Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve – the final day of 2023. I am happy to put a pin in this year and look forward to the next. This year has been a bit of a transition to say the least. Likely more of this to happen in the next year, but hopefully all positive transitions.
I write a lot of words each week that are published – an average of 3,000-4,000 words per week in print or digital. In 2023, I am incredibly fortunate to still be working in traditional print media in Canada. Rarely do I forget how fortunate I am. Many lost their jobs this year and lost that platform to cover news, entertainment, and sports, or write opinions.
In addition to the day job, I post on this platform (Substack). I find for columns like Wanderings, my most commented on ones deal with my antics in home ownership or home repair. My most read column was also the one I received hate mail from. I never get hate mail. Except in this case. Here are links to a few of my favs:
- Recycle it all, let someone else sort it out
- I have the TV Streaming Blues
- Adventures in home repair: The paint edition
An addendum to that last one on paint, even after I got the right colour, the sheen was wrong so I had to go buy a quart of paint to finish the touch ups. In advance, I apologize to future owners of this house for the 19 coats of paint in the room.
The hate mail I received (again, a first for me) was to this column:
Again to the haters of this I echo the immortal words of comedian Lewis Black:
The lowest moment in publishing for me personally in 2023 was losing a bet to a Toronto Maple Leafs fan and having to wear a Leafs jersey in public, at work, and be photographed/published with this crap on me. The hives have only just subsided, but a bet is a bet. I did gain some sympathy for Leaf fans and lost causes.
My hope for 2024 is that the year ends a little better than it starts. I cannot quite say that for 2023, but treading water is better than the alternative.
Lastly – on Substack. I love using the Substack platform. I can see more who reads my work, possibly monetize it at some point, and it’s super easy to use. But (There’s always one) Substack has a Nazi Problem.
The Atlantic – https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/11/substack-extremism-nazi-white-supremacy-newsletters/676156/
Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie has said the platform will not censor or deplatform Nazis – https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/21/24011232/substack-nazi-moderation-demonetization-hamish-mckenzie
Nazis are bad. It is hate speech. I don’t condone it. So I am seeking another platform that is like Substack, but doesn’t allow Nazis to blatantly monetize their vile hate speech.
Once that new platform has been found, I am moving from this platform and removing content. Or Substack can ban the nazis and I will stay.
Here’s hoping 2024 is better than 2023.
Phil