Making Up My Mind: Retired Edition

Laurie Harmon
12 hours ago
5 min read

Retired?

A former colleague asked me for a favor yesterday and jokingly commented that because I'm retired, I must be bored and looking for things to do. I knew he was just kidding around, but I couldn't help but chuckle at the irony.

Beach shoes in sand with word "Retirement"

Like many retirees, I have no problem filling up my time with volunteer activities, part-time jobs, political action, hobbies, travel, etc. Sometimes, I'm involved with so many different activities, though, that

it's hard to keep track of them all. In fact, I'm at the point where I might need to say the dreaded words "NO" when someone asks me to do them a favor, as I regrettably had to do with the aforementioned past co-worker.

I won't bore you with my mixed bag of projects and pursuits, but I will say that I'm enjoying them all! Of course, there are a few places where I'd love to grow and expand my involvement, this blog being one of those places, but overall, I'm thrilled to stay active between pastimes of my choosing. I do like to find a balance, however, so for that reason, I'll share at least a few of my endeavors.

Hobbies & Relaxation

Like most people, I don't really have difficulty finding ways to relax, but I usually can't sit for too long without needing to feel useful. I paint, crochet, read, nap, swim, and go on trail rides with my husband in our new UTV.

Volunteering: Our Neighbors' Place Board Member

Even when I was working full time, I tried to find ways to volunteer my time, so when I had the opportunity to volunteer for a local charity/aid organization as a board

member, I was nervous, yet excited. Volunteering my time and serving on a board seemed like two different skill sets, and I was worried I wouldn't be qualified. I was a teacher for almost 25 years, and I worked for several different business before that, so I never really thought of myself as a "board member." Click on the hyperlink (name or image above) for more information on Our Neighbors' Place.

Graphic of hands holding up people in a house: image for charity organization.

A former student, however, apparently thought I was a good candidate, because he recommended me as a board candidate for an organization where his wife served on the board of directors. I interviewed with several folks, and now I'm a proud board member for Our Neighbors' Place in River Falls, WI. They do great work, including providing subsidized housing, distributing food to schoolchildren through a backpack program, providing clothing and food support, providing shower and laundry support for homeless individual and offering social work support, etc. They are an amazing asset to the community, and I'm proud to worth with them.

Teaching Around the World

teacher sitting at a computer teaching online

Because I couldn't give up teaching completely, I work for both a Chinese and an Italian school providing tutoring, instructional, and assessment support. Between the two schools, I have roughly twelve students between the ages of 10-17 at varying degrees of development. All of my students speak English, and the curriculum I deliver to them is related to American English curriculum.

I enjoy the variety, the students, and the chance to still talk about literature such as Hamlet and other great works. It's rewarding and challenging and keeps my brain engaged. I find that for the most part, the students I work with are eager, motivated, and excited to learn, which is of course the most rewarding part of teaching!

Writing: Blog Posts, Short Stories, Poems, and Essays

I taught English for many years, and though I was able to find some small bits of time to write for myself, it was never enough. In fact, the majority of my writing took the form of written feedback on student essays. I'm sure they also would have preferred I spent more time on my own writing.

I guess I'm making up for lost time, because at this point, I can't settle on a genre. On this blog, I post my "musings," if you will, as well as sections on creative writing that contain poetry, short stories, and narratives. On my Substack, I write and post essays on current issues and events.

At some point, I might look at my body of work and decide how to proceed. Currently, I have an essay and a poem published on the website "The Dissident Voice" (also linked below). I'm hoping that other published, either online or in print, will be in my future.

Activism

If you know me at all, you know I readily share my opinions. Being retired has allowed me the opportunity to be more politically active and pursue causes for which I'm passionate. I won't say too much in this section, but by Substack (linked here, above, and below) is where I typically place my political writing. I also regularly submit letters to the editor to local newspapers, where they are frequently published. My Instagram videos also represent my political voice in action.

Like many in today's turbulent political climate, I attend protests, rallies, and create

materials to help educate folks on important documents like the Constitution. Click the link below to see the Constitution pamphlet I created that is now used by the Wisconsin League of Women Voters.

Family Time

A few years before I retired, my mother experienced some health scares and moved in with my husband and me. COVID hit the world about six months later, and after lock-down, she moved into senior living for mobility reasons. I retired a few months later, which freed up some of my time to drive her to appointments as needed. At the age of 81, she's doing well, and I'm happy to have flexible time to help out.

I'm also flexible with my time so that I can help out our daughter and her family. They live in Mississippi, so a flexible schedule is definitely necessary when they need me, such as when my oldest grandson had scoliosis surgery last July.

Travel

Flexibility is also great when it comes to planning vacations. As a teacher, my days off were basically limited to school vacations and summer months, but now, I can not only go to Mississippi whenever I'm needed, I can plan fun vacations with my husband and friends when time is convenient and prices are cheaper.

Since my retirement, I've been lucky to have traveled to: Italy, New England, Iceland, California, Spain, and Portugal to name a few places. Some of the pictures are on this blog --check out the navigation bar to find them.