The article At Capacity by Melissa Kirsch (copied here) appeared today in my morning New York Times newsletter and it really resonated with me. Her struggles are painfully familiar. I am also an avid reader who has trouble remembering what I’ve read, especially if I read it on my Kindle, where everything seems transient and ephemeral. It’s different with hardcopy books; every time I pick them up, I see the title and the cover and those visuals seem to help…somewhat. Sadly, books aren’t the only things I wrestle with. Continue reading
Seniors
Independent Living in a Senior Community
My mom has been living “independently” in Preston Pointe, a small senior community in North Carolina, for eight months …and (to her own surprise) she is loving it. She came here reluctantly with great fear and trepidation, agreeing to stay only three months as an escape from the harsh New York winter. This was quite brave of her: approaching 90, unsteady on her feet, very hard-of-hearing, having never lived anywhere else, and leaving all her friends and some family to do it. I did my research but had no experience with these type of facilities so I had my own set of doubts filled with nursing home nightmares.
Turns out, it was a good choice and worth the effort. We are both very happy with the arrangements and I encourage others to consider this option for their parents.
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Reflections on Retirement
I am approaching one year of retirement (or unemployment, however you look at it) and am surprised about some of my reactions and feelings. The positive ones were happily anticipated and mostly predictable. I enjoy longer, more relaxed trips when I travel. Gone are the tedious teleconference calls, meaningless meetings, and aggressive (impossible) deadlines. I am free from corporate politics and the compromises I had to make to play the game. Relief from this kind of stress is wonderful, a deliverance, like getting out of jail. No surprises here. Other things have been a mixed bag.
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accidental goddess 