At Last: Updated Elderblog List
Monday, 30 August 2010
EDITOR'S NOTE: Before we get started on the update, two housekeeping items of note:
Where Elders Blog
Two more people have sent in photos for the Where Elders Blog feature. You can see Dianne Schmidley's blog desk here, Lisa's is here and instructions for including your computer area can be found here.
If you haven't discovered this feature (link is in the right sidebar under TGB Features), it's terrific fun to see where people we have come to know through their blogs and comments do their keyboard tapping.
Comment Policy
This second item is less pleasant. In the past couple of weeks, there has been a minor uptick in hostile and belligerent comments. For the seven years this blog has been in existence, it has hardly ever happened. People here have always been capable of honestly disagreeing in an intelligent, productive manner, so I have been shocked to see this.
I know from past experience how quickly snarky attitude, personal attacks and aggressiveness can kill a forum or blog. So hear this now: the perpetrators have one more chance. If your next comment is not written in the spirit of the open, friendly discussion we have collectively maintained, you will be banned from commenting at TGB without notice and irrevocably.
Please, let's all keep a civil tongue and tone and now – on to the original purpose of today's post.
Well, this is embarrassing. It's been nine months since the Elderblogger List was last updated. So, one day last week I planted myself in the desk chair and didn't move until I'd finished the update.
An amazing number on the list have been abandoned – a few by choice, a couple due to deaths and most that, without a word to readers, have not been updated for anywhere from three months to more than a year. I've removed all of those.
I have added several dozen elderblogs that have been collecting in a file. Undoubtedly I have made mistakes, so if you believe your blog has been removed in error, let me know. And conversely, if there is a blog you want included – yours or someone else's - let me know that too.
Here are the criteria:
- The blogger must be 50 or older
- The blog must publish at least once a week
- The blog must be designed well enough to be easily navigable
- The blog must be reasonably well-written and follow the generally accepted rules of spelling and grammar
- No light-colored text on a dark background
- It must be a personal, not commercial or business blog
- The blog must have been regularly published for at least three months
- The blog should be a compelling read
Well, that last item is subjective, isn’t it. In the interests of full disclosure, some other subjective criteria are these:
In general, group-written blogs are not included nor are blogs that promote a specific religion although blogs that discuss religion (or lack thereof) and spirituality in general are welcome. And it goes without saying, I hope, that no blogs are included that express prejudice or bigotry of any sort. Even once. In the past, I have removed two blogs which used unacceptable words for certain ethnic/religious groups in a derogatory manner.
That said, we all have our prejudices and I also do not include blogs promoting far right-wing politics. I've taken flak for this in the past, but the rule stands.
Because the Elderbloggers List is so long now, each Monday, five are featured in the left sidebar under the headline Featured Elderblogs. They remain there for a week when the next five are posted. Sometimes I forget to update it, so let me know if that happens.
By no means does the Elderbloggers List contain all the blogs written by old people. They are just the ones I know about. Here are the newly added blogs. Do visit some of them; you may find a new friend. (The full list is here.)
The Public Reader Daily Magazine
Sovereignty Rag – The Broad's Side
At The Elder Storytelling Place today, Ernest Leichter: Getting Over the Fear of Phoning
Thanks for adding my blog, "Mad, Mad World" to your list! I'll try to post more often, since I've been a bit lax in that of late.
Will check out the other blogs too. I'm always looking for interesting blogs, like yours, to read.
Posted by: Cara | Monday, 30 August 2010 at 07:57 AM
Howdy, New Blogroll neighbors!
I love reading all the blog names, some are so creative!
Looking forward to visting a bit with the updated list, though it may take a while to work through!
Makes me think of that old poem written by James Henry Leigh Hunt: Abou Ben Adhem
...may his tribe increase...
And so TGB has followed that lead...Onward!
Posted by: Cowtown Pattie | Monday, 30 August 2010 at 07:57 AM
Does anyone have any information on Mort's health? He wrote the excellent blog, "The Octogenarian" and there has not been an update for months. He was in an auto accident and severly injured.
Posted by: Darlene | Monday, 30 August 2010 at 09:03 AM
Darlene...
I've exchanged a few emails with Mort. He is in rehab in Florida, recovering very slowly and has little access to a computer.
When he can get to one, he tires very easily. I hear from him every couple of months and he's said he will write an update when he can find the energy.
Posted by: Ronni Bennett | Monday, 30 August 2010 at 09:16 AM
Thank you for the update. I did know he was in rehab in Florida, but hadn't heard in quite some time.
Posted by: Darlene | Monday, 30 August 2010 at 09:19 AM
Thank you for the update on Mort and the new neighbors to "our" neck of the Internet. I'm sorry to read that you've had an increase in the snarky and rude but I know that your eagle eye will quickly find them and eject them. This is such a great blog that I'd hate to see it sabotaged by the low life types that I see posting on other sites.
Posted by: Nancy Ewart | Monday, 30 August 2010 at 09:38 AM
Thanks for maintaining standards on civil discourse and banishing toxic comments.
Posted by: tamar | Monday, 30 August 2010 at 09:44 AM
What a job updating everything...but thank you Ronni. And I like the criteria you've decided on...all very reasonable. I really would like to find the time to visit more of these blogs...I'm going to try. Thanks again for all of your hard work Ronni... ~Joy
Posted by: Joy | Monday, 30 August 2010 at 10:52 AM
Thanks, Ronni. This blog is the mainstay in my day. Love it & wouldn't miss it for anything. Dee
Posted by: Dee | Monday, 30 August 2010 at 01:44 PM
You did the "back office" work on your blog and now I'm feeling guilty about neglecting mine. Thanks for maintaining a space where we can RESPECTFULLY disagree.... you are, once again, much appreciated.
a/b
Posted by: Ashleigh Burroughs | Monday, 30 August 2010 at 05:33 PM
Thanks for the update as had just done the same on my tiny little blogroll-- 2 had simply disappeared from blogging and a third had announced ending.
Yeah, I'm kinda hit and miss on regular posting, so wouldn't have been surprised if you had dumped my blog.
Glad to hear about Mort. I had an exchange with him after he was in Rehab. Know he said computer he had to use was an issue. Maybe we should just send him periodic perky emails to let him know we're thinking of him and tell him he doesn't need to keep up with a response to each of us -- can do a blanket response when he's up to doing a blog post. Do we know when his birthday is?
Would be great if his facility had someone to take dictations, type responses. I've long championed such ideas you, Ronni, gave me. I know there are patients in skilled nursing facilities for whom such an activity would be highly beneficial and enjoyable. Any elderbloggers (or others) able to provide this occasional activity, probably only for a select few, would be providing what could be quite a fun meaningful service.
Posted by: joared | Monday, 30 August 2010 at 07:38 PM
Oh gosh. I didnt even know of this feature and there you have my blog listed!!! Thanks so much. When I began blogging 4 or more years ago I posted daily. Now I am down a bit.
Sorry you have been experiencing hostile comments. Hope that all smooths out soon.
blessings, suki soon to be gulp 65!!!
Posted by: suki | Tuesday, 31 August 2010 at 04:53 AM
Isn't it appalling and sad how toxic life has become in general? Our President is called a racist and a Socialist: The first inbelievable; the second
for attempting to rebuild the Middle Class and continue to help the poor. Congressional
Members fail to work together for the good of all Americans; calling each other
names and refusing to bargain in good faith; spending much of their time hobnobbing with Lobbyists to raise money for their next reelection. Cable TV programs that thrive on rudeness, untruths, and inflamatory comments. Two wars, one of which should never have been started; the other which should have been finished years ago. Cleanup and restoration of our own terrible natural disasters delayed; sick, suffering fellow citizens ignored. Long, overdue Legislation put on hold while politicians "fiddle". Though being a solid Independent, I have admired the activities of the so called "Tea Party": However, I suspect many who attend are really just fed up with the changes in our way of life and have no real allegiance to either political party. Though I felt the date selected was a very poor choice, I was impressed with the tone, civility, and nature of the Washington D.C. Glen Beck rally. Most of us I believe are very upset at the direction of our Nation's discourse. The fact that Mr. Beck could gather over 500,000 average Americans to the Mall was astonishing! Don't believe me? Try it sometime.
Posted by: James A. Nelson | Tuesday, 31 August 2010 at 06:46 AM
Roni, Whole Note Whimsey has taken a leave of absence.
And I was stunned to see my blog on there -- I reckon I'm going to actually have to start writing something in it besides book reviews ...
Posted by: Kate | Tuesday, 31 August 2010 at 12:27 PM
Thank you so much for including my blog on the list! I love to travel around the web to find interesting blogs, so I am looking forward to visiting those on your list. I love your blog as it has so much interesting information and people featured on it. Thanks for providing this forum.
Posted by: chlost | Tuesday, 07 September 2010 at 05:55 PM