The tweeter than said "I'm going to turn 30 soon and wonder what I'll do with my blog." I was like... seriously?
I wanted to stand on a chair or a box or a wall and scream "WHAT DOES AGE HAVE TO DO WITH BLOGGING?????"
Maybe it's just a sensitive time for me, seeing as how I became a... wait for it... GRANDMA this week! And what do you know... I STILL WANT TO BLOG ABOUT BOOKS.. and...even more crazy... about YA books!
I know... you might want to hide your eyes.
And....I may be sensitive too, seeing as how the past few months I have been engaged in a decidedly non-grandma type obsession with a certain Korean boy band. Gasp. And while I find the this fact to be yes a little strange, I for sure don't want to suppress the fun that is obsessing over things just because I'm suddenly a grandma. Or old. Or not in the target age group. Or whatever.
And, I may be a little sensitive because I've noticed that I always seem to be a little off with what I like to do compared to people my age...and I don't know if I should be proud of this fact or embarrassed by it. I go back and forth. And it makes me crazy. (What do people my age do anyway? I've always wondered.) The fact that I've recently become a true and real grandma probably makes this back and forthing even more prominent.
And then that tweet. And I sort of went crazy.
I mean, will I suddenly change now that I turned the dreaded 50 AND became a grandma
all within a few months? Will I suddenly want to not do all I love and instead sit back and, I don't know... what do grandma's do? Sit on the porch and rock? (Rock out to music maybe...)It's true getting old sucks, but I don't have to lay down and take it. I can fight it and not act like I'm old. Even if I do hobble around because my feet are malfunctioning!
I, for one, plan to fight it by:
- blogging to my heart's content, even if I'm NOT in my 20s and even about YA books!
- going to Korean boy band concerts even if I'm not a teenage Korean girl
- going to any other loud rock concert that my heart desires
- going to Comic Con and screaming for celebrities
- wearing the nerdiest of nerdy tshirts
- doing Zumba until I die
- traveling the world until I die
- blasting the music 'til my ears bleed
- swooning over whatever I want to swoon over
- author stalking as usual
- writing a book and maybe even publishing it
It makes me wonder what the above tweeter thought happens when one turns 30... or 40... or 50. Maybe they just wanted to have a new direction for their blog? And wanted to see what others have done to grow with their blogs. Maybe. But she did say she didn't want to be the mom at the school disco. Whatever that means.
 |
| There's got to be a grandma in that audience somewhere! |
I guess I'll be the grandma at the school disco, or... no, wait, at the Kpop boy band concert!
Yep. I'm the one who told her that we aren't all living in the YA world. I think that is the impression you get when you read YA focused Twitter. No one is over 30. I'll be reading along and then someone will say, "Freshman year of high school is so stressful." I forget they are babies.
ReplyDeleteThere s a whole community of older bloggers out there but we aren't on Twitter every minute because of lives and jobs and stuff so we aren't as visible.
Heather: I guess I didn't catch the YA spin to this question at first. And now I'm understanding that that's a thing too. Which also makes me crazy and I could do another post just on that!
DeleteI'm with you on everything except blasting the music until your ears bleed. I have tinnitus and my ears already are ringing most of the time, so don't need them bleeding too. :) I still love music, especially disco. ;)
ReplyDeleteBryan: I do love my loud music! Even disco! Sometimes.
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ReplyDeleteHa. I'm almost 40. Never did it occur to me that this had anything to do with blogging. I can't believe people think only younger adults blog- and only about YA??? that picture baffles me. What about the rest of the library? the rest of your life? I guess I don't know because I'm not on twitter- just quietly reading and writing (and tons of other stuff) in my little corner over here- and quite happy about it! Even if I don't get much attention. Because that's not why I do it.
ReplyDeleteJeane: I feeling pretty naive about it all too really. Just doing my thing thinking my thing is pretty normal. But I guess an older person blogging about YA is unusual. Hmmm...
DeleteI love this! I'm in my mid-40s. I started my blog in my mid-30s so I guess I was late to the party. I missed that tweet and I'm glad I did! Rock on!!
ReplyDeleteJulie: I'm "late" to the party too even though I've been blogging for ten years! (Nine of the book blogging.)
DeleteI thoroughly approve and I'm older than you!!!
ReplyDeleteMac n Janet: GASP! NO! Older than me? What are you doing here?!!! :)
DeleteYAY for doing wildly age inappropriate things together!!!!!! FANGIRLING TIL DEATH!!!!!! WOOOOO!!!!! SUPER JUNIOR IS A SEXY BEAST!!!!! [swoons]
ReplyDeleteMegs: Swoons. Drools. Plucks the gray hair... swoons some more.
DeleteOh my goodness. I'm in that almost 30 group and I still think that is crazy sauce. I was just chatting with my husband about this the other day - our parents are in their 50s/60s and doing awesome, amazing things. Heck, my grandma is in her later 80s and is still sprightly and spunky. I don't understand why culture is obsessed with being in your 20s - you still have a good 60 or 70 years to go, everyone!
ReplyDeleteRock on, Grandma! :)
Lindsey: I feel like I haven't changed over the years with regard to my loves in life, and I don't think it'll change as I approach even older numbers. So, yeah. It'll be rock on for life!
DeleteThis post reminds me of a friend who is in her 'almost 70s' and she is OBSESSED with Justin Timberlake. She is always posting factoids and photos from his life on Twitter and it cracks me up. What gets me is (maybe she reads this blog, too so she might see this) who wrote me that she is WAY older than I am and ends up being only a few years. Made me wonder how "old" I appear online. I can't decided if I should be glad or annoyed?
ReplyDeleteROCK ON!
Ooops - that comment in confusing... I was talking about two different grandmas... One is the Timberlake fan and the other is a new blogger pen pal! ha. (I'm not quite yet into my "almost 60s"...)
DeleteCare: I've wondered the same thing... how old do I appear online if I didn't blab about my age (which I've only down lately as I've crossed this threshold) Most people freak out when they realize, and I'm never sure whether that's a good thing or bad, as you said above.
DeleteYou go girl!! I'm in my 50s and blogging! And I LOVE reading YA! I've also wondered about how old I appear online. I use to be afraid to say anything about my age. Fearing my 'online friends' wouldn't want to chat with me any more, but I think if we are talking up a good book (or favorite band!) I don't think age should matter - at least I hope not.
ReplyDeleteCandy: I REALLY should hope not! :) And woot for a 50 something blogger! :)
DeleteI love that you rock the "younger" things. Age isn't a barrier to YA or pop music or anything else you want to do or blog about! I guess I started blogging before I hit the horrible 30, but I'm well over it now and still liking my middle grade books. Maybe that's why I became a librarian- an excuse to read kids books :)
ReplyDeleteMelissa: And I'm glad you're still liking them! Keep it up!
DeleteYou go Suey! You just be you and don't care what others think! I love you for you, and I'm glad you are spunky and into the same stuff as me! Age doesn't matter! Even when you have gray hair and need a wheelchair. I will drive and push you around to author events and concerts!
ReplyDeleteKami: I've got the gray hair part covered anyway. And my feet would LOVE a wheelchair! :) Thanks for this comment. Made my day!
DeleteWell I started blogging at 30. Is there really some unwritten rule that you can't blog at any age? Or read whatever you want? And what should someone your age or my age be doing? Good grief. It's ridiculous. Do what you want, I say!
ReplyDeleteJenny: I guess the deal is that there are many circles were the YA bloggin' bloggers are pretty much only in their 20s. It must be the norm. But.. I guess not in the circle I'm familiar with thus the surprise at this question!
DeleteI started Internetting when I was 18, but I didn't start blogging until I was almost 30. Here I am almost 40 and feel like I act way younger than my age. I'm okay with it. It helps me feel like I haven't wasted my life. (That's a thing I've been feeling since I was about 32 because I don't have any real accomplishments. But, that's my issue not anyone else's.) I'm glad you're you. I love the you I know. I think it's awesome to hang out with you even if there is a bit of an age difference. I don't really notice our age difference, except when we talk about it like now. But, again it doesn't bother me in any way. I like that you're a grandma and 50 and still love to do fun things! Keep on being you! Don't change for anyone but yourself.
ReplyDeleteJenni: I don't plan to change... much! :)
DeleteI started blogging at 44. Hearing about your hobbies & likes I couldn't help but think of Grandma Mazur in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. She always wants to be involved in what Stephanie is doing. I honestly think that staying active as we grow older helps us live longer. So maybe this will also include staying up with current entertainment fads.
ReplyDeleteCarey: I think it just means doing what you love for as long as you can, even if what you love tends to be stuff the younger crowd loves. Amirite? (For example, like using weird slang! LOL!)
DeleteCongratulations Grandma Suey!! I have no idea what age has to do with blogging... I am over 30 now and I wasn't when I started... I never even thought about it as changing anything. I mean, I have changed as a person in the 10 years or so my blog has existed... But, I still talk about whatever I want and who cares how old people are?
ReplyDeleteKelly: I'm thinking of having my grandkids call me Grandma Suey! I like this!
DeleteI still think the question is a bit loaded, and maybe, if she had stopped to think about what she was asking, she would have rephrased her question to be less...inflammatory. Even then, while the question is innocuous, this statement is not: "I'm going to turn 30 soon and wonder what I'll do with my blog."
ReplyDeleteThat statement has ageism written all over it, and that is what has me most upset. It is the fact that she is combining age with blogging. Even if she were talking solely about blogging about YA, there are still underlying concerns that not only can one not blog about YA after the age of 30 but that you have to change whether you blog or how you blog because of your age. We all know that age has nothing to do with your hobbies and passions. You don't automatically hate something because you have your birthday. There is no rule that states we must stop reading YA at the age of 30 and that we can no longer attend concerts after 35. The implications behind her concerns in that statement are so frightening.
Michelle: I agree, it is a little scary and thus my reason for so wanting to defend this! Maybe I read it all wrong in my sensitivity, but then again, maybe it actually needed defending.
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ReplyDeleteFirst of all, congrats on being a grandma, that's so exciting and fun! I agree with you -- age doesn't/shouldn't have anything to do with whether you want to blog or not. Do what you love! But I think the question comes from a sort of rift in our book blogging community between YA book bloggers and other book bloggers. We don't know each other very well, so it's possible to be in one sphere and not really have any idea what the other is doing (that's my feeling with YA anyway, no idea what's going on over there!). I'm lucky to have met bloggers of all ages and locations, which is so exciting, but I can see wondering about that if you're in a blogging community that doesn't skew that way. Anyway, long comment to say that I agree with your assessment, just don't want to throw out the question without thinking about where it comes from :)
ReplyDeleteKim: As the day goes on I am understanding that it may be more about a YA thing than an age thing. And I guess I'm just surprised that there aren't more "older" YA bloggers. Our circles need to mix and mingle more! I thought that's what all our events are about! LOL!
DeleteI was 28 when I started book blogging (5 years ago next month!) but I guess I always assume everyone is about my age. I know that can't be true, but I don't think much about age unless it's specifically brought up. I like reading blogs from people in different stages of life. I've always appreciated hanging with you. It reminds me the young kid stage doesn't last forever. (Look at all your kids, going potty on their own and everything. :) )
ReplyDeleteReally there are good things at every age. The more variety of people who blog and share, the better.
Oh, also, one of the first book blogs I ever read was Forever Young Adult (http://foreveryoungadult.com/) so I always knew there were other "older" YA readers. Sometimes I feel a little older than some people, but that's mostly because of the kid factor.
DeleteI started my first blog when I was 30, so no I don't think it's strange to be book blogging or blogging mostly about YA books past 30. I have seen a lot of teenagers and people in their twenties starting book blogs or joining Booktube lately. A lot of the people they follow seem to be of a similar age, so I think that they haven't realized yet how many different people blog about books or their lives in general. I think have hobbies and interests throughout one’s life is not only fun, but important because it keeps the mind and body in better shape. I think it’s great that you love so many different things Suey, so don’t worry about it too much and just have fun!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Grandma! How awesome to have a grandbaby and your first one. SO exciting.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I love how much variety there is in the book blogging world. I follow bloggers from all different walks of life -- different ethnicities, different backgrounds, different ages, different cultures, different reading tastes -- and they each give me a different perspective on both books and life. I love that!
I turned 40 this year and I don't think it's affected my blog in any way at all. I still read what I want to read, blog about what I want to blog about. When I get tired of blogging I'll retire, but it hasn't happened yet, so for now I'm just going to keep on keepin' on, age be darned ...
Congratulations on the new grand baby - what fun! Now go and verbally smack that whippersnapper who thinks we old people don't know how to use a computer!
ReplyDeleteOh my! I am one of those grandma's that joined the blogging community in my 40's. I became a grandma when I was 41 so I have to say I have never felt like an "old" grandma. I love YA books, I love loud music, I love swooning over hunky male characters. I'm not the most fashionably dressed grandma, and yeah, the bones do ache more than they used to, but by golly my foot isn't in the grave yet! And by the way...I turned 50 in July :) Congratulations on your new grandbaby and enjoy kicking up your heals and enjoying life!!
ReplyDeleteMost of the YA readers I know are over 30...heck, most are over 40, and many are around 50! Most of the YA bloggers I still follow are either around my age (late 20's), or older. I find I like veterans' tastes better, because they tend to be better read--something I can only aspire to be! (Ugh, don't kill me for that comment, but it's true. Age comes with more time to have read things!)
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your new blog focusing on knitting, baking cookies, collecting cats, and rocking on the front porch. As someone older than you, I say that age is just a number and ROCK ON GIRLFRIEND!!!
ReplyDelete