Category Archives: personal reflections

A humble plea

Posted on February 6, 2016 by stillalife

“A true genius admits that he/she knows nothing.” ― Albert Einstein After a week in which 1) Donald Trump pouted because he didn’t come in first in the Iowa caucus, 2) a price-gouging company owner took the fifth amendment and … Continue reading →

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One way to escape the sense of entitlement

Posted on February 2, 2016 by stillalife

Yesterday was my mother’s birthday. No matter what our age, we never stop thinking about our parents. Inevitably, when we’re younger something reminds us — not always as a good memory — of a childhood experience, a family outing, a … Continue reading →

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Morning walks: more than just exercise

Posted on January 26, 2016 by stillalife

Yesterday, I took a walk in my neighborhood and nearby downtown to watch the day begin. Not before dawn, but before the normal workday got underway. Morning is a good time to see a city, before cars and their rumbling … Continue reading →

Posted in personal reflections, seasons, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Never enough time

Posted on January 19, 2016 by stillalife

For many years, the Medalists — a group of female friends who’ve been together for about thirty-five years — hosted dinners around a theme:  purple food, round food, things stuffed in other things, even the eruption of Mt. St. Helens.  … Continue reading →

Posted in changes after retirement, personal reflections | Tagged , , , , , | 18 Comments

The death of spontaneity

Posted on January 11, 2016 by stillalife

Spontaneity is becoming extinct, going the way of the dodo or the woolly mammoth. Years ago, when my husband and I moved into our first apartment, friends lived nearby.  We would drop in unannounced — a mortal sin these days … Continue reading →

Posted in friends and family, personal reflections, the unscheduled life | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

My love of libraries

Posted on January 5, 2016 by stillalife

Ever since I checked out my first book in a tiny storefront in my West Seattle neighborhood, I’ve loved libraries. At age 15 and 1/2, my first job title after “babysitter” was “page,” a library position that involved shelving books, … Continue reading →

Posted in personal reflections, writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Surprises from the past

Posted on November 16, 2015 by stillalife

I always thought researching one’s ancestors was a job for old people.  I’m researching mine now and I’m old, so I guess I was right. Years ago, my mother gave me a short family history prepared by a relative of … Continue reading →

Posted in friends and family, intergenerational, personal reflections, writing | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

A way to mark past memories

Posted on November 2, 2015 by stillalife

I probably have three thousand travel photos, maybe more. I look at them once a year. Maybe twice. Don’t get me wrong.  I love my photos and the memories they conjure.  But I rarely devote any time to them, not … Continue reading →

Posted in personal reflections, travel | 1 Comment

Pay attention and change your life

Posted on October 24, 2015 by stillalife

Why pay attention? In my last blog post I talked about paying attention while walking outdoors as a way to become more aware of our surroundings.  But paying attention can do much more.  The people at the ToDo Institute focus … Continue reading →

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Meditation on nature

Posted on October 18, 2015 by stillalife

“Pay attention,” is a demand most of us have heard from teachers, parents or spouses. It usually means, “Listen to me.” But paying attention means more than listening. I attended a recent conference, in which speaker Linda Anderson Krech spoke … Continue reading →

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