⭐ START HERE
Welcome to BlackPapers
A gathering place for fresh ideas, funny stories, and real-life observations from the mountains of Colorado.
If you’re new here, pull up a chair. This page will help you quickly understand what I write, when it drops, and where to start.
BlackPapers is retired-guy humor & life stories — funny, lived-in observations about aging in a fast-paced world that clearly isn’t slowing down for us. No advice, no experts, just real life, perspective, and the occasional laugh.
BlackPapers runs on a few recurring series, each with its own rhythm and personality. Think of this like the menu board at your favorite diner — everything’s good, but some days you’re here for the pancakes.
Let’s dive in.
🎼Downbeat
Long-form essays, life stories, and the occasional big swing.
🎼Downbeat is the anchor of BlackPapers — a weekly deep dive into whatever life keeps tossing onto the porch: marriage, aging, retirement, golf mishaps, family dynamics, and observations that stick around long enough to turn into a story.
No lessons. No experts. Just lived experience, written with some distance and a sense of humor.
Why you’ll like it:
Honest, funny, reflective — the big stories live here.
When it drops: Tuesdays at 10 ET
✏️ FRIDAY TAKEAWAY
Short, sharp, humorous notes on something I noticed this week.
Sometimes the best stories aren’t long — they’re the thoughts you catch at the grocery store, on a walk, or on the 12th tee box wondering why putting qualifies as emotional terrorism.
Friday Takeaway is a weekly quick hit of perspective and humor.
Why you’ll like it:
Fast read. Zero fluff. Good company for a cup of coffee.
When it drops: Fridays at 10 ET
💬 ASK A RETIRED GUY
Real questions. Short answers. Learned the hard way.
You send the questions: life, family, work-adjacent worries, or “is anyone else dealing with this?”, and I answer the way a retired neighbor would: honestly, lightly, and without pretending to have it all figured out.
No lectures. No spreadsheets. Just perspective and candor.
Why you’ll like it:
It’s reassuring to hear from someone who’s been around the block and can still laugh about it.
When it drops: Sundays at 10 ET
🗒️ NOTES
Quick thoughts, daily humor, and behind-the-scenes moments.
Notes are short observations, updates, and small stories sprinkled throughout the week.
They’re how you get to know the voice behind the essays, the guy on the porch, cup of coffee in hand, with a loyal pup and a view of the Rockies.
One more thing (optional, truly):
BlackPapers stays free. If you ever feel like supporting the writing, I’ve turned on a paid option — and I donate net proceeds (after fees/taxes) to No Kid Hungry and post a simple quarterly summary + receipts. No paywalls. No “members-only” scolding. Just a way to turn a few laughs into a little help for kids.
🏁 WHERE TO GO NEXT
Choose your adventure:
➡️ Start with 🎼Downbeat (deepest stories)
➡️ Sample Friday Takeaway (quick laughs)
➡️ Browse Ask a Retired Guy (shared questions)
➡️ Scroll Notes (daily personality)
If this feels like your kind of neighborhood, you’re welcome to subscribe. It’s free, and you can always slip out quietly.
Glad you’re here.
I saved you a seat on the porch (the good one, not the wonky one).
BB