Craig Foster for Australian of the Year [April 13].

Robert Pallister, Punchbowl, NSW

If only Julian Assange had been a soccer player, he'd have been home a long time ago.

Kathe Fraser, Bellevue Hill, NSW

A week of Wednesdays

As a retiree in my early 80s, I very much enjoyed the article by Alan Attwood [April 13]. I stopped working at 53 when offered a redundancy and have had a very healthy retirement, despite it being punctuated by a period when I was a full-time carer for – and then dealing with the loss of – my first wife. I have very successfully created a different lifestyle by enjoying the company of grandkids, doing lots of gardening and reading, and being involved in mentally stimulating volunteer and committee work. My advice to those contemplating retirement: make sure you do something that makes use of your personal skills and keeps your brain active – and don't listen to those who say they haven't got anything to do!

Hugh Darling, Castle Hill, NSW

After working full-time continuously for more than 40 years – no maternity leave with my first two children and not a lot of gender equality – I suddenly reached 65 and thought, "Hey ho, I think I'll retire." It is brilliant. I'm doing all those things I never did before: going to the gym, walking in the mountains, painting, drawing (badly), reading, writing, going out with friends, joining the committee for a large-scale community event, volunteering for other events – and, of course, playing golf. How good is golf?

Monica Watt, Jindabyne, NSW

No matter what age one chooses to retire, the most common comment is, "How did I find time to go to work?"

Robyn Lewis, Raglan, NSW

Spotlight

Pity Me! The town sign leapt out of Good Weekend [April 13] and instantly took me back to my childhood in County Durham in England's north. However, a gloomy place name? No, that's completely wrong. Pity Me is derived from the old name of Petite Mere, meaning a small pond.

Carolyn M. Reynolds, Lake Boga, Vic

Social

T: @HAMMERSAINT The role played by @ Craig_Foster ["Team Hakeem", April 13] was one never to be forgotten. What an articulate, compassionate, driven and intelligent man he is.

F: ADAM SMITH If work defines you, you have lost. ["A week of Wednesdays", April 13].

F: ANNE HOWARD There needs to be a word to describe working when, where and how you please at an age you can afford it: MEtirement! My metirement came when I lost my work mojo at 54.

F: PETER WILLIAMS A great many baby boomers will retire to the pension with very little in the way of super. They simply didn't have the money to be able to save much for most of their working lives, as the disposable component of their pay packets were so small. The only sizeable asset many of them have is the home they live in. So many will work until death as there is no other option.

T: @COCONEWTONGA This revolution ["Pacific trim", April 13] is what the entire Pacific needs – not just in the islands. This morning at church I witnessed a mother pacifying her child with a packet of raw Yum Yum noodles! Naive I am to think this only happened in the islands. We can sooo do it!

T: @MARTIN_BONOBO My favourite thing on a Saturday morning is settling in to a comfy chair at my favourite cafe, opening Good Weekend to the back page and reading Ben Law's latest encounter with someone fascinating [Dicey Topics].

To read more from Good Weekend magazine, visit our page at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Brisbane Times.