The thread ain't dead, jimmy. This thread is about anything anyone wants it to be. The harmony I'm most interested in is between people, and you bring everything to that.

One of the things that has struck me these last few months is how different retirement is to what it's usually thought to be. Maybe for some people, retirement is spent watching tv and planting flower beds with supper at McDonald's. But that's certainly not an accurate generalization. What has surprised me about retirement is that for every door that closes with diminishing health or resources, two open. It's a matter of recognizing the doors and walking through them. I've felt that particularly, these last few months in my own life. I'm sure there are other Catters who are retired who have discovered the same thing. Those, like you and Jayne, Jimmy who are still highly engaged in a career have more to look forward to in retirement than you realize.

For me, finally taming the wild computer and recording software has opened many new doors for me. The new insights into harmony (new only for me, and obvious for others) makes singing as a group completely new and exciting. Revisiting books long since read and half forgotten, and discovering new writers is a return to the excitement and refreshment of literature.

For some people, getting older is a time of gradual shutdown. It doesn't have to be that way. If you have good health, it's easy to step through those new doors. If your health is bad, there are some who have the bravery and hope to find ways to go through the door, even if they're wheel chair bound.

It's all in the attitude..

And as I said... this is a kitchen table... conversation is open to all, and listening is the other half of a conversation not to be minimalized..

Jerry