I think I've boiled it down to five choices about my job situation: ¢ Quit cold turkey ¢ Stay on indefinitely ¢ Work part time ¢ Retire formally and return as a contractor ¢ And, this may be a little outside the box, work part time for the next couple of months and return full time in April when the instructions for the next stage of the proposal come in. That, at least, will give me some time to concentrate and think about which of the first four choices would be best. Bob and I talked about my options, and what's so is that we need me to make some money maybe not as much as I make now, but we can't continue in the life style we currently enjoy without my bringing something in. Besides that, I know I'll need to keep working at some level just to keep my sanity. So, now it's time to act. I've been paralyzed long enough. … [Read more...]

We saw "The Bucket List" on Friday night. It was funny and tender and even though the list had lots of travel and daredevil feats on it, it also had some emotional things -- like laughing so hard it makes you cry, bringing joy to someone else, kissing the most beautiful woman in the world who turned out to be a granddaughter. Good stuff, some of it outlandish and predictable, yet definitely doable. It makes me want to refine and add to my list again. One thing that I definitely need to work on is being a friend -- spending time with my friends no matter what. My usual excuse for not keeping in touch is my workload. Well, that's no excuse. I need to make time and I will make time. I also need to say a word or two about the death of Heath Ledger from a possible overdose of sleeping pills at age 28. And his poor mother and father had to find out from the media. He was so young and beautiful, and so talented and successful. What would make him take his life? I know they are saying … [Read more...]

So last night Bob asked the more important question re my laser zapping experience why at my age would I even care if I have a few brown spots on my face. Yes, that is the crux of the matter. I'm too old to care. It's enough trying to look young already. And still I can't help myself from doing it. Of course, I'll never be too old to keep my face moisturized and out of the sun, but to actively do procedures to try to erase the ravages of age is totally ridiculous. I'm getting to be so much like my mother, it's embarrassing. I remember a time very close to the time she died and she was well into her 90s. she was in the hospital and I was sitting by her bedside. And she kept looking at me and finally said, You're so beautiful. Look at me how old and wrinkled I look. It was a nice compliment to me, but it showed how vain she still was at that age. I said that I was sure to look like her some day just that I had a few more years to go. And lately, when I look at myself I see more … [Read more...]

Okay, here's the initial verdict on what's involved in getting rid of those damn age spots by laser.... I think the best thing is to write about it step by step. My appointment was at 3:45 on Monday, December 3 supposedly 15 minutes early to fill out the usual new doctor information sheets where they ask about medications and allergies and surgeries and if I've read the patient protection manual. And yes I filled it all out and signed my life away. I was called into the room on time like most examining rooms except there were a couple of large machines on either side of the narrow high table that the nurse told me to lie down on. She informed me that she was going to apply numbing cream that needed to be left on about 20 minutes before the procedure. That totally caught me by surprise. I asked when I made the appointment how long the procedure would take, and I was told about 15 minutes. I hadn't been told about that prep time. So, I lay there trying to hold a magazine over my … [Read more...]

So, yesterday I get called into by boss' office and he pulls out a large gray envelope. He partially pulls out the contents I suppose he was trying to prevent me from reading everything he had on the page in front of him actually, that would be impossible with my old eyes but, that's another story altogether. And, he informs me he feels so strongly about my excellent work this year, he wants to give me some money. In fact, he said he already gave me some money and that it would be reflected on my next paycheck with taxes taken out, of course. But, even with the bonus and the kudos, I can't stay here. No. I'm not about to make a U-turn. I'm going to stay on the road that goes toward the exit. In fact, I've actually started on it. During my meeting yesterday I asked to be taken off the list of people to work the next big proposal. They had wanted me to work it so I can mentor someone taking a lead position for the first time. Well, I'll always be available for advice and counsel. … [Read more...]