spare change
On June 28th I announced that this Blog – Couch Surfing at 70 – was moving from its read-for-free, six-year run to a paid subscription. Pay a monthly fee to see posts which would otherwise be unavailable for view. This morning I’m here to tell you that is not going to happen. There will be no change in the way you get to see, read, and hopefully enjoy the posts in this Blog. That makes me happy.
There does remain the detail of having to borrow savings monthly to pay the rent when my ‘near-retirement’ at the end of this month happens. So, I’ve decided to go the way of The Buddha, and young folks I’ve passed by nearly forever on sidewalks in Harvard Square and downtown Lowell, Pioneer Square in Portland, Main Street Hyannis on Cape Cod, the Venice Beach walkway in LA, and Telegraph Ave outside Blondie’s in Berkeley. Ask for a donation.
“Spare change?”
The Buddha took his begging bowl and walked into town every morning for spoonfuls of rice and gruel, only then free to offer his teaching. David Park, my favorite artist, took a three-year sabbatical from work when his wife Lydia offered to find a job and support his painting. He always referred to her kindness and generosity as the “Lydia Park Fellowship.” No doubt you can think of other examples.
I am going to ask, as of the previously announced ‘change’ day of July 15, next Monday, you consider making a donation of $5 a month toward my ongoing – and with lots more time – expanded writing. There will be a place on the Blog’s home page, “Support the Writing”, which explains this briefly again, and will include the email for my PayPal account. PayPal me $5, or more if you feel for that, and it will help create a real milieu in which I can give everything to the posts here, and to at least three other specific writing projects, and developing two new websites, which I have as ‘retirement’ plans. If you do donate, I will post a reminder the 14th of August, and ongoing. And a “Thank you.”
I’ve never minded people asking me for spare change, and I hope you won’t be put off by my asking here. I’ve said, and say, yes a lot. That’s me. I could use the support now, and I will be grateful beyond the language of words for anyone donating to the cause. And be grateful everyone else continues to show up.
Thank you.