About Me

Hello!  I’m glad you found me!

My name is Pat and I’m a certified massage therapist, Reiki practitioner, artist (painting and stained glass), spiritual seeker, gardener, foodie (that can’t cook worth a damn), avid reader, unpublished writer and now … a blogger.

Why all that?   Because I STILL don’t know what I want to be or do when I grow up. Well, I’d like to be happy and well-adjusted … which is kind of my definition of zen.  I also have an insatiable curiosity and love to learn almost anything that doesn’t run faster than me.

Why Blogging?

The thought of starting a blog was intriguing … and frightening in a good way.    A blog may keep me publicly accountable to stick with writing and I get to entertain people with my search for my grown-up occupation or maybe just the next career that will take me into retirement and beyond.   Along the way, I’m discovering that the technical side of things is my cup of tea and endlessly fascinating and more than a little overwhelming.

Is the Zen Introvert really an introvert?

Am I an introvert?   You betcha.   A card-carrying member of the Introverts of America Society (not meeting since 1798 … because well we’re introverts and don’t get out that often….thanks Terri).    At a party, I’m either the one sitting in the corner by myself hoping that no one will come and talk to me; or playing with your cat or dog; or I’m the one that’s babbling a mile a minute to everyone and with a smile pasted on my face (because that’s what introverts do … we camouflage).   Either way, I wind up totally exhausted until I can have quality me time.    Time is another topic I want to explore on this site; you time, me time, everyone time.

Is the Zen Introvert really Zen?

Am I zen?    Not a chance.   Not by anyone’s definition, and there are many.   But I have moments of absolute peace and serenity and I’m constantly seeking ways of getting more of that.   Those are also things I want to pass on to you.   Every day bits of goodness.   Hard fought and hard-won lessons.   Fascinating things I’ve picked up along the way and things that seem mutually exclusive, including diet tips, baking tricks, and ideas that may leave you scratching your head.   I promise to be everything but boring.

So how zen am I not?   Enough to question my sanity when I picked this blog name out.    Enough to call myself a hypocrite a few weeks ago when I just wanted to run out to the parking lot of the building I work in and screech at the top of my lungs because I was so totally overwhelmed between work, blog and all the blog related things that I need to learn.  I didn’t screech, but it took a few days before I didn’t feel like it anymore.

Overwhelm is often my middle name.   It’s also a self-inflicted condition.

Green Acres

I live in Beautiful Colorado with my husband, my brother and my two cats.   Kind of, sort of out in a farming community with the suburbs rapidly encroaching.     I liken our 3/4 of an acre to Green Acres (remember that sitcom gem from the past?).   Mostly because my husband would rather have us out in the middle of nowhere raising chickens and God knows what all else.  Guinea fowl were mentioned in passing a few weeks ago … Yikes!   My last address was about a mile from the state capitol building in downtown Denver, that shows just how far this city girl has come (check out the canned ‘maters on my Instagram feed).    Yes, I get allergic smelling hay…..   But as you can see from the picture … having a garden is pretty freakin’ amazing.   By the way?  I’m 6’1″ so that gives you an idea of the actual size of that monster sunflower.

Come on Along for the Ride

I hope you’ll join me in my explorations.  Being a midlifer, I’m going to be delving into all the fun things to do after retirement.   I’m also going to be researching a lot of the ‘business’ side of retirement too.  You know: social security, investing, managing your money, managing your time and so much more.

I’m not a fantastic letter writer, in fact, I sort of suck at following up.  I’ll do my best to drop out a newsletter once in a while with fascinating, useful, or practical stuff I may pick up along the way and let you know that I’m still alive.

Patricia | The Zen Introvert