How One Freelance Writer Goes from Granny to Cougar

It’s time for this 57 year old grandma to get hip! I got the job! It’s not as much work, yet, as I had hoped. But. Out of 250ish applicants they chose 5. I’m one of those five. I will be writing a weekly blog for a new men’s product, targeted to 18-35 year old men. Yikes! My new boss is 27. He admitted last week that he wondered about my ability to connect with his target audience, given my age. I had to go through 3 rounds of interview type questions and writings to get this gig. It’s much better pay than the writing I did for a boomer site. And, the potential for more work and even a ‘job’ with the company is a future possibility.

They plan to whittle the list of writers down, based on reader engagement and traffic, so I may be calling on some of you to help me out. One of my girlfriends offered to read and comment..but I think they’re more interested in me bringing in a younger crowd, preferably men.

This will require some research. The writing is mostly about men and self-image and, what every man wants to know, how to get the girl! Or woman.  I am thinking of late night hangouts where I can observe my prey. Maybe even a date? Whatcha think? I could contemplate an evening out with a 35 year old. Question is whether he’d be interested in me?

If you have any suggestions on where or how to research the mindset of a young adult male let me know. I’m already starting to read Detail, Men’s Health and Men’s Journal.  Phat, isn’t it!

This, That and The Other

Bits and Pieces:

My sister is getting married and I’m making the cakes!  So, I wonder why I’m sitting here writing when I should be testing my chocolate ganache. It should be an interest event. We have a wee bit of family drama looming…like one sib who isn’t talking to some of us (that would be me…). I just hope that no one has too much to drink and confronts him. I certainly won’t be. Maybe I’ll post an update next week….we’ll see.

Men: what’s different this week? Not much. I do have sufficient clarity to know that the guy who’s just been separated for 2 months is a waste of my time. Besides he signed one of his emails with Semper Fi. Gawd. I mean, really. I love Mark Harmon and would do him in a flash, but really… Semper Fi? During our phone chat he told me THREE times about babysitting the wife’s Westies. He wants to come see me a week from Sunday and assumed we’d have dinner at my house… he mentioned bringing wine (plural). HA! I”m cutting this one off quickly.  The other guy who contacted me is probably really nice, but not my type. I’m not even sure why I encouraged him.  Now, I guess I just let it die a slow, unattended-to death-like another one recently. The problem is mine in that I can’t get very excited about these guys.  They’re not what I want and I’m comparing them to “Mike” and someone else.

The someone else is a guy I’ve seen on and off for over 7  years. I ran into him last night…. we’re in “off” mode right now.  Like the light switch.  I vowed that this time we’d be really, really, really done. That “we’d pretend like it was over, until it was over.” And, yet I got flustered and agitated and I want to email him but I know it would be a very subtle hook.  So, I’m not.  Though he may still be reading the blog in which case……

And Mike? He’s around I guess. I’m waiting for him to make the next contact… thinking I do too much initiating. I offered an invite for him to come here, but he said the puppy was probably too young, he’d have to see, was tired, etc…..We’ll just have to wait and see how this one plays out. I’m not holding my breath.

Other tidbits in my life? I’m still searching for a job. I keep getting rejections, maybe because I’m so old? Or over qualified? Or competing with 100 other people? Who knows, and it’s irrelevant. The point is that I can’t find a job. I’ve got some breathing room because I sold a piece of property.  I didn’t want to and I hate that someone else will be that close to my house, even though the closest bit of the property is un-buildable. I sold it to a neighbor who bought it mainly so some stranger wouldn’t come and build a house there. It gives me a few more months… and then?

And, then? Well, maybe I need to suck it up and start playing nice with these guys who don’t really hold all that much appeal? Maybe marriage is my answer? I’m contemplating renting out rooms on weekends; I live in a college town. But the thought of having people in my house when I’m not here is creepy. And, having ‘guests’ when I am here feels awkward? But, it’s a possibility which I’m seriously exploring.

I’m also exploring, seriously, combining my writing skills with my considerable dating experience to offer help with writing online dating profiles. I’ve done a little research and am trying to decide how to go about marketing this. I found some great ‘good’ and ‘bad’ examples to start with-in men’s profiles. I think it might be easier and more profitable to offer help to men?  I’m just mulling this over now and will start in earnest after the wedding!

If you have some brilliant ideas for me, feel free to suggest!

Small Things Make All The Difference

Two things happening here to bring me joy. Yesterday afternoon I got my first check for a print article I’ve written. It’s for a local mag, not a literary story by any means, but IN PRINT (soon) !!!!  Two more of them are on tap and that’s nothing but good.

And, the second. Today I get a package in the mail from the guy I’m heading off to spend time with. Yes!  A gift. In the mail. I’m like a kid when it comes to surprises.  I have no clue as to what it is, but I’m speculating!  It’s pretty cool and a totally new experience for me.

That’s all, but it has certainly put a smile on my face. I’m ready for some fun and some good news right about now. I also found a job worth applying for -one which I think I’m highly qualified for.  Me and 500 hundred others, but it comes  w/  partial health care benefits (it’s a part-time job).  So, let’s all light a candle here for Ms. Divine. She’s ready to start getting massages again and drooling over expensive shoes. She’s also ready for a brilliant, funny and emotionally balanced man in her life.

Fingers crossed as I toast my potential good news with a Gin and Tonic (well, that was last night, there’s coffee in the cup as we speak) and contemplate the lingerie I want to take on my trip.