"The Creative Process of Writing is a Liberating and Therapeutic Experience"
www.virtualwritingcoach.com
May, 2007
In This Issue:
1. Preview
2. Publisher's Note
3. Retirement is for Sissies (Or How I Survived My Job)
4. Helpful Hints
1. Preview
The Writer's Connection explores the creative process of writing and the interplay between thoughts, feelings, and actions.
We are an interactive community of authors and readers who share ideas to enhance our knowledge, skills, and experiences in
writing fiction in any genre, but our emphasis remains mystery and suspense thrillers.
Published monthly, the Newsletter offers writing tips for authors, coaching suggestions, editing, and marketing information.
Topics are presented from the perspective of Keith Barton and represent only his ideas on producing your first manuscript,
and are provided to the general public. Because we are an interactive community of writers, other viewpoints are welcomed and may be
printed in future monthly newsletters with permission from Keith Barton.
2. Publisher's Note
May, 2007
Dear Writer's Connection Subscriber,
This month's newsletter features some important information on retirement.
3. Retirement is for Sissies (Or How I Survived My Job)
Okay, I admit to shameless marketing in this month’s newsletter. After a bet with a fellow group member in a MentorCoach
Advanced Group Process class, ably led by Dr. Randi Smith of Innovation House, Inc., I was persuaded to provide a humorous
look at retirement for the Boomers who don’t know what to do after they retire from the workforce.
Retirement conjures up various emotions and thoughts for the Boomers of today. We were born in an age of prosperity between
1946 and 1961 and have witnessed and participated in many changes that have affected our families, careers, friendships, and
spirituality. The first wave of Boomers is approaching 61 this year. Some of us have already retired; still others are viewing
this milestone with nervous anticipation as we enter our sixth decade of life with hopefully another twenty years to enjoy the
American Dream.
In this short book I tried to capture the burdens and opportunities that await us with humor and insight. I’ve offered several
chapters on how to run a home business, take up new hobbies, seek friendships, volunteer, and make a difference in this world.
I’ve relied mainly on TV and movies to capture these insights because the Boomers grew up with Howdy Doody in the 50s. Many of
us are college educated thanks to the savings of our parents and our own hard work and diligence.
As the Greatest Generation (our parents) departs this life, the Boomers are left with the baton of leadership. By example we
have an opportunity to show the generations behind us how to retire without giving up. Some of us will work until our last
breath; still others have already slowed down to begin living without a forty-hour work week. Those lucky enough to have made
good financial decisions have already retired.
I believe our generation will be measured by what we do with our retirement. With the many advances in technology and
information, we have the unique opportunity to extend our usefulness and contributions another twenty years. The choice is
ours. We can hoard our resources and consume everything we’ve acquired to this point; or we can become stewards of our time,
talents, and resources and impart by example a legacy of selflessness and philanthropy.
There is in Celtic mythology the notion of “thin places” in the universe, where the visible and invisible world come into
their closest proximity. To seek such places is the vocation for the wise and the good. Looking at retirement in this context
places gives us pause for our disappointments and our blessings. Both are inevitable truths that affect all humans.
I’ve tried to use humor to take a look at ourselves and to embrace the blemishes and blessings that we all embrace. Parting
from one stage and entering unchartered waters can be challenging but if we view these “passages” as “thin” places that
intersect both suffering and blessings then we can appreciate this delicate balance. We began our discourse with retiring from
work and finding something meaningful to fill the void—to help make sense of our identity, and give substance to this life of
ours. The problem is that retirement should be viewed as a noun and not a verb. To retire is to withdraw, to secede, and to
abdicate our responsibilities. And that is just not true.
Our Boomers today may be slowing down, but we’re not giving up. We have much to offer our children and grandchildren like
generations before us. As the dissemination of information accelerates and our minds begin to deteriorate, we are left with
enough gray matter to decide what we wish to do with our time, talents, and resources. And many seniors are doing this already—by
volunteering, mentoring, assisting, and helping others. I hope my thoughts about retirement have been uplifting and not despairing.
My intent was to use our thirst for knowledge to learn new skills, meet different people, and venture outside our comfort zones to
be of service to the wider community.
The post-World II children have indeed experienced many changes from Sputnik, the first lunar landing, the space shuttle, and space
station. From polio vaccines to cloning, from airplanes to rockets, from slide rulers to IPODs, from outdoor drive-in movies to playing
DVDs on your laptops, we have been a part of an “information age” that continues to explode and surround us with information at our
fingertips.
Retirement belongs to those who make the decision to leave the bullet train of life and put down roots at the next station. For many,
this is the right decision, and they should not be second-guessed, for they have earned their “place in the sun.” But for others we will
choose to stay on the train that is speeding through life until that last whistle blows. And only then can we say with finality, that
this life is done. And for those who believe, we’ve just begun.
Helpful Hints:
Make a list of 10 things you want to accomplish after you retire from the workforce. How balanced is the list? Does it include time
for personal, spiritual, physical, emotional, and relational growth?
Talk to a recent retiree and ask him/her what their biggest challenge has been during their first year of retirement.
Plan on taking community college courses that you’ve always wanted to take but never had the time.
Subscription
The Writer's Connection
SM is a free publication. If you want to continue to receive this Newsletter, you can
SUBSCRIBE by clicking here or by sending
a blank email message to
keith_barton@att.net
with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
To UNSUBSCRIBE click here or send a message to
keith_barton@att.net with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
Be assured your name and email address are confidential. We do not sell, rent or share our mailing list with anyone.
Contact Information
Keith Barton, Ph.D.
Voice: 281-583-5005
Fax:281-583-5008
Web: >
http://www.virtualwritingcoach.com
E-Mail:
keith_barton@att.net
(c) Copyright 2010 A. Keith Barton, Ph.D.
All rights reserved.
Distribution Rights
The Writer's Connection
SMis copyrighted, but you may retransmit or distribute it to
whomever you wish as long as not a single word is changed, added, or deleted, including the contact
information. However, you may not copy it to a web site.
Republication of The Writer's Connection
SM in paper media is encouraged and permitted by
individuals, organizations and associations, as long as the issue is reprinted in its entirety,
without change, and includes the contact information.
With advance permission, we are happy to edit an issue to fit your space requirements. Republication
also is encouraged under other circumstances. However, the advance permission of A. Keith Barton, Ph.D.
must be obtained in the event that changes in the text are desired.
The Writer's Connection SMMission:
The Writer's Connection
SMis dedicated to helping first-time authors create their first
manuscript for publication and to offer an exchange of ideas and opinions from our readers who might be
interested in becoming authors.
The Writer's Connection is a publication of The Virtual Writing Coach and Keith Barton, Ph.D. and a
registered trademark.
We would like The Writer's Connection
SM to be as interactive as possible. If you have feedback,
comments, topics you would like addressed, or can suggest additional resources to benefit us all, please email
us at any time. Send your e-mail to
keith_barton@att.net.
Please forward this issue to anyone you think would find The Writer's Connection
SMinteresting and beneficial. Your
recommendation helps us keep growing, and ensures an excellent exchange of information and techniques.
Archives
You can read previous issues of The Writer's Connection
SMin our
archive section.
About Keith Barton, Ph.D.
Dr. Barton received his Ph.D. in 1972 from the University of Texas at Austin and has been a practicing therapist
for over thirty years. He is currently enrolled in MentorCoach and is accepting new clients.
He has been an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina, consultant to Fortune 500 companies in executive
development, founded and managed Texas Community Living Ventures, Inc., in 1986 for providing group home services to
persons with mental retardation, and has been running a clinical practice in Northwest Houston since 1990.
He writes part-time with the goal of completing one novel a year. His desire to coach others derives from his passionate
interest in helping others become attuned to their creative powers of storytelling.
Dr. Barton has training in coaching, cognitive and family therapy and health psychology. He has published articles, made
presentations and conducted workshops about:
Anxiety and achievement
Stress management
Self-esteem
Communication skills
Marital/relationship enrichment
Wellness issues
The relationship between psychology and spirituality
