Comments on: Repurposing

By: Peter Marmorek

Peter Marmorek — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:30:00 +0000

A powerful and moving response: thank you for sharing it (and for the link to your website and writing.)

Early retirement packages: it’s a tragic contrast between our two countries, and I’m sorry to read the painful truth you speak. In Canada, we’re on COLA, (cost of living adjustment) so every two months my pension gets a raise if the cost of living goes up. And I don’t budget health costs either. Work is there, and I do it, but it is a choice I choose to make, not a requirement I have to meet.

It’s credited to Mark Twain, (who’d probably be surprised at all the clever things he said that he hadn’t known he said) and it’s a sad truth: Expecting life to treat you fairly because you’re a good person is like expecting the bull not to charge you because you’re a vegetarian.

Thanks for the comments: I look forward to reading more of your work. (I like challenging novels)

peter

By: Gwendoline Y. Fortune

Gwendoline Y. Fortune — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:02:39 +0000

I, too, find this essay a reflection of my experience and feelings. The significant difference in what I do now and what I did for thirty-one years is that I receive minuscule compensation ( a retirement check) for the time, energy, effort, dedication and work that I expend eighteen hours per day, nearly identical to the “working years.”

I am at the computer often before 8 AM, surveying, reading, thinking, responding, writing–teaching! I am active in community organizations, local to international. I write for publication but stay close to home because I can not afford to travel.

Preparing for my third novel’s publication in a few weeks, due to the downturn in publishing, I pay for all marketing. I have earned no profit from two published, accurate, historical novels, a poetry chapbook and invited academic academic papers–for which I paid to attend. Now, there are no faculty privileges. Because of the cost, I have stopped seeking such presentations: writing proposals, the research, composing, preparation, travel, accommodations, presentation expenses. I could have taught longer but accepted the inticing early retirement package. My error.

The compensation that portended to be adequate when I “retired” is inadequate in today’s hyper-inflation, qua deflation. The family house bought in 1964 for about $78,000 was valued at more than $300,00 before the current economic downfall–yes, downfall. Divorced, now, the house I have is valued at considerably less than I contracted in 2006.

I enjoy my relative freedom and time. I, too, resent having the energy and work I continue to expend being discounted, because I am my own time-keeper rather than an institution. I would like to afford an energy efficient automobile–and a vacation. Work calls each morning as it has every day of my life.

I am NOT retired. That will occur when I am no longer mobile in mind and body.

By: Joan Mistretta

Joan Mistretta — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 19:06:09 +0000

First, a comment. I loved this piece and, as a “retired” and very active person am beginning to understand how that label (like almost any label) can carry with it implications which are not descriptive of the person being labelled. I have had another thing said to me recently which also gave me pause. I am a substance abuse counselor and, unlike Peter, do enjoy working per diem at my old job. I do this a couple of days a week and someone recently said to me “then you are not really retired.” “Okay” I thought “But what I do is nothing like having the responsibilities of a ‘real job.’” Do I need to say that I am semi-retired? I feel too free for that.

Second, could I have some information about the on-line creative writing course? I have had some poetry published over the years and have written some short pieces which I have never sent out. I’m not doing any writing now, for some reason, and wonder if being enrolled in a course might prime the pump again.

You have my email address.

Joan Mistretta