of for his final role to be *civilianised* and so he still works there.

(Ann of GG, just a point here ;¬)) .... my husband doesn't use his service rank, nor his letters after his name, since he retired after 34 years, even though he is entitled to do so. But he earned the right to them, should he choose to use them in the future, lol)

Not the same with me... we moved home, hubby commutes. I found I had a couple of hurty bits that meant I felt no new employer would be prepared to employ me... and it wouldn't be fair to expect them to, either.

But I am a middle aged plump woman.... and therefore totally invisible unless I get cross... then I am just a grumpy old woman!! It is very irksome... although I am not retired as such.. I am not working, and am a *kept woman* lol.... but the position I held when I left work was a very responsible one, and I miss it dreadfully... I had a lot of autonomy, and a high degree of respect shown me. (We will ignore the fact that my staff team referred to me as Dilly Daydream occasionally, lol)

I miss that, a lot. And I bet there are many, many others in that position, but who never had hobbies, or interests outside their job/working environment to look forward to pursuing, who feel the same.

So I would imagine that a lot of people want to continue being useful, and putting something back into the community... I don't at the moment, but was on many a fundraising/parent teacher/board of governers/neighbourhood watch/service welfare support groups etc in my time.... both when I was working and when I was in between countries/job/posting etc. But I was able to devote MORE of my time and emotion to them when I wasn't working... it seems logical!! I loved it. I got back far more than I put in, I sometimes feel.

I think the busier people have been, the more difficult they find it to slow down.

And I agree, Ann's thread most certainly wasn't a *get at* the way I read it Errol...

I think taht all people who give of their time and effort freely, and with love and dedication, should be applauded... they are so vital to the running not only of their *cause* but of this country as a whole.

No matter what their age, whether retired, working, disabled, redundant (what a dreadful word that is) they perform a vital role.

Love

Daff xxxx

After all Folks whats in a name?


Just Fred...

A cop stops a car for traveling faster than the posted speed limit. He asks the man his name. 'Fred,' he replies. 'Fred what?' the officer asks. 'Just Fred,' the man responds. The officer is in a good mood, doesn't smell alcohol, and thinks he might just give the fellow a break and write him out a warning instead of a ticket.
So the officer then presses him for the last name. The man tells him that he used to have a last name but lost it. The officer thinks that he has a nut case on his hands but plays along with it. 'Tell me, Fred, how did you lose your last name?' The man replies, 'It's a long story, so stay with me.' 'I was born Fred Dingaling. I know -- a funny last name. The kids used to tease me all the time. So I stayed to myself, studied hard and got good grades.

When I got older I realized that I wanted to be a doctor. I went through college, medical school, internship, residency, and finally got my degree, so I was Fred Dingaling, MD. 'After awhile I got bored being a doctor, so I decided to go back to school. Dentistry was my dream! Got all the way through school, got my degree, so then I was Fred Dingaling, MD, DDS. 'Got bored doing dentistry, so I started fooling around with my assistant and she gave me VD. So now I was Fred Dingaling, MD,DDS, withVD. Well, the ADA found out about the VD, so they took away my DDS. Then I was Fred Dingaling, MD with VD.Then the AMA found out about the ADA taking away my DDS because of the VD, so they took away my MD leaving me as Fred Dingaling with VD. Then the VD took away my Dingaling, so now I am Just Fred.' The officer walked away in tears, laughing.

Bob

hello Ann

Nope not at all, I have had senior important jobs (well to the company/govt they were an importany position) but never considered the 'status' side of it.

I was born with nothing (not even a scrap of clothes) i grew up met people in school - met people in work, all born the same way.

I did a good job at work and that was that, spent my money and enjoyed myself.

I am just Gill - no status, no need to feel I need to explain what I have done with my life either.

take care

Gill

Is status how we see our selves or as we wish others to see us

what i mean is

when people are working and asked what they do for a living they can say i work as ect ect so we have status in socity

when we come out of work and asked the same question what can one say, i am retired, i am unemployed, i am disabled

and by association now of a lesser status than before

So i would imagin some retired people would like to be seen as still having some status and therefore do join commities and other things to keep occupied and give themselves a purpose in life

therefore i can see nothing wrong with that at all its better than having no purpose left in life

Sxx

Status?

Just try addressing my wife as Ms.
you'll get the sharp end of her tongue.

she is Mrs.
Me? I am retired Electrician...

Bob

I certainly didn't see it as Ann putting anyone down in any way whatsoever - she could just as easily have said worker in a charity shop or a hospital visitor, they were just two voluntary occupations she cited - I feel Errol that you have taken offence where none was ever intended

As I said Errol, it was not an intention to put down Governors, I didn't say it was not a worth while job but it is a status for those who do it. Schools would not be run properly without governors I agree so well done for doing it . (Incidentally my son is chairman of a school's governors so I do know what I am talking about - and he is not retired by a long way either.

Ann
Glos

Ann I thought I was adding to the debate - I think that school governors are often put down as you did - they actually do a fantastic - unpaid- job and run our schools!

Ronald, I loved the jokes.

I tried to look at this the other way round. It's not that retirees feel they need to measure up to something, more that we all need to be something before we retire. I have done a hundred jobs and now teach nursery, with all the relevant qualifications.

When I am retired I may say retired nursery teacher as this is where I feel I am making my mark. If I said merely 'retired' I would wonder 'what from?'

All OAPs have contributed so much in the way of advice to their families that I think they are all teachers. Think what you learned from your Granny.