Why I started Blogging at 80+
Because I had asked my grandson what this word Blogging was about. And he didn’t know how to do it! Well, I think that is how it began….
I was actually looking for something fresh to do, when I spotted an Ad. which said “
It was to be held in an office in the centre of Glasgow on Wednesday evenings. It seemed like a fun idea to get one up on a 25 year old.
So I thought, why not?
The office was in the of the basement of one of those marvellous Victorian terraces Glasgow has.
(If you havent ever been there, do look it up. It really is an amazing city. It was so wealthy it could build any glorious architectural folly it wished. And it did!)
The First Class
Clutching the rail, as you do at 80+ I hesitantly descended to be greeted warmly by a cheerful bearded young man. He turned out to be Paul. I think he was shocked by what his advert had turned up. I asked if it was Ok for me to come in. ” Of course!” was the answer.
So I joined a group of about 20, all of them less than half my age.
We did the introduction bit, and the ” Why are you here?” thing. Some seemed to be wanting to use a blog site to promote their business. But about half were mainly interested in talking about their lives, their travels or Food. One, a reformed alcoholic told us about his battle with both drink and drugs, and wondered if telling others what it was like could be of help to them. He was lovely, we all nearly wept at his story. Total encouragement from everyone.
Then it was my turn. “What to say?”.
I began by announcing that I was a grandma and technophobe, but that I would like to write about what it was like being old. Hastening to reassure them, that, much to my surprise and delight, being ancient was proving to be a great time of life. Really!
But also that I was discovering,with relish, the silly nonsenses of unwitting ageism that are everywhere today.
Like elegant modern baths for instance.
How does anyone over 70 get into or out of this!
So that became my first blog post.
Interlude
I am writing this on a sunbed, by a pool- Retirees late sun! Am now going to get up and go for lunch.
Not yet! Look at this!
How do you get up from a very low sunbed at 80+?
I should have thought before I sat down. Maybe chosen the one near the rails? But why should I have to? Who said that sunbeds should all be low?
Lovely example of the unthinking ageisms around today.
The impossibility of modern packaging with old hands was another field to mine. You could starve sometimes. I nearly did on a walk. the prepacked sandwiches were impossible and so was the juice. Really needed scissors or a knife, but it is a long time since I took my Swiss Army knife on a walk. am not even sure it would be legal today!
I would love to hear any of the sillier ones you have come across.
The class began in July and it was exactly what I needed. It began from zero knowledge. Felt a bit silly being the one who had to ask if they could explain just what a blog was…. But that was my starting point. All the class were wonderfully patient and so helpful. I felt as if I had been adopted.
Meeting all these younger people was a gateway into a whole new modern world. A place I knew was out there, but when you are old can sometimes begin to feel like a foreign land. They were so interesting, using a language I didnt know. Have you any idea what a GIF is?
Though it wasnt one way. We all had to write and read out potential blogs I did one on a Nostalgic visit to historic Scarborough which they hadnt know anything about.
It has all been such a lovely learning curve. This is my 9th blog and I am in now touch with people from all over the world, including you!
If you can find a tutor, try it!
Also on this topic: https:blogging-at-80-opening-up-a-whole-new-world-or-maybe-an-old-one
Lovely to meet you Joyce. I only started blogging this year too, I’m 50. Proving that technology isn’t only for the young I think! 🙂
Glad to meet you Joyce and I will definitely be following your blog. I started my blog because I love to write about wild and crazy things – you know those things that bring a smile to one’s face along with a chuckle or too. I write as a reason to avoid all the negativity in the world today.
By the way, I love the way you put your blogs together. I haven’t become that knowledgeable …..yet. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your world with us.
Child-proof pill bottles… I can’t for the life of me get them open. Can you?
A tip from a long-time blogger (I’ve been doing this for 12 years now, on various sites), Joyce… beneath each comment, you’ll see a ‘reply’ button. If you click that, you can reply to any of your commenters. That way, not only will you be experiencing the delights of writing blog posts, but you’ll be able to open up discussions and get to know your own blog’s readers. 🙂 Hope that helps!
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Now that’s what I call being helpful. Thank you. Writing is pure fun, but finding my way around the technology of sites is terrifying. It is such a learning curve and a rapidly decreasing memory helps not.
I think you are one of the teachers in your blog! Yours is the first comment that has made it clear to me what blogging is truly about. What a lovely new world to find at my age.
You’re welcome. When I first started blogging, there was more to learn as the site I used didn’t have a very user-friendly system and one had to do a kind of coding to get things into the side panel and there were all sorts of things I had to learn from scratch. And when I came here to WordPress.com (the site that hosts your blog and mine) it took me absolutely ages to find my way around as it was so different. It’ll come. Even with memory problems (which I have, too, though not all of mine are age related. I might write about that in a blog post one day) it does take time.
I just hit the follow button. So happy to meet you. I hope you will join the Senior Salon on Wednesdays.
Hi Joyce! I just discovered you as a result of a re-tweet you did, of my tweet this morning. So I came here, and clicked follow. Presto, I am a subscriber! Congrats on being a blogger. It suits you!
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How nice! Thank you. It really has proved to be fun. Had not realised how much I had enjoyed writing and missed it. Do you find that?
Glad to have made contact. Certainly feel lucky! Do keep in touch.
Hi Joyce
Great to read your blogs. I think I am now about the age you were when I met you at Hinchingbrooke hospital. You believed in me and my career has moved on and up in leaps and bounds. I often think of you. Would be great to catch up. I think my surname was Sykes then. Xxx
You know that I have been following your blog from the start and – as you point out – they improve, like good wine, with age. As do you.