Changes are afoot here at the Zeddary (the spelling is optional, I like to ring the changes). Have a look at the Sage's website and you'll see what I mean.
This is part of what has been behind my intention to retire as a governor, but I'm thinking again. We've had a few straightforward talks recently, and I have been thinking things through.
What I'm good at, you see, is problem-solving, putting together what I know from various places and coming up with ideas. Give me something to work with and I can see it from different angles and sometimes the comments I make are surprisingly helpful. Not having enough to stimulate me will bore me silly. I've no particular skill or overriding hobby, and taking up something for the sake of filling my time is a pretty dreadful thought. I'm practical and I love to have a go, but I'm not artistic, I'm not a writer or a musician (much as I love art, books and music), nor am I especially skilled with my hands, though I'm pretty practical. Looking after the house and garden, eating out and social small talk, taking up a hobby, are fine for when I'm much older than I am now, but that sort of retirement will just not do for now.
Natural inclinations that are better overriden are introspection, an inclination to melancholy (not depression) and solitude, a readiness to be lazy. What I'd rather encourage in myself are enthusiasm, readiness to pitch in and work hard, a real love of people. I'm very patient but I'm also easily bored. I'm good at involving myself in a range of activities because I'm able to compartmentalise, dismiss one thing entirely from my mind temporarily to concentrate wholly on the matter in hand.
There's not going to be any great changes in the Sage's life, just a lifting of some of the work that he and I both do and which is becoming a burden. He has plenty to occupy his time and if he wants us to do anything together we will. But it'll be his choice of activity for the most part, he's either very interested in something or he isn't, there is no middle way. I'll take an interest in pretty well anything, but not necessarily in any great depth. He had been very reluctant to say he'd give up auctioneering, but once the decision was made (and Weeza and I both pushed for it) he realised it was the right one and he's looking forward to the freedom. He's already become rather less active at home, it's me who has taken on much of the heavier work in house and garden that we used to do together or he did.
In short, I'm still going to work on finding someone to take over from me as chairman of governors, but I'm going to relax about the timescale. There's a lot of work to do and there will be an even greater spread to come, so I need to relinquish a couple of the things I do now, to give me scope. It'll be stimulating, whether or not it's always enjoyable. I think I'll know the time to give up, and it'll be when I've got a successor and everything's going well. Because when there are problems to solve, that's not the time to quit, not if I can be useful.
This is part of what has been behind my intention to retire as a governor, but I'm thinking again. We've had a few straightforward talks recently, and I have been thinking things through.
What I'm good at, you see, is problem-solving, putting together what I know from various places and coming up with ideas. Give me something to work with and I can see it from different angles and sometimes the comments I make are surprisingly helpful. Not having enough to stimulate me will bore me silly. I've no particular skill or overriding hobby, and taking up something for the sake of filling my time is a pretty dreadful thought. I'm practical and I love to have a go, but I'm not artistic, I'm not a writer or a musician (much as I love art, books and music), nor am I especially skilled with my hands, though I'm pretty practical. Looking after the house and garden, eating out and social small talk, taking up a hobby, are fine for when I'm much older than I am now, but that sort of retirement will just not do for now.
Natural inclinations that are better overriden are introspection, an inclination to melancholy (not depression) and solitude, a readiness to be lazy. What I'd rather encourage in myself are enthusiasm, readiness to pitch in and work hard, a real love of people. I'm very patient but I'm also easily bored. I'm good at involving myself in a range of activities because I'm able to compartmentalise, dismiss one thing entirely from my mind temporarily to concentrate wholly on the matter in hand.
There's not going to be any great changes in the Sage's life, just a lifting of some of the work that he and I both do and which is becoming a burden. He has plenty to occupy his time and if he wants us to do anything together we will. But it'll be his choice of activity for the most part, he's either very interested in something or he isn't, there is no middle way. I'll take an interest in pretty well anything, but not necessarily in any great depth. He had been very reluctant to say he'd give up auctioneering, but once the decision was made (and Weeza and I both pushed for it) he realised it was the right one and he's looking forward to the freedom. He's already become rather less active at home, it's me who has taken on much of the heavier work in house and garden that we used to do together or he did.
In short, I'm still going to work on finding someone to take over from me as chairman of governors, but I'm going to relax about the timescale. There's a lot of work to do and there will be an even greater spread to come, so I need to relinquish a couple of the things I do now, to give me scope. It'll be stimulating, whether or not it's always enjoyable. I think I'll know the time to give up, and it'll be when I've got a successor and everything's going well. Because when there are problems to solve, that's not the time to quit, not if I can be useful.
9 comments:
Good, I'm glad the Sage is quitting while he's still ahead, and I'm sure he'll find plenty to fill his time without the pressure. And I think you're right to carry on with what you're good at. You'll know when the time is right to quit. Best wishes to you both, and a long and happy retirement together.
Well done for getting to this point.
Long may your decluttering of objets and commitments continue.
That sounds well reasoned, so I'm sure you're both right. We both wish Russell a happy (and long) retirement. I'm sure he'll find plenty to do.
Warm regards to you both,
Mike and Ann.
Yes! Turning up discretionary time must be a good thing. It's a tricky balancing act between commitment and enjoyment but I'm sure you can manage it.
it was a difficult decision for him, after more than 50 years as an auctioneer and while the sales are so successful, but it's not good for his health. Our temperaments are very different, he assumes everything will be fine while I foresee the problems (and scheme around them as far as possible) but we'll see.
Thanks, loves.
That's some achievement, over 50 years. Having read your blog in a fairly short space of time I could feel the stress increasing as each auction came up, though. You are a busy person with quite a strong basic routine to your life, and the auction sort of waded into your life and caused chaos for a few days and then left you shattered afterwards.
A decisive point.
My best wishes for both of you.
Problem-solving is a very valuable skill and one a lot of organisations could do with, I'm sure. Are there other organisations that could benefit from it?
Nick, I've been involved with various organisations over the years and I'm trying to extricate myself from most of them.
Jane, that's interesting - certainly, I've found it more tiring and stressful in the past few years.
Thanks everyone.
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