Maclean’s Magazine, Canada’s leading news magazine recently asked its readers to describe in one hundred words or less how they were coping with COVID-19 isolation. I composed a précis of my earlier blog posting Self-isolation and Quarantine Reveals My True Colours and sent it off. Then, to my great surprise and joy, they emailed to say my piece had been selected for publication and they would be sending a photographer around to take my picture.

My immediate reaction was panic—not about publishing information about what a lazy slug I am, but more importantly, I hate having my picture taken. And, after five months without a visit to the hair salon for a trim and sporting serious COVID-hair six months after my highlights were . . . well, last highlighted, my usual phobia about being photographed was multiplied. I figured I could always cover up the expanded waistline with black pants but the hair issues are hard to disguise.

Still, it’s hard not to be flattered that my writing had been selected as one of eight pieces in such a prestigious publication. My one hundred words first appeared in the online version of Maclean’s and today my honey picked up a real-life hard copy of the June issue of the magazine at the grocery store. There we were on page 50, the three of us—me, George, and Sassy, our Yorkie. If there are any outstanding warrants out for my arrest I’m screwed, or if any hitmen have a contract out on my life, then this may be the last time you hear from me. While I hardly need a press agent yet, it was wonderful to have my writing published in a real live national publication.

My brush with fame lasts only forty-six seconds which is the length of time it takes to read my entire submission and glance at the picture. But it’s exciting for this old boomer who pounds away on her blog every day hoping someone finds the words I write might be even a tiny bit relevant, interesting, and sometimes humorous. If you act quickly, you can probably still pick up the June 2020 issue of Maclean’s at the grocery store, which is one of the few places where we’re still allowed to shop these days. Thank you for reading BoomerBroadcast and stay tuned for more fun and adventures.