Tuesday 31 July 2018

Day 5 - 212 -- Beginning the Ending

The bit of cooling in the house overnight put me in a better mood today. I ran errands and then walked into the office, passing several Special Olympics team contingents. Everyone seemed to be having a good time cheering and waving at passing cars, who honked in return, or heading to and from meal hall on campus. It will be an interesting week in town, for sure.

While sitting at my desk, I checked the calendar to see what was planned for the rest of the week. I had to turn the page to check meeting and appointment times. That action led me to the realization that this is the final month before retirement. So, 31 days left. Wow!  Even though I've been thinking of retiring for some time, when it seems so close emotions run the full gamut. The overwhelming feeling is one of anxiousness -- even bordering on fear. I assume this has something to do with the 'great unknown' and inability to picture what the new normal will be exactly. Excitement is part of the overall feeling, too. This one is mainly positive as the immediate plans for the next few months come together. Stress surfaces with a bit of panic when I realize what needs to be done before the end of the month. Moving offices brings the hateful job of packing and unpacking. It is moving forward though not without a few palpitations along the way. As I sat in the kitchen this evening I said, "What should we do this evening?" It struck me then, that I rarely ask that question since the choice has been generally work related tasks. Faced with another realization, it became clear that the activities from which to choose will change dramatically. Finding a way to navigate the 'newness' of rediscovering former pastimes and discovering altogether new pursuits no doubt will bring challenges. I'm sure it will be worth the work, though.

The phrase that came to mind immediately was a song title. That made me smile. This selection is a well recognized song by a Swedish band. The '80s hair and what could easily be an infringement into the edges of glam rock can be seen clearly in this video. Enjoy!

The Final Countdown -- Europe


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