I have heard this phrase more times in the past two months or so than I care to admit. Recently a teacher who has every summer off asked me the same question.  It is always said with a tone. Is it envy? Curiosity? (Does anyone really care what I do all day? Really, I am not that exciting.) Or is it just disapproval as the speaker would use the time so much more effectively than I? On one hand it would appear that I have nine or more hours a day — so where does it go? After six weeks of part-time retirement, my project list is just as large and very little if anything is crossed off. Here are some things that I have done or experienced:

• Sleep an hour longer in the morning (hey, I deserve that!).
• Leisurely read the paper (instead of the quick review you give it when you are late for work).
• Make a Starbucks run (it’s very important for people to keep their routines).
• Get health care benefits.  If anyone thinks this is simple, you are mistaken.  You can spend two days on this even when you have had years of experience in managing health care benefits.
• Figure out when you need to file for social security and Medicare so you can time everything appropriately especially with your new health benefits.  That is a government site; do I need to say more? Another day lost. Infinitely more complicated and confusing than regular health care – see above.  Thanks, Washington.
• Update your financials and research accountants.  This is not only a time consuming project but it has scope-creep.  Let me explain. First you need to print your latest statements but the networking switch that allows you to share a printer goes bad.  You spend the better part of the day researching new switches and visiting stores only to find out that no one stocks the highly rated ones.  Now you have to order online and will have to wait to print statements. Bummer! But hey, that’s not scope-creep that’s just life. Scope-creep is when you open the drawer where you file your financials and decide to revise your filing system, clean out the drawer, make another Starbucks run, etc.  (Now do you get the picture?)
• Clean the house like your house cleaner never did — a day and a half lost and believe me this won’t happen often!

Now for those of you who are wondering what wonderful things I plan to do, here they are:

• Solve world peace.
• Once that is done, solving world starvation will be a cinch because everyone will be singing “Cum-bay-yah” and very willing to give.
• I have been toying with the national economic problems but I am not sure I will have time next week.
• Start planning the fundraising for the cat wing on the local animal shelter.