Get a hobby -- Really!

Every once in a while I stumble across information that really strikes a nerve with me -- and it happened to me recently while reading the morning paper.

My day started out routinely enough. The wife had made my coffee before hitting the shower and that percolating sound is my cue to get up! No, I'm not a male chauvinist -- actually quite the contrary -- my wife demands her quite time in the early morning hours -- that time is hers alone and she chooses to use it to read the paper (and her comics) her shot of Zen before a hectic day.

And I've learned (the hard way) after 19 years of marriage, that it works out best for me when I respect her respite! Anyway, the sound of the shower is my signal that the coast is clear and my coffee's on.

So I hit the floor salivating in anticipation of the day's first savory hot cup of Java.

There I was, standing in the kitchen, sipping my brew and reading the paper when the shower stopped.

"Did you see the section about us in the morning paper?" was the sound coming down the hall from the bathroom.

"What about us?" - was my response.

"You know, shouted the wife from behind the shower certain, "the special section about growing old!"

Actually it was a special section about Medicare Part D and my wife wanted to make sure that I read the commentary written by a fellow (and newly retired journalist like me) She's a woman with whom I had work with for many years. A journalist whose work I deeply respect.

"Oh, Yea, thanks dear I see it now." And I proceeded to read what she had written.

And the more I read, the more disturbed I became. Her words really resonated with me. So much so, that I actually had to put the article down and take a break.

Eventually I managed to finish her article, but what I had just read really bothered me - so much that I've decided to addresses my concerns as this week's "Tip of the Week".

You see, both my friend and I retired from journalism at about the same time this year. And like me, she suddenly realized that one chapter in her life had abruptly ended and now it was suddenly time to decide what to do with the rest of her time on this earth. Reading (between the lines of) the freelance story she had recently written quickly convinced me that she was in a world of trouble mentally and having a very hard time adjusting to her hard earned and well-deserved retirement.

Both she and I were (and still are) dedicated journalists. You see, journalism isn't a profession, it is a way of life and you must embrace the lifestyle in order function effectively.

The personal level of commitment required of all good Journalists spawns a fierce pride in the quality of the product we produce. Accurate, informative, non-biased - important information - disseminated freely and in a timely manner -- information that is the cornerstone of our democracy.

Now you can understand how "Pride" quickly becomes the source that feeds our perception of self worth. Remove any one of those factors that contribute to our sense of pride and we journalists quickly become lost soles.

Believe me, I am speaking from experience. It happened to me just like its still happening to my friend. Although I experienced personal feelings of worthlessness and depression initially, those feelings decreased over time. Not so, apparently, for my friend. And I'm pretty sure I know part of the reason why.

You see, in my case, I decided to look at my retirement as a golden opportunity for me to finally (and actually) do what I wanted, rather than the bidding of others. And what I decided I wanted to do was incorporate the skills learned from 40 years as a journalist and combine them with my lifelong "hobby" - motorcycles.

Yoila! --BoomerBikerOnline.com. It was really weird. From the moment I decided to build this website, I started to feel better about myself.

So, please take these words of advise seriously - Get a hobby -- Really!

When times get tough, a hobby is something that you can fall back on. It's good for the soul to be interested in something other than work. These days, in a work climate where it's common for big corporations to treat their employees like they own their souls, having a hobby insulates your psyche.

Your skills are what you're selling the boss, your interest -- your hobby is not. And because of that you no longer owe (that part of) your soul to the company store.

So, here's some advise from me to you - (and especially my dear journalist friend). And its the same advise that I took for myself. Search deep within your soul to locate that lost interest you've neglected all those years while you earned a living and supported your family.

And when you find what you are looking for and you Epiphany comes, and it surely will, - that's when its time to apply, all those wonderful professional skills of your former professional life, and use them to re-establish your feelings of self worth, re-invigorate personal pride and elevate your re-discovered hobby to a much higher level.

Respectfully,
Bruce Hosking and the rest of the "Gang" @ BoomerBikerOnline.com
2174 Nursery Road, Suite 110
Clearwater, Fl. 33764
USA
727-729-4270

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