I am... an aspiring bookbinder

(Lia's first notebook)

So, my dear friend Christine heard from a friend about a bookbinder who offers courses on bookbinding. Did I want to take a course with her? Sounded like fun, so I said yes, but I did not have any idea what it was going to be like.

Instead of spending the weekend with a group of elderly housewives in a trite community center trying to make small talk, all the while struggling to adhere to the simplest of instructions... 

Christine and I spent a magical few days with Silke, the bookbinder, working in her studio at the side of her house. She was so calm and excited at the same time and told us endless stories about the world of bookbinding. All the while, she gently walked us through the process of making our own notebooks. We couldn't help but become more and more entranced by the art of bookbinding. Now, this is a hobby I would love to do. 

We're starting slow. We've booked another few days in August. I'd like to do some sort of visual overview, a mix of photos, text, and drawings. Let's see if that happens. 

In the meantime, I am looking at all of Ido Agassi's Skillshare videos. Here are a few videos for you to get a taste of how wonderful his work is. 

I'm hooked! 

Last weekend as an employee

This is very weird
There is no more need to sleep in
Every day is same.  

#lifehacks: icecubes

Icecubes that are not made of water are a really good way to cool things down quickly.

• Carrot juice - a little carrot juice is good for babies because of the added vitamins. By placing a carrot juice ice cube in a hot bottle, you can cool it down quickly to the right temperature.

• Ginger shots and freshly squeezed lemon juice - add to boiling water and instantly have ginger lemon tea in the morning.

• Vegetable broth - add to a hot bowl of soup to cool down quickly

• Smoothie - instant mini popsicle 

The wonderful thing about ice cubes made with other things is that you only have to do it once, and they last a long time. 

#lifehacks: plane travel

Before I start, please look at videos about how to pack your luggage, how to get good deals, and how to spend your flying miles. There are so many good channels out there that deal with such matters marvellously.

This post is for older people travelling by plane long distances. I will mention a few tips in random order.

• Arrive at the airport at least three to four hours early because the problem isn't checking in but how many millions of passengers are waiting to get through security.
  
  If fast lane security is possible, buy it, but even these lanes are not full-proof.
  
  
• Use the extra time you have before the flight in a lounge. The prices for these lounges can be very steep, depending on the airport, but you have to minimize your stress before going on a flight. Having fewer people around you and less noise is always good. 
  
  
• If you have checked-in your luggage, carry at least two days' worth of clothes. Two swimsuits are a must if you are going anywhere warm.
  
  
• This next tip is for anyone who is short. After passing through security, I transfer all of my electronics and purse into my carry-on luggage. Then, I put clothes into my small backpack, place the backpack under the seat in front, and pull it out later on and use it as a footrest. For some reason, having my legs raised helps me get into a relaxed/sleep state during long flights Especially, if I can turn a bit on my side.
  
  
• I wear silicon earplugs with noise-cancelling headphones. Reducing the amount of noise during the flight is one of the game changers for arriving in good shape.
  
  Obviously, if you can sleep that would be wonderful, but I cannot. So quiet is almost as good.
  
  
• I order a special meal. This usually arrives first. So I can eat, close my eyes, and pretend to sleep while the whole process goes on with everyone else.
  
  (The engineer in me makes it hard to look at the flight crew serving drinks and food because they so often do it without any love, as if feeding cattle, and some of them are so inefficient.)
  
  
• I drink a lot the day before a trip, not so much on the day I travel, and then drink a lot on the day after I arrive. Maybe this goes against common practices, but it usually means that I do not have to go to the toilet so often during the trip.
  
  
• I eat before going on the plane. Sometimes, the airline food can be very poor quality, so it is better to wait to eat until after arrival.
  
  
• I have a small spray bottle of water that I spray my face with every 30 minutes or so. If you breathe in while spraying, you moisturize your nasal passages. This reduces the damage dry air does and, therefore, potentially reduces the chance of catching airborne illnesses.
  
  
• After sitting down, I wipe down my seat and the table in front of me with disinfectant. Someone who knows their stuff told me that the air is actually very clean; it is the surfaces that are not.
  
  I carry a package of wipes, as well as one small container of liquid disinfectant. I have a second small container in my check-in luggage for the trip back.
  
  
• At the beginning of the flight, I go to one of the toilets near my seat. I always wipe down the toilet seat before using it. I also wipe down the sink and surfaces around the sink with paper towels before I leave the toilet, which means all surfaces are dry. Each time I leave the toilet, it looks like it was not used. I continue to use only this one toilet throughout the flight.
  
  I do not have any scientific data, but my experience is that people are less likely to leave a mess behind in a clean toilet than they are if it is already messy when they come in.
  
  
• Finally, I leave my seat as orderly as possible. I put the blanket and pillow on the seat. I bring a bag to put my garbage in and place everything there. I also wipe down the surfaces for the next passenger.   

Perks of my job

Perhaps I have mentioned this before… maybe numerous times, but one of the perks of my job is being able to travel and stay in nice hotels. Something that was unthought of when I was a child. I vaguely remember staying at a motel maybe once or twice on the way to visit friends. Yet, maybe it is only my imagination. 

The years of working as a trainer allowed me to travel and to stay in mom and pop B&Bs or something along the lines of trucker motels. These places have their charms because there is always something about the decor and amenities which are shared no matter where the place is located. The morning rooms are always filled with people from all sorts of walks of life. I love sitting there over a long breakfast and make up stories of their lives.

With my current company, for the first time, I have been able to stay in luxury hotels. Or at least what I call luxury. Places where the staff is usually separated into the managers who have been working at the hotel for possibly decades and the new young eager employees who are using this stint as a springboard. No matter the size of the hotel or where it is situated, this younger set of employees are often coming from every corner of the world.

Generally, I find it far more interesting to observe the employees and how they do their jobs and how they work together than I do looking at hotel guests. For as is the case for most service jobs, they often forget there are other people in the room and behave naturally. At the moment there are two women working the reception desk for Sunday morning check out. They probably started hours ago. There are no guests checking out at the moment, so one of the women is do a funny calisthenics routine to get her energy back, while the other looks on laughing. A guest arrives and, pink-cheeked, she reverts back to her role. Good for her!

My mind in a daze

I read Beloved
And the Book of Night Women
Such haunting stories.

Evidence that spring is coming

Bleak grey rainy day
Broken by an explosion
Magnolia blooms.

I am... an avid reader (2/4)

Pat had a gift of knowing which book or author matched the stirrings of a person's heart and brain. She read a book a day, many of which she gifted forward. 

The books on my living room bookshelves are a testament to her influence. Those books have stood the test of time. I have read most of them numerous times, some countless times. They are my constant companions, each forming my imagination into what it is today.

There are those who console, excite, or even hammer upon what I believe to be true. Once exposed to their teaching, I can only be changed. These books are not just stories; instead, they act as alchemy, transforming my dulled and mundane thoughts into ones of wonder. 

For this, I am forever grateful to Pat.

I am (still) a... businesswoman

One of the most delightful parts of my job is travelling and working with colleagues all over the world. Today, for example, I had to choose between going to Mallorca to participate in a three-day global event or to Copenhagen for ten days to do a proper handover with Anna. Even though it should not have been much of a choice weather-wise, I decided on Copenhagen for the people and the pleasures of enjoying this fabulous city one last time as a businesswoman and not a tourist.

(Note: the hotel I am staying at is on the harbourfront. What a luxury.)

Photo by Rolands Varsbergs on Unsplash

Neighbourly civility

Early morning walk

Village elders walking dogs 

Everyone nods once.

Time away

It's cold outside, but I leave the door open to let in birdsong and sun rays, so they may keep me company. I'm staying on a houseboat only ten kilometres away from home. It could easily be a thousand for only water, sky, and woodlands surround the boat.

The storm winds of yesterday have calmed. Small waves slap joyfully on the sides; occasionally, they make a gulping sound as if coming up for breath. The sun creates a bright surface of silver pennies. Or, at least I think they are called such. In any case, it is hard to keep my eyes from wandering over in their direction, even though their brightness glares.

Across the bay, a buoy stands straight as a soldier, silent to any whining wind. Finally, a canvas of clouds rolls overhead. Bringing so much drama in greys to my loneliness.

I am... an avid reader (1/2)

Books. Books. Books. My best friends.

 
Reading was a way to escape during my childhood. I'd spend hours in my room, letting my imagination explore other worlds. The best part was finding friends in faraway places who lived lives of such adventure that it made my heart beat quickly. This was where I wanted to be. These places were where I felt most at home.

Every week, we would go to three libraries and take out the maximum number of books. It was a thrill to bring back new books and put them in a pile next to my bed. Anticipation (Vorfreude) distracted me to an extreme; I yearned to start right away. The stories were all waiting for me to open the covers of the books and let them come into existence. A thrill I experience to this day.

I am... nearly retired

Another month of working and being retired at the same time. Last August I officially retired, but unofficially, I continued to work. 

The only real perk of this was having two incomes. Yet, once I go to the tax advisor, I will undoubtedly see how much I have to pay in back taxes, and this will make me wonder whether the stress of the last year has been worth it. Even though I love my job, even though I love my team, I have had to work more than I wished to and under unfavourable circumstances. I am kaputt.

What I am questioning now is to what extent my strategy for retiring was just plain wrong. Since I did not want to turn the switch from "working" to "retired", I started various other activities on the side. These activities and projects have brought much joy and a sense of purpose, but they also need much attention.

I am experimenting a bit with the Boca project to see if I can be involved in projects without having to be the motor pushing everything through. There is a good group of people working on the project. It will remain to be seen, how much work they can do on their own and how much will come back to me.

Now I can finally focus on the Talkshow Rivals project, which I have worked on in spurts. There is also the project with Nicola, creating e-learning content that is also promising. And then there are those I am coaching. 

At this point in time, it is a question of what "nearly retired" could mean. Is this going to be a steady state, or will I step completely aside?

Happiness bubbling up from inside

It is warm enough
To find a quiet corner
With the sun, my friend.

Early morning insipidity

I am loss for words
Wanting to write today's poem
My mind is empty.

What art can be

 

The story is sublime. The characters/persons are both raw and refined. The mystery is how such a film could be made.

Broken feedback loop

Deep down exhaustion
Six months of non-stop pressure
Too old for this shit.

A surprise while doing my early morning walk

Swans building their nest
A mesh of leaves and branches
Their hidden secret.  

Farewell to the company

Yesterday was the last of the workshops I facilitated for the company I worked for for the last six years. Over the last 40 years or so, I have had the joy of facilitating learning and development at numerous companies, training (I guess) thousands of participants on a veryvery wide range of topics. Now, I am going into retirement. Halleluja!

Many of the participants from this last workshop came over to say a special thank you. Some I have worked with closely over the last six years. For others, it was their first time doing leadership training with me, and yet they were delighted and grateful for my facilitation. I tried very hard to "stay in the moment" and to accept their compliments and hugs (so many hugs) with grace. 

(Letting in praise and opening my heart to others has been a long inner journey. It took me over 60 years to believe in and value praise. So, for all of you reading this, learn to do this. It is invaluable to making connections with those around you.) 

I will still work as a coach, facilitator and consultant, but I will be able to choose my contracts. Fortunately, I already have two or three contracts on the list, not enough to be alarming, but certainly those I am very much looking forward to doing. This is a soft entry into retirement. 

Farewell to winter

Buds, beautiful buds
Outside my window, they're born
My heart is aglow. 

Photo by Theo Onic on Unsplash