Lately, I’ve felt like I have been living my life through other people’s stories.
Admittedly, I have had, far too much time, on my hands, of late.
Sinking into TV series, books, and movies has offered, a sort of life raft, when I have needed it most.
Life has felt incredibly hard, amidst, an unprecedented job market, and what feels like a perpetual search for gainful employment, a dwindling bank account, and all the pressure, I feel, to figure it out; so escaping into someone else’s world, even for a moment, is such a relief.
Recently, I have been watching The Gilded Age on HBO Max which takes place between the 1870s and 1900, and I have felt both inspired, and, honestly, jealous of one of the characters.
Peggy Scott is a young, black woman who defies the odds of the time, by pursuing a writing career. Observing Peggy, as she, literally, sends out, snail mail pitches, to newspapers, I feel myself wishing for a simpler time.
In the early 2000s, I was a freelance writer, for a newspaper. I got the opportunity from networking, in person, with a regular customer of mine, when I worked as a Server. Since then, it has felt, like, an absolute maze, to figure out, how to make a living, writing.
I watched on, as Peggy wrote, article after article, for a newspaper. Her words were important, and made a difference, in the community. She wrote about hot-topic human issues, such as, equality, voting rights, women’s issues, and more.
Then, I watched, as she dedicated her time, to writing her first book, and how, one of the newspapers, published a sneak-peak of a few chapters. And then, before long, published hardback book, in hand, Peggy was being asked to give speeches to promote the book.
Oh, how I long for that to be my life. Okay, retract that phrase.
Peggy had, a million odds against her, in a very trying, and small-minded time, in history. She was, way ahead of her time, in so many ways, and had to fight her ass off, to get where she got, and then she still had to face, massive injustice, discrimination, and struggle.
This is tragic and hard, and I definitely, don’t want that.
But what I do want, is the ease, in which she seemed, to piece together, a paid writing career.
I am a writer. I have always been a writer. And yet, it has been a challenge, to say the least, to make a living, doing what I love, and what matters most to me.
Yesterday, I decided to start researching, how to become a freelance, published writer, in this day and age.
Admittedly, I got completely overwhelmed in minutes.
So much information out there, yet so hard to know, what is true and real, and what is a scam.
I reached out to my husband, Rob (who was busy, out in the world, making a living) for help.
Rob, is absolutely incredible, at weeding through the bs, and finding legit resources, needed, in any given situation, really.
It is incredibly confounding to me.
When I studied Journalism in undergrad, I prided myself on being the Queen of Research.
The Research class, that my peers nicknamed, Info-Hell, for its rigor, and the absolute grit it took, to write the 100-page research paper assigned, was one of my favorite classes.
But, I went to Journalism school from 1998-2002.
There was a lot less noise and distraction. For context, Google, had just, become a thing, when I was taking that Research class.
Rob has a knack for discerning, what is bogus, and what is worth pursuing.
Within minutes, he sent me a comprehensive list, of publications, that accept pitches, with all the guidelines, present.
Quickly, I noticed that AARP was aligned with what I have been writing about lately: getting older in a time taken over by AI and other advancements, searching for work as an older woman, while facing constant rejection and radio silence from potential employers, and losing my voice, at times, in an effort to utilize AI.
And, apparently, there is so much more, I have to say, about being a middle-aged woman, in 2026.
I have just begun to open this can of worms.
I can’t wait to see what else I choose to rumble with.
Could this my beat?
Getting old in unprecedent times. The trials and tribulations, and keeping the humor alive, in the process.
I submitted my pitch to AARP and then I searched Indeed and found some other possibilities that I immediately applied for.
For the love of God, it is time to make a living as a writer. I am ready.
When Rob got home, I thanked him for the list and told him what had jumped out at me.
He said,
“It was a long list. Did you click on load more?”
And, I looked at the poor guy, like he had three heads, and I felt myself, absolutely fuming, thinking, this is NOT my first rodeo,
And then, I said to him,
“Why of course I did. God, so much mansplaining, all around me, lately.”
It was hard to completely be kind. I mean, I try, most of the time, but sometimes, I just do not succeed, at holding my tongue.
The day before, I had had an unfortunate run in, with, younger men, at the doctor’s office, treating me, like a stupid old lady, regarding technology, so I was feeling, extra sensitive, on this front.
Right after, I said those words to Rob, I looked at the list again, and, there it was, staring me in the face, load more.
Readers, I had not, in fact, clicked on this, but I can be a proud woman, sometimes, and I did not want to, humbly admit my error.
I have been told I am stubborn.
I prefer to reject, said label, and to, think of myself, instead as: doggedly determined, and single-mindedly focused - LOL.
And, yet, there is a part of me, that is honest, to a fault.
So, I sucked up, the little pride, I had left, and told Rob, that he was right, I had not, in fact, looked at, the whole list.
For context, there were several more pages, that required, clicking on, load more.
It was a substantially long list.
I then said to Rob,
“I was planning to take this to my grave. LOL.”
Oh Lord, the indignity, of noticing, my own silly error.
And, then he affirmed, how, what I am writing about, lately, is quite perfect for AARP.
I mean, it really is.
Who would have thought?
I’ve always tried so hard to write about things that make a difference. Maybe, I was trying too hard, to force it, in hindsight.
Now, I am just writing about my ridiculous experiences, and having fun.
As a former professional counselor, I have often attempted to write from that lens. Maybe it came off, as, too lecturey, too preachy, or teachy.
Like, I was trying to force a lesson, that maybe wasn’t even there.
I have felt different, though, in this era.
It could be the countless hours, soaking up historical fiction books, and tv shows.
Who knows?
I guess, I don’t need to know.
But, I do know, that these stories on getting older, are simply, real and authentic, and they quite frankly, crack me up.
I am quick to laugh at myself, and hopefully, other people will find my stories humorous, too, but that, I cannot control.
I, for one, think, I am hilarious.
And, when I was in a recruiter’s office, the other day, sharing my stories, of being old, in this wild job market, we were both in stitches.
Why not find the humor in these trying times?
Beyond the humor, I have always valued the power of a real life human, sharing, a true life story, about, being human.
In a world, full of Artificial Intelligence, there is nothing quite like, an honest to goodness, human story.
