- You are still THERE? Yes, for the moment still at my first full-time job. It is 7:07 a.m. Saturday, May 11, 2019 and I am sitting in the office moving furniture to make sure I don’t leave behind any secret stuff. Eeew. Just discovered a treasure in the microwave from a long time ago. Must remember to join the Commencement platform party for breakfast at President’s Gnadinger’s house at 8:30. It will be nice to reconnect with alumnus (Class of 1992) Alfonso Morales, Milwaukee’s police chief there. It looks like a beautiful day for a 10:30 Saturday outdoors graduation.
- Are you OK? I received that text message the other day from a dear staff friend concerned that I might be the reason EMT staff were rushing to Rankin Hall. To the best of my knowledge, I am OK for a 70-year-old. Students have kept me young(er). I shall deeply miss the joy they have given me.
- What will you DO?
a) attempt to find all my missing gloves and socks.
b) establish new habits
c) unpack 41 years of academic stuff
d) finish some writing projects (100 blog drafts with a special interest in my
focusing on brain health and internet learning tools
e) take (or create) some courses
f) become more involved in service activities (e.g. North Lake library or Waukesha
Humane society)
g) take more advantage of memberships in the Ice Age Trail and Historical societies
h) play
i) catch up on a backload of about 20 books I recently bought
j) read the New Yorker and the Atlantic cover to cover BEFORE the next issues arrive
i) Reflect upon this advice of Darrell Bracken, Head of Logitech
I’ve always liked the fact that graduation ceremonies are referred to as commencement. It may be little more than an optimistic euphemism for graduating students with no real prospects for anything beyond moving back home with their parents until a genuine, professional opportunity comes their way.
For you, it seems even more appropriate that, at this point when (hopefully) you’ve set yourself up with a reasonable supplementary income, your retirement be given the same euphemism, or if a distinction is necessary, a “last commencement” (because “final” seems too morbid).
And kudos to you for having such a well-established list that doesn’t have a “bucket list” feel to it, nor a feeling of desperation that comes from a list of “regrets to eradicate.” For me, I can only hope that fate intervenes to take me before I reach 70, and my family can benefit from both my retirement and accidental death payouts, and I can avoid my fear of what comes of having too much time to dwell on my pain without the distraction that comes from serving my students.
Maybe you can maintain a presence on campus to help out with various events or even facilitate a small-group discussion in the PIT or MDR for astute students willing to join you in exploring some or all of those 20 books to which you have alluded? A great educator like yourself needs to transition more slowly into this next phase of your life lest your disciples suffer the harsh effects of withdrawal.
Regardless of your decision on this matter or in what order you tackle the items on your list, I wish you my best at this time of your last commencement.
Thanks for the well-wishes and advice, Joe.