retreading and reinventing
As I write this, I am about to retire in a few weeks from my job. I don't like that word "retire". It sounds like changing tires on a car - re tire. It implies getting new tires because the old ones are not good....therefore I like the word - retread. I am going to just get the tread replaced on the existing tires - not replace them. The old ones are still good but just need to be....reinvented?
If I had a dime for everyone who said "Maybe you can reinvent yourself" I would be rich. I don't plan on reinventing myself (dressing differently all of a sudden, new hairstyle, and color, boob job, or in some other way, changing who I am). I just plan of following my bliss and doing what I want for a while - more running, more appreciating, organizing, paying attention, spending time with family and friends and less worrying about the things at work I worried about for 35 plus years. I will try not to worry about how we will live on less than 1/2 of the usual income because it can be done. I just won't buy as many Lattes, shoes, or other things unnecessary to our existence! Maybe I will try to be like who I really am but have forgotten?
What will I do with myself? I will find a lot to do. I will run more whenever I want to. Take care of my old friends or at least spend time with them. Clean up, put stuff away, throw stuff away, organize, knit, read books, visit my sister in Michigan, visit Kseniya and maybe do yoga. I will miss all my friends at work but will try not to feel useless. I think I will cook more. Even though my kids are grown, I might make them red velvet outfits for Christmas - outfits that match my red velvet dress that I will also make. Bruce will get a red Velvet tie and we will have a great Christmas photo - all red and velvety. I might try to be more like my imaginary friend Jennifer. I thought of this because I made my kids steel cut oatmeal before they went skiing today. I will make Desmond cute Halloween costumes. And I will find a cure for being put out to pasture when you get older than 50. Bruce and I will go to exotic places like maybe New Guinea, Pakistan or Timbuktu. But not Hawaii. I think I will stubbornly continue to refuse to go to Hawaii.
Oh and I will always stay home and watch snowstorms and drink coffee. Sometimes I will put some Baileys or even whiskey in it - at 7 AM if I want to. If I ever feel bad about what I did or didn't accomplish at work, I will read the 50 emails I got from people I work with reminding me that I made a difference to them. And that one starfish.
But I won't feel bad.
If I had a dime for everyone who said "Maybe you can reinvent yourself" I would be rich. I don't plan on reinventing myself (dressing differently all of a sudden, new hairstyle, and color, boob job, or in some other way, changing who I am). I just plan of following my bliss and doing what I want for a while - more running, more appreciating, organizing, paying attention, spending time with family and friends and less worrying about the things at work I worried about for 35 plus years. I will try not to worry about how we will live on less than 1/2 of the usual income because it can be done. I just won't buy as many Lattes, shoes, or other things unnecessary to our existence! Maybe I will try to be like who I really am but have forgotten?
What will I do with myself? I will find a lot to do. I will run more whenever I want to. Take care of my old friends or at least spend time with them. Clean up, put stuff away, throw stuff away, organize, knit, read books, visit my sister in Michigan, visit Kseniya and maybe do yoga. I will miss all my friends at work but will try not to feel useless. I think I will cook more. Even though my kids are grown, I might make them red velvet outfits for Christmas - outfits that match my red velvet dress that I will also make. Bruce will get a red Velvet tie and we will have a great Christmas photo - all red and velvety. I might try to be more like my imaginary friend Jennifer. I thought of this because I made my kids steel cut oatmeal before they went skiing today. I will make Desmond cute Halloween costumes. And I will find a cure for being put out to pasture when you get older than 50. Bruce and I will go to exotic places like maybe New Guinea, Pakistan or Timbuktu. But not Hawaii. I think I will stubbornly continue to refuse to go to Hawaii.
Oh and I will always stay home and watch snowstorms and drink coffee. Sometimes I will put some Baileys or even whiskey in it - at 7 AM if I want to. If I ever feel bad about what I did or didn't accomplish at work, I will read the 50 emails I got from people I work with reminding me that I made a difference to them. And that one starfish.
But I won't feel bad.
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