New Year

This past year was an experiment and a test. It was an experiment for me to learn something about Substack and writing. It was a test to see if I could produce articles on a reliable and consistent basis.

I've found some very enjoyable, informative, and thought-provoking writers on Substack. I've also found some others who have obviously been inoculated to protect themselves from the truth. Fame in some field of endeavor unrelated to writing seems to give some an inflated sense of their own intelligence. I can only hope their audience knows better.

My essays soon honed in on a weekly schedule, which worked out well. My audience grew fairly steadily, but the subscriber base has remained small despite free subscriptions. I don't understand why that would be. Obviously, there are people who read my stuff regularly, yet they want to find it on Substack rather than in their email. Why?

As some of you know, I'm also working on a novel. It's a long way from being done, but I read that publishers are more inclined to look at a first novel from someone who has a following on the internet. So, another purpose of my series was to see if I could develop some kind of following. I'm still working on that!

Analyzing which of my articles were the most popular also provides no great insight into anything. There's no consistency to what was read more than what was not. Articles that I thought wouldn't be well received were. Others that I assumed would attract some attention didn't. The real problem is trying to develop a plan for 2024 in order to pick topics of interest to my readers. I have no idea!

Of course, the difference in viewership between those that are very popular and those that aren't isn't all that much. That implies that it doesn't matter a whole lot what topic I may choose.

There are more things to do with Substack that I may attempt. There are chat rooms and podcasts about which I know nothing. I can't see how they'd help anything, but I must look into them.

The Substack project has taken much more time than I anticipated. It's been interesting, and I've enjoyed the writing, but I can't keep up the effort. There's only so much satisfaction one can get out of writing a weekly essay. I don't think I want to devote that time and effort for another year.

Fortunately, a friend of mine is also interested in writing. He and I will be collaborating this coming year, alternating the Monday publications. His name is Phil Web, and I think you'll enjoy his writing. Phil's initial articles will focus on his experiences in Viet Nam. Or, rather, off the coast of North Viet Nam!! He was involved in pilot rescue . . .

Topics will vary as they have. Some topics I have in mind are veterans' benefits and all the things available that no one bothers to inform the veterans! Including the VA itself, which is a typical government bureaucracy—don't expect any help.

Articles on religion, family, work life, and business, as well as life issues and relationships, will also come along. Just as they have this year. 2024 should be interesting since it's an election year. Combine that with everything else going on; there should be plenty of material! There will obviously be articles about politics and politicians. For those of you who love a big, powerful Federal government, you probably won't like my articles, but they also might make you think about that big bureaucracy and its impact.

Who knows what adventures may be coming our way courtesy of our government at all levels. From the looks of things now, it isn't going to be pleasant. But we can hope and we have no choice but to keep on trying to do our best. That includes remembering we're all in this together whether we like it or not.

It's like being a pilot in Viet Nam. I wanted my wingman to be one of the best and most reliable pilots in the squadron. It wasn't necessary for me to like him or go to dinner with him. All I cared about was his flying. The same is true of the rest of our time on this planet. We don't have to befriend everyone we meet. But we can be helpful, polite, and understanding. They are dealing with issues of which we are totally oblivious and probably don't even want to know. Perhaps we can help them just by remembering to be nice to them. No, it isn't always easy. But some bureaucrat somewhere made some rules, and we have to bear the brunt of them.

2024. It could be a year in which we all just grow a year older or we could use the resources we have and make it something special. As always, the choice is yours to do what you can, where you are, with what you have. What do you want to be doing in five years? What are you going to do about it in 2024 to get closer to that 2029 reality?

If you don't have goals, you need to get some. It's too easy to get lost in front of the TV or on social media. Most of what you see on both those is somebody's fantasy. Yes, that includes the so-called news. Get busy doing something productive. There is all sorts of need for volunteers. No, there's no excuse for not doing something!

Regardless, have a great new year. Find time for fun and family. Pursue your hobbies. Become better at something. Learn something new. Do something you always wanted to try but never have. Read. Visit your local public library. Go to the art museum. Take in a symphony and a play. Study, really study, a new subject. Pray. Go to church. Be a friend to someone who needs a friend. Listen to someone who needs to talk.

Get to know your neighbors—more than just the usual "Hi, how are ya'." You know their names? Their kid's names? What's really going on in their lives? Can you help them with something—even maybe just picking up their mail while they're on vacation? Do you have their phone number in case of an emergency? This isn't just about your next-door neighbors. You should get to know at least three or four houses in each direction and across the street, too. I grew up on a farm, and we knew everybody five miles in every direction. Different world.

Please look back at my message from 12/26/2022. The message is still applicable.

Happy New Year.