I'm Back But I'm Moving

I'm leaving substack behind and writing more.

Yesterday, it was warm in New York City. It was also sort of dark, the skies squinting against the sun, the wind whipping. I played dungeons and dragons with my friends on some blankets, ate big sandwiches with arugula and horseradish mayo, drank cola flavored seltzer. I discovered a few hours into the game that another group of friends were just on the other side of the bridge legs that we were nestled between. Seemingly out of nowhere, a cold wind chased us out, a reminder that spring is still new, and that it may, at any point, recede for just a few more weeks.

I have been gone for nearly eight months - absent from any semblance of typing into the void, it feels. Not that you readers are a void. Although, maybe to the writer you are - when we are not interested in engagement? When we are only interested in being read and perceived.

Last June, I began to feel strange about using Substack. As more and more features were added, I feared I had left social media only to step into a new one - one that felt, in some ways, more nefarious about its intentions. I was drawn to the platform by other writers, artists, and some influencers from the spaces I was preparing to drop away from.

Then I became afraid of switching again because I have a few paid subscribers here. (Obviously, the way that I froze and panicked and stopped writing because of these worries is ALSO a negative response for these subscribers).

But Substack has more features than I want or find necessary for my own writing practice.

But times have changed. TIMES HAVE CHANGED.

For the first time in my life - oh god do I say that phrase a lot - for the first time in my life, I am less afraid about money. As a kid, we lived in several homes that were foreclosed on. My parents sometimes skipped dinner. The electricity was turned off on us only twice but I remember. As a young adult, I developed unhealthy spending habits and made under $300 a week.

Now, until at least my country takes it from me, I am a teacher with a retirement fund. I do not spend 1/3 of my total monthly income on rent. I do not need to hang on to a platform because I need small sums of money from my readers, my audience, or my friends.

I am moving away from Substack.

I am committed to writing one newsletter a week. For your eyes and my sake.

You don't need to do anything to come with me. I have already pulled everything over - AND I will no longer be holding a paid subscription list. At least for now, in my current circumstances. If you have already paid for a specific period of time and would like a refund, please respond to this email. If not, I appreciate your support, but there is very low pressure!

I have some other newsletters in the works with topics that vary wildly but all have one thing in common - they will talk about community.

This email is just a quick hello and an update. You can expect a full newsletter from me on Tuesday, sent via Buttondown, the client I am moving over to.

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Here's a little peek into some newsletter titles in the works (they’re so bad!! I go through so many before I the final draft):

"Adolescence Cynicism & Mutual Aid in the Classroom"
"Oral History, The Art Room, and Teaching Teens into Liberation"
"Materials to Make Yourself Sane"
"Losing Your Parents but They're Still Here"