Next Chapter Highlight: Cathi

Age

62

Retirement Status

Retired

How does Cathi spend her time as a retiree?

Photographer – Life-Long Learner

When it comes to creativity, I am convinced there is nothing Cathi can not do.

Cathi officially retired from teaching a year ago and is the busiest retiree I’ve met! An avid photographer, she is always looking for new ways to enhance her talent and test her comfort zone. Her main focus (yes, I meant that) is portraiture, but she loves having the opportunity to photograph newborns at a local hospital. She also makes time to shoot senior portraits for her former students. 

Her eyes lit up as she explained about learning to do fire photos for a recent portrait request. To prepare for this, she was “lighting everything on fire in my backyard!” Don’t worry. I confirmed no lives (planted or ambulatory) were injured in the process! (NOTE: I’m not going to go into the details of how this is done, but if you want to see some, look up some images by searching “fire photography sports.”)

It is a joy to see someone so fired up in this new chapter of life. So, I asked her how she became interested in photography. Her inspiration? Her former college roommate, who always carried a camera with her. Unfortunately, that roommate is no longer with us, but I am sure she’s smiling as she watches over Cathi and her artistic calling. 

Cathi started studying photography online about nine years ago. She followed photographers on Facebook and took online and in-person classes. She still participates in local workshops when she has time.

The life-long learning continues with working on getting her drone pilot’s license!

Grandchildren, you ask? Why yes, Cathi has 10 of them, ranging in age from two to twenty-one, and she enjoys every minute she can spend with them!

What did Cathi do for work before she decided to retire?

Educator – Life-Long Learner

Cathi’s time as an educator spanned many years, two states, and followed the evolution from typing to computer technology.

She started in Pennsylvania, teaching business classes like typing, accounting, and business law. As time went on and computers came on the scene, she found herself teaching Word and the other applications in the Microsoft “package.” She also taught tech integration to teachers, helping them adjust to how the world was changing.

When Cathi moved to New Hampshire, she brought her technology integration skills, which eventually evolved into teaching computer science and graphic design at a local high school.

As inspiring as this history is, Cathi was (and is) first and foremost a mom of three wonderful children, calling herself the “ultimate soccer mom” at one point. I would also be remiss if I left out her time performing in multiple theatrical shows and musicals and being a Musical Director in both states.

How does Cathi see her future?

Don’t ask Cathi the proverbial “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

Due to personal challenges in her younger years, Cathi has taught herself to live for the moment and enjoy every minute.

And oh, does she ever!