Video – ‘Aging & Becoming’

It is 2.10 minutes long. I talk about Susan Schwartz’s and my collaboration on our book ‘Aging & Becoming’. It went up on youtube yesterday and onto my Face Book author page. So far – this is as far as I’ve got in ‘going public’. I am in the throes of putting out enquiries to potential traditional publishers although it will be available sooner as an ebook.

My thanks to son Mike in Plettenberg Bay and my sister Debora Irish in Cape Town for their patience in making this video possible. (I’m unsure of the ‘gleam’ in one eye).

Thank you for listening!

We continue to live on the knife-edge here in South Africa. Protests and violence everywhere by university students: #feesmustfall,  #futuremustfall, #sciencemustfall, #Zuma (our president)must fall –

I’d be happy for a ‘rain must fall’ campaign – or a rain dance – anything to encourage the rain to fall. I’ve watered my little garden in the light of the moon over the last few nights. We have water restrictions – no watering between 6.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. But my garden seems to be doing ok though definitely thirsty. I have put a whole lot of compost around the plants in the garden and potting soil into the pots. This helps retain the moisture of tap or rain water.

*Rilke’s poem:

All of us are falling. See this hand now fall.

And now see the others; it is part of us all.

And still there is one who in his hands gently

holds this falling endlessly.

So, in these troubled times, may we all find our centre, our holding place, a place of calm amidst the storm.

*In Flores, trans and ed., Anthology of German Poetry, p.390

41 Comments on Susan Scott on video ‘Aging & Becoming’

  1. Somehow I missed this post, Susan. Blame it on election season chaos or my own personal chaos. In any case, it’s a big deal to get a book finished. Congratulations. Make sure a traditional publisher doesn’t mind having it out as an e-book first. My publisher wouldn’t have liked that, but I can’t generalize from my limited experience. I’m sure someone knows.

    I just listened! I so look forward to your book, and as you know, I’m better at reading than at listening.

    • So pleased you came by Elaine! I’m rethinking traditional publisher. It would be nice but self publishing is also ok. It will be very soon I think. I can also have some paperbacks printed, maybe Susan in Arizona can do same.

  2. Such an interesting blurb… I have once read excerpts of Simone de Beauvoir´s studies on this issue… The idea of what aging entails has changed too much over time, mostly if we compare it to the Ancient point of view, according to which Old people were often related to Wisdom and experience, and this attributes were taken as virtues…. Thanks for sharing & very good luck to you, Susan. Aquileana 🙂

    • Thanks Aquileana for coming by and for your good wishes 🙂 The wisdom and experience of the older woman is too often overlooked, and we address that as well in our book.

  3. What an inspirational post, Susan. Made me want to stand up and give a speech to everyone under 50 on the merits of aging: We are not dying – we are becoming! Younger people tend to marginalize us without even realizing it. I can see your book being required reading in Social Studies classes. Open their eyes while they’re young; teach them the wisdom of aging…

  4. Excellent video recording. Professionally done and to the point. So you have it on Facebook and YouTube. Great, but do fish out other venues where this can be exploited. I am a member of RRBC which is a fantastic group of writers. I actually met them through following another writer, Micki Peluso. I joined about three months ago and have been active in this organisation ever since.
    Also, if you plan to go traditional, consider holding back on an ebook copy. Traditional publishers are difficult to get once a book has been released as an ebook version.
    All the best my dear. I am pulling for you.
    Shalom aleichem,
    Patricia

    • Thank you so much Pat for your comments … and for the advice about holding back on ebook copy. So, I’ll have to make a decision.

      Thank you for your good wishes and Shalom to you, Susan

  5. How lovely to see and hear you, Susan! Thank you for sharing this. I wish you (and the other Susan) great success with your book.

    I love the Rilke lines–and yes, finding our centers.

  6. Susan, you didn’t tell me you did your own mini-TED Talk when you commented on my blog just now! You are too modest. 🙂

    Love so much about this: your beautiful voice that matches the one in your blog, your new book (which I must read due to my interest in Jubilación), and the lovely Rilke poem, so right for these times.

    Thank your for all!

    • Thanks Shirley so much! That’s nice to know that you got the sense of me in voice! My friends here in SA don’t comment on my posts, many don’t receive them, or don’t read them I don’t know – so I sent out a link out to them yesterday. My younger son (who’s 28) said I do and I don’t sound like me – but that the video reminded him of me saying to me in his younger years ‘David, please tidy your room – now’ – in a particular tone. Another friend said said I looked a bit ‘stern’ … but she knows I have a ‘mischievous’ side to me – ah well!

  7. Hi Susan – this was great and I confirm the others’ comments above … definitely professional, while keeping yourself open to your watchers … I’m sure many of us will be drawn in to learn and appreciate the learning the two of you give us … I love the concept of your book – and await to see it.

    I’d consider another type of book – an audio book … you speak so well … whether one could do one chapter and the other of you the next … but the audio book is definitely worth a thought I think.

    Sad to read about South Africa … it’s not easy … and i must get in contact with my friend who was over … she hasn’t come back to me yet … I’ll chase …

    Many elderly, or getting older who aren’t that well, or are struggling – we all need support from wherever we can find it … and reading is certainly one chance to think things through … Susan and you both seem to be on the right wave length to spread your wings …

    Good luck … and all the best as the marketing wheels turn … cheers Hilary

    • Thanks Hilary so much! It is an on point topic this one of aging. They are life issues really –

      And that is a great idea about an audio book! I’ll look into it somehow 🙂

      Someone gave me a book the other day called I think Being Mortal. The author is a medical man as his family and the little I’ve read of it so far I’ve found to be depressing in some respects and uplifting in others – some elderly people get wonderful support other elderly people do not – .

      I’ve given up on the news – here, the US and the UK. Not entirely true, I do watch a bit.

      Thank you for your good wishes, and all good wishes to you, Susan

  8. I wish you well with the upcoming book.

    I’d like to think I’ve found my holding place. The concern though is can I keep holding on?

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

  9. Your video is professional and informative. You did a great job with it. I’m intrigued by your book because its premise seems to be exactly what I’ve been thinking to myself for years. I think that aging allows us, if done with a clear mind and stout heart, to morph into the best version of ourselves that we can be. And who doesn’t want that? 🙂

    • Thank you Ally Bean for coming by and for your kind remarks about the video! Well, I know I’m biased but I think you really would enjoy it. And yes, with clear mind and stout heart and some digging like an archeologist, life continues to unfold. Morphing into our best selves is the greatest gift – and FYI it is not a how to age gracefully book, nor a why what when and where. 🙂 Thank you for ‘capturing comment’. 🙂

  10. It was interesting to hear about your book, Susan. I think this must be the Youtube video you mentioned in an earlier post. You and your son have made a good job of it, I’d say. It comes across very professionally.

    • Thanks Bun! Yes it is the one I mentioned – or rather the current one is a re-make – my sweet sister was very much involved!

  11. That was glorious. I hope this works well for you–however that is defined. If I see a sign-up sheet for marketing help, you’ll find my name on it!

    • Thanks Jacqui! Have you got a sign-up sheet for marketing help? I’m sure there are such things, if you have such, yours would be the best I know ..

  12. I felt I was almost close enough to shake your hand. Marvelous! It was wonderful to see you and hear you. Being American, I adore your accent. I admire you for daring to make a video, something I would be loathe to do. It’s exciting that you are about to publish a book, and I wish you the best of luck.

    • Thanks for your lovely comment Anne! We of course are fascinated by American accents! Yes, it was rather daring of me to do a video … 🙂
      Thank you for your good wishes re publication of book. Almost there –

  13. How marvelous to see your face and hear your voice, Susan. Your book trailer makes possible a layer of connection closer than the electrons and pixels of the internet allow.

    Also I appreciate how your book was a collaboration with a colleague and then the video with your son, an intergenerational enterprise. Brava!

  14. We’ve never seen difficult times that have not eventually improved. “This too shall pass.”? Is that a fact? Is it a notion we must believe, in such troubled times? The planet is in a state of turbulence now, yet the challenge of remaining positive will uplift us all. Love over hate, fear and other negativity.

    These are the messages you are so good at expressing. It’s so important to never give up. Part of the beauty in the aging process is enlightenment. You are an expert at delivering that message. You and Susan are supported by many. Carry on my dear friend.

    • Thank you Marsha. It’s a fine balance keeping hope alive … but yes, ‘Love over hate, fear and other negativity’… may love win always.

      I agree, wisdom is worth striving for – thank you for your kind words and for your support to us both 🙂

  15. Can feel the pulsing from here! Now I now what you mean by the Rhodesian soundings, not much of the clipped Sith Ifricin apparent here. Wishing you and Susan success in the publishing front.
    As for finding our true centres, as you know that comes with a bit of digging and uncovering the rest of the iceberg.
    Thanks for this 👍

    • Thanks Brian! Not much of the ware (true) SA accent I agree, but some of particularly SA expressions I use along with the best of them! They say so much!

      Thank you for the good wishes to both Susans – I appreciate this.

      Much uncovering of the iceberg and digging underground keeps this gal on her toes, as I know it does you too 🙂

      • Just to say about the word ‘ware’ (true) SA accent Brian … ‘ware’ is not pronounced ware. It’s an Afrikaans word pronounced ‘vaa-reh’ … 2 syllables …

  18. The ‘gleam’ seems appropriate. A simple background and a very glamorous ‘ager’! Wish I was as well preserved! Well done. Best of good luck with it.

  19. “…in these troubled times, may we all find our centre, our holding place, a place of calm amidst the storm.”
    Amen, Susan! Thank you!

Comments are closed.