Retirement
Sun goes down
On this career
On this making of marks
Racing the clock
Creative spurts and
keeping promises to do
And do.

I keep getting asked whether I have mixed emotions or second thoughts about retiring.  Let me think for a moment.

No. Not at all.  Of course, I will miss all my work friends, however, and consider myself fortunate and enriched to have been by their side through thick and thin over the years.  What I’ve always loved from my jobs – this may be surprising – is the creative outlet and the chance to ‘fix’ things so they work better.  I can do both of those a lot, with far fewer entanglements, frustrations, and second guessing  ‘out in the world’.   I’ve done what I can do.  I’m satisfied and ready to move onward and upward.  Simple life, here I come.   Deadlines be gone!!!  Selling ideas to tough audiences be gone!!!

And I’m not in any hurry to sign on with any real jobs to make some cash, although I will teach some Spanish at the University for a while…and could tutor, if I get courted down that path.  I could also do some translating and/ or in-person interpreting in a lot of contexts, which I’ve always enjoyed.   I don’t know what my Spanish fluency will do for me, but it has always opened doors.  Always.  As well as giving me great pleasure.  I would not anticipate that in 2015 that will change.  We’d rather spend less and not be tied down to another job with all its expectations.  That is, as we see it, the whole idea of this thing called retirement.  It is a ‘getting away from it’ and tasting some leisure.  A fair amount of leisure.

Other stuff I’m anticipating:

• Not a whole lot of sleeping in…but no alarm clock either.  And no rooster.
• Helping a certain someone with eBay commerce.  Many post office runs.  If business is good.  And it usually is because she’s got ‘the touch’.
• Taking care of the love of my life – more time and energy to be attentive.  Daily walks for bonding and keeping brain clear and everything circulating as it should and staying limber.  Looking into eyes over tea.  Getting inspired. Helping with chores (my favorite – crank up the music!).
• More exchanges of different types and interaction with our only daughter.  Getting close from afar (thank you technology!) and getting even closer up close.  Dinners and events together and just hanging out shooting the breeze and listening hard.  Lending a hand or two.
• Much work on house prior to its sale.  Will take a year or less to do this.  Cleaning out, downsizing, painful decisions, discoveries and improvisation, demo and renovation  (working out puzzles and figuring stuff out) on my own to keep it as inexpensive as possible.  When the time is up bell goes off, I’m done and the for-sale sign goes out.  I am looking forward to living elsewhere, relocation supposedly being a highly stressful part of life, and I recognize that, but I’ve done it a lot and it has typically come off well.  Music on through the house through all the labor.  Makes it sizzle and reverberate, and seem like fun, this tinkering and tweaking, rather than being drudgery.
• Finishing my book of poetry and maybe going back to short stories.  We’ll see if anyone bites at them.  But even if they don’t, the process is necessary and an old part of my life, kind of like breathing or beating of the heart.
• Getting out my guitar and covering favorite songs on YouTube or in the back yard.  Honing this craft and getting it to shine.  Careful not to scare the birds or dog.
• Traveling where I can go without stepping on a plane.  I will fly if I must, but avoid it whenever I can.  Shorter trips to fascinating destinations and looking hard at what the places have to offer and being open to their charms.
• Keeping this blog as best I can.  Dear Diary…thank you for another day to savor and see what comes and see what we can make of it.
• Photography as another record of the here and now and there and then.  Maybe marrying visual art with words put just so.
• Going to concerts and films and plays and poetry readings and art exhibitions.  Where my heart lies.
• Doing correspondence with a few dear souls.
• Hearing some inspiring messages, including sermons, and oratory that makes the language come to life and stirs the heart and the brain and the ears.
• Reading the news and views of the planet, poetry, detective novels, classics, and stuff that catches my interest.
• On volunteering my service and talents for what they are worth, but being selective and taking it a day at a time.  But satisfied at making a small difference in the world — no more endeavoring to move mountains.
• Binge TV when it’s worth it.  And playing with all types of technological toys.  Staying current while always loving history.
• Appreciating changes in the weather and the world and those you love.
• Taking good care of my don Quixote collection.  May purchase a Swiffer device.
• Anything thing else that might pique one urge or another…roads leading here or there…following crumbs that have been left or pioneering it in some direction.