New Year Resolutions

Hi Gentle Boomers
Prime time for bloggers to start tapping away, as the year draws to a close.

I actually like New Year better than Christmas, which has far too many expectations for my liking. New Year's Eve provides me with a greater sense of hope for the future, as one door closes metaphorically and another one opens with fresh new good intentions. Speaking of which, my New Years Resolution is to lighten up and release my 'Inner Dragonfly' - Prosperity and harmony - skilful action while maintaining a free and joyful sense of being. I attempted this process last year but I am new at this retirement stage and am not quite there.

2009 to me, doesn't merit any more discussion except that we seem to have gone full circle and that the world in general will benefit from a correction.
I scanned the papers for inspirational articles of which there were plenty. I'll leave all the really important events to others and concentrate on the ones which caught my eye (dragonfly like.)
'First Flush of Boomers Line up for Pensions', where our rapid ageing is causing general panic (what about us - we're the ones who have to put up with all these ageing emails which graphically describe our ongoing downward spiral?!) I am going to put a ban on such emails because to be quite honest the older I get the less amusing they are.

I have already outlived (agewise)the women in my family ie my maternal grandmother, my mother and my sister, with the paternal side of the family holding out more hope of longevity with my grandfather receiving a telegram from the queen when he turned 100. I don't even feel much older and still don't know what I want to be when I grow up! So, my state of denial is working very well thank you. Besides with stem cell procedures such as "Cells that turn into teeth spell doom for dentures" who knows what will be available in our lifetime.

Then the article in the SMH re "Man-cave manoeuvres" which highlights 'Because males process information internally they benefit from a place for quiet contemplation' - and informs us that real estate agents recognise the need for a special room to accommodate all of his manly belongings, an update of the study. Apparently, according to Hugh McKay we are increasingly staking our own spaces, as if the Information Revolution hasn't transformed our lives enough with people spending more and more time on computers, email and mobile phones and less on face to face relating.

Our relationships with each other have tended to become more complicated - "Court upholds parenting orders for lesbian partner" - the court found that the de facto partner was not live-in at the time of the artificial conception - and ordered that the mother have sole parenting responsibility but that the child spend time with the ex de facto partner.

Finally, the advice on "Learning how to use leisure well" seemed topical, "We engage in activities that do not bring us enjoyment and lasting satisfaction", and suggests we give more thought as to how we make the most of it. Pursue your passions and interests by doing the things we most value and enjoy - watch less TV, give shopping a miss, instead read a good book, visit new places, meditate and get plenty of physical exercise. Sounds good so get off the computer Clara.

Hope you all have a relaxing, satisfying holiday pursuing your passions and interests, and may 2010 be a better year for us all.

Cheers Clara

Parenting v Grandparenting

Hi there
You know what? Parenting has to be considered one of life's most amazing experiences.

To decide or otherwise to have a baby and go through the steps to make it happen, is perhaps the most important / significant decision couples or singles will ever make in their lives. We did it for whatever reason - BB's had the role modelling of the 1940's where the model was changing - 'The notion of what jobs a woman could do, expanded from nuturers who had no other destiny but to get married and have children. Up until then it was considered a woman's duty to have children in order to populate the nation.'


Grandparenting is equally an amazing role, where we have layer upon layer. We are no longer the major controllers / influencers of either our children and their children and yet we are there as role models, carers etc A sensitive space in which to find oneself.

A week of balancing a single/separated situation where I am in the middle as the Nonna, is rewarding / exhausting. And then they go home.