It’s an uncomfortable space to be in: the middle. With a career behind you and who-knows-what ahead, it is a place that feels lost and unsettling. Having retired from teaching over a year ago now, I’ve lived in this middle, liminal space. I thought it was a space to get through and get done with.… Continue reading Living in the “in between”
Tag: retiredteacher
Beyond The Grocery List: An Antidote To Over-Thinking
I love a list! They give me that sense of accomplishment and organize my day. When I was teaching, I used them all the time to keep track of the vast number of things I needed to do in a day. As I try to make decisions about my next steps after retiring, I often… Continue reading Beyond The Grocery List: An Antidote To Over-Thinking
No News Is Good News
My mother has a saying that applies to people who are far away from us, “No news is good news.” It implies that if the news about our loved ones is bad, we will hear about it. Bad news travels quickly and good news does not. Therefore, no news means they are safe. These days… Continue reading No News Is Good News
Libraries: More Than Just Books
Somehow I forgot that public libraries are more than just books. I’ve always had a library card. These days I borrow my books digitally and only occasionally step foot inside a library. I used to recommend the summer library reading programmes to my students. I was aware that they had more to offer others but,… Continue reading Libraries: More Than Just Books
Love What You Do
What do you love doing so much that the words failure and success essentially become irrelevant?” ― Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. I loved teaching this way. I remember being embarrassed that I was earning a paycheque when I taught my first kindergarten class. I was enjoying what I was doing so much, I… Continue reading Love What You Do
Patient Persistence
I need to be very patient to access my family doctor these days. I am grateful that I still have a family doctor. But, since my old doctor sold her practice a couple of years ago, the doctor that bought it has changed with the times. She’s added nurse practitioners, medical administrators, a call centre-like… Continue reading Patient Persistence
Talking ‘bout My Generation*
The value of sharing ideas between generations is being recognized, and lamented. According to The Harvard Business Review, a huge wave of older employees retired during the pandemic and this has created a serious loss of “institutional memory, expertise, and loyalty.”*** There is no big population bubble to replace them. Subsequent generations are smaller. There… Continue reading Talking ‘bout My Generation*
Impatient At The Crossroads
I’m that person who’s been known to stop reading half-way through a mystery novel and read the last few pages. Sometimes the suspense is too much and I need to know how it all turns out. Sitting with uncertainty is a challenge for me. I’m trying to figure out my next steps in my retirement… Continue reading Impatient At The Crossroads
Doing The Time Warp
I’ve noticed an annoying time trap, now that I’m retired. Errands that used to take only a part of my working day, now seem to take the entire day to complete. My weekday calendar is dotted with a little something every day. When a friend asks me if I’m busy on Tuesday, a quick check… Continue reading Doing The Time Warp
Nothing Compares To Being There
In the digital age, it’s easy to think of progress as something that is created by new technology. A new app or Zoom conferencing or assistive technology can, and do, make life easier in many ways. I see tech companies plowing money into developing assistive devices for seniors.* But, tech. is a weak substitute for… Continue reading Nothing Compares To Being There
Retired, And Now What? 