I hope you have attempted my previous suggestions regarding singing and art, and not abandoned them without a try. But perhaps they do not inspire you to expand your life in retirement. So how about writing? Do you have a secret ambition to be a novelist? Or a poet? Do you enjoy reading what others have written? Why not have a go yourself? It doesn’t matter if what you write never gets published, or even if it is only read by yourself – just the act of writing can be very rewarding.

There are various forms of writing, some of which may have no appeal, others may excite you. Roughly, there are reports, stories and creations. I will cover each category in a separate blog. Let’s start with reports.

The commonest, and probably the easiest, form of writing for the new writer is the memoir – creating a record of your life. Easiest, because all the information is there – as memories in your head, or as photos and other memorabilia. How do I start? I hear you say. You could write notes, or record them on tape or a disc. Don’t worry about getting the sequence right, that can happen later. Just record those funny, lucky, bizarre, successful or tragic events in your life. Don’t worry about the language, the grammar, or the spelling, just get the words down. There will be time to tidy the writing later. The main thing is to immerse yourself in your memories and enjoy the experience.

Not interested? Or perhaps you would rather forget what happened in the past. Then how about being a new journalist? What is happening in your district, city or country? Describe these events. Imagine you are writing for a local paper. Collect opinions and stories from your friends, neighbours and local shopkeepers and write an opinion piece that summarises the range of attitudes. Alternatively, your local school may welcome someone who can write about the activities and achievements of the children. Perhaps compose a brochure as if introducing your town to new arrivals – the clubs and associations, sports activities, parks, galleries, music venues, dining out opportunities and the best ways to make new friends there. Add some photos and contact information. Who knows you may discover opportunities and interests you had previously overlooked! And have you thought about getting involved in local radio?

I hope you have decided to enrich your retirement and learn to sing again (see previous blogs). How about also starting to draw and paint? You will say, of course, that’s out of the question – “I can’t draw a straight line”. Apart from the fact that most lines in Art are not straight, you can make pictures. All it takes is a little imagination. So let’s go!

You will need a few sheets of A4 paper. The reverse side of discards from printing will do. Also a felt pen. Later, some coloured pencils or crayons, or water paints. On a piece of paper, with the felt pen, draw a line that does not reach the edges. Turn the paper a bit – say 45 degrees, then draw another line. It doesn’t matter if the lines are different sizes or cross over. Repeat this process a few more times – move paper and draw etc., until you have 6-8 lines. Move the paper again and draw a small circle anywhere you like. Move again and add 3 or 4 dots. Congratulations, you have made some abstract art!

Hold the paper up to see what you have created, turn it to see which view you like the best. Now is the time for your imagination to work. Half close your eyes. Does it look like a landscape; is there a building in it, or an animal; perhaps a crowd of people with flags or trees in a forest? Or is it still just a random pattern? It doesn’t matter. Use the pencils or crayons to add colour and emphasise parts of your picture and change it towards what you can see in your imagination. Or if it still remains a pattern, increase the thickness of some of the lines and fill in small parts with colour.

Whatever you do, you will have created a piece of art. And there’s plenty more paper for extra attempts. Art is in the eye of the beholder, and if you like what you have done, stick it up on the wall. Whenever you pass it, think what you could have done differently, and if others criticise, give them some paper and challenge them to do better! Who knows, perhaps this will stimulate you to join a life drawing class, or to take a sketchbook into the park or out to the country. It’s time to reveal your hidden artist!

I hope you practiced Mary had a little lamb (see previous post) and are ready to progress. Firstly you need to know, or may already understand, a simple scale, or range of pitches. This is usually written and spelled out as doh, ray, me fa, so, la, tee, doh. And the second doh sounds similar to the first doh, only at a higher pitch.

So let’s start by saying the sounds from doh1 to doh2. Repeat this a few times if you are not familiar with the sounds. Now chant them as if they were a spell or a religious response, and try to keep all the sounds at the same pitch – or in other words, so that doh2 sounds the same as doh1.

No problem? Moving forward, try this. Chant a few times just the first three sounds: doh, ray, me. Then, put more emphasis on the middle one: doh, RAY, me as if you are asking for someone to pay attention to that sound. You will find that the RAY goes up in pitch, while the me returns to the original pitch. Congratulations! You have sung the first part of the scale.

Now add another sound and put even more emphasis on the third one: doh, RAY, ME, RAY, doh. The ME will be at a higher pitch than the two RAYs and you should still return to the original pitch for the doh. Well done!

Using the same approach – adding another sound in the scale each time, emphasizing the middle sound at a higher pitch, the top of each pyramid of sounds, you should be able to work your way up the scale to doh2.

If you are feeling especially clever, you could try working backwards from the top doh:

Doh2, doh, TEE, doh, doh, TEE, LA, TEE, doh Of course, this means using a lower pitch for TEE and a lower one still for LA.

That should be enough for this time. When you can sing up and down a scale you are well on the way to singing. If you have access to a piano or keyboard then you can play the pitches as you sing them. Starting on the white key to the left of two black keys in the middle of the keyboard (pitch C), play and sing the white keys to the right. Using all eight keys you will move from doh1 to doh2.

To reiterate, if you can speak and add emphasis to your speech by changing the pitch and volume, you can sing. Go for it!

So I hope I convinced you in my previous blog that, when you speak, you make sounds with your vocal chords (inside your larynx), that you can control these sounds and also make a sound louder or softer. This is the basis of speech and how we add emphasis and interest to what we say. Singing is really only an extended form of speech. Singing, to non-singers, sounds very different to speech and hence beyond their reach. But the void can be bridged. Think about religious chanting. This is halfway between speech and singing. The words of the psalm or religious text are spoken by the priest or cleric using the same sound and often the congregation reply in a chant. So let’s do something similar!

You probably remember the nursery rhyme Mary had a little lamb… So, using your speaking voice, say the first line. That was no problem was it?

Now repeat the line but keep the sound of all the words the same as the first word: Mary . You are chanting the words. Repeat this a few times to satisfy yourself that you are keeping to the same sound. The musical term for a particular sound is pitch. So all the words in the phrase have the same pitch.

Do you remember the second line? It’s fleece as white as snow… As before, speak the words. Notice how the emphasis has changed to the second word fleece. This time chant the phrase using the same pitch of fleece for the rest of the words. It doesn’t matter what pitch you start on. Repeat several times and check you are using the same pitch for all the words.

The pitch of the words in speech, and in singing, go up and down, and you will recall that you are in control! So this time speak both phrases in sequence: Mary had a little lamb, it’s fleece as white as snow. Now chant the two phrases and use your control to change the second phrase to a higher pitch. Mary had a little lamb change pitch up It’s fleece as white as snow. Well done!

Now we will tackle the whole verse using the same chanting approach. Mary had a little lamb (pitch up) It’s fleece as white as snow (pitch up again) And everywhere that (pitch up again) Mary went (pitch down) the lamb was (pitch down) sure to (pitch down) go! With a bit of luck you will arrive back on the same pitch as you started. You have sung one verse of the nursery rhyme!!! Now practice while trying to make the words and the changes in pitch as smooth as you can. You are on your way to singing!

When you were in school, and most probably when in primary school, were you put off singing? Did someone tell you to stand at the back of the class during assembly or a music lesson because they decided you were ‘tone deaf’? And did that episode put you off singing for life? You are not alone – the population seems to be divided into singers and non-singers. The former join choirs and may even perform solo; the latter are condemned to silence. They miss out on the joy of singing, and all the psychological benefits. Now, in your retirement, it’s time to rediscover your voice, and all the satisfaction that goes with using it to sing.

It would be impossible to play the piano or blow a trumpet if you did not possess the appropriate instrument. But everyone has the singing instrument, the larynx. It is situated at the top of the windpipe under the chin. Inside are the vocal chords which are used to make sounds when we are talking or singing. We all have them. If you put a hand on your larynx and hum or talk, you will feel the vibrations of the vocal chords. You make sounds when you speak.

Moreover, when you speak you control the sounds you make. Think about that. I am sure that you don’t speak in a monotone – remember the daleks? We will eliminate you. When in conversation you change the pitch of your voice (up or down) to add emphasis to your message. You can control your voice and that is what singing is mostly about. More than that, you can make your voice sound louder or softer, which is also an important part of singing.

So you have the singing instrument, you use it to speak, and you use the pitch and volume of your voice to express yourself when in conversation. If you are not convinced try the following:

Say MA Now extend it: MA A A A You have just sung a note!

Now add some emphasis: Turn the MA into a question: MA A A? Note how the end of the word goes up in pitch. Now say it with disgust: MA A A! This time the sound of the word goes down in pitch. Whether you believe it or not, you have the power to control the sound of your voice, and that is what singing is all about. More next time.

There are times in one’s life when a complete change in surroundings and routine is necessary and, I think, desirable. For me, this has become almost normal. Having been born in the UK and worked there for several years in various towns, including a stint doing National Service, then a move to New Zealand, where we lived in two towns, then to Sydney to occupy houses at different times in Mosman, Bondi, Cronulla and now Blackheath, packing up and a change to one’s surroundings seems normal. One of the many benefits of moving regularly is the opportunity to shed all those unnecessary items which one tends to accumulate. Even furnishings become less important and expendable.

The temptation is to stick with the old and familiar – same house, same friends, same routine. Why change, you ask, when you have your life and surroundings under control. Because, as the old saying goes: A change is as good as a rest! Movement to new surroundings demands change in the ways in which you move around, shop, relate to neighbours, exercise, and so on. Change results in different ways of thinking and behaving. Change is a challenge that gets the brain working – solving problems, innovating, reevaluating, and suggesting new ways of living.

Actually, it is not really possible to stay the same forever. Age changes our needs, familiar neighbours are replaced by others, children are born and older children leave home, pet animals are acquired, new businesses start up, transport evolves and new accommodation is built, so that we may stay in the same house but our surroundings change. The danger is in trying to cling to the past, to the familiar, and to the old ways of doing things and behaving towards others. It is possible to keep up with the inevitable changes in society and our surroundings, but it takes effort. So why not make a change in your life? How about learning a language; taking up painting; writing your memoirs – it doesn’t matter if no one reads them, the act of writing will change your thinking? Become a mentor to a disadvantaged youth or join a charity and help others. It is easy to remain an old fuddy duddy, if that is what you want, but much more fun and exciting to initiate and welcome change.

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced many people around the world to stay at home. Some have retained their employment and are working online; too many others have lost their jobs. It’s a lot like retirement! For millions of people life has changed from being fully occupied throughout the day, to trying to occupy one’s brain and body while confined in a small space. And most were completely unprepared for the dramatic change in their lifestyles.

Some have reverted to earlier ways of living and surviving, and are making bread and yoghurt; others have rediscovered the pleasures of gardening and sewing. Books have become more important and it is likely that many will take to writing, perhaps to document these historic times and record their emotions. It also seems possible that there will be a spike in the birthrate nine months from now!

The question is: was that previous frantic lifestyle of commuting, work, childrearing, dining out, gym exercise and so on, really necessary? In life, before retirement and after, it is too easy to get swept up in activities. There is great pressure to be involved, to achieve, make your mark and be admired. For some, retirement becomes even more frantic than being in the workforce.

Time with nothing to do is time to think. What do you value most? What is really worthwhile for you? What would you really like to do that is different from the usual? And if you are socially minded, what could be different and better for us all when it is over? Disasters, like retirement are opportunities for change. It will be easiest to revert back to the old way of living when the pandemic is under control. But is that what you want? When faced with isolation from normal life, as with retirement, it’s a valuable time to start thinking.

 

 

Can you remember what it was like to be an adolescent? Your future life was yet to be shaped; you needed to find a purpose or to define your goals. It was a time of indecision, yet there were promises of excitement and fulfillment. There were a thousand possibilities and many paths to follow. Your friends will have been in a similar quandary and your family keen to help you make decisions. Should you undertake further education? Seek employment immediately? Try out different jobs? You may have even taken an overseas trip to give yourself time to sort out your priorities.

In many ways entering retirement is very similar. A large part of life stretches out ahead and you need to make decisions on how to live it. What will be my new goals; which activities will provide me with a purpose? Will I have an exciting life with the possibility of learning new skills. As before, friends will be in the same state of indecision, approaching the same transition or perhaps already on their new journey. And there will be untold opportunities and plenty of advice. You may even travel overseas to give yourself time to think through your plans.

Think back to when you were teenager. Rediscover that excitement of pondering on your future. Because there are also untold possibilities in retirement- to experience, to learn, to test oneself, to explore one’s capabilities. When you hear of a 90-year old woman gaining a PhD, or of retirees working with refugees, or learning to speak a foreign language, perhaps singing for the first time in their lives, mentoring youngsters, climbing mountains, sailing around the world, or writing their first novels, it is time to consider the unlimited potential in being retired. What did you miss out on in your earlier life? What did you always want to be? But don’t just think about it, do it.

A visit to the doctor these days often involves a blood test. Amazingly, a few cubic centimetres of blood expertly removed from a vein yields a plethora of results. In a only a short time the blood analysis machine analyses your sample and churns out estimates of a long list of qualities, including for example, the density of red blood cells, and how much haemaglobin they contain, and the concentrations of the various types of white blood cells. Then these results can be matched with the ranges of results expected from normal blood. On reading the report your doctor can confirm you are healthy or advise that something may be wrong and a further examination will be necessary.

What is the state of your retirement? Is it healthy or perhaps deficient in some way? No, you don’t need a blood test, and you can examine yourself. The following questions may reveal a need for change.:

1. Are you enjoying life? Or are you bored, lonely or depressed? Do you feel that your life is slipping away and out of your control? In which case it is time to look at inputs and outcomes. What would constitute a meaningful life for you? What do you need to change to improve your situation?

2. How many friends do you have? Not Facebook friends, but real ones, ones you can share a coffee or a meal with, and chat about your needs and experiences. Are there fewer than when you were working? Perhaps the number has declined over the past few years. So what are you going to do about this?

3. How is your physical and mental health? Are you maintaining a good level of fitness? Are you thinking, reading, learning and writing? This is an aspect of retirement where you have to put something in to get something out. More than just maintaining health, we need to challenge ourselves. It is too easy to opt out of activities with the excuse of old age.

4. How much time do you spend on routine and habitual activities? It is too easy to claim the need to clean and tidy, to cut lawns and wash the car, when you could get out and be more innovative and active. Don’t let your possessions possess you. They’ll still be there when you come back.

5. How much are you giving back to your community? You may be privileged in being able to enjoy a long retirement with sufficient funds to cover your living costs. But there are many who are not so lucky. Society offers many opportunities to contribute time and energy to helping the needy, through mentoring, teaching, coaching, supervising, visiting  and advising. Making a difference in someone else’s life can add value to yours.

 

 

 

 

 

I doubt you are any different to me and to many others. In the past, at the beginning of each year, perhaps even on New Year’s Day, we felt inclined to make promises about the year ahead. These resolutions would include more exercise (or just some!), more reading of worthwhile books, less watching of TV and DVDs, joining a book club, helping with a charity, learning another language and so on. However, those worthwhile intentions soon faded as the pressures of work, family and household chores took their toll. All the aspirations were easily overcome by the more pressing demands of everyday life and the need to maintain relationships.

But all that was in your past life. In retirement there is no excuse for giving up on your resolutions. Now, the barriers are easier to overcome, and the goals more important. The aims should be at least fourfold:

1. To keep healthy. This means regular exercise and a sensible diet. Elsewhere I have blogged about the importance of paying attention to maintaining a healthy colon. And, obviously, the avoidance of tobacco and other addictive drugs. A little alcohol is acceptable (for me!)
2. To sustain an active mind. This takes more than completing the daily crossword or puzzle. It needs an active interest in current affairs, the acquisition of new knowledge, regular discussion with friends, using the internet to research interesting issues, and writing stories, memoirs or blogs.
3. To build relationships. As one ages, one tends to lose friends and relatives. Those close colleagues from your work have moved on to deal with their retirements. So it is important to seek new acquaintances. Obviously this may occur as a result of aims 1. and 2., but creating and maintaining links with other people takes planning and effort.
4. To keep learning. The human brain is capable of developing at any age. I was inspired to read about the woman who gained a PhD when she was 90.

There are plenty of other resolutions you can think of. But now you are retired, don’t just wish them into existence, get out there and achieve your goals.