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Musings on anything. |
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My blog was filled up. I'm too lazy to clean it out. So I started a new one. |
| A group sat around a big table last night, talking about Rembrandt. The youngest person there, about late 30's, asked if you started dating right now, would you do it like you did before you were married? the universal response was no. We proved his point, that with age and experience your attitude and approach to things change. The reasons varied all around. Some just said, I wouldn't get involved with someone again. I might date, but not with a long-term relationship in mind. Others said they couldn't risk the heartache again. One person agreed with me that there would never be another joint bank account. Two older ladies said they had had long happy marriages that could never be duplicated, so they wouldn't date. Most of us felt like we had found our voices; we could speak up for ourselves and not be pushed into something. We won't tolerate the crap that we did in our twenties. We have a clearer idea of what we want and what we can't stand. But I also think that we aren't just more demanding and less tolerant; we are wiser, more giving, more nurturing. Even on a job, we won't do whatever it takes to get ahead, but can be more patient with co-workers. If we didn't learn anything along life's path, what good did the mistakes and the pain do us? We don't look the same as we did at age 20 or 30, but we like to think we're better. The small things can slide. We know what counts to us and others. We could never do it- dating, working. friendship, parenting, setting up house- the way we did when we were young. By the time we have some of the answers and some wisdom, we're falling apart. That's the irony of it. That old saying, "Youth is wasted on the young" maybe still applies. |
| Someone asked me today, "What is your favorite season?" I said, "Fall", just to be polite. What I wanted to say was "Any season that I'm still alive and can take care of myself is a very good season." It's true all year. There is much to be said about spring with all its new growth, sounds, and fragrances. But summer is sweet, yet torrid, bountiful, and memorable. Fall is colorful, brings the harvest and like middle-age, that last great burst of beauty and productiveness. Winter may be more inhibiting, unless you ski or snowboard, but it is a time for contemplation on life's and the earth's delicate beauty. Any time I get up in the morning and can get out of bed, I am thankful to be alive. I am thankful for whatever season is upon us and any holidays ahead of us. I am glad to have work to do, things to read, and conversations to hold. Life is precious in all its seasons. |
| We volunteers had almost finished sorting and hanging donated clothes this morning, when the phone rang. A local deejay was on the way with a collection she had been advertising for two weeks. She arrived with a full van, full of coats for men, women, and children. Some were like new; some still had the tags on. We gladly stayed and sorted what we could. Tomorrow's crew will have a mass waiting for them. While we were still basking in our good fortune, several standard donations were made. We don't have customers for evening clothes or business dress clothes, so those are quickly rerouted to Good Will where customers will request such items. Our customer is more likely to be homeless or on parole, with some regular exceptions. Work boots, underwear, and jeans are our most requested items, but we take most casual clothes. We blow through coat supplies very quickly. It felt good to receive so much. We stock off season things in the attic, so we have a good start on the warm weather clothes, too. I like doing it because it's a hand-on activity. We're not slapping money on a project or talking about the less fortunate. We're meeting them face to face and helping them to make their own choices. |
| Yesterday, I went to the county landfill for the first time. It was a beautiful ride out in the country. The landfill itself was as clean and orderly as could be expected, with recycling sections. There were signs for appliances with and without Freon. I felt very accomplished just finding the place without getting lost and maneuvering my way in and out of the complex. It was unlike other waste depots I've seen in other counties. I had a whole month's worth of trash in my car, including stuff from my garage which would not normally be included. It cost less than one week worth of pickup at my house. It's definitely the cheaper way for me to go, even after adding in gas and wear and tear on the car. I am glad I dropped the place that kept raising the prices. Maybe it was because the day was so beautiful, if cold. Maybe it was I had figured how to save some money. It might have just been something new. It didn't feel like just one more chore. I enjoyed it. It takes so little to make me happy and feel amused. As long as it lasts, I will keep hauling the trash to the west end of the county (I live on the east) and save a few bucks. |
| It gets so busy this time of year. Every organization to which you belong will have a social of some kind. Every church will have extra events. Family members whom you haven't seen in ages will stage a dinner; of course, you will go and take some contribution, preferably homemade. I am not an outgoing person. These days I don't host anything on my own. Yet, I have to check my calendar almost daily to see what's going on today or later this week. Even getting retired people together at a mutually agreeable time is difficult. Those oldies can't drive after dark. They have art class one day every week or bridge club. They want to be there with everyone else but just can't find the availability. Inevitably, they pick a restaurant I can't stand. I have to settle for a lousy place and just get a small salad or skip the event. It seems like when you're working full-time, you have more of a social life. You always find the time to do it. You even find time for rehearsing special choir music for Christmas (which might begin in September if you have to memorize the music). This time of year always goes by faster. Seems even faster when you retire. |
| We had our third messy church this afternoon. We aim it for autistic teens, but we allow anyone who doesn't want to sit still and be quiet. Sometimes, that's me. I attend traditional services but wouldn't mind stretching the limits. We offer Lego -standard fare- not kits, trains, various art projects, some snacks and water. We end after an hour of play in the sanctuary (we have a flexible area) with some bean bag chairs for the preschoolers and some guitar music. We sing Jesus Loves Me in ASL (American sign language), and some folk songs geared more for the kiddies. This is a learning experience for us. Today was the first time we actually had someone with mild autism in a wheelchair with his mother and a sibling. I'm discovering that I really am not very artistic. My imagination doesn't carry me very far in our art projects. We all participate, regardless of abilities. There are some artists in the group; I'm not one of them. We can share some laughs and admire someone else's creation. Noise is not a problem. We hope that when the word gets out, mainly by word of mouth or through the library, we will find some more people who want to express themselves without concern for protocol. |
| I take newspapers and magazines to the recycling bin. I take books to the library for their seasonal sales. I sell aluminum cans and other metals to a crap yard not far from here. (They even buy wire hangers.) Some things can't be recycled. A toothbrush, etc., is just trash. I remember reading the late columnist Erma Bombeck writing about her mother saving everything, going as far as rinsing the dental floss and hanging it out to dry. I am learning to let go of things. Single socks or unmatched gloves, for instance, just need to go. I have held onto such for years before realizing the mate is never going to appear. I never donate old shoes because I wear them until they are worn out, holes in the soles, or just too embarrassing to hand a volunteer somewhere. I will wear a T-shirt with a stain or small hole because I do yard work. However, those kinds of clothes do not make good giveaways. I am learning that if I'm not using it at least once or twice a year, it's time to discard it or pass it along. The clothes I use for dress up are so out of style, I tell people I'm going "retro". I wear clothes that have shoulder pads! I have given up camp shirts and color block outfits. I confess I still like the costume jewelry of the 90's, color coordinated to the outfit. I didn't like contemporary shoe styles until slip on sneakers became acceptable for people of age. My tastes are definitely retro. I prefer long woolen coats with a lining, but they're hard to find and very expensive. And who can afford the dry cleaners? These days, people just buy new shorter coats, more casual in style. So, if I can convince myself to let all the outdated looks and worn items out of my closet and dresser, I would have a lot more space. There are a few items given to me as gifts, like an ugly Christmas sweater, that I feel guilty letting go. Getting rid of papers and notes for teaching were a whole lot easier to do. |
| I am attempting decluttering, or Swedish Death Cleaning, which is a never ending job. Why do we keep accumulating so many things? I'm not very successful. Last summer, I emptied every drawer in my bedroom and shelf, a little at a time. I threw a ton of stuff away. Apparently, an envelope full of cash went into the trash, too. I keep going through everything with hopes, but I'm sure it went to the dump. I cleaned out a closet in the guest room, threw away a lot of stuff, but still can't fit everything back in there. I want to point out it isn't all my stuff. I am living in my deceased parents home and can't get the nieces or brother to come get their things. I've been instructed not to get rid of any tools, but I have not only my dad's tools, but my own, and my late brother's (the carpenter) tools. I sort them out. My last remaining brother comes from out of town, works on something, and then the tools are scattered again. (I have given it much thought and decided the relationship is more important than the orderliness of the garage.) We have been using my dad's bedroom for storage only. However, I decided it is bigger and roomier and has more natural light than the guest room which doubled as a computer room. So. I have moved some furniture to vacuum and put in a surge protector in a working outlet. Now I can't get the vanity with a big mirror back where it was. There are stacks of empty drawers, and plastic boxes blocking the walkway. A room looks worse after I clean or declutter than it did before I threw so much stuff away. I keep giving myself pep talks. "It will get better. . . a little at a time." Hopefully, I will make improvements before I kick off this mortal coil. If not, I won't be here to face the criticism. Fortunately, I don't have much company, and even family won't inspect the rooms where they don't eat or watch TV. |
| Besides movie themes, like Ghostbusters, or the music from The Nightmare Before Christmas, there are songs we might consider Halloween music. First in mind is Michael Jackson's Thriller, or Ghosts, the latter not heard as often. Going way back there is The Purple People Eater, sung by Sheb Wooley, who was a regular actor on Rawhide. He did comical songs that my brothers and I liked to hear. And who can forget The Monster Mash? (a graveyard smash) It may be stretching the idea, but there was a song by The Classics IV called Spooky (little girl like you). Charlie Brown must have turned some carols into pumpkin songs, but they aren't memorable. I'm sure we could come up with more, especially if we stretch the words a little. |
| I am online again! They didn't finish my setup until after six. So, I had to feed the cat next door, then set up my new PC. It took some time getting an outlet that worked with a long enough cord. Now I have Microsoft set up, too. I guess it's a good thing I have to walk next door/downhill and back two times a day while the neighbor is away. I'd hardly get any exercise otherwise, now that I can spend my time in front of a computer. I'll get caught up by the time they get home. Sometimes, life is good. |
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I marvel at the things I'll be able to tell my grandkids about someday. Life is accelerating - or maybe it just feels that way!
I completely sympathize with your desire to declutter. I have more stuff than you can shake a stick at that didn't actually belong to just my wife or myself throughout the house.