tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post6165271515232601113..comments2023-10-11T04:09:53.564-07:00Comments on materfamilias writes: Five Things Friday: Toe-Dipping Activities. . . materfamiliashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-51866431188740490242015-07-29T06:37:01.811-07:002015-07-29T06:37:01.811-07:00You're welcome! I hope you enjoy your switch t...You're welcome! I hope you enjoy your switch to half-time. It seems to me that is a situation that requires careful monitoring. I like to think of financial advice I read many years ago to Pay Yourself First if you want to build Savings. It's too easy to give your time and energy away and realize there's nothing left for you...and if you get down to empty, that's no good for everyone else anyway. Be productively selfish? Just enough? I'm still working on it. Good luck!materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-42993957224649097812015-07-28T09:48:29.217-07:002015-07-28T09:48:29.217-07:00Thank you for sharing this. You have captured this...Thank you for sharing this. You have captured this dilemma beautifully: how to restructure without losing flexibility, how to spend more time with family without focusing life around them. I have just made the decision to back off to half-time and am already feeling anxious about how best to use these days off. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-50327953291822863982015-07-21T17:41:32.993-07:002015-07-21T17:41:32.993-07:00That's exactly right, Marie. It really makes m...That's exactly right, Marie. It really makes me observant in a different way than photography (which I also love and am grateful for). The time spent trying to capture impressions visually also allows for the other senses to pay attention, so that when I look back through my travel journals I can remember sounds and smells and breezes. . . materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-54961801996156528402015-07-20T08:03:52.991-07:002015-07-20T08:03:52.991-07:00Yes, it's all juggling and rabbit holes if we&...Yes, it's all juggling and rabbit holes if we're not careful enough. I suspect that the parent care plus helping our grown-up kids adjust to home ownership and new babies and all plus working a full-time job was pushing me toward poor health had I not retired when I did and I'm still reconciling that move in some ways. Giving up the work was tough, and although it was the right move, I know, I don't want it to allow for a larger giving-up of whatever is important to me. So I have to figure that out quickly, right? Nice to know how much company I have in this enterprise. . . I do wonder if being semi-retired with freelance possibilities in mid-50s might augur really well for you having it more sorted than I do by the time you're my age. . .materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-62172251708461354612015-07-20T02:10:02.854-07:002015-07-20T02:10:02.854-07:00There is much here that resonates with me, in the ...There is much here that resonates with me, in the comments as well as your post (acquiring too many material placemarkers in recent years, me too!). I'm now in the slightly unusual position of being a semi 'retired' freelancer in my mid fifties. As you know this is because of poor health but though my choices may be more limited than I had hoped would be the case a decade from now I still need to find my way from the very (over?) full 'before' - full time paid employment/raising four kids - to the 'after' that should be about me and my husband but currently seems to be more about juggling the needs of our parents and those grown up kids we raised. And that's not a rabbit hole I want to fall down either. Youve given me much to think about, thank you :o)Annie Cholewahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17608057589525908147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-84807692628502242472015-07-19T21:44:55.070-07:002015-07-19T21:44:55.070-07:00surely such a powerfully expressed, strongly felt ...surely such a powerfully expressed, strongly felt comment deserves a signature! Some interesting stuff to get at here, but it's hard to have a conversation with Anonymous, although if that's the only way you're comfortable commenting, I'm content with the choice.<br />Retirement never held any glittering allure for me, and I'd hoped to continue working in a job loved until 65 at the very least, perhaps even part-time into my 70s. But the last couple of years, it became clear that my energy levels didn't allow me to meet the demands of the position AND do all the other things I wanted to, especially given how much more quickly time was passing by. I don't think I'm hacking out a brand new life, as I'm fortunate to have so much that is carried through from before retirement. And while there is not point denying the direction I'm heading, post 60, I still do find some joyous ascents ahead -- the possibilities of getting better at various chosen pursuits, and the delights of watching my grandchildren grow (although ultimately, yes, we're all heading to that ultimate obscurity and obsolescence). <br />I'm curious: have you gone through this particular transition yourself? and did you truly find in it only a purgatory? Your last sentence suggests otherwise.materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-2288727882826510292015-07-19T21:01:25.345-07:002015-07-19T21:01:25.345-07:00clearly, you've banged down into that purgator...clearly, you've banged down into that purgatory of transition…along with the realization that the vaunted 'retirement' is not at all like the glittering myth. add to that the loss of all the elders whose presence has been denied by death.<br />after the 60th birthday, it is undeniable: you are no longer able to believe in the sense of ascending any longer. after forfeiting work in the outside world, the path offers descent into obscurity/obsolescence. the entire notion of retirement is ridiculous. <br />now, there's nothing to be done but hack out a brand new life, full with all its' attendant risk. go for whatever makes you feel vulnerable and alive. something utterly different and thrilling. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-40105353349575365992015-07-19T12:30:43.390-07:002015-07-19T12:30:43.390-07:00I love your drawing posts - most of them are from ...I love your drawing posts - most of them are from before I found your blog so they are new to me. I was thinking about the Italian drawings that it must intensify the way you see the scenes to try so hard to capture them. Marienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-70999015991962377252015-07-19T06:36:49.251-07:002015-07-19T06:36:49.251-07:00Thanks, Eleonore. I do feel happy with the mix at ...Thanks, Eleonore. I do feel happy with the mix at the moment. And I didn't even get to the numbers on my other hand! (Running, yoga, cycling, language lessons, writing. . . .) Life is so rich with possibilities!materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-78058465368026179532015-07-19T06:34:29.668-07:002015-07-19T06:34:29.668-07:00Thanks SAS. I wonder if I'd ever find it daunt...Thanks SAS. I wonder if I'd ever find it daunting to edge back in. I'm a fairly social introvert, but lately my Introvert self has trumped the social. I've felt a bit too immersed in a network of people's needs, so that I'm enjoying the time-out much of the time. But I suppose that might be what happened with my mother, especially, and my mother-in-law to a lesser degree. So I'm trying to strike a balance and determined to maintain some strong social bonds that aren't all family.<br />And you're right -- yoga deserves much credit! materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-69184122420897916432015-07-19T06:25:47.918-07:002015-07-19T06:25:47.918-07:00Thanks, Marie -- and that's a squash flower. ...Thanks, Marie -- and that's a squash flower. Isn't it wonderful?!<br />Sorry -- I forgot to add the "journal illustration" label at the bottom of the post which is why you can't figure out where to click. It's there now, just at the bottom of the post. Let me know if you're still having problems (and thanks for your interest in my drawing progress, such as it is).materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-32442216488579604202015-07-19T06:23:15.772-07:002015-07-19T06:23:15.772-07:00You're very welcome and thank you for the link...You're very welcome and thank you for the link to that website. Cool! What a wealth there!materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-70411878752253679162015-07-19T06:22:35.925-07:002015-07-19T06:22:35.925-07:00It's a complicated luxury, this time. Your mom...It's a complicated luxury, this time. Your mom sounds just lovely, and very wise. I'd say the author of the book she gave you might even extend that observation about so many processes where "getting it right" isn't the point. Certainly, I'd say that of my sketching and painting, my piano-playing, my cooking (although clearly, those I feed probably hope I get pretty close to some kind of "right"!).materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-43604812925219588742015-07-19T05:02:11.949-07:002015-07-19T05:02:11.949-07:00I like the mixture of activities you are concentra...I like the mixture of activities you are concentrating on at the moment: learning something new (photography), giving more time to something you've tried to keep up all the time (drawing) and returning to things you used to do at other times but had to give up for a while (cooking and music). I have a feeling that this combination might lead to success (meaning contentment or satifaction).<br />How generous of you to share your experiences.Eleonorenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-28240282045852703012015-07-19T02:44:18.704-07:002015-07-19T02:44:18.704-07:00Edging one's way back into society after a lon...Edging one's way back into society after a long break can be daunting , so it's a good idea not to let go entirely if possible . <br />You're doing very well , in fact .... must be the yoga !SmitoniusAndSonatahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11210817141287881808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-43602159637494353572015-07-18T20:47:10.276-07:002015-07-18T20:47:10.276-07:00Thanks for the recipes. I remember you posting a...Thanks for the recipes. I remember you posting about the cookies on cup of joe. Instead I made Best of Bridge pb cookies and added in choc chips, skor pieces and crushed (not too fine) pretzels. Turned out really well. I just wanted to mix together and bake. No other fussing.Paulanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-41928282103402994882015-07-18T20:35:47.588-07:002015-07-18T20:35:47.588-07:00This is important, K, and thank you! I had trouble...This is important, K, and thank you! I had trouble with this all through my teaching years as well -- if there was one weekend with no marking, I'd feel agitated even as I was enjoying activities I knew I wouldn't have a chance to for the rest of term. I had to consciously remind myself that these moments are fleeting and must be lived in fully with gratitude. Having to trust to that all over again, which is an interesting surprise. I'm happy you're getting a head start on that wisdom -- enjoy that glass! ;-)materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-67952350634035229902015-07-18T20:33:14.195-07:002015-07-18T20:33:14.195-07:00We've had to work toward each other's diet...We've had to work toward each other's dietary centres as well, and that's ongoing. Paul's a great cook but I need more veggies and less fat than he would naturally go for. . . Puppy! So exciting! <br />As for the sadness, I think that any bright person might regularly find reasons for it, especially at this transitional stage of life . . . . You seem to be tackling it in really wise ways.materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-23841495056814770692015-07-18T20:18:11.646-07:002015-07-18T20:18:11.646-07:00Thanks for the encouragement, Dottoressa. And yes ...Thanks for the encouragement, Dottoressa. And yes to the frame! I always think of Wordsworth's "Nuns Fret Not" sonnet with its celebration of the comfort and expanse to be found within structure. A wonderful paradox! <br />But for now, my challenge is to tolerate as little structure as I can until I know what might suit me for the next bit of the road. . .materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-18474893326109003892015-07-18T11:16:34.093-07:002015-07-18T11:16:34.093-07:00Wonderful post, Frances. I know that I will be re...Wonderful post, Frances. I know that I will be re-reading these when I (much older than you) get to the retirement stage (many years from now, I hope). <br /><br />Your photos are beautiful! I especially love the yellow furled flower.<br /><br />I would like to see your drawings. I enjoyed the one you posted a few months ago. But I can't figure out what to click on?<br />Marienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-70177003535483302472015-07-18T09:28:16.449-07:002015-07-18T09:28:16.449-07:00Great post and thanks so much for your thoughts. T...Great post and thanks so much for your thoughts. They are extremely valuable to me in my life stage :) <br />PS: you might find this website interesting for your keyboard project http://imslp.orgpomomamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08338550638937829078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-45193351118836712372015-07-18T08:53:48.139-07:002015-07-18T08:53:48.139-07:00Here's to sloth! ;-)Here's to sloth! ;-)materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-9839203482589911212015-07-18T08:53:18.426-07:002015-07-18T08:53:18.426-07:00Welcome, Paula, and thanks not only for commenting...Welcome, Paula, and thanks not only for commenting today but for that lovely chuckle you've given me at what motivates us. Chocolate chip-peanut butter-pretzel for the win! The recipe I used wasn't the one I'd originally found, then, lost, and I wasn't thrilled with the results: http://www.food.com/recipe/chocolate-peanut-butter-chip-pretzel-cookies-472717 I've since gone back and tracked down the one that caught my eye in the first place and I'm going to try it this week. It's at Cup of Jo: http://cupofjo.com/2014/12/chocolate-dipped-peanut-butter-cookies-with-pretzels/ Let me know what you think if you try either. Happy Baking!materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-67573022318073880802015-07-18T08:47:39.389-07:002015-07-18T08:47:39.389-07:00Yes! Can you imagine anyone getting whiny or melan...Yes! Can you imagine anyone getting whiny or melancholy about the richness I'm surrounded by. All this time! I do hope you find your way to the privilege of my current situation. Lolling about in buckets of time, I assure you, has many more benefits than my petty little complaints might suggest. ;-)materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4904021173466473381.post-43585034660874595932015-07-18T08:46:13.271-07:002015-07-18T08:46:13.271-07:00I'll be reading you in a few hours, then. Look...I'll be reading you in a few hours, then. Looking forward to how beautifully I know you'll articulate some aspects of this that will surely overlap with -- and definitely illuminate! -- my experience...materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.com