It has been a while since I last posted to my blog site. The long and short of why is that I have had a bad case of Writer’s Block. As I look at my site, my last post was nearly two months ago. So, I thought I’d ponder and write a little about why that may have been.

For me, 2016 was a rough year. The political scene was the worst I’d ever seen, or perhaps I’d just paid more attention to it than I had in previous years. The media sure helped to exploit that, though. On that note, journalism has become brutal and continues to be so! Since when did good journalism involve opining, gossip and blithe statements that aren’t substantiated before being published? Also, it really gets me down how poorly the folks up on “The Hill” behave. They behave very badly; like spoiled children who can’t get along in the sandbox. Good Leaders are supposed to set the example of WHAT TO DO; not WHAT NOT TO DO. They are supposed to be working for us! Well, enough on that. I don’t want to get started on that tack.

Then, there was a falling out with a close friend that really rocked me (and another just last week due to yet another misunderstanding; I’ve always been misunderstood). Ironically, they both live on either side of me! I’ve patched things up with one but the other? It is too soon to tell. I value both people and both confrontations have affected me very deeply. It is difficult for me to make friends, and why that is will have to be for another post. It’s deep and complicated and I’ve still got a little more sorting out to do on this subject.

I’ve had to eat plenty of Humble Pie, as I found myself drifting away from the ‘me‘ that I want to be, getting caught up in things I really don’t need to be involved in. Humility is a very necessary but difficult thing for most of us to stomach, but it was time I got my feet firmly back on the ground.

Retirement: Early retirement, that is, really requires on going adjustment. For those of you that envy retirement, don’t think it’s all fun and games. It’s not! The ONE thing I really learned about retirement and marriage is that you really learn if you LIKE who you are living with. There is no ‘smooth transition’ into retirement. Relationships have to be rebuilt in the context of being around each other nearly 24/7. Again, I’ll write more about that in another post. Trust me; there is a LOT of adjustment.

One take away for you on retirement: Plan well ahead for retirement and be DEBT FREE when the time comes.

One final significant thing, I added more interests to my list of things I like to do in retirement. I realized I was trying to do WAAAAAYYYYY TOO MUCH and became overwhelmed. I’m currently working on balance with all of those things so I don’t drive myself too crazy.

This is just the speculative short list on some of the reasons for the block.

Suffice it to say, I’ve been in a sort of rebirth mode. I’m focusing more on the spiritual, the positive, trying not to let the negative influences of life tear at me; in being much more private on the day to day, and just simply to live and let live.

I’m always catching myself trying to control things I really cannot control. Why do we do that? Because, come to think of it, there really is NO “control” in most things. For some reason we are compelled to try to control things. Now, there’s a huge source for unneeded stress, right? So, I’m dropping the ‘control’ thing.

There are many changes occurring! I’m going to let that happen but hopefully guide those changes towards positive outcomes.

After having written this post, it seems I’ve already got two topics (or more) to write, that feed right off this one!

Let the posts commence!

It’s good to be back!