Saturday, January 18, 2014

The View From My Front Porch - A Progress Report



Well, it's been a full year since me and my betrothed parted ways and I've been on my own as a bachelor.  Six months without a housemate.  At times it's been a little scary but mostly just dandy.

The scary part came partly from being unemployed and needing to be employed, at least part-time.  I remember when my current employer called for a phone interview, I was out on the trail in the middle of a six-mile walk and he said, "Why would you want this job?  It seems to me you're way over qualified."

My response was, "That seems to be my major problem, I'm too old and overqualified to be employable." I got the job as a grant writer at a homeless shelter.  Every day, all I have to do to be humbled and thankful is to look out of my office window at the people standing in line for a meal. 

In my first six-months I've produced a little over $1 million in grant income and I think they're going to keep me, which makes me happy because I really like this job and my workmates.

Another thing that's a little scary is the thought of not having someone to grow old with.  Someone I can lean on.  Oh, I've got plenty of support from my daughters and friends but... well, you know what I mean.

I've managed to stay friends with the women in my life and me and my ex are slowly working out a new relationship but I gotta say, I really like living alone.  Just me and my dog in a pretty little two-bedroom inner-city cottage built in 1924.  The photo above really is the view from my front porch where the neighbors are slowly becoming accustomed to that eccentric old man who sits on his porch at sunset with a martini and a cigar and talks to his dog.

Occasionally I'll break out the guitar just to let them know that there's an old hippie living up here who don't much give a damn about what you think.  And when I think about it, that pretty much sums up my attitude lately and I'm having a ball just being me.  Going to shows, playing music with my friends (Traditional Celtic and Old-Time Americana), hikes, and photography pretty much consume all of my spare time which is why I've neglected this blog.

And, much to my surprise, I met a lass at a party the other night... well, let's just say the cut of her jib caught my eye. 

29 comments:

  1. hey good stuff....i hope you and the new lass enjoy life a bit, you went through a pretty tough transition but it sounds like you landed well...the job sounds cool...i enjoy working the shelter when i can...it def keeps me humble...i would totally get in trouble for talking to them too much in your position...ha....you are making it man...

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    1. Everything seems be going just fine (fingers crossed) thank you.

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  2. I fully understand what you mean about living alone. The scary part and the comfortable parts.
    The good news is you don't have to listen to someone bitch about their day. The bad news is you don't have anyone to share your information with, about your day.
    I prefer cats. They are cool and they know it.
    Dogs, well, you know them.

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    1. Yeah, but you can't talk to a cat without sounding demented.

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    2. True enough, but Chat Noir makes me feel O.K. with it.

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  3. Looks like you landed on your feet. Excellent.

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    1. Hard to say, my feet hurt, but I'm still here and smiling!

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  4. Your post reminded me of the Douglas Adams quote: I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.

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    1. LOL life is what happens while you're making other plans...

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  5. I seriously love living alone. It was hard to get used to at first but there is no way I'd give it up. Now of course a cat might be a good thing to have when talking to myself.

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    1. See response to Punch above. There's something about cats that makes people whine in this high pitched voice that you never want to be caught doing. But still, they are delightful little creatures, if they just wouldn't kill everything in sight.

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    1. Life is good Intelli. Certainly better than I deserve.

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  7. change and transitions take time to adjust to. You seem to have managed it well. I have never lived alone really. well, once for about 4 or 5 months but I had a boyfriend who was there a lot. he's still here. it's a coin toss to see who will have to learn to live alone first.

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    1. If your boyfriend ever leaves Lass, lemme know and I'll look ya up!

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  8. Good to hear that you seem to be enjoying this stage of your life. Sounds like a really rewarding work that you're doing. This is the first time I read about your musical talents. I love Celtic music. Maybe you could post on that sometime. Are you of Irish descent? God bless.

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    1. Like most Americans, I'm a mongrel but I do have a healthy splash of Scot in me. I'm sort of being dragged into this by my friends who have all gone over to the other side so it's a matter of self-defense, but I do love it.

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  9. There's a pallet here anytime you want to visit Mark.

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  10. Hm, don’t tell the lass that you are looking for someone to lean on.
    She’ll take off like a scalded cat.

    My best to you, Mr. C. May the view from your porch never give you cause to sigh, other than with pleasure.

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    1. Oh no, of course not. The Rock of Gibraltar, that's me! Thanks for the nice thought Friko.

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  11. Enjoy your freedom my friend. I have a feeling companionship will come along as you need it.

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    1. My thoughts exactly. At the moment, I'm trying to get rid of them, not collect them.

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  12. That sounds like a cool job. Meaningful, unlike so many of today's jobs. Beautiful picture. Asheville, if I remember right (from one of your earlier posts).

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    1. Asheville I wish, no, Baja Georgia (aka Jacksonville, FL)

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  13. sounds like a great job..and I've had to tell people more than once..there is a difference between being along and lonely..I've been alone for a long time..kids all grown and away..now I have great grandkids to run after..but when it's all over, I like to traipse home and shut the door on the world..just me and Dexter and which stray he has brought home..

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    1. It is nice to have no one to have to consider for the little things but yourself. I like the quietness of it.

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  14. "...you can't talk to a cat without sounding demented." One of the blessings of getting to a certain age is that you don't give a damn.

    Being alone does get lonely sometimes but after the breakup of # 2, I decided uh-uh, no way. It ain't worth the work and takes too much energy. Used to think that sharing a duplex would be the way to go but I'm not even interested in that. Don't get me wrong, I love men - at least most of them - but I've learned to be content just muddling around and muttering to myself. ; )

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