Hi. We met in the "Office"? You asked me if I wanted to talk to you? Remember? I thought, Ok, I'll see what she has to say. So I subscribed. I can't say that I'll be able to keep up with you. But I'll make an effort. First off, I don't work. I'm one of those old fuck Baby Boomers. I'm 65 (...but a handsome 65!) I'm living off a pension, but it's not enough, which is why the wife is still working. I told her, if I have to work until I'm 65, so do you. She doesn't mind, because she likes her job. I like it too, because she quite often brings work home. (Thank Fuck, because she works in a liquor store.)
Anyway, I write fiction. I don't do the blog thing. Never did. I write lonnngg stories. So if you have an afternoon off, and you have an hour to kill, open up a story and take a look. I think you might like what I have to offer. I don't worry about word count, because Substack offers me the freedom to be myself. As a result, my stories tend to hover around the 15 to 20,000 word length. I do like the theatre though. I even have an idea for a play I want to write one day.
I ramble a lot, too. I also smoke dope and drink a lot of wine. Those are the only two vices I have left. I had to give everything else up...and everything else is anything you can imagine. Did I tell you I write? I use to work in a sawmill here on the Left Coast of Canada. I live just outside of Vancouver. It was the only job I ever had. I worked there for 45 years. I started when I was 19. I have no degree. I have High School though. I've been writing since I was 15. I think I'm pretty good at it. You'll have to read a story of two and let me know.
I already told you I'm married. I have two children--one of each, and probably both older than you. I am not politically correct. That's what happens when you grow up in an industrial job. I have to ask my daughter when I cross the line. (She works in an office.) Oh yeah, you can see a picture of my wife in my Archives page. It's the story of how I got one of my earrings. (Yeah, I still have them in; I have 2) She's not bad to look at, considering her age. (She still looks hot to me, and that's all that matters.)
So being retired, I had to come up with something to do. I thought I might do the "Extras" thing, just for the hell of it. I mean, I can sit in the background and drink coffee, or read a book, or do a crossword, or talk to a woman. I've done those things before. (I excel at coffee drinking.) But I decided I was going to be a writer instead. I mean, it's what I've always done, and I'm pretty good at it. Being 65, I figure I should get at least 20 years to work at it...maybe 25, but who the fuck wants to live to 90?
I'm going to tell you, if you can afford it, don't go back to work until the kids are in school. Enjoy them while you can. Stay at home and write. If you were in theatre before, write about that. Better still, write a play, toss it in the drawer and then writer another one; toss that one into the fire, and write a third one. Then go back to the first one and read it again. Then, and only then, rewrite the second one (the one you tossed into the fire), and you'll be amazed at how good it is. But don't go back to work if you don't have to. Tell everyone you are now a writer. (Because why would you work OT and not get paid for it?)
God being a boomer with grown kids sounds awesome right now, I’d go to far lengths for some dope right now😭😂 but something something responsible parent of very small ones something something, I’m sure there’s a good reason I don’t in this season of life.
Welcome to the abode my now oldest friend! 🤭😂 you came to talk and I signed you up for the friendship package, it was all a trap! I will definitely check out the stories during nap time today, when i can give them the attention they deserve. And though im young and appear sprightly, im a tired 30. It’s like being a handsome 65 but the complete opposite. So totally different. So you can keep up I’m sure. I don’t run fast.
I respect the refusal to lock yourself into a format. 15 to 20000 is what we call range haha!
I excel at coffee drinking too! And coffee making. I would probably give you a run for your money with caffeine overconsumption. I wonder if anyone who enjoys anything would be content just doing crosswords and reading. No matter how tiring having worked your whole life has been. You just got the time to do what you want! Can’t spend that on talking to a woman!
I want to love to 90 as long as 90 doesn’t feel three times as tiring as 30 which I think currently it does but maybe by the time I’m 90 they’ll have figured out a way for it not to.
My fiancé is 10 years older than me which is likea loophole, I’ll always be young in comparison 😎
I think I will probably try to do something that’s not much like a real job. My oldest will be at school next year (they start at 4 here, isn’t that insanity?). I’ll probably throw more of myself into writing and finish the children’s books I have in the works. Thank you for the advice! Working is overrated and if we ever struggle financially we can just move out of here and feel super rich literally anywhere else in the country. Though I’d like it to be a different country but you can’t have grandparents around for your kids AND change location. So maybe I’ll smoke dope at 65 somewhere less chavvy than east London.
Having a job is NOT cool. I just want to say ditto to everything you said. I have a degree that I'm not using the way I want to or had planned on doing, but I'm using it. But having a Corporate Hell Job is just that. Hell. I'm completely over it and just want to do my side hustle full time. LOL
corporate jobs seem like really the worst of the worst! inescapable politics, being stuck with people you can't choose, just all of it :S hang in there ororo!
Sooooo relatable. I took a break from work to raise two kids until the youngest started school. I didn’t really have a career prior to that and had a blog that helped me develop my writing skills.
When an opportunity did come along, it was pretty random. Could not have planned it if I tried. But it was a writing gig that I got paid for, and I’ve been writing for work ever since!
Great piece, and you write so well that, yes, I'm sure people will pay you for it!
I left the full-time workplace last year after 30+ years. I was pretty well treated, and liked what I did, but the hours and stress take their toll in the end.
I’m not surprised, and happy you were able to do that! Wouldn’t it be good if everyone just had a choice 😅 What would happen to all the corporate account managers? 🥲
Hi. We met in the "Office"? You asked me if I wanted to talk to you? Remember? I thought, Ok, I'll see what she has to say. So I subscribed. I can't say that I'll be able to keep up with you. But I'll make an effort. First off, I don't work. I'm one of those old fuck Baby Boomers. I'm 65 (...but a handsome 65!) I'm living off a pension, but it's not enough, which is why the wife is still working. I told her, if I have to work until I'm 65, so do you. She doesn't mind, because she likes her job. I like it too, because she quite often brings work home. (Thank Fuck, because she works in a liquor store.)
Anyway, I write fiction. I don't do the blog thing. Never did. I write lonnngg stories. So if you have an afternoon off, and you have an hour to kill, open up a story and take a look. I think you might like what I have to offer. I don't worry about word count, because Substack offers me the freedom to be myself. As a result, my stories tend to hover around the 15 to 20,000 word length. I do like the theatre though. I even have an idea for a play I want to write one day.
I ramble a lot, too. I also smoke dope and drink a lot of wine. Those are the only two vices I have left. I had to give everything else up...and everything else is anything you can imagine. Did I tell you I write? I use to work in a sawmill here on the Left Coast of Canada. I live just outside of Vancouver. It was the only job I ever had. I worked there for 45 years. I started when I was 19. I have no degree. I have High School though. I've been writing since I was 15. I think I'm pretty good at it. You'll have to read a story of two and let me know.
I already told you I'm married. I have two children--one of each, and probably both older than you. I am not politically correct. That's what happens when you grow up in an industrial job. I have to ask my daughter when I cross the line. (She works in an office.) Oh yeah, you can see a picture of my wife in my Archives page. It's the story of how I got one of my earrings. (Yeah, I still have them in; I have 2) She's not bad to look at, considering her age. (She still looks hot to me, and that's all that matters.)
So being retired, I had to come up with something to do. I thought I might do the "Extras" thing, just for the hell of it. I mean, I can sit in the background and drink coffee, or read a book, or do a crossword, or talk to a woman. I've done those things before. (I excel at coffee drinking.) But I decided I was going to be a writer instead. I mean, it's what I've always done, and I'm pretty good at it. Being 65, I figure I should get at least 20 years to work at it...maybe 25, but who the fuck wants to live to 90?
I'm going to tell you, if you can afford it, don't go back to work until the kids are in school. Enjoy them while you can. Stay at home and write. If you were in theatre before, write about that. Better still, write a play, toss it in the drawer and then writer another one; toss that one into the fire, and write a third one. Then go back to the first one and read it again. Then, and only then, rewrite the second one (the one you tossed into the fire), and you'll be amazed at how good it is. But don't go back to work if you don't have to. Tell everyone you are now a writer. (Because why would you work OT and not get paid for it?)
God being a boomer with grown kids sounds awesome right now, I’d go to far lengths for some dope right now😭😂 but something something responsible parent of very small ones something something, I’m sure there’s a good reason I don’t in this season of life.
Welcome to the abode my now oldest friend! 🤭😂 you came to talk and I signed you up for the friendship package, it was all a trap! I will definitely check out the stories during nap time today, when i can give them the attention they deserve. And though im young and appear sprightly, im a tired 30. It’s like being a handsome 65 but the complete opposite. So totally different. So you can keep up I’m sure. I don’t run fast.
I respect the refusal to lock yourself into a format. 15 to 20000 is what we call range haha!
I excel at coffee drinking too! And coffee making. I would probably give you a run for your money with caffeine overconsumption. I wonder if anyone who enjoys anything would be content just doing crosswords and reading. No matter how tiring having worked your whole life has been. You just got the time to do what you want! Can’t spend that on talking to a woman!
I want to love to 90 as long as 90 doesn’t feel three times as tiring as 30 which I think currently it does but maybe by the time I’m 90 they’ll have figured out a way for it not to.
My fiancé is 10 years older than me which is likea loophole, I’ll always be young in comparison 😎
I think I will probably try to do something that’s not much like a real job. My oldest will be at school next year (they start at 4 here, isn’t that insanity?). I’ll probably throw more of myself into writing and finish the children’s books I have in the works. Thank you for the advice! Working is overrated and if we ever struggle financially we can just move out of here and feel super rich literally anywhere else in the country. Though I’d like it to be a different country but you can’t have grandparents around for your kids AND change location. So maybe I’ll smoke dope at 65 somewhere less chavvy than east London.
It’s nice to meet you!!!
I think we're going to be pretty good friends.🧔♂️
Having a job is NOT cool. I just want to say ditto to everything you said. I have a degree that I'm not using the way I want to or had planned on doing, but I'm using it. But having a Corporate Hell Job is just that. Hell. I'm completely over it and just want to do my side hustle full time. LOL
corporate jobs seem like really the worst of the worst! inescapable politics, being stuck with people you can't choose, just all of it :S hang in there ororo!
“snowflake western children” 😂
Sooooo relatable. I took a break from work to raise two kids until the youngest started school. I didn’t really have a career prior to that and had a blog that helped me develop my writing skills.
When an opportunity did come along, it was pretty random. Could not have planned it if I tried. But it was a writing gig that I got paid for, and I’ve been writing for work ever since!
what a dream! what was the opportunity?
Great piece, and you write so well that, yes, I'm sure people will pay you for it!
I left the full-time workplace last year after 30+ years. I was pretty well treated, and liked what I did, but the hours and stress take their toll in the end.
You’re too kind as usual.
I’m not surprised, and happy you were able to do that! Wouldn’t it be good if everyone just had a choice 😅 What would happen to all the corporate account managers? 🥲