Where Am I?

I retired a couple of years ago. At first I was too busy to notice anything different in my lifestyle. But recently we moved to one of those 55+ communities and I've suddenly started wondering, what do I do now?

Every month a bulletin with a calendar is published and delivered to each door. (Don't ask. Later I'll explain why we still use paper.) A quick perusal of the activities shows an assortment of card games plus knitting, quilting and beading groups. Oh, and don't forget a reading group. Now, there's nothing wrong with these activities except they seem to be geared to someone's idea of little old ladies and gentlemen who have no energy and no desire to learn anything new.

I've always had plans for my retirement, catch up on my reading, learn something new, and re-visit my sewing hobby. However, these are all solitary pursuits and my main reason for moving to a community was to socialize with my neighbors. I hate card games; I don't like group book discussions; and I don't knit, quilt or bead. Don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with any of this but does the week have to be filled with it? We need some new activities.

Online searches of things for seniors to do have revealed that you're either young and fit or old and feeble; there's nothing in between. I think there is something out there for people like me, and I know there are more people like me out there. And this takes me to why the bulletins are printed on paper every month. I asked one of the HOA board members about why we don't have a website. He said it seems that only a few residents have computers. Now that may be true but I find it hard to believe. I know a lot of grannies and grampas who are on Faceboook, and also have email. Maybe they don't see that it's the same as being "on the computer." This is one thing I need to check into.

I also know from working in libraries that many older people have eReaders. I have one myself. They are not far removed from computers and many can be used as mini computers. I bought my Kindle Fire for that reason. And smart phones are nothing but mini computers you can also use as a phone. If these same people who don't have a computer have a smart phone than they're already there. Granted it's not easy to read a bulletin on a smart phone. I seldom do myself so I think a small computer of some kind is still needed.

One of my first projects will be to have an informal class at the clubhouse on the basics of using a computer. Hopefully, someone will come.