Evaluating My Life So Far

To evaluate my life so far

As with other evaluations 

First, I will discuss the purposes of the project

Then, mention some things that worked well
Make a few suggestions
End with an example that seemed especially good.

What is the purpose of life?

I don’t know

I lost the manual
Can we assume from the scanty evidence
The purpose at least in part isTo be happy 
(because to be unhappy seems perverse)
And help each other be happy 
(obviously)?

The first thing I did that was good was be born,
Eldest boy in a family with 10 children.
My dad was a millworker in Everett
Depressed, alcoholic and angry
(I don't know what happened in the war)
This meant money was short
This made us frugal.

I like being frugal.

For example, rather than buy lunch,
I like to make lunch in the morning
The moving meditation of chopping a salad
Lightly microwaving a piece of salmon
Assembling and packing it
Starts my day with an act of creativity
That saves me a bundle!

One thing I did especially well at the age of 13 was
Run away from home.
Not by hitting the streets
As one sister did
(Very dangerous!)
I fled to the Catholic seminary
Now a great park in Kenmore
Where I lived well by my standards
It had its downsides
They constantly bombarded us with notions of public service
As means of escape it worked
The education and friendships last.

At my first job as a junior computer programmer
An old guy told me
"Automatically deduct the maximum from your paycheck
Toward your retirement
You won’t miss it
You will adjust your lifestyle to your take-home pay"

It was true
I never saved a penny from my paycheck
There is always something important to buy
But 25 years later
When I wanted to buy a house
My automatic savings had grown a downpayment
More than enough for a home with mother in law apartment
To generate income into retirement.

Listening to that advice
Let me not only live happy
But also help family and friends with housing now and then.

There are some areas in which I can offer myself
Suggestions for improvement.

I let myself be overwhelmed with obligations
Personal and professional
Because I don't like to say "no"
Shall I list the disasters that ensued
Because I did not delegate?
This meeting only goes to 7:30
No?
As Club President this year
I resolved to volunteer for nothing myself
Until after asking everyone else
If I keep bugging you to do things
That's on purpose.

Another thing I might work on:
I get married a lot
3 times
So far
I suggest replacing the impulse to say Yes
With Ah, or Um
Perhaps a pregnant pause
Poor choice of words.

As my friend Jenn so eloquently wrote
It is good to be single
I could work on that.

One of the best things I’ve done was listening
3 years ago at the Fauntleroy YMCA
You know Adela as our past club president
I knew her from the Y
That day I heard her talk with Forrest
”Our club lets you practice public speaking and leadership in a supportive environment".

A supportive environment
I could use some of that
I broke into their conversation
Who? and when? and where?
That's why I'm here today:
She talked about Toastmasters
I listened
Here we are
Having a good time meeting goals
Helping friends do the same.

It is good to fulfill the purpose of life.
-- rewinn, December 4, 2018