beachbum72's profile

High School Name: St. James High School, Ferndale, Michigan, lived a three (long) years in Pevely, Mo.(zzzzzzzz - oh excuse me); living in Chicago, Ill was like coming home, must be a mid-west thing. San Francisco; Boston; New York; Miami; Daytona; Orlando; St. Louis; Washington, DC; Winter Park, Co; Phoenix, Flagstaff, Durango; Las Vegas; Aruba, Jamaica;Turks and Caicos, PacNW, New Orleans. Attended: Oakland County Community College off and on while working full time, raising two kids. My education continues in Real Time. Every day is a learning experience. Occupation(s) Mainly office work. Although I did work with one of the big 3 automotive companies as a Trip/Travel/Fleet coordinator that required me to travel on road trips to every border of this beautiful country. That was my favorite over a 40+ year career span. (Well....the cold climates...not so much!) Colorado, mainly the Rocky Mountains, own a piece of my heart, as does Death Valley, and any wide open beach not surrounded by high-rise hotels; plus the North-East Coast is fabulous in the fall.

Starting over....how hard can that be?

 I'm starting a whole new chapter in my life...finding my new normal since I became a widow in the fall of 2004.  I've learned not to push toward my destination; but to let it pull me in and coast on the power of mutual attraction.

I'm a very earthy individual, quick witted, and more than a little nuts. I can laugh at myself, and in that arena I have plenty of material. I love to grow flowers, but prefer to buy my veggies. Kayaking 25 to 30 miles a day is but a short cruise for my friends and I. Thinking about cooking classes. I have yet to figure out how to cook for one person. I'm fine cooking 20, but for one...not so much. Also looking forward to reaquaint myself with painting, and (oh Lord!!!) learning how to throw a pot on a wheel...look out!! I'll be the one covered with clay.

I've decided that the "relationship field" needs to be expanded to include this choice "Friends first, then...?"Until my next update....I'll be the one peaking around the corner to see what's coming next......

 

 

Hiking, Birding, Kayaking (big time), walking the beach, corresponding with friends, yoga, weight lifting, gardening, and bicycling, traveling cross country with friends, and of course, chasing the warmer weather in the winter.

What can I sing loudly too? HMMMM? My musical tastes are all over the map. I'm really into Blues and Jazz. Prefer acoustic to electronic. Like Blue Grass, some C/W. My Rock jukebox shows what I'm listening too right now. But that will change. Sometimes high energy, sometimes layed back. Hang around, see what's coming next. Oh and anything by Michael McDonald...sounds like someone I've known for a long long time.

Don't watch in the summer. But in the gray days of a Michigan winter: Men in Trees, Scrubs, CSI (any version), Numbers, History Channel (Digging for the Truth), reruns of Fraiser, and Gilmore Girls, Red Green Show, Psyche , CNN, my new favorite is Burn Notice and of course The Weather Channel LOL

Apollo 13 (my all time favorite), Pirates of the Caribbean (1st); Chocolat; Don Juan DeMarco (see a pattern here)

"When asked if she would join in a march against the war, Mother Theresa said.." I will never march against the war. When you have a march for peace, I will be there." "In omnia paratus - Prepared for all things"; "If you want to change your life, then you have to change your life"; "What freedoms I have that I can author my own destiny"….Irshad Manji; "Life is in the journey; not the destination"; "Owning your burdens is half the battle"….JD/Scrubs; "Every relationship is a big honkin' leap of faith"...Rory Gilmore; "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take; but by the number of moments that take our breath away."

My best friend Kay; my kayaking partner, Myrna; my confidant Angie; my real heroes who just happen to be my children Sarah and Aaron

Ludington, Mi; Monsoons over Death Valley; being humbled by the Rocky Mountains; the earthy scents of the North Eastern Seaboard (anywhere, eh!), Key West; Sunrises and Sunsets; Electrical storms anywhere, the badlands, The old lighthouse on the beach in Ludington; Kayaking the Pere Marquette River; and oddly enough, Glendale, Ca....maybe it was the company, Ya think!

I am privileged to rent a room from my cat, Ms. Priss. Occasionally my grand cats Maddy, Princess and Henry show up for me to kitty sit. There is small herd of deer in my yard that are eating my gardens. Raccoons that lounge on my deck and walk through my house; and the squirrels that throw pine cones at me, are but transients adding to my grocery bill. Oh yeah, and occasionally a demented skunk shows up! Michigan out of Doors