The List, The Plan, My Life... Retirement? I don't know what you call it.

The reality is that it was right there in front of me. Right there, organized, ready to be tackled the entire time. I just didn't see it. 

Know who helped me...? 

Have you been paying attention? 

Of course it was my wife. Let me say that again. Of course It.Was.My.Wife.

Love that Woman!

How do we survive without these women in our lives? I don't even want to contemplate that beyond the words on the page. 

Anyway... as they say...

It was right there in front of me. When I retired 6 years ago (Yes, that says 6. I can't believe it either.) I had already started making a list of things I was going to work on for the first month or so before I headed back to work at some job, somewhere, somehow...

And then I didn't head back to work.

Our life and financial situation were such that I didn't really need to work after all. I mean I'm still never saying never, but so far - we're good. We were good then. We're good now. 

Beautiful.

But I still had that list, and I added to it and without even trying scratched some things off - just living life... 

... and then I ran into some health issues starting in 2018, and again in 2019, and then we all ran into health issues in 2020.

On the other side of all of that - hopefully, maybe... But

 - I now find myself stuck. S.T.U.C.K. STUCK!

So, being the organized soul that I am, and many will say I am overly organized oddly enough... I decided to make a list, to find a better way, to get started... to finally find a way to be retired.

In doing that - I rediscovered that list. So, over the last week or so - I know it was longer than I'd promised, but you know - life... I reviewed the list, and updated the list, and began trying to find a way to do something with the list that moves me forward. 

No, not just moves me forward, but also helps me become unstuck. 

I've got a pretty solid routine of things I do every day, ways I live my life, things I do without even thinking... The routine of the retiree so to speak. 

But why does it have to be the same tomorrow? 

It doesn't. I know that. I'm working on it. I'll get there. I am now keenly aware that I was stuck. 

Was. 

Not anymore.

It's time to look forward - 

To tomorrow. 

What's next on the list?

Have a good weekend!

Having a Plan...

While I want to write more, I don't want to just share random thoughts everyday. That's boring, or it could be - at least it seems like it to me. 

So, here's what I'm going to do. 

This weekend, and to be honest probably into next week - I'm going to take some time to do some planning, to decide where I want to go and how I want to get there. 

The tomorrows are piling up after all

- and I'd like to make them count. 

See you sometime next week. 

The Best Laid Plans - are still part of the story...

Did you ever know exactly what you were going to wear that day when you got up in the morning and then completely change your mind once you were out of the shower?

Happened to me today. 

Also - thought I knew what I wanted to write about today, but that's not working out either. 

Ah well... Tomorrow will be here soon enough -

- and it's all still part of the story. Right?

I guess we'll find out. 

Tomorrow?

Life Changes?

 Today's phrase seems to be "life changing"

As many know, I watch at least some portion of The Price is Right pretty much every week day. Today, a young lady spun a dollar on the wheel and won $1,000- happens all the time. Then, with her bonus spin, she spun another dollar and won an additional $25,000 - happens more often than you'd think, but definitely not "all the time." 

"Well, that's life changing," I remarked, and Netter agreed.

A little while later I was reading through some sports sites and ran across an article about a hockey player who was living his best life finding a career with the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. He had been paralyzed playing hockey in high school and the article discussed his life since, and the "life changing" circumstances of what had happened to him. A different, not so positive, type of life change though honestly he is doing a helluva job. 

Yeah, I'm catching my breath too...

So, I got to thinking - you saw the smoke, (I'll try not to use that joke too often) about life changing events, good, bad, realized, unrealized... and of course, I thought about the new year. 

We all want change for the new year... Right? 

I have to admit I'm a bit stuck on this one... New Year's eve very often finds me in deep thought and New Year's day I am in deep reflection -

Not so much this year though...

I dunno... I guess I know what I'll be talking about for the rest of the week. 

What's your new year take?

Back in the Literary Saddle - as it were.

 Whew - Kinda dusty in these parts... Has it really been 8 1/2 years since I posted? Dems da facts as they say...

So much has happened - where to begin? What shall we talk about? Oh hell... who knows...

Here's what I do know - I've been retired for almost 6 years. One of my retirement goals was to write more. One of many goals... Life has taken many interesting, and not so interesting twists and turns... and well, I haven't written more. Although...

I do write in my head - every day. Not a very useful medium is it? 

Yes, I know how that sounds.

But - I've decided to give it a go, to find a space, to put down some words every day - well every work day anyway, and see if I can find this voice, my voice - again. 

I'm a lot older, a little grumpier, and maybe even a little wiser than the last time I decided to share some thoughts and stories... I feel like now is a good time. I will try not to be too grumpy.

I might stay here. I might move... I'll probably continue to share on Facebook - just because I know there's at least a few folks there who might enjoy what I write. Who knows...

The only thing I'm sure of is this: It is time to write. It's the one thing I have always enjoyed. Good, bad, indifferent. It's not work. It's just what I do. Why not share it... What do you think?