What I Wish I Knew Before I Retired
When working on my last post, and reflecting on 'lists' and on what I would miss, the following memory was provoked. Many years ago, I was asked to select ten words, out of 100 listed, that I believed named what was most important to me. “A personal values assessment,” I said aloud. The examiner was… Continue reading Words on a Page
Recently, I’ve been in a Nora Ephron phase. No, not lying around watching endless hours of ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ or ‘When Harry Met Sally’. Jennifer Abrams, a communications consultant that I follow, mentioned Nora’s 'What I Will Miss and Won't Miss" list from I Remember Nothing and Other Reflections. I picked up a copy of Nora's… Continue reading The List
Did you ever agree to do something because it sounded like a good idea at the time, or because your friends were all doing it, or simply because you feared missing out? Then when the fateful day arrived, did you ask yourself why in the world you were doing this – but had no good… Continue reading Paint Night
In a previous post, I referenced a fellow blogger who described her travel in retirement not as ‘vacation’ but as ‘an opportunity to say yes’. This way of thinking struck a deep chord with me. Isn’t that what retirement is all about-- a chance to say 'yes' to invitations that had previously been overlooked, or… Continue reading Finding the Art of Saying ‘Yes’
Recently, I have found myself pondering some of life’s small, yet troubling mysteries. I’ve just finished doing the laundry, and you’ve read the title, so you already know where I am going to start. You guessed it, What in the heck happened to my other sock? Since we’ve retired, my husband and I have both… Continue reading SOLVING LIFE’S LITTLE MYSTERIES–LIKE ‘WHAT HAPPENED TO MY OTHER SOCK?’
We sat beside each other in Grade 9 Science class--not because we were magnetically drawn to each other--rather because our teacher had seated us alphabetically. With different family backgrounds and very different life experiences, we had little in common. Despite these differences, we became extremely close friends. At the end of Grade 12, she left… Continue reading Reflections on the Power of Friendship
When I worked overseas, I used to marvel at the trailing spouses (usually Tai Tais) who I would hear busily planning their weekday afternoons – a workout, perhaps some shopping and then lunch with friends at some great restaurant. Lunch? Midweek? During the daytime? That, I honestly could not fathom. Being a school principal, I… Continue reading Ladies Who Lunch
I’ve just returned from our regular weekend 5K walk. Okay, so it’s actually supposed to be 10K, but a few of us cut out half way through to join some of our other friends for coffee. I don’t want to miss out on the coffee part, so I exit at the 5K mark too –… Continue reading A WALK IN THE WOODS (NOT THE BOOK OR THE MOVIE)
Momisms—my mom said them, your mom probably said them—and I’ve said them too (cringe here)! If you follow current research on longevity and aging…it turns out that Mom was right (who knew?). Here are ten common momisms that match frequently cited research findings on positive aging. Time Magazines’ Longevity Issue (Vol. 187, No. 6-7, Feb… Continue reading Secrets of Longevity and Aging Well — Explained through Momisms
We have recently returned from our three-week driving trip. During our time away, others often referred to our excursion as ‘vacation.' This small, innocuous-seeming word began to grate away at me. Once people retire, can their travel justly be called ‘vacation’? This word no longer seemed appropriate to describe our trips away (especially this one,… Continue reading Taking ‘Vacation’ from ‘Vacation’: Can you Actually do that?
Retirement Reflections 