What’s Your Side Hustle?

Picking up meds at the pharmacy has become my side hustle. How do I know? Well, for one thing, the pharmacist seems to know my name. I still provide my birthdate and confirm my address, but let’s get real. The guy knows me. Which is surprising since for years, I never took any medications. None, nada, zip. But now, I’m a regular pill-popping fool.  Of course, I blame this all on my aortic heart valve replacement in January.  I still remember the look of surprise on the surgeon’s face when I told him that I didn’t take any medications. He smirked. Well, maybe he didn’t exactly smirk (that would be so unprofessional), but he did say in a brassy voice, “That’s over now.” And sadly, he was right. Darn.

Pill Boxes

I’m now the exclusive owner of a variety of pill boxes. Where they’ve come from (probably my husband, Jeff), I don’t know. I have the one-week and the two-week design. The AM/PM version and a small pocket version. One is a tiny wooden number with my name on it. It hales from a trip years ago to Hoover Dam. Because it had my name on it, I bought it. I don’t even think I realized at the time that it was a pill box. After all, what would I ever do with a pill box back then? Oh, sweet days of youth!

How Many Do I Need?

Now, when we travel, I must be mindful of all the pretty pills. Count them ahead of time to make sure I have enough for the journey. But instead of using the pill boxes (yes, I’m boycotting those suckers), I toss the separate pill bottles into a large plastic bag. With a jiggle and shake, I could imitate Carmen Miranda with her maracas. But I won’t. I’m much too grumpy to be playful. Each pill feels like an assault on my manhood. Yes, I have a very delicate ego. And all these pills are doing nothing to make me feel empowered.

When Did I Get So Old?

The truth is, modern science is to be thanked for our longevity. The United States’ life expectancy has steadily climbed since the mid-19th century. We used to kick the bucket in our late 30s. And now many of us can become centenarians. It just requires a few pills. Why not think of them as magic jellybeans? That’s one way of shifting perspective. And I’m all about shifting perspective!

Now, for Something a Little Extra!

Good news! My next novel, Friends for A Season, has finally made its way to the copy editor. It’s been a long haul getting this little gem off my desk. Some works take forever to create, and this novel is one of them. The novel follows Helena, an older woman who takes a nasty tumble and thinks her life is over until she meets a young college student struggling with his own life issues. It’s a powerful intergenerational story. I’m hoping you’ll love it as much as I do. Until the next time we meet, have a great September. And if you haven’t had a chance to check out What’s That Growing in My Sour Cream? – over sixty humorous essays on life – you can download a free ebook here. There’s nothing like a free read to give your day a boost!