Sixty-One Trips

I turned sixty-one a week ago. Ten years ago, or so, I might have had doubts that I was going to make it this far. But I did.  This isn't about my longevity so far, not really.  It's not how long you live but what you do in your brief time here on Earth. That being said, it's okay if you've never figured out what you want to do when you grow up. You are allowed to change your mind at any time. Besides, being a grown up is vastly over-rated.

In the past 40-plus years, I have changed my mind a lot.  Everything I did, though, I wasn't just a dilletante.  I took the deep dive. I had been writing poetry since I was in high school, not that anyone knew since I rarely showed anyone.  When I moved to Milwaukee, I became entrenched in the poetry scene there.  After a few years, I grew bored with it.  So I changed my mind.

From there, I went from making hand bound books to re-learning how to draw and sketch, to printmaking.  The printmaking lasted a few years, but eventually the summers became too hot for me to sit outside for hours at a time and still be expected to be sociable. Again, I changed my mind and no longer wanted to do printmaking.

I veered again toward writing and this led to buying a manual typewriter.  I was inspired by the typewriter poetry movement.  I thought, hey, that's cool.  I loved typing on a typewriter.  I followed a Instagram user Black Adder Press, also a printmaker, who instilled the interest in me for typewriter poetry.

But I couldn't stop there.  Suddenly I wanted to learn how to work on typewriters.  I sold my etching press and letterpress, which afforded me the money to be able to buy more typewriters.  Suddenly I had fourteen, then 40, then....I stopped at just over a hundred typewriters.

I guess I eventually became sick of looking at all the typewriters.  I am currently in the process of reducing my inventory.  I have changed my mind, again.

So what is my new thing? As many of you already know, I started a podcast back in November called, yes, Coffee Before Pants.  I have been doing it since October of last year and I think I have found a new passion. On the podcast, I focus on books, music, and film. The process of doing a podcast appeals to me because the majority of it is writing.  And, harkening back to college days, it's kind of like being a radio announcer. 

And since I have turned into quite the urban hermit, well, the concept of doing a podcast from my home is totally appealing.

And why am I saying all of this?  So you will know that decisions you make for yourself when you are 18 don't always have to be the same decisions you make when you are 25, or older.  Or 61.  You don't have to have your life planned out years down the road. I found a new passion at 60.  Valerie, who is 49, is pursuing her Masters Degree in Yoga Therapy.  We often tell our niece, (who by the way, turned 21 today!  Happy Birthday, Kyra!) that she doesn't have to decide what she wants to do right now.  And even if she did, she is free to change her mind.

Everyone is.  Everyone is free to change their mind.  Don't like your job  Find another field you will enjoy. Hate what you're studying?  Change your major.  I'm sure many people wake up on any given morning and say to themselves "What the fuck am I doing this for?"  That's when changes can happen, folks.

You are free to change your mind.

​Peace.