Amazing Over 50’s – P J Skinner

 

Once again I am excited to introduce another guest to my series:

Amazing over 50’s

I am inviting and featuring ‘Mid-lifers’ who are enjoying life over 50 and who are happy to shout out about great health, fitness, lifestyles, work or their achievements etc, but more importantly who are embracing this time of their lives with pride and open arms.

This month I’m happy to introduce P J Skinner as my fourteenth guest.  PJ is an exploration geologist who has travelled worldwide, she is also an author and blogger.

A Guest Post – The Amazing over 50’s

Hi PJ and welcome to Loving The Fifty Something.  Can I start by asking you to tell us a little about yourself?

I’m an exploration geologist and I have spent thirty years as a consultant in Africa and South America looking for deposits of precious metals and diamonds. I worked in remote and dangerous places, often with an ongoing conflict or civil war in the background, and I had to face my own fears as well as unadulterated misogyny from some of my male counterparts. It has got better over time but now I get ageism too, so you have to adapt to whatever and get on with each new contract. It really is like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates working in exploration and mining.

I get offered less work now that I am in my fifties so I began to write books to fill in the down time between contracts. From this enterprise emerged the Sam Harris Adventure Series which is based loosely on my career. It tends to appeal to lovers of adventure, mystery and travel and has the unique viewpoint provided by Sam, a female interloper in a male world, as she struggles with alien cultures, dangerous scenarios and failed relationships.

I am single, having never been married, and I have fifteen nieces and nephews courtesy of my three brothers and three sisters. My parents are still alive and inspire me to get the most out of life like they do. I love sport, watching and playing, and I am creative, brave and stubborn.

Your job sounds so intriguing and interesting PJ and your books sound great!  Do you remember what turning 50 meant to you and how you feel now in relation?

I looked upon the new decade as a clean sheet. As a single person, turning 50 is a

milestone in many ways. To me it represented freedom from people asking me when I was going to get married and have children, a thing I never wanted. It also separated me from a time in my life where I suffered from depression and struggled with life in general. Freedom from menstruation was replaced by menopause which was a shock as it is just as bad, or worse, but otherwise I am enjoying this new phase of my life.

What are the things you are most proud of achieving after turning 50?

I have written almost six books since I turned fifty, an achievement which seemed light years away when I started the first one. People love them and leave great reviews so I’m hoping to earn a small income from them when I have to rely on my pension. I will have finished the seven book series by the end of the year and plan three standalones and another series from there. Writing a book is a massive undertaking and not for the faint hearted. I am very proud that I have overcome my natural instinct to abandon projects for someone else to finish because I have had another new, shiny idea. This has been a steep learning curve for me.

Such a lot to be proud of and the ‘shiny new idea’ sounds interesting.  How do you stay fit and healthy?

Being fit is incredibly important to me, especially as I have to climb the odd mountain or walk miles every day for my job. I used to play tennis every weekend but I found that I was tearing my calf muscles a lot as I got older and didn’t slow down. So, I learned how to play golf instead which I enjoy as it gets me out of the house and is mentally as well as physically stimulating. I also go to the gym and do cardio on the cross trainer and rower, both low impact exercises. I have always eaten well and I enjoy fresh food cooked at home. I don’t really drink, the hot flushes have now made it unpleasant so I don’t bother.

I can see how your job would be quite demanding on your body.  Are there any messages or advice you’d like to give to people who are about to turn 50?

My advice on turning fifty is not to make a big thing of it. It is just a number in your

passport. While you may begin to experience physical changes that are annoying or even limiting in some way, there is nothing to stop you going out and reinventing yourself in anyway you want. Freedom is the key word for your fifties. Grab it with both hands. I did.

 Thank you so much PJ for being another ‘Amazing over 50’s’ guest on my blog.  Good luck with your books!

Here are PJ’s links below:   

Pj’s Blog 

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

PJ’s Amazon Page 

 ‘Amazing Over 50’s’ 

 

 

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Have a great day! 😍