Intentions for 2024: Personal Reflections and Goals For the New Year

“Read more, write more, and drink more coffee.”

I’d say that I accomplished all three of my (simplified) intentions for 2023. I really nailed that third one. In all seriousness, you can distill my goals for the past year into a single sentence: Be more intentional in what I spend my time on, use my pens and paper to actually write and create, and keep in mind that everything I do here is with the goal of being helpful and fostering a sense of community around our shared interests. Because my intentions for 2024 haven’t changed much from 2022 and 2023, I get the feeling that I might be approaching a general “mission statement” for the site going forward.

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One of our most popular post is “Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper.” It - and other resources - could use a refresh.

Intention No. 1: Continue to Organize and Optimize the Back-Catalog of T.G.S. Content

T.G.S. will celebrate its 10th birthday in April, which means that there’s nearly 10 years worth of content available on the site. That’s a lot of writing, considering that I post at least four times a week (4 x 52 x 10 = 2080 posts). In recent years, I’ve made attempts to reduce the amount of obviously dated and/or irrelevant content, such as sale posts and new release announcements for products that no longer exist. However, even with periodic pruning, that still leaves a LOT of reviews, editorials pen show recaps, and how-to guides that can be difficult to navigate, especially for new users. Part of being intentional with my content is knowing when to take a step back from expanding and writing about “all the new stuff”, and when to devote time to making what already exists better. In 2024, for the 10th Anniversary, I’m planning some additional review archives (similar to the Fountain Pen Review Archive), as well as expanded and updated resource pages. Certain new content that I have on tap will look to fill the gaps in what currently exists.

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This year’s acquisitions reflect a mix of new and vintage pens - my personal acquisitions were just that - personal - and they are fewer in number than in recent years.

Intention No. 2: Minimize Personal Acquisitions

Much of the early Gentleman Stationer chronicled my own explorations and efforts to build a personal collection and develop my own base of knowledge about the stationery world. While there are always new products to explore and the learning never stops, after 10 years you definitely reach a point where each new addition to the collection seems less novel and less of an improvement over what you already own, and from a writing perspective, the focus shifts from learning yourself to sharing the knowledge you’ve already acquired with others. In 2023 I dramatically scaled back acquisitions for my personal collection to probably less than ten pens. I sold off or traded away many more, consolidated a large portion of my ink accumulation, and dramatically reduced my paper stash by … actually using it. I’m happier with less stuff, and it’s allowed me to focus funds on growing and improving TGS as a business rather than acquiring more that I don’t need personally.

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Eventually the travel will slow down, right?

Intention No. 3: Balance Pen Show Travel with Building a Presence in My Community

I traveled a LOT in 2023. I attended seven different pen shows, and to that you have to tack on at least five family excursions and multiple trips for my day job. Between all this travel and navigating a job change, I’m bone-tired. While my schedule unfortunately won’t slow down much this year, given my decision to focus more on T.G.S. from a business perspective, I do want to balance pen show travel with expanding my local presence in my community, including continuing to work towards opening a physical location that people can easily visit and browse goods in person. That might mean foregoing one or two U.S. pen shows in favor of holding local events in the Nashville-area. It certainly will mean working on additional content and opportunities for interaction with my online Patreon community. And of course (somewhat incongrously) I still want to make it to at least one international show….

Another year finished, on to the next!

At the end of each year, I publish a series of recaps that include Part I: Five Favorite Acquisitions of 2023; Part II: Five Favorite Products Reviewed in 2023; Part III: Best Sellers from the T.G.S. Curated Shop; and Part IV: Series and Editorials. Today’s post concludes that series with my thoughts looking forward to 2024!

Best Wishes for 2023: Reflections on 2022 and Where the Community Goes From Here

Last year around this time I wrote a piece that, looking back 12 months later, sounded more frustrated than I probably intended. That said, after a difficult 2021, in which everyone - companies and community members alike - were trying to navigate the world post pandemic and just keep their businesses afloat, I felt like we needed a reset. Did 2022 accomplish that? What should we expect from 2023? Let’s check in and take a look.

Goal One: I’m Enjoying Pen-Based Social Media Again

Setting aside Twitter (which I’ve never used as a primary T.G.S. social media channel other than to announce blog posts) pen-related social media seemed to be a more positive experience in 2022. I spend most of my T.G.S. social media time on Instagram, and over the past year my feed has seemed much more focused on promoting independent makers, smaller retail outlets, and creators. Part of this is intentional, in terms of the accounts I’ve decided to follow and how I’ve narrowed what I view on my feed, but another major factor is the overall community emphasis on smaller businesses and independent creators (more on that below).

Goal TWO: A Proliferation of Independent Retailers and Makers

If I had to remark on one trend that seemed to absolutely explode in 2022, it was the emergence of dozens of new independent makers and small retailers. A big part of this was likely the decision by many to go full-time (or at least go public) with their stay-at-home projects from the pandemic years, resulting in a wealth of new penmakers, ink brands, and curated retail shops offering a range of choice that previously has not been available. Reading through the year-end blog recaps summarizing favorite acquisitions, I’ve realized that there are so many independent makers that I haven’t yet experienced. I’ve also been fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of multiple penmakers in my own town, many of whom have been turning for years at a very high level of quality and are only now discovering the online pen community and bringing their creations to a wider audience.

Goal Three: Less Hoarding

Personally, I acquired much less in 2022, and what I did purchase for my personal collection/use was done in more intentional way, after first considering how I would use it and the role it would play in my collection/everyday rotation. My ink accumulation is WAY down after a series of sales, and I’m in the process of reducing my pen accumulation by half. In general, I’ve noticed less online discussion about ink and special edition hoarding, though there are still frustrating accounts of people snapping up pens such as the coveted Bungubox Fujiyama Blue Pilot 823 and immediately trying to flip it on eBay for 3x the price. Don’t be that person. Please.

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I’m looking forward to adding many new independent brands to the Curated Shop in 2023.

I’m Not Changing My Wishes for 2023 at All

I delayed writing this follow-up for a week (we are almost halfway through January), because I couldn’t think of anything new to add to my list. I finally decided to go ahead and post this because that may very well be the point: I’m content with the direction in which things are moving and would like to see this trend continue. While I’m always excited for pen show season, I absolutely cannot wait for the upcoming year. So many people are doing shows, and at the moment I plan to be at the 2023 Baltimore Pen Show as well as the Arkansas Pen Show, with more dates to be determined in the near future. Stay tuned!

I’m hoping that the overwhelming majority of the pens added to my collection in 2023 are like these!

Further Reading

Thus ends this year’s T.G.S. 2022 Year-End Review/New Year’s Resolutions Series! If you haven’t already been following along, you can check out my previous posts:

• Five Up, Five Down in the Personal Collection. I take a look at five items in my personal collection that I used more than expected, and five items that I used less. This project was pretty fun, especially in revealing that I wasn’t using certain pens I very much enjoy and need to get back in rotation.

• Part II: Favorite Products Reviewed in 2022. An annual tradition in which I look back at my five favorite products that I reviewed over the course of the past year.

• Part III: Top Sellers from the T.G.S. Curated Shop. Another tradition from the past couple of years (since I started the shop), I look at ten best selling products by volume. Any orders placed over the weekend will ship promptly after Christmas.

• Part IV: Series and Editorials. A resolution of mine from last year was to write more “editorial” style content, and I think I succeeded! This includes more posts in response to reader questions, as well as a series on Notebook Systems, Specialty Nib Grinds, and “System Techo”.

My “New Years Resolutions” posts include My Personal Reflections and Goals for 2023, My Personal Notebook and Planner Setup to Enter the New Year, and Journaling Goals for 2023.

Years ago I cut the cord on affiliate programs and paid advertising with the goal of T.G.S. becoming self-sustaining. To that end, I launched the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which allows readers to support and engage with T.G.S. and other readers in a more direct way, as well as the T.G.S. Curated Shop, which lets me directly promote a select group of products that I believe dovetails with my core mission statement. Any support you can give us is greatly appreciated!

My Personal Notebooks and Planners to Enter 2023

I use the week between Christmas and New Year’s as a “catch up and close out” week, where in addition to cleaning out my office and starting to take down all the holiday decorations, I also revisit my notebooks and planners. During this process, I look at what worked for me, what didn’t, and adjust accordingly based on how things worked out for me during the prior year. Without further ado, here’s The Gentleman Stationer’s 2023 notebook and planner lineup!

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Plotter A5 and Plotter Mini-5. (You can probably figure out which is which.)

“Everyday” Notebooks

By “Everyday Notebooks,” I mean notebooks that stay with me at all times, either at my desk or in my bag. In terms of what I physically carry around with me, the first four on this list pretty much go everywhere, with the Midori 5-year journal living full-time on my desk at home but seeing daily use.

• William Hannah UK A5 Ring-bound Notebook. I’ve teased this one but haven’t reviewed it yet, since I only started using it around November. To start, I plan to use the William Hannah as my “work planner” and general-purpose notebook for my day job, since I like their undated calendar refills that come in both weekly and monthly formats. Since the paper is excellent and comes in a versatile array of layouts (including a theme-style journal format), this notebook’s role may expand once I buy some dividers and other accessories.

• Plotter A5. My Plotter A5 contains most of my T.G.S.-related notes and drafts that I’m working on at the moment. In terms of paper and accessories, in this notebook I use the Plotter refills (which contain excellent paper), as well as Midori MD Cotton A5 paper from the standard writing pad that I’ve hole-punched. I archive notes that I’m not currently using in an older Filofax A5 binder, since Plotter refills are not proprietary and fit most standard 6-ring binder layouts.

• Plotter Mini-5. What can I say, I operate in extremes. My largest and smallest Plotters are the two that I use the most. My Mini-5 contains a wallet/card insert, so the Plotter pulls double duty as my wallet and pocket notebook. The Plotter Mini-5 has been surprisingly polarizing, with people labeling it “overpriced” and “too small to use.” Honestly, I mostly write this up to clickbait/social media trolling and people missing the point of the product. Yes, the Plotter Mini-5 is an upscale leather pocket notebook, but it still starts at less than $100 for the cover - last I checked, comparable to many Field Notes custom leather covers - and while it’s small, it’s a pocket notebook. You’re not supposed to be writing a novel in it. The fact that it doubles as a wallet and allows me to consolidate my daily carry is a huge plus. I guess I just don’t see how spending $100-150 on something that pulls double/triple duty as a wallet, pen holder, and leather notebook is overly expensive….

• Traveler’s Notebook Standard Size. My standard-size Traveler’s Notebook will likely become my long-form journal and repository for morning pages and random scribblings. I also use the PVC pouch, sticky-note holder, and kraft folder accessories to hold things such as clips, stickies, Book Darts, receipts, and washi tape.

• Midori 5-Year Journal. The layout on the Midori multi-year journals features 365 pages, one for every day of the year, divided into five boxes, allowing you to write just a few lines on each day and reflect back on the prior years. (Three and ten-year versions are also available.) While the idea of keeping a journal for five years might seem intimidating, when you only have a few lines to write the momentum takes over.

Note: You’re going to see the Plotter system featured heavily in this post. To read more about Plotter and how it works, check out this prior article.

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From left, Plotter Narrow, Plotter Bible (5th Anniversary Cover), and Nanami Paper Cafe Note (B6 Slim)

Notebooks Used Less Frequently, But still regularly

Most of these notebooks don’t travel with me unless I’m working on the specific project to which they’re dedicated. They have a narrower focus, or are used more as archives/binders to hold notes for future reference. However, they still get used on a weekly basis.

• Plotter Bible-Size. I’ve been using my Plotter 5th Anniversary Bible-size notebook as my commonplace book, and I love having the ability to organize and reorganize by topic and move pages around - my main complaint about my prior commonplace book setup. (I need to revisit my commonplace book articles soon.)

• Plotter Narrow. I love making lists. Practically speaking, I should probably do it electronically, particularly for lists I want to keep long-term like books to read, products to review, etc., but I’ve always done it by hand and there’s something incredibly soothing about it. When I’m recapping my monthly finances I also like to do the math manually, as again, there’s a methodical aspect to it that I find relaxing. All of these lists live in the Plotter Narrow, whose paper format perfectly fits these projects.

• Levenger Circa Notebooks and Filofax Spiral Notebooks. If I take notes on A4 or letter-size writing pads, I typically either shred them, scan them to my computer at work for secure archiving, or file them away in project-specific notebooks or binders. The Levenger Circa and Filofax notebooks have long been my binders/notebooks of choice for this type of storage. I have 4-5 of them in use at any given time. I highly recommend investing in a hole punch (which will also work well enough with the William Hannah notebooks). The Circa is a classic disc-bound system, while the Filofax uses a spiral binding that works the same way by allowing you to move pages around.

• Lochby Field Journal. My Field Journal holds a Nanami Paper Seven Seas Writer that contains drafts of longer-term writing projects I’ve been working on. I don’t use the notebook every day, but the sturdy Field Journal works very well for when I want to dedicate a day to working on one of my creative or “fun” projects and I can just take it with me and go.

• Nanami Paper Cafe Note. My traditional pen show/pen club meetup notebook that I use to test pens and play with inks. I also use it as a scratch pad and for writing samples in connection with T.G.S. reviews. The B6 Slim size is excellent for travel.

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Disc-bound notebook systems like the Levenger Circa are great ways to store large volumes of paper notes.

I use a lot of different notebooks - more than most people, even in this community - but they all have a specific purpose and they all get used. I’ve found that I focus much better when I compartmentalize different projects, whether that be my day job, the blog, personal writing done for fun, etc. The physical shift from one notebook to another helps me concentrate on the specific task at hand. For years I’ve been meaning to write more about my workflow and notetaking strategies, and I only now feel comfortable starting that process, maybe as a continuation of the “Notebook Systems” series. Stay tuned!

This post does not contain affiliate links or paid advertising. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely via purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. Don’t miss our annual year-end inventory reduction and clearance - take 10% off shop orders through 11:59pm on January 1, 2023 using the code “LOYAL10” at checkout!

Intentions for 2023: Personal Reflections and Goals Looking Forward

Last year I kicked off the New Year with a post titled “Five Intentions for 2022: What I Want to See from Myself,” where I took five not-quite-resolutions and discussed how I wanted to change things up over the coming year, both personally and for The Gentleman Stationer. As with most “New Years Resolutions,” I forgot about the specifics of these intentions after a few months, which is exactly why I left them as a rather vague set of “guiding principles” as opposed to specific, concrete goals. As we stare down 2023 (seriously!?!), I’m going to spend today’s post checking in, recapping my progress on the intentions from 2022, and talking about my general themes for 2023. In short, I plan to continue with most of these same goals, adding in a couple of new ones that are more tweaks as opposed to new “resolutions.”

Revisiting Goals from 2022

Write More Fulfilling Content. For 2022, I wanted to move T.G.S. away from being a pure “product review” site, and publish more pieces that help people discover the appropriate tools that they can use to get “real work” done in their life, whether that be personal writing or journaling, creative work, or planning. There’s a tension in stationery between acquisition for use and acquisition for its own sake, and between finding a good pen that you can use everyday and spending endless amounts of time and money searching for the “perfect” pen, ink, notebook, etc. The latter can be fun, and while there’s nothing wrong with collecting and exploring all of the various stationery rabbit holes as a hobby, it’s easy to lose sight of why many of us got started in the first place. Of the five 2022 intentions, I’m most happy with how this one turned out: I wrote more series and “editorial”-style pieces in 2022 than I ever have before. Given the traffic, comments, and reader reactions to these particular articles, I plan to keep them as a major part of T.G.S.

Travel More and Reconnect Post-Pandemic: It’s Finally Over! (Or Is It?). While 2021 was marked by fits and starts in terms of trying to get the pen show circuit going again, 2022 plowed ahead, with most shows occurring as scheduled and seeing relatively robust attendance. I attended five pen shows: Baltimore, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington D.C., and San Francisco, and had positive experiences at most of them. I think the biggest takeaway is that, like me, many people are looking at these post-pandemic pen shows as opportunities to connect with other users and members of the community, and not solely as two or three-day shopping binges. If the shows respond with more thoughtful alternative offerings such as additional courses and workshops along the lines of what was available in San Francisco, I believe they will continue to grow. I plan to attend several shows in 2023, though I’m still finalizing specifics as I work through my family calendar. I’ll update shortly!

Minimize/Stash Reduction. I’ve sold off a LOT of pens over the past year, and while I’ve added some, acquisitions have been more intentional. For the first time in however many years, I’ve not had to add a new pen case for storage purposes, have actually sold off some pen cases, and have slots open in those that remain. (I know, unheard of, right?!) I plan to continue this trend, with Patreon members seeing the first round of reductions via a “Gently Used” sale coming at them this weekend in advance of the New Year.

Growing a Sense of Community around TGS. I’m consolidating the last two points from my 2022 Intentions because they’re related. Despite the inconveniences of not being able to travel much in 2020 and 2021, one positive aspect of the Pandemic, at least for me, was getting comfortable maintaining connections via e-mail, social media, and, yes, even Zoom, and I feel that I’ve stayed in better touch with friends and colleagues between those occasions I get to see them in person. I’ve truly enjoyed getting to know many of you through Patreon, and hope to grow that community online and participate more in-person at shows as things continue to normalize.

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In terms of new acquisitions, I’d definitely be happy to see 2023 limited to a handful of custom/small batch pens.

Are There Any New Intentions for 2023?

Not necessarily. The four topics discussed above remain a pretty good barometer of where things stand and the direction I want to take things. However, I’m probably going to add two complementary, more concrete personal goals to the list.

Set Better Boundaries Between “Work” and “Play”. I’m not talking about the day-job here, I’m talking about T.G.S. While I’ve operated the site as a formal business for tax purposes, etc. for a few years now, every so often I’ve had to take a step back and make sure that the business aspects of T.G.S. don’t take over what I enjoy about stationery. Honestly, I even briefly considered giving it up entirely around mid-year, but quickly discovered that I could never do that. It’s a fundamental part of who I am, and the work I’ve done here and the community I’ve grown are a far more personally fulfilling contribution to the world than most of what I’ve accomplished on in my day job. Still, I need to remember to read and write for my own enjoyment and personal growth, not just for the site, in order to maintain personal balance. I may write more on how I intend to do that as the year goes on.

Further Limiting New Acquisitions for my Personal Collection. I’ve never had a “hard cap” on the number of pens in my collection, but maybe it’s time to set a more concrete restriction on how I accumulate stuff. Does that mean purchasing pens only at shows, or restricting personal purchases this year to unique pieces from independent makers? Maybe. Honestly, I already have pretty much one of every “mainstream pen” out there due to more than a decade of collecting, and running the site/shop gives me the opportunity to sample and test new releases without having to add yet more pens to my personal collection. It’s a situation that’s somewhat unique to me, but it’s been nice to start drawing boundaries around what’s a “TGS Pen” purely for review and testing, and what pens form part of my core personal collection. In terms of pens I’ve purchased for review, I need to be better about reviewing them and promptly selling them off or giving them away. Not all of them can stick around, as there’s a limit to how many pens one can actually use in a year, even if you’re rotating frequently.

So, as with last year, these are my personal reflections and goals. I’ll continue the year-end review/New Year’s planning content for the next week, reflecting on how I think the community is involving, what I’d like to see more or less of, and of course, planning my stationery kit for 2023!

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Setting Up Your Own 2023 Analogue Tool Kit? Take Advantage of Our Year-End Promotion

As you prepare for the new year, including setting up your notebooks and planners and other analogue work tools, take advantage of a 10% discount on most items from the T.G.S. Curated Shop using the coupon code “LOYAL10” at checkout. See yesterday’s post for full details, including any exclusions, though most of the 2022 Top Sellers are discount-eligible.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program, and does not utilize advertising or third-party affiliate links.

Best Wishes for 2022, and My Own Wishes for this Community

Happy New Year! Earlier this week (otherwise known as “last year”), I discussed five personal intentions for 2022. Today I’ll broaden the scope a bit, with a five-item wish list for the community at large. I know that we’re not supposed to “wish” for things that are entirely out of our control, but since all five of these are directed at the community (inclusive of myself), I’m going to call it fair game, as I’ll need to do my part to make sure these happen. Most of these build on themes discussed in my earlier post, so if you haven’t read that one yet, I’d encourage you to start there.

1. Restore Balance to Social Media. I’ll be honest and up-front here: much of this list is going to sound like a screed against social media, and while I’m not anti-social media in principal, the past year has only confirmed my belief that, as least as currently utilized, it’s NOT a positive force for our community and the world as a whole. Whether it’s allowing the easy dissemination of bad information made to look convincing, or fueling FOMO by promoting commercialized influencer content that is nothing more than undisclosed paid advertising, social media is changing the face of our hobby by largely determining which brands and taste-makers get the most hype and attention. Sure, those of us who have been around pens for a long time know to look past this, but many who are just discovering the hobby do not. We would all do well to remember this the next time you’re scrolling. By all means, go ahead and enjoy the content, but keep in the back of your mind that what you’re seeing is being determined by an algorithm set by a company with no stake in the health or success of our community, and that behind the scenes there are smaller makers, writers, and creators, who you are not seeing because they don’t pay to play, and/or insist on retaining full control over their content and opinions. What can I do? For my part, I plan to try to amplify more well-considered, long-form content as opposed to uninformed hot takes and obvious puff pieces.

2. Pay More Attention to the Makers and Doers, not Accumulators. Related to point one. Stationery social media has started to devolve into a “Gotta Catch ‘em All” or “Look What I Bought” brag show. We’re all guilty of this, myself included. This kind of content generates clicks and attention, it’s quick and easy to produce, and it’s a “strategy” that businesses are encouraged to foster to direct potential customers to their brands and shops. It’s also vapid and does little to foster meaningful community dialogue. There’s a wealth of creators who not only buy a lot of pens but do stuff with them, whether they’re a writer, artist, or just a thoughtful individual looking to share knowledge and ideas. Again, explore beyond what “the algorithm” puts in front of you.

3. Drop the Fixation with Reviving Failed Brands and Create Something New. OK, so this one is more of an industry critique, but I’ll say it anyway: Esterbrook did a good job, and it’s here to stay, but stop trying to catch lightning in a bottle by resurrecting more failed pen brands. For example, with Leonardo and Maiora both releasing pens containing Delta DNA that are arguably better than anything Delta ever made, do we really need Delta to come back as a stand-alone brand? (Not to pick on them, I hope they do well, but it’s just that I’d personally prefer to see this funding and energy go towards bringing more Leonardos/Maioras/Scribos into the world.)

4. Stop Encouraging People to Hoard Hundreds of Bottles of Ink They Will Never Use. There’s been a flurry of articles recently discussing how the modern economy is based on fostering addictive behavior, including through the use of FOMO (“Fear of Missing Out”). The stationery industry isn’t immune to this, with its seemingly endless focus on limited editions, “seasons” of ink, and subscription services that result in more mindless consumption. I enjoy ink variety as much as the next person, but when you see brands starting to duplicate colors (intentionally or otherwise), and reducing ink volume while increasing prices and adding fancier bottle designs, it’s time for a new approach. This past year I sold off a huge chunk of my ink accumulation, cancelled a couple of subscriptions, and started buying samples and using what I already own.

5. Save Smaller Shops. Once again, industry participants, and particularly retailers, find themselves staring into a potential void of shutdowns, cancelled pen shows, and generalized economic uncertainty. Beloved NYC shop CW Pencil Enterprise closed this past year, and anyone could be next. As many people continue to do most of their stationery-related shopping online, it’s easy to succumb to the trap of price-shopping, taking advantage of deep-discount clearance sales and loss-leader promotions to get a pen for essentially nothing, even if it’s not something you would normally buy. If you value what the smaller businesses bring to the table, especially if they’re active participants in the community, consider, for example, foregoing the purchase of five heavily discounted $10 pens in favor of one $50 item from a smaller retailer or maker who can’t afford to exist on a 10% profit margin. If there’s anything that’s going to stifle innovation and diversity in the community, it’s race-to-the-bottom business practices.

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Maybe I’m starting to become one of those “get off my lawn” types who just can’t adapt to “new tech” and the “new way of doing business.” However, I don’t think that’s correct. I get plenty of that in my everyday life outside of this hobby, and what drew me here originally was the genuine feeling of community and the lack of overt commercialization - people were engaged because they were interested in cultivating a space where they weren’t being aggressively marketed to every minute of every day, and could enjoy the company of others with mutual interests in an analog-focused hobby where the barrier to entry, cost-wise, wasn’t all that high. I do have some concern that pens and stationery have been “discovered” and targeted as a new market for commercial exploitation, and while this could be positive in the sense that additional funding and attention might bring interesting new products to market, we need to be mindful that the “community” aspect does not get degraded by those whose only interest is monetary and who would view it as a way to profit without contributing in return.

Now, rant over, it’s time to cook some black-eyed peas and collard greens for good luck. Best wishes for a happy and fulfilling 2022!

Last year I decided to cut the cord on paid advertising and third-party sponsorship, and move T.G.S. in the direction of becoming self-sustaining so that I have more control over the direction of my content and the practices I’m encouraging. To that end, I launched the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which allows readers to support and engage with T.G.S. and other readers in a more direct way, as well as the T.G.S. Curated Shop, which lets me directly promote a select group of products that I believe dovetails with my core mission statement. Any support you can give us is greatly appreciated!