My eyes no longer work.
I can read and see street signs and apparently this is all you need to get a new pair of glasses and be able to function in the real world.
I used to dance all night multiple nights a week and jump right up and go to work after a few hours of sleep.
Now I rarely get through Jeopardy before the nodding off begins.
My point is that things change and priorities shift.
This year I turned fifty and no amount of my self imposed incredulity will change that.
Turning fifty is not a problem. The most troubling part of aging is our society’s view of aging men.
Men, by retirement age, are supposed to have raised families, educated children and been breadwinners with no emotional needs of their own.
While this might sound like a generalization, the men I know are affected by this set of beliefs no matter their age, race or sexual orientation.
Lately, I have been loudly and adamantly reminded that I am no longer young and should expect disrespect, dismissal of my knowledge and life experience and give up any of my unrealized dreams.
While some dreams are no longer possible (an Oscar before 30), I am not simply one step closer to death.
Nor should I wait for it to show up and whisk me away.
My plan is to reinvent and to combine my life experience with the beast that is Social Media.
Gary Vee says us old timers can jump on the bandwagon, learn new skills and dominate any market we choose.
My dreams of creating great, award-winning television and documentary films are not things that I have set aside because youth is no longer on my side.
Currently, there are incredible tv shows and my time is now.
In addition, the amount of opportunity for myself and those who have lived life to construct stories (our own and others) in ways that titillate and engage audiences is unparalleled.
My plan is to write a great book on men and the aging process as well as write for a great show (Pose & Black Lightning ya’ll listening?)
If you are male and at least fifty send me your stories and dreams.
Let’s support one another in this powerful movement.
Let’s be the one folks refer to when they lovingly state: Let’s Ask the old guy how to handle this.