Hi, I am Lianñe

The Retirement Connection

 

As a daughter, I experienced two versions of the 4th Quarter. My mother worked in a profession that she loved—teaching young adults—and she spent her free time volunteering in organizations that made a difference to individuals young and elderly. I don't recall conversations about retirement. If she had not ended up with cancer, which ended her life at 70, I wonder how much longer she would have worked.

 

My father decided to exit the 9-5 in his 60s and undertook project work periodically. He wasn't bored though because he maintained a routine, met with friends several times per week, ran errands for my mother's business, and read the ink off of the newspaper, daily. He also helped me with homework and studying for exams, and was my chauffeur before I got a license. He also got cancer, which he fought for four years, but succumbed to just before his 81st birthday.

 

Reinvention: Building Resilience, Embracing Change

 

My approach to life is a hybrid of what I observed and experienced with them. I have reinvented several times, with the most significant being over the past 8 years. Realizing that I have long been a coach in spirit, and after a friend kept referring young coworkers to me for guidance and mentoring, I decided to formalize my skills. I became a Reinvention Coach for retirees so I could help:

 

1. change perspectives on aging,

2. provide options for retirement living,

3. improve outcomes for retirees,

4. encourage lifelong learning,

5. teach the importance of social connection and how to navigate them later in life.

 

I haven’t deserted young adults though. Now, I mentor first generation college students in scholarship programs at The Universities at Shady Grove, Maryland.

 

What Makes Me Me

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Lifelong Learning

I love to learn, from experiences, others, reading, and in a classroom. My curiosity drives much of it, and I have found that knowing random stuff about a number of topics helps me to relate to others, regardless of age. Yay! Lifelong learning is an essential component of my journey. My favorite reads are nonfiction—a bit of fascination with the Mafia and other such criminal themes—and Jamaican short stories, especially those that reflect traditional rural life in a humorous way. Art shows were a popular hangout for me and an art loving friend, and we bought a few treasured paintings and prints that still hang in our respective homes. In our case, we weren’t each other’s voice of reason.

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Arts and Culture

Dancing, music, food, the arts are high on the list of interests. I have seen the great Hugh Masekela perform live twice. I have seen Tito Puente live, keeping the beat with his famous timbales. I have seen Dee Dee Bridgewater with Lizz Wright and Terri Lyne Carrington, Youssou N'Dour, Amadou Kouyate, the Marley clan and many more.

 

Having grown up attending plays with my mother, mostly satirical reviews and comedies, I enjoy the theater. More recently, I experienced Fela, the musical, starring Sahr Ngaujah. Words cannot describe how electrifying that show was. WOW!!! Then, I saw Fiddler on the Roof, starring Harvey Fierstein. He was the draw for me. When I saw his name in the ads I said, "Okay, I'm finally going to see what this is all about." The show, with so many dances and songs, had me sitting on the edge of my seat and wishing that I could get up and dance in the theater aisles. There have been other plays, but those stood out from the rest. I guess they're technically musicals, but, for the love of Salsa, who cares!

 

And yes, Salsa on a dance floor is my thing. It's so refreshing to dance with a partner. Of course I love my Jamaican dance moves, but Salsa was a nice addition to my “repertoire”. Great exercise too. After taking dance classes and performing for decades—ballet, Hawaiian dance, Jamaican folk dance, modern, jazz—my preferences for exercise tend to be indirect activities. Let me explain. I enjoy strenuous activities that are part of living, versus exercising in an air conditioned health club, even if it’s taking a Jazzercise (Do they still have those?!) or Zumba class. So, digging up the yard, moving furniture, climbing trees, playing flag football with the youth group…that’s more my thing. That said, I need some weight training and would love to try Pilates.

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Random Food Experiences

Although I lived in Mexico for a couple exciting years when I was about 10, I did not try Mexican food. I’m making up for it now though, and enjoy Mexican restaurants, as well as cooking Mexican food at home. Even at such a young age, I absorbed the history and culture of the country and returned to Jamaica a fluent Spanish speaker. Indian food is a frequent choice, for dining out and at home. Lamb Rogan Josh is my favorite dish and goat cheese-stuffed naan bread is the most delicious thing ever invented! Well…maybe not, but close. And can I tell you, a trip to Charleston, South Carolina, a few years ago was a culinary delight. Nothing fancy. Just a weekend of smokey slow roasted brisket, pulled pork and fried chicken, served with potato salad and cornbread. When in Charleston… Maryland crab cake sandwiches with Loose Cannon beer on tap is a summer must-have. You can keep the steamed crabs, too much work. My childhood loves of brick oven pizza, hamburgers and fries, and thick strawberry milkshakes, still are my pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Summers spent in New York made my pizza tastebuds very discriminating, but I’ve been lucky to find several shops over the years that have surpassed my teenage expectations.

 

Discovery

Mexico, Canada, England, Spain and Puerto Rico have been a few of my trips to date.Although post 9/11 travel is such a headache, I definitely plan to explore more of Europe, visit South America, Australia and New Zealand. In between, I’ll explore more US cities to eat more local foods and visit friends, family and business buddies who I’ve been meeting throughout my coaching journey. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t make friends later in life. B.S. Just like other aspects of life, perspective determines the outcome of our experiences. What color lens are you viewing life from? Adventure and discovery provide the excitement in life, much like the sprinkles and whipped cream on an ice cream sundae. Take a bite!

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That's all folks!!

I am the myth busting, change embracing, chameleon, Reinvention Queen, and I’m here as your guide to the 4th Quarter adventure you deserve. Let's connect so you can start the journey now. Click here.