Dear, Benevolent Readers,
Forgive me for my absence... my life has been cratered and destabilized, and i've been crying so consistently it's causing dehydration.
Being alive; horrid.
But crying isn't the main issue here.
I am running out of what the business/tech world calls "runway." I think it's a cute metaphor to describe how much time one has to take an organization and make it sustainable before the runway ends and the plane does whatever a plane does when travelling at a high speed, attempting to take off but failing. I assume, when it hits the end of the tarmac, the wheels start shredding gravel and getting fucked up, then it whacks through a huge fence into long-term parking, thrashing through a hundred rows of parked cars, the airplane sliding sideways, just enough to take out a shuttle bus, then rolling on its side, making a goddamn spectacle of itself, before breaking in half after hitting a concrete pillar that supports the airport freeway exit, eventually coming to a stop.
And then it gets real silent.
SST is essentially out of runway.
I could either quit and we pretend none of this sweet shit ever happened, or i can ask for some financial donations. I'll try the latter next week, with a full dispatch and story (and a link to a page to donate) and maybe some generosity will pay for the cost of piloting this stupid idiotic plane every week. We used to be 501(c)3 meaning all donations would be deductible but i'm damn sure that status has lapsed. So it won't be deductible; just a little help for hosting fees and sending out mass monthly emails and the paper and toner i use to edit and, if there is anything left over, a shot of vodka for me on Thursdays.
You'll not find a story below this week and i am sorry for that. I've been quite busy (crying) so this will have to do for now. That's it for this week, lol; a morbid, freakishly extended metaphor about an aviation disaster.
Next week it'll be the full setup, no matter what, with a link to donate. If things go well i will continue on and it will remain free for those who cannot afford to contribute (i absolutely understand) but if enough comes through i will continue on. And don't worry if some comes through but not enough i will ease back on the throttle, exit the cockpit, refund all donations, doff my cap (i can't believe i just used the word "doff") and carry on.
Carry on crying.
Crying till i die.
Jacob Tomsky
SST
Founder/Author/Curator