Prime Time

After last night's Oscars, I feel validated as a woman past her prime still striving in the arts.

I’m not a huge movie-goer. I want to support theaters, cinema, poetry and book readings—but my life has taken a turn with the pandemic. One, I moved away from Chicago and live, not necessarily in the sticks (I in fact live in the state capitol of Michigan) but am simply not acquainted yet with where everything is. I tuned into a poetry reading via Zoom out of MSU and it was freaky hard to find the links after registering. I had to give my email address so thought I’d get sent a link. There’s one book shop at the mall, but it’s sort of like a Barnes & Nobles or Borders, somewhat faceless.

I’d like to find my people, my tribe in the arts here in central Michigan, but there are very few opportunities.

On top of all that—I’m a working woman. I’m shocked now that I have to keep up with my job until age 70 in order to make any kind of pension how retreats, conferences, workshops are geared toward those with high incomes. Those of us struggling economically or working-class cannot apply and stay away from jobs for a week or two.

I now see writer’s conferences as somewhat elitist.

Often it’s who you know. Ke Huy Quan and Brendan Fraser, despite being out of acting for a while or else low-key within the business, still had contact with agents, a circle they could network with. I, on the other hand, have moved outside and into a Tiny House. Things are shrinking down. Both of those actors plus Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis are all actors of a certain age—meaning not Gen Z or X. Kudos to these resilient and brave folks—who continued to struggle for roles and auditions in the face of ageism and racism in Hollywood.

Maybe there is hope for my SHORT STORY COLLECTION. I have a manuscript cobbled together from my various published and unpublished work, short stories and flashes entitled Woman of a Certain Age—it’s available agents and editors if you care to take a second look or a fresh look at someone past their prime.