WRITING ROUND-UP
The Best Stories of Melinda Blau — and Why This Took Forever
Sorting stories is as tedious as dishwashing. It lacks the allure of warm laundry. It requires picking and choosing some of my little darlings and not others. It’s showoffy (see below). But, like eating leafy greens, I thought it might be good for me.
First, a public thank-you to the founder of Illumination publications, Mehmet Yildiz. He continually supports and encourages me on this platform.
Most recently, Dr. Y suggested that I categorize and cull the best of my writing in one place. Bless him, he’s hoping it will entice new readers.
And yet….I’ve shuffled my feet (metaphorically) for the last two months before finally sitting down to write this piece.
Here’s Why I Resisted
In part, the undertaking feels a little showoffy (an adjective I just coined), if you know what I mean.
But then I think, what if Dr. Y is right and this approach finds a bigger audience? I love being read.
Besides, isn’t this the toll of doing business in our Look-at-Me culture? We’re always on, always hawking our wares, baring a little bit of this and that to keep you interested.
Morality and modernity aside, the task of compiling is arduous. It starts with a scroll down Medium Lane, the titles familiar, their content less so. I reread to fully remember.
(Hey! No eye-rolling at the old lady’s memory. Some were written a year ago!)
The point is, it takes time and concentration to jockey between windows and cut-and-paste — actions that test my attention span. Like a gnat buzzing around fruit, I get a whiff of something new and more interesting, and I’m off to investigate.
Never one to declare a niche, I finally start sorting — and come up with 13 “categories.” I get bored imagining myself the curious reader, scrolling through so many topics. How could I expect you to enjoy it?
That was weeks ago.
Just do it!
Apparently, I was unconsciously following Nancy Reagan’s advice to “just say no” when I should have been channeling Nike. Today, I finally said to myself, just do it, and whittled the 13 down to 6:
- About Me
- Advice
- Aging/Ageism
- Humor
- My Old Ladies
- Relationships.
For each category, I picked 5 favorites.
I know, I know. I should have given more thought to the tag issue — after all what are categories if not tags? I don’t know and don’t care. That’s my line in the sand. There’s just so much energy I’ll expend in the name of SEO!
I probably should have opted for only 2 or 3 articles in each group — for your sake. But arduous tasks are draining. It was hard enough to pick 5. I’ve run out of critical thinking juice!
(That’s a real thing, by the way; psychologists call it ego depletion.)
Herewith…My Best
Voila! Am I entirely happy with the results? No. But I am eager to see how it’s received.
Some of the stories below have links to other Melinda Blau pieces. Hopefully, you’ll find my voice engaging and want to follow the bread crumbs.
About Me
Below is a sampling of recent stories that reveal who I am and where I’ve come from. Of course I’m “in” everything I publish because to write is to share your perspective. On paper or on a screen, it’s thinking out loud.
Want more about me? asks the showoffy writer, in her mind, imagining the reader’s response: Of course, I do! Check out this 2021 piece.
Advice/Life Lessons
Almost everything I write qualifies as “ advice.” I started out in journalism in the late 70s writing “service pieces” — articles that tell you how to live better. My first, written in 1977, shortly after I’d left educational publishing for journalism, was a review of aptitude-testing services. It appeared in New York, under the headline, “How to Get Out of Your Job Rut.”
Aging/Ageism
I didn’t understand the dangers of ageism until my sixties when I began to feel its sting. I am committed to writing about it now, because ageism hurts everyone. Depending on how long you’ve lived so far, you might not be able to picture yourself entering the Hallowed Halls of Elderhood. But, honey, if you’re lucky, you will. Why not help change the image of “old” before you get there?
Humor
Writing humor ain’t easy, but when I do, it makes me happy. The humor I respect most also illuminates the small moments of our lives and maybe even teaches a tiny lesson or two. What a nice way to learn!
My Old Ladies
Don’t let the category title fool you. If you’re like most people, you recoil a bit when you hear the word old. Not my old ladies. Here you’ll find upbeat, hopeful stories of my much-older acquaintances who light the path ahead — as well as advice about recruiting an old lade (or old man) of your own. If you want a hedge against ageism (see above), this is it!
Relationships
We are who we know. A relationship can be a mirror, a safe harbor, or a snake pit. We forge ties with loved ones, fleeting strangers — and everything in between. Those of us who are skilled in relationships not only avoid the pitfalls, we have a damned good life!
I write a lot about relationships because they matter so much. This was the most challenging category to pick just 5! To read more, check out this round-up of my relationship stories.
Thanks for making it to the bottom of the page! If you also READ some of the stories above and enjoyed the experience, please…
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