Friday 30 March 2012

#205: New Directions?

There was a big send off this morning for Jim Curran, traffic guy for CBC Toronto's Metro Morning. He is retiring after 39 years, and it was heartening to hear all the tributes. Listeners and colleagues alike praised his warm, friendly manner and calm, reassuring voice.  Heck, for 20 years even I was happy to have Jim tell me how avoid a snarl on the Don Valley Parkway, and my morning route took me from Guelph to Cambridge!

Asked about his retirement plans, Jim said that he was going to follow the advice he always gave listeners when their usual route was closed:  try a different direction.  One of his radio pals suggested that Jim was "changing lanes".  I think I prefer that last metaphor -- it suggests purpose and determination, something all retirees can use.  Just as long as he stays out of the slow lane and avoids the off ramp.  

But if all these driving references work for Jim Curran, the retired traffic man, what about the rest of us? When computer programmers retire, do they re-boot?  Do retired teachers begin with a clean slate?

Me? I guess I could say that I have closed the book on my career, but I like to think that I have turned the page.






3 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. This is not RR coming up with this good ides.. the comment form seems a bit crazy!

      But it is a good analogy and better for someone no longer a "brand new" retiree.

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  2. Since you've been away, Nancy, your blog has new systems for avid commentors. We can now just write our comment and pblish: previously we had to provide a name/URL AND rewrite a wobly-lettered 'word'. So my recent comments have, I'm sorry to say, been anonymous.

    ReplyDelete