I had a very full day yesterday, including a half-day of work. I have a friend who claims to be retired, but takes on a few small projects to keep himself busy. He enjoys it! I mainly kept him company, doing some of the heavy lifting, as he drove from place to place. When we actually got out of the car, it was true physical labor that we performed, not the sedentary nature of the desk jobs that consumed most of my career. Any type of work, by definition, involves a sustained commitment of time to accomplish something. If you enjoy this time, it may not be considered work to you. I just don’t happen to enjoy riding around in the car for hours making deliveries. To me, that’s work, and I’m giving myself credit for a half-day!
I suppose that some people might consider writing as work, so maybe I’m not truly retired either. Like any job, composing can be frustrating, boring, and sometimes rewarding. If you’re not getting a “pay-out” of some kind then it’s the worst kind of work you can possibly do. My satisfaction comes from those moments when the words I put together make my laugh, shed a tear, or make me think. That’s my “lightning or aha moment!” Other times, it may just be another job.
The one thing I do like about writing is that I can do it at any time or at any place. I can write at my desk, on my phone, on a tablet, and in my mind, but by putting them in my mind I have to get those words out. Release means relief, and that’s another form of job satisfaction. I want to express myself in a manner that makes a reader laugh, or cry, or think. The job of writing does not have a schedule, so that also distinguishes it from other types of work. I do it when I want to, not when I have to!
If you have to be there regularly at 8 a.m., that’s work. If you don’t have to be there at all, then that’s retirement. If you enjoy your work, you should probably never retire, but that wasn’t the case for me. My work was no longer satisfying and was simply a means of financial support. Writing will probably never support me, but will always satisfy me! Yesterday’s half-day of work reminded me of what I’d rather be doing just about anything else.
The other half of yesterday was filled with a car auction, pizza dining, and gypsy jazz. With a vast collection of vintage cars up for auction, I was fondly reminded of my dad’s 1964 1/2 Mustang Convertible. I took my driver’s license test in that car. It had a secret compartment as part of the center console between the bucket seats. I discovered it by accident. If you pushed on a specific panel at the right angle, it would hinge open, providing a secretive place to hide your wallet. I’ve always been intrigued with hidden doorways, so in my opinion it was one of the coolest features of that car.
I woke up early yesterday morning listening to a couple of our radio personalities talking about pizza choices in Portland, so it seemed an obvious choice to seek it out for dinner. My cravings and I stopped at Tom’s Pizza & Sports Bar before the Django All-Stars concert last night. I also had a friend named Tom with me, so how could we go wrong? It turned out to be a very good hand-made pizza with a golden crust, and I’d highly recommend it. Our last stop was at the Winningstad Theater for a quintet of French gypsy jazz performers. At first, I thought maybe the beer and pizza would get the best of me, especially after that half-day on the job, but the performers were an exceptional combination of violin, guitar, scat vocals, bass, melodicas, and accordion. I could honestly envision myself dancing by the fireside in a gypsy camp, enjoying this unique blend of instruments and personalities.
Today my job is strictly retirement. No schedule to keep, no errands to run, and no one but myself to entertain. It’s grey, rainy, and overcast outside, so the dogs are even comatose. It looks like the best kind of day – a lazy one. I just wish there was some Tom’s Pizza left over from last night!
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