Random 5 for February 7 – Retirement, SkillsUSA, early morning, beauty, cameras

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Passages – An old friend has retired and closed down her business. She has been the queen of reinvention for the last 40 or so years and is now entering a new phase. It’s amazing how our interests change. Things we enjoyed twenty years ago are done, replaced by new interests and new challenges. A new beginning…

job skillsSkillsUSA – I was lucky to judge presentations given by local vocational-technical students as part of a national competition program. High school kids get younger every year and I continue to be amazed at their knowledge and confidence. This is a great program and worthy of the time. If you see it in your area, get involved.

Rise and shine! – The competition had an early morning start time. I was reminded how much I enjoy retirement with its flexibility. I took the precaution to set an alarm clock just in case. The cats were delighted with an early breakfast.

Makeover or too much work – Running between things, I caught a clip on a talk show featuring a “makeover.” I’ve always wanted one except that you are at the mercy of some kooky designer. The person selected looked lovely. She was perfect the way she was. She had naturally curly layered shoulder-length dark hair. She wore tailored black slacks with a black and white print top. Very classic and flattering. The makeover included hair that was cut to chin length, dyed red and straightened beyond belief. She was then put in a short red dress that looked similar to a sausage casing with stilettos that she couldn’t walk in. Everyone (but me) raved. It will take her an hour to do her hair and the cut may well mushroom out with her curls. What’s wrong with working with what you have?

Teaching old dogs — I’ve had my new camera for a few weeks now. It’s size is similar to my old camera but a few things are at different spots. For example the on/off button is where the picture-taking button is on my old camera. That means I turn the camera off instead of taking a picture. This happens after I’ve spent five minutes cajoling a cat into a posture. Bleah! Other than that I’ve come to love it!

Here was one missed opportunity of a gorgeous smile. Or was it?

Here was one missed opportunity of a gorgeous smile. Or was it?

So how was your week?

52 thoughts on “Random 5 for February 7 – Retirement, SkillsUSA, early morning, beauty, cameras”

  3. You are doing great with the camera – great shot, accident or not! I kept trying to come up with a good caption. I’ve thought of make-overs too but was never brave enough and afraid I could not maintain the look. I’m a rather low maintenance woman. Always nice to catch up on some of your posts, Kate.

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    • I did have a hair makeover once when I was about 14 or 15. I went to the hairdresser of a friend and asked for something new. She gave me a beehive top with the bottom in a pageboy. Never wore it like that again. Way too much work.

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  4. No complaints about that pix! Captured that cat personality. (Cats simply see not point in cooperating. I never get that “perfect” shot)
    I hate so many make-overs. You are right. Work with nature not against it. What’s the point if the poor woman won’t be able to recreate the look – or if it costs her a fortune to keep it up.
    Ah, the luxury of setting your own schedule. Dreamy

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  6. I remember watching “Queer Eye For The Straight Guy” back when it was popular. Those guys broke me of my habit of wearing my cell phone on my belt. I remember they said, “a cell phone is NOT an accessory.” That cracked me up. It stays in my pocket now.

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  9. I think you caught a great kitty expression with your new camera! Hubs and I used to enjoy watching What Not to Wear. I think they usually did a good job with someone who needed (hopefully wanted) help, but we wondered about the upkeep. Typically, these were people who didn’t put much time or thought (for a variety of reasons) into getting dressed so we couldn’t imagine that would change much. The hair styles were often way to fussy for anyone, much less someone who didn’t like to fuss in the first place. As someone with straight hair, I often wondered why they kept trying to flat iron beautiful waves and curls. I have a suggestion for helping to eliminate the confusion your are having with the buttons on your new camera: put a dollop of nail polish on the shutter button, then you’ll be able to tell with just a finger touch that you have the correct one.

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  10. I’ve always wanted a makeover but would probably be more work that it is worth! Wish my naturally wavy hair had more curl. We always want what we don’t have don’t we. Love the cat picture. Been thinking of getting a new camera. Now I just use my phone. The simpler the better. What kind did you get Kate? ~Elle

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    • Mollie is a beautiful cat and the most photogenic of my cats. However, she usually has a scowl on her face. Two seconds before this shot she was smiling. Well…perhaps she wasn’t smiling but preparing to yawn!

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    • Usually the starting point isn’t as attractive. Then it is better. I thought the hair person wasn’t thinking about afterward. Straightening is one thing and very temporary, but the cut didn’t look like it would be great for hair as curly as this woman had. (I envied her curly hair and was totally freaked out that they didn’t work with it!)

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  13. Why, oh why, do designers do that to people? Most makeovers I’ve seen are scary. I’ll bet that poor victim goes back to her old look within six months.
    Love the photo! I think you’re doing great with the new camera, Kate.

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  14. It is interesting how our interests and tasted change. I often wonder if that’s simply an evolution or a matter of circumstance.
    I’ll have to check out skills. It sounds like fun.
    I’m with you on the makeover thing. Some people desperately need one because they have no sense of what to do with themselves. But sometimes these designers create change for the sake of change and that’s not always a good thing.

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    • Maybe both. When I lived in NJ I did a lot of painting. There were classes nearby and I had time. When I moved I didn’t have time and there weren’t nearby classes to motivate me. After a while I didn’t miss it anymore. Some interests have a cycle. Once I master them, I lose interest. When I was in my 20s I was fascinated with cake decorating. After I made beautiful roses for cakes, the urge passed. I haven’t decorated a cake in that way since.

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  17. I saw that make-over show too. She looked so much better before. A red sausage is exactly what she looked like. Looking at her made me feel uncomfortable! From head to toe she was “new” disaster!

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  18. First of all, I love the new camera. I know it’s easy for me to say, but the pictures are priceless.

    Favorite line: The cats were delighted with an early breakfast. I have an image of Kate’s Diner with them milling around reading the paper waiting for the grill to be operational. We writers and our over-the-top imaginations.

    I find as I get older, also let go of things that no longer seem to serve. Wisdom moves in since you know more or less what matters, something elusive in the past.

    Love the Random 5 looking forward to it all week 🙂

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    • Not as good as yours! Then again, maybe I’m a slow learner with a shaky hand. This week is the first week I got two really great shots. Stay tuned for the other one. BTW when I pressed the button Mollie was smiling and this is what I got.

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    • I think phone cameras are harder. My pictures are blurry because I either move them as I take the picture or they jiggle around in my hand on their own to annoy me. I’m going for the second one.

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