Talking with strangers

I am reading a book about JOY and one thing the author encouraged you to do was to talk to strangers.  Today I went with a friend to the theater where we saw a streaming from the Metropolitan
Opera.  We saw Turandot by Puccini.  It was great as usual.  My friend and I had extra time before it started so we stopped at World Market.  In the checkout line I started talking with the man behind me.  He has worked as a commedian and speaks 5 languages. He could talk with great accents which he demonstrated to us.  It was just a special treat.

G is at the IX Center in Cleveland at the International Motorcle Show.  The joke here is that I tell him, "You can look at any woman you want but not at a motorcycle, because you bring the motorcycle home ."  He is late coming home and I am worried.  Just kidding.

What I learned

From my last post, I was asked what I learned about myself from taking the class on writing my autobiography.  What I learned was that for most of my life, I have not made "purposeful" decisions. I just sort of slide into things, maybe do what is expected without thinking about it, or do things because the opportunity is there.  That does not mean I have been unhappy about my life, but I think I may have been happier if I would be more aware of what I want and am passionate about and then be decisive about making it happen. So being aware of that, I now can make changes.

I just finished reading Then Comes Marriage  by Roberta Kaplan.  What a great book.  Roberta is the attorney who took the case to the Supreme Court that brought down DOMA.  Besides the legal explainations, it tells the personal story of both Roberta and the Edie  Windsor who brought the case. What an effort they made in time and energy to make this happen.

Writing about one's life

Gerry and I were students at a 10 week class where we were given direction in writing our autobiography.  It concluded in November.  Gerry got into this project much more than I did.  Our assignment was to write on a topic and share two pages with the group.  Some weeks he would write up to 10 pages.  He carries his note pad with him and if someone makes a comment that reminds him of something in his life, he makes a note of it and then is up at the computer for hours writing.  He has had long conversations with his siblings to learn what they remember.  A second session of the class has started and he is attending again.  I decided not to take the second session.  He says he doesn't know if it will end up a published book or not.

I am trying to do less this year.  So decided to not take take the second class and I have dropped out of one of the clubs I was involved in. But don't worry, my calendar is still full.  I am trying to exercise three or four time a week.