nowforthefunpart

[nowforthefunpart]

Out on my walk yesterday near the creek, the cottonwood trees were shedding their cotton-y seeds in such abundance that it looked like it was snowing, both in the air and on the ground. It was actually kind of hard not to breathe them in.

And when I was biking later, my face was plastered with the seeds. It’s not a good look for me.

[nowforthefunpart]

I have so many questions....

I guess I just wonder what would motivate someone to run for Congress, with all the time, money and aggravation running for office entails, then completely abdicate your constitutionally mandated role in favor of being a rubberstamp for the Executive branch.

I mean, here we are now with House Republicans caught in a predictable trap of their own making. They voted for the Big, Beautiful Bill to please (and appease) the President, only to find out they've now just pissed off the richest man in the world who now doesn't like the Big, Beautiful Bill? When your Alphas are fighting, what's a Beta to do?

Actually reclaiming and exercising their Article I powers to legislate and exercise oversight of the Executive Branch is one good way to do it. But many of these Members of Congress were, unfortunately, elected without a spine. It's probably unlikely, but maybe, just maybe, a few of them can begin to grow one.

[nowforthefunpart]

I have been sitting in the yard on this absolutely perfect Memorial Day- 70 degrees, bright sun, low humidity and a very gentle breeze. If summer were like this all the way through, I would stop dreading summer.

As I sat in the yard I noticed something I never noticed before: this branch in my neighbor’s tree that diverged and came back together again:

Here’s a zoomed in shot:

We’ve been in this house for 28 years and sat looking at that tree hundreds of times and never noticed the hole. Always amazed at much I miss!

Hope your holiday is delightful!

[nowforthefunpart]

I’ve been planning to get over to Lake Harriet since I retired a month ago and finally went this morning. Great refreshing walk around the lake. The water is so clear and cold and the trees just starting to leaf out. Spring is just the best!

They’ve also put in the canoe launch and in another month the lake will be filled with sailboats and canoes and kayaks.

[nowforthefunpart]

For years, and especially during Covid, the cemetery at the end of my block opened this entrance to the neighborhood. And the neighborhood really used it. I myself have walked and run hundreds of miles on its roads and countless kids ride their bikes and families stroll and just enjoy the space. The cemetery welcomed people in to (respectfully) walk, bike, picnic and relax. It really became a neighborhood amenity.

About a year ago the cemetery padlocked this entrance. I’m not really sure why, so I began using the main entrance on the other side. This morning I saw that neighborhood kids had posted these signs and I found it kind of touching. I’m rooting for the kids on this!

[nowforthefunpart]

Finally warming up just enough here for the rhubarb to begin growing. It always amazes me how quickly it grows once it appears. Only a little of the red stalk was visible a few days ago.

Now that I’m not working, I think I’ll give gardening a go. Maybe some tomato plants and basil, in addition to the rhubarb (which was here when we moved in 27 years ago - that it grows has nothing to do with me).

Joe made a fantastic rhubarb cobbler from the rhubarb in our yard a few years ago, so I may try my hand making that in a few weeks.

[nowforthefunpart]

15 Days of Retirement

So my last day on the payroll at my old job was March 31. Two days later, Trump announced "Liberation Day" and in the ensuing days I could actually hear my retirement investments shrinking. Fortunately, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent assured me and everyone else that current retirees are not checking the stock market or their "savings" every day during this time. Whew! Silly me! I must have been imagining things. What clowns.

Still it's been nice to start this long awaited part of my life. The first two weeks have felt like vacation with that delicious realization that vacations give you of no commitments, and the expanse of unscheduled time unfolding in front of you. It's been wonderful - paragraph one aside!

This week has felt a little less like vacation and maybe a bit more of what retirement will really feel like. I've found I've wanted to incorporate a little structure into my day - things like planning specific workouts and workout targets; meeting people for coffee or lunch; starting some projects around the house, etc. Today I had the tree care company prune our 100 year old silver maple.

I also filed our taxes. We're getting a decent amount of money back so I probably should have filed earlier. But lately I haven't been keen to tackle them. I dunno. I guess I thought there was an implied understanding: we pay our taxes and those running the government don't try to dismantle it, destroy the economy on a whim, or turn us into a kleptocracy on the way to dictatorship. I'm so old fashioned.

[nowforthefunpart]

One of the things that is so distressing about what Trump and Vance did to Zelenskyy today is the visceral sense of betrayal of a friend/ally who is in mortal danger.

Zelenskyy and Ukraine have held off the much bigger and more powerful aggressor for three years. Yes, with our (and Europe’s) help but that help is in our own self-interest as well as in support of right. Trump and Vance making it sound like Ukraine took advantage of us and hasn’t sufficiently thanked us says so much about them.

All Trump and Vance have really shown is what betrayal looks like. I’ve never felt such a deep sense of shame. And because Republicans who I know support Ukraine will now fall in line behind Trump and Vance makes it that much more shameful.

[nowforthefunpart]

Easing into Retirement

So this is my first day in semi-retirement. Last week was my last full time week and I'm entering a six-week part-time schedule my employer and I agreed to as a transition period. I'll be off Fridays and Mondays, with 20 hours spread over the remaining three days. I'm not sure how I'll like this part-time schedule, but I can adjust it if I don't like it. Regardless, I'll be finished at the end of March and I can get through anything for six weeks.

Came home Friday to this lovely little retirement surprise from our next door neighbors:

I was slightly concerned this morning because I tried applying for Medicare this morning online and the Medicare (and SSA) websites were not working. I worried that that POS Musk and his toadies were rooting around in there, but I was able finally to submit my application.

Otherwise it's a beautifully sunny but frigid day out today - I don't think we'll get above zero this afternoon, but I see there are 40's in the forecast for a week from today so I think this arctic weather's days are numbered. 40 is going to feel tropical - one of the benefits of multiple days below zero!

[nowforthefunpart]

The Week that Was

So it seems I have about one post a week in me at this point. But it was kind of a busy week. Exercise-wise, it wasn't too bad:

three cycle classes

upper body weights workout

one day of running and two days of walking several miles a la Bataan Death March.

But the big news is that I indeed did give notice of my retirement this past Thursday. One month of full time (to mid-February) and up to six weeks of part time if needed for onboarding my replacement and, not insignificantly I will be able to eat up the rest of my vacation time which doesn't get paid out if you leave.

Also it's been colder than a nun's knee (a phrase my aunt used to use and it stuck). Below zero here since Saturday and with temps tonight of -20, we're approaching temperature territory where we open cupboard doors to keep the pipes from freezing. Our pipes have frozen only once several years ago when we were about -30, but not gonna take a chance tonight.

Just got back from seeing "Wicked" at the theater and holy crap I had no freaking idea how insanely good it is. 100% will see again.

Listened again to MLK's "I have a Dream" speech and always get a little choked up. A good antidote to another speech that was given today.

[nowforthefunpart]

Let's try this again

Whenever I start a new habit or commitment during vacation, the first week back to reality is always sobering. Last week was a bit of a train wreck: work was horrendous; other personal obligations I have took so much more time than I expected; my exercise was non-existent, I ate my feelings and drank some of them too. The week, from a health commitment standpoint, was an epic fail. Sigh.

So nothing to do but start again. I got to the gym this morning and did a cycle class. Go me! Here's the cool email confirmation my club sends with a recap of my stats for the class:

It was so incredibly nice to be in a class rather than sitting on a spin bike by myself with my AirPods in watching a Youtube spin class on video. I definitely enjoy the group energy. I actually worked out less intensely in this class than when I'm on my own, but the enjoyment level being in class made up for it ten times over.

Work this week should be better/easier, so I'm going to try to restart my commitments to exercise and eating cleaner. This week I will also give my retirement notice to my boss and HR. It will be interesting to see how the dynamic at work changes after the notice. I'm excited but also a little nervous about how the next few weeks will go.

[nowforthefunpart]

The Fuckery of Anxiety

So during this upcoming week I will give my employer notice of my retirement. Today I find myself feeling a lot of anxiety and uncertainty about giving that notice so I've had to stand back and figure out why I feel so uncertain about a decision about which heretofore I have felt such certainty.

My reptilian brain said it's because I'll be losing my salary and Social Security will, of course, be less than what I make. My pre-frontal cortex nixes that by reminding it, yet again, of the fact that much of my salary has gone to paying off our house mortgage so on SS I'll end up with more cash each month, not to mention that Joe still brings in a salary, we have a very comfortable amount of cash in savings, the house is paid off, and we both have 403b's and Joe will have a pension. We're fine financially.

This parrying between my reptilian brain and the more evolved part of my brain continued with convincing myself that any hardship on my employer by my leaving isn't my problem. For crying out loud, they've given people their walking papers with zero notice. I'm more than willing to give several weeks notice.

After more of this mental parrying, I think I realize that what is causing me anxiety is I don't know how to leave. I have not given notice to an employer in 25 years and that was under very different circumstances, and I just don't know what to expect. It's so funny to me because I've given so much thought to the financial part (even if it sometimes the worry comes back) and definitely a lot of thought to life in retirement. I'll no doubt find it challenging at times, but I have thought through it a lot and have an outline of how my days will go and what my purpose is.

So to realize that it's this tiny stretch of a few weeks after giving notice and actually leaving that is creating the anxiety. Now that I've named it and realized it, I already feel better, but I suspect I'll need to revisit this post a few times to remind myself. Ugh, sometimes my brain is its own worst enemy.

[nowforthefunpart]

Still getting used to logging my workouts etc! So, note to self, yesterday was upper body and 17,000 steps of brisk walking. I would prefer to have run some of those steps, but as I'm still getting back into running I am very aware I do not want to overdo. So far so good, though. Today is New Year's Day and probably will mostly relax, though I will bike today if the sun comes out, which it is supposed to. The temps will only be in the teens so having some sun makes a huge difference. We shall see.

We had one of Joe's high school friends and his wife over for NYE last night. It's become kind of a tradition to spend New Year's Eve with them and we absolutely enjoy their company. They're the kind of people who make you comfortable just being yourself. We talk about anything and everything. Since we hosted this year, I made a Brian Lagerstrom spaghetti dish that was several steps above your standard spaghetti dish and I had to say it was bangin'. Super deep flavor in the sauce and with a real kick. We just sat around the table the whole evening and before we knew it it was 10:30 and well past everyone's bed time. I haven't made it to midnight in several years, but we almost made it to 11:00 (Central time) so actually did make it to the eastern time zone's new years anyway.

Hope everyone had a safe and wonderful New Year's Eve!

[nowforthefunpart]

Preparing for 2025

Dang, it's easy to forget to log my workouts. I'm trying to get into the habit of recording these as a type of accountability to myself so I hit the new year running, so to speak. Here's the past four days of workouts:

Friday: Upper body weights. Yuk. But so important. I have a new found understanding of the importance of maintaining muscle health as you age. Wish I had started earlier.

Saturday: 12 mile bike ride outside in 40 degree and remarkably sunny weather in Minnesota in late December.

Sunday: High incline brisk walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes and 30 minute spin cycle routine using a really good workout I found on Youtube.

Monday: Lower body weights and 2 mile run.

I'm also trying to log my food each day, which is really helpful for mindfulness, and is surprisingly motivating given that tracking food is utterly soul sucking.

[nowforthefunpart]

It's been awhile...

Actually almost three years since I last posted to this site. I'm not sure who is still around, but I know a few of you are, so hello!

Quite a few changes since I last posted, but this post is not about that. 2025 will be a big year of transition as I will finally retire - possibly as early as next month.

I can't wait! I'm sure there will be moments of anxiety, money worries, maybe even boredom, but I am healthy and still have energy and want to enjoy feeling youthful and being able to do things before time and age catch up with me. I also want to pull the trigger on retirement before Elon, Vivek and their employee, Donald, mess around with Social Security.

So this blog may turn into a retirement blog, and an exercise and weight loss blog in the next few months. And I'll probably occasionally talk about what's been going on these past three years.

I hope your holidays have been great, and I'm looking forward to catching up with whoever is still around!

[nowforthefunpart]

What an exceptionally good Saturday!  Joe and I went to the gym this morning, and I did a 45 minute cycle “class” -- again, by myself but using an on demand video my club provides.  I pushed hard and according to the console on the bike, burned 600 calories.  I know that’s extremely imprecise, but I also know I was sweating profusely and breathing very hard so at least by the measure of my perceived exertion, it was a good workout.

In the afternoon I finally made it to my local outdoor gear and clothing store to get new top and bottom base layers (Smartwool for the win!), a new pair of gloves, Smartwool socks (yes, I do love Smartwool) and a couple of hats.  The base layers I have been using are beyond falling apart and thankfully no one can tell I’m wearing those rags because they’re under my clothes.

I had intended to go to the bookstore and stock up -- I’ve actually read through pretty much my entire stash that I bought around Thanksgiving.  But the day was so beautiful -- blue skies, temps finally have risen into the mid-20s, light breeze so I decided to walk to Lake Nokomis to watch the Pond Hockey Championships.  And so did several thousand others!  What a great crowd and what fantastic energy there was on the ice!  Hockey is, by far, my favorite team sport -- something about the sound of the stick hitting the puck, the skate blades biting into the ice, and certainly the athleticism of the players.  Probably good this is the final weekend of the competition.  I’m beginning to hear we may have a Polar vortex coming with some models showing air temps as low as -28 by February 8 or 9.  It probably won’t be that cold, but sounds like -20 is possible.  Sigh.

Here’s a little photo spam from my walk to the lake.  People walking their dogs on frozen Minnehaha Creek.  I just missed several cross country skiers skiing the other direction:

Tonight probably just salads and a movie, which sounds like a perfect combination right now.  We’re still doing Dry January, though we did break our dry streak this past Wednesday and Thursday.  The wine I had tasted fine, but honestly, it didn’t taste as good as I thought it would, and my less than stellar sleep those two nights remind me how well I sleep when I don’t drink.

[nowforthefunpart]

I steadily worked through all my tasks by 3:00 today and decided to take advantage of the stunningly bright blue skies to visit Lake Nokomis near my home to see the progress they’ve made building the hockey rinks for this weekend’s National Pond Hockey Championships.

I couldn’t quite get an accurate count, but I’m guessing they had at least 12 rinks laid out. It extended half way out into the lake. I used my fitness app to track the walk I took on the ice to the furthest rinks before making a beeline for shore.

Kind of chilly out there though. About 5 degrees and a 15 mph wind. I’ll trek down there this weekend to watch some of the games.

These canoes will just have to wait a few months before they’re useful for anything more than a windbreak.