![[B]OLD AGE with Debbie Weil](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/e_trim:10:white/e_trim:10:transparent/h_72,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb939748d-5d80-4d0f-867c-2ed252ac633c_1344x256.png)
About this newsletter and about the author…
I want to tell you what getting old is really like.
There are the blessings and there is the bullshit. Increased wisdom and perspective are a blessing, no doubt; but it’s bullshit to deny the physical degeneration and other mind and body changes. Old people (especially women) are devalued or ignored in our ageist society. So it takes [b]oldness to move from midlife to [b]old age.
I’m in good health and still very active at 72; yet I can feel in my bones that I’ve entered the land of the old. Frankly, I am surprised to find myself here. This foreign place was not on my bucket list. This identity is new and strange for me.
NEW! My community for [B]old Women, aka old(er) women writers and creatives on Substack in their 60s, 70s, 80s. Also welcome are women in their 40s & 50s. If that’s you, please join in by leaving a comment here.
What I write about:
What it’s like to be in a 50-year marriage that is growing and changing (some funny bits here):
The reality of physical deterioration, debility and illness as you get old:
How to truly embrace mortality and death:
Forgiveness: a juicy topic; it’s not too late, right? That includes forgiving myself:
And of course, all the positive things, and the opportunities, that come along with enjoying a final chapter:
What subscribers are saying
“Debbie, I love what you’re doing for those of us in our 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond! Our bodies might be aging, but you’re a great example of who we can be when we remain curious, creative and open to new ideas. Thank you for being [B]Old!" -
“I absolutely love your writing!!” -
I'll turn 55 in a few months, and you are inspiring me to keep climbing mountains. Thanks, Debbie!
Thank you so much for modeling how to live a great third act that is both forward looking and fully present." - Julie J.
“I care about your work because I'm getting older, too, but so are many of my contemporaries who are struggling. New insights and advice for supporting them are always welcome.” - Barbara McNichol
“I appreciate how you are always asking the big questions, seeking how we can best live with vitality and wisdom. Whether it's sharing your own story or bringing us amazing interviews I always learn something." -
When you subscribe, you get:
Personal Essays examining what it’s really like to grow [b]older
Nonfiction Writing Tips from a developmental book editor (me!)
Behind The Scenes for each episode of the [B]OLD AGE podcast, now in Season 6
Q&A’s with [B]old Women about their lives and their writing
My answers to reader’s questions such as: “What if I get Alzheimer’s?”
My goal is to be honest and vulnerable and to tell you what it’s like — as a woman but also regardless of gender. My hope is that my [b]old age dispatches will be useful to you — or at least provocative — as you transition from midlife to your own final chapter.
I am grateful for every new subscriber, free or paid. Paid subscribers have full access to everything I write or host on Substack.
Why become a paid subscriber
As a paid subscriber, you become a member of a smaller group which actively engages with me in honest discussion about old age. In addition, you are supporting my work and paying for my 40+ years of experience as a professional writer.
… and who is Debbie?
About the artwork…1
I’m a 70-something podcaster, writer, author (I wrote one of the first books on business blogging for Penguin), editor (a nonfiction book coach), storytelling director (I founded a multigenerational women’s storytelling event), former reporter, Web pioneer (I coded my first website in 1996), nonprofit volunteer, wife, mother, grandmother and more. I live on the Maine coast and and in New Haven, CT with my husband of 51 years
. We have three children in their 40s and six grandchildren.For honest dispatches from a badass [b]old lady, subscribe to [B]OLD AGE. Omg, did I just call myself badass?? More about that here.
