Olive Riley, The Oldest Living Blogger

I hate to admit that when I heard the news that the oldest living blogger turned 108 in last Thursday's class I automatically imagined an old man from the the USA. What is that saying about me and my own assumptions? I was rather delighted to find that this blogger is actually a 108 year-old Australian woman named Olive Riley. The small 17 second segment aired on ABC News definitely does not give justice to Olive Riley and her blog. However, the fact that her story was briefly mentioned on the news is significant. What does this mean about autobiography and the autobiographical impulse? I think it means that blogging is becoming more and more popular as a way for people to tell their stories. If a 108 year-old woman is able to keep a blog online (perhaps with assistance), who could not? Some of her stories and "blogging" is available through YouTube in addition to her blog. You can even access some of them through her blog. She posts conversations and different experiences she has. Are these people blogging and constantly updating their blogs leaving imprints of themselves on a website? Are they constantly trying to create meaning of their lives (a la Derrida)? Is it that this method of autobiographical practice is more accessible to others? People are now able to view aspects of Olive's life through reading her blog or watching her on YouTube...but we still cannot see everything. This would be impossible! This is the same situation as a book autobiography - the author ultimately chooses what is included and what is excluded. However, the blogging allows for more authors and a larger audience.