I seem to be making a career out of retiring. In 1995, I retired from public school teaching. I then took up full time storytelling. Traveled throughout the Rocky Mtn. West and was beginning to get lots of work. During this point, I began to do some part time teaching at the Community College in Rock Springs, Wyoming where I live, so I came out of retirement. Then I developed a pinched nerve in my back , so the long drives, less than desirable beds in old motels began to drive down my ability and motivation to find storytelling gigs in locations over 500-600 miles from my good solid mattress. I then semi retired from Storytelling. (no gigs more than 2 nights out, chairs at all performances, no performance over 2 hours with at leaset 30 minutes prone time in between performances....) Obviously, that pretty well led to a "dearth" of gigs. So, I took up a new career as a manager of a shopping center and mall in Rock Springs. For 2 years that worked well into my patchwork of other opportunities: adjunct (part-time college professor), some-time (occaisional) storyteller, and once in a while writer. However, as most thingsmust do, the manager thing had to come to an end. New ownership bought the property and changed my image of myself. Since this old dog had just learned these new tricks in management, I wasn't really interested in learning new, new tricks, so I took the stress off everyone and retired again.
So, now I am retired for the 3rd time. But I'm not sure if it really counts. Since I retire from one profession and then go back to it, does it really count as retiring? Let me hear from you by email on your thoughts about retirement. Comments of all sorts are always welcome.
If you can't find an email address, try one of these wyomingteller@msn.com
johnbeach@wyoming.com storytellersrendezvous@msn.com
Love to hear from you,
John Beach
2 comments:
Retirement basically means waiting for someone to come around with another offer that intriques me, but I don't have to jump at the first offer that comes along. It's a pretty good feeling.
JB
It is not possible to retire from storytelling. Every time we open our mouths we are telling stories--regardless if we are paid or not. Retirement may be for a place--like a store--though it cannot mean the act--like managing. Same is applied to storytelling. You may not be traveling to 1,000 miles from home though you are still connected to the act--storytelling.
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