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We found each other on NB Twitter! Good times, may that wild community rest in peace once the site finally gives out.

My interests are painting, writing and reading. I’ve also decided to take up roller skating, recently (it’s very humbling). Professionally, I’m in the process of planning a conference which is a month out now and has basically eaten all of my time and brainpower, so I look forward to getting through it successfully and then turning my attention back to my goals in creation. I want to flesh out an actually good novel, and possibly submit to some literary journals this year. I also have a plan for a small series of paintings.

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Oh, now I need to see video of you on roller skates. This is my new goal!

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No footage happening for a while!

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Roller skating is fun! I prefered roller blading when I was younger since it was similar to ice skating. I also write, read, and paint. Have you ever participated in NaNoWriMo? What subject do you typically paint?

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I finished NaNo for the first time this past year (and found out that speed isn’t for me but it was a great exercise). I usually paint nature, both landscapes and closer studies. In oils and watercolours.

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I agree about NaNo. I also paint nature landscapes in watercolours.

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Way to take up roller skating in your very limited spare time Alison!

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It’s a very nice change from everything else I’m doing!

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I'm from much farther south than the other commenters -- North Carolina in the US. I, too, have enjoyed the voice from the Atlantic Canada region, and I've especially enjoyed watching Mark develop HAT over the first year. And, Mark, I have especially enjoyed the recent retrospective essays. A nice capture of events and thoughts as they've unfolded and a reminder of how much you've actually accomplished!

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Thanks Mark!

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Lovely idea Mark, thanks. I’m a fellow 🇨🇦 who found your work through Notes. Is it just us Canadians who, when in a crowd, are drawn to each other or this common with all countries?

I love watching people do something they are really good at or that they love. This is why I’m hooked on Substack (that’s what it’s all about over here) and why I love watching my, now adult, children play sports.

Like many folks here my main focus is writing and developing my authentic voice and my Substack - with my authentic voice taking precedence.

Given that it sounds culturally cliche (everyone trying to find their authentic voice at the moment!) what even IS that?

To me, it means doing the work of shedding the layers of generational conditioning, including family of origin and the culture in which you grew up in general, to see what lies beneath. To live into those values with integrity.

You see, a work in progress! So that’s my current ‘project’.🤣

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Indeed, we're all works in progress. :)

I think Canadians may tend to gravitate to one another because we're a minority in global or US dominated circles. There are 8 - 9 times more people living in the US than in Canada. Many more citizens of China and India than our geographically large, population scarce country. Etc. So it feels like you're running into a neighbour when you're in social media somewhere that's not already dominated by Canadians. Even rarely if you are able to encounter someone from your own region or province!

Welcome!

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I think you’ve nailed it, Mark. A fellow Canadian is an anchor in a world where we’re scarce.

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Just think of the Australians and the New Zealanders, though - we still outnumber them! And the Dutch!

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Found you through substack! Interested in digital comm and so your work felt something I want to follow. Currently working on many projects, including a memoir of growing up in a family that loves movies....:)

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Welcome!

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Hi! I found your newsletter through Notes.

Like you, I am notebook obsessed. Can't get enough.

My interests are reading, writing, pilates, being out in nature, sailing-just as a passenger though, notebooks, fountain pens, museums of any kind, being a kind human in a hardened world, and bringing as much joy as I can to life.

I started my Substack after not writing publicly for almost a decade. I had a semi popular blog back in the day (as did most writers). My best friend/writing partner was murdered and I was devastated. In tandem with other things that transpired in my life, I just did not have the desire to write.

I eventually found my way out of grief and onto Substack. It has been a wonderful experience thus far. I've been using it as a sort of practice to get back into the emotional flow of writing and sharing again.

Right now, I am working on a couple of short stories, poetry always, and maintaining my writing schedule for my Substack.

I love these little communities that I get to participate in! Thank you.

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Sorry to hear about your loss but it sounds like you are doing better now. Cheers!

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Hi! I'm Victoria. i think I found this newsletter from Jillian's publiscation called Noted. I am interested in language learing, reading, painting and journaling. I'm currently doing a language learning challenge to spend 40 hours learning my 5 target languages (Mandarin, French, Japanese, Cantonese & Icelandic) this month. I usually try to find time to learn my TLs each week but 40 hours will be a challenge as I usually average around 10-14 hours. Outside of that I share my language learning progress here in my newsletter and on other social media as well.

I haven't been able to make time for any of my other hobbies since language learning is my priority but I'm hoping to get back to watercolour painting soon.

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Welcome, your language learning challenge is impressive! I can barely speak two languages (my French is very rusty).

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Hello, I'm Greg Loewen, and Mark did me the honour of interviewing me last year which was a great experience. That can be found here: https://howaboutthis.substack.com/p/atl-can-interview-dr-greg-loewen There's a fair amount about my approach to writing in that interview.

I also have a new novel that I hope you will forebear me shamelessly shilling: https://www.amazon.com/About-Others-G-V-Loewen/dp/1682358836/ref=sr_1_1?crid=10SN3I7ITHYZC&keywords=Loewen%2C+G.V.+About+the+Others&qid=1682816632&s=books&sprefix=loewen%2C+g.v.+about+the+others%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C143&sr=1-1

I also am the co-founder of a video game software start-up with a focus on health and wellness apps. Here's an early build that helps you deal with your anxieties: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.DefaultCompany.InnerImps&gl=us

Hope you'll all join me as well over at 'The Vigilant Lion'. Why the name - apparently 'Gregoire; in the OF has something to do with the watchman, and of course Loewen is 'Lions'. cheers, Greg

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We met on NB Twitter, too, like Alison 😃

Interests...personally, it’s mainly the balance of curiosity and creativity. I like trying out new art media, being outdoors and birding, and learning through reading and writing. Professionally, I just started a new job evaluating and supporting addictions and mental health programming for the province. Aside from writing here and for The Miramichi Reader, I’ve been writing and squirrelling poems, and I need to take time to identify places to submit them before going whole hog and trying to publish a collection.

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Hey Bryn! The new job sounds like very important work. And poetry... interesting, keep me in the loop, please! Thanks for your long time support!

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Can't recall how I landed on your Substack, but glad I did.

I am an author of four books and have interviewed over 200 scholars, writers, and leaders via radio, print and PBS special.

Latest book is Stuck in the Present. https://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Present-History-Frees-Christians/dp/168426460X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Current writing project: How to trust God when inexplicable suffering comes our way. Big focus on Habakkuk.

Long-term project: Addressing the various challenges to the Christian faith that emerge in the nineteenth century.

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Welcome!

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Hi, I’m Evan. I think I found you through Notes in that initial flurry of subscriptions I added after it launched. I’m from Western Massachusetts and among my many interests are music (especially of the twangy variety), film, the outdoors, baseball, history and honestly most things.

I published a book called Dear Mister Ward in late 2021 that features a collection of customer complaint letters that my grandma saved when she worked at Montgomery Ward from 1932-1942. Since then I’ve been researching some of the people who wrote the letters and other related topics.

I moved the mailing list I’d built from book sales and events over to Substack awhile back and have been trying to post at least monthly. Of course I have two day jobs so it’s not always easy to be consistent. Soon to be one day job so that should help. https://dearmisterward.substack.com

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Hi! I'm Emma. I live in Massachusetts, found this substack through Jillian's Noted, and just enjoy reading whatever I can find that is out of the ordinary...a different take on the world from different voices. I've enjoyed what I've read of Mark's so far. So I've stuck around. But I am very

new to Mark's substack and Substack in general. I am a dabbler in art and have recently been thinking about combining art and words either in graphic novel style or just in my illustrated journal. I've always liked to write but I have no training nor have I put a ton of effort into it. I work in community development, I'm a mom of three boys ages 16 and under, and i'm approaching 50. Life feels full and short at the same time. So I'm trying to make the best of it!

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I'm Alastair Naughton, from Aberdeen, Scotland. I'm a freelance adventure and sustainable tourism writer and German to English translator, also in the area of adventure and sustainable tourism. My interests include travel (obviously!) the outdoors, cycling, skiing, extreme sports, and I'm also passionate about Scottish indpendence. I'd love to collaborate on this project about how Gen X negotiates the changing world, adapts to changing norms, technology, etc. I'd also be fascinated to see the comparison with the Millenial and Gen Z sample.

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Hi Alastair, feel free to contact me at markdykeman@gmail.com

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I found this newsletter when you signed up for mine many moons ago.

Obviously, my main interest is writing. I also like to fish, play golf, make digital art, and photograph everything you can think of. A few of those I don't have time to do right now. My job keeps me busy.

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we were on the birdsite together.

interests? where do i start? well, photography and along with that creativity. politics (though that generally frustrates me when i think about it). my spiritual journey (i started as a Pentecostal, was an Anglican, now consider myself a Druid and currently learning about Irish Paganism). New Brunswick, yes NB is an interest. We have such an interesting history, and such interesting people who do interesting things. and we certainly live in a place of great beauty. travel, though i haven't done significant amounts of that in the last ten years. i have lived on three continents, want to visit one more. permaculture, which is an alternative way to do agriculture.

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hi Mark, this Miramichi River Valley Review is mine, which is an interesting thing that I'm up to. I forgot which account I was signed in on the substack app, so the comment wasn't intentionally left to do this, but i like the way it happened, so i'll leave it like it is.

another interesting thing that i'm taking action on is the creation of a tourism style brochure to Spotlight local cultural tourist attractions in my area.

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Hi Douglas, good to hear from you again and good luck with the brochure!

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Thanks, Mark. Keep up the stellar work!

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deletedMay 8, 2023Liked by Mark Dykeman
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Hi Nathan! Yes indeed we have your book, quite a piece of work! Exciting to hear that you have more projects to come!

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