October 1, 2012
10/02/12 After graduating from Ancilla College in 1983 and earning an undergraduate degree from IU South Bend, Marie continued her studies at IU and earned a Master’s of Library Science degree at age 60. Many patrons of the library may remember Marie when she worked there before moving to the state library in the mid 90’s. Retiring from the Library Development Office at the Indiana State library, she then earned an Associate’s Degree in counseling from Ivy Tech with the idea of encouraging women of older years to pursue their life’s dreams. But while she was winding down this part of her life, Marie began to make what she called a “rose-colored bucket list” of adventures she wanted to pursue in life. Then, unlike most of us, she pursued them and accomplished a life of adventuring when she was in her 60s and 70s. Now, almost 80, she is still at it.
A new book Old Librarians Never Die They Jump Out of Airplanes: Adventuring Through The Senior Years in Indiana chronicles her late-flowering life of fun and personal growth and offers advice for all those who do not wish to just sit in chairs looking at the Adventure Channel but instead pursue adventure—even on a budget. Marie, a motivational speaker for seniors (and youngers at times too), has filled the book with well-told and often funny tales of, first of all, working as a librarian at the Indiana State Library in her 60s. Then follows her retirement adventuring: trips to China, Morocco, the Galapagos and Europe and lots of other places on a budget but just as importantly new experiences: reading Shakespeare in depth for the first time; taking many kinds of lessons from kayaking to fencing and trapezing and sky gliding to, yes—pole dancing. Nothing seems to daunt this woman except seniors who whine and claim they have nothing to do.
Most importantly, Marie Albertson has closed each chapter with tips on how to adventure abroad, in America, but particularly in Indiana, her home state: over 200 tips. >From how to canoe in Hoosier state parks to finding volunteer or part-time employment to seeking spiritual refreshment and new horizons, this woman has made adventuring a specific quest and tells readers how to undertake the quest—exactly.
Her book, published by Hawthorne Publishing in Carmel, is softbound, amply illustrated in black and white and color. It is available from the Hawthornepub.com website, from Barnes and Noble and Amazon. She is beginning a year-long motivational speaking tour with the book.