Whatever Happened to Britney Jean? (Spears Megathread pt2)

[o0amber0o]

If there's something I've taken away from what I've listened to so far (I'm on chapter 22) it's that she doesn't want to work anymore, which includes promoting her book.

[sputnik]

^^^^
That’s a weird concept for a lot of Americans to wrap their heads around but I don’t understand continuing to work if you don’t have to anymore, unless it’s something you want to do for fun.
And I don’t think Britney finds doing promo work or interviews fun, so why should she if her book is going to sell like crazy regardless?

[charmedhour]

Oct 31, 2023 2:34:20 GMT sputnik said:

^^^^
That’s a weird concept for a lot of Americans to wrap their heads around but I don’t understand continuing to work if you don’t have to anymore, unless it’s something you want to do for fun.
And I don’t think Britney finds doing promo work or interviews fun, so why should she if her book is going to sell like crazy regardless?

I think you're correct, so many of us working class Americans cannot phathom not working, especially in your early 40s.  Speaking personally, despite having a union penison, a 403B, and SS (for now), I am still like, "Imma have to work til I die." which is most likely not true but sure feels like it given the current economy. 

[waterslide]

I will be working at least until I’m 80 and will have the minimal amount of fun while doing so. I don’t begrudge anyone an early retirement but I definitely can’t relate to it.

As for Britney, people who have been far less successful than she was have retired on less and have been quite happy. I don’t think she should feel like she needs to work if she doesn’t want to.

[o0amber0o]

Oh, I'm not saying I blame her. She worked her ass off her teenage and young adult life and often to the benefit of others. But if you don't want to work, you don't want to work, even if it's to promote your own book.

[notoriousmkg]

I think it also depends on what people mean by "work". For the past 3 years, I've been volunteering with some people in their 70's who work their asses off on a voluntary basis, through hip replacements and surgeries, etc., and in snow and rain and 90+ temperature. I think it's just in some people. I think people who want to retire at 40 are weirdos. But I guess it's nice if you are rich and know how to use your free time productively.

[waterslide]

Oct 31, 2023 15:31:52 GMT notoriousmkg said:

I think it also depends on what people mean by "work". For the past 3 years, I've been volunteering with some people in their 70's who work their asses off on a voluntary basis, through hip replacements and surgeries, etc., and in snow and rain and 90+ temperature. I think it's just in some people. I think people who want to retire at 40 are weirdos. But I guess it's nice if you are rich and know how to use your free time productively.

I agree about defining “work” and I also agree that’s it’s better to stay involved and active in at least a hobby just for the sake of mental health, but I don’t think you have to use your time in any particular way if you can pay the bills and afford to live. It doesn’t hurt me if Britney wants to twirl around her foyer. (It does give me a headache to watch but that’s beside the point.)


My cousin retired early from a well paying job with an amazing pension after leaving due to an injury. All he does is go hiking everyday- and whose to say that’s productive…I think that’s also up to interpretation. 

[sputnik]

the important thing is staying active, social and stimulated, and you don't need to be 'productive' (by capitalist society standards) to do that. hiking every day sounds great.
i would retire tomorrow if i could and spend the rest of my life taking photography and ceramics and art lessons of all kinds, looking at art and finding ways to be active in the art world that's fun and not stress inducing and on a schedule that suits me. walking a lot and doing lots of yoga and pilates and traveling to see friends and family.

[tiggle]

Oct 31, 2023 19:35:52 GMT sputnik said:

the important thing is staying active, social and stimulated, and you don't need to be 'productive' (by capitalist society standards) to do that. hiking every day sounds great.
i would retire tomorrow if i could and spend the rest of my life taking photography and ceramics and art lessons of all kinds, looking at art and finding ways to be active in the art world that's fun and not stress inducing and on a schedule that suits me. walking a lot and doing lots of yoga and pilates and traveling to see friends and family.

That sounds amazing 

[charmedhour]

My parents are retired and are busier than ever. My dad got a part-time job about a year after b/c my mom told him she was not retiring if he didn't. He was driving her crazy. My mom always worked a part time job, while working full time, as it gave her free gym membership- she kept it after retirement.

They both volunteer in their community, my mom tutors several kids for free a few times a week. She gardens and runs a children's garden every weekend. My mom has always been go go go, my dad not so much.

I honestly can't be off from work for 3 days before I'm climbing the walls and looking forward to getting back to work. I may feel differently in 15 years, tho.

[cornflakegrl]

I always assumed that Britney working was something they did to keep her occupied and busy. Seeing the excerpts from this book, I now agree she should have been able to "retire." I see now that they worked her like a pony to keep the money rolling in.

Horrible. She should have been put on a farm somewhere where she could twirl and see her kids and ride horses and just be.

[notoriousmkg]

Let's face it, a lot of people have jobs where they literally are just dragging themselves across the finish line, barely making it to retirement.  And on the opposite side of the spectrum, there are people who love their jobs and would do them forever, if allowed.  Mrs Mo had a coworker when she was still at NASA, who was in his freaking 80's and still working.  He would fall asleep during big meetings, but people kind of loved that about him.  His unique value was that he was still incredibly knowledgeable and an important resource for historical data and legacy systems.  He loved still being there.  

[waterslide]

Oct 31, 2023 19:35:52 GMT sputnik said:

the important thing is staying active, social and stimulated, and you don't need to be 'productive' (by capitalist society standards) to do that. hiking every day sounds great.
i would retire tomorrow if i could and spend the rest of my life taking photography and ceramics and art lessons of all kinds, looking at art and finding ways to be active in the art world that's fun and not stress inducing and on a schedule that suits me. walking a lot and doing lots of yoga and pilates and traveling to see friends and family.

Hiking every day does sound great - I'm completely jealous of him. lol

But yeah, what you said is basically how I would spend my time, too.  I miss doing art and photography (my cousin has taken the latter up and is now winning awards and I'm pretty envious over that as well.)  And writing. And going to bed late.  I would love to travel more - I am traveling more than I was, but I want to wander.  i would like to see more of the world before it melts/gets bombed to kingdom come.  I would also love to go swimming everyday...OK, now I'm depressing myself.  

My mom also has a part time job she says she loves and she loves to be around people and they all seem to love her, so that's also something.  

[notoriousmkg]

As much as I love my current job, there is another one that I think about all the time. It would involve working for a really important federal agency and would probably involve a lot of constant travel - which I would like. And the work would be so freaking important. I'm probably already qualified to move laterally into it. I'm getting ready to sit for another certification exam in a couple of weeks that would be the icing on the cake. I just don't know....

With volunteering - I love the little place I've been helping out at. It's actually really close by where we live - within 20 minutes. I never even knew the area existed, though because it is on the other side of a state forest. So, when I go there, it's almost like being a character in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe". I go from my sunny little suburban area, and then disappear into dark, beautiful woods, and after several miles, I come up into a completely different area. What's even better is that I started off doing it with my kids in the middle of COVID, so there is also the nostalgia of doing it with them when none of us knew what the f*ck was going on, LOL.

[dilligaf]

Just digging in my naked butt and sexy smooching with my dog, y'alllllll!!!! BUY MY BOOK FUND MY FANTASYLAND!!!! 


Totally normal, empowering, HEALING behavior for any adult to exhibit . Coupled with the blazing 60 in her 30 mph residential area, where her neighbors have to pray for the all clear before backing out, she seems to be on an upward trajectory now. Yaas, QUEEN.