Segue Challenge

" Segue" is an interesting word and concept to me. I first hear it in connection to the Musical Stage. It was used to define a song or number or act to get the singer or actor from one part of a song or script to another "smoothly". Sometimes a "vamp" was employed marking time until the actor or situation was ready for this transition. It comes originally from the Italian, meaning "there follows" from seguire, "to follow", from Latin sequi. It is pronounced \SEG-way; or SAYG-way. It is an intransitive verb, not unlike Bob. To proceed without interruption; to make a smooth transition.

Yesterday, on my lunch "hour" I went up to Oak Glen to get some Apples and some of their famous unfiltered Apple Cider. I just had an urge for it. I also wanted to share it with my fellow workers. I asked when the cider had been prepared. The clerk assured me that it was earlier that very day...very fresh. The sediment hadn't even collected at the bottom. Fine. The last time we had gone up, last season, we had gotten a very old batch and it had started to turn to...vinegar(?) or turpentine(?) It was really bad. Brett was with us and we should've known better. (They should've known better to sell it to us). He took several bottles home and had to throw it away also. We also got some "school-boy red delicious" and some fuji apples. (pictured)

Apple is one of the oldest English words and the first referred to fruit in general. It belongs to the genus Malus (about 25 species) of the family Rosaceae and is the most widely cultivated tree fruit. Apple varieties, of which there are thousands, fall into three broad classes: cider, cooking and dessert. We love the late harvested "Arkansas Blacks" very tart and crisp.

When I was in college, my room mate and I put a gallon jug of apple cider in the back of our closet in the dark to wait for it to ferment. We were then going to "dare" each other to take swigs of it. We waited a long time and checked it periodically. Pretty soon it had developed clumps and globules floating. It was gross. Neither one of us could stomach more than a sip. It had turned to "un-drinkable" pretty fast. We don't know if the lack of light had anything to do with its speed of "segue".

This is my challenge now. Aging has its own rewards and challenges. I'm not getting any younger and I so want to smoothly transition or "segue" into "full retirement". Yes, I realize there is going to be a certain amount of "ferment" or "maturing". Some used to call it "ripening on the vine"...or on the tree. I've long since ripened and dropped off the tree/vine. How do I avoid rotting with all those "clumps" and globules"? Wine usually gets better with age. Apple cider doesn't. Is it just too sweet?

What continuing interests and activities should I continue to proceed with in order to segue uninterrupted into my "dotage"? Increase the hobbies? Follow my "bliss"? Ease off on the "hard labor"? Don't take it so seriously? Seek those "halcyon days"(see previous blog) Got any suggestions? How about a challenge? There must be a "fine line" between "semi-retirement" and "full-blown retirement". Maybe it is more of a gradual slope...a slippery slope. Just like sissifus or sisaphus(?) that Greek guy that was always pushing something up a hill, I might just be a "reverse sissafus" ie. barely keeping ahead of something slipping down the hill. I ramble and digress...ah, that's an idea...increase the rambling and digressing...more ol' sea stories. Yes, that's it. No one is really listening anyway... Bob! (Segue)