Captain’s Log – Hope

For a few weeks now we’ve been waiting for a $24,000 check to show up. Some days, it’s $32,000, just depending on how far over the edge we’ve fallen. We’re real big on the “Fake it ‘til you Make It” mindset around this joint.

The girls told me to start the Captain that way today… we joke about it all the time. 

Whenever anyone heads out to check the mail, they’ll say, “I’m running to pick up the $24,000 check.” If any money is there, they send a picture of it and say, “Well, it isn’t the $24,000 one, but it’s better than a kick in the head.” 

Whenever someone calls for an ad, the office gets giddy. And when someone buys one or twelve or one a month for the rest of the year, we do the happy dance, and the $24,000 celebration commences. Can you imagine if we ever really got one? What that day would be like?!? (hint, hint).

Some days, we live on the encouragement and the kind words that come in the email or a text or scribbled on a subscription form, “We love your paper; keep it up!” 

Sometimes, we are graced with words of wisdom from the wisest of our friends. 

“The free press is not the enemy of the people. Censorship is tyranny. Your “small” paper is worthy of the brilliant arguments of old John Milton. Be strong. With hope and respect. I hope we do not hear just so much thunder, but the rain will follow the plow, and you will be strong…” 

I studied Milton at the University but still had to look up the reference for a reminder. He wrote the “Areopagitica” in 1644 after the British Parliament overthrew and beheaded King Charles I. In deference to space, a quick explanation is that he was arguing for free speech against a parliament that wanted to change the law so that all books published would have to be licensed first by the government. He’s worth the read, and worth the reminder. 

We are all so grateful for the words of encouragement you send – we can live for weeks on words of hope. 

Which probably is no way to run a business, and we spend way too much time living on kind words than green Benjamins, but here we still are. Full of hope. Working with our heads down to be worthy of Milton and you. 

 So, while we keep checking for the $24,000, we’ll be right here…

…Keeping you Posted.

Rach.