Someone brought it to my attention that there is never a day that dawns in which I don’t have something scheduled to do. After all by now, I am supposed to be retired and taking it easy. My first reaction was that this is all wrong and I need to do something about that.
Let’s see, what can I give up? Monday is my big radio day, live shows at WUSC – FM / Replay Radio in the morning and Our Generation Radio / Remember Then Radio at night. Tuesday – Thursday drive into town to the State Election Commission’s office where I consult on multiple projects. Friday mornings find me recording my show for RTI.FM. Saturday mornings bring another live show on Our Generation Radio. Sunday is my relative day of rest; writing this blog and prepping for the show in the morning.
Hmmm. This is a quandary! Radio is a labor of love, not really work. The consulting work keeps me active and thinking critically. Besides I promised them that I would continue helping out for a couple more years. By then the technology that I support will have been replaced and a new team brought on to provide support. I will even be managing the project to make that transition. So I will put myself out of work. That seems perfect to me. Besides, working 3 days a week, part time suits me to a “T”.
What else? Well, I’m the president of the WUSC Alumni Association, which needs work only in the fall. And I’m the president of the Columbia Media Club. That is year round and has been hectic for a while but seems to be settling down to a routine. I have a fire in my belly for both of these groups so nothing is going to change there.
It has dawned on me that this is nothing new. From the time I started elementary school, I’ve always maxed out my extracurricular activities; Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Catholic Youth Organization, choir, School Safety Patrol, altar boy, track team, Junior Classical League, French Club, cross country team, Jacksonville Youth Orchestra, high school band and orchestra. It didn’t stop when I went to college either; Drum and Bugle Corps in Naval ROTC, The USC Gamecock band and orchestra and WUSC Radio. My working years were full too, after hours; YMCA aerobics instructor, Civil Air Patrol and part time flying instructor.
It seems flying through the sky at 600 miles per hour with my hair on fire is what makes me happy. It’s a good thing that I still have hair to burn. The only time I didn’t have extra stuff going on was in the years when I was literally flying through the sky at 600 miles per hour traveling to manage projects all over this great land of ours. That job took all my time by itself.
On the other hand, I’ve noticed that a significant number of the folks that I know who’ve retired without a busy schedule leave this mortal coil within a handful of years after laying the work down and accepting their gold watch.
I think I am going to be one of those folks who work later in life, not because I have to, but because staying active with something to do daily is what floats my boat. Maybe by then the fire in my hair will have run out of fuel! Oh MY!
No comments:
Post a Comment