Journey with

Paula Unfolding

Retirement List Item #40: Start a Blog

I am pen to paper, relying on my developed word-crafting and stye. I am vehemently allergic to even inspiration spawning from AI. I will humbly accept even the slightest amount of praise and will own my mistakes. I am a retired teacher with a penchant for putting myself in crazy situations just so I can say, "I did it."

I have no lofty goals of becoming an influencer nor am I unrealistic in expecting to make a dime.

I am not a blogger. I am simply one who wants to check off of her list "Start a Blog." Blogging is as familiar to me as starting a fire with flint and steel, an item which is also on my bucket list. My primary form of social media is Facebook (META?) which I use mostly to remember birthdays and to remind myself of memories which I will have forgotten within the year.

I am diving in with two feet without knowing the depth nor the temperature of the waters. You may dip in your toe or join me for a swim.

The water is nice. Come on in.

Explore My Journey

Who Am I?

I am the blessed Momma to three amazing children who are all so different and challenge my beliefs, my intelligence, and my patience to no end. That said, I would go to the ends of the Earth for any one of them and have grown more as a person raising my babies than in any other aspect of my life.

I am the daughter of a selfless, outspoken, fashionista mother who has been my biggest cheerleader. Even when we butt heads, completely because we are so alike, she is the first person I call when I write and to share my thoughts. No subject has ever been off the table, and I am the luckiest kid ever to be able to call her ‘Momma.”

I am also the product of a father whom I spent much of my life trying to please. He was, quite literally, number one in his field, and our relationship suffered because of that. I don’t know if I am more proud of him for the tens of thousands of lives around the world which he has changed, or if I am more hurt that we didn’t get the chance to know each other as “Dad” and “Daughter” sooner. In the three years after his glioblastoma diagnosis in 2014, we were blessed with the time to mend our relationship.

The first thing I can tell you is that this is not a simple answer. My name is Paula, but that is trivial to this question.

I am a retiree. For 32 years, I lived most of my day in a middle school classroom. I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of kids, parents, and the system, and I’ve had a love/hate relationship depending on the week, day, or sometimes the hour. In the end, it was the perfect fit for me, and it played a large role in how I have defined myself and in the person I am today.

I am married to a wonderful husband, (there, I said it, Hon), whom I know I don’t give nearly enough credit to for what he has done to support my craziness for almost 29 years. Believe me; if you follow any of this, you will understand what I mean.

In addition to all of this,

I am… the kumbaya sister,

the sarcastic friend,

the energetic Pilates Instructor,

the long-winded talker,

the unending list-maker,

the self-proclaimed ice cream connoisseur,

the recent world traveler,

the aging volleyball player,

the passionate goal setter,

the struggling housekeeper.

I am living with ADHD, anxiety and depression, bipolar disorder, migraines, and more than my share of PT visits, as well as being the unwitting participant of so many absurd happenings that my friends have dubbed them “only Paula” stories.

I am a child of God, though I often struggle with His timelines.

And I am messy.

So, yes, my name is Paula, but I am so much more than my name.

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What Is This Blog About

This is my Retirement List blog. I am venturing on a quest to check off the multitude of experiences that have helped to prompt my retirement at age 56. During this time, I give myself permission to add to, delete, or modify any items, even though I have written them down in pen.

My list will include but not be limited to:

documenting my own poetry and prose from high school through present day,
stories about my dad which should be in their own book entitled “You Can’t Make This Shit Up”
stories of my mother’s younger years and my families’ history
my travel experiences, including my deportation from French Polynesia
my incredible “Only Paula” stories
my reflection on the life I have lived, and my dreams for the future
my ambition to give my life a new purpose, away from the classroom

In a nutshell, this is the journey of Paula - unfolding. Join me through my inner thoughts as I share stories that will make you question my sanity and my reliability as a storyteller. In my 57 years, I have gleaned some knowledge that I will attempt to pass off as wisdom. Some of that comes from teaching 11 to 14 year-olds for so long. Some of it comes from workshops and leadership training. Some of it is a cautionary tale of what not to do. Entries will be laden with sarcasm, inappropriateness, or emotional insight, and ultimately, these musings will be entertaining, if nothing else.

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