random thoughts – Day 2,271 (Friday) – what a year

One year ago.

One year ago today (June 5, 2025), my house in Lowell went on the market. Listing day capped off a couple months of downsizing, decluttering, and making a few minor interior updates leading up to the optimal time to list. The year since has passed at a blistering speed. My head has been spinning for most of it.

On June 30, I had been officially laid off, the Lowell house was under contract, and my realtor and I were preparing an offer on what became my next residence. All of last summer was spent packing, moving, and unpacking. Two months after listing day, I was dodging moving boxes and clutter in a house in another city in another part of the state.

There are a few things I miss about the old place and old life. I miss the lily of the valley, irises, columbine, lilac, bleeding hearts, day lilies, and evening primrose in the yard and wonder if the new people kept them or ripped them out. In exchange for the flowers and city noise, I got a quieter wooded setting and more privacy, and I can always plant stuff, so it was a good trade. There are some Lowell specific sites and events I miss, including LaLa Books, The Brush Gallery, Warp & Weft, Fuse Bistro, and St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Shop.

I miss the easy access to the National Park Service Saturday morning historical walks, the annual Folk Festival, the Summer Music Series, the Kinetic Sculpture Race and Merrimack Repertory Theater. If I had known in 2024 it would be my last time at many events, I might have approached them differently. I miss seeing the rowing teams gathering on the Merrimack River for the regattas and the Southeast Asian Water Festival. I miss representing the bank at community events (free food and entertainment!).

It’s been a year of adjusting and baptism by fire. The plan was to work full-time for two more years and during that time, figure out what retirement would look like. The bank had other ideas, sold out, and put a significant number of us out of work. It was miserable and depressing being unemployed and cast into the purgatory of “too old to hire and too young to retire.” It is weird not having colleagues and a paycheck.

After a diligent nine-month search and submitting hundreds of applications, I conceded defeat and stopped looking for another job. I granted myself permission to relax and stop feeling guilty about every minute not spent combing through job descriptions and customizing cover letters and resumes that are likely never seen by human eyes. After a few months cool-down period, it’s time to set some new priorities and draft the next act of this life.