What's Ahead and What's Behind
It's a round-up, but not as you know it and promise no Xmas gift guide
I’m not one for New Year’s Resolutions, except when it comes to fitness goals because otherwise I would sloth around on the sofa as I was not a sporty kid and so I have to motivate myself to actually do physical activity, beyond walking.
One of the consequences of being 63, however, is to recognise that slothing around isn’t going to deliver myself into a good place health wise, so it’s no longer an option. Plus, I’m single-ish, and in my ‘situationship,’ I feel it’s important to look good because having a decent bod helps me to feel sexy. I want a man to feel muscle when he grips my hips and not fat.
Today an apparatus arrived that will enable me to work on my pull-up, which is my goal for 2025. I’d like to not only be able to do one, but hopefully ten within six months, which sounds achievable as I’m sitting here, but may be ambitious when I actually get around to putting the Sportsroyals Power Tower Dip Station Pull Up Bar together.
My fitness goal out of the way, I haven’t settled on any specific resolutions, other than to be less busy and more focussed on Sex Advice for Seniors, and work to do with later life sexuality and relationships, all of which I enjoy and for which I feel there is a massive, gaping hole in the market.
This year has been an interesting one. This Substack, which I started on a whim a couple of years ago with
has taken off in a way I never could have imagined back then.Here are some of the highlights:
Becoming one of Lovehoney’s Queen Bees promoting the benefits of sex after 60. You can read what we have to say here.
Appearing on BBC News as part of a documentary series called Sex After… The episode in which I appear is called Sex After Sixty. You can watch it here.
Being invited to participate in a panel discussion related to academic research aimed at “exploring the sexual health needs among older adults, including those with disability, identify barriers and facilitators to older adults accessing sexual health services.”
Reaching nearly 150k followers on my TikTok channel and, as a result, being invited by multiple businesses focussed on adult sexual pleasure, to test out their products. I now have got quite a stash of stuff!
Creating over 100 episodes of the Sex Advice for Seniors podcast, with some phenomenal guests.
A Substack note of mine about my ‘situationship’ gaining lots of attention and comments, both positive and negative (and a paid-for commission by a national newspaper, which was an unexpected outcome).
Your favourite posts:
Why Men over 50 Should put a Ring on it. The benefits, for men, of wearing a cock ring. You can read all about this here.
What Sexperts and Other Guests have taught me. Stuff I never expected to learn - the good and the not-so-good. You can read this here.
Back when Internet Dating was a Blast. Maybe I have rose-tinted spectacles when it comes to online dating, but it certainly was a lot more fun 20 years ago. Read my thoughts here.
Your favourite podcasts:
Understanding your Pelvic Floor. A fascinating conversation with Dr. Amanda Olson revealed how little I knew about my own pelvic floor! Listen here.
From Limp Myths to Hard Facts. The range of treatment options available to men struggling with erectile function are many more than you would think, as Dr. Judson Brandeis explains. Listen here.
Being in a Negotiated Relationship. Should men pay for sex? Yes, according to a woman who knows all about this as an older ‘Sugar Baby.’ Listen here.
My personal favourites:
Navigating Love and Self-Discovery. ‘Hope with Holly’ is a force of nature, with hundreds of thousands of followers on various social media platforms and I adore her no-nonsense, bullshit-free approach to finding a partner. Listen here.
How to Ask for What you Want in Bed (And Get it). Susan Bratton recently appeared on Diary of a CEO, and I recorded my second episode with her this week. You can comprehend why she’s so popular when it comes to understanding human sexuality and relationships by listening to our podcast here.
Reuniting my Former Co-Hosts. For the 100th episode I brought back
and to reminisce about their time on Sex Advice for Seniors, and to find out what they’re up to now. Listen here.Stuff I’ve been reading on Substack and enjoyed:
Gideon M-K: Health Nerd - How much do we really know about Old People? Looking at the science around longevity and what it does (or doesn’t) tell us. Read it here.
Conversations with Carlyn - Researchers Find Women May Have Another Purpose Besides Breeding. Why do post-menopausal women live past their reproductive years? Read it here.
Open Secrets Magazine - Solo Polyamory as a Queer Person on the Autism Spectrum. An interesting essay on gender, neurodiversity and relationship types. Read it here.
Pretty much anything by Kevin Sessums, whether it’s about his life as a pilgrim, culture, or reflecting on losing his Ear Buds. You can find him here.
I want to extend a huge THANK YOU and a BIG VIRTUAL HUG to everyone who has subscribed, commented, and supported the growth of Sex Advice for Seniors over the past twelve months, whether through subscriptions or sponsorships.
A special shout-out goes to OhMiBod for their continued support, and to Higher Nature, with whom I recently began working. I look forward to promoting their excellent range of supplements in the New Year.
Additionally, I want to thank Elliot and Ann Justin of FirmTech for trusting me with the UK sales and marketing of their excellent products that support men’s sexual health.
That’s all from me, for now. Do comment and subscribe if you want to receive my weekly updates discreetly in your inbox.
I hope you all have a very Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year!
Suzanne
Good luck with the pull ups! I used a device at my gym and managed to build up to one or two unaided but it buggered my shoulder and I had to give up. It was worth it though. There's something about being a woman that makes you determined to do this very HARD thing!
Good luck with this.