Welcome Readers

This is something new for me…a blog.  Semi-retired. What does that even mean? For me it means I am only working two days a week. I love the sound of that. Having five days off a week, I get to live the life I want on those days. Well, the life that I can afford at least. That’s why it is not titled A Retired Kind of Life.

So, who am I? My name is Dennis. I am 65, soon to be 66,  years old. I have worked non-stop for fifty years! Oh, you know what I mean. Here is a partial list of jobs I have had in those fifty years: greenhouse worker, retail associate, grocery shelf stocker, chemical plant operator, lab technician, process engineering technician, HR representative, sexual abuse counselor, sex offender counselor, and Licensed Professional Counselor in a private practice (which I continue to do two days a week).  So will this blog be about work? Yes, but not just work. I have learned so much about life, through jobs that I have had, how could I not share  lessons learned?

On the personal side, much like on my professional side, my life has also been anything but routine.  I have been married…..let’s just say more than once.  I am currently happily divorced. I have three children, one of which is my first child who died at seventeen from complications of leukemia. This was in 1989. My two living children are 43 and 15. Yes, there is a story there.  I, myself, am the baby of my family. When I was born my siblings were 18, 16, 14, and 12. Yes, I am an oops baby. But just wait until you hear the story behind that!

I enjoy reading, writing, hiking, camping, and kayaking.  I am an introvert. Very much an introvert. I like to explore new areas, but am not a fan of air travel. I am a romantic. I love sad movies, coming of age books, and silly love songs…and what’s wrong with that.

My politics are left of center. Well, okay, very left of center. But I promise this blog will not be filled with political rants. Unless, of course that f**king horrible person that is now in the oval office gets even worse. Sorry, I digress.

Finally, I hope this blog will be interesting, informative, and that it will make you take a closer look at your own life. I think it will be at times funny, at times serious, but always written with love and respect for you , my readers.  My intent is to write five days a week. The other two days I will be working because I am SEMI-retired.