Post Pandemic Review
Four years finding a new groove...
This Subtack was launched on December 26, 2021, when I clearly noted, “I have no plan. You’ve been warned. I’m winging it.” Over the past three years, I have explored different options and curiosities, only to find I am still winging it - I’ve just come to accept that condition. Yes, I have started down all sorts of paths to realize I was heading in the wrong direction. I have learned all sorts of things that are NOT for me. And if I did plan, nothing went accordingly.
But in all that, one thing I did not plan was the jump this year in subscribers to this “newsletter.” I fear, if readers only look back on the 2024 installments, they may not see me at my best. (Also, the most popular posts of this year give attention to those I have decided not to further spotlight.) So, I would rather do a review — not of just this year — but of the journey since I started writing publicly again. I have no niche or marketing strategy, but I do think you will find some underlying themes.
Here are the most popular posts since the launch of Two-Lane Renaissance:
The Donut Hole of West Virginia - (1/22/2022) Calhoun, Gilmer, and portions of Wirt
History of a Writer - (1/8/2022) Who do I think I am anyway?
Baby Steps to Somewhere - (12/28/2022) Away from wallowing and worry.
Know Thy Natural Environment - (2/12/2022) This isn’t a “normal” winter. Or is it?
Music For the Unsung - (9/5/2022) A celebration of music, and of those who chirp to their own tune.
The Return of the Red-Wing Blackbird - (4/5/2022) Their song is the song of spring.
You, Me, the Birds, and Bees - (6/1/2022) Living among nature, you understand the value of life.
Bathtub Yoga & Prayers from the Porcelain Throne - (5/14/2022) Working meditation and spiritual practices into your chaotic life.
The Sounds of Silence - (1/20/2023) Enlightenment, courtesy of a dog who can't see.
Renaissance and Enlightenment - (6/18/2024) They sound good, but really, they suck.
As 2024 ends, I start the new year with no real resolution other than to continue enduring our messy renaissance for my own torturous enlightenment. I will focus on changing my narrative. Current events and politics dominated too much this year, and I found that I don’t want that to be the focus of my life, my mind, or my writing. I realize that’s not much of a plan. But I am no longer going to just wing it. Next year, I’m going to work on intention. That’s enough of a plan for now.
I still don’t know what I’m doing, but I have chosen a direction, and that’s all you need to make progress in an ongoing journey. Thanks for joining me.
Goodbye 2024. Thanks for the lessons. Bring on 2025.
