At 20, we worry about what other people think of us.
At 40, we don’t care about what other people think of us.
Weekend Cheer from The Queens of Quite-a-Lot
At 60, we realize they haven’t been thinking about us at all!
And, I think that’s a very good thing. Happy Friday.
I’m kicking up my heels and drying out my webbed feet in sunny Palm Springs this week. There is nothing better than hanging with a flock of silver haired snowbirds to make you feel young. Last night we met Betty and her two girlfriends at the front desk. She’s my kind of gal. Sporting a bejewelled pink jean jacket, a crown of silver hair and a hearty laugh, this lovely lady is a role model for living and loving life. Betty is looking for fun and I’ll bet she even turns a couple of old foxes’ heads and gets called out for a whirl or two around the dance floor when they bring out the Tommy Dorsey cover band.
Click on the photo below to watch an awesome dance number. I think it’s time to dust off my dancing shoes. How about you?
Life is really about grabbing the gusto no matter your age or the color of your hair. To quote the lyrics of a favorite country song ~ “And when you have the chance to sit it out or dance… I hope you dance.”
RISK ~ That’s my word for 2013 and as I said, I’m going for it. Damn the torpedoes and all that.
I decided to jump right in and sign up for not one but two creative classes. They are online and they are both fabulous. Great inspiration, ideas I can put to use immediately and daily and weekly projects that are already moving me out of my comfort zone. I’m loving every minute. Old dog + new tricks = grand new adventures!
One of my goals for 2013 is to step into the blogging world in a whole new way. I’ve got some big plans to hatch and lots of work to do. I am excited to go down this path wherever it leads.
Everyday Magic is a photography class led by blogger, photographer and creative living inspiration, Tammy Strobel. Tammy and my classmates from all over the world are helping me see the magic in so many of the everyday moments I have overlooked or taken for granted as I rushed through my days. It is just so darned cool.
The second class is called Juicy Blogging with writer, editor and blogging pro, Britt Bravo. I just started a couple of days ago and I have already learned and tried so many new ideas I am about to burst with enthusiasm. I know I will be much better blogger as I begin to share our Just a Backpack adventures with a larger audience.
Both classes have daily lessons. Today at Everyday Magic our theme was “A Day in the Life”. Britt’s writing assignment was to do a blog post that contained mostly photos. Sounded like the makings of a fun blog post to me.
Here’s how it played out…
Oprah was waiting for me when I opened the mailbox so we decided to go on an adventure together. (well I decided)
Driving Ms. Oprah.
Lunch? Why yes. We both had the apple/goat cheese salad.
A quick trip downtown to Union Station to pick up a friend. Oprah rode on the dash to catch a better view.
Oprah loves a good sale. Me too!
See’s chocolate? Of course! Let’s get a one pound box and eat it on the drive home.
Perfect ending to a perfect day. Starbucks, tea, chocolate and a little bit of Oprah wisdom. It was my very own Oprah Ahhh! Moment.
These classes are gifts I gave to myself. They fit me perfectly and have already brought me hours of joy. New sweater? Don’t really need one. Meeting new people and making a few synapses fly in my brain? Now that’s a gift that will last a lifetime.
What gifts have you given yourself lately? If not…what are you waiting for? You deserve it. Just like me.
Back in the middle of August, after way too many months of procrastination and good intentions that never got me making any real progress, I watched a TED talk about doing something new for 31 days. I decided to use this as my motivator to get myself back in the gym. A place where everybody used to know my name and now all the faces were new. I committed publicly in this blog post.
It’s been almost two months and well past the 31 days so I thought it would be fun (and humbling) for me to check in and let you know how it went down. Some good. Some not so much. Oh, I started out full speed ahead. Every afternoon after work I walked over to 24 Hr Fitness and right in through the big front door. This was the piece that had been eluding my fitness routine for a while. Walking IN the door. I told myself it didn’t matter how long I stayed, I just had to go in and do something. I went. I stayed. I worked out. I loved it. I loved myself for doing it! All was good. Day 1 was a success – days 2, 3 and on through 10 – all good. Then I hit a bump in the road. Work got in the way and I ran out of time. Could I have gone at 7:30pm or 5:30am? Yes. Did it even cross my mind? No it did not. So, I missed a day. But then I got right back to it. The not so good news is that the rest of my 31 days went something like this… gym, gym, something else, gym, something else, gym, gym, and so on. Adding them up, I did 20 days out of the 31 that I committed to. I don’t pretend to know anything about baseball, but I’m pretty sure that’s not a very good batting average.
So, I missed the mark… a little. I only beat myself up a tiny bit because the really good news is that I am still going to the gym regularly. In fact, I’ve settled into a really good routine of Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons. We’ve been doing 6-8 mile hikes on these lovely Fall weekends but, now that the rains are back, I’ll probably add one more day to the gym. Or not.
All in all. I’m calling it a success and I’m glad I took the challenge. I ended up right where I hoped to be. As the hubs says – I’m cranking weights and pounding it on the treadmill – at the gym.
Or twenty or one hundred …whatever. What I’m really talking about and what I have been thinking about for quite a while is creating a bucket list. Maybe part of the reason I haven’t taken any action on what I believe is a really good idea is because I don’t like the name. Bucket List just doesn’t do it for me. Nor does the the expression “kick the bucket”. I’ve tried thinking of other names – Life List, To Do List, Before I Die, It’s Now or Never. Ok, I’m not doing any better. So I realized I need to just get past the name and get on with the pondering, dreaming, and creating of my very own list of things I’ve always wants to do while I still can.
For some people (me), that’s not as easy as it sounds. It’s easier to say, “Oh, I don’t know.” or pull out a few standard issue ideas like “I want to travel.” So, how do you get started on something like this.? How about with a quiet place, a comfy chair, a glass of wine, a notepad and a nice pen. And then? Well, according to the wikihow-Make Your Bucket List, you just start asking questions and see what comes up. If you keep asking long enough, I’m sure lots of interesting and long buried “I’ve always wanted to” ideas will begin to pop into your mind. Write them down. No judgement allowed here. It’s not too big, too expensive, too crazy or even too small. It’s just an idea that tickles your fancy. A glimmer. But that’s often how things start. Then they have to bubble. It’s amazing, but you start to see these places or things everywhere you look. Then one day, you think. OK. I’m going to make this happen. And you do. That’s how so many things have happened for me. So far it’s always been random. One day an idea pops into my head – I want to start an organization for women, or wouldn’t it be fun to live in San Miguel this winter, or most recently, I want to challenge myself and walk the Camino de Santiago. Once the idea has lodged, look out because something’s gonna happen! But, I’ve never had a plan or made a list and had the visual satisfaction of taking a big marker and crossing things OFF the list. Been there! Done that! Now that I have more free time, I also know time is running out. I want to make sure I have all the adventures and experiences my mind can conjure up and I think the Bucket List is one way to make that happen.
Walking the Great Wall of China – on the List
Geocache? On the list!
Fortunately, when I turned to the internet for insight and a little guidance, I found no less than six bucket-list websites where you can compile your own bucket list and share it with all your friends, family and the rest of the world. Bucketlist.org users have posted nearly 16,000 lists containing over 300,000 items, ranging from climbing a volcano to learning to play the oboe. For more inspiration you might check out Lifed.com’s list of 225 Things. The other fun thing to do on these sites is make a mental list of ALL the amazing things that others hope to do that you have already done. Watch out. It can be addicting.
So, what are my Five Things? They will probably change as I keep honing my Bucket List but so far ~ 1. Live in small town in France (or Italy) for six months. 2. Learn to play golf well enough to play for fun with my hubby and join a ladies team (hit and giggle golf is ok). 3. Attend a TED talk. 4. Visit every National Park in the United States. 5. Win the Lottery and start the Nancy M Thompson Charitable Foundation.
“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming… “WOW – What a Ride!” (anonymous)
What’s on your Bucket List?
I am so excited I can hardly contain myself! If I’m dreaming, please do not pinch me.
I have been thinking about walking the Camino de Santiago for a while now. But, in my heart, I knew I was way past that stage in my life where I wanted to walk all day and then sleep on the ground or in a hostel with the smelly, partying masses of young folk. Not to mention carrying all my belongings on my back. Don’t get me wrong – I love young people. I used to be one. Truly, some of my best friends are young. And, I still like a good party! I do not think of myself as old and crotchety, no matter what my kids might tell you. But, when it comes to SLEEP. Now that’s a different matter entirely. Let it be known here that I am not nice (and might even be considered cranky if not downright crotchety) when I don’t get my full eight hours – preferably in comfort and relative silence. So, I wasn’t sure how to make this particular dream a reality. It was definitely a conundrum.
I firmly believe that there is always a way and a brilliant solution came to me in the form of an article written by a woman who had completed what I like to call the “relatively civilized, not too hard but still challenging, with support if and when you need it” version of walking the Camino. Marly Tours was our answer! This discovery made it all seem do-able. All we needed was a little time, a moderate amount of money and good walking shoes. As it turned out, I mentioned our idea to a few friends and now we are a party of six. Hubs, me, my sis and three women friends. It’s a big year too – my 65th birthday, my sister’s “something that ends in a zero” birthday, hubs and my 10th anniversary. Definitely a year worth marking in a big way. We’ll walk about 10-12 miles a day at our own pace and meet up along the way. Then we’ll gather together every evening for wine, dinner and story-telling before bed. We’ll be a small group of no more than 14 Pilgrims + our Marly “wranglers” who will make sure we don’t get lost, carry our luggage, provide snacks, first aid and sag wagon support if needed.
So… we’re off. Well not until next September. Exactly twelve months from this week. Call me a light weight, call me soft, call me old, but do not call me between September 17 and 24, because I won’t be home. I’ll be in Spain, crossing one more item off my bucket list – walking at least a small portion of the Camino de Santiago.
Staying in small hotels like this…
Sleeping in a comfy bed like this…
Walking along roads and paths like this…
Now, I just need to find a home exchange so we can stay an extra week to explore the rest of Spain. I’m working on that too.
It’s another almost Wordless Wednesday. Since I’m currently on day 7 of my 30 days at the gym, I’m looking for a little motivation to keep me going. Here’s what I found today ~ and I am beyond inspired! I am in awe.
Bette Calman, age 83 doing the peacock pose. She still teaches 11 classes a week.
Bernice Bates, age 91. Teaching yoga sine 1960.
Vera Paley, age 91. Currently teaches yoga to Alzheimers patients.
Tao Porchini-Lynch, age 93. Has been practicing yoga for 70 years.
With role models like this, I have no reason to not be in the gym every day for the next 30 days and beyond. It’s time for a Sun Salutation!
I’ve seen a lot of bloggers who follow a practice called Wordless Wednesday. One day a week they post only photos. Sometimes a picture really is worth 1,000 words. I was intrigued by the idea, so I thought I’d give it a try. I had a wee bit of trouble with the “wordless” part, so here’s my version… almost wordless Wednesday. Since my 64th birthday is sneaking up on me later this month, this one’s about Hope through the ages.
In my 40’s, Hope came in a jar…
In my 50’s, Hope merged with Wisdom…
In my 60’s, I still have Hope, but I really need a Miracle…
As for my 70’s and beyond, should I be lucky enough to get there? I think I’ll throw Hope and caution to the wind and let it all hang out. Something like this…
To be honest, I don’t have a When I’m Dead File – yet. But apparently I need one and apparently, as someone who has continued to live with my head planted firmly in the sand, I don’t give as much thought to the “when I’m dead” side of life as I should… at my age, because I’m, you know… getting OLD. My kids already know not to expect any sudden windfalls when I leave this planet. In fact, my standard line is something I stole from an old Moms Mabley joke I heard on TV 25 years ago… “It won’t be a happy day for anybody when I die”. I used to threaten them with talk like “You get the car payment and you get my Nordstrom bill”. Funny then. Now, maybe not so much.
This topic came up while driving in the car the other evening with the hubs and my sister who’s visiting from Saipan. Sis says, casually from the back seat, that she already has lists for me – all over her house. What do to when she’s dead lists. La La La La…hmmmm. I do not want to discuss the possibility of either of us having to sort through the remains of each others’ life. Too morbid. Not now. We’re on our way to dinner for God’s sake. But she got me thinking and that always leads to trouble. It’s a whole new world, too, with everything we now do online. Think about it. Online banking and bill paying are one thing, but even more important – who takes care of your place in the social media world when you are no longer around to post your own updates on Facebook or Linked In? How do you gracefully shut down someone’s page and is that even possible if you can’t access their profile? Does that person live on in Facebook limbo for all time? Who sends out your last blog post? Believe it or not, I could not find an answer to these questions when I googled them. So, add this to the list…
My online search did come up with a great article on the Second Act blog entitled “10 Things For Your When I’m Dead File”. Some of the things on the list were pretty obvious but, if you’re like me, it’s the little details that you tend to gloss over. This list is a great reminder (or starting point for some of us). It was definitely the little kick-in-the-pants I needed to start getting my own house in order.
So, I’m working on a plan. Here’s what I have so far ~
1. Downsize now. That’s where the whole “If it doesn’t fit in the backpack and rollie, do we really need it” idea first came into play. How many blenders, waffle irons and crepe makers that we use once a year do we really need? I posted about our trip to the Goodwill a while back and we’re still going strong in this area.
2. Start my own When I’m Dead File. This file should contain everything from the obvious (Will) to the little things you don’t even think about (gym membership) and everything in between. The 10 Thing List is now printed and taped on the wall in my office.
3. Have the Talk. Let my important people know where The File is and, (note to self) for goodness sake, keep it up to date.
Whew! Frankly, I’m exhausted just thinking about all of this but I’m so glad my sister brought it up. It’s not much, but it is a start and a plan where no plan had ever been before. And, it is much better to get started now, while I can still remember where we’ve stashed all those important papers and numbers.
Oh, and one more thing. If you see my picture pop up on Facebook long after I’ve left this life, please leave me a comment and let me know what’s new. Or at least click “Like”. You never know…
Or my car keys, or my book, or, or, or… Oh yes, we’ve entered a new era at Casa Sims. The one where you can’t remember what you did two minutes ago. Like where the hell did I put my car keys because they certainly are not in the special car key compartment in my purse where I always put my car keys. Except, apparently not this time. So, the search begins – feel around in the giant purse I use because it holds all of the important things I must carry with me at all times. Pull out the seemingly endless stream of tiny paper receipts, semi-used but still good in an emergency napkins, glasses (several pairs), wallet, phone, camera + + +. It’s all there, but not the keys. Search some more. Upstairs. Downstairs. All over the house…no keys. Try the purse one more time. Voila. They were there all the time. Hiding from me in the one tiny corner I missed. Hubby gets that certain smile on his face but keeps his mouth shut. Smart man. He knows. It’s the same thing with the glasses. Keys, glasses, glasses, keys. Lost then found. Only to be lost again. Repeat daily.
Then there are the new and interesting conversations. They go something like this…
Hubs, sitting in his recliner chair watching TV: “What’s the name of that guy I like?”
Me: “What guy?” Hubs: “You know, the one on that TV show” Me: “What TV show?” Hubs: “The one with the guy I like. I don’t remember the name …” Me: “I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about!” Hubs: “Ok. Nevermind.” Rinse and repeat.
It gets even better when we are both on the same wrong track. Off we go to the grocery store. Hubby and I. Park the car. Walk into the store having an animated conversation. That’s when we suddenly stop, look at each other and, in unison: “What was it we came in here for?” I kid you not.
Is it just us or does this happen to everyone at some point? Does grey in your hair automatically lead to mass dropping of functional brain cells? Maybe…a little. But I’m convinced that all this forgetfulness is Mother Nature’s not so subtle reminder to slow down. Pay attention. And for God’s sake, find our sense of humor. Because it is funny. We can’t control getting older. Like it or not, it’s out of our hands. But we can sit up, slow down, pay attention, live the details of every moment and savor the things we do remember. Laugh out loud. At ourselves. Laughter is medicine. And quit worrying about not finding the car keys. The time to worry is when you can no longer find the car.
Now, where did I put my glasses?
justabackpackandarollie 