I am 66 years old. I am in excellent health, possess a positive outlook, and enjoy my life very much. I really do! I love to go out and hear live music and see shows, go on my field trips, and I REALLY like my own company, so I am happy to get up and go anywhere, any time, even if no one is available to go with me.
I have declared 2024 to be the year of my semi-retirement, to give me more time for other activities besides copywriting. I’m clearing a space to bring in new things and it feels good to do so.
I plan to work part-time in general and will seek more lucrative projects with businesses that need the type of marketing support I provide. Most of my work has historically come through advertising, marketing, and public relations agencies that outsource the copywriting to freelancers like me (working on their accounts). I plan to shift the workload this year. Wish me luck!
And about that newly carved-out free time:
- I will do more reading (both fiction &and non-fiction). I have A LOT of catching up to do!
- I will learn to crochet and re-learn how to knit.
- I will plan another big trip (similar to my month-long sojourn to New Mexico in October).
- Of course, I will continue my Friday field trips; those have fallen by the wayside since my return to NJ but there are so many great new places to discover and museum exhibits to enjoy.
- I will experiment more with artificial intelligence to see how it can support my work. So far I’ve only used it a handful of times to generate blog topics or social media ideas for clients.
- I will read up on Threads to see if it could be of value to me. I have an account and look at it but don’t actively use it.
- I will check out podcasts (more on that below).
Ah, technology . . .
I have never been an early adopter of any technology. For example, I am several generations behind on updating my smartphone because the one I have is working just fine, although I know the newer models have better cameras which is probably the only feature I care about for my Friday field trips. So maybe this is the year of the cell phone upgrade.
I usually don’t add any tech or use it unless I need it in my daily work or personal life. Otherwise, it’s just something out there that doesn’t serve me. And if it doesn’t serve me, why bother? I bought a laptop about 3 years ago because a friend bought me a laptop bag (but I didn’t have anything to put in it!). I didn’t need one. I work on a desktop computer and when I go on vacation, I unplug.
It turned out to be a helpful tool on a trip in March 2022 to Florida, for photo dumps and then, when flights were canceled nationwide and I had to stay an extra 3 days, I was able to do an assignment for someone. Lucky break I suppose. When I went to the Shore, I brought the laptop to watch shows on Netflix or HBO Max. When I went to California & New Mexico this past October, I brought it along for major amounts of photo dumping and posting to Facebook and Instagram more easily with a keyboard and monitor rather than typing on a phone.
So, I get it; it became a useful tool for those recreational purposes (and one professional application). But I’d never NEEDED a laptop computer in my daily life. It was a luxury purchase that has its uses occasionally.
Here are a few more true confessions of a techno dino
- I still have two landlines: one for home and one for business. As I often say, why talk on a Barbie phone when I can use my big-girl phone? I don’t walk around the house with a cell phone to my ear when I have 4 phones in the house (kitchen, den, office, bedroom). My cell phone is NOT my primary communication tool (yet). So, be mindful of where you send those texts that you think I’m getting unless you know I am out of the house and have my phone with me.
- I have never had to take a screenshot from my mobile phone. Therefore, I never learned how to do so until I was asked this week to share a web page screenshot with a colleague. I always wondered, “how do they do that and post it somewhere?” but because I didn’t need to do it, I figured when I had to take a screenshot, I’d learn.
I looked up the instructions online but didn’t get it right and was unsuccessful. All I ended up with was the page URL. A friend showed me how to do this last night (I was close before, but not accurate enough) and I was able to capture and share a handful of screenshots with colleagues today. This friend was truly astonished that I’d never done this before in all these years. I laugh at myself and my “techno dino” ways. (Shakes head with self-deprecating smile.)
- I keep forgetting how to do this from my computer and have to look it up on the few occasions that someone asks me to send one to them. I sometimes mess that up as well. Maybe one day I’ll nail it from memory. (NOTE TO SELF: Ctrl-Shift-S and select the area you want to share.)
- Something else I’ve never done is listen to a podcast (except for two on which I was the guest; the hosts sent me the links to listen). I didn’t even know how or where you find and listen to these. I’m being honest.
Last year on a virtual networking meeting, a couple of people shared some of their favorites. I asked them where and when they listen to these (on a morning commute? In what context or environment?) and said, “I know I sound like an idiot but . . .” I didn’t get the answer, I think they were truly stunned. More astonished people. That’s OK. I can take it!
Good news! The same friend who showed me how to do the screenshot told me where to find podcasts and sent me links to a few she thought I’d like. Thank you, friend!
- I can barely figure out how to create an Instagram or Facebook story, and I’ve never done a Reel, so you can guess I won’t be making lots of TikTok videos anytime soon. But maybe I’ll tackle Stories and play around with it a bit this year.
In conclusion
The net net of all this is that none of this affects me negatively so I haven’t felt as if I was missing something—but adopting some new features and capabilities may have a positive effect on my life so yes, I am open to checking them out in 2024. Making room for new things!
So here we are. I’ve shared my foibles, technology shortcomings, and plans for the year. I have gratitude to friends who’ve taught me how to take a screenshot or tell me where to find podcasts and why I should consider adding a listen to my daily routine; and great appreciation for the agency owners who have trusted me to help with their clients’ messaging and their own copy needs in so many ways. I look forward to new adventures and discoveries. And I’ll be sure to share them on social media . . . and maybe I’ll figure out those damn Stories!