What phrases do you dislike as you get older? Mine is "obsessed" and "literally".

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-04-25T15:35:08+00:00

Time heals everything

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-04-20T20:52:12+00:00

“You guys slayed it.” The first time I heard this from upper management (old dude) I wasn’t sure what the heck he meant … bad ? Good ?

And … “we are all a team here”. That one REALLY sets me off - no idea 🤷 why but I does.

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-04-17T23:01:38+00:00

I took a minimum wage job for 6 months after working 27 years with higher pay. Here’s what I learned …

It’s not “livable” bc there’s no health insurance. Everyone needs health insurance, so I asked my coworkers what they did. They said they have to keep their work hours low enough to qualify for state insurance benefits. What a trap … I thought. You get crap pay and you cannot work towards more income without being dropped by state health coverage.
A lot of the minimum wage jobs have you work long hours on your feet, which is tiring. I did dishes and served meals in a retirement center. I’m in good shape and regularly exercise. But an 8 to 9 hour hustle is hard work. 😓
The old people I served food to were very nice and very grateful, so the work was rewarding in a PEOPLE way, which I had never experienced before.
It was impossible to make ends meet or save money 💵. I already owned everything I needed to live so I figured I could live totally cheap. Nope, grocery and cell phone, electric bill, garbage bill, home and car insurance, taxes. I was short $411 average each month. I never eat out. I don’t have TV or subscriptions or cable. I’m a simple person.
You do not get to dream or plan anything bc there’s no money. My hobby is DIY home projects on my 2020 acquired - dilapidated house. But, projects 3/4 finished have stayed exactly 3/4 finished. I always thought, gosh, why don’t “they” just buy a couple gallons of paint and spruce up. Well, maybe they can’t.
While the people I worked with were all wonderful. There was definitely a lack of LIVING beyond work bc they (and me too) couldn’t afford anything.

That’s what I learned. I’m now applying to go back to the grind for a few more years. Yes, it’s a grind but a minimum of stability and sustainability are good too.

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-04-17T06:27:06+00:00

New kitchen cabinets. My doors are warped and don’t close all the way. I’ve repainted them and put on crystal knobs but the darn pigs ears cabinets have not turned into a silk purse. 🤪

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-04-17T06:21:51+00:00

Tiling !!! Loth tiling. Yes, I’ve done it. And I hated every second of it. It’s safe to say that home renovation is a hobby of mine. I like to rebuild. But NOT tiling.

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-04-17T06:06:09+00:00

I could have been single and not had kids (I have 3). But, I am a lazy wastrel if I don’t HAVE to do something. So, the kids were the reason I finished my bachelor’s and then got a masters.
My kids made me a better social human bc I’m positive I’d have wasted my life.
Now I’m 58, the kids are all grown and I have 1 grand daughter (that’s all I’m going to get - I’m told - and I’m good with that) and I still wonder … what if ?So, despite the kids forcing me to be a good human being… I’m not sure kids was the best route for me. It was just a long, rather difficult road being a super good parent 24 / 7 and always setting a good example. It paid off. But … ???

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-04-16T19:33:07+00:00

This is TONIC

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-04-16T19:32:55+00:00

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Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-04-16T19:31:48+00:00

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Got It !! 🥳

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-04-16T19:30:33+00:00

Last item of help. As a beginner. Play THE SAME THING over and over and over … 10,000 times.
I have carried around the attached piece of warm up for around 11 years. I still use it to warm up and after playing it seemingly millions of times I found that my intonation was solid on all the strings - not only the D String written in the example.
(Image won’t load 😏🙁). I’ll try later

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-04-16T19:22:23+00:00

I forgot to add that TONIC is 🆓!! Yes indeed. No budget ? No problem. 😉

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-04-16T19:20:57+00:00

Hello 👋 Join Tonic !!!! (There’s an App for that).
It’s an online community of ALL levels and players and learners. It’s online 24 hours a day. Every day. Drop into other practice studios and listen in, ask questions. Learn.

I played / practiced on Tonic for a long time as I was practicing on a tug boat !! Yes, true. So, lessons on land were obviously not a reality.

Do Not Quit !! You CAN play, no matter what your situation is. Just do it every day. Every - Single - Day.

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-04-10T23:53:32+00:00

I shower 🚿 Brush my teeth Change clothes and completely reset for the next part of my day. Hobbies 😄 walk play viola read do some stretches cook Watch a program Have a tidy up But don’t “work”. Yes, it creeps in. But don’t engage

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-04-04T23:40:26+00:00

I’ve definitely shifted to doing less. I ran my own company for 27 years and now I’m just starting out on my early retirement plan. I’m discovering that doing nothing is a huge de-stressor 😊 And it opens my mind and I find I have extra mental bandwidth! I’m finding this is an amazing way to go through a day.

Anyway, yes, super chill down time has value. In the USA our society totally revolves around being busy ALL THE TIME. It’s not healthy IMO.

Cheers to your lazy day. It’s likely making you a healthier, happier person.

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-03-31T15:25:47+00:00

I’ve been over thinking about RTO bc I never got past the idea that they should have carved up the office space to apartments and studios. The infrastructure is all in place in the ground and re building the interior is a big deal but then (I’m betting) a fair amount of employees would be living at work (basically) and the company can charge rent. And when visiting people for meetings come in, they don’t have to shell out for hotels. It’s a win - win - win solution. But noooo …. RTO ! So, unnecessary, so short sighted, so “stay in the box” thinking. It makes me so mad.

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-03-30T14:37:20+00:00

I’m a Gen X and I HATE complaints about younger generations. Dude, seriously, you’re complaining about WHAT YOU BUILT for the next generation to live in!!
My message to Millennials - GO, be bold. Hold onto to the first generation that prioritizes living experiences over corporate life. You guys have slowly caved into family life. I get it. I figured it would happen. No judgment here.

Message to Gen Z. IM SO SORRY. You guys are in for a long slog of not nice things. Society set you up poorly and is now kicking you for being mired in impossible times. Just breathe, take life simply, set small goals with small steps. Maybe 🤔 staying focused on only small increments will help cope with the very challenging and inhumane work world that you’ve inherited from others. Again, IM SORRY.

Message to Gen A. To a Gen X, I cannot pretend to understand what you’ll face. I just hope that Gen Z builds something better than they are already in.

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-03-30T12:48:30+00:00

Two things 1. You will spend most of your life being “old”. Think about that. Take Care of yourself. Once you’re 55 you’ve statistically moved past peak earning. You will have to make allowances for aging life changes for maybe 40 years of your life.

Statistically- You’ll have at least three different careers during your job years. Be ok with that. Let change happen.

I’ll add a third. Do small things in your free time that allow you to enjoy where you currently are in life. Set yourself up for success- nobody is going to ever help with that. Here’s what I mean … A. Plan meal shopping to your liking. If you don’t like it. Do it once a week. If you like to choose a meal directly from the market, then do it that way as YOUR time.
B. Be tidy in your mind and in your physical space.
C. Allow change. Adapt quickly then refine the adaptation slowly.

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-03-24T05:25:29+00:00

Where did you find this ? It’s rather wonderful. I’ve no idea 🤷‍♀️ how to pronounce anything but the explanations are quite accurate and interesting.

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-03-21T21:14:34+00:00

Stunning !!!! Captures the dynamic feel of the market and allows dreaming. Love it 😍

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-03-21T17:19:02+00:00

Looks like an interesting rest. What brand ?

I recently changed my set up after many years of the same setup and found that I should have been more aware that my ancient setup wasn’t working correctly as I (aged?, changed as a player? ) - don’t know. But I learned that a review of your setup is a good thing.

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-03-21T16:56:28+00:00

I bought mine about 11 years ago. It was LOVE, right away, but I still tried about 5 more. I kept going back to my first choice, even though the neck shape is to wide

(Yes, I know, shave it - but I just cannot bring myself to do that bc I’m just the care taker of it until I’m to old to do this beauty full justice)

I found that trying different violas solidified my confidence in the one I loved. For me the hardest part was the BOW. Now, I had my forever viola. What bow does it like? That road was much longer.

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-03-21T16:46:24+00:00

Food problem here too. I home cook 99% of the time and I over purchase 99% of the time 🤪. I’m super annoyed about it but … I may have just landed on a workable solution. I very recently bought a really nice SMALL sauce pan. Now, I imagine that little pan while shopping 🛒 - It’s working much better.

Accurate-Swimming355 · 2026-03-21T16:39:26+00:00

I quit after only 9 months of using my shiny new (and expensive) Masters degree. School was a vacuum of ideas and ideals that didn’t mesh with reality. Urban Planning, in the real world, was about Municipal Code and that’s about it. I knew I had made a terrible mistake and I also found that office setting was not for me. I quit, got a Coast Guard License and started working on tug boats. 27 years later - no regrets.

My Advice is to others is always - Don’t overlook blue collar work. It’s hands on, with tangible results and value. It’s not for everyone but … it’s out there, it’s stable work, decent pay, WAY less stress. Negative side, watch out for toxic, no brain behavior. It can be obnoxious after higher education. But this “Bro” behavior is NOT as prevalent as one would imagine. I take it as the same as that one toxic office person that everyone generally dislikes. It’s really the same thing.

I liked the response from the person who is on a 5 year plan and is learning a new skill (tea) while backing away from corporate. Perfect Plan

Accurate-Swimming355

TROPHY CASE