From the ground up

I am starting over for about the fifteenth time in my life. I could say this is a bad thing, but that would be a lie. The truth is that I'm excited--perhaps more than I have ever been. Being nearly penniless and having a physical condition that precludes "normal" employment are forcing me to do what I've always wanted.

Bummer.

I'm a boomer and I'm feeling new again, and I'm wondering whether there is a world of boomers outther who are reinventing our rusty revolutionary voices. I hope so. For now, I simply hope to use this blog to draw a few people to my business, sure, but to draw more to a virtual community of people who are tired of feeling that our culture has sapped us of our creative joy.

No, I'm NOT talking about touching base with our inner child. I'm talking about being a kid. An all out kid. About playing with paint. Dragging out the building toys. Just getting out a sketch pad. Gardening without a plan. Playing ping pong. My niece and I play Monopoly that never ends. We give each other more money when someone's about to lose, so that the game won't end. It drives her dad NUTS.

I am reinventing myself at fifty-seven. I am making peace with the lumps and bumps and wrinkles and surprises in the mirror. I am decidedly annoyed at the attitudes I run into that tell me I am all through and unhirable. Well, then, I'll hire myself... again.

I have been a writer for twenty years, writing for universities, for nonprofits. So perhaps I'll try writing for myself. I have been to dozens of creativity workshops and memoir workshops, and writing seminars, and computer refresher courses.

Its' time I put to use what I've learned and began running some of my own workshops, dared to create the sort of community I long for, along the lines of an old-fashioned salon. Creative people who want a place to play and to explore. We'll see.

This blog can be a place to start without having to be too specific, but where I can develop the plan and launch it. Perhaps it can draw other people who are reinventing themselves as well.