A Simple Update ~ Having gotten myself thrown off LinkedIn, I no longer get blind calls asking me to come back to work, so retirement seems to have “taken” this time (5th attempt). But I am still busy all the time! Following COVID, we were able to take our (delayed) trips back to Hawaii and to Carol’s ancestral homelands of Scotland and Ireland. Unfortunately, after she returned from a pilgrimage to Herzegovina, she was diagnosed with incurable Stage 4 cancer; but her “maintenance” treatment seems to be working, as she has outlived the standard life expectancy for her condition by well over a year. The treatment leaves her tired much of the time, but I was able to push her in her wheelchair around Epcot for 5 hours in 94 degree heat ~ thank goodness they serve adult libations there! We just went out to California for my 60th high school reunion ~ I drove, and she flew out for the festivities, after which she flew back and I drove home, completing my “tour” of all of the “lower 48” states. So nice to have a vehicle that can cruise at 85mph (across the Nevada desert, etc.) and still accelerate when needed! I may not get to Alaska, but I have been to Hawaii so many times (I’ve lost count ~ the first time I was a high school junior) that I am satisfied letting that count for Alaska. Not too bad for a guy who is closer to his 78th birthday than to his 77th! So I guess it’s like what Meat Loaf sang, “As long as hot blood runs through my veins, I’m still alive!” Numbers 6:24-26<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having just passed the 4th anniversary of my retirement (my 5th attempt at retiring), I think maybe this time I am finally really retired. Getting myself kicked off LinkedIn has helped, as I no longer get out-of-the-blue calls, seducing me with filthy lucre to go back to work! Since my wife’s Stage 4 cancer has somewhat curtailed our travel plans, I do have more time to spend on “lifelong learning” with courses from The Teaching Company (I think Prof Art Benjamin will vouch for them, and their HQ just happens to be right here in my zip code!) ~ I have just finished their course, “Epic Engineering Failures” (TGC_10130), which I think most Mudders would find both intriguing and elucidating. And their courses on The History of the United States and on The American Civil War provide a depth of understanding that most of us do not otherwise have. I knew a lot when I graduated from HMC, but there is just so much more to know!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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