In my constant search in retirement for recognition (maybe for anything but specifically for this blog) and consequently enhanced self-esteem, I continue to look for ways to make my blog more popular. Well, that’s not strictly accurate, what I, in fact, continue to do is to think about looking for ways of making my blog…
Category: Creative Writing
Retirement and 400 up
So retirement. In the words of the old Sandy Denny song – ‘Who knows where the time goes?’ I don’t know where it goes but I know how it goes – quickly. I wrote this recently but, given this is my four hundredth blog after three and, approximately, a half years retired, I’m moved to…
Retired person would like to have his book published
It’s not that long ago that I wrote in this blog about being retired and becoming a writer, yet here I am again writing about the very same ambition. I must be serious. The truth is this ambition rises and falls, mostly falls, depending on any vague sign or portent that crosses my path. I…
In retirement, publish and be damned?
This retirement blog is read each and every time by only one person that I know of and that person, unsurprisingly, is Mrs Summerhouse. She reads each blog as a proof reader and because, I believe, she enjoys them. In fact she has often said, this blog would make a great book. Who am I…
Retirement blogging and tips on blogging in general
Just because a person is retired doesn’t mean s/he can’t keep up to speed with what’s going on in the world, what’s fashionable and what’s successful. So reading this week’s Guardian colour magazine I read the article on the right. This chap had invented an app that offered people the chance to share their lists…
Retirement and a new identity as a writer
I know I’ve written a number of times about the importance of having a sense of your identity when you retire. You stop working and many of us lose the identity we had, the one that often gave us our sense of self-worth or self-esteem. We either feel we lack any kind of identity or…
Retirement blogs ; 300 and counting
I like to write a centennial blog, not surprisingly I get this urge every 100 blogs. I’m a little over the 300 but I’m doing it now. I have to admit that not every one of the 300 is by my own hand, there have been a few guest blogs although nowhere near as many…
Halloween, ghost stories and retirement
I read this article (right) in the paper (The Observer) on Sunday ready for Halloween next week. It was an article about the resurgent popularity of ghost stories. I’ve always enjoyed ghost stories, reading and writing them. I bought a book of Irish ghost stories when we were in Kerry two or three weeks ago and…
In retirement should I publish a newsletter as part of my blog?
I’m not going to write about our daughter’s wedding yet, I need time to reflect and digest so here’s a blog about a more mundane matter. First, I have a confession, I have one small weakness as a human being, this is that I want people to like me. When I worked and with the…
Retirement blog : 200 Up. As Seen on TV
I started writing this blog pretty much at the same time I retired in September, 2013. It was my attempt to continue writing, albeit in a totally different way than that I engaged in when I was working. In the absence of any professional writing which was an aspect of my job I really enjoyed…