Fun Archives – Unretirement Project

What We Are UP To in November 2018

November 28, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

Watching| Hidden Figures

> I know I’m really behind in watching this one and just caught it while traveling in November. It’s a great movie about three African-American women mathematicians working at NASA during the space race back in the 1960’s. What a wonderful story about history and the people who made it happen!

Reading| Be Internet Awesome

> I recently discovered a project from Google called “Be Internet Awesome”. It’s a program for kids about how to use the internet in a responsible way. But I’m not so sure about the kids’ part. While there are lots of guides about conducting business on the internet, there are very few about being a good internet citizen. If you’re turned off by the crazy on the internet, but know you need to be there, maybe a dose of internet awesome is for you.

Remembering|Nostalgia

> I ran across an article earlier in November on The Conversation about how nostalgia can be helpful and positive. I can see how it’s importance to have balance. On one hand, I love 80’s music and old cheesy movies. But I need to embrace current technology and processes.

Working On| Catch-up days

> This was one of my goals in 2018 and sadly, I was terrible at it. So, I’m going to try again in 2019. I need to block off a day for catching up around the house and office after a trip. There are emails to answer, laundry to do, grocery shopping, etc. Here’s hoping I get better about this one next year.

Feeling| In it for the long haul

> Based on the comments I read on my Facebook page, the midterm elections wore people out. Me too. I get it. Whether you’re an R or a D, there was plenty to go around. But I’m trying to look on the bright side. Hopefully, people understand the importance of being an educated voter. Get ready because 2020 is starting right now. And when you need to take a break from politics, do it. Then come back, read up on the issues, and make sure you vote.

Planning| 2019 Goals

> Am I the only person saying, “I can’t believe it’s almost the New Year?!” How time flies! Anyway, with the new year, Keith and I will be carving out time to reflect on our accomplishments for 2018 and discuss what we’d like to do next year. In November, I wrote a post over on HR Bartender about the planning tools I use most often. We will definitely be pulling these out for our planning session!

Loving| Cooler weather

> South Florida never really had a change in seasons. We laugh that we didn’t turn the heat on for three years. Something tells me that’s going to change in Gainesville. LOL! It’s not too cold right now, but we are noticing a change in the weather (obviously, I wrote this before it got down to the 20s here in November). I have to admit, it will be nice to have seasons again.

Geeking| Google Titan Key

> I will admit that I’m still trying to figure this one out. I’ve read some articles that this security key is excellent and is used by Google employees to keep their files secure. But I haven’t found setting it up very intuitive. Tech security is important, so I will keep trying to develop a new routine with this device.

What’s UP with you?

Should You Keep To Do Lists After You Retire

November 20, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby 2 Comments

I recently saw an article on Sixty and Me titled “Should you throw out your ‘to-do’ list after 60?” I certainly hope the answer is no.

I will totally admit that I’m a planner. As a person who likes to plan, I make lists. Granted, all of my lists aren’t created equal. For example, I plan our meals using lists. It helps us save money on groceries and we don’t waste food. I also have a list of small tasks that I need to complete during the day like “buy tickets to see Bohemian Rhapsody on Friday”. I can’t imagine when I retire that I would stop making those types of lists.

Then, I have lists I keep on my Outlook calendar. Someone could argue they’re more of a project plan or regular work activities, but to me they’re very similar to a list. It’s a list on my calendar of the things that I need to accomplish during the day. In fact, I have a regular occurrence on my calendar to write for this blog. It helps me remember all the things I want and need to do. The joke around our house is when it’s put on my calendar, it gets done.

But honestly, I could see that list changing. At some point, I’ll have fewer client obligations so those “to-do’s” on my calendar will go away. The question is will they get replaced with something else like volunteer meetings or just “me” time. At this point, I don’t know. But I do know that I will have to deal with having fewer lists someday. And that I need to be okay with that. The presence or absence of a list is not an indicator of my value or worth.

The other thing that I need to start thinking about is the way I keep lists. Right now, I have a system that includes a paper planner and Microsoft Outlook. I’m not sure that I will always need them. Oh, don’t get me wrong…I still have a few years to make this decision. But it has occurred to me that at some point I will have to part with my planner. LOL! And the question becomes will I be ready when that moment comes. For people who plan like I do, is the answer to downsize planners as an interim step?

Also, will there be a time when I don’t need Microsoft Office 365 and the iWork suite that comes with iMac will be totally adequate? Purely from a financial standpoint, I don’t want to pay for software I’m not going to use. But when do I make that decision? I’m sure I want to do it in time to learn the new software before getting rid of the old.

I know it might sound like I’m overreacting to a simple little article about keeping “to-do” lists but that’s not my point. It’s that at some time, many of the things I do today, I won’t do anymore. Either because I don’t need to, or I don’t want to. How I make those decisions is up to me. I can control them if I want to. And I can make the change experience fun or depressing. The choice is mine.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, FL

2 Reasons to Maintain Social Media Accounts As You Age

October 31, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

It might be tempting as we get older to say, “I don’t need to be on social media anymore.” Well, I’ve recently heard a couple of comments that made me realize being on social media isn’t something we can simply abandon as we age.

Social media helps us find opportunities. If taking on a side hustle is part of your unretirement, then staying on social media should absolutely be a part of your strategy. I ran across a press release from Challenger Gray & Christmas recently discussing what I would call the double-edged sword when it comes to social media and aging.

Organizations have been told for years to use social media for marketing and recruiting. It’s cost-effective and can allow organizations to distribute their message to a wide audience. It totally makes sense.

BUT keep in mind the audience is only the people who are on social media. So, if only young people are on social media…well, you get it. Then only young people get the message. If you’re thinking to yourself, “I’ve survived the past five years without being on Twitter so no need to join now.” Well, maybe it’s time to rethink that. Or if you’re saying, “I only need LinkedIn if I’m going to work in an office environment. Once I retire, I’ll delete the account.” Again, maybe it’s worth keeping. And more importantly…using.

Social media helps to establish our identity. I was listening to an AARP webinar recently that talked about personal branding and they made an interesting comment – having a social media presence is important because it proves you’re a real person. I have to admit, this was both obvious and insightful at the same time.

I don’t know about you but there are many times when a company tries to call me or connect with me that the first thing I do is look them up on the internet. Are they “real”? Or is this just spam? I’m sure people do it with me as well.

Even if you don’t plan to have a side gig in unretirement, it could make sense to keep a social media presence. For example, Keith and I recently met some couples in our new community. We had a nice time and talked about staying in touch. Of course, they’re already retired so they don’t have business cards. I thought, we can just connect on Facebook. Well, they don’t check their Facebook account. They have an account. But it just sits there. So not only are they not using it to connect with people, but they aren’t making sure it’s not a target for hackers.

I understand that there are days we all want to close our social media accounts and shut out the world. But there’s also some really fun stuff on social media. Like this article about gay penguins rescuing a neglected chick at a Denmark zoo. And a lot of really nice people. Bottom-line: social media can bring value to your unretirement and retirement. Start making the investment to learn and use it.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Las Vegas, NV

What We Are UP To – October 2018

October 24, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby 6 Comments

Watching | Baby Driver

> I know this movie has been out for a while, but I heard so many wonderful things about the soundtrack, I had to check it out. While I thought the movie was somewhat predictable, the soundtrack is awesome and if you like chase scenes…you have to check it out.

Reading | Fair, Nonpartisan Election Information

> This year’s midterm ballot in Florida is over two pages long with amendments! I take voting very seriously, so I’m looking for good resources that will educate me on the issues. AARP recently ran an article listing four resources for election information: VoteSmart.org, RealClearPolitics.com, Ballotopedia.org, and PolitiFact.org. Get educated and take time to vote on November 6, 2018.

Remembering | The “Big” City

> One of the things that we knew we would have to deal with in moving to Gainesville, Florida was the size of the city. The population is about 130,000. We’ve always lived placed with 1M+ populations…and gotten accustomed to all the retail shopping, entertainment, restaurants, etc. that comes with a large city. During our last two October trips, we’ve found ourselves saying, “Oh! There’s The Container Store…” or “Ooooh, can we stop at Sephora?” LOL!

Working On | Tracking

> Weight Watchers has changed their name to WW and announced a new focus on wellness and wellbeing. I really like it. But I feel to get the full benefit that I’m going to have to do a better job of tracking my activities, which I must admit, I’m not the best. It’s all about taking it one day at a time.

Feeling | “Falling” For the Season

> Fall season in October could possibly be the very best. ‘nuf said.

Planning | Holidays

> Since we haven’t completely unpacked from our move, we’re trying to figure out the holidays. Of course, we have no idea how into the holidays people get around here. I must admit that very few people decorated for Halloween. But gosh, when we lived in Cincinnati, Halloween was a big deal. So, were trying to figure out if we make new traditions or keep old ones? Should we unpack the holiday decorations? Decisions, decisions…

Loving | Vionics

> As a speaker and trainer, I spend a lot of time walking and standing. So, I’m trying to be kinder to my feet. Especially since I’ve had two ankle fusions. I’ve seen Vionics for years but finally splurged on a couple of pairs. Very nice shoes, fashionable, quality materials, and most of all – comfortable. It did take some time to figure out the right size, but once that happened…I would recommend them highly.

Geeking | Duolingo

> Duolingo is an educational language app. I played around with it a couple of years ago and tried expanding my Spanish vocabulary. I must admit that I don’t believe I had the right mindset and quickly gave up. I’m not sure an app can make you fluent in a language. But I do like learning languages, so I decided to give it another try earlier in October. This time I’m going to work on my French. And maybe be less hard on myself…we’ll see.

What’s UP with you?

What We Are UP To – September 2018

September 26, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

Disclosure: Occasionally we receive free products for review or include advertising links in posts, but no one impacts the honesty of our opinions.

Watching| Ocean’s 11, 12, and 13

> I know it may sound hokey, but we always watch the Ocean’s Trilogy before trips to Las Vegas. The movies are fun, even though we know the ending. We traveled to Las Vegas for the HR Technology Conference in September and managed to get in a little “fun” time as well. Our new fave restaurant? SushiSamba.

Reading| Feedly

> I read a lot of blogs. I think blogs offer many interesting insights and they’re often timelier than printed publications which have a long production time. I use Feedly to organize my blog subscriptions. I can organize them by content topics. And their mobile app is equally awesome. If you want to read more blogs but don’t want to have them junk up your email, consider checking out Feedly.

Remembering|Truly Delicious Pumpkin Spice Treats

>I will admit it. I love pumpkin spice season. But it’s time for me to remember what I tried last year and what was good. Because let’s face it…some of it isn’t that good. Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Kringle? Good. Pumpkin Spice Cheerios? Not so good. If you’re a pumpkin spice fan, let me know your favorites.

Working On| My Travel Capsule Wardrobe

> You know I’m using Cladwell to make the most of my wardrobe. Well, I just discovered that Cladwell allows users to form capsules. With all of the travel I have coming up, I’m using it to put together travel capsules. One in black and the other in navy.

Feeling| Busy!

> The last few months of the year are always the busiest for me. Not just because of holidays. Fall conference season is upon us in September. I’m honored to be attending events in Park City, UT, Phoenix, AZ, and Las Vegas, NV. I’m also conducting training in Seattle, WA, Nashville, TN, and Alexandria, VA. Lots of travel and I love it!

Planning| Counted Cross-Stitch Project

> You know I’m a big fan of Guardians of the Galaxy. I saw a Rocket Racoon counted cross-stitch pattern and am toying with the idea of turning it into a pillow. It could also be a fun project to work on while I’m traveling. It’s looking like a trip to Michael’s Crafts might be in my future.

Loving| Luna Play

> As I get older, I realize how important it is to take care of my skin. I’m lucky to live in Florida because the humidity is wonderful for my skin. But that alone is not enough. I just picked up a Luna Play. It’s a small electronic face cleaner (similar to a Clarisonic) but the size makes it perfect for travel.

Geeking| Apple Watch 4

> Okay, I don’t even have it yet but I’m seriously geeking about it after the September announcement. I love my Apple Watch 2. And one of the reasons I like it is because of the focus on health. I do feel there’s a difference between closing my circles versus counting steps. I also like getting reminders to take my vitamins. With the new heart rate features in version 4…I’m in.

What’s UP with you?

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Austin, TX

Sometimes We Need to Take a Digital Vacation

August 27, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

A digital vacation is when we turn off all of our devices and focus on face-to-face interactions. In this fast-paced world, it’s important that we don’t spend all of our time online.

The reason I’m bringing up digital vacationsis because Unretirement Project has some scheduled website maintenance this week. Our website hosting company tells us that the site shouldn’t ever be down during this time. But I’m a safety girl, so I’m notifying you now…

Feel free to take a little digital vacation from Unretirement Project. But only for a few days though. We’ll be back to our regular posting schedule next week.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring Duval Street in Key West, FL

What We’re UP To – August 2018

August 22, 2018 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

Disclosure: Occasionally we receive free products for review or include advertising links in posts, but no one impacts the honesty of our opinions.

Watching| Mama Mia!

> I’ve always been a fan of ABBA (don’t judge!) and I loved the Broadway show Mama Mia! But when the first movie came out, well, it was a disappointment. Now that there’s a second movie, I’ve been debating watching the first movie again. So, I did earlier in August. The verdict: It’s still just okay. That’s all I can say.

Reading| Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

> Or should I say listening. It’s very confusing. Keith and I are interested in this series, but we’re trying to figure out the best way to enjoy it. We’ve heard about radio programs, books, and movies. Like Star Wars, there appears to be a fan recommended “best” order to consume it.

Remembering | Pizza Night

>When we lived in South Florida, we had a weekly pizza night. Keith and I would make pizza at home (from scratch) and watch a movie. Because we’re living in a rental home, we’ve temporarily given up pizza night. But I still miss it. At least we’re having movie night. And next month starts football Sundays!

Working On| Another book!

> Yep, I’m about half-way through writing book number four as of the middle of August. This one will be focused on the future of performance management and published by the Association for Talent Development sometime in 2019. I’m very excited about this topic. Everyone seems to have an opinion about performance management (including me!) so I’m honored to be sharing my thoughts and ideas.

Feeling| Happy!

> We’re very happy to share that Unretirement Project has been included on a list of “17 Twitter Accounts for Older Workers to Follow” It’s always nice to have your work recognized by others. And there are some great names on this list. If you have a Twitter account, it’s worth checking out and adding some new sources.

Planning| Las Vegas

> One of our favorite conferences is coming up next month, the HR Technology Conference. Which means we’re going to one of our favorite places – Las Vegas! I’m working on lots of restaurant reservations and maybe some show tickets. (After all of the educational sessions and networking, of course…)

Loving| Graphic T-shirts

> As a kid, I never wore t-shirts. Now that I’m older, I’m in love with graphic tees. My “Be Weird.” shirt always gets complements. As well as my “I Love Sundays”. But my new fave is this one with Negasonic Teenage Warhead. I’m becoming the nerd I always wanted to be. LOL!

Geeking| Smart Table

> I recently read an article about an end table that functions as a speaker and Qi charging station. It was in my favorite Mid-Century Modern design. Couldn’t resist! Keith and I decided to give it a test drive. Even if the speaker and charging station die, we love the design.

What’s UP with you? How are you saying goodbye to summer as August fades like the sunset in Key West?

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring Duval Street in Key West, FL