Reinventing Myself at Midlife, Again

Newburgh, Indiana River Front. Photo by Karen D. Austin

When I was in my mid twenties, I spent a lot of time creating a life plan.

As I travel through life, I find that planning my life out 50 years ahead is futile.

Spending a lot of time thinking about the next 10 years or even the next 5 years ends up distracting me too much from current opportunities.

Now I visualize my life more in six months increments.  I might project a little further ahead, but I don't spend much time doing that, and those plans remain more ethereal.

Right now, I'm in a great state of flux.

I'm selling my Kansas house in May and moving to Indiana.

Not only do I have to manage a lot of pragmatics, I am managing emotional and conceptual aspects of my life.  A lot of my identity is wrapped up in my social connections and roles in various organizations.

By moving 600 plus miles away, I will have to reinvent myself. Again. 

Quotes about Aging: A through F

Photo by SFView.

Since 2012, I have been scouring several venues for quotes about aging.

(Quotes on Aging: G through N)

Mind you, I do NOT necessarily agree with all of the following statements about aging.

But I do think they are all worth examining and discussing.

Which quotes reflect your view of aging?

Which quote irritates you the most?

Which quotes make you smile?

Which person is your favorite wit?

Enjoy these quotes organized by the author's last name.

A

Old minds are like old horses; you must exercise if you wish to keep them in working order. John Adams

Life is a dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for the poor. Sholom Aleichem

The wisest are the most annoyed at the loss of time. Dante Alighieri

Older women know who they are, and that makes them more beautiful than younger ones. Naveen Andrews

A wise woman wishes to be no one's enemy; a wise woman refuses to be anyone's victim. Maya Angelou

In Europe we admire grown-up women; I think men revere older women. Francesca Annis

It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live. - Marcus Aurelius

Somebody Stole My Iron: Book Review

Published 17 January 2014.

Supporting one parent through a chronic illness is challenging enough. Author Vicki Tapia chronicles her experience supporting her father through Parkinson's Disease and her mother through Alzheimer's Disease.

Her book is called Somebody Stole My Iron: A Family Memoir of Dementia, published 17 January 2014, available on Amazon.

Tapia's parents are having more and more trouble managing the basics. As the only child living locally to her parents, Tapia helps her parents through a couple of moves--from their home to assisted living to a skilled nursing center.

Most of her memoir discusses her mother's problems with memory, mobility, language and self-care.  Her father is a quiet man who rarely complains. Her mother is more outspoken, determined and demanding.

It's difficult to walk the line between respecting her mother's desire for independence and her mother's need for safety.

Tapia learns again and again that her mother's can present an illusion of capability that exceeds the reality.

Home for an Emptying Nester

Photo by Greeblie.

I have been a little quiet on the blog lately.

Why? Change is in the air.

We are moving from Kansas to Indiana this summer, so I've been preoccupied.

Instead of reading about aging, I have been using my computer time to scout neighborhoods and high schools for my youngest.  After I post this, I'm getting driving to the city of Evansville to explore it in person.

I am having trouble deciding where to live and what kind of home to buy.

Downtown holds appeal because I can attend cultural events and have easy access to the public library and YMCA. There are also more volunteer opportunities and employment opportunities in town.

If we buy a home in a suburban neighborhood ideal for teens, that works well--for just three years. That is a very long time for a teen but a blink of the eye for a couple in their fifties.

So do I do what's best for them now? Or best for the parents down the road? Or do we move after three years?

I'm hoping to find a neighborhood that is somewhere in between downtown and the suburb high school that appeals to my youngest.

Related

Plotkin Describes Life Stages