BEING GOOD AT SOMETHING

I can't say I have ever done anything earth shattering or even come close. I am, however, good at little things. I don't have a four-year college degree, but do have some college. I was a mother at an early age and have worked many jobs over the years. My husband is the accomplished one in our family and I have basically supported him throughout our marriage by being a good wife and mother. Not attaining a certain status can bring a lot of people down when they get to be my age because you start to look back and realize you haven't really accomplished anything that looks good on paper.

I prefer to think about the little things that I am good at. The people who know me will say I am a very good shopper. I can find the best deals and bargains and feel satisfied knowing I saved my husband a great deal of money. He may argue that I am not saving him money because I am always shopping.

Secondly, I am good at decorating, doing hair (to be fair I am a licensed hairdresser but haven't worked at it in over 35 years) and reviewing new television shows and knowing which shows will make it and be hits. One example: "The Office" watched it when it was BBC "The Office" with Ricky Gervais and knew when NBC got it it would be huge.

I can cook a few traditional dishes that I have perfected over the years. My daughter-in-law, Jen always wants beef stroganoff and linguine with clam sauce. My husband wants my meatballs and traditional Italian red sauce and pasta. My mother and my father-in-law love my scrambled eggs. My son has become a better cook than me so I just sit back when he is around and enjoy his cooking. He is very accomplished, self taught and intimidates me.

My garden always has roses in bloom even though I'm not sure how to trim them. They have been flourishing for over thirty years.

For the last four years I have taken up playing poker fairly seriously. I have played in the World Series of Poker for the last three years and will do so again in June. I have not cashed YET! I have had several cashes in other tournaments some big, some small. I am having a ball playing and feel like it is keeping my brain lubed up.

Did I tell you I am also a closet crafter. I can glue anything. I make jewelry from antique or costume jewelry by taking them apart and putting them together in new ways. I sold many pieces at craft fairs and in boutiques. I love to have some sort of project that involves paint or glue. One cool project that involved both was making bird baths out of clay pottery painted with custom finishes.

I will try to review in subsequent blogs television shows, movies, and other things (shopping finds) that may be of interest to others with simular interests.

My point in writing this is to say to others that have reached the AARP age, don't beat yourself up because you haven't accomplished the big thing you are supposed to by this age, but be content in knowing that everyone has things that they are good at. More to the point, there are a lot of accomplished people but they can be GOOD FOR NOTHING.