My pursuit of the good life.

I don’t work. I’m retired. But both statements could be construed as lies. I never stopped being active. I kept working, so to speak. Mostly in pleasurable ways. As a care-giver to my dear wife Jeanne. During her siege with Alzheimer’s. Until she died in 2007. And I’ve never quit writing. Not for newspapers any more. But I sit down and write. Virtually every day. Stuff that I want to write. My blog. And love letters. I write more now than I did when employed by newspapers. So in actual practice, maybe I haven’t retired. Except there’s a big difference. I’m my own boss. Days are relaxing. More or less stress-free. I have no deadlines. And I write what I want to write.  Without having to please an editor. Of course, the pay isn’t as good. But that’s all right. I have enough to live on. Comfortably.  And I even have a business card. Which lists me as a romantic idealist, a spiritual free-thinker, a political liberal, a lover, a dreamer, That’s in addition to being a writer. And I’m able to split my time living in America and Italy. Add it all up. And it comes to my pursuit of the good life. –Jim Broede