Goodbye, San Jose State

I just put in for separation from my place of work for the last ten years, San Jose State University.  I am done: my hard-earned state of health is too precarious even now, and my doctor does not want me to work.  I still, despite not working, have a relatively good income, enough to keep my home and raise Thistle fairly well.

It is hard to retire for health reasons.  I feel I would have done better with my chemotherapy had I not received multiple, horrible emotional shocks, one after the other, culminating in a metaphorical nuclear blast.  Still, who is to say?  It all sure made me fight harder to stay alive, and all the emotional turmoil is behind me.  I am still sad about it all, particularly my job loss and the loss of someone I cared for so deeply.  I still worry about him (though he certainly can take care of himself quite well, obviously!) and, stupidly, wish I could at least cook some good food for him once in awhile, maybe make some soup and have him pick it up in a Tupperware or something, though I doubt he would want that from me.  As people age, I have seen people start taking care of one another to some degree (as I have said before, I used to think The Hours was such a silly film, until I got into my fifties and realized that its main theme, all these old lovers and friends being kind to each other and helping when they can, is emblematic of the best things that should happen as we become senior citizens).

Well, the good part of this week is that I am getting a "new" car, as long as it checks out okay with the mechanic.  My cute little car, Ananda, a venerable Ford Escort, is feeling its age and is reaching 270,000 miles!!  I want to donate it before it dies forever; perhaps someone can make use of it.  I will be sad to see it go, but am happy to say I will be driving a contemporary yellow Volkswagen Bug!  It was my daughter's car and she has gotten herself a used Prius.  I do a lot of driving every day so hopefully this will be a better car for me.  I will be calling my car Ananda Two, and I have already ordered my bumperstickers.

So, that is good--and perhaps I can still keep my toes in teaching by volunteering at my granddaughter's school.  Frankly, I would rather hear a kindergartner inform me in all seriousness that he rode a whale when he went on vacation, and wore his wetsuit when he did so, than trying to explain the grammar I really don't know very well to a group of indifferent freshmen.  Love them as I do, I still feel that the campus has changed in disturbing ways also, and I no longer feel safe there.

That's the news for today!  Thank you for stopping by.