Health, Happiness & Cannabis

My name is Donna Pekar. You can check out my About Me page for a quick read, but I thought I’d embellish it a little bit so you can learn more about the topics I’ll be exploring on this blog. I hope you will come along for the ride!

I’m a two-time cancer survivor, retired corporate communications executive, communications strategy consultant and U.S. Army veteran. Although I had a great career, I did not want to do it forever. I envisioned a different sort of life as I aged, focused less on the traditional trappings of success and more on health and happiness. With careful money management and a bit of good luck, I retired in September 2017 at age 62.

Retirement Confidential is my new blog about getting older and making the most of it! Not everyone can retire, and not everyone wants to. But we all age, and my stories are about the journey ahead. How can we age badass and stack the deck for a long, healthy and happy life?

My guiding principles are move more, eat well, look good, stay healthy, keep learning, use cannabis wisely and enjoy simple pleasures.

Perhaps some of my former business colleagues are reading this and going, who knew? Donna is a pothead! However, that is not the case. Although I tried marijuana when I was much younger, it was never my thing. With reluctance, I discovered the benefits of medical marijuana when I had ovarian cancer in 1999. I hated the idea of smoking anything, but smoking pot during chemo probably saved my life. Still, I happily gave it up after I got a clean bill of health and went back to work full speed ahead. I never missed it.

I discovered cannabis again after I retired and was desperate for something to help with long-term pain following a 2015 mastectomy to treat breast cancer. I got approved for using medical marijuana in California, where I live, and I began the great experiment. Cannabis cured the pain, and I’m delighted to have benefited in other unexpected ways. This time around, I learned you don’t have to smoke it, and moderation is key. You don’t have to get high. Sometimes it’s as simple as a cup of cannabis tea.

Seriously – I am as surprised as anyone that pot is part of my aging badass strategy. We’ll have to see what happens with the federal law, but for now, medical cannabis is legal in 29 states and the District of Columbia. And then there’s recreational …

I live in Northern California with Dale, my husband of 39 years. Originally from Southern California, I moved shortly after high school to make a living and see the world. I came back in 2013 for a job and we said, this is it! After moving 23 times over the course of our careers, we love it here and are happy to call it home. Our only baby is Riley, an extra-cute and super-fluffy Maine Coon mix. We are ferocious cooks and love to spend time outdoors.

P.S. Some of you may remember my former blog Rock the Silver, which ran from 2008-2013. Rock the Silver was about going gray with style. Thanks for finding me again! And oh, thank you for your patience as I work through technology challenges and continue to expand my social media presence.