Balancing Act

I thought once I retired I would have all kinds of time to do what I really wanted to do instead of what I had to do to earn a living.  You've heard of the saying "The best laid plans of mice and men"?  You may have surmised by now that I still don't have enough time to indulge full-time in my passions.

The three main activities I do are:

• blogging
• genealogy research
• writing my autobiography

I have several other lesser interests which I also enjoy doing which are:

• photography
• gardening
• cooking
• reading

Usually I devote the majority of my time to one interest at the expense of another.  Today it was time for me to dip my toes back into my genealogy research.  The problem with genealogy research is that it eats up all my time once I delve into it.  That's because I find it so fascinating and the information available for me to sort out and organize is almost endless.

Today I sifted through my 843 backlog of e-mail messages and pulled out all the genealogy research requests from Tipton cousins far and wide.  I feel myself getting sucked back into genealogy research because I feel a need to address all the kind fellow family researchers who have taken the time to send me their family trees and inquire about my information.  So something has to give.  What will it be?

For years and years I've been meaning to start my autobiography.  I finally started it (see "My Life", another blog).  I could literally spend the next year, every day, writing my autobiography.  I want to write down what I remember before I lose more memories.  Some women feel their biological clock ticking.  I feel my Life Clock ticking.  At 70 years old, with the knowledge that my Mother and both of her older sisters suffered dementia in their final years, time is running out for me.

One good thing about my Hobson's Choice.  I love doing all these activities.  I would hate to be one of those retired people who don't know what to do with their spare time.  They're lost.  They eat, they travel, they nap.  They vegetate.  I thank God everyday I'm not one of those people.  And I'm not even religious!

So that's my Balancing Act folks.  I'll figure it out.  In the meantime I have to get ready to go back to work tomorrow.  Yes, that's right.  I'm still working two nights a week.  I just can't stop working.  But that's another blog posting.

Why I Don't Play Games

Bill taking an umbrella out to our neighbor Bob who was mowing his lawn before the rains came

When I was young I loved to play games like hide 'n seek, marbles, Monopoly, and pinochle.  When I was in the Army me and my Army buddies passed many a boring evening playing pinochle.  I loved it!

I also loved to bowl and I followed the Philadlephia Phillies and Eagles with a passion unmatched by few.  However something happened on the way to adulthood.  I grew disenchanted with games.  I felt like they were a waste of time for me.  Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against games and those who play them. But when I acquired all the responsibilities of adulthood I found different outlets to relax.

Everyone needs that balance from work.  Something they enjoy doing.  Somethings that works to relieve the stress.  What I found works for me are hobbies that accomplish something. For me playing golf accomplishes nothing other than keeping a golf course in business.  Again, I think that's great for those who love the game but it's not for me.

So this is what I do to relieve myself of the stress of everyday life.

• I research my family genealogy.  I could do this for hours.  I never tire of it.  
• I roam cemeteries and record the information on tombstones and take pictures of the same tombstones and update my Find a Grave account
• I take digital photography
• I blog
• I garden
• I cook

These are just some of my pastimes.  Some years ago I also used to do crewel and counted cross stitch pictures.  What do all of these activities have in common?  I am producing something.  Yes, I am producing.

This morning as Bill and I were going to the Dover Mall in Dover this morning to pick up my new cool (and expensive) glasses at Lenscrafters, I got to wondering why I don't like to play games any more.  And then it came to me.  I have to accomplish something other than getting two under par or beating everyone in pinochle.  I have to have an end product to my efforts.  I need something to show for my efforts.

I know other people who do the same thing.  Think Dr. Spo and his fabulous Spo Shirts.  Think Tai and his wonderful counted cross stitch pictures.  Think my longtime good friend Larry and his poetry.  We're all accomplishing something.  I don't know if any of us just engages in throwing the dice and playing cards.  

So this is what I was thinking today in my never ending process of figuring out how and why I tick.  This folks is my lifelong quest, why I am the way I am.  

We're all different and we all have our needs and what relaxes us.  This is what relaxes me and makes me feel like I'm doing something worthwhile.  Now excuse me while I prepare a flyer for my family reunion which I'm organizing for this October.

Note of the picture on this blog.  No, it has nothing to do with the blog.  I took it of Bill as he was playing a joke on our neighbor Bob who was trying to get his lawn mowed before the rains came.  It's a running joke between us.  Last week while Bill was mowing the lawn the skies opened and Bill had to put his John Deere in high gear to get it back in the shed.  He didn't make it. He was soaked.  Our neighbor Bob watched the whole scenario and got quite a kick out of it.  Bill is just returning the favor.  Good natured kidding.  That's what it's all about folks.  Good neighbors, good times.  

Time For a New Camera?

A more accurate question might be "Time for an additional camera?"

As anyone who knows me, knows that I like to take a lot of pictures.  A LOT.

I've been taking pictures since I received my first Kodak Brownie camera as a Christmas present in 1953.  Back then, like a lot of other people, we didn't have a lot of money.  I especially didn't have any money except what I earned on my paper route.  I delivered about eighty papers daily and twenty five on Sunday (the big ones.)  After I paid the "paper lady" for my papers, I had about $5.00 left over.  Usually when it came time to pay the paper lady I just made it because I had already spent my money on candy and comic books.  Oh yes, I was a typical pre-teen kid of the Fifties.

Well, when I got my camera I would occasionally take a roll of black and white film and drop it off at the Sam Charles newsstand in Downingtown, Pennsylvania.  The Charles newsstand was also conveniently the same location where I picked up my daily  supply of papers and bought my comic books.  The candy I bought at Zittles down the street.

Me with my cat Bobby about the time I got my first camera.  This may have been the first picture -1951 - I'm ten years old

Remember back in the black and white days when we put our film in the store?  We would have to wait at least a week until they "came back."  It was always exciting to see "what came out."  Oh how I wish I had spent less on comic books and candy and more on those glorious old black and white photos.

A picture I took of my two younger brothers John and Isaac.  I had an eye for composition even then - 1953

A picture I took of my Mom who cleaned the offices at Gindys (she was on break) - 1955

When I grew up I bought a Mamiya-Sekor SLR camera.  I had that camera for about twenty years.  Again I took many rolls of film, now color.  I also had a telephoto lens on my Mamiya-Sekor and took many wonderful focused pictures of individuals.  Unfortunately I dropped that camera one day on a concrete block which damaged the camera.

A picture I took with my Mamiya-Sekor camera of Bill and my nieces Christmas 1971

The cameras I bought to replace that camera were point and shoot camera.  No more focused head shots with the blurred background.  In recent years I have purchased several digital cameras.  I love the digital cameras because I can take thousands of pictures and see immediately what I have taken.  However, I am still missing those wonderful head shots of people that capture their personality.

Personalities captured on film -me and my co-worker Sue at FFB - 2006

Mark, a new friend who reads this blog, has sent me several pictures of his children that have that focused head shot with the blurred background.  I love those pictures.  I think Mark will the the catalyst that causes me to spring for one of those $500 SLR digital cameras.  I've just about taken all the point and shoot pictures that I want to of the scenes here in southern Delaware.  Now it is time for me to capture personalities.  Mark brought up a very good point about using a telephoto lens.  He says you can take a picture of a person without getting in their face.  Good point Mark.  As my friends here in Delaware know, I rarely  never go anywhere without my camera.  Now it looks like I'm going to be one of those photographers who intimidates everybody with a big camera hanging around my neck.

I do love taking pictures.  I love capturing "the moment in time."  I know that sometime in the future, after I'm long gone, someone will look at my pictures and appreciate this little mini legacy I have left behind.  I also want to write a book as a legacy but I can't seem to get started on that project. Pictures I can do.

So my friends when you see me now be sure to say (quoting Gloria Swanson in "Sunset Boulevard"), "Alright Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my closeup."

Norma Desmond ready for her close up - 1951 (the year I got my first camera)