21 Comments
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Matt Stevens's avatar

Not to send too much French breakfast pastry your way, but this makes me think of Michel de Montaigne's essays, or the idea behind them, an essay as an attempt, a trying out of ideas. Putting it out there, getting the feedback, and continuing the back and forth. Service!

Charlie Finch's avatar

I like it! I’ll need to check out those essays, but I like the continued metaphor of service. It’s exactly what I hoped for with this Substack. It’s one of the things I miss most about the old college years!

Tina Lance's avatar

What do you miss?

Charlie Finch's avatar

The constant willingness to discuss anything. It seemed everyone was down for a deeper dive. Sure, there was plenty of small talk too, but the small talk often felt like just a handshake before actual connection.

I think it was the massive amount of time available coupled with people who were genuinely curious about life. The older we get, the less time we have and curiosity shrinks to fit the clock.

Tina Lance's avatar

Got you completely now. Agree...

Charlie Finch's avatar

I was in the English and art department. Your mileage may have varied with the future CPAs.

Tina Lance's avatar

Rght but as you know, I got caught up in the wrong factory batch. There was a defect — I was meant to be in with you guys…so i always found those people regardless.

Brenda Marshall's avatar

I’ll pull up a chair ❤️ I'm working on this week’s Sunday Sip, our weekly substack newsletter, and it's mostly about finding or, in my case, finally seeing the creative community my husband and I are cultivating in our slice of the world. I want to thank you for pointing out that Substack is also a major player. I'd been focused on the face-to-face pieces.

And yes, I am also shocked by our growing subscriber list or when we meet strangers who read our newsletter regularly! I want to ask why? But forget to ask, as I'm busy wondering if I’ve overcharged 😳

Charlie Finch's avatar

I love your newsletters! You’ve got so much going on from birding, to bands, to beers, not to mention to Chuck’s magnificent beard if we want to throw in a fourth “b” word. And holy crap—Brenda too!

I feel like there is some sort of Killer B conspiracy emerging from your mere existence!

Anyone who wants to know cool things going on in and around the Mitten State, you can’t go wrong with your newsletter!

For some reason Substack won’t let me put a link to it here—I’m not sure what setting I need to toggle, but if anyone wants more of that, click on Brenda’s profile for some excellent info about what great about the Great Lake State!

Brenda Marshall's avatar

I actually giggled when I read your reply…Killer B conspiracy! Now that sounds like a band name 🎸

Tina Lance's avatar

OKAYYYYYYY CHAAARRRLIEE!!!!!!!!!! I'm smiling so hard right now. First of all, I absolutely did not at ALL get a notification that I'm tagged in this post! Even when I look back through my notifications. Very strange. I just clicked your post through notes 'cause I wanted to read. And, no, don't stop with our DM nerd outs. I am in for it!

For the record, I am in bed right now and was about to go to sleep, reading on my phone. But I popped back open the laptop to be able to write you a three paragraph comment. Birds of a feather...

I love this. I love the breakfast metaphor. I love how genuine you are. And to be honest I think there is a lot of love & light on substack that I'm sometimes a little sick of because some of it feels disingenuous. But this hit very genuinely. I believe everything you say.

LOL at cracking your head on a tile before 615am. So many vivid images in this essay. I am glad you're having such a great time. I also understand you on not wanting to care about numbers but...turns out we're human. And thank god.

PS - you have a GREAT voice. OMG. Keep up the voiceovers. Made it feel so personal.

THANK YOU charlie for being you and bringing your energy to substack.

Charlie Finch's avatar

I love it! How could you write that on a phone, right? I’m thumbing this message out because I’m catching a quick bite to eat out after a few work errands. I’m hesitant mention that I’m eating a denigrate lunch at Taco Bell because (a) why publicize my weakness for crappy fast food and (b) my Crunchwrap supreme is gonna get cold as I try to correct the million typos I make on the phone.

And thank you. Not just for the very generous things you said above, but for making my ramblings feel less like ramblings and more like a conversation. I’ve never had a pen pal, but the thought passed through my mind that you may actually be one!

Get some sleep. Do some writing. Keep living your amazing life. Talk soon.

Tina Lance's avatar

Buon appetito!

Barbara Angermeier Malcolm's avatar

Well thought. I found you through the hockey essay and stay because I like the way you write. Keep it up. But feed the dogs first.

Charlie Finch's avatar

Thank you! And trust me, those dogs are not missing any meals! They’re my crew!

Vince Mao's avatar

I found you through reading Linda's work and our penchant for real comments that are longer than two words.

It never occurred to me to go back and edit my comments beyond correcting typos. The act itself is a spontaneous event that doesn't require Ent-like rumination. I like to share whatever speaks to me from what I read. If nothing happens, I move along until something does.

My general rule of thumb is that I can't hold back or self-edit or filter. Sometimes it almost feels like I'm overdriving my headlights in the dead of night, but I careen ahead anyway.

Congrats on 150 subs! I say just walk the path and do all you can wherever it takes you.

Charlie Finch's avatar

I’m glad we connected.

I tend to operate from a “say first think later” emotional layer. But I don’t yet have the wherewithal to put it in the rearview mirror if it’s in writing. It still there. Just sitting there! I’m getting better though.

You should see me pre-game for a court hearing! There is no live action edit function, so I game out all the arguments while I pace around my office before hand. Days beforehand. It’s actually a useful bit of obsession for the job. Though it feels more like confidence in that setting than it does here, somehow.

Also, big point for the Ent reference!

Vince Mao's avatar

I just realized I might have committed a minor blasphemy by making said reference on a day dedicated to Star Wars...

Meh, I won't edit it.🤣

Charlie Finch's avatar

At least you didn’t say live long and prosper.

Vince Mao's avatar

Yeah, there’s a red line…and then there’s that.

But hey, I’m an engineer because of Star Trek. 😁