Whew! That was a bit of a roller coaster ride…in my mind, over the past few days. I have a palette of articles on my ideaSketchpad 💡in their various stages of being thought about, researched or completed. Yet none were reaching out to me, or screaming at me to be completed. My ideaSketchpad 💡is quite full with a wide array of different subjects to write about but it still has a huge space and enormous appetite for more. I feel I have to immerse myself in my writing where my fingers will type on the Logitec MX Keys keyboard the words my brain sends them, at the same time having visual contact to see what comes out on the computer screen.

What I think I will write about is amongst the goals or new year’s resolutions I set about at the end of last year / beginning of this year. One was to bring my weight down to within a healthy range for my age prescribed by the health experts. “For my age” – I just don’t like to use that term but for a coming article, I may just use it one time. o.k. 2 times, this being the first. Why I don’t like the phrase “For my age” is because I think it preconditions us to think that we can or cannot do or say something due to the age bracket we are in. Most times, this age bracket refers to senior citizens and the elderly.

Another thing that has got the 💡lightbulb of my “ideaSketchpad 💡” lighting up super brightly is a possible collaboration with my daughter on a couple of ideas or more. You will have to stay tuned closely to leatherpotato.com for the launch of these ideas.

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An area of interest that has got me thinking and playing on my mind is the fact that people are living longer, which is great and they should continue to move towards that direction. Where it lacks in is “Ok, I am living longer, what do I do with myself?” We have been preconditioned to retire at age 55 years with a token additional 1 or 2 years working extension on contract. In some companies; you are considered in a “consultant’s position.

A few years ago, Singapore’s first prime minister, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, said that people should not retire. “Retirement means death”, he continued (1). People, even those in Malaysia; scoffed at the idea. “This man is money-faced and has the idea that people should fend for themselves, right up to their graves”, they remarked. Years later, what Mr. Lee said does not seem to be such a bad idea. Naturally, people will scoff at this idea because we have been pre-conditioned by the governments, society and people around us that we have to retire. That is our right or given right.

Sadly, groups of people who are healthy, able-bodied and can work after their stipulated retirement ages, are peer-pressured that they have to retire.

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These are some of the ideas that will be touched upon in coming articles in days or weeks…maybe.

NOTES:
1. Clarissa Onn, The Straits Times, January 14th, 2008.