May Flowers
Here's to ends and beginnings
While my official retirement date is still a few weeks off, May marked the true end of my full-time teaching career and my 60th birthday (as well as 36th wedding anniversary). Mix in Mother’s Day and it was celebration overload which means I resisted celebrating any of the things. I did attend the retirement event hosted by my department (but not the one bundled with a College celebration). My son and his longtime girlfriend visited over Mother’s Day weekend so I got quality time with them. I did go out to dinner with my mother and husband for my birthday (even though the rain and a stopped train did interfere with our enjoyment of the view). But I have not had the urge for a big party or event to mark these milestones.
The truth is that the only real milestone celebration I’ve ever had was my wedding. I did hold a writing marathon for my birthday in 2024 with the intent to possibly make it an annual event but as two of the friends who joined me have since died I just don’t have it in me to plan another. But those recent deaths (combined with the death of another friend and colleague) as well as the death of a childhood friend whose loss I think about on so many of my milestones make me feel guilty for not celebrating both my birthday and my retirement with something momentous. What does the reluctance to celebrate milestones say about me?
This cross-stitch picture was made (my mother thinks) for my paternal grandmother by her mother. As I was also a May baby this picture hung in my childhood bedroom and has since hung in every home (although currently not hanging as I need to reframe due to cracked glass). My grandmother died at the age of 65 of cancer (the same thing that prematurely ended the lives of my two friends) which is another sobering reminder (as if I needed one) to live life to the fullest and to savor each milestone. But does it need to be a party? I don’t remember that my grandmother enjoyed big on parties either, but as she died when I was 14 after a long battle with cancer my memory might not be accurate. I know she often hosted family celebrations, but that is not the same thing at all.
I don’t think it needs to be a party. Particularly as neither I nor my husband has an interest in planning (or really attending) such an event. So my current plan (subject to change due to undiagnosed ADHD) is to use this entire summer season as my celebration (to commence once I complete all the miserable adulting paperwork required of retirement) by reconnecting with the folks (spread from sea to shining sea) important to me and prioritizing what makes me happy (primarily reading and writing in community). While I didn’t plant any flowers (in either April or May) I did spend the first part of this year (my practice retirement) planting seeds and learning more about myself and how I want to spend my time in this third act. I am open to ideas for celebrating important milestones!
Reading the USA Challenge
Since my last update about the Reading the USA Challenge was only a few days ago my status remains unchanged. I haven’t completed any more books. I have started Bless Me, Ultima and am enjoying it although I don’t expect I will race through it as there is a lot of heaviness so far. I am continuing my slow read through Almanac of the Dead and I have to say it is a lot weirder than I expected. The library just delivered Rough Beauty so I will begin that soon. This, my friends, is how I end up juggling multiple reads.
May Favorites
Books: Although May was a busy month personally (due to aforementioned milestones) I managed to complete 19 books which is the most since January (which set a standard with 23 I may not beat). The highlights among those May reads included Ivan Doig’s This House of Sky for Reading the USA: Montana and The Will to Change by bell hooks which I read just to challenge myself. However, my favorite May read was Terrier: The Legend of Beka Cooper #1. I have since completed the trilogy and it just hit all the things I love about gritty fantasy. I just love a coming of age/power journey and I do love Tamora Pierce so much! Even folks who don’t care for fantasy might enjoy this read IMHO. See book bracket for my previous favorite reads.
Watches: Again, May was busy but I did manage to watch six movies (mostly to play catch up for my Pantsuit Politics Book and Film Club 2026 Movie Challenge). I also watched Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord and wrapped up House of the Dragon (Season 2). I wrote about my favorite movie of the month in Finding Hope but do want to give Captain America: The Winter Soldier an honorable mention (watched for Doomsday prep not the movie challenge) because I love it so much. See movie bracket for my previous favorite movies and my May Screen Showdown for all my favorite May watches.
Writing: I was able to write with both the Sawstone Poets and Lexington Poetry Gauntlet in May as well as (of course) my Rebel Cartographers: Celebrate Teaching, Life Preservers, Milestones, and Manufactured Intimacy. Of course, June is all about Lexington Poetry Month but that deserves its own post.
I am slowly building a readership, but that may be that I simply am not sure about my audience yet. Please let me know what brings you to Deanna’s Third Act/Space! I’m looking forward to completing my practice retirement and beginning my third act.