Would love to just chat!

[Rebecca2004]

I am recently retired and still getting used to being at home all day.  I tried to get a part time job but no success. I would love to chat and get to know people from all over the country.  Maybe you can give me some advice on retirement loneliness!  Rebecca 

[Rhymesometimes]

@Jerome19468  I agree.  There are plenty of forums in this community for people to connect.  

[MedusaE76171]

@Jerome19468 and @Rhymesometimes  Maybe we should start an open "coffee klatch" at a time that is workable for most time zones.  We can meet, hang out and talk, whenever any of us can make it.  

[MedusaE76171]

So, @Rhymesometimes and I were thinking this would be a fun idea and, while I have attended a few, neither of us actually knows how to set up a Zoom Meeting.  LOL

If anyone else is interested in this idea and maybe has some idea how to go about it?  Morning-ish coffee on screen would be so fun, don't you think?  Maybe?  Some of you? 

No pressure.  LOL
Oh, and Skype; I forgot Skype. I've seen options for splicing people into the video calls.  That might work as well.

[OscarE1968]

@MedusaE76171 sounds interesting. I too have attended many Zoom meetings but not sure how to start one lol. 

[MedusaE76171]

Maybe Skype would be better?  I wonder if more of us are familiar with Skype?

[PatriciaC269790]

Hi I am so new here and my name is Tricia...I will have to look harder to see what Can be done to establish a group chat thingy, funny we use the platforms all day long in business settings but I'm unsure what is expected here or if a group can go outside of this platform???? Anyway, just knowing there are people who would like to connect (that are over 30, I am 63) is ....what I've been looking for...I'll be here daily but not sure of the time, I'll try to follow up.  too bad, we could just be getting some assistance with setting up groups, let me know if you find out the How To on this.  

[OscarE1968]

@PatriciaC269790 I too use it daily for construction meetings but have no clue how to go about it for this type of setting. It would be nice to have a friendly open conversation.

[MedusaE76171]

Hi, @PatriciaC269790 & @OscarE1968 I'm so glad there are a few of us who are interested in "getting together" over coffee, or whatever.  🙂  Although everyone here is welcome and encouraged to come hang out.  It really does sound fun.

So, I've checked into ZOOM and it appears to be very user friendly.   I set myself up as a Host (to see if I could) and now I am.  It appears that, to be a participant, all you need is an email address and a screen name.  

I think it might ask you to download the ZOOM app, but it was a quick download and I wasn't worried about it as it's a trusted site.  

I do remember, when being on these meetings previous, that none of my info, other than my screen name, was available.  

What I like about ZOOM is that you can join over audio, video or both.  You know, if you're having a bad hair day.  LOL

I live on the Eastcoast; we'd need to figure a time that works, in general for everyone. 
Fun.  🙂  

[OscarE1968]

@MedusaE76171 Sounds easy enough. I know for work i usually get an invite thru an email, so being a public forum i can send you my email by private message. I'm in Arizona so i believe I'm 2 hours behind the east coast.

[MedusaE76171]

Hi, @OscarE1968, @Rhymesometimes , @PatriciaC269790 
(And everyone 🙂
An email in a private message would work well.  I have noted acouple others as well so there should be at least three or four of us. :), @PatriciaC269790 , I picked up your email from your tagline.

@OscarE1968, There is a three hour time difference between AZ and the East Coast in the Summer and a two hour in the winter.  So, right now it is just after 1:00pm for me and 11:00am for you.  (I'm sure you had that already.  LOL)

I'm not sure where @Rhymesometimes, or @PatriciaC269790  are time zone-wise, but I think we can find a good time for a trial run.  

I am open most days cept 1:00pm - 2:00pm on Mondays, 12:00pm - 1:00pm on Thursdays and every morning from 11:00am to 11:30am.  - EST, of course.  

What do you guys have open?  

This is so fun.  🙂  

[OscarE1968]

@MedusaE76171 Well unfortunately for me, I had to return to work due to the company's loss of employees to covid. Mon - fri I'm usually home by 5 pm way past coffee break time lol but am off Sat & Sun. Not sure how it works out for anyone else? 

[OscarE1968]

Not familiar with Skype but I'm game. 

[HStreet1203]

Hi, Bess, I'd love to chat and this couldn't come at a better time for me. My mood goes up and down as I travel through this. The metaphor of having to fill an empty canvas every week and every day, even every hour, has come to me. You spoke about no luck in getting a part-time job. I can't even figure out to do volunteer stuff. 

How do we make this a regular thing? Could we bring people together on Zoom? 

Thanks, Tony

[hockeymom9178]

I don't know about you, but i am finding following threads on this site difficult. Once I leave, i have difficulty finding the thread again. There has to be an easier way. 

[Rhymesometimes]

@hockeymom9178 I agree.  The dates seem to go all over the place.  After a year posting and reading, I sometimes still fine it confusing.

[GramdaC864]

Rebecca,
I too would just love to chat, I am also retired, and after being housebound due to Covid for a year I ended up detaching my darn Achilles Tendon and having surgery,  so now my rear end is stuck in this chair for months.  Where are you located?  Maybe we can keep each other from going nutty

Carol

[HStreet1203]

Hi, Rebecca. I am so happy to have met you here. Today is my 2nd week anniversary for leaving my job and moving towards retirement. Before I pulled the trigger on leaving my job I thought that my major challenges would be 1) money and 2) filling the void, like waking up and seeing a big, dark tunnel of nothing. But what I didn’t anticipate was what you mentioned, “retirement loneliness.” 

Quite honestly, I’d never been very good at keeping friends or making them. But now I am reaching out and a lot of people I thought would respond are not. So I have a rejiggered the 2nd challenge to be filling the timing productively with people.  I figure that would be hard for me in normal circumstances but of course Covid is making this worse. I’d love to keep talking to you, Rebecca and anyone else who has these feelings or has any advice. Thanks, Tony

[SIMPLEGAL]

AnthonyG273710.....Find something you enjoy doing and you will find others who will share your activity.

[SIMPLEGAL]

Loneliness and retirement.....the best way to overcome them is to keep busy.

[Rhymesometimes]

@Rebecca2004 , Volunteering is a great transition from retirement.  Great way to meet new people. Also, taking classes on things that interest you, finding new hobbies, or rediscovering old ones. There are so many people that could use your help.  Congratulations on your retirement, best of luck with this new faze of life. Christine

[Anonymous]

Hello Everyone:

• Any birthdays this month?
• Where are you located? Me, Virginia USA.
• Any pet owners? I have a Doggie Friend Athena 🙂
• Any grandkids? Me, not yet. I have one child, a daughter.
• Are you retired? I did July 2021.
• Any hobbies? Me, reading and gardening.
• If you are still working, what do you do?
• I am very active in several AARP community forums. Joined AARP in 2019. How about you?
• Let us share and support each other. I read several posts and look forward to us moving forward with chatting amongst ourselves 🙂 🙂 🙂

[LynneS930241]

help I would love to chat in the forums and to you but can't seem to swim thru. I am retired since I was 66. I was an L&D nurse for over 30 years and like most people miss the daily life of going to work but not actually the work. I am trying to sew and scrapbook. I love to read. I live in a rural area and love it. I have three mustangs(PETS) and 2 **bleep**zus. 

[Anonymous]

Hi @LynneS930241 lol, the AARP Community Board  is not easy to use and I had taken a year off (2020) and returned this year. You can PRIVATE MESSAGE AND FRIEND folks you connect with and who want to communicate. I am here if you need any help at all. Good hearing from you 🙂

[WendellB235731]

do you have any hobbies? what are you good at? Do you ever take walks in your neighborhood or is there a park nearby? Sometimes you can meet other walkers with similar interests. Try it or get yourself a bicycle. You'd be surprised at who your neighbors are. Have you considered a home based business? There are so many that are good for retirees and anybody, plus you meet new people, even virtually. Im working on one right now if you're interested. Are we allowed to trade emails or numbers?

[snop1010]

I am a bridge player. Do you play bridge. The game is challenging and you meet so many friends in bridge clubs. 

[SydneyH908811]

Dear Rebecca

I just retired about 3 weeks ago after losing my husband this fall so I know how you feel-not sure what to do with this time. If you want to to chat or write please contact me-I do have friends but they are from work so hey are busy during the day. If you are a reader wecan talk about books. I hope to hear from you.

Sydney

[dk137]

Hi Rebecca,

I'm semi "retired" and have had to deal with the realities of having less day-to-day contact with others.  One positive step I have taken was to start a "men's group" comprised of five guys that I knew throughout my career.  There are five of us and we talk every other week for about 1 1/2 hrs.  The guidelines are simply that we don't discuss religion or politics.  Other than that we give ourselves homework assignments which basically entail answering questions about our lives, concerns, challenges and ideas for thriving in this stage of our lives.  We all live in different parts of the country.  Perhaps starting a group of virtual friends can be helpful for you...

[dr5749]

Hi Bess and everyone!

My name is Dana, still working in the family business. I support my special needs nephew/son with some help from my parents. He has been living with me since 2010 and it is rough. 

Let's see, I am a locksmith by trade and have worked in many areas of the industry. I currently am the business manager and the front desk tech for the business, yes, I wear many hats around here!!! I also work from home as a customer service rep for Carnival!! LOL

Never married and have never had children. I love to travel. LOVE being in the mountains. Dog lover. My life is pretty boring at the moment but it's all good.

This is a start for me, just looking for a support group. Since I am a caregiver in my home as well as being there for my parents. I figured this might be a great place for me to start??!!

[WendellB235731]

Bess, have you considered a home based business? A lot of projects are totally virtual, taking advantage of the technology. I'm working on a project with great benefits and great compensation.

[WendellB235731]

Bess tell me, can you see this post? Im trying to make sure it can be seen and how do you know when people respond? is there some red number 3 or four telling me i have four replies, up at the top?