I’m starting to get a little restless in retirement. At first, I liked the idea of a routine, but now the days are running together without much meaning. I wake up every morning dreading having to do a run, as if I have no choice. I wake up at the same time, as the morning light starts to filter into the bedroom. Tally then goes for her walk before I do some stretching, push-ups, and sit-ups. Before I know it, I’m out the door and pounding the pavement down the very same route most every day. I see the same people stuck in their own routines that become part of mine. 

I come home in a sweat, and do my Wordle puzzles for the day, while eventually completing 7 Little Words. I’ll do fourteen laps in the pool to cool down and follow it up with a half-hour of writing, just like clock-work. Before I know it, I’m brushing my teeth, popping the same meds, in the shower shaving, and then eating lunch – all the same every single day. If it’s not for a doctor’s appointment, I rarely leave the house except to routinely walk Tally at noon and 9:30 pm before going to bed. Between times, she lounges in my office chair all day long with a similar bored look on her face, moving only for snacks and “yummy tummy” time. It’s like Groundhog Day, exactly the same routine every day of the week. 

Sure, there are occasional slight variations. I might shorten my run as I did today because of too much to drink last night or skip the writing as I did yesterday. Most of the time, I’m on automatic pilot unless we travel or have company. Then, I actually have to think rather than go through the day like a retirement zombie! We had an overnight guest last night and went out for dinner for a little variety. Afterwards, we sat in the convertible with the top down near the downtown Venice bandshell and listened to the music. It wasn’t a very good performance, plus I was groggy from the beer and mojito. My wife and her friend took Tally for her nightcap walk, while I hit the sack. I woke up unmotivated, trying to figure out a way to break this cycle of retirement laziness that should be well-earned contentment. Going to the beach and tonight’s Patriotic Pops concert does not seem inspiring. Instead, I see it all as sadly boring. Been there…done that. Retirement – Ho Hum!