If you read my last post without your tongue in your cheek, you might think, at the least, I am horribly depressed. Or, possibly, that I’m ready for assisted living. Turns out I’m neither. I’m very happy not caring so much about things that don’t really matter anyway–like folded sheets, holey dishtowels and dust. Add to that makeup.
Sure, I hate that most things on my body hurt. And it’s dispiriting that if and when I manage to lose a few pounds, the rolls of skin no longer disappear. But I get by. I keep putting one foot in front of the other because what choice is there? Enjoy or deploy, and I’m not ready to change my address. At least, not THAT drastically.
When I ask my oldest brother how he’s doing, he usually says, “I’m still on this side of the dirt,” and that’s where I want to be, too, no matter how hard it is to bend and reach and get up when I fall down. Because, in reality, there are still so many things I love about life.
Steven Covey and his 7 Habits of Highly Effective People hit the corporate world by storm in 1989. Though I never read his book (hearing about it at work constantly was enough, thank you very much), but I liked his idea to illustrate commitment by putting rocks in a jar. The things that mean the most to you, represented by the bigger rocks, have to go in the jar first, followed by the middling things, represented by pebbles, and then the little things, represented by sand, to fill all the nooks and crannies.
It sounds a little like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, doesn’t it? With papa-bear stones, mama-bear pebbles, and baby-bear sand grains.
Try to put the sand in first, then the pebbles, and you’ll find there’s not enough room for the rocks, which are what you’ve determined are most important to you.
I look at MY jar, though, as a happiness jar, rather than as a commitment jar. And in spite of growing old and all the negatives that come with it, my jar is well-packed.
Papa rocks first…
My “rocks”–what I care about most–are as follows, in descending order:
#1: FAMILY
I’m married to my best friend, and he’s married to his. I know, I’m speaking for him, but really, it’s true! Whatever we do–take a trip, go out for a meal, or just hang out–he is who I want to do it with.
We have an adult daughter, and I enjoy all the time we spend together, whether it’s making pupcakes for her two dogs or helping her decorate her house, or supervising while she and her dad work on her latest home improvement project.
I love our two cats: Maisie (age 12), a still sassy brown tabby, and Scout (age 5), my over-sized, handsome lover-boy, who’s all black.
#2: WRITING
Writing has been a constant in my life for as long as I can remember. I had something in the high school literary journal most every year. Ditto for college, where I majored in journalism and English.
Then I worked as a reporter and wrote and wrote; then as a high school journalism and English instructor, where I helped my students write; then in the corporate communications department of a Fortune 500 company, where I wrote and wrote, mostly for other employees; then in my own business; then in writing workshops I led, where I wrote along with others; then, finally on my own.
As this blog proves, the bear that is me continues to write even though hardly anyone reads it! It doesn’t matter. It’s a muscle I’ll continue to work until my fingers can no longer maneuver the keys or my brain starts garbling words and meanings–whichever comes first.
#3: GRAPHIC DESIGN
My love of graphic design started when I was a high school yearbook adviser and really took off when I mastered desktop publishing. When I started my own business, I was hired more for my design skills by other communications professionals who relied on me mostly for editing and tightening up what they wrote, then making it look pretty in a brochure or newsletter or annual report.
Since I’ve retired, I’ve designed several websites and blogs for myself, as well as materials for my former HOA, the local Purdue Extension Service, and more recently, my local garden club.
I was always lousy in art class because my hands shook. But I was always artistic, with a good sense of color, shape and form. I know now the shaking was benign essential tremor. I think I’ve always had it in some form. But I’ ve always loved creating, and the mouse on my computer absorbs the shake so I can turn out wonderful graphic creations.
#4: GARDENING
The gardening bug bit me when we bought our first house in 1992. It was a new neighborhood, and all we had were the required number of shrubs out front, two trees, and a huge yard. I decided I wanted to make it pretty, read everything about gardening I could get my hands on, and did a lot of digging, planting, ripping out, and trying different plants.
It was only later that I decided to become a master gardener. And now that some of my aches-and-pains issues are curtailing my actual gardening, I still enjoy learning about it through garden club, where I volunteer to design T-shirts and flyers and write press releases–all tasks that don’t hurt my aching back. (See #3)
#5: ENJOYING THE OUTDOORS
In a sedentary way, unfortunately. I enjoy nature from my cushioned lounge chair on the back porch. We live on a small lake, and when I’m not out there reading, I’m watching the wildlife (geese, ducks, their babies, herons and terns), listening to the wind in the trees and the frogs in the lake, or sipping wine with my BFF (see #1).
Mama pebbles go in next…
These also are in descending order of importance to me, and I’ve just continued numbering from the papa-bear list:
#6: I like to laugh. No explanation needed.
#7: I really enjoy having lunch and a good gab with friends.
I have one friend about my age I met aqua-walking, who also loves to read, and we get together about once a month during months when the pool is closed. I also have two friends–one a good bit older and the other a good bit younger–who attended my writing workshops. We’ve kept in touch, and the three of us get together every month or two year-round.
And I’ve reconnected with my coworkers from when I was a newspaper reporter. We may only see each other once a year, but it’s always a fun time. In between, most of us touch base on Facebook, when we can find each other’s post in all the enshittification.
Wherever you live, you can probably feel our laughter shake your world. I know it shakes mine, in a good way. (See #6)
#8: I read a lot.
I read several different news and analysis periodicals, along with loads of fiction. When reading fiction, I’m always reading to learn about structure. Just how do writers put their stories together? I want to know because I want to write even more than I already have (see #2).
#9: I like streaming old movies hubs finds.
When I told this to a friend, she started telling me about movies from the 1990s. I quickly corrected her: “No, go back, waaaay back. Think late 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s.” Her eyes went blank, as if she couldn’t imagine there WERE movies from that time.
We may occasionally watch a few films from the early 70s, but that’s it. Those were the golden years of film. Better stories (better writing), better actors.
#10: I like to bake.
Some Christmases I bake dozens of cookies–fancy ones like Florentines and Double-Double Chocolate Raspberry Espresso Drops, Holy Cannoli Lemon Chocolate Chip Drops and various flavors of shortbread, Pizzelle and Chocolate Pistachio Pinwheels.
I could go on, because I like to change them out year-to-year and share them with neighbors and friends. (See #7)
Last Christmas, though, I only baked a couple things. My bad back interfered, sure, but mostly I didn’t have time because I was writing more. I put that BIG rock in the jar first (See #2). So lately, all I’ve been baking is an occasional banana bread, an occasional flatbread, and pupcakes for my daughter’s dogs (see #1).
Baby-bear sand grains fill nooks & crannies
These are in no order. Which I choose depends on my mood.
- I like puns and all sorts of wordplay, and I like putting together jigsaw puzzles.
- I like sewing, usually things for the house: a window valance, or a pillow cover, or a Christmas tablecloth with matching napkins. I also enjoy embroidery and applique.
- I used to like thrifting and antiquing and re-selling my finds online, but now back issues limit me. I sometimes still try it in small doses.
- I like to travel, when I get the opportunity, preferably by car so I can take in all the sights. I enjoy trains, too, and would like to take a longer excursion than the AmTrak from Indy to Chicago. But the best part of traveling? Coming home, of course. Dang, I miss those kitties when I’m gone! (see #1)
Life is FULL indeed, right where I am, as I am. I hope yours is, too!
You might also enjoy…
- I’m Officially Waaay Over the Hill & Descending Fast
- All I Really Know I Learned from Putting Together Jigsaw Puzzles
- This National Puzzle Day, Unlock Your Brains & Your Memories
- Classic Movie Buzz posts
& {sometimes} WHY 
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