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shirlstars
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whisel
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Old Ladies Blogging
Posted by shirlstars on October 18, 2009
Wise women sharing.
I never thought I would be an “Old Lady.” In as much as I have always viewed age or our societal concept of age as a state of mind rather than a state of reality, it just was never anything I thought would have any relationship to me. In many ways it does not.
Old ladies blogging? I find it of interest that many of those in my “years accumulated” status have been afraid, reluctant and generally not willing to try out the “new” technology of computers and all they afford.
I got my first computer in 1992, when I was 52. I had no idea how to use it and it was the time of moving out of dos and into windows. Being adventurous I figured I would somehow learn to use the darn thing. I had years of writing that I wanted to put on that 70 mb harddrive with 2 mb RAM machine. What a great leap forward from my IBM Selectric typewriter! I was pretty excited about the whole idea of it. It seemed the possibilities were endless and I had that great new printer with it I could print all of my words out on good quality paper and hold them in my hands.
I knew nothing about computers. When I brought the equipment home I followed all the instructions even though there were a lot of techie words I wasn’t sure I understood. I connected computer to printer; I plugged them in and suddenly realized I had no idea how to turn it on. I literally went looking all over the equipment looking for anything that might be an “ON” switch. I was laughing at myself for thinking I could just set this up and be off and running when I didn’t even know how to turn it on. Really!
The on/off switch was very cleverly hidden somewhere at the bottom back of the machine and didn’t even have the words “on/off” on it, just some foreign symbols that apparently any computer person would have recognized as obvious.
Once I had the power switch on, I began my adventure into dos codes. Huh? fortunately there were some phone numbers I could call if I couldn’t figure this out on my own. I couldn’t figure this out on my own. A few phone calls and I finally was in the thick of it.
I taught myself how to use that computer by going to every pull down menu and clicking on it to see what it did. I guessed that if I did anything too wrong I would have someone come and fix my mess. However, I got through it, little by little I learned and I was enjoying the heck out of it. When Windows came along it made things much easier.
Early in 1993 I heard about the Internet and message boards and. . .a small little company that allowed you access to the internet. AOL had just barely 100,000 members and everything you did cost money as well as you had serious time limits of usage. But How exciting it was! A place where you could find all sorts of information and message board groups. Wow! Pretty exciting stuff. And E-mail! Wow!!
Although blogs had been around for awhile, I first became aware of them in early 2004 when I was looking for information about the upcoming elections. It was an amazing discovery for me. A place on the Internet where you could interact with all manner of people from all over the world.
I read blogs, or was a “lurker” as we call them and for a long while I was too intimidated by the quality of the writing and information available to really participate. Over time I had things I wanted to say, opinions I wanted to express and I began commenting on the various posts that were of greatest interest to me. Message boards had taught me about flame wars and the absolute rudeness and mean spirited attacks that were always potentially in the offing. I wanted none of that. And for the most part the blogs that I frequented did a good job of not allowing much of that. It was interesting to note that my first comment ever on a blog was responded to by a F*&% You! However, there were also several other responses that were supportive and encouraging.
Over time and experience interacting with several of the writers on the blogs I met some amazingly talented, thoughtful, interesting people. There were certain writers that I followed with great delight. Some of us exchanged emails and got to know each other a bit more.
It has been an exhilarating and fruitful experience.
As Diane has related in her History of Village Blue, some of us who met on those Political blog sites became friends and really wanted to have a place to express ourselves in ways other than political.
It has been a blessing for me to associate with such talented, wise and interesting people. It has expanded my horizons enormously. I have found people I truly love and care about who are willing to share themselves and their experiences with me although we are thousands of miles apart in our physical living spaces.
So, why would “Old Ladies Blogging” be of any interest to any others? Oh, I know you can find a few reasons of your own if you wish to. But we elder women have had a long view of experience and accumulated knowledge that might relate to things others have found in their lives. And the truth is that we are still the young persons we were when we had no thought that we could or would ever become “old.” Some of us are very interested in life and adventure and innumerable thoughts and things and views that catch our interest in these less cluttered and stressful years.
Our connection to each other and the interactions with so many of all different ages and circumstances helps make life very rewarding and expansive.
We aren’t looking so much for others that agree with us or hold the same vision of life that we do. We enjoy the variety and informative interactions of all those who read or contribute here regardless of their points of view.
All are welcome. If you enjoy visiting here we hope you will choose to interact with us. We hope you will write your own posts about things of interest to you.
Yes, Old Ladies Blogging. . .it is just as it should be.
Blessings and love to all
Shirl
dianed101 said
Shirl funny you wrote that today, as last night this thought kept running through my head about the commercial on tv with the sing song of ” When I grow up I want to be and old woman”, and this verse is repeated over and over accompanied with the flashing pictures of old, old women, all very sprightly.
Very nicely done my friend, thanks for posting this and using your wonderful words.
shirlstars said
Nothing out of the ordinary about it. . . . . .You used to call me to suggest ideas and topics. Now you just think it and I get it and comply.
I have been amazed since we first connected in this wonderful friendship at my willingness to write about things you have suggested. As you most certainly know, and others have become aware of, I am pretty stubborn about “thinking” that I might be being “told” to do something. But darn it woman, your topics and suggestions are always so good I just couldn’t not comply.
That’s the way it is. And it is very well for us.
Love ya Diane,
Hugs
Shirl
shirlstars said
Someone sent me this in an email and I just thought it was a lovely commentary, enjoy:
GEOGRAPHY OF A WOMAN
Between 18 and 22, a woman is like Africa : half discovered, half wild,
fertile and naturally beautiful.
Between 23 and 30, a woman is like Europe : well developed and open to
trade, especially for someone of real value.
Between 31 and 35, a woman is like Spain : very hot, relaxed, and convinced
of her own beauty.
Between 36 and 40, a woman is like Greece : gently aging but still a warm
and desirable place to visit.
Between 41 and 50, a woman is like Great Britain : with a glorious and all
conquering past.
Between 51and 60, a woman is like Israel : has been through war, doesn’t
make the same mistakes twice, takes care of business.
Between 61 and 70, a woman is like Canada : self-preserving, but open to
meeting new people.
After 70, she becomes Tibet : wildly beautiful, with a mysterious past and
the wisdom of the ages, an adventurous spirit and a thirst for spiritual
knowledge.
And so it is
Shirl
whisel said
I am an Older Person. I am how I am by design. When I came to begin this Journey, I subscribed to conclude it too.
There are new “normals” at this stage. No more hopping out of bed, hopping into the shower, running to the store, or even jumping to conclusions
The verbs of my yesterday have been retired. Now I take a global view of what and how I do. I check-in with my energy levels and body parts before I turn my mind loose to scamper across my day. Most things are differently done in this nowaday world by a body that wishes to engineer a reasonable and gentle pattern of activity. Sometimes my mind is patient with that and sometimes it is terribly frustrated by the pace, which is why I give it a lot of creative freedom to soar happily in an unlimited artistic expression.
I just show up… at the easel, the keyboard, the worktable, and off I go into a joy that is boundless and bright. I call it the immersion into the magical sublime. No age or ability limits. And yes, I see to it… that all my practical obligations are met, so I am free to conduct myself in an extraordinary way.
I am an The Essential Me in an Older Person persona. My new “normal” says that this is natural. It is the way to go. Unless otherwise interrupted, all *humon babies* will come to this place and realize how life is one big changing matter, constantly reshuffling parts and pieces to create the attitude of Now.
Whisel* & Her Magic Markers
shirlstars said
Just showing up in those creative and interesting places is certainly a gift to the rest of us.
Thanks so much for showing up!
Hugs
Shirl
vintagescribe said
My chronological age (69) continues to surprise me. I think it’s because I really didn’t start to experience conscious living, as my authentic self, till after I finally got sober for good, in my early 40’s. That date feels like my genuine birth date: June 14, 1981. Thus, in many ways, I am only 28 years old, trapped inside this old banged up body, which causes no end of internal dissonance, at times.
I desire to age “gracefully”, in a state of acceptance and celebration of becoming an Old Woman: an Elder: words that I have always embraced as carrying great honor and respect, as they do in other cultures it’s been my blessing to have known. But it ain’t easy, when there’s this 28 year old trapped inside, clamoring to have HER own life “happening”, at the same time! There is so much “she” never got experience at all, so much she missed.
So, we do our best to co-exist within this aging body, and more days than not, we do just fine!
As for “Old Ladies Blogging”, I say it’s about damned time we had a place to put our voices! We live in a frenetically paced, youth-worshipping culture where human worth seems based on what each can “produce and acquire”. Once past our “years of productive service” to this system, we are no longer controlled BY it, either, and can no longer be silenced!i, I know I am certainly enjoy the heck out of having that freedom at last
I also know for a fact, from years of blogging, and feedback, on interactive sites, that there are endless numbers of younger folks who yearn for and deeply respect what Elders have to offer. Those that do are always welcome and the exchanges between the generations are always an equal exchange: I learn so much that way.
Those who don’t care to interact here or other places Elders write are, of course perfectly free to move on past…
shirlstars said
Well and wonderfully stated, Scribe.
It is truly as you say, a paradoxical existence that requires some nimble adjusting to the way things seem to be and the reality of who we actually are.
In as much as I never considered that I would become “old,” I never the less longed and hoped for the day I might ascend to the status of Elder. Perhaps I am becoming the Elder I hoped I might be some day. I had some pretty wonderful mentors and examples during my formative years that made me desire very much to one day be as loving, caring, giving and wise as they were and to pass along the type of wisdom they shared with me.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic.
Big Hugs,
Shirl