"Meditation cannot keep the neutrons in good nick. More likely to send you to sleep."

jinglebellsfrocks, here is an article in ScienceDaily on the effects of meditation on the brain: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100319210631.htm

"A new study suggests that nondirective meditation yields more marked changes in electrical brain wave activity associated with wakeful, relaxed attention than just resting without any specific mental technique."

So, actually, the very opposite of being sent to sleep! You should really try it one day!

... in fact, Ana, I just did exactly that -- I googled images of my real name, and only one of my "author" photos appeared, far down the page. So you see, anonymity is assured! If I were ever to become a truly popular author maybe the game would be over, but then I would definitely go into hiding!

Meditation cannot keep the neutrons in good nick. More likely to send you to sleep.

Do carry on enjoying your later years in quiet and meaningful contemplation.

All the best.

#justdontmakemeknit

"I'm a bit confused here - is Sharon Maas your pen name? If it is, I don't see how you can keep your private and public lives separate as a google search throws up hundreds of photos of you!"

-- of course. But people google the name Sharon Maas, are looking for the author of that name. I promise you, nobody googles my real name, so they don't see that photo and can't make the connection. I assure you, I am completely anonymous in real life, with my real name. Even if someone who knows me were to google my real name, those photos would not appear.

oops that should be 35 years

LOL, if I manage to live another 25 years I might be able to say the same.

I'm a bit confused here - is Sharon Maas your pen name? If it is, I don't see how you can keep your private and public lives separate as a google search throws up hundreds of photos of you!

pompa, you can ask me anything, age, weight, anything! It so happens my age and weight are the same: 63 and a half years, 63 and a half kilos!

"If she were writing a private journal for herself and not wanting to publish her writings, I'd agree, petallus, but as it is I think she, like most other writers, does care about what people think of her writing and wants to know. That's slightly different from not caring what people think of her, but not much."

Thatbags: actually, there's a huge difference. My books are not me. I write them, and let them go, and I would love to live from whatever they earn; ideally they would go out into the world and earn me bags of money so I wouldn't have to work at my day job! (I'm a social worker in a hospital; my clients are mostly geriatric, people with hip and knee replacements or who need aftercare).
Unfortunately, books don't sell themselves, and a little promotion is necessary. I hate it and I'm very bad at it. I don't like talking about my books. I do so as little as possible, in real life. I use a pen name, just so I can keep my private and public life separate.

Obviously, I would like readers to buy and read and enjoy my books. But part of the inner adventure I spoke of is learning not to be attached to "the fruit of action" -- that is, to let go, and not let the ego grow. I have never sought fame or applause for myself.

I hope this has clarified matters a bit.

"I think that if one is really content and doesn't care what people think, one won't feel the need to go public about it. One will just get on with it, quietly."

I don't feel the need to go public about it. But I happened to read that article by the minor celebrity going on and on about her wild amazing life at 60, and I keep hearing older women complaining about being invisible -- so, being a writer myself, I thought that might be a relevant topic.

By the way -- meditation is decidedly not about "contemplating your navel". It's about learning to let go of the thoughts, moods and obsessions that hold us down, and is really a wonderful companion to growing older -- keeps the old neurons awake!

Oh dear, jinglebellsfrocks, I just read your post... I don't think you've got it right. I've always been a journalist, always written articles here and there -- since I was 18, and long before I was a novelist. I was approached by my publisher's publicist to write a column for gransnet, as many other authors are. As for Twitter --- I hate Twitter. But every now and then, when a book of mine is published, there's a flurry of promotion from my publisher and yes, I retweet their tweets, and that's it. I am more active on Facebook and hardly ever mention my books. Most of the people I interact with in daily life don't even know I'm an author, as I don't talk about it.

Hello people, it's me, Sharon!

thanks for all your thoughts! I've never hidden my age; I'm 63 going on 64, and I can't wait to be 65 because that's when I retire...

Perhaps I feel this way because I did all the exciting and adventurous things when I was young. Hitchhiked around South America at 19, and overland to India at 23, lived in an ashram, moved to Germany, etc etc. I crave calmness now!

I do feel the adventure is about to begin. It might not be visible for others, but there are invisible inner challenges that keep me constantly on my toes, and fresh. Did I really come across as arrogant? Well, I guess I'm a terrible writer! I meant to be encouraging; there's so much pressure for us to be young and outrageous and sexy, and I really don't believe we have to play that game.

Anyway, thanks again. Great response!

She's only done the blog to call attention to herself as a writer. Hence the Twitter link, where she goes on about her (one or two) books.

I never intended to grow old.
Had enough excitement in my life.
My mother used to say" oh for a little humdrum"
People who want to blog, blog often about amazingly trivial things. Can't see the point myself" I'm always a bit disappointed by blogs when you've read the hype and then think hmmmm. But this one has an infectious smile. So forgiven.

If she were writing a private journal for herself and not wanting to publish her writings, I'd agree, petallus, but as it is I think she, like most other writers, does care about what people think of her writing and wants to know. That's slightly different from not caring what people think of her, but not much.

Well said, FlicketyB, I was going to say much the same thing, we are all so different that there isn't a onesizefitsall for being older.One woman's happiness and contentment is another woman's poison etc.

I am whom I am, always have been, and age doesn't come into it. I do not understand these people constantly harping on about their age.

Like the writer of this blog I am more introvert than extrovert and have gone through life quite happily doing my own thing and continue to do so. If her 'thing' now is quietly contemplating her navel, then that is fine. It just isn't mine and never has been.

My aim is to continue on in life as physically and mentally active as I can manage and always trying to fit a quart into a pint pot. Not everybody's idea of a good life, but it is mine - and that is the point we are all different and you can no more generalise about the ideal life for older people than you can for any other age group.

Perhaps not in you are a writer!

Exactly, bags!

I think that if one is really content and doesn't care what people think, one won't feel the need to go public about it. One will just get on with it, quietly.

I used the wrong thingammie for the poster's name. Sorry.

I admit to being jealous leurMamie.

"And Lord contentment still I crave,
Because Thou savest such."

I was born the same year (1951) and agree with most things in the article. etheltbags1 , like you there are some things I can't do or find it hard to do, due to new health problems (not age related!) but I have found new pleasures, and the greatest are the grandchildren. And my little dog keeps me busy and active, as does the pure pleasure of being alive! I feel free in a way I never felt when I was younger, and it is great! I don't take any nonsense from anyone, and I am finally allowed to read and read.

Oh the blissful freedom of being a boring old frump in beige.

Jigsaw puzzles, knitting, tele, slippers.

And, unlike many old folk, I don't still feel like a teenager inside. I feel like a 72 year old inside.

If you have good health,no family worries, close friends,no money problems then life in your sixties is good.