Three Thank Yous

A quick note of gratitude / a ploy to keep up a streak.

This week, I wanted to write something quick and small - three succinct thank yous¹. Is this a genuine expression of my squirmy unvarnished emotion, the way I feel bowled over and embarrassed every time someone subscribes here? Yes. Is it also me still writing something while pretty much taking a week off for the holidays? Uh…

This platform is usually for calls to nurture your ignorance, but maybe that’s because it’s always felt obvious to me that you should nurture your gratitude too. So here goes:

First and foremost, thank you to the nearly 200 of you from 26 states, 22 countries and six continents who have subscribed to DIY Golems². Though I rarely understand (or approve of) your choice to continue giving me your time and attention, I truly, truly appreciate it. I hoped this essay series would gain an audience - I never thought it would be recommended by Michael Chabon, shouted out by Gnostic Pulp and included in the FilmStack Daily Digest. I am beyond grateful for everyone who’s ever read my work, let alone subscribed.

Gotta work on appealing to some Arctic researchers to get that seventh continent.

Thank you to The Black List for the best gig a young writer could ever have. In recent years, as mainstream Hollywood work has been - what’s the word? - nearly fucking nonexistent, reading scripts for The Black List has been the reason I’ve paid my rent, fed myself and kept the holes in my clothes to a stylish smattering. It has also been, in many ways, my film school. I have gotten the opportunity, over 1,300 times so far, to think through why a story does or doesn’t work. The real inspiration for everything I write here is something I read there.

And last but never least - thank you to the wonderful Rhys Lewis, the second author of everything I write. Thank you for putting up with me, thank you for loving me, thank you for your notes, push-back and copy-edits. Thank you for demonstrating poor judgement in 2018 and deciding to start dating me. I love you.

I could go on, but I won’t - the goal here was to keep things brief. So instead, a happy New Year to all. Next week, back to our regularly scheduled programming - a new essay on New Year’s Day.

1. I need a limit or this could stretch to novel-length. Though, to be fair, I do find the idea of attempting to write a short piece and writing my longest piece pretty funny.

2. Thank you to the several unsubscribers as well, mainly because I giggle every time that happens.