This morning, while Kim, my mother and I sat at the table; Kim announced a little pitifully, “ I am going to be 25 this year…that’s a quarter of a century!” We both just looked at her until I replied, “You won’t get any sympathy from us.” It is official; I am in my mid fifties, past a half a century. And I still don't really know what I want to be when I grow up. For all intents and purposes, though, I am grown up and if I would have taken a different route in my career, I would be retiring in June. Hah! But of course that is not the case and that means I can still use my witty phrase I am retired....I was tired yesterday and I'm tired again today...hardy har har.
So here I am into the next decade of the 21st century and I actually began typing this on my new IPAD. I have given into the cravings I felt when watching those commercials with the catchy tunes. These are the things that take my breath away. Of course I did go through the first couple of days paralyzed in fear preventing me from even using this device. But now, well now, I am having a love affair with it- because in your fifties you have love affairs with electronics. It cools down the hot flashes and forces you to ignore the creaking noises in your stiff body and the newest brown spots and wrinkles. Maybe because it's a new innovation and as old as you are, you can be a part of it and even "get" how to use it once you “get over” your initial paralysis. And now due to my discovered abilities and newfound confidence, I found the buried digital picture frame that Mark had given to me two Hanukkahs ago and I even uploaded my daughter's wedding pictures. I think I may be becoming a "techy-genius". I might even fall into the "geek" category soon if I keep this up.
My new IPAD is what keeps me smiling when other things make me frown. For instance, the snow--10 inches of snow most probably will not wipe the smile off my face while over 20 inches of snow is extremely aggravating. And that's just what we had this past Sunday; although, this did keep me out of my new office which I really don't have which brings the furrows to my brows again. After 12 years of working for the same company and being part of the initial three people who started our region, I have been told that I don't need a permanent desk because I am never there. I do travel a lot, okay. I try to ignore my ego and get over it. I will deal. Hence, I have to share an office space in what's called the "Library" with three other colleagues. So, I go up to my new office a week ago, and I encounter that the "Library" is a euphemism for closet, a large closet, but still a closet. And I am not only sharing it with three other colleagues; I am sharing it with another person, who is part of the other office, another division of our company that originally occupied the space. She has been using the "Library" to pump her breast milk. I have tried to find a euphemism for this new development, perhaps renaming the “Library”--"La Leche Armario", but I realize that would be sarcastic and mean. It's a beautiful part of life; I know that. I am a woman. It's just that it makes my new office space even smaller. Perhaps I should just get a shopping cart (they seem to be easy to acquire…I see many unfortunate homeless people with them) and put my displaced name plaque on that, along with my former personal stuff from the desk I used to have and buy one of those bean bag lap desks from Bed, Bath and Beyond to do my work on. Do you sense a note of sarcasm in that former run-on sentence? Well, don't, because just the thought of the lap desk with my new IPAD sitting upon it brings my spirits up. Oddly enough, I seem to have acquired two name plaques (there’s the duality thing again) but no real office to place them on. AHA! I will use them as front and back license plates for my shopping cart…J!
And now, in summary, to sum up this blog entry, I will summarize some reflections I have about 2010…
Ten Things from 2010 I want to remember that make me happy:
1. My older daughter got married and had the most amazing wedding and was featured on the TLC wedding show, Four Weddings.
2. My younger daughter got into grad school and is pursuing a new career.
3. I have a wonderful son-in-law.
4. My mother moved in and she fits in, very nicely, thank you very much, who is going to be 88 this year...double eights...duality!
5. I dyed my hair red and I get compliments about it not only from my friends and family but also from random strangers like that lady on the subway and the man who was staring at me in the elevator.
6. My stock investment in my company quadrupled when we were acquired.
7. I got the most adorable little puppy.
8. I got a brand new front-loading washer and dryer and two flat screen HDTVs, finally.
9. I am a writer because I completed my first blog and people actually read it and like it and I started a new blog.
10. I got an IPAD and I’m learning how to use it.
Ten Things from 2010 that make me sad, I just simply don’t understand, or need further explanation:
1. My older daughter was hospitalized six times- and had to have major liver surgery.
2. My beloved dog, Coco, passed away from a brain tumor.
3. I spent most of the money I earned from my stock investment.
4. I still have to pay capital gains on the money I earned from my stock investment.
5. I don’t understand why Snooki Polizzi is famous and has a book published.
6. I don’t understand why Mike “The Situation” from the same dumb show as Snooki Polizzi was picked for Dancing With the Stars when he obviously is extremely pigeon-toed and can barely walk correctly, let alone dance correctly.
7. I don’t understand why the economy is still in really bad shape and if the out of work people do ever get jobs, how are they going to have enough money to get to them when gas and public transportation prices keep rising?
8. Explain to me why Oprah has to end her show before I get my book published and before I get a chance to be on her show.
9. Explain to me why, exactly, my daughter’s wedding did not win on Four Weddings, when everyone says she should have won and she really had the best wedding.
10. Explain to me why, exactly, I can’t have my own desk in the new office space.
I am ready for 2011, for it’s duality, to be 55! I am ready. I am not going to make any pointless New Year’s resolutions because they’re pointless. I will just set goals…like- I am going to continue to live into the second half of my century! I am going to rejoin Planet Fitness and go three times a week! I am going to continue writing my new blog! I am going to find a way to publish my first blog and make it a book! I am going to be an expert IPAD-der! I am going to get my own desk …somewhere!
And if, I ever find out the winning numbers to that $242 Mega Millions jackpot and I won, I’m still going to do everything I just mentioned above, except, maybe I’ll have two desks…. in the name of duality.
Happy New Year. Here’s to reaching goals in 2011.
