What a nice day yesterday ended up being. We talked with loved ones after Beth got home early from work, then had our Christmas. Nice things to see (Godfather series, Sopranos Season Six Part II, Elvis, and Robin Williams movies), read, and eat in our future.
The TIME Man-of-the-Year is Vladimir Putin. Interesting choice, especially with how China has become such a "player" recently. Some interesting facts from the December 2007 issue regarding the superpowers: Russia, population 142.5 million, almost twice as large as the U.S. but has less than half the population; China, population 1.33 billion, is very close to the U.S. in size but has more than four times as many people; U.S., population 303 million. An interesting issue, I have been a subscriber since 1984, I highly recommend it.
Bob Buford's Halftime shows how men can make their middle years a time of transformation toward a more satisfying -- and significant -- life.
Above is a book I read approximately a year ago, very interesting and spiritual (there is also a website www. halftime.com). The basic premise is "Have you achieved success—only to find that something is missing? If so, you may be ready to begin the most exciting journey of your life—the journey from success to significance. It’s commonly called Halftime. Halftime is a season of life that offers the opportunity to look back on what you’ve accomplished, understand who you are, and then redirect your time and talent for an even more purposeful second half."
With the stop-work clock ticking, this is an area that I plan on fully investigating. My goals: become involved in a local charitable organization(s) using my organizational and project management skills; get involved in teaching and/or local politics in some manner; to help our local economy/environment via an existing organization such as the Nature Conservancy or to start a new local foundation (land and our climate are things that are finite, and we need to take actions to preserve them both). With less than 10 years to go, the time to plan for this next phase is upon me, this is not something you just fall into, it takes careful thought and planning.
1 comment:
I still think Time's PERSON of the Year should have gone to the Buddhist monks in Burma. They defied an oppressive government, and some of them died for it. They were some of the best and bravest of the year, and reminded us all of how grateful we should be for our freedom. I understand the choice of Putin, but I'll go with the positive choice every time. (Of course, for the people of Russia, he's a very positive influence.) I also have a hard time getting past those pictures of him barechested, riding a horse. Kinda creepy, like they were trying to portray him as a powerful man, or a...sex symbol. ACK! Thank God that's nothing you'd see here. At least I don't think so...perhaps that will be something that Hillary's campaign manager will pursue. <snort>
I read Halftime, too, upon your recommendation. Good stuff, with the message that life doesn't end at retirement. There is much to be done, and retirees can do an awful lot.
Post a Comment