Odd Thoughts, by Bob Groeneveld
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Hey, it鈥檚 been a slice!
But like Crosby, Stills & Nash told me and the rest of the world at Woodstock, I鈥檝e got to get myself back to the garden.
No, I don鈥檛 remember being at Woodstock鈥� but apparently, that means I probably was there.
Anyway, now I鈥檓 definitely here.
And as of today, 鈥渉ere鈥� is back in my garden.
I re-retired yesterday.
Technically, I haven鈥檛 been fully retired these past few years.
After I pulled the plug four years ago, I continued to write these love letters to the readers and community that gave me such a great working life as a reporter, photographer, and editor for nearly 40 years. And I hope to continue writing them for as long as the powers that be can spare the space to print them.
But between my Odd Thoughts and an occasional freelance piece here and there, I figure I was only about 98.6 degrees retired.
Then, a few months back, some people smartened up, realized what they had been missing, and asked me 鈥� I鈥檓 too modest to suggest that they begged me 鈥� to come back.
I鈥檝e been filling in for a reporter who has been having the fight of her life鈥� quite literally.
And I have to admit to feeling a bit of guilt over the fact that I鈥檝e been having the time of my life because of the travails that she has been dealing with.
Nevertheless, it has been exciting to get back into the traces, re-establishing old contacts and making a few new ones.
You don鈥檛 know what it鈥檚 like to get the adrenaline rush of jumping on breaking news, or the warm feeling you get from telling the story of a good person who has done good things, or sharing the triumph of a worthy person鈥檚 achievements 鈥� unless you鈥檝e been there and done that.
Some people will claim that it鈥檚 just an expression, but printer鈥檚 ink really does get into your veins.
And for some of us, it鈥檚 kind of like heroin.
It鈥檚 astounding how the changing world has changed the game that I thought I knew so well. I鈥檝e been feeling like a rookie again 鈥� with all the excitement of learning new stuff and exploring new possibilities.
If I was happy to relive my past these three months or so, I鈥檓 even happier to get back to my garden鈥� because it means a reporter whom I鈥檝e known for many years 鈥� one of the Truly Good People 鈥� wants her desk back.
But over the past few years, I鈥檝e also grown accustomed to the slower pace of writing at home, where I can do battle with a writer鈥檚 block in my garden.
Or I can reach down and scratch Sam鈥檚 ear, or look out to see what Pippin is digging at, or pick up my guitar and try to pick out a few new notes.
Or I can walk down to Donna鈥檚 studio and give her a hug.
Any time I feel like it.
Anyone who says retirement is overrated really has to get back to the garden.
