Our Protagonist Enters From Stage Right

When the third act isn't the conclusion.

I’ve never been one to shy away from a spotlight.

In fact, I typically run directly into the light and wave my arms and shout to make sure I’m seen and heard. It’s a thing I know about myself, this eager seeking-out of attention. It’s been in me since I was a little girl dancing and singing on the back patio to the empty field behind our house. It probably has a lot to do with why my default nature is co-dependent and over-extended. But I have heard from people for years that my feet-first attitude when it comes to trying new things is inspiring, and that makes me really happy. And I like to make people happy¹.

2023, whew.

I began this year with stars in my eyes and lots of awesome stuff to look forward to. In the first couple of months I heard that I was accepted into a creative writing MFA program. A couple of months later, my first collection of flash fiction was published and became a best-seller for the distributor. A few months after that, I took a six-day bike ride with my brother and proved to him (and myself) that I could do hard things as well at fifty-eight as I could decades earlier.

Then August ran over me like a fucking² truck. My husband of eighteen years informed me (on the anniversary of our wedding and my mother’s death) that he had filed for divorce. Timing is everything.

Gather round, friends.

So, as writers often do, I decided I need to write about it. Grad school and single at fifty-eight, kids are grown and I have more time to focus on myself than I have had in over 30 years… there’s a lot of opportunities just hanging out waiting for me to jump on them. And as people who love the spotlight (and inspiring others) do, I want to share . And let’s be honest - I could use a cheering section.

Look, this is not a narcissistic project, I promise. You may have noticed that there have been some rumblings from the elder Gen-X crowd about aging and what it means to those of us who are feeling as healthy or healthier and more adventurous than ever in our 50s. Women are demanding to be seen for the capable, sexy, adventurous people we still are, rather than what traditional societal roles and PR companies would like us to be: consumers who need “anti-aging” serums to smooth our foreheads, bras to shove our boobs back to their formerly perky positions, and potions to help us shave off the menopausal cortisol belly. Maybe some of us want those things³ but that’s not Who We Are.

I’m sure as hell not fading away. You’re invited to join me for the ride.

What kind of ride, exactly?

For starters, I’ll probably post something once a week. Let’s say on Friday. I’ll write about my personal experiences as a student, a writer, an artist, a woman in her late fifties, photo essays of my adventures…stuff like that. At some point I’ll add a paid level, probably focused on my writing and art practice. Writing prompts? Videos of my collage art process? What would you like to see? I’m wide open for suggestions.

Thanks for visiting, and I hope to see more of you here. Share with your friends if you’re so moved, there’s room for all of us. You’re awesome.

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1. You see my challenge…

2. I swear quite a bit. I don’t care if you like it or approve.

3. This is a no-judgement zone!