Housekeeping
Dear Friends of Backwards and Forwards,
Here is some year-end housekeeping, together with some personal reflections. Before the New Year (whether the first day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei or the first day of January), so many people send out greetings with pictures and tall tales of adventures and accomplishments. I must have a spectacular readership because very few people send out notices of failures and sorrows. That’s ok. It’s kind of like putting on makeup. When I am still groggy, first thing in the morning, I look in the mirror a little shocked and say, “OMG, who is that person?” And then I spend the rest of the day hoping to find out. But we want to look our best to the outside world, even if it involves applying some lipstick or mascara.
I have tried to use my newsletter to be my twice a month greeting card and give you an inkling to my inside world and what I am thinking. I may embellish with a little bit of makeup now and then, but I have tried to be honest with you. Thank you for opening my newsletters. I hope that you enjoyed them.
Now for some important housekeeping.
I have produced Backwards and Forwards for two years now. The newsletter provides me with a creative opportunity to think, to observe and to have a pulpit of sorts with no responsibilities. And it keeps me in touch with so many people I still care about, but do not see. I make every effort to respond to everyone who writes me at backwardsforwards.newsletter@gmail.com. It is my delight to stay in touch, to argue a little and to agree more often. Y’all broaden my world.
BUT,
I had noticed that recently I was only receiving a dribble of responses. “Oh well,” I thought to myself. “Maybe I have run my course. But I will continue to soldier on because I enjoy writing and putting together these messages.”
And then, lo and behold, I checked my spam box and found a hundred or so emails waiting to be answered. So, first, thank you. Second, apologies if I hadn’t responded previously. I now know better.
Here is my progress report. I send out 2600 emails about twice a month. A little more than half the recipients open them. That’s pretty good. I don’t typically post on Facebook, and I don’t appreciate social media. I want Backwards and Forwards to keep me in relationship to you. For me, social media is just a blast into the ether.
As you can intuit, I am not interested in making money on my newsletter. I anticipate that I can maintain my lifestyle without needing to bring in extra dollars. I don’t buy stuff anymore. And most of all, I do not want to be beholden to a schedule or a product. But I would appreciate if you would be my ambassadors and promote Backwards and Forwards to the people in your sphere who might enjoy it. The subscribe button is on the bottom of the newsletter. And I have it hear for you for your convenience.
If you have enjoyed my book, Take My Dog, please buy several for Christmas or Hanukkah presents. I have a few writing projects in mind, but I am not sure I have another novel in me. As my mother, of blessed memory, would counsel me to say, “I wrote two novels already, my first and my last.”
Finally, if you have enjoyed these emails, I want to try something new for a future newsletter blast. Please offer the world a Hanukkah/Christmas present by doing the following:
If you are so inclined, make an extra year-end charitable donation to a charity of your choice in appreciation for my efforts.
Whatever charity you choose is good by me.
And then send me an email link to your charity of choice and a brief description of what the charity does and why you chose it. Three sentences, maximum.
I will copy the information you send me and include it in future emails. I will keep all of these messages anonymous so nobody will judge your priorities.
Let’s make the world better for other people, together. Let’s bring joy to the world and light to dark places.
Thank you again and I wish you joy and happiness and light and love, with a big dose of health and family and faith and adventure. I pray that life is good for you and that you can pass some of that goodness on to others.
Happy Hanukkah!
Merry Christmas
And Happy New Year, 2025! I feel like I should still be writing 199_ as I date my checks.
Wait a minute. I don’t hardly write checks anymore.
