By Way of Introduction
Dear Readers of My Blog, đź’š
This is my first blog post, and frankly, I haven't done much creative writing in a decade, with the exception of creating marketing and advertising materials for my former company, when I worked there. But I was laid off from my remote customer service job on August 4, 2022, after 14 years of dedication, when the owners sold the company. The new owner closed the entire call center, laying off everyone in that department, including our inspirational director and top managers. They kept managers from other departments, and the clients, but opened their own call center in another state. So, after a decade and a half, I was out on my duff. It was devastating--I won't lie. But honestly, I had wearied of the work a few years before. And everything ends eventually.
Today's blog is by way of introducing myself to you and explaining why I have chosen to become a blogger.
First, I am a senior citizen. In the movie, "Maid in Manhattan," Jennifer Lopez's character, Marisa Ventura, says to Ralph Fiennes's character, Christopher Marshall, "Don't act like you know me, ese, 'cause you don't know me, alright?" And likewise, just because my blog site is called "Wishing Well Whispers--Writing for Seniors," does not mean that I presume to know you, or that I assume you know me. And while I am writing for senior citizens, anyone is welcome to read my blog and respond to me about it--but no hateful remarks, please. Let's keep it civil and respectful. Senior citizens and I share old age in common and the bane of existence that comes with that territory, no matter how much our own private misery of being elderly may differ in the particulars.
Since losing my customer service job, I have employed countless job search agents via job boards within artificial intelligence (AI), and one actual live recruiter, and so far, after over 10 months of submitting resumes, job applications, tailored cover letters, and assessments, I am still without a job. Part of this problem, I think, is that I can't, and I refuse, to drive on the California freeways, where Californians, with few exceptions, seem to relish driving at 85 to 90 miles per hour. I drive strictly in my small town, where there are few job openings in customer service. And I don't have the energy now in my senior years to be a grocery clerk, in case you were wondering. I am more of a cerebral person. Working remotely, at a computer all day, is right up my alley. But there's not much demand, I've had confirmed repeatedly, for a senior remote worker. But I'm still looking and applying for such jobs every day, religiously.
Yet, rattling around in my mind all these many months has been the notion that I might write a blog addressed to senior citizens, since most commercials and other environments normally prefer to target younger audiences. And since I do have a master’s degree in writing, specifically creative writing, I began to consider that many seniors may want to author short stories, a memoir, or a novel, but they don't know how, or they may feel overwhelmed. And writing classes are expensive normally. I suppose seniors can often take writing classes for free at certain colleges and universities, and you can certainly explore that option if you wish. Or you could pay the $10 or $15 per month for some of the master classes now available on line. But I thought that I might have some valuable ideas to offer you about writing. And I also think that it could be interesting to have a personal blog like this from a senior citizen, directed at senior citizens, and commiserating about the difficulties of growing older in a society that reveres the young. So here we are.
I should tell you that I published my own historical fiction novel on Amazon's Create Space in 2014, and it normally has a 4.7-star rating, on par with some of the best books out there, so you may wish to check it out. I had to raise my price for a paperback, because Amazon alerted me that its printing costs are going up, and if I wanted to receive any royalties at all, I might wish to reconsider my listed price. But do realize, please, that I rarely receive any royalties from the sale of my books because most are sold for free with a Kindle Unlimited membership on Amazon. When I do receive a royalty it's only for about 60 percent of the cost, so you can calculate for yourself that I am not getting rich. Anyway, if you are curious about my book or my audacious idea that I can teach you anything about writing, here is the link to my historical fiction novel, Avezzano and New York, under my abbreviated name of Glo Lewis on Amazon (you will either have to copy and paste this link into a new page in your browser, or you can go to Amazon.com, select books, and type in either Glo Lewis or Avezzano and New York, because so far, I have not been able to create a link that works when you click on it to take you to the Amazon site.):
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=avezzano+and+new+york&i=stripbooks&crid=TQJZSFBLUIGG&sprefix=avezzano+and+new+york%2Cstripbooks%2C1000&ref=nb_sb_noss
To be completely transparent with you, I want you to know that I plan to monetize my blog, so you will surely see ads for which ultimately, I will hopefully receive at least a nominal amount of money, so I can buy more Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup, etc., etc. But lest you feel sorry for me, I will share that my sister, Bootsie, and her husband, David, two of the best people in the world, who helped me when I had cancer, are also helping me now, so I never miss a meal or have to go without the ID channel for my armchair detective work in homicide investigation, performed entirely from my sofa with sleeping cats.
God Bless, and more to follow soon...Glo
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