Welcome to the Online Community!

[VickiM68]

Hello and welcome to the Introduce Yourself forum! Feel free to tell us a little bit about yourself below--your background, interests, hobbies, etc. And also check out our other forums for other interests and questions you may have and would like to share.

[DaniGoLightly]

Hi All, Im Dani and new here. Looking forward to meeting new friends.

I'm a National bugler for an organization called Spirit of 45 and NYS Director for a group called Bugles Across America. 

I travel the country  sound TAPS at military funerals. One of the most important things in my life is to make sure that every veteran has a live bugler to give them the proper honors. 

However that is not all I do.

I'm also an FX makeup artist and fabricator. 

Looking forward to meeting you all. 

[VickiM68]

Hi @DaniGoLightly,

Welcome to the community! What interesting work you do! And all three quite different things. 

Let us know if you have any questions.

Vicki

Community Manager

[RebaM146944]

Hello,

I am a caregiver for my daughter, she is now 26 and has been severly Autistic all of her life. She was diagnosed at 3 years old and I have been her Mother, only Friend, Nurse, Teacher and Caregiver all of those years. At 20 she started having Seizures and then a year later started have Thyroid problems related to the medication she is on for the seizures. My life is full but I don't regret one moment of my time spent with her. Life was hard for many years and now in some ways it is easier because she is older and I am wiser with how I plan things. My sweet girl has taught me way more than I could ever teach her and I love her so much for it. Thanks for having me here and my heart goes out to all of the other caregivers, its hard but rewarding. 

[dg16001093]

Hello, just wondering if anyone out there has gotten a BAD/UNUSABLE gift card from the "Rewards For Good" Sweepstakes that AARP offers for members to purchase w/ their points they receive for doing alot of questionaires??????

[RieG547168]

I look forward to reading inspiring stories here..I'm still finding my place

[donnac297992]

My name is Donna I recently retired and have extra time to read the forums. My husband(still working)and I enjoy camping and walking.

[VickiM68]

Hi @donnac297992, Welcome to the forums! Look around, feel free to start your own conversations, and let us know if you have any questions.

[vw9130]

Hello online community! I would like to connect with people who love the road particularly the highway. My hobbies include photography, traveling/transportation, cooking/culinary; serving/hospitality and technology. 

[VickiM68]

@vw9130 Hello and welcome. You've come to the correct place to connect with others who share the same interests. Based on what you're telling us, you might want to check out these areas of the community:

• Travel (https://community.aarp.org/t5/Travel/ct-p/Travel) 
• Computer Questions & Tips (https://community.aarp.org/t5/Computer-Questions-Tips/bd-p/bg519)
• Photography (https://community.aarp.org/t5/Random-Thoughts-and/Photography/m-p/1927900) 

Also feel free to start your own conversations. I know many others have expressed their interest in cooking too.

Again, welcome and let us know if we can be of further assistance.

Vicki
AARP Online Community Team

[IrishGal3247]

Hi, I'm new to this and see some people saying they want "pen pals" and others saying they would like to connect and make friends.  I'm interested in corresponding through e-mail and hopefully making new friends.  I'm a senior gal with adult kids, grandkids and great-grands and when I'm not visiting with them we're talking on the phone or texting as is the case with my personal friends.  However, I have quite a bit of free time and would love to make new friends through e-mail, but don't know if I'm allowed to give my e-mail address on here or how to go about it.  Any help would be welcomed and appreciated.

Thanks, Irish

[VickiM68]

Hi @IrishGal3247,

You're not allowed to post your email for security reasons (removed on your other post), but people can send you a direct message here by clicking on your name, then clicking "Send this user a private message" on the right side under Contact Me. Let us know if you have any other questions.

Good luck, and welcome to the online community! 

Vicki

[Bea2846]

By the way, I am Bea, I live in Orlando, I am a Retired teacher reluctant to retired and trying to do something.  Right now I am working in a special project from home and filling all the paper work to be a substitute teacher for Seminole County, from the thousands of papers that I have to fill, I am almost done, witing for the letters of recommendation from abroad, my last job was in London, and my health certificate from my doctor. 

I am originally from Mexico.  I don't have friends, or too many here in Florida and this does not make things easy for me.  My only daughter lives here with her family, so, she keeps me busy helping here with her three kids, 9, 4, and 10 months 🙂

That's all folks, write me, I love to receive letters, LOL

[the9barbarians]

Hello to everyone.

I'm so happy I found this particular page on the AARP website. It'll be nice to see what others are doing and saying at this wiser, more experienced, and maybe more focused stage of our lives! Like everybody, I guess, I have my nagging regrets, the same old bad (stubborn) habits, a couple of dreams that went up in smoke, and a wealth of opinions. But I'm still at work on myself, still on a path of hope, and a day at a time praying I meet each person with grace and an open mind. Fortunately, I have my extended family members very nearby, my church, and some ability to turn out a fairly decent poem or drawing once in a while. Of course I also have my share of medical and financial, and sometimes personal, difficulties. Hearing what others have to say about their own situations will definitely help. And maybe what I might say will be of use to someone else.

[Mojo123]

Thanks for your post. I'm interested in many of the same things and have written a memoir which covers many of the same issues along my own path as a seventy-five year old who has been a gypsy performing songwriter for almost fifty years. Peace and blessings,
Jesse McRae

[VickiM68]

Welcome @the9barbarians! We look forward to reading your future posts as you explore the online community here.

[lhsevret]

Hello Everyone,

My name is Lana and I am happy to join this community to make friends with other people...

I love dogs and taking walks, going shopping and really whatever comes up.

I am a widow lost my husband 5 yrs ago today and just looking to communicate with friends.

Thank you for reading my intro...

[RedCat129]

Hi Lana,

I'm TL, I'm sorry for your loss and hope you are coping OK.  Are you alone now or do you have friends and family available?   I "lost" my Significant Other recently too, - but not due to his passing.  We had been together for over 20 years, but there just didn't seem to be any point anymore as he was very self-centered and rarely made any space in his life for others, including me, so I just called quits.  So much for growing old together and helping one another out in our old age!  Were you married for a long time?  Where do you live? 

I like animals too - my favorites are cats - and nature, gardening, walks in the park, and shopping as well - although where I live now there's not much shopping available UNFORTUNATELY!! 

I'm kind of bored trying to find something to do all day; I retired at the same time I split up from my ex.  (This town is a lot smaller than where I used to live with him.)  

[lhsevret]

Hi Terri

I just found out I could reply to someone. I am alone but I live next door to my daughter and family But the kids are at the age that they play sports and my daughter is always out with them. I was married ofr 38 yrs when my hubby passed on June 19,2013 and not a day goes by that I  don't miss him. But you have to try to move on and that's not easy. Sorry to hear about your diviorse but if he wasn't treating you right you made to right choice. Have you been able to move on with your life ? I wish you all the LUCK IN THE WORLD.... Life is just to short not to be happy..... I live in New Jersey. Where are you from ? It is very nice to chat with you  ... Enjoy your Day !!!!!

[RedCat129]

Hi LH,  nice to hear from you!  I live in a small town in SouthCarolina now.  Don't really like it here because there isn't much to do.  People here are very nice but I really long for some intellectual stimulation and someplace like a community college where I could take some fun or interesting classes (or a parks and rec dept with classes for seniors).  The library here has been closed for over a year for renovations and there isn't even a movie theater (or any other kind of theater for that matter) or an art gallery (or art classes!) or even a mall where I could meet up with somebody with a brain to chat.  I'm just so so used to more resources coming from a much larger city.  Everybody here is so wrapped up with all their kids and family - which is a good thing I guess - but it makes it very difficult to make friends as I don't have family or kids myself and people tend not to try to include you in their activities because you are the "odd man out" so to speak.  I've never been so bored in my life.  For anything even remotely like those things above, I'd have to drive to a larger town at least 10-20 miles away, which is not practical just to have a cup of coffee with someone!  I try to stay positive but it's hard (and kind of lonely) with endless time on my hands and no one to socialize with.  I love the East Coast and would love to live in Jersey or Mass or somewhere but I just can't afford it (my income plummetted when I split from my ex also).  How big is your town and what do you do with your time?

[Bea2846]

Where are you Lana?

[lhsevret]

Hi Beatriz

I live in Indian Mills NJ. It's near Medford NJ. Where are you ? I had no idea i could reply on here until a received an email today...

Lana

[lhsevret]

I am so sorry I did'nt respond to you message. I had no idea that i could but I am here now. Thank you for asking.. Enjoy your day !!!!

[VickiM68]

@lhsevret Welcome to the community, Lana. Feel free to start any new topics and reply to posts as you look around, and let us know if you have any questions.