Spins the grin

Drum Roll, Please.

23 Comments

Cue the band and let’s get this party started. There are a few items on the agenda so drum roll, please. First, if you’ve been paying attention to recent posts, then you already know that today marks my last day as a member of the workforce. By close of business, I will have officially joined the ranks of the retired. Even though COVID-19 and social distancing have put in-person gatherings on hold for a while, I’m still celebrating nonetheless.
And there’s more that has me jumping for joy.  can I get another Drum roll?

Ok, maybe it’s more like I’m sitting and patiently waiting.  Anyway, onto item #2 … have you noticed anything different? We here at It’s All Fine … Whatever Tickles The Fancy have been hard at work sprucing up the joint. By we, I mean my talented daughter Josephine, who helped with graphic elements like the styling of the title, and me working on layout and format. A while back, I’d thought to do a full-on rebranding with a new URL and such but then I realized all that was needed was just a bit of polish.

You might think that my choice of colors was inspired by the plaid coat that I’m wearing in these photos. Good thinking but that’s only part of it. The true inspiration for the design elements of this blog refresh came from the sketch shown below that was drawn by an artist friend of mine, Anne M Bray. She had drawn a series of these sketches of women who were attending the annual FierceCon (google it) by pulling images from their Instagram accounts (this was mine).  I was so tickled that she had picked that post as the basis for her sketch of me.  I’ve even had new business cards made using it.

The timing of this reveal on the same day that I leave the workforce is intentional. While I’m not planning to make any huge changes to the blog, I will have a whole lot more time now to devote to it. And this brings me to the third item on the celebration agenda. Today also marks for me the beginning of no longer having a professional/personal division in my life.  I no longer feel that it’s necessary to keep them separated.  I’ve shared before about how nervous I’d been when I first revealed to my family and friends that I had started a blog. That nervousness was all for naught because they’ve been hugely supportive. So I’m hoping to get the same reception from my former colleagues, most of whom were made aware of this blog today.

At this point, I was ready to wrap up this post and then I came to a realization.  There is still one professional/personal division barrier to breach.  And that is to finally share on the blog what my professional life has been.  Not today, though.  I’ll go into detail (yawn-inducing detail) on that subject in a future post.

So that’s it for today. Retirement, a blog refresh, a reveal, and the promise of another. Now onto some new challenges. I’m open to suggestions.

Be well and let’s connect! Subscribe, tweet, follow, friend, love, pin … all options are available. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

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23 Comments

    • Rena – So Cal – old enough to know better but young enough to try.
      Rena Post Author

      Thank you, Amy. I’m still getting used to the fact that I won’t be going to work anymore.

    • Rena – So Cal – old enough to know better but young enough to try.
      Rena Post Author

      Maggie, thank you for the welcome into this new world. I experienced a mix of unexpected emotions yesterday but I’m slowly getting used to this new mental freedom.

  3. MaryG

    I’m so curious to know what it was that you did in your work, but congratulations on joining the ranks of the unemployed!

    • Rena – So Cal – old enough to know better but young enough to try.
      Rena Post Author

      Mary, I promise you that it wasn’t very glamorous and I hope that you’ll find the future post on it an interesting read.

    • Rena – So Cal – old enough to know better but young enough to try.
      Rena Post Author

      Thank you very much, Bonnie.

  5. Anne M Bray – LA, CA – Fine artist with a keen interest in the open road, style blogger at SpyGirl, digital surface design goddess
    Anne M Bray

    BIG congrats! And thanks for the shout-out! I loved sketching that coat!

    • Rena – So Cal – old enough to know better but young enough to try.
      Rena Post Author

      Anne, you are most welcome.

    • Ronald Reginald Chavarria

      Hello Rena this is Ronald Reginald Chavarria congratulations I’m happy for you you made it and now I’m sure anything that you want to do after this will be perfect wish you the best mazel tov please say hello to that guy you married

      • Rena – So Cal – old enough to know better but young enough to try.
        Rena Post Author

        Reggie, thank you for your good wishes and I’ll be passing along your message. Be well.

    • Rena – So Cal – old enough to know better but young enough to try.
      Rena Post Author

      Thank you.

    • Rena – So Cal – old enough to know better but young enough to try.
      Rena Post Author

      Thank you, Mireille.

  8. Jodie – United States – Women Over 50 Inspiring Style for Many Sizes & Budgets
    Jodie

    LOVE it and if you’re anything like us, you’ll be enjoying retirement more than you thought.
    XOOX
    Jodie
    http://www.jtouchofstyle.com

    • Rena – So Cal – old enough to know better but young enough to try.
      Rena Post Author

      Thank you, Jodie. You and Rob do make retirement look easy and fun.

  9. Michelle Churchman – Las Vegas
    Michelle Churchman

    Many congrats on retirement! My husband and I have been retired about a year and a half. We love it! Ha! Yes, it does look as if your blog colors were pulled from that lovely jacket. The blog is very attractive!

    Michelle
    http://mybijoulifeonline.com

  10. The Grey Brunette – Portugal – Down-to-earth Yorkshire lass in Portugal, blogging about style, beauty, food and anything else that tickles her fancy. Let's be fabulous after forty!
    Suzy Turner

    Congratulations on starting a new adventure, Rena! And I love the blog’s new look!
    hugs
    Suzy xx

  11. shelbeeontheedge1 – Watertown, NY – Over 40 Blogger living on the edge of sanity, midlife, and fashion. Army wife, boymom, and serious coffee drinker.
    shelbeeontheedge1

    Congratulations, my friend! What an exciting day being officially retired from the work force. And your blog is looking very spiffy! I love the new design. And how great is your Anne sketch! I need a new one! Mine is like 4 years old and not an accurate depiction of me right now! Oh Anne? Are you reading? Haha. I am loving your plaid coat and this cute casual outfit and your new business cards. Great post!

    Shelbee
    http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com

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