Ever have one of those days that feels like two or three?  This morning began about 4:00 a.m,  in a very snowy, bitterly cold Fort Wayne, Indiana.  I gathered my things and headed for the front desk to ask them to help me get a cab and lo and behold, there was a cab already there.  Not for me of course, but apparently someone else headed to the airport was on their way down and the driver said we could share, so he put my things in the back and I sat to wait for the other passenger.

A gentleman joined me and we began some small talk.  Was I here for the conference? Yes, as a presenter and I explained my position.  He was too, as one of the clinicians and director of the honor percussion ensemble.  He asked where I was from and as conversations do, we began to look for things and experiences we had in common.  Well, seems this total stranger knew two of my friends, directors at the University as well as my husband’s trumpet teacher.  I just love being a part of this music family.  Seems this guy travels all over the world and teaches at the Eastman School of Music.  I’m always amazed at the phenomenal people I get to meet in this position while I’m still just a little elementary music teacher in Nebraska.

We parted ways at the airport – well, not too far because there are only four gates, right next to each other.  Literally, right next to each other.  I found myself very fortunate however.  My flight was using the jetway to get into the plane and despite the fact that there was slick snow and ice on the inside, at least I wasn’t having to walk outside on the tarmac to get on the flight he was on.  So, off to sunny – make that cloudy and 36 degrees –  Atlanta for my connecting flight.

Atlanta, land of pralines and biscuits at the airport!  I had an hour so I found my favorite breakfast place and had some sausage and homemade biscuits, you know, the kind that aren’t uniform in size and they’re fluffy, prepared on a well baked on cookie sheet?  Life is good.  I had found a little table by myself and in the middle of breakfast this young woman sits down at my table, looks at me and asks, do you mind?  Well, she was already sitting, although there were other places to sit but whatever, and proceeded to have a loud conversation with her phone.  Well, so much for a peaceful breakfast.

Back on the plane for home, I sat next to this very nice woman and we exchanged small talk until I crashed.  Ok, bad choice of word for a plane.  I fell asleep.  Until I woke myself up with a snore.  Now, usually I sit next to someone and they’re sleeping as well and they don’t notice, but this lady was WIDE awake doing her crossword puzzle.  I sheepishly apologized to which she replied, “well, that was a pretty dainty snore.  Mine are much worse!”.  We both laughed but I found myself thinking about a dainty snore.  Sure, I know I snore, and I probably should do something about it, but I see the contraption that my husband wears at night and quite frankly I don’t want to be Darth Vader.  So sure,  I avoid.

Three more snores that wake me up and I’ve GOT to have some caffeine.  Then I remember I have a Diet Coke in the back pack which is great because I certainly don’t want to keep doing that dainty snoring anymore.  I find out from the woman that her daughter teaches at a middle school school in my district (bless her) and she used to teach as well.  Now however she does professional development for corporations and lives in Florida.  Nice gig.  I tell her I’ve been contemplating retirement but not just to stop working but to find something different to do.  We arrived in Omaha, wished each other well and set off to our destinations.  It was only noon and I had already traveled 1600 miles.  What followed next was a stop at Jiffy Lube to get my tire pressure checked before I drove back to Lincoln, finally rounding out my little travel blog story from a couple of days ago.

On the way home, I thought about that word.  Retire.  I think it brings up visions of rocking chairs, AARP and just being old. I don’t believe that’s what it is anymore but that is certainly the perception.  So for me,  I think I’m going to change the word from retire to revive. It’s a time to revive or create hopes and dreams for the next chapter of my life.  I met several retired music teachers at the past presidents breakfast while I was at the music conference, all of them still very involved, all pursuing other endeavors, all keeping up with technology and participating in life.  That right there is my personal view of getting older.  Now, if I could just eliminate the dainty snore.