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About [B]old Age and “the queen of ElderStack” who writes it
A warm welcome to [B]old Age, where I write about old age, from the blessings to the bullshit; equally important, I invite your comments and thoughts on this vital topic.
I am exploring what getting old is really like. At almost 73, I offer an insider’s perspective, or maybe I should call it beginner’s mind; I’m surprised, frankly, to find myself in the land of the old at this young-old age.
You’ve heard about the typical blessings of growing older: increased wisdom and perspective, gratitude for big and little things, more rest and ease (if you're lucky enough to retire). And the bullshit (meaning the bad stuff): ageist stereotypes (especially for women), health issues, losing loved ones, grief.
Enter: [B]old Age
It requires [b]oldness to embrace the nuanced reality of aging, and to learn new ways of living fully. Yes, it's a blessing to get older, but it's bullshit for me or anyone else to deny physical decline and other changes in body and mind.
This is the quandary of [b]old age that I write about; it’s a both/and of learning to savor what’s still ahead, while also accepting, sometimes with regret, what’s behind me.
I’m in good health and still reasonably active, full of ambition and #unretired; yet I can feel in my bones (and wonky vision and diminishing hearing) that I am an old woman, however hard it is to say those words.
Please subscribe to join in with your Comments, and help me make sense of this surprising place.
The quandary of [b]old age is that it’s a both/and of learning to savor what’s still ahead, while also accepting, sometimes with regret, what’s behind us.
Why subscribe to [B]old Age
I am grateful for every new subscriber, free or paid. If my writing resonates with you, I’d love to have you as a paid subscriber. Your support helps me continue the work of writing that matters, to me and to you. In addition, as a paid subscriber you have access to my more personal and revealing essays and to Ask Debbie, where I offer in-depth answers to readers’ practical and existential questions about [b]old age.
You can expect a new post from me once a week, on Fridays, with occasional posts in between.
As a subscriber, you get:
Personal essays examining what it’s really like to grow [b]older (paid subscribers access my most revealing essays, like this one)
Q&A’s with [B]old Women about their lives and their writing. I love doing these and they are very popular with readers
My answers to Ask Debbie questions such as, “What if I get Alzheimer’s?” (paid subscribers)
You also get:
Nonfiction Writing Tips from a developmental book editor (me!)
Behind The Scenes of the [B]OLD AGE podcast (my podcast concluded in May ‘24 after five years and 120 episodes).
And welcome to ElderStack
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—and anyone else who’s interested. If are a [B]old Woman, please join in by introducing yourself.
Recent essays you might enjoy:
Gritting my teeth and learning how to say, “I am an old woman.”
A Q&A with an 83-year-old [b]old woman, an extraordinary writer who captures ordinary moments with perfect clarity.
A complicated relationship with my dad has led to complicated grief. Readers had a lot to say on how to express condolences.
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." -
… and who is Debbie (she’s been called “the queen of elderstack”)?
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. After 30+ years in DC, I live on the Maine coast 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. And thanks to
who called me “the queen of elderstack.”