A New Blog for a New Age

A month ago I turned 70. I realize that many people enter a period of decline at this age. Even if I do well, many of my friends will not. Everything I read about the aging process is doom and gloom, painting the worst possible scenarios that older people must endure. I do not see an established vehicle for individuals to openly discuss what it is like to move through the final decades of life. I imagine that, just like any time period, there are positives and negatives.

I have many thoughts about this stage of being, yet think it unwise to talk too much about the subject to my friends and relatives. I am convinced those are not conversations they want to hear over and over again. My solution has been to start a blog about aging after 70. The blog has been up and running since just before my birthday.

The idea for the blog came to me after reading the book Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Americanah is about a Nigerian who comes to the United States. Among other things, she writes an anonymous blog about the interactions of our African-American population with Caucasians—all from a Nigerian’s point-of-view. There are two things I liked about the character’s blog: the anonymity and the fact that she was brutally honest about her observations.

My new blog is also anonymous. I have told those who are close to me that the blog is up and running, but I have told no one how to find it. While they know the general subject manner, they do not know the title or the platform I am using. The blog is written under a pseudonym, which is quite liberating. I am free to chronicle my aging experience without worrying about embarrassing others or myself. I also want to be brutally honest in a way that would not be comfortable if people knew I was the author. I have not been able to find anything else on the Internet with the approach I have chosen. My intent is to describe what it’s like to age physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Friends have asked, “Why not just journal in private?” I want to give others the opportunity to see what goes through the head of at least one aging individual. I am also hoping that, in time, the blog will start a discussion amongst people, validate their own feelings and provide better understanding for those who are younger.

I wonder if you’ll be able to find my blog with the hints I have provided. Of course, if you do, I will deny that I am the author.

New Gifted Education Blog Launched

When I first started this blog last August, I stated the following as one of my writing goals:

Joel McIntosh, publisher of Prufrock Press, has given me permission to use the content of the 6 ½ years of weekly blogs that I wrote for Prufrock’s Gifted Child Information Blog. I would like to rearrange that material, eliminate outdated information, and create a “best of” resource for parents and/or teachers. I won’t know quite what format that will take until I play around with it a bit.

After playing around with a number of ideas about ways to use the content from the Prufrock blog, I finally came up with a solution. Today I am pleased to announce the new PeakEducational Resources blog, which will update and redo the enormous amount of content that I have amassed. Most of the information I have is not only still very relevant, but essential. I am eliminating content from the previous blog that is outdated, and updating information when necessary. Both parents and educators will find the resources on the new blog to be very helpful. I plan to add entries as quickly as possible.

If the subject matter of the new Peak Educational Resources blog meets your needs, I hope you will subscribe to one of the feeds. Please note that the blog also has a search option, so if you are looking for information on a particular topic, you can use that feature.

I hope you will help spread the word about this new, rich resource.