December 30, 2016 – The year is coming to a close.

          This has been an eventful year for me.  I tossed in the St. John Title entrepreneur towel officially last December 31, 2015, so in 2016 I was no longer “technically” considered an Entrepreneur.  But, I don’t believe I will ever lose that entrepreneurial spirit.  I may not be a CEO of my own company, but I am still the CEO of my life.

          I had my first anniversary as a working bartender in August of this year.  That was a private milestone.  Another notch in the belt of occupations that have helped me keep the electric lights on and pay insurance and put food on the table.  It is interesting work, and can be hard work.  [There is a lot more than mixing martini’s, let me tell you.] The best part of the job is chatting with clients or patrons.  [The worst part of the job, you can’t drink while bartending.  I have to wait until I get home to have a nice cocktail.]

 I have a female bartending joke – which I find amusing – I hope it gives you a smile as well.

          A best friend drops in for a visit one evening:

       Where is your husband tonight?” The friend asks.

       “He’s with the other woman.” The wife answers flatly.

        Shocked the friend asks, “Having an affair?”

       “No, that’s what I call his bartender. She sees him just as much as I do.”

2016 in a nutshell.

          This year I started my blog – which you are now reading and I have actually kept up with a daily essay or something of interest.  I’ve screwed up a couple of times, not scheduled it for the right day, or left it in draft form instead of “publish” form.   I must admit – I do enjoy that split second moment when I click on the “PUBLISH” button.  Then it is gone out into the world – out to you.

          I thank all of you for hanging in there – especially my dear friends.  I do hope I have been fair with portraying you in my memory of poignant or funny circumstances.  And, please, do not hesitate to remind me of something you remember as funny – I love to tell a funny story.

          For my new blog reading friends, I would love a comment by email or via blog.  I’d like to get to know you personally.

The St. John Title files and closing documents have finally made it out to the shed.  It took me some time to get them out of every nook and cranny of my home.  It is hard to use your residence as your workplace.  Too much overlap.

           I joined a local writer’s group this fall.  I find it interesting.  I don’t know everyone by name yet, but I am at least recognizing the faces – that is a beginning.  It helps me to stay focused.

          I am spinning my wheels less lately and am in more of a semi-retirement mode where I intend to garden, sew, embroider, read, and write, write, and write some more. 

My choice of semi-retirement sent me into a dizzy, floundering couple of weeks.  I had to come to grips with it along with everything else that life throws at me.  I think I have made a good choice – only time will tell.

          Hopefully my seasonal bartending ‘gig’ as I call it will flourish again in the spring.  But, I look forward to my downtime to catch my breath and beat the weeds and check the kudzu progress from my back property line and get a good start on a wonderful organic vegetable garden this year. 

         

          So, on the eve of 2017 – which should be an interesting year with a new President and an Old Grand Party – GOP – Republicans at the helm – the news [probably by Twitter] will be entertaining to say the least and we may have to fasten our seatbelts as it could be a bumpy ride – or it could be smooth sailing.  We will all have to wait and see. 

          And, when the wind does shift, I will trim my sails again [as I have done many times in the past] and sail on in this journey called life.