Category: Humor

Retirees’ Creative Reinvention Day 13: And once you’ve made that decision…

finger pointing to the viewer's right

In my last post, I explored, with the help of Jon Acuff, the decision creators must make every day.

Now that you’ve made a decision to create [and possibly to share some of your work], you might saunter further into some unexplored, or at least dormant, traits.

Dani Shapiro, author of Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life,  says: [Note: For every mention of writing, plug in your own creative endeavor.]

“The writing life requires courage, patience, persistence, empathy, openness, and the ability to deal with rejection. It requires the willingness to be alone with oneself. To be gentle with oneself. To look at the world without blinders on. To observe and withstand what one sees. To be disciplined, and at the same time, take risks. To be willing to fail — not just once, but again and again, over the course of a lifetime. “Ever tried, ever failed,” Samuel Beckett once wrote. “No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” It requires what the great editor Ted Solotoroff once called endurability.”

For a more complete discussion, click on over to Maria Popova’s Brain Pickings.

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Thanks for reading and stay vigilant for opportunities to stretch your and flex those creative muscles.

 

Retirees’ Creative Reinvention Day 12: Make a decision…

decision signs

Jon Acuff, author of Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done, recently posted about a decision we make every day. He uses a stage–the place where we step forward–as his metaphor.

Two of his main points:

  • “Your stage might be different, but we all have one…Maybe for you it’s sending an email to a literary agent.”

  • “The exit is easier. It’s faster and more comfortable and a lot safer.”

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Thanks for reading and stay vigilant for opportunities to stretch your and flex those creative muscles.

 

Retirees’ Creative Reinvention Day 10: Laugh at yourself along the way.

Quote of the day:

“After a few more minutes of daydreaming about how fabulous I could become, I look down at the heading on my paper: Janey’s Reinvention Plan. It appears lonely at the top of the page. I should probably add some bullets beneath, but I’ve never been much of a list maker.”
― J.C. Patrick, The Reinvention of Janey

Thanks for reading and stay vigilant for opportunities to stretch your thinking.

 

Photo-a-day 29: Try gardening. Yes, even in winter.

Even amidst the gray and muck of winter…

when you’re applying for federal wetland protection status, it’s nice to see something new like those mustard greens** emerging from the soil.

Give it a try.

**At least, I think they are. Been a while since I planted them.

Photo-a-day 21: A Not-So-Subtle Message

Enjoy life. It has an expiration date.
Okay, technically, it’s not a photo…

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I’m working on a short book about lessons and realizations during my first year of retirement.

If you’re interested in this and/or
and a fun [in development] community site for retirees, just add the information below.

 

A promise: Your email address will not be shared and will be used to inform you of the book’s status

Photo-a-day 20: Tell your story.

writing ink clock notebook
Even if it’s to yourself. You will be surprised how many insights and realizations will pop up, not to mention special [and possibly long concealed] memories.
There have been countless times when I wished I had sat down with my mom and dad to get more of a sense of their early lives.
Do yourself and your kids a favor–revisit your life on paper.
And here’s a little nudge to get you started…
Some highlights:
  1. The memoir’s tone should be largely celebratory.
  2. You don’t have to be a great writer.
  3. You can write your memoir any way you want.

***

I’m working on a short book about lessons and realizations during my first year of retirement.

If you’re interested in this and/or
and a fun [in development] community site for retirees, just add the information below.

 

A promise: Your email address will not be shared and will be used to inform you of the book’s status

Photo-a-day 19: Treat yourself today.

cinnamon roll apple pie swirls in crust
Apologies for lousy photo composition by amateurish [or hungry] photographer

Yes, ‘treat yourself’ is all part of my ‘try new’ crusade.

In this case, on a sunny January Saturday, we headed to Benton County Pie Company.
I heard about it on Wednesday and knew immediately a day trip was inevitable.
Fortunate that the weather gods shined upon us, we hopped in the car and drove west.
After a recheck on directions [Thank you, Alsea library ladies!], it was hard–even for me–to miss the turnoff. [Better yet, there is a sign along the way telling drivers that pie was just 3.14 miles ahead. But let’s not get that confused with January 23, National Pie Day, though I would say it’s imperative that pie be celebrated on both days.

Benton County Pie Company road sign

Once there, we checked into the not-so-imposing headquarters and picked up our cinnamon roll apple and key lime pies and made a beeline for home.

The leftovers in the fridge would have to wait a few extra hours…

key lime pie with zest and whipping cream
Breaking news: Dinner was served much later than usual last night.

Fellow retirees: If you’re looking for a more extended road trip, check out these suggestions.

And if you’re really into pie, this show remains firmly planted on my DVR for repeat viewings. I just love the heart and soul of the people [and the pies] highlighted here.

***

I’m working on a short book about lessons and realizations during my first year of retirement.

If you’re interested in this and/or
and a fun [in development] community site for retirees, just add the information below.

 

A promise: Your email address will not be shared and will be used to inform you of the book’s status