John Ostrander: 65
So there I was, flailing around for this week’s topic. The clock was ticking and time was running out. And then it hit me like a wet sock on the end of my nose – it’s appearing on Sunday, which happens to be my birthday. Not only my birthday but my 65th birthday which is supposed to be one of those big hoohah numbers. A milestone (I hope Brother Michael Davis lets me use that word). It marks me officially as a Senior Citizen (as if my balding pattern and gray to white hair hadn’t already done that).
I’m doing all of those things you’re supposed to do at this age. Join AARP? Done that. Applied for Social Security and Medicare? Done and done. Gimme that governmental teat to suckle. Sorry, Junior, but I’m soaking up your financial future and destroying your freedoms. Ask various media.
Except, of course, they don’t give me all that much. Of course, there may not be Social Security by the time you reach my age but I didn’t think it would be there when I reached this age so who knows?
And, of course, I’m going to retire.
Not.
Even if I could afford to retire (which I can’t), why would I stop writing? I love this gig. It’s part of my bones at this point. This is what I do, this is what I am. Writing isn’t like playing sports; the knees may go but, with writers, so long as your mind isn’t completely shot (careful!), the probability is that you can just keep getting better and I think, I hope, I believe that I have.
Regrets, I have a few but then again too few too mention.
Crap. I’m quoting “My Way”. I’m not a fan of the song. Too self congratulatory for me. The only ones who can sing it and make it work are Frank Sinatra and John Cleese at the end of George of the Jungle.
Crap. Now I have it running through my head.
Crap. Now I have the disco version running through my head.
Yeah, now it’s going through yours too, right? You’re welcome.
Anyway, I can look back and see some things I do wish I had done differently. I wish I had done a few more creator-owned projects. Balancing those against the for-hire work is generally a better idea, I think. Folks like Peter David and Mark Waid have done a real good job of that, I think.
I also wish I had gotten into prose more, gotten some novels under my belt. Again, folks like Peter David have done a good job with that. Yes, there are times I wish I was Peter David. Most of the time I’m fine with being me but there are times. . .
But know what? I’m 65. I’m not dead. There’s time to make changes and start doing both prose and creator owned projects. My paternal grandfather lived to be 100 and his daughter lived to be 101. In this day of crowdfunding, it’s more possible than ever to get new work out there.
And I have new projects I’m working on with partners I’ve worked with before. There’s possibilities of a novel or two that I’m actively pursuing. One of the projects that I’m doing with Tom Mandrake, Kros, you may have seen mentioned on Facebook. Timothy Truman, Mike Gold and I are discussing more GrimJack. Lots of stuff I can’t discuss yet but I hope to tell folks soon.
And I’m on social media. I have my Facebook page, I have my Twitter account. Still learning how to use the latter but I’m out there pitching.
When you get right down to it, 65 is just another number. It doesn’t really mean anything in and of itself; the meaning is what we ascribe to it. Getting old? Naw. Pulling back? Hell no. Going to Tahiti? Well, I wouldn’t say no but not on a permanent basis.
I’m just getting started.
Photo by JD Hancock
Happy, happy, HAPPIEST!!! of birthdays, John!!!!!
As for Social Security–well, y’know, if Congress would just raise the cap on paying into Social Security by a few thousand dollars (some say as little as $3,000), Social Security would be there, not only for our kids, but our grandchildren as well. Not that THAT is going to happen, not in this Congress. *sigh*
And how I wish, instead of Obamacare, which only got through because the insurance companies are involved, and so it isn’t really as socialist as FAUX News would have the public believe, , Medicare had just been expanded to EVERYBODY. Because, after all, what is Medicare but a National Health Service for those 65 and older?
And above all, remember that if 60 is the new 30, you’re only 35!
Many, many, MANY years of health, happiness, and writing, John!
Thanks, Mindy. Lots o’love from us.
A belated happy birthday, sir.
I hope you NEVER retire.
Selfish? Yup!