Cover letter circa 2015

I loved The Intern starring Robert DeNiro.  He has really softened through the years from being the tough guy to a man with a sensitive heart.

The movie begins with DeNiro's character, Ben, telling us about his life which was good and full but now he finds himself at loose ends.  Travel, grandchildren. yoga...none of this has been fulfilling enough to prevent a desire for something with purpose.

As we watch, we realize that he is making a video of himself.  This is apparently 2015's answer to the cover letter.  Of course he gets the job - as intern - which means he is not going to get paid.

Many of us can relate to this.   You know what they are saying - "60 is the new 40" so must of us who are beyond 65 are feeling like the Peggy Lee song, "Is that all there is?".
 

This is because we have worked hard all of our lives and rather than enjoy staying at home, we believe we still have something to offer. Yoga, bridge and lunch with friends is not enough.
 

DeNiro's character in The Intern appears to be comfortable without any extra income.  He can be a traditional intern with no remuneration.  That's only in the movies.  Many of us who are on Social Security need the extra income that a part time position  provides.

Perhaps you have seen the "Life Reimagined" AARP-sponsored spots on television.  One of them features a man who becomes an UBER driver.  That's not me.  Oh, there's one thing the man says that I can identify with - he needs the funds to pay for the fun things he wants to do.

I do need the extra money.  But it's more than that for me.  I like having a purpose, a place to go, the satisfaction of interaction with others.

 

So this morning I crafted a cover letter that basically said what I have just written.  I am not quite savy enough to film myself.

 

Besides - words are cheap.  I'm pretty sure the equipment to create selfie version of a cover letter is not.

Faith, Family, Friends

I am often asked - what do you like to write about?

My answer is usually - faith, family and friends - not necessarily in that order.

Those three things - my faith, my family and my friends are what I would consider paramount in my life.

Every Sunday I repeat the words to the Nicene Creed - affirming my belief in Jesus as the Son of God who was crucified, died and rose again.  That's the basic tenet of my faith.  I have friends and even family who do not agree with what I believe.

That's their prerogative.

It has been well reported that the Episcopal Church has now adopted the practice of performing/blessing same sex marriages.  I am one who does not agree with that.  I believe marriage is a sacrament and should be between a man and a woman.

That's my prerogative.

I'm a Notary Public.  I can perform marriage ceremonies.  It's one of my favorite things to do.

Several months ago I was asked to perform the marriage of two women.  I said no.

This afternoon I am going to that wedding.

It's because of that "friends" part of who I am.

The mother of one of the brides is one of my dearest friends.  There is no way that I would miss sharing the joy she feels today.

Besides - this in no way changes the fact that I believe Jesus is the Son of God. . .et cetera, et cetera, et cetera!

All they need is love. . .

Okay I know the name of the song is "All you need is love".

However.

"I have killed more squirrels that you can imagine," Dr. Keith Holland told me.  "I always think of them as tree rats.  They get the seeds I put out for the birds.  Once they even destroyed five small trees I had planted", he continued.

Keith was telling me this as he gently lifted one of the baby squirrels that he is caring for.

He is a dentist; not a vet.

When Sandy Arpen, the Chairman of the Board at the Mandarin Museum, told me that Keith was coming to help with some Maple Leaf archives that he has recently borrowed to display at the museum, and that he was bringing the squirrels, I was much more than curious.

I have heard of rescue dogs and rescue cats and although I am not really an animal lover, I think they are cute and appreciate the way people are adopting them and caring for them.

But "rescue squirrels".

It seems a hawk had gotten the mama squirrel and the nest fell into the yard where a nine year old patient of the dentist lived.  Her grandfather knew that Keith had recently been unsuccessful in his attempt to save another squirrel.

"I think this is my second chance", said Keith.

And so it was on that Friday that I watched as Keith filled a syringe with strawberry flavored Pedialyte and slowly fed Stich  After ten syringes had been dispensed into her tiny little mouth, he gently washed her face and handed her to me.

She was wrapped in a towel and Keith told me to stroke her head.  He said "any creature just needs to be loved".

He followed the same procedure with Pascal and then we put them back into their climate controlled cage - which includes a heating pad, a thermometer, a few twigs from a tree's branch and a little cloth hutch where they sleep. 

I watched as they played a bit and then snuggled in to the hutch.

Keith and the Maple Leaf divers were at the Museum the next day as a part of our participation in Smithsonian Day when all of our buildings were open.  I used to take my kids to work with me -- sometimes I take my mother - I never have taken an animal.  However, there was Keith with that little cage.

"It is necessary that they are fed every two hours", he said.  "So, they have to go with me".

I must have passed muster when I held Stitch because on Saturday I got to feed her.

And then I asked Keith - what happens when they outgrow the cage?  I was really saying when will it be time to let them go?

"It's almost time for them to go back to the first person who loved them, my little patient," he said.

I doubted that the little girl would care for the squirrels quite like my new friend.  I suspect that her parents will encourage her to let them go back into their natural habitat.

When I accepted the job at the Museum, I had no clue what I was getting in for.  Every day there's something new, fun, interesting.

It's been said that a person who lives alone should have a pet.  Am I going to rush right out and rescue a squirrel?  Well - no.

Neither am I going to get friendly with the black racer that lives under the porch at the museum.