Category Archives: personal reflections

Hawaiian music without the bubbles

Posted on November 26, 2012 by stillalife

In my youth I thought the ukulele, as well as the songs played on it, were among the purest examples of what my peers and I called “lame.”  (Funny how the word has resurfaced in recent years and seems to … Continue reading →

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Giving thanks

Posted on November 21, 2012 by stillalife

The day before this Thanksgiving, I find myself being grateful for the same thing I most appreciated when working:  time off.  For three and a half days I have nothing scheduled — no appointments, no coffee or lunch dates, no looming … Continue reading →

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War and politics

Posted on November 15, 2012 by stillalife

It’s getting harder to distinguish politics from war. Participants in both talk about campaigns, battlegrounds, and victors. I imagine that those candidates who are complaining they lost because their national parties didn’t send money consider themselves collateral damage. A week … Continue reading →

Posted in current events/themes, inspiration, personal reflections | Tagged | 1 Comment

I used to be polite

Posted on November 13, 2012 by stillalife

I used to be polite.  Now I make exceptions, especially with unwanted callers. We screen our calls with caller ID. This means that occasionally we miss a few friends at the moment they call because we don’t recognize their cell … Continue reading →

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The attraction of distractions

Posted on November 5, 2012 by stillalife

Every working person I know feels busy, way too busy. What I’ve discovered is that you don’t have to go the office every day to induce the same feeling. Like most other retirees, I have trouble finding enough time in the … Continue reading →

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Reflections on gratitude

Posted on October 31, 2012 by stillalife

“Use the supports available to you.” This quote came from my instructor in a movement class called Feldenkrais.  The supports she was referring to included the ground, our hips, our shoulders and other body parts that help us roll over, … Continue reading →

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Black cats and good luck charms

Posted on October 29, 2012 by stillalife

If you go out on Halloween night will you avoid black cats? Stay away from streets with the number 13 in them?  Avoid walking on a crack for fear you’ll break your mother’s back?  Yesterday, in the course of looking … Continue reading →

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“Shades of Water”: blue not gray

Posted on October 25, 2012 by stillalife

I’ve spent most of my life writing.  For much of my career I churned out letters from the superintendent and school board, news releases, and newsletters. Long ago these made  their last journey to the recycling station, occasionally stopping first … Continue reading →

Posted in personal reflections, writing | Tagged | 4 Comments

Zumba anyone?

Posted on October 22, 2012 by stillalife

Are North Americans really becoming more isolated, less civic-minded, and less socially engaged?  That’s the premise of an article, “Bowling Alone,” by Robert Putnam, which I read many years ago. In the year 2000 it became a book.  The title … Continue reading →

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Lessons from a chance encounter

Posted on October 20, 2012 by stillalife

Have you ever hit it off with someone the moment you first met?  I’m not talking about a first encounter between two people where sparks fly, romance ensues and they live happily ever after, but rather a chance meeting and a stimulating conversation … Continue reading →

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