Emerging senior........: 2014

Monday 20 October 2014

Monday Morning - October 20 - A year later

Monday October 20, 2014

!It has been over a year since I started this blog and a couple of months since my last post. Another tell tale sign of growing older.... time seems to take flight ..... a year goes by in a blink and losing track of time becomes more routine.

I started my foray into social media - twitter, facebook and blog - to honour my good friend Eleanor - her sense of adventure and being forever young.

I have enjoyed facebook...it has been fun and proved to be a great way to reconnect with some people in my life. 130 friends and I post fairly regularly.

Twitter a bit more of a challenge....I find there is a lot of useless info and way too much so I don't follow as often and definitely don't post. I use Twitter mostly to push by blog posts and as a result have over 400 followers.

My blog .... although I have been lapse of late, it has been an education. I think to have picked a focus of my blog .... retirement planning....emerging senior was a good thing to do. It is just difficult to keep this at the forefront. My posting about letting my hair go gray has had the most interest and have had followers from all sorts of "Going Gray" groups and an invite to go to London England to participate in summit. Who knew?

I have recently registered on pinterest but I think I will use that mostly for our new business.

So in the coming year, my goal is get better at twitter, refocus my attention on Emerging Senior blog and explore how pinterest, and other online communities such as Etsy could be helpful to the mac.gillet gallery.

In terms of retirement....not ready yet but feeling a lot more prepared. I better review my post with my retirement checklist to see how things are progressing.....

Monday 28 July 2014

Monday Morning July 28 - Not time yet

Monday, July 28, 2014

I returned to work this week after two weeks of vacation. I always like to take a couple of weeks in the summer just to hang around the house, the pool, catch up on some reading, gardening. It is nice to have the luxury of time to meet friends and family for coffee, go to yoga everyday.

My few weeks kicking around town is always a litmus test for me about my retirement readiness. I always pay attention to my feelings about going back to work. Is it time for me to make my "at home" vacation a more permanent lifestyle?

Not yet. I was looking forward to returning to work. I had no feeling of dread of going back to the office. I missed my work and my colleagues.

However, on Monday night after a hellish day at work, my thoughts were leaning in the other direction. But by the end of the week after I seemed to have my work life under control.... I am confident....not yet.

I will keep working on my checklist for retirement, continue my planning for this next phase of my life ... I think right now... I am still an emerging senior....

Monday 7 July 2014

Monday Morning - July 7 - Bucket List

Monday, July 7, 2014

I don't have a bucket list. I don't really know why. I like lists. I have lots of to do lists - work, home, etc. I am definitely a list person. But a bucket list doesn't sit right with me. A list of things to do before I die?

I don't think life works like that. It is more organic. You do one thing and that leads you to another... leads you to another. The undiscovered, the unimagined...best parts of life.

Sure there are things I want to do, places to see but I had wishes like that when I was a kid and at every stage so far. . Why do we have to put this "before I die" label on it.
I can understand a list of things to do before I retire (while I still have the money) or things to do while I am still fit enough.

What happens after you have done everything on your bucket list?? Are you finished... just sitting around.... can go anytime.

No, not for me. I will carry on bucketless

Monday 16 June 2014

Monday Morning June 16 - Just do the right thing, Joe

Monday June 16, 2014

The Mayor of my hometown has been embroiled in a scandal over the past couple of years. No, I am not talking about Rob Ford - this is yet another Canadian Mayor who has failed to do the right thing.

In a nutshell - our mayor was formerly a federal politician who during his time serving as a member of Parliament allegedly altered an $1700 invoice for the deposit for his sons wedding to an invoice for a cancelled political visit. The forged document was leaked to the local newspaper spurring an RCMP investigation resulting in charges of forgery, fraud and breach of trust. On Friday, the court case came to conclusion and he was found guilty on all three charges. He awaits sentencing.

It seems to me that every step along the way, he had the opportunity to do the right thing....

The most obvious was the initial crime. How do you get to the point that you think you are entitled to have the hard earned tax contributions of Canadians pay any part of your sons wedding

When confronted by the RCMP he could have admitted his actions, confessed and accepted the consequences of his actions. This would have saved the embarrassment of the city and saved the taxpayers the expense of the trial.

When charged, he could have stepped down temporarily as Mayor until the outcome of the charges were known. Why carry on and have the City tagged with this scandal.

When found guilty on Friday - he should have stepped down as Mayor immediately. He no longer has the moral authority to be the steward of this citys resources or reputation. The decision to appeal is up to him and his legal team, but step down. Stop this from being a civic issue and instead turn it into what it should be - a personal issue .

For a man that takes every opportunity to profess his love of this City....he seems to care little for what is in the best interest of our town.

Just do the right thing, Joe.

Sunday 8 June 2014

Monday Morning - June 9 - A flower pot now stands....

Monday, June 9, 2014

A flower pot now stands where a basketball hoop once did.

When we first moved into our house over twenty years ago, my father in law bought a full size basketball hoop for my son for his sixth birthday. It was before the days of portable ones, so my husband poured bags and bags of cement to secure it in place.

I remember when it first went up and how it towered over the driveway, I wondered if my son would ever be tall enough to use it.

It seemed like no time at all and he was playing ball in the driveway. Eventually he grew to 6'4 and could hang off of it.

The hoop was not only a source of recreation but a navigation aide as well. For years, it was the only hoop on our street and I would always direct people to the "house with the hoop in the driveway"

Over the years it had become rusty and an eyesore, It had to come down. So last week, my son came over and took down his birthday present from his grandfather from all those years ago. They had done such a good job putting it up, it was a bit of a struggle to remove.

Now when I pull into the driveway, the house definitely looks better but I will never look at that flower pot and not think of the basketball hoop.

Monday 2 June 2014

Monday Morning - June 2 - Kitten

Monday, June 2, 2014

Meet Layla - our new Lilac -Tortie point Siamese kitten. We have had her for a month and she is the main reason I have not been on this blog. She is into everything and everytime I go online, she insists on sitting on my keyboard.

It has been 14 years since we had a kitten and I had forgotten how absolutely cute and courageous they are. She is into everything and tears around our house like a mad thing. We are having so much fun with her.

She has at least doubled in size since she joined our family and looks more like a young cat now than a kitten.

Over the month, Beau and Layla have worked out their issues - she constantly was attacking him - Beau was a bit frightened... but now they are on the path to BFFs. It is remarkable and a lesson in patience for me how a 100 pound dog lets a little one pound kitten into his home and his heart. Thank you Beau

Monday 28 April 2014

Monday Morning - April 28 - Aging and Dementia

Monday, April 28, 2014

It seems that everyday I am reminded through newspaper and magazine articles of the increasing incidence of dementia in our society. And as we boomers grow older they are predicting an "epidemic" ---as only boomers can sensationalize something that has been around forever and suddenly impacting us.

My Mom who is 83 has dementia. My husband's father had dementia in the last year or so of his life. I certainly am witness to the insidious nature of this condition and how it effects an individual and their family.

We are bombarded with awareness campaigns about the ravages of the disease ..... cries for more research.......countless recommendations on how to prevent or stave off this condition.

I am sure I am not alone in doing suduko, word search, and computer cognitive games in an attempt to keep my brain agile in hopes that various forms of puzzle solving will be the secret weapon in the war against an aging brain.

But yesterday an article in the Toronto Star caused me to pause and to think differently. It challenged my assumption that diminished cognition means diminished growth.

The article was about a research centre that has opened in Toronto- The Dotsa Bitove Wellness Academy. The focus of the centre is not on dementia as a tragic disease but on the enrichment of people's continuing abilities - to help them grow through creative expression, music, dance, movement, visual arts. To reach them and build relationships based on creative expression not cognitive expression.

http://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2014/04/25/dotsa_bitove_wellness_academy_takes_artful_approach_to_fighting_dementia.html

With all of the science that is dedicated to the working of the brain and the "dementia epidemic" , this article was a reminder to me not to lose sight of the more complicated and powerful part of our minds - the emotional- the creative. Maybe it is time that I let go of my assumption that later life dementia is solely degenerative .

Monday 21 April 2014

Monday Morning April 21 - Couples Timing

Monday, April 21, 2014

Recently the New York Times published an article on the timing of retirement for couples.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/22/your-money/coping-when-not-entering-retirement-together.html?_r=0

Let's face it - we no longer live in a world where the husband is the sole breadwinner and when he decides to retire the couple is "in retirement". Things have changed. Couples come in many forms and so does work . It seems highly unlikely that two people's individual passion for their work and their desire to pursue new interests would coincide at exactly the same time.

I certainly know that my "artist in residence" has no plans to retire - he says never. I totally understand that his need to continue to create does not diminish over time and may even intensify. In fact, as an artist often the value of your work appreciates in the more mature years of your career. I wouldn't want or expect my husband to retire just because I was planning to retire. It doesn't make sense. . However the impact of one partner retiring does impact the couple and not just financially .Retirement is a transition and a change in lifestyle for an individual and for a couple. .

Monday 7 April 2014

Monday Morning April 7 - Kids Room

We do most of our living between Friday night and Monday morning. Monday morning is the time to reflect on the weekend and get back into our week day routine . As I get older it becomes more difficult to get myself moving on Monday morning. I guess that is part of what retirement planning is about - letting go of the weekday routine and spreading the rest of your life over seven days!

Monday April 7, 2014

Huffington Post had an article this week about creative makeovers for kids rooms once they leave home. Renovating the room is a real milestone that your son or daughter is not coming home. It is a marker that a chapter has come to a close. It really doesn't seem like that long ago.... you were focused on making the perfect nursery for this new baby to come home to and the next thing you know... 20 + years later, you are dismantling a room full of memories....

The Huffington Post article through facebook asks parents for examples of what they have done with their kids old room and also publishes kids responses.

Here is the link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/03/spare-room-ideas_n_5030411.html

For me.... well I am not quite there... I mostly keep the door closed. The bed is gone... replaced by boxes of stuff.... storage for paintings. The baseball photos and trophies still line the walls so ..... part storage part shrine. I really need to tackle this .... Put that on my retirement list.....

Monday 17 March 2014

Downsizing - it sounds so simple.....

But it is not.....

It is an option that everyone faces when planning for retirement. On paper, it makes absolute sense.... two of us occupying a house that is much too big for our needs.... a lot of extra expense, extra work.

But a house is is far more than what appears on paper...more than a balance sheet and much more than bricks and mortar. It represents memories of kids, pets, holidays and family celebrations.

At this point, downsizing is not in our immediate future. We could change our minds. My hope is that I have decades left in my house - that I am carried out feet first having had the opportunity to build many more years of family memories within these walls.

My friend, Shawn, said it best when he wrote about the importance of a house. When his Father had to move out of their family home, Shawn penned a letter about the story of the house and hid it in the attic to be found by other owners.

When Shawn's Dad passed away this past Fall, he read the letter during the funeral. Subsequently, this letter was published in the Reader's Digest. .

So on this St. Patrick's Day, my hat's off to my Irish Canadian friend Shawn and his beautiful letter about what a house really means...

from his letter::

"Our house was filled with unfetterd freedom-probably too much freedom. Our parents chose this house because it was close to schools, the arena and church - in that order. Most waking hours of our youth were spent at the arena, school and church - in that order. Most of us worked at the... arena at some point...we held our family Christmas dinner there every year, including a hockey game - no helmets allowed... We had fun in that house. It was the site of countless road hockey games, fights, lacrosse games, backyard ice rinks, swingsets and tree climbing. The driveway was home to crappy cars, motorcycles, gocarts, boats, trailers and served as a parking spot for friends when the arena lot was full. Our neighbours included families that were Irish, Italian, French and British all living in harmony. We grew up without a care in the world and walked ourselves to school from the time we were in kindergarten...... That's not to say we didn't have our challenging times. It was this place where our parents told us that our brother had died and it was where our mother went to the hospital and never returned. But it was also where we wanted for nothing and really didn't worry about tomorrow. We hope whoever owns this house next will build their own memories and one day,pass it on to a family that appreciates the fact that while a house may be temporary, the memories you have of the time spent in that house last forever."

Monday 10 March 2014

Monday Morning March 10: With glowing hearts..

Monday, March 10, 2014

With glowing hearts... a phrase from our national anthem that
describes the pride of a nation.

As a rule, Canadians are not overtly patriotic people. Ours is a more quiet patriotism. It is rare to experience a Canadian boastful about our country.

However when it comes to hockey our patriotic blood boils over. At the Olympics Canadians are the most vocal and demonstrative hockey fans. When I was at the World Junior tournament in Buffalo, the Canadians attending burst into singing O'Canada , our national anthem while standing in line to get in to the arena!

Last weekend, after the Olympics were over , I was sitting in the mezzanine at our local public market. An adult choir was setting up to perform On a busy market day, the entertainment on the mezzanine level is always somewhat background ambiance to the normal activity of the merchants and the shoppers.

But this choir started with O' Canada. Very unusual. It was very moving to watch from my second floor
location, the market slowly become still. First, the persons on the mezzanine sitting at tables all stood. The people on the first floor they couldn't see the choir, but as the music travelled down to the first floor, shoppers stopped in the middle of the aisles, parents picked up their toddlers and paused, shopkeepers stopped and bowed their head. The normal chaos of the market became very quiet except for the choir singing.

I love Olympic and World Junior hockey and no one is a bigger fan of our Canadian hockey teams than me.
However when that bustling public market became quietly and respectfully still, it was more moving than tens of thousands of fans, with painted faces waving flags.

Monday 17 February 2014

Monday Morning Feb 17 #Valentine's Day

We do most of our living between Friday night and Monday morning. Monday morning is the time to reflect on the weekend and get back into our week day routine . As I get older it becomes more difficult to get myself moving on Monday morning. I guess that is part of what retirement planning is about - letting go of the weekday routine and spreading the rest of your life over seven days!

Monday, February 17, 2014

Valentine's Day is over for another year. I detest how commercial this day has become. The marketing and advertising world has created this hype of what love is and how it should be celebrated. Always portrayed as two beautiful heterosexual couples madly in love and the only real way to express it is through the gift of "hearts on fire" diamonds. This serves no one but retailers and alienates many in our society who don't line up with those manufactured ideals.

Love has many forms and faces in our lives and I totally agree it is to be celebrated. Genuine and authentic celebrations of love are all around us at Valentines. I just wanted to acknowledge a few that I encountered during Valentines 2014:

Ellen Page's speech at the Time to Thrive Conference in Las Vegas on Valentine's Day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hlCEIUATzg#t=21

The Sunday New York Times Book Review section dedicated to Love. One of the features was to ask contemporary writers what literature had taught them about love. There was a great quote from Ann Patchett:

"Literature has taught me that love means different things at different points in our lives, and that often as we get older we gravitate toward the quieter, kinder plotlines, and find them to be richer than we had originally understood them to be"

My most favourite example of an authentic and real valentine moment was the Valentine's card received by our friends, James and Cathy from their daughter Olivia:

And, of course, dancing with my husband on Valentine's night.

Monday 10 February 2014

Monday Morning Feb 10 #Let'sTakeTheLongWayHome

Tonight we will discuss Gail Caldwell's Let's Take the Long Way Home. A beautiful book about writing and friendship and loss.

This blog is about emerging seniors. There are few of us who get to this stage in life who have
not experienced the loss of a close friend or people that are "pillars" in our lives. There is no easy solution to working through such grief. And certainly no book will provide an answer. However, Let's Take the Long Way Home is an eloquent and wonderful story that would touch the hearts of anyone who is or has had to walk that path.

Monday 3 February 2014

Monday Morning Feb 2 Snowbirds

I was especially interested in the many retired persons on the ship many Canadian or from the U.S. North East or Mid West. Snowbirds taken flight down south for a little sunshine.
Many were on back to back cruises (two in a row) I met one couple who were on the ship for three consecutive weeks. Another couple spent two weeks on a Carnival ship got off the ship and the same day boarded our ship for two more weeks of cruising.
There was one couple sailing with us that had just finished sailing four months on the ship and had four more months before they departed!

The cruise director told us about a women on another Royal Caribbean ship that has been sailing for three years! Fascinating - figures it is cheaper than a retirement home!

With all of the reward programs, sales, etc , consecutive cruising is not a bad option for an extended stay vacation in the sun. These sophisticated cruisers had different routines and strategies onboard and in the ports to stretch their dollars.

We met a retired couple on one of our stops that earlier in their retirement did winter cruising but changed to extended stays on the islands having discovered some real bargains - they were on St. Kitts for four months this winter.

For my retirement years, I hope I am fortunate enough to be able to spend some of the winter in a more southern part of the world. My retired shipmates have inspired me to explore the variety of options that are out there.

This was our first back to back cruise and hopefully not our last. All I know my favourite day on board was the day that everyone else on the ship was leaving and we were staying!

Monday 13 January 2014

Monday Morning January 13 #SNL

Monday January 13

As I watched the Golden Globes last night I was struck by how much things have changed specifically the influence of Saturday Night Live on today's entertainment industry. Being a teenager in the '70s, I witnessed the birth and roots of this legendary show.

SNL was the epitome of anti establishment TV. It was a parody of current culture and politics. Definitely had a drug culture associated with it and the musical guests were the music of youth not our parents.
Without PVRs or videotape machines, no matter what we were up to on a Saturday night we would find a TV and watch the show. The original cast including Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Jane Curtain and John Belushi were awesome. The show had cult following and was night and day different than late night TV at the time -

Now 40 years later, even though the intent, premise and format of the show remains the same, former cast members have permeated the entertainment industry Back in 1975, I would never have believed that two former cast members and writers would be hosting the Golden Globes. That another former cast member, would be poised to takeover the premiere late night show of the industry - Jimmy Fallon. I would never have guessed that SNL alumni would be successful movie actors, sitcom actors, producers and so on. It is a testament to the talent that show has recruited.

I still watch SNL sometimes live - but most often on the PVR

Emerging senior........