The title is fairly self-explanatory, but in case it isn't obvious — I'm back!
Yes, the newsletter hiatus proved to be significantly longer than a couple of months. Don't @ me, I've been busy. In no particular order, I made an app (two, actually), learned basic game development, started co-organizing a co-working community (which you should totally visit if you're in Vancouver), changed jobs twice, became a freelancer (sorta), and a whole bunch more. But that's not what I'm here for today.
My latest piece of writing is up! Titled "Personal Isolationism", it's the first essay of an ongoing series I’m writing focusing on the loneliness epidemic, and what we can personally do about it.
It's not going to be on Substack any more, you can now read it on my updated personal website! I have far more freedom to embrace fun formatting and interactivity (e.g. sidenotes, click-to-expand digressions) when not subject to the limits of an email newsletter or what another platform provides me as options. I will definitely lose out on discoverability, but that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for the sake of creative control.
So this will be the last communication coming via the Substack platform; future newsletter blasts are going to be delivered by Buttondown, and my writing and other miscellaneous work is gonna be hosted on my own website. Expect to receive a follow-up newsletter in the coming weeks; I expect it might at most be a monthly cadence, but really, who knows? We’ll figure out the future of this project together.
The new website is still very much a work in progress; but while it's an ugly wreck, at least it's my ugly wreck. I'll be migrating all my previous pieces of writing over to it over the coming weeks, probably with some minimal post-commentary.
I'm still figuring out what it is I wish to accomplish with the newsletter and the website, honestly, but it's nice to have direct communication channels with the people who enjoy your work, so… here we are.
And, of course, given the several-year gap between this communication and the last, perhaps you no longer see a need to receive the occasional email from me. Entirely reasonable of you, feel free to unsubscribe below.
But I humbly think that my best work is yet to come. Thanks for sticking with me this far <3
Love,
Kai
P.S. Wanna support my work? I don’t see why, but now you can throw money at me on Ko-Fi!