A Blast From the Past - the E.R.A.
And Another Birthday Comes 'Round

Announcement: The Elder Storytelling Place

For a long time, I’ve been impressed with the storytelling talent of elderbloggers. It seems to come naturally to us and indeed, experts say it is important to collect and organize our stories for ourselves as we get older - it helps give meaning to the lives we have lived. But it is also good to share those stories.

Storytelling is an ancient art and mankind appears to be hardwired for it. Some say it is a necessity, second only to food and ahead of love and shelter in its importance. Even now, in times when communication opportunities have exploded, it is not just books, movies and TV shows which tell us stories; everything is storytelling – advertisements, news, politics, television commercials, the back of the cereal box. Each one, however short, contains a beginning, middle and end and engages us in its plot.

Everyone has stories to tell and because I believe it is a worthy idea to collect elder stories, beginning today there is The Elder Storytelling Place, an adjunct to Time Goes By. This is your storytelling blog and anyone, blogger and non-blogger, may submit stories to be published there.

Just in case you may think you have no stories to tell, it is worth reading this Time Goes By entry from 2005. Your stories can be about anything, in any tone, style and on any theme; something from your life, past or present, is likely.

There are a couple of rules and a few guidelines so that readying stories for publishing does not become my full-time job. They will not inhibit your storytelling. You will find them here and they are always available from the upper left sidebar of the new blog where there is also a link for submitting a story.

As I said above, this new blog is yours. I will occasionally contribute (when I’ve got a good story to tell) but mainly, it is for anyone 50 and older who wants to tell a story. It’s an experiment. Ideally, I would like to publish a new story on each of five days a week and if there are enough submissions, that will be expanded to seven. But it is entirely dependent on you. If you like the idea and there are enough contributors to keep the site fresh, it can go on indefinitely.

So please send in your stories. There is a permanent link to the new blog in the upper left corner of this blog.

The Elder Storytelling Place launches today with a story titled, Curiosity, from Norm Jenson. It's an animal story - part horror, part domestic relationship, part humor with even a bit of political commentary and a pun or two. You will love it.

Comments

How wonderful, a story telling blog for elders! Thank you Ronni. Today's anecdote helped me start out with a rip-roarin' belly laugh! How refreshing! Dee

I did love it!

Reminds me of the stories I am reading now in a small book I picked up at Half Priced Books for a buck - "100 Malicious Little Mysteries". All short stories with delicious ironic little twisty endings.

Norm's story would fit perfectly.

Stetson's off to Norm! And to you, Ronni. Great start, and I am looking forward to this new adventure at TGB.

I came over from Kenju to wish you a happy birthday. I enjoy publishing stories either about my life or people I know or places I've been in my blog and try to do at least one a week. My latest is about my Great-granddad. blessings upon your project.

Here from Kenju's to wish you a very happyhappyhappy birthday! :+)

Guess where I am from, Ronni...LOL
Here to wish you a Happy Birthday tomorrow!!

I am looking forward to reading the elder stories! Thanks for making that possible.

Congratulations on another brilliant addition to the blogosphere. And I hear a birthday is near (heard it through the grapevine). Happy Birthday, Ronni, and keep on rockin' in the free world.

Have a great birthday tomorrow! My Aunt Shelley is also celebrating her birthday tomorrow!

Well, I'm telling my story's on my blog...So...That's where you can read them.

A little Birdie (Kenju) told me you are having a BIRTHDAY...
I want to wish you the Happiest of Birthdays, my dear...May your Birthday bring you ALL good things---Mostly Much Love!
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Well so much for all that. The important thing is that you're having a birthday, and Kenju says I gotta wish you a Happy. And so I am glad to do it.

Happy Birthday, Ronni!!!!!! And thanks for the Storytelling Blog!!! I can't wait to see how it goes!!!!

Millie reminded me to sing Happy Birthday to you. Hope my rendition didn't startle you!

Happy birthday, Ronni. I left a little something for you on my blog.

Well, wishing you happy birthday here, too, seems to be in order. All indications are April 7th is the correct date. We certainly wouldn't want to be wrong about that.

This is a perfect launch time for this new blog that sounds like quite an exciting venture. Thoroughly enjoyed the first story. Look forward to reading many more.

I came over from Kenju's to wish you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Good luck on your project. Perhaps I'll submit something in the future.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Ronni! and Many More to Come!

HI Ronni

My Mom is 80 this year and I don't know how much longer we will have her.

Could she dictate a story to me and I might post it for her? She is not computer literate and cannot type anymore. She is a German-born lady who lost both of her parents when she was quite young and has a few gripping stories about Nazi Germany.

PS Happy Birthday!

Have a beautiful Birthday, Ronni. May you have many, many more and may this be the beginning of a wonderful year for you. I'm off to read "Curiosity" because I'm curious.

Candace: I think that's a terrific idea. You know, that's how 107-year-old Olive Riley writes her blog with the help of a friend.

ow kind of you to use a day that should be all about you as an opportunity to shine the spotlight on others.

Your mother would no doubt be proud - both of what you've done here, and of your ability to extend her storytelling to a whole new audience.

I too want to extend my birthday greetings to you even tho it is belated. Ronni thank you for all the interesting bloggs and I too think that the storytelling blog is an exciting endevor. Happy belated!

Story in the pipeline today 16.40 BST.

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