Today is July 17; one month until the one-year anniversary of my 50 Adventures at 50. Time to take a philosophical look back over the experiment and see if it was a success. Time to look at the present and take stock. Time to look forward and see if "all things 51" look promising and pleasing. At the top proverbial heap, I'm thinking, is the consideration of events to take place to make August 17, 2012, fit smoothly into the over-all adventure.
Of course, who are we to say? Some will never see August 17, 2012; I've learned over time to not get overly excited about all that. Nevertheless, it's a fun aspect of being human to look forward and to make plans, no matter how loosely developed they are.
A gift I gave to myself this year was to allow myself to think outside the box...any box...all boxes. Conventionality be damned. Oscar Wilde is credited with saying that life is too important to be taken too seriously. Indeed it is. Let's get out there and do some good just for the good of it. Not fret over the consequences, the outcomes, or what it will do for us down the road. Just see a need and fill it. It's a great way to re-establish old friendships and acquaintances as well as make new ones. I've found that out by creating websites for some really good groups of people just for the good of it these past few months. I like people around here--they're good-hearted and incredibly hard-working. They understand that new ways of doing things are necessary; they may not be up on the latest technology, but they're open and willing to let it help for the good of the cause. Good on them.
It's been a great year of the re-discovery of my old love of writing. It had been tucked away for so many, many years. Over the past year I've written more than I'd written in the past 20 years. The result? The same invigorating feeling as inhaling pure oxygen! And I'm very grateful to those who follow the blogs, check in on the Facebook links, read, and occasionally comment. Just as a cook watches closely for the slightest expression from the person tasting his/her creation, the writer anticipates and then reflects upon responses to the finished product.
The loss of my job of the past five years wasn't exactly anticipated, but if it had to happen, it seems now is a good time for it. It's fit into my frame of mind for the past year. It's timeliness has found a place in the whole philosophical landscape of this business of being 50. I am brought to the conclusion that with all the many things I love to dabble in, there is one over-lying pattern...I teach. I am a teacher through and through. I love to learn and then, in turn, love to share that learning with others. Does that mean I'd return to the conventional classroom? More than likely not for a number of reasons, one being that only in education can one be over-qualified for a teaching job. Too many years of experience...I know...crazy to the nth degree. The unconventional is capturing my attention for my next classroom--comfortable surroundings, with unconventional groups of people who just want to learn things in those surroundings. I think people in this area deserve a chance at having this option. It's been proven highly successful in more populated areas; what could be better than offering this in a more secluded area with less chance of learning new areas of interest and making friends with similar interests at the same time? Sounds like a natural.
So...countdown. Thirty-one days left until 50 gets the boot. What will the next 31 days bring? Be assured it will be a time of pondering, thinking out loud, writing down thoughts, and some good 'ol living. And, with any luck, a few more adventures.
