Saturday, August 20, 2011
My New Gmail Signature---two lovely quotes
She is too fond of books and it has addled her brain." ---- Louisa May Alcott
***************************************************************************************When the Day of Judgment dawns and people, great and small, come marching in to receive their heavenly rewards, the Almighty will gaze upon the mere bookworms and say to Peter, “Look, these need no reward. We have nothing to give them. They have loved reading." — Virginia Woolf
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
My Year in Review
So it's almost one year since I retired, and entered anything into this blog.
It would seem that an update is in order. Or maybe by now I'm reviewing this whole retirement lifestyle and still working on its shape and content---and am I content with its content????
Well, I still watch my darling Rosie on Mondays. That's the only scheduled day in my week, and I need to "deal" with the rest of the week!
The unscheduled time also coincided with the gray, cold days of late November and the snowy days of early December. I don't need to battle the roads commuting to work--the good news. I still keep running into myself and the (sometimes) exciting prospect of open time and choices--the bad news!
During all the scripted days of my former life, I twisted and struggled against the confines of filled-in time, bursting with children and work and home stuff. I reminded myself then that I should celebrate every busy, lively moment of these "normal" days, for one day I may prove nostalgic and yearn for their return.
Not yearning for all that activity again, but I keep bumping into myself these days, without the barrier (or camouflage) of set-up, immutable things-to-do and places-to-go. I can do what I want, go where I want......this is a scary, unfamiliar sensation. An immediate reaction was to find a part-time job, somewhere to be and something to do that would be dictated by an outside force, almost beyond my control.
But my confused insides are telling me that the job-thing is not the answer. I still want the flexible time in my days to be available to the grandbabies and my kids, to take a few continuing ed courses, to plumb my shaky depths for what lurks there.
And what lurks there will be splattered all over this blog.
There---already a new game plan!
It would seem that an update is in order. Or maybe by now I'm reviewing this whole retirement lifestyle and still working on its shape and content---and am I content with its content????
Well, I still watch my darling Rosie on Mondays. That's the only scheduled day in my week, and I need to "deal" with the rest of the week!
The unscheduled time also coincided with the gray, cold days of late November and the snowy days of early December. I don't need to battle the roads commuting to work--the good news. I still keep running into myself and the (sometimes) exciting prospect of open time and choices--the bad news!
During all the scripted days of my former life, I twisted and struggled against the confines of filled-in time, bursting with children and work and home stuff. I reminded myself then that I should celebrate every busy, lively moment of these "normal" days, for one day I may prove nostalgic and yearn for their return.
Not yearning for all that activity again, but I keep bumping into myself these days, without the barrier (or camouflage) of set-up, immutable things-to-do and places-to-go. I can do what I want, go where I want......this is a scary, unfamiliar sensation. An immediate reaction was to find a part-time job, somewhere to be and something to do that would be dictated by an outside force, almost beyond my control.
But my confused insides are telling me that the job-thing is not the answer. I still want the flexible time in my days to be available to the grandbabies and my kids, to take a few continuing ed courses, to plumb my shaky depths for what lurks there.
And what lurks there will be splattered all over this blog.
There---already a new game plan!
Monday, January 05, 2009
PLAYING THE RETIREMENT CARD
So my new lifestyle begins today--January 5, 2009. I've left my full-time job at the Huntley Library, after ten fine, fulfilling years. I'm "nannying"my three-month-old granddaughter Rosie (Rosetta Bell, if you please) two days a week--Monday and Tuesday for delicious starters to my newly invented lifestyle.
Somehow "fixed income" conjures up images of advanced aging, stooped shoulders, walkers...not at all the way I look or feel...nor do millions of my contemporaries. Can 65 be the new 55 (at least)? I'd like to bargain down to 45, but I'm content.
And "content" is the operative word...a startling new concept to twirl around my day, my psyche, my life. During most of my pre-retirement life, I was the "destination addict" defined recently on an Oprah show about happiness. I always had a future goal, a destination, which I NEEDED in order to be "perfectly happy". Only problem was that when that trip had ended, and I pulled into the station, all was not perfect...I was still stuck with my "excess baggage" ..and the only thing which had changed was my location...whatever destination I had recently acquired: college degree, husband, kids, slimmer body, great job. wonderful house, perfect climate, blah, blah, blah.
It took about 55 years of angst and maneuvering and bargaining with the universe to finally arrive at the generic destination of BE PRESENT FOR YOUR LIFE/LIVE IN THE NOW. I was lucky that I arrived before I had fallen off the earth!
And magic happened around my life---I slowly found joy because I was no longer pursuing it. I started "savoring" instead of gulping...looking instead of leaping...and slowly joy and "right living" came trickling in.
I found the (near) perfect job for me, I returned back to the Chicago area after a fruitless quest for perfection in a distant "nice climate", I found peace of mind in living alone as a widow, my two sons found amazing women as wives, and the past year, the miracle of two incredible(of course) grandbabies graced our family.
And all when I was just enjoying my life instead of forcing it--my life formed around me beautifully even as I just dwelled within it, instead of frantically chipping here, and tweaking there, and mostly sobbing through my days.
We have always been told that money is not the key to happiness, but there I would be, buying a lottery ticket when I felt most down about one of my (pre-library) jobs....yet it is well documented that lottery winners are not all that much happier after they've won. And all those wealthy celebrities who fight to keep marriages and themselves together---it never really made any sense.
I'm starting to think there's something to that idea that we shape our own lives by the very way we live it and view it.
Was it always that simple?
Somehow "fixed income" conjures up images of advanced aging, stooped shoulders, walkers...not at all the way I look or feel...nor do millions of my contemporaries. Can 65 be the new 55 (at least)? I'd like to bargain down to 45, but I'm content.
And "content" is the operative word...a startling new concept to twirl around my day, my psyche, my life. During most of my pre-retirement life, I was the "destination addict" defined recently on an Oprah show about happiness. I always had a future goal, a destination, which I NEEDED in order to be "perfectly happy". Only problem was that when that trip had ended, and I pulled into the station, all was not perfect...I was still stuck with my "excess baggage" ..and the only thing which had changed was my location...whatever destination I had recently acquired: college degree, husband, kids, slimmer body, great job. wonderful house, perfect climate, blah, blah, blah.
It took about 55 years of angst and maneuvering and bargaining with the universe to finally arrive at the generic destination of BE PRESENT FOR YOUR LIFE/LIVE IN THE NOW. I was lucky that I arrived before I had fallen off the earth!
And magic happened around my life---I slowly found joy because I was no longer pursuing it. I started "savoring" instead of gulping...looking instead of leaping...and slowly joy and "right living" came trickling in.
I found the (near) perfect job for me, I returned back to the Chicago area after a fruitless quest for perfection in a distant "nice climate", I found peace of mind in living alone as a widow, my two sons found amazing women as wives, and the past year, the miracle of two incredible(of course) grandbabies graced our family.
And all when I was just enjoying my life instead of forcing it--my life formed around me beautifully even as I just dwelled within it, instead of frantically chipping here, and tweaking there, and mostly sobbing through my days.
We have always been told that money is not the key to happiness, but there I would be, buying a lottery ticket when I felt most down about one of my (pre-library) jobs....yet it is well documented that lottery winners are not all that much happier after they've won. And all those wealthy celebrities who fight to keep marriages and themselves together---it never really made any sense.
I'm starting to think there's something to that idea that we shape our own lives by the very way we live it and view it.
Was it always that simple?
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Library Goddess
One of my alter egos is that of Library Goddess. I work at the Huntley Area Public Library, in Huntley Illinois, a suburb northwest of Chicago by thirty miles, but still, of course, considered the Chicago area.
I've been there for nine happy years, and am still amazed by my good fortune at finding my dream job, years ago, in my mid-fifties, when I almost had given up hope that there could exist such a job.
My lifelong love of books and movies and popular culture (TV) is "cashed in" and stimulated every day there....I purchase the adult fiction books, adult fiction on audio, adult DVDs--feature films and TV series. I help to promote interest in and guidance to books and movies our patrons may want to see, and help out at the Reference desk, where my greatest joy is something called "Readers Advisory", which really means helping someone find another book they might enjoy, another author or new title, or more of the same author they have enjoyed in the past.
It's a delicous combination of conversation and immersion among the book-lined shevles and movie-filled displays, teeming with the friendly variety of patrons who come through our doors--from the littlest infants napping in their strollers, to the liveliest "senior" enjoying a look at the day's newspaper by the fireplace.
We have a large contigent of seniors, who live in Huntley Sun City, an age-specific, resort-like area of new homes built in the last ten years. This combines with a large number of families with young children, who have also been purchasing new homes within the last ten years.
It's a going, growing community, and our library reflects that growth with sometimes creative solutions to the needing-more-space situation.
Come by and say "Hello" when you're in the neighborhood!
CHECK US OUT!
I've been there for nine happy years, and am still amazed by my good fortune at finding my dream job, years ago, in my mid-fifties, when I almost had given up hope that there could exist such a job.
My lifelong love of books and movies and popular culture (TV) is "cashed in" and stimulated every day there....I purchase the adult fiction books, adult fiction on audio, adult DVDs--feature films and TV series. I help to promote interest in and guidance to books and movies our patrons may want to see, and help out at the Reference desk, where my greatest joy is something called "Readers Advisory", which really means helping someone find another book they might enjoy, another author or new title, or more of the same author they have enjoyed in the past.
It's a delicous combination of conversation and immersion among the book-lined shevles and movie-filled displays, teeming with the friendly variety of patrons who come through our doors--from the littlest infants napping in their strollers, to the liveliest "senior" enjoying a look at the day's newspaper by the fireplace.
We have a large contigent of seniors, who live in Huntley Sun City, an age-specific, resort-like area of new homes built in the last ten years. This combines with a large number of families with young children, who have also been purchasing new homes within the last ten years.
It's a going, growing community, and our library reflects that growth with sometimes creative solutions to the needing-more-space situation.
Come by and say "Hello" when you're in the neighborhood!
CHECK US OUT!
Saturday, September 15, 2007
SENIOR LATE BLOOMER
I have been a "late bloomer" all my life, so why should I change during this, my senior years of reign? To explain that "reign" part--I am a Senior Goddess Supreme (a special, selft-appointed title, with all the attendant powers I feel like adding). ANYWAY, this late blooming pattern is not necessarily a bad idea. Let your friends try out new territories of life, and report back to you before you attempt such changes.
I dated later in teen years, since I was overweight from birth to mide-teens. I found out what sex REALLY was at 15 (I went to Catholic schools, and while they told you to confess your sins carefully, they never really divulged the many ways you COULD sin)...I did not get this sex information by experience, just by asking my mother one day when she was cooking dinner--I could tell she was less than thrilled to be delivering this momentous news to me. So that helped my general outlook on the dating game, and the male species.
I married in my later twenties, had my first baby at 30 (this was forty years ago, when people were still marrying right after high school), tried many careers horribly wrong for me before finding my ideal job in my mid-fifties.
I had my first home all to myself in my early 60s, finally lost my excess "baby fat" at 63, when I had gastric bypass surgery, and lost 100 pounds. I'm having my first grandchild at the ripe young age of 66, and just feel that every day is another "first", another reason to bloom.
The late blooming flowers are showing off right now around my midwestern world, as mid-September near-frosts are dipping in and out. The flowers look even more beautiful in the clear autumn light, glorying in their day in the sun, even as they know that these sunny days are limited. It's that very limitation that gives extra loveliness to their brave flamboyance.
I will bloom as late as I can, and celebrate the joy of so many "firsts" that will illuminate my lifetime--no matter what it's length.
I dated later in teen years, since I was overweight from birth to mide-teens. I found out what sex REALLY was at 15 (I went to Catholic schools, and while they told you to confess your sins carefully, they never really divulged the many ways you COULD sin)...I did not get this sex information by experience, just by asking my mother one day when she was cooking dinner--I could tell she was less than thrilled to be delivering this momentous news to me. So that helped my general outlook on the dating game, and the male species.
I married in my later twenties, had my first baby at 30 (this was forty years ago, when people were still marrying right after high school), tried many careers horribly wrong for me before finding my ideal job in my mid-fifties.
I had my first home all to myself in my early 60s, finally lost my excess "baby fat" at 63, when I had gastric bypass surgery, and lost 100 pounds. I'm having my first grandchild at the ripe young age of 66, and just feel that every day is another "first", another reason to bloom.
The late blooming flowers are showing off right now around my midwestern world, as mid-September near-frosts are dipping in and out. The flowers look even more beautiful in the clear autumn light, glorying in their day in the sun, even as they know that these sunny days are limited. It's that very limitation that gives extra loveliness to their brave flamboyance.
I will bloom as late as I can, and celebrate the joy of so many "firsts" that will illuminate my lifetime--no matter what it's length.
Monday, April 23, 2007
THE INACTIVE LIFESTYLE--TIP #1
I really want to help all of you out there who feel that you MUST maintain an active lifestyle to stay young(ish) and healthy. I am here to advise you that you do have another, much more pleasant choice: THE INACTIVE LIFESTYLE
It does require a careful commitment--I have honed my inactive skills for years, so it may not happen as quickly as you would wish (that's the old peppy active thinking which is sabotaging your efforts). If you slowly ease yourself into inactivity, you will soon reap the rewards.
I will gradually divulge all the best tips for your "conversion", and you need only to practice them---just beward of those old active pitfalls and lively way of thinking that you suffered through before this breakthrough.
TIP#1 NEVER MOVE WHEN YOU CAN SIT.
This has so many applications through your day, not matter what your age or occupation. Check yourself before using muscles which would prefer not to flex, or be exerted. Relaxing, isn't it?
You are on your way!
It does require a careful commitment--I have honed my inactive skills for years, so it may not happen as quickly as you would wish (that's the old peppy active thinking which is sabotaging your efforts). If you slowly ease yourself into inactivity, you will soon reap the rewards.
I will gradually divulge all the best tips for your "conversion", and you need only to practice them---just beward of those old active pitfalls and lively way of thinking that you suffered through before this breakthrough.
TIP#1 NEVER MOVE WHEN YOU CAN SIT.
This has so many applications through your day, not matter what your age or occupation. Check yourself before using muscles which would prefer not to flex, or be exerted. Relaxing, isn't it?
You are on your way!
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Ripping and Blogging About It!
Today (Sunday November 5th 2006), I ripped my first music CD to my cute Creative Zen MP3 player. I was a former ripping virgin, so this was a momentous day for me. I just had to blog about it. I could almost enjoy a cigarette now!
My day job as reference librarian at the Huntley Area Public Library (Chicago area) requires me at times to answer computer questions, which I can adequately field maybe 40% of the time.
That does not prevent my love of the computer...its seemingly magic Googling and emailing and informing and mapquesting and health-curing and supreme shopping powers, etc, etc. Even when upgrades at work stall and freeze the computer, and my dial-up access at home is sooooo slow, I still love its technic magic.
And now, another techno victory today!
I RIP, THEREFORE I AM!
Bloggingly yours,
SGS41 (Senior Goddess Supreme)
My day job as reference librarian at the Huntley Area Public Library (Chicago area) requires me at times to answer computer questions, which I can adequately field maybe 40% of the time.
That does not prevent my love of the computer...its seemingly magic Googling and emailing and informing and mapquesting and health-curing and supreme shopping powers, etc, etc. Even when upgrades at work stall and freeze the computer, and my dial-up access at home is sooooo slow, I still love its technic magic.
And now, another techno victory today!
I RIP, THEREFORE I AM!
Bloggingly yours,
SGS41 (Senior Goddess Supreme)
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
The SGS Saga Begins
Today I begin my SGS Blog. I've been logging (haphazardly) in journals for years.
I must admit, I find myself an interesting topic for discussion. I love to spread out my emotions and thoughts and angst on the page, analyze the shades and nuances, reshape it, turn it sideways, and then let it settle.
I don't usually edit myself, as I feel I am doing now as I "blog". I would rather be more spontaneous, and maybe I will "free up" as I go along.
I must admit, I find myself an interesting topic for discussion. I love to spread out my emotions and thoughts and angst on the page, analyze the shades and nuances, reshape it, turn it sideways, and then let it settle.
I don't usually edit myself, as I feel I am doing now as I "blog". I would rather be more spontaneous, and maybe I will "free up" as I go along.
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