Blogging doesn't count as a job?

DOUG'S BITTERROOT MONTANA BLOG POSTING

When I first retired, just a year ago, two of my goals were to complete my memoirs and to write a novel. The memoirs have languished so far; just random bits and pieces of memories—some painful—set down on paper but not organized, and nowhere near completion. I wrote the novel—in thirty days—when, along with several thousand other “writers,” I participated in National Novel Writing Month in November 2007. Those 50,000 words, although a complete story, still need lots of editing. I’ve barely begun that process and it has been three months.

I have long deluded myself that I was deprived of the joy of writing because of my career and family priorities. Procrastination was the real reason. Whether fear of failure or fear of success, I never pushed myself to get to work. I would finally have the time when I retired—that was my plan.

So now, each morning in retirement, I first complete all my chores around the house so I can get to the computer. I sign in with the best of intentions to write something “good” but first I check e-mails, review counter “hits” on blogs, read private messages on social sites. See what my “friends” and “favorites” have been saying and doing (which usually doesn’t amount to much more than what I am saying and doing). This has become my job?

Originally, joining social networking sites and blogging was just kind of the cool thing to do because you see others doing it. (Now doesn’t that sound like something teenagers do?) So, one blog leads to another, one social site membership leads to another. Before long, I started to feel like all my time was being spent in front of the computer. Wow. That sounds a lot like my job before I retired. And that’s it, partly. Isn’t it? Wanting to feel like you have something to accomplish every day? In retirement, I thing many of us fight the feeling of uselessness, of not contributing anymore. And as blogging and social networking begins to take up more and more of my time, I start to think of it as my job. Just wasting time? I wonder.

My wife wonders too, first of all, why I would want to share my life and thoughts with “just anyone” out in the world. Secondly, she wonders why anyone “out there” would care? Who reads these blog “things” she asks? And I reply that I don’t know. “Just other people like me, I guess. People with too much time on their hands, or folks who make believe, as I am, that they are actually accomplishing something.” So as I have second thoughts about how I am spending the hours and days of my life…here in late middle age…wow, I am 61…perhaps it is fortunate for me that I have a spouse who cares, who questions, who challenges, who doesn’t just walk away and let me sit here, day after day, with the remaining days of my life. We do deserve more.

I live in one of the best places in the country. So now I resolve, as soon as it warms up (this is Montana, after all), I will get outside and do something active every day. I will schedule fitness into my routine. I have many home do-it-myself projects that need doing. I have grandchildren to take on hikes, and adult sons to take camping and flyfishing and golfing. So I must resolve right now to limit my participation in Eons, Facebook, MySpace, WindowsLive, Gaia, Blogger, YouTube, Blurb, Pageflakes, Popfly, Yahoo360, iGoogle, Buzzdash, Mahalo and Wiki(anything). Can you imagine? Look at all these “sites”! That’s where my life is spent. (“Spent” is a good word here, if you think about it.) I don’t think there is anything wrong with participating in any of these sites; but if THIS IS ALL I DO—well, I’m not “doing” much.

No more soft life just sitting around for me. I will be working harder on living hard.

Eleven Planets - the M trail - Fishing Season!

Great Falls, Montana, fourth-grader Maryn Smith won a National Geographic contest to create a “mnemonic” for remembering the ELEVEN planets of our solar system. Eleven? Yes. It seems that the “scientific community” (I’m not sure what that means, so I used quotes) now recognizes that our solar system contains EIGHT full-sized planets and THREE dwarf planets. Her winner: My Very Exciting Magic Carpet Just Sailed Under Nine Palace Elephants. (It was inspired by Aladdin’s rug.) Here are the planets, in order: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Ceres (dwarf), Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto (dwarf) and Eris (dwarf). I think there is still some argument about what constitutes a planet versus an asteroid, but I just think it is a cool thing for a kid from Great Falls to win. To top it off, singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb will record a song using the mnemonic. The National Geographic book 11 Planets: A New View of the Solar System will be published in March and will include Maryn Smith’s mnemonic.

Just heard from daughter, LeeAnn, that she and the two grand-girls, Madison and Isabella, are on their way from Salt Lake City to Missoula for a weekend visit. And…Madi wants me to take her to climb to the “M” on Mount Sentinel! Hope it won’t be too cold or windy or rainy or muddy or slippery.



We may have to take along a big apple fritter for energy. Will be sure to take a camera for what may be a “one-time” event. Ha Ha.

Oh, and it’s time to renew Fishing and Conservation Licenses for the 2008 season. Last year’s licenses expire on Feb 29. You can obtain a new license or renew at the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks website. I intend to get out on the river as soon as it warms up a little. (I never have been a cold-weather sportsman.)

Doug's Bitterroot Blog being sent out to a mailing list

Hi all, friends and relatives, I am publishing a little blog and have added several folks to a mailing list (dougsblog@googlegroups.com) and you will automatically receive each posting.

You don't have to go the to Google group page or join any group or set up any account. (You can ignore that email that you received from "noreply@googlegroups"

If you don't want to add any more "stuff" to your e-mail, or are totally turned off by the idea of receiving an e-mail with my blog, just send me a "no-no" e-mail at dkueffler@gmail.com and I will remove your name from the list.

Otherwise, I hope you will enjoy my little blog as I discuss things going on around here.

I can also send photos of happenings. Like my bruised eye from wrestling with Maddie last weekend.


I hope you will find something of interest in this blog. Feel free to make suggestions, too. (Well...suggestions about what I might add...not what I ought to do with it)

Best to you all. Doug

Wedding Anniversary - Retirement - Pets

Today I celebrate my ninth wedding anniversary with my spouse, Sharon. We had many rough spots along the way, but that was to be expected when two people pretty much set in their ways decide to share a home...and a bathroom...and a kitchen....and a TV remote. We have been happier each year of our marriage, and as I mentioned to Sharon this morning, reaching our ninth anniversary is not so surprising to me as it was reaching the fifth. I look forward to many more years with my beloved. She is the best.

I have now been "retired" for one year. My efforts in retirement have been keyed toward writing. I have an "almost" completed fiction novel as well as memoirs that have been long pondered but little put down on paper. I hope that the second year of retirement will be more productive than the first. A major distraction has been the idea that I should find a way to make some money in retirement. It would be nice, I suppose, to make money from my writing efforts, but that is not likely to happen for a while...so that is on the back burner...effective immediately!

I can't end today's blog without mentioning our pet chow chow, Pouie, who is about to turn thirteen years old. He is near the end of his life span, and although he has been blinded by cataracts in both eyes since last summer, he remains a faithful and alert guardian. We love him so much. Our black lab-rotty cross, named Coby, is just a big lovable and goofy guy who would probably rather be a lap cat.



Have a great day.

Zen Habits for Life--a blog and a now a book

Zen Habits for Life
I recently discovered an amazing blog written by Leo Babauta. His Zen Habits covers achieving goals, productivity, being organized, motivation, eliminating debt, saving, getting a flat stomach, eating healthy, simplifying, living frugal, parenting, happiness, and successfully implementing good habits. It's a wonderful blog site. Leo is married, with six kids, and lives on Guam. He is a writer, runner, and vegetarian. You can view his blog and the book Zen Habits for Life through this link: Click here to view more details

Easter Graphics

Wow, it has been a over a month since my last post. There is a great site for free graphics and you can buy some cool stuff there too. Anyway, since I downloaded some graphics I thought I ought to honor the artist's request by posting a link to her site:

If you like to make your own greeting cards or calendars this is a great place to begin looking for graphics, including the "glittering" kind.

Doug in Missoula