Feeling Famous

And Old-ish, but Good

The wonderful

Sari Botton

included me this week in her fabulous creation

Oldster Magazine

, in the questionnaire interview, where she poses questions about how it feels to be your age. Most of her interviewees are over 50. I clock in at 61, soon to be 62. That’s 22,654.5 days old, on May 10. Over 22 thousand days! By completing Sari’s essay I could look back on many of those days to see what I’ve made of my time here, so far, on planet earth.

It was a delightful exercise in writing a little autobiography. It was so fun. I suggest you do it to. Take a look at the questions, cut and paste them, and write in your responses. My guiding principle in things like this is “first thought, best thought”. So give it a try, send it to your friends and loved ones and maybe not so loved ones. Or create your own questions. It’s a fantastic prompt to get you writing, digging around into the dark corners of your mind, recalling stories, moments, places, people, clothes, food, smells, seasons, hair styles, cigarettes, coffee, journals, cafes. Go for it!

If you’d like to share some of your thoughts, please post them in the comments section of this newsletter.

Here’s mine: Oldster Questionnaire:

This is 61: Susan Weis-Bohlen Responds to The Oldster Magazine Questionniare

While I have you here, just a few things I want to tell you about that I have coming up, even though I know we are all feeling a bit uncertain about the future. Personally, I find knowing some things I am doing creates an anchor. Sort of like, no matter what, I’m taking a group to Iceland this fall. Maybe signing up for a class or trip would help you too? There’s also Bhutan in April 2026!

Locally (in Maryland), my half-day writing retreat at Manor Mill this Sunday is full, but I’m hoping to add a new date in May or June. I’ll keep you posted.

All things Menopause will be the topic of the day at the Yoga Center of Columbia on Sunday, June 8, 1 pm - 4 pm. We’ll look at this stage of life through the lens of Ayurveda as well as Western medicine. This will be interactive, including movement, breathwork, writing and more. I’m so looking forward to teaching at this beautiful studio! Details HERE.

And you can join me at the fabulous Kripalu Retreat Center this summer, August 15-17, for a brand new workshop: The Embodied Writing Method: Using Ayurveda for Creativity and Flow. I recently realized just how much my Ayurvedic practice played into my writing, so I began to explore my process and was so surprised at how Ayurveda informed my creativity. From food and drink to the time of day that works best for me to write, even to the direction of my desk using Vastu Shatra (Vedic Feng Shui), I narrowed down the precise practices that allow my words to flow and my mind to synch. And it’s different for each dosha! I can help you unlock the methods that will work best for you and you alone.

I really cannot wait to share this with you! Sign up NOW! You will greatly benefit from this weekend even if you are not a “writer” — let me show you.

To the new subscribers who just joining us here, there are lots of details on my website: https://susanweisbohlen.com/

If you want to come along on our journey with the stray cat we’ve named Willow, and how Ella and Joonie are dealing with it, follow me on Facebook. Larry is coming along too. He went from, “If that cat lives in this house, I’m out” to “You have to clean the litter box.” Progress. Baby steps.

Follow me on medium to read stuff I’m working on but not posting on Substack: https://medium.com/@susanweisbohlen

And read my books!

I never have a paywall, so this entire newsletter is free. But if you are so moved to be a paying subscriber, that would be great. I’ve been writing a newsletter for over 20 years and it’s evolved over time and will continue to evolve as we all do!

Here’s to 22,654.5 and counting!

Lots of love to you all,

Susan