With the passing of one life’s chapter and onto a chilling new one, the dilemma of which subscriptions to keep and which ones to let drift off is haunting. It is like saying goodbye to friends. Keeping them takes time. How many newsletters can I read each month?

My commitment to make use of the anticipated days, weeks and hours spent indoors in front of the wood burning stove or up in the loft contemplating the stillness of a fourteen thousand foot high mountain peak needs to be honored. If I am going to devote 4 – 6 hours a day writing I have to be more selective in choosing what to read.

Reading about my life’s passions is inspiring. It is a double edge sword. I don’t want to miss an opportunity to stay active while garnering insights. Yet, I want to avoid distractions. With ADHD comes the constant interruption. There is a movie about a dog who perpetually chases squirrels. Squirrels have become my token to remind me to stay put. In fact I bought a little ceramic squirrel for my herb garden. It was easy to decide to take him from the hot, humid swamp land to the frigid below freezing temperatures where he will reside at 7000 feet above sea level. Maybe he will perch himself on the windowsill where the view of Spanish Peaks beckons me to climb.

Back to subscriptions, it is with sadness that I bid my membership with the East Coast Sailing Association Adieu. I already cancelled my membership with the Melbourne Yacht Club last year. Recently, I resigned from the Board of Directors with the Museum of the Everglades.

Thankfully the internet allows connection with these three groups. Although I won’t get the privileged membership benefits, it is consoling to know that even when one unsubscribes, they can still stay up to date.