Hello! My name is Donna Pekar. I’m a two-time cancer survivor, retired corporate communications executive and U.S. Army veteran. Although I had a great career, I did not want to do it forever. I retired in October 2017 at age 62.
My full-time job is to be a good human, take care of myself, enjoy simple pleasures and indulge in creative pursuits. I especially like to play golf, walk, swim, cook, read, watch crime shows on TV, write and dabble in art.
Retirement Confidential is my personal blog, where I share stories about life after work, along with regular dispatches on what I’m eating, what I’m watching and what I’m reading. You will also find an unfiltered account of my attempts to understand and oppose America’s frightening march to the right.
I was diagnosed with Stage 3 primary peritoneal cancer (virtually the same as ovarian) in 1999 and have been free of disease since my initial treatment. In 2015, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a bilateral mastectomy without reconstruction. I am BRCA1-positive.
My home is in Northern California, where I live with Dale, my husband of 46 years, and Riley, our cat, a Maine Coon rescue.
Hello Donna! Remember me from Aeronautics? Well I finally succumbed and let my hair go gray….with pandemic timing was perfect! Loving my gray…not sure why I waited so long….well vanity I think. Anyway Jude Olsen provided your blog and sounds like you are living your best life! Good for you!
Hi Christine,
I saw your name as a new subscriber, and I immediately remembered you from Aeronautics. Welcome! So glad you are enjoying your gray hair. I can’t imagine having to worry about roots during this pandemic. You are right — good timing.
Retirement is great.
Hi Donna – I just stumbled on your blog via another that I read on a regular basis. I enjoy your style of writing very much. Your art projects are amazing!! I am also a 2 time Breast Cancer Survivor (wasn’t any fun the second time either) and am learning to slow down and enjoy each day. Glad I found your blog!
Maura
Hi, Maura, and welcome! Cancer was the big stick that helped me learn to slow down and enjoy each day. What I didn’t learn the first time, I most certainly learned the second. I’m glad to hear you are surviving and thriving!
You sound amazing. I just found your blog and look forward to combing through it. You are definitely a survivor — in more ways than one. Good for you.
Thank you, Kate, and welcome. I checked out your blog, and you sound pretty amazing yourself!
Donna, I read your stuff on Jay Harrison’s Boomspeak. I may be misremembering, but I though that I had read a book by you ten years ago or so. Had you published anything? I remember it as humorous short vignettes.
Hi Alan,
I’m so glad to hear you are enjoying Jay Harrison’s Boomspeak. He does a great job, and I’m so proud to be included.
I have not written a book, but some of my stuff has been published here and there. Thank you for asking!
Donna
Oh my God!! I found you! Mentioned you in a blog piece some time back: https://pafoodlife.com/blog/f/wurstsalat
I still make it!
Email me! Would like to catch up!