lost and found in retirement
My world takes on a new focus at midnight on Christmas Day. Overnight, the after-effects of the monthlong orgy of parties and family gatherings become real, very real. My habit of diet and exercise were tossed aside, and good times and good food moved front and center. December 26 is judgment day; a day when my focus returns to health and wellness. My mind turns…
November the ‘tween month; in between autumn colors and Halloween and the bright lights and Christmas. November is Movember, a no-shave month for men that focuses on men’s health, specifically cancer. November is Thanksgiving. How could I forget the turkey, pumpkin pie, football, and an all-day food coma! Thanksgiving is more than turkey and football. We all know the story of the Pilgrims and Indians…
I sat on the curb disappointed in myself in Asheboro, North Carolina. I was well into the third day of my mountains to coast ride. Two hilly days were under my belt. Temps were in the nineties with humidity approaching the same. The forty-four miles on my third day were hilly, really hilly. The last eighteen miles beat me down. I was facing 26 rolling…
I pedaled west from Berea towards Sandusky from the starting line of the 2010 Bike MS 150 Pedal to the Point. I was surrounded by 2,400 cyclists, most of them much more experienced, fitter, and on much more expensive bikes. I questioned if I had any right to cycle with them. I was a new cyclist, only a year out of getting on my bike…
Using the “f” word was a criminal offense punishable in the most severe way in my childhood home. One of my favorite scenes from A Christmas story was when Ralphie utters the f*ck word. It echoes my experiences as a Midwest baby boomer. Childish insults might include obscenities but never the “f” word. Times have changed. F*ck has become mainstream, most likely because of its…
I nervously scanned the people in the conference room at Summa Akron City Hospital on that cold January night in 2008. I was taking my first step towards bariatric surgery by attending a weight loss seminar. I saw a cross-section of obese people who appeared to be equally as uneasy. I suspect my newer friends and followers may not know I had bariatric surgery. I…
Facebook reminded me this morning that two years ago I walked out of my office and into retired life. Two years later, I am still discovering life as a retired person. Last year, I reflected on what one year into retirement looked like. Here are twelve things I discovered two years out. First lessons still hold true. I was given a copy of How to…
I was a different person ten years ago. I was sedentary, obese, and unhappy. It was not a good situation to be in less than three years after open heart surgery. A change had to happen. Frustrated with my failed weight loss attempts, I pursued weight loss (bariatric) surgery. I spent most of my life trying to find myself. When I finally found “me”- the real…