Thursday, January 31, 2019

In The Public Eye (Rochelle)

Ever since I’ve taken over as Lead Facilitator for the Philadelphia Senior Center’s Best Day group, I’ve made it my mission to get both Best Day and its older buds the exposure they deserve. One of the ways I’ve done this through The Moth, and older bud José got to tell a story onstage in a Moth event at the World Cafe. Another way is through The Wilma Theatre. For the past few months, The Wilma took a group of older buds at PSC to see James Ijames’ “Kill Move Paradise,” then helped them create a devised theatre production based on that show and their experiences as seniors.

The older buds The Wilma selected...were not from Best Day, but they are interested in collaborating with us on a future show. Last week, I took the storytellers of Best Day to see the Wilma’s performance—“Our Stories: Do You See Me?”—and they loved it! There was comedy, nostalgia, tragedy, and a whole bunch of older buds who were comfortable onstage. Pretty much all of Best Day’s older buds wanted to do a show of their own after that, including the ones with stage fright! 

One more way, as you all know by now, is through our “Joy Starts Here” initiative. But did you know that the stories you send through “Joy Starts Here” get posted on Best Day’s website itself? Our own Rochelle Tynes had her story posted on the site, and she appeared as the first hit when Googling The Best Day of My Life So Far. How's that for exposure?

Rochelle R. Tynes
01.21.2019
I Have Become a Latchkey Senior
In past years, my sons and other neighbors and relatives children were told to come right home from school. [They were told to] come in alone, don’t talk to anyone, and never ever take the key out from under your shirt. This key around their necks were caused by us parents having to work, not having anyone to take care of our children and not wanting them to be outside in hot or cold elements or in a harmful situation.
The placing of the keys caused the children to be called “latchkey” children. Usually, these keys were placed on the children’s necks with the warning that if they were lost, then they would have to sit outside and wait until the parents came home.
Several keys were lost and the warnings came to pass.
I, however, am a senior and in the last two months have locked myself out. What I’ve done is left my keys in the house when I’ve had to go out. When I’ve done this, I’ve called my grandson that lives around the corner from me. If he is at home, he will come around. If he is at work, I have to wait until he gets off to open the door.
I told myself that I can’t keep forgetting my key and if I leave keys at a neighbors, it has to be someone who is home most of the time, also someone I trust. Another solution is to be a latchkey senior, put my keys in a pouch to wear under my shirt so that I won’t be locked out and just assume my new role as a latchkey senior.
If you have an older bud who deserves to be the first hit on Google, submit their story here: http://bit.ly/submit1000stories 
And if you need a refresher on how to submit stories to “Joy Starts Here,” check out this handy-dandy link: http://bestdayofmylifesofar.org/joystartshere/
Happy reading, and stay warm!

Curated by Caitlin Cieri

Thursday, January 24, 2019

The Cold (Elliot and Frances)

I don’t believe it’s coincidence that The Women’s March is so close to Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It’s the perfect opportunity to capture the righteous fury of the marchers and turn it towards helping our community. But between the snow warnings and bitter weather these past few days, it’s made going out more dangerous. So, what do you do if you missed out on the March, MLK Day, or both? You talk to some seniors and send us their stories! You can read all about our Joy Starts Here challenge at this page: http://bestdayofmylifesofar.org/joystartshere/
And when you’re ready to submit an older bud’s story, fill out this page here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScSceHVm92CBLCj-iQRKEzNFXOQn_6LJADxz-zsBT1QfweopA/viewform?usp=sf_link
It’s so easy, you can do it on a cell phone, anywhere you like!

And here’s a few stories from us to warm your heart, if not your body.

Elliott Doomes
01.10.19
After School Safe Havens
My holidays is good. I didn't travel and I just stayed home, but I had communications with my whole family. My great grandson was on the phone and he went "Ah-bah-bah!" He can't talk but he'll let you know he's there. My family keeps me going, because otherwise, it's too easy to do the same thing over and over again. It gets lackadaisical. On the other hand, I really don't want to go walking around in the cold, especially not at night and especially not in this neighborhood. Every kid on the street wants to be a gangster rapper and shoot people in the streets because those rappers have all the gold and jewels and cash, But that's not real.
Kids today don't have the same opportunities that we had. We used to have playgrounds every two blocks and during the winter they could go inside and play basketball and table tennis. Nowadays, they don't keep those places open anymore. Now we just have open fields.
The other day, at 18th and Lombard, I was thinking about sitting in the park and relaxing. During my childhood, we went there all the time. But i can't sit there for two long. Nobody there looks like me anymore. So, if I sat there for long enough watching the kids playing, somebody would come over and wonder what the hell I was doing there. Nobody from my childhood lives there anymore. I might be paranoid, but that's the way it was when I was a kid and that's the way it is now. If a white man came over and asked me what I was doing there, I could never give him an answer he'd think was believable. I didn't think it'd be safe to be there.
There also used to be a Marton Anderson Center named after the first and foremost African American contralto opera singer. And she lived there, even after going to Europe and Carnegie Hall. I did know a lot of her history back then, but I forgot most of it. Most people today don't know who Marton Anderson is. Star Garden, Syggis Playground, all those places were after school havens. You actually felt protected there and you respected the people in charge. Nobody wanted to be banned, but they wouldn't ban you forever. I could say a lot about the things I've seen change, and not for the better.

Frances Bryce
01.10.19
How I Got My Wish While Singing A Song 
All I want for Christmas is a live Christmas tree. A live Christmas tree. Noble fir or pine will do. Hear my sorrow, we plea.  
Where do you put the presents when there's no tree? Golly, gee, please tell me.  
Put them on the table, someone said to me. Where will we eat? How can that be? Please do not kid me.  
Put them on a chair, an answer came to me. Then we must stand, no seats for sitting. How will that be?
Put them in front of the fireplace. Unsafe as can be. Fire put the presents in dances, I'm sure you will agree.
I can hardly believe there will be a Christmas with no tree. Oh how sad. Poor, poor me. 
Epilogue
The next morning down the stairs I came. What do I see? My daughter standing there with Christmas lights in her hand. "What are you doing with lights," I demand.
"Why have lights and no tree?" Her reply, "I have a plan, you'll see."  
Finally, I seated myself and then looked around to my right. There stood a tree, what a beautiful sight!
A glorious Christmas tree, did my eyes deceive me?  No! No! A live Christmas tree that my eyes had failed to see.
A song I had made in jest had resulted in a wonderful surprise thanks to the Robnett. 
 I laughed, hooted and shouted with glee. Now a home for the presents under the Christmas tree.  
I hurried and got the ornaments to dress the tree. Happy that I made the song, happy as could be!


And speaking of Dr. King, check out our collection of MLK themed stories, here and here.

Curated by Caitlin Cieri

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Miracle (Elliott)

Last week at Best Day, I had been talking to Joan about religion, and she said that Jesus had saved her life multiple times. Then she told me a story about her husband's abuse, and how many times it got so bad that she'd almost died. I told her how incredible that story was, and how honored I'd be if she'd share it with the rest of Best Day. She wrote it down and read it, but as she read she worried that nobody wanted to hear it because of how violent it was. When she finished, other older buds came forward about their own abuse, and the things they did to fight back. It was surprising to see how many other people there lived with abuse, and you'd never know just by looking at them. It's a cliché, but it's true. You never know what a person went through until you listen to them. I've often said that the best day of your life can be when you're able to talk about the worst day of your life, and I feel like last week's workshop is proof of that.
Unfortunately, I can't post Joan's story this week. She couldn't think of a good way to end it, so she decided to work on it from home. Once she finishes it, I'll type and post it. In the meantime, here's another story about miracles:
Elliot Doomes
11.29.2018
What Is A Miracle

At a very young age, I heard all the miracles in the Bible. Moses parting the Red Sea, the casting out of demons, and I always wanted to experience my own miracle. I never did, but I always managed to overcome my adversities and grow stronger. And it’s not because I’m smart! I can’t believe that. If I was smarter, I’d never make a mistake. It was all divine intervention. God, Yah veh, Allah, whatever you call it. I’m more spiritual than religious.
I grew into young manhood, I met a young lady, and married. She conceived and bore a beautiful daughter who is strong, healthy, and beautiful. She grew to young woomanhood and she had four beautiful healthy children – three girls and a boy. Angie, Donte, Asia, and Amber who were all born strong, healthy, and beautiful. My grandson, Donte, who produced a son who was also born strong, healthy, and beautiful, and Asia’s four months pregnant, so I’ll be a great grandfather two times. Am I still looking for a miracle? No, I’m too busy enjoying the ones I have!




You never know what a person went through until you listen to them. Talk to a senior in your life, and if you like what you hear, then share it here: http://bestdayofmylifesofar.org/joystartshere/
Our goal’s to get stories from all over the country throughout the course of this year, and you know Philly is full of stories. Introduce us to some cool new people this year!

Curated by Caitlin Cieri

Thursday, January 10, 2019

Less and More (Ann)

I noticed something very interesting in the first few weeks of 2019. In addition to running The Best Day of My Life So Far at the Philadelphia Senior Center I also attend two playwriting workshops, and both Best Day and the workshops were much fuller than expected. First Thursdays tend to have fewer people, but last week’s had a good amount of older buds. I think the New Year is encouraging people to join new groups and get back into ones they used to attend.

On the other hand, there are a lot of people who won’t be able to come to Best Day for a while. Ann and Frances have health issues, José couldn’t come last week due to a personal issue, Joe lives too far away, Mike’s art classes conflict with Best Day, and I haven’t heard from Eugene and Mo in a while. My hope is that all of the people who did come to Best Day before will be back in full force once the craziness of the New Year is over. In the meantime, all the extra people joining all these clubs in Philly has already got me feeling hopeful for this year.

Ann Von Dehsen
10.11.2018
To My 21 Year Old Self

I recently saw a TV show in which older people were asked, “What would you tell  your 21 year old self about the life they will lead?”
I would begin by telling my 21-year old self, “You have a voice, use it!”
And here is why:
You will realize that you often let others choose your path in life. At 21, you are 
getting married, although you had always planned to stay single in Boston a while longer, but you didn’t use that voice to say, “Um, not yet” and instead thought “well all my friends are getting married and OK, I’m sure I’ll be happy.” You will like the house you and your husband will eventually buy, but you will love and always remember the little bungalow with arched doorways, squeaky floors, and built-in bookshelves. He will say, “No, it’s impractical and needs work” and you are still not ready to use that voice to say, “So what? I love it.”
You will have several relatively happy years of marriage, but slowly, you will become that song, “White bird in a golden cage” until you will use that voice to say, “Enough. I am unhappy and have to leave!” So white bird will fly allowing you to be free to discover who you really are. And you will meet so many different people that you would not have met when you were coupled and only befriended people who looked like you and thought like you and acted like you.
Of course, there will be times of loneliness and fear and brief thoughts of, “Oh God, what have I done?” But you will realize how strong you are and actually learn how to put air in the tires and change the oil, to flip a circuit breaker and install a new float in the toilet. 
More importantly, you will allow yourself to be happy and love again. You will no longer be afraid to take chances resulting in new experiences, new places, and new understanding and appreciation of a world you too often took for granted. 
You will hold so many people in your heart that at times you will feel it might overflow, but don’t worry, there will always be room for more.
And during gray days of sadness, anger, sickness, and self-doubt, remember that you are strong, especially since you have found that voice and know how to use it.
Most of all, relax and your life will be filled with happiness and laughs; “La Vie en Rose.”

And if you want to make a New Year’s resolution of your own, then why not resolve to end senior isolation. Talk to a senior in your life, and if you like what you hear, then share it here: http://bestdayofmylifesofar.org/joystartshere/
Our goal’s to get stories from all over the country throughout the year, and you know Philly is full of stories. Introduce us to some cool new people this year!

Curated by Caitlin Cieri

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Joy Starts Here

Happy New Year, everyone!
The Best Day of My Life (So Far) has launched a brand new campaign in honor of our tenth anniversary! We're calling it Joy Starts Here, and our campaign is for twelve different sites to collect stories from ten cities in the United States, throughout the course of the year. And we're talking brand new stories too. You can find the details here, and I will be participating as well. If you want to know who to talk to and what kinds of stories we're looking for, it can be from anyone about anything. As long as the story's from a senior's own life, we want it!

But if you want a little inspiration, then you can check out some of our most popular posts in the past ten years:


Once you've submitted a story, please let us know what city you and the storyteller are from so I can post the count on here. You can let us know at info@bestdayofmylifesofar.org, or you can tag us on Twitter at @bestdaysofar, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bestdayofmylifesofar/, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bestdayofmylifesofar/. We can't wait to see and hear the hundreds of stories this country's older buds have to offer. Good luck, and Happy New Year.

 Curated by Caitlin Cieri
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