Rediscovering Routine After Turning Senior

For my book project THINGS, the task was clear: blog about new discoveries using an object in my condo as a writing trigger. But since April 2023, when I officially became a senior citizen, my daily routine has completely shifted. If I’ve made any discoveries, I haven’t faithfully recorded them as reflections inspired by things—a habit I promised myself I’d keep. The major culprit? Still my lack of discipline in consistent writing!

My Tiny Home Office Under the Loft Bed

Back in 2022, I installed a loft bed with a stair cabinet and moved my molave desk from the living room to the space under the bed. I designed it so I could sit and stand comfortably—finally, a small writing nook I could call my own. (The image above was my inspiration, though it’s not my actual room.)

This change was necessary because my sister and her son had taken over the entire living room. There’s now a folding study table for my nephew near the stairs and a work desk for my sister beside the front door. I’ve even thought about retrieving my old Narra desk from my brother’s resort in Batangas—the one I got from OMF when they let me work from home during my mother’s illness. That desk, with its deep drawers, could now be a useful storage space for my nephew’s clothes, which currently live in stacked plastic bins under his folding table.

Sharing the Condo Space—and the Chaos

I had a double bed installed for them in the living room, so that space no longer belongs to me. And honestly, that’s fine. Their clutter stays in their corner, and my under-the-loft writing space remains untouched.

To cheer myself up, I bought a new chair—not because it’s ergonomic, but because it looked great in my cozy nook. Unfortunately, it’s not ideal for writing. So, I pulled out my old blue folding metal chair, a trusty companion from my boarding days in Palanan, 2011. It’s not pretty, but it works. Meanwhile, my old rotating desk chair is now with my sister.

Sleeping Like a Senior: Loft Bed Woes and Foam Regrets

My current neck issues all trace back to sleeping on this loft bed in my 35-square-meter condo. Although the high bunk lets me sleep undisturbed by the bathroom traffic of my condo mates, I’m beginning to think it’s time to replace the foam with a flatter one for better sleep support.

Back when I had a proper bed that also served as a sofa, things felt different. My nephew used to hang around my bed more—playing, painting, or just watching the world from the window. Now he has his own space, his own fan, and his own Netflix time. He still occasionally asks if he can sleep beside me, but he’s grown so much, it’s not as comfy anymore. Still, I treasure the mornings when his little face pops up the loft stairs with a cheerful “Good morning Ninang.”

Learning to Blog Again: YouTube, WordPress, and Late-Life Tech

Today, instead of blogging about any exciting new discovery (because, frankly, I don’t have one), I spent half the day on YouTube learning about productive blogging for beginners and senior citizen content creators. I googled tutorials on how to manage my still-green websites. At my age, these technical things take time to understand. But I’m learning.

Hostinger Academy introduced me to a list of no-code web-building tools. Even though WordPress wasn’t on that list, Hostinger still directs me to it. I’ve been blogging on WordPress and slowly updating my confidantesite.blog one post at a time. At first, I was completely confused by the tutorials. But over time, I got used to spending hours learning how to build and maintain a basic website.

Missing SiteSell—and Discovering the Magic of ChatGPT

I honestly miss SiteSell, my old web host from 2004 to 2021. It was great for senior bloggers like me—full tutorials, easy troubleshooting, and clear directions. I used SiteBuildIt for WP, but I’m considering unsubscribing. Why? Because SEO tweaking is now so much easier with the help of ChatGPT—from crafting meta descriptions to generating keywords and content ideas.

Embracing My Tech-Challenged Self (with Help from AI)

In this little under-the-bunk writing cave, I think I’m doing okay navigating the digital world as a senior citizen. If you, my rare reader, want to learn the tools I use, just ask—though honestly, ChatGPT probably explains them better than I can.