Time for a Change

Multi-tasker Extraordinaire 

Professional boxer and entrepreneur, George Foreman challenges people to think differently about retirement:   “I don't even think about a retirement program because I'm working for the Lord, for the Almighty. And even thought the Lord's pay isn't very high, his retirement program is, you might say, out of this world.” (Brainy Quotes)

On April 13, 2001 I began working alongside Charles in our company Consulting Aviation Services. My duties required me to learn new computer and accounting skills as well as relearn administrative skills that had grown rusty.  Others in our peer group were planning their retirement as Charles and I were planning to kick-start new careers. The path that we chose has had its share of challenges and rewards, but the future potential is positive.  I am thankful that my health was restored by a liver transplant in 1998, and I have been able to make a contribution to the company. 

A sign over my office desk reads:

Do you want to talk to the man in charge, or to the woman who knows what’s going on?

That describes our working relationship. With me in charge of the administrative side of the company, Charles has been able to concentrate on the engineering and technical side. It worked well for us through the years as we supported our joint venture.

After almost eighteen years of part-time work, my last day as a paid employee will be August 31, 2018. Most of my duties have been assumed by our capable Accountant/Administrator, Erin Moss.  Our investors carry out most of the day by day operations of the company, so Charles role is changing as well. 

In the last year, deferred projects have been piling up in my home office.  There is still much to do on Charles’ book—a memoir called Chasing a Whirlwind.  I have put off the less than desirable tasks of sorting closets and dealing with personal photos and paperwork.  A commitment to chair a committee at church and involvement with my writing groups will get me out of the house and involved with others.  More time for exercise and personal spiritual growth is also on my agenda.

In September we will celebrate our successful flight test and my retirement with a long-planned trip to France and a Viking River Cruise to the beaches of Normandy. With the 75^th anniversary of the Normandy invasion scheduled for June 2019, we wanted to beat the crowds and see where history was made.

The next time I blog, I will update you on our much anticipated trip.

Fuzzy Wuzzy is a Bear

A tongue-tangling nursery rhyme goes like this:

Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear

Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair,

So Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t Fuzzy

Wuzzy he?

I learned a lot about Fuzzy Wuzzy this past weekend at the Atlanta Christian Writers’ Retreat sponsored by Word Weavers International.  Fuzzy Wuzzy is a bear that I must tame in order to write the kind of book that all of you will want to read.

The marathon retreat weekend provided me and other local writers a great opportunity to improve our craft. I participated in a non-fiction critique group with five other writers.  The Word Weavers rules kept all of us focused and productive.  Nobody likes to have their writing subjected to the opinion of others, but in the end, you produce a much better piece.  Each one brought 2500 properly formatted words.

The guidelines require that each work be read out loud. During the reading and critique, the author of the material must remain silent. Each person who critiques must say something positive about the writing up front, before offering suggestions on structure, grammar, tense, and other elements of good writing.  Another encouraging comment is given at the end, before the next person critiques.

 

I brought two chapters for critique from Charles’ upcoming memoir, Chasing a Whirlwind. It frustrated me to repeatedly hear that many of my paragraphs and sentences were fuzzy and that I was way too wuzzy.  In other words, I need to clean up my act.  Move some paragraphs, reword some sentences, clarify this technical term, and stop using the word “was.” I only used it 88 times! The critiquers definitely had a point. It is a big challenge for me to write a memoir without using past tense.

When it was my turn to critique, I provided some of same advice for my fellow non-fiction writers.  I really enjoyed critiquing their poetry, devotions, articles, and blog posts.  Not only did we all improve our writing during the weekend, but we practiced some important Christian virtues.

Kindness: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”  Ephesians 4:32

Patience: “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.” Ecclesiastes 7:8 

Honesty: “Teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth, so that you bring back truthful reports to those you serve.”  Proverbs 22:21

Stillness: “Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong.” Job 6:24

Humility: “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled.” Matthew 23:2

Yes, I learned a lot:

How to improve my writing,

How to accept criticism,

How to gently speak truth.