retirement fun now?

I recently saw a show about old rock stars who were still touring and loving every minute of it. Clearly they had made their millions, but still chose to keep on working.  Got me thinking about what I would do with my time if I won the lottery or more likely, retired and didn't actually have to work.

Here are some things I have considered doing:

• gardening
• taking dance classes
• doing various crafts
• traveling
• learning another language
• writing
• reading
• woodworking
• fishing
• cooking
• house projects

All that sounds GREAT; doing things for pure enjoyment.  But can't we work backwards from retirement to find something we absolutely love to do now?  Why didn't anyone in college talk to me about retirement?  There are ways to make money doing just about anything from the list above.

Here's that list with relevant careers:

• gardening-working at a nursery, doing landscape designing
• taking dance classes-teaching dance classes, competing on So You Think You Can Dance
• doing various crafts-working at a craft store, teaching craft classes, selling crafts online or at craft shows
• traveling-writing travel guides, doing hotel reviews, becoming a travel agent
• learning another language-teaching a language, teaching English to an English language learner, becoming a tour guide
• writing-authoring books, magazines, blogging, guides
• reading-writing reviews, working in a library or book store
• woodworking-making and selling birdhouses, yard art, furniture, custom cabinetry
• fishing-writing a how to book, commercial fishing, making and selling fishing lures, teaching fishing techniques
• cooking-catering, writing cookbooks, teaching cooking classes, working as a chef
• house projects-handy work, construction, contracting, house inspector

Notice that most of the above would also make a great blog *smile*.  Knowing that no career is here to stay these days, and that life is short, it makes sense to spend our time doing something we'd never retire from.