Birthday reflections
September has always been a pivotal month for me. There's a back-to-school energy, now enhanced by not actually having to go back to school. Here on the island, most of the "summer people" are packing up the beach cabins, the ferry lines have become more reasonable, and we're getting our island back. We have some rain after a very dry summer.
September's also the month of my birthday, actually today, and my 72nd, if you're counting. The start of a new trip around the sun coinciding with the change in seasons makes it a perfect time to look back, and forward. I'd like to share a look back, and forward, with this newsletter.
Around the beginning of 2022, I decided to quit the too many boards and advisory committees I was on. To keep in touch, I started an occasional infodump email to about a dozen former colleagues. I moved it to Substack not yet a year ago, and now have well over a hundred subscribers around the country and the world, and another fifty over on LinkedIn. I appreciate every one of you, wherever you read this. It's an honor to write for you, and to have you read.
During the summer I offered you lighter fare, sharing posts about our island communities and our travel adventures in Europe. For the fall, I'm planning to offer more substantial pieces some of which are requiring some research. There may be longer gaps between these posts. I may sprinkle in some more community items. We have so many communities to choose from!
Please let me know in the comments :
Which posts have resonated with you?
What would you like to see more of?
What is the change in season to autumn (or spring!) bringing for you?
Happy birthday, Water Friend! May the coming year be the best one yet.
Hi John. My birthday also falls in the month of September. Happy birthday. I came across your Substack through horizontal connections of other Substack presenters whom I know through mutual friends. Your posts on water resonate with me and I hope you will continue to post about efforts to protect water quality and access to water, including through an equity lens. I find myself personally fretting about water issues so much so it is helpful to me to access information about efforts by people who are working to educate, regulate and correct damage resulting from human ignorance (past) and greed (past and present), but which is correctable I hope--I’m working to educate myself about all such matters. I admire those who pursue channels that result in measurable impacts--understanding systems is key and I welcome your dispatches.