‘Twas the night before Newsletters

when all through the substack...

To my long-time followers, I put this together as a holiday ode to this platform that allows me to share my travels, adventures, and life thoughts with you. Thank you for joining me this year.

To my fellow travel and history fans…next year’s version will be written for you. ;)

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‘Twas the night before Newsletters, when all through

the Substack,

Not a writer was writing, all was quiet on Slack;

The ‘How-Tos’ and ‘Top 10s’ were drafted with care,

In hopes that new readers, soon would be there;

The Travel writers were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of world cultures danced in their heads;

And I in my ‘kerchief, and Jenn in her cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap,

When out on the internet there arose such a clatter,

I looked from my phone to see what was the matter.

Away to my desk I flew like a flash,

Tore open my laptop and threw up the sash.

The dawning of light on my keyboard below,

Gave the promise of stories I had yet to bestow,

When, what to my wondering eyes should alight,

But a sleigh full of Substackers, ready to write,

With a bearded co-founder, black shirt all well-pressed,

I knew in a moment it must be Chris Best.

More rapid than eagles his writers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

“Now, TRAVEL! now, SPORTS! now, POLITICS and BUSINESS!

On, CULTURE! on MUSIC! on, SCIENCE and FICTION!

To the top of the home page! To the most clever note!

Now write away! write away! write till it’s wrote!”

So up to the house-top his writers they flew,

With drafts and ideas, and Mr. Best too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard at my door

The chatting and typing of my favourite author.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney Chris Best, he came with a bound.

He was dressed like a tech founder, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of upgrades he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

A wink of his eye and a flick of his wrist,

Soon gave me to know, he had gotten my list;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And installed all the upgrades; then turned with a jerk,

And checking the code before going live ,

And backing the site up to his local hard drive;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!