“The work has been a good job, but it hasn’t been the best career.” Anonymous
61 and a career
April 1st, 2014 · 100 Days Project, Musings, My Goals, retirement, Work
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62 and too many things to do…
March 31st, 2014 · 100 Days Project, retirement, time, Work
I was thinking today, as I did several errands before the busy work week starts tomorrow, that in retirement you don’t fret continually about whether you’re going to get everything done. It would seem, I’m assuming, that there are many tasks that can take as many days as you would like them to take.
I certainly hope I’m right.
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64, 63 and the ballet
March 30th, 2014 · 100 Days Project, Art, Children, Dance, Learning Spanish, Musings, My Goals, Teaching & Learning, time, Work
There are so many thoughts so often during the day now as I look ahead to retirement. I really should begin to say retirement from this work/job. I’ve a million ideas of things to do, and no clear vision as to which one or more I might or should focus on. Some of the thoughts and feelings I’m having are about the passage of time more than what I will fill my doing for no pay life with!
Today I watched the Pioneer Valley Ballet’s production of Beauty and the Beast. When I was a little girl, I so wanted to be a ballerina. My favorite book was called: The Little Ballerina. I looked like the child in the book and have clear memories of dreaming of doing what she was doing in that book. The little girl got to take lessons because she had weak legs — I sometimes wished so hard for weak legs hoping I’d get to be like her. I don’t even know where this book came from as our house barely ever had more than school books in it. But there it was, and I wanted to be her. I love watching ballet, and find it easy to pretend to be dancing and to hear the way one would dance to some music.
Today I had to tell myself that I would never grow up to be a ballerina. I suppose I never would have anyways. While I enjoy dancing and understand how to dance; there’s nothing that says I would have been a prima ballerina. Yet, I would like to think with a different childhood, I might have gotten to perform at least once as the beautiful children in today’s production did.
And, so these days, my thoughts are not only on what will I do with my time after I retire; but what have I not gotten to do up to this point? Some things I can still work on – like just maybe I’ll get enough Spanish under my belt to have a small conversation, and I can do more creative sewing, and I know I can take some adult ballet lessons even.
I will, however, never grow up to be a ballerina. And, that is sad.
Comments Off on 64, 63 and the balletTags: aging·ballet·passion·retirement·teaching·time·Work
67, 66, and 65….children singing
March 28th, 2014 · 100 Days Project, Children, College students, Musings, Play, retirement, Teaching & Learning, Work
A perfect example of how fast a week goes by when it’s filled with teaching classes, grading work, advising students, and dealing with the politics of an organization!
The best part of the week, and a nice something to be leaving this work with: I was supervising a student teacher at a local child care center. I finished my hour in her classroom, and went through to the other room to say hello. A current student in a different course of mine had mentioned she was subbing in the next room, and would love for me to walk through on my way out.
There she was with the preschoolers in a circle, and leading them in a song that I had taught her in an Arts class last semester. She did it well, and I was really pleased to see her put her learning to work!
And, it gave me pause, knowing that I had picked up that song almost thirty years ago and had always used it when I worked with young children.
I guess I have left a few things in my wake.
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68 and play
March 25th, 2014 · 100 Days Project, family, Musings, My Goals, Play, retirement, Work
I’ve always supported – and acted on – play; certainly for children because of my professional, but also for adults. We need play to balance our lives in so many ways. Retirement is about to bring me a lot of time to play in those many ways.
Thanks for this great article: Don’t fear adding to life’s juggling act
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