SUNDAY, JANUARY 5, 2025 - WHO ARE YOU?

 SUNDAY, JANUARY 5, 2025, New Years, and who are you? 

I’m still in the New Year’s mode - New Year, New You.

I remember Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians singing this:

Should old acquaintance be forgot

And never brought to mind?

Should old acquaintance be forgot

In the days of auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear

For Auld Lang Syne

We'll drink a cup of kindness yet

For the sake of Auld Lang Syne

(I think we might have watched Lawrence Welk and his Champagne Music Makers on New Year’s Eve as well) 

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Maybe you grew up with Dick Clark and Bandstand.  Dick Clark’s Rockin Eve started on December 31, 1972.  

(It didn’t air on December 31, 1999/January 1, 2000 - remember the Y2K problem!!)

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We watched the ball drop at Times Square in New York City on TV.

I’ve visited Times Square several times when we lived in Connecticut.  But - going in on New Year’s Eve was too crazy for me (that was out of my comfort zone by miles and miles.  To control people moving around, groups of people were put into an area (think of a pig or cow pen).  I’m not sure what they did for beverages or for restrooms!!!  And, it was always cold (or at least much cooler than my nice warm house with the furnace on!!! And in my recliner!!!

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I sometimes challenged my students to make goals.  (Sometimes, I had them write their own obituaries - about the awards and extraordinary lives they would live).

I also gave a negative example: (think 18 to 22 year old college students)

By age 30, I will live in a cardboard box under a bridge.  I would have a bottle of cheap wine when I can afford it.  I will have been married and divorced three times.  I will be fired from at least four companies. I can’t hold a job.

Then I would challenge them - are these your goals?  Why limit yourself?

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So, here I am at 77 years old.  I KNOW I have to have goals - but what should they be?  

I don’t really want to work at a 40 hour a week job.  Financially, I’m happy, but additional income might be nice.  

How do I becoma a “life coach / mentor”.  I’ve written two books on mentoring (on Amazon.com) - no, I didn’t sell many.  “Bring it on: Coaching and Mentoring for College Students”, and “Rebooting: Creating the Career you want”.  Can I help people see themselves as successful?  (And, get some payment?)

Last year, I pet sat five times (one dog-sitting, and four-cat sitting).  I could have done that for free.  

For the past three years, I was a caregiver at a local retirement community.  First in the Independent Living Area; then in Assisted Living/Memory Care; and finally in the Skilled Nursing Home.  My care receiver died on Christmas Eve.  Do I want to do that again?

And, highest in my thoughts is being a LOVE WINS evangelist.  How do I tell people to stop hating and judging and to make love for ALL people a priority?  

Is that a “job”?  Is that an occupation?  How do I do that?  

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I’m not sure this is a goal - but let me write about it.  I was married 45 years.  I liked the comfort of a shared relationship.  Last year I tried a dating website (and got scammed three times).  This year I’m trying another dating website.  Do I pursue this?  I know many friends who have gone this way.  I have to stop being “wishy-washy” on the topic.  Go for the Gusto, Karen!!!

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, January 5, 2025