I’m a retired Software Engineer. Community radio enthusiast. Cat lover. Full-time volunteer. And apparently, someone who hasn’t quite figured out what retirement is supposed to mean. After a career in software engineering, I’ve traded the daily grind of technology for something considerably more rewarding — devoting my time, energy, and whatever expertise I’ve accumulated along the way to a couple of nonprofits that are near and dear to my heart.

First, there’s community radio. For well over a decade, I’ve been deeply involved with KOWS-LP FM, Sonoma County’s all-volunteer community radio station, broadcasting at 92.5 FM out of Occidental. I serve on the station’s Steering Committee, handle the technical, hardware, and software challenges, keep an eye on the books as Treasurer, and generally serve as the station’s chief cook and bottle washer. If something breaks, needs upgrading, balancing, troubleshooting, or occasionally a little creative persuasion, there’s a pretty good chance I’ll be involved.

And then there’s the music. I host two weekly programs that give me an excuse to indulge my lifelong love affair with American roots music: Blue Moon Americana, Thursday mornings at 9, and Deeper Roots, Friday mornings at 9. Both are opportunities to explore the extraordinary musical landscape of the past century, from blues, country, soul, and gospel to rockabilly, folk, and the wonderful sounds that refuse to fit neatly into any category. It’s a labor of love, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

My other great passion has four legs, whiskers, and an uncanny ability to take over a household. My wife Valerie and I share our home with a small herd of cats, and somehow we’ve managed to find room in our lives and hearts for even more. We foster kittens, helping these little characters get a healthy, loving start before finding their forever homes. I also manage media for Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County‘s Pick of the Litter in Santa Rosa, helping support an organization whose work means a great deal to both of us.

Between radio, rescue cats, technical emergencies, volunteer responsibilities, and the everyday adventures of sharing life with Valerie, retirement has turned out to be anything but restful. But it’s been rich in purpose, wonderful people, good music, and the occasional kitten climbing up my leg.

There’s an old saying that goes, “The days are long, but the years are short.” Somewhere along the way, I’ve discovered that the days are short AND the years are short. There never seems to be enough time to do everything I’d like, and the calendar pages turn faster with each passing year.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that time spent doing something meaningful, surrounded by people and creatures you love, is time very well spent.

And if I can leave things a little better than I found them — whether that’s keeping a community radio station on the air or helping one more kitten find a loving home — I’d call that a pretty good way to spend the years I’ve got.

You can reach me via mailto::dave@deeperrootsradio.com.