Published inSex and Satire·PinnedMember-onlyMiddle-Aged Ride of ShameFirst-time sex after divorce. First time on pallets. “Tired of white, bearded, and hairy guys? Go bald smooth and Chinese.” That was the opening line on my dating profile. While my grandparents had arranged marriages in China, I had the freedom to swipe through hundreds of ladies sitting in a…Sex5 min readSex5 min read
Published inAbout Me Stories·PinnedMember-onlyAbout Me—Ryan ChinIn my older age, I’m getting soft, and I’ve learned to do stupid things a lot smarter. I’m a 47-year-old bald and smooth Chinese dude. That’s what I wrote on dating apps when I encouraged women to change it up from the norm here in Portland, Oregon. Tired of all…About Me6 min readAbout Me6 min read
Published inIn Fitness And In Health·May 24Member-onlyWhat I’ve Learned After Twenty-Two Years of YogaAnd what you can learn if you’re starting your Yoga journey — At age 50, I’m surfing better than in my thirties, I still skateboard, and I’m learning to wing foil. Twenty-two years of yoga is part of the reason for this. I primarily attend hot yoga studios in Portland, Oregon, because it’s rainy and cold much of the year. …Fitness4 min readFitness4 min read
Published inIn Fitness And In Health·May 1Member-onlyHow I Fixed My Middle-Age KneesAdjusting my diet, examining my daily postures, and strength training put me back on track. At 47 years old, my knees hurt so much that I could barely walk. With surfing, fly fishing, snowboarding, and paddle boarding being some of my passions, I was devastated and afraid I wouldn’t be…Health6 min readHealth6 min read
Published inOpen Letters To·Apr 20Member-onlyA Letter to the Clap IconI will not let you abuse me anymore, Mr. Hand Man. Dear Mr. Hand Man, Sometimes it feels like you’re giving me the finger. You slap me daily with your idle numbers. I work hard writing my stories, and you sit there like a blank-eyed agent during a book pitch. …Medium3 min readMedium3 min read
Published inAge of Empathy·Mar 30Member-onlyOne Day You’re Young. The Next Day You’re NotLife happens fast. Love, learn, and laugh. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. — One day you’re a teen terrorizing the neighborhood, squealing tires around corners, and ripping doughnuts in the nearby soccer field while driving a 1981 Buick Century, a surprisingly capable off-road vehicle for newly licensed sixteen-year-olds. The next day you’re a Dad yelling off your porch at the asswipe driving too…Aging4 min readAging4 min read
Published inAINYF…Alcohol is NOT Your Friend·Mar 24Member-onlyAfter 33 Years of Drinking, I’m Cutting It Way DownIs it possible to enjoy alcohol and still live a healthy lifestyle? — The history of my drinking, my strategies for cutting back, and wondering if quitting is something I need to do — or even want to do. I turned 50 a month ago on February 11th in Baja, Mexico doing what I love and being with a person I love. I…Sobriety6 min readSobriety6 min read
Published inCrow’s Feet·Mar 11Member-onlyDid Medication Cause My Dad’s Parkinson’s?Pills, pills, pills, and more pills. — A nurse at my Dad’s senior home in Chicago walks into his room with a little plastic tub and says, “Time for your medication!” My slumped-over, 77-year-old, wheelchair-bound Dad barely lifts his head. She spoons pill after pill into his mouth. …Medication4 min readMedication4 min read
Published inCatness·Jan 27Member-onlyI Don’t Just Miss My “Old” CatI miss all of her. My old gal, Baetis, has been gone for three months now after two decades purring at my side. In her last years she slept on a window perch that my daughter and I made for her. There were times when her breathing was so slight…Cats4 min readCats4 min read
Published inAge of Empathy·Aug 14, 2022Member-onlySix Years After Divorce, I’m Declaring Myself Healed!It feels good not wanting to destroy my old house. — I just bought a lunch gift certificate for my Ex and her new partner. They’re celebrating their commitment in Maui. Last month they ended up at the same concert as my girlfriend, and they all sat together. During a recent heatwave, I napped in my Ex’s house on my old…Divorce4 min readDivorce4 min read