Diary
July 2023
I have not received a paycheck in 6 years, so the work I do involves volunteering and chores. Both concepts are quite different. Volunteering involves attending some meetings for organizations and following up with those activities. They are mostly enjoyable although at times, it seems I am doing too much.
Underlying the “concept of work” seems to be how one spends one’s time. Another concept connected to work is that it does not have to be drudgery. I enjoyed most of my time at work during my career. Now that I’m not employed, the time I spend volunteering in activities is pleasant and we get projects accomplished, or work done. In three organizations, I serve as secretary, so I take notes on my computer during the meetings. This simplifies the work a lot for me. I try to fill in the gaps and send the minutes to the president as soon as I get home, so I don’t forget anything and to get them off my mind. This way, they don’t seem like drudgery.
The “work” I have now includes household chores such as cleaning and yard work. Parts of yardwork I enjoy, mostly, having it done, sitting on the patio, looking at it and having a glass of wine. Another chore I think of now which I used to not consider is just how much time it takes as a woman to look presentable. It’s annoying to do all the personal hygiene things that I’ve done for decades all the while Father Time is working against me. It’s a lot of effort. Along these lines, is the effort and time it takes to stay physically in shape. I generally try to walk at least 3 miles a day. Some days it’s work and some days it’s not.
Aside from the secretarial work, I access my computer/phone for banking, journal writing, information, online shopping, Facebook, and games. I keep in touch with former students and high school/college friends through Facebook. I get tired of the ads and the whining on Facebook so I’ve deleted some of the people, but I don’t want to discard my whole account. I play scrabble with a friend in Florida I haven’t seen in years (She always wins!) and I play Word Blitz with a friend in Israel. (She always wins, too!) But I don’t want to lose contact with either of them. Social media is a very good way to stay in touch with friends as long as everyone behaves. I’ve read books on a Kindle, but I prefer to read hard copy books. One area I’ve especially appreciated technology is genealogy research. I’ve investigated my family tree and reached out to relatives I didn’t know I had.
Overall, I feel like my life has a good balance of work (duties), hobbies, and free time. Sometimes, I would like to have more uncommitted time but when I try to identify what I’d eliminate from my schedule, I can’t do it because I generally like where I spend my time. Having a positive attitude toward what you’re spending your time on also shapes what’s work and what is not. I am grateful I can still do things that interest me, and that I can make choices about how I spend my time.