Old Man Still Got Stories – Life Observations and Writing Adventures from a 77-year-old Author
At 77, I’ve discovered that getting older doesn’t mean running out of stories–it means finally having the perspective to tell them right. My weekly newsletter combines two things I’m passionate about: honest observations about navigating life in my late seventies and behind-the-scenes insights into my ongoing experiments with AI-assisted writing.
This isn’t your typical “wisdom from an elder” newsletter. I’m not here to tell you how to live your life or share profound platitudes about aging gracefully. Instead, I’m documenting what it’s actually like to be this age–the funny moments, the frustrating realities, the unexpected discoveries, and yes, the profound stuff too when it shows up naturally.
What You’ll Get Every Week
Life in the Late Seventies – The primary focus alternates between weeks, covering topics like:
- Why I still use a $19.95 flip phone (and what that says about choosing technology intentionally)
- The saga of getting a REAL ID star on my driver’s license at the DMV
- What it’s like losing a spouse after 47 years and figuring out what comes next
- Technology I’m excited to learn versus technology I cheerfully ignore
- Observations on current events filtered through seven decades of experience
- The physical realities of this age that nobody talks about honestly
- The Technology That Confuses Me (And Why I Learn It Anyway)
- Conversations with My Mirror: What 77 Actually Looks Like
- How Claude and I Actually Collaborate on Fiction
- Things Nobody Tells You About Being a Widower
- The Art of Moving Slowly in a Fast World
The Conversational Approach
Think of this as getting a weekly letter from a friend who happens to be 77 and isn’t shy about sharing what that’s really like. I write the way I talk–conversational, sometimes rambling, occasionally profound, often humorous. No corporate newsletter voice, no forced motivation, just authentic stories and observations from someone who’s been around long enough to have some perspective but is still curious about what comes next.
Some weeks you might laugh out loud. Other weeks you might find yourself thinking about aging, creativity, or life in ways you hadn’t before. Most weeks, hopefully both.
Why Subscribe?
If you’re curious about:
- Honest aging perspectives that don’t sugarcoat or catastrophize – just the real experience
- Creative experimentation at 77 – what it’s like pioneering transparent human-AI collaboration in fiction writing
- Life through a longer lens – observations from someone who’s lived through massive cultural and technological shifts
- Widowhood and resilience – navigating loss and building something new in late life
- Self-publishing realities – the behind-the-scenes truth about indie book creation
Recent topics have included my flip phone philosophy, encounters with bureaucracy, memories of my late wife Ellen, and the absurdity of modern technology adoption.
How It Works
“Old Man Still Got Stories” arrives in your inbox every Tuesday morning. It’s free to subscribe.
No spam, no constant selling, no motivational platitudes. Just honest stories and observations from someone who’s still figuring things out at 77.
Already a subscriber? Thank you for being part of this journey. Feel free to share with anyone who might enjoy these weekly conversations.
Questions about the newsletter? Contact me directly – I read and respond to every message.