This post does not have to do with the official VanGo trip that will begin in less than a month (February 2023), however since, retirement plays a big part. namely John’s on February 16th, I just thought I’d go back and write about the day I retired…
Day 1 of Retirement was matching podiatry appointments with Dr. Lee at UCLA Podiatry group. Not before John created a crime scene by the dripping blood as he hopped off the table. He did not heed the Doctor’s advice to not pressure on his ingrown toenail incision. That’s what feeling no pain from the numbing, combined with a cortisone shot to the same foot( 2nd metatarsal) will do for you-blood mess as you walk out of the medical facility – not good for business. More bandage comprehension and a bit more attention to carrying out the post-procedure instructions from the Doctor and we were headed out the door to South Carlsbad State Beach – a last minute cancellation scored us beachfront and as seen below in Sweet Spot Photo #1
Sweet Spot Contemplation. Why am I taking the time to do this? First, I think it will be very comforting in years to come to go back and look and remember via words and photos. Not only that, it may be therapeutic if dementia or Alzheimer’s starts to take hold. As I have reached the last of my 50’s, like my counterparts, the memory has slipped dramatically in the last 3-5 years. Yes, I was still able to function, but there was a noticeable decline and some of the specialized vocabulary that had only been swirling into my brain for the last 5 years – just would not surface when I needed it. Like Ma deciding at 90 that she would no longer drive, I too decided time for me to retire and use my brainpower to concentrate on family and camping, not MIDs messages and counting vacation days. Although similar aged friends also complain of hurrying into a room and then once there not remembering what it was you came for, it is perplexing and worrisome. But I’m still able to learn new things like how to operate a spiralizer to make my own zoodles (zucchini noodles) or coodles (carrot noodles) and now after encouragement from my technological supportive Son-In-Law, Mackie I am learning this new Journaling App – so it’s not all grim. I can learn new stuff! Second, is that when my body needs to do the rocking chair thing for most of the day, I don’t ever want to be a geriatric news watcher, so mentally unhealthy. I want to be able to look back at my journals, photos and slideshows and remember all the good times, so I had better get busy creating new content and for that matter organizing the content of the last 59 years. That’s a lot to do.
Retirement gifts to myself included an Apple Watch with no security violation anxiety about wearing it into the lab accidentally …luckily I remembered to put it in sleep mode so that at 1:30 in the morning it wouldn’t vibrate and tell me to Stand. I have a new IPhone ProMax 12 with photo extraordinaire capabilities.. And tonight it will be not “whistling in the dark”, but “photoing it in the dark” – that’s where this new phone shines! I will be ready to take all those photos and keep them organized!
Travels with Vinny VanGo 