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Imperceptible Relics's avatar

Your mom had to learn Napster, Friendster, and Subster. Why change the suffix midgame, Substack??

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Perfect! Love this. Thx for reading. 🥰🙏

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Ororo Munroe's avatar

BWAHA!! Lurved this. So great. I loved the pics and the accompanying captions.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Thx, Ororo. 🥰🙏

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Rebecca Holden's avatar

Oh wow, loved this!!! 🙌

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Thx. 🙏

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Bill Southern's avatar

That's a handsome pen. Also, nice piece.

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Richard Donnelly's avatar

Money is validation. It's also money, so it's a twofer : )

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Yup. Thx for reading and commenting. 🙏

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Stephanie Losi's avatar

Lol this is hilarious. I absolutely get more respect from others (including family) for my paid-client projects than for my independent/creative ones. The people who are exceptions to this are wonderful and I treasure them :-)

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Exceptions are keepers. 🥰🙏

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David Roberts's avatar

What’s a better living legacy: your writing or a stack of W-2s?

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Joseph C Simmons's avatar

It was my dad who was more likely to discourage writing than my mom. But after the grades I had in high school, I think he was somewhat happy I was pursuing *anything*.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

That’s awesome. Thx for commenting. Nice to meet you.

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Joseph C Simmons's avatar

Nice to meet you as well!

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Katharine Strange's avatar

I LOLed many times reading this. Yes, according to my parents, my life's calling is to be the best at dishwasher loading. Sometimes I do wish I had a more conventional career, but then again, I've never once been conventional, so why start now?

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Same here. Sometimes I wish I could be more conventional. A conventional writer?

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Mark Dolan's avatar

Loved the Mom and child dialog. This topic made me think. Much like PARTICIPATION in activities in school (elementary, middle, high and secondary) are not required, they enrich the experience. Homework hounds who do nothing else or kids who just play soccer are missing out on the diversity of life. Why does that kid who is going to engineering school also play baseball or is involved in the theatre? This is the path to the well-rounded individual. I think a writer who exclusively writes for a living is merely on the continuum of writing because it enriches the soul. Why do people play golf even though they are not interested in the PGA or LPGA tour? Because it is fun and brings joy. The great irony of all this in my estimation is those who theatre often say why sports with disdain. Likewise the weekend sportster seems likely to say why write or theatre? In truth, the well-rounded individual ends up happy pursuing things (like Substack, or tennis, or Community Theatre). It sounds like your Substack brings you joy -- that seems the point of it to me. One is not greater than the other and those who diminish those things that bring others joy should look in the mirror.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

So true. Great points. There’s also more to write about when one is out in the world experiencing life. When I run out of ideas I think, Dang. I gotta get out more.

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Terry Freedman's avatar

Very chortleworthy and interesting. Plato thought writing would mess up people's memory. I can't remember if I have said that before.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Hehe. Chortle has become my new favorite word because of you.

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Meg Oolders's avatar

1. Thankfully, my family knows how hard I'm "working" as a writer.

2. I'm a professional wife, mother, writer, and wise-ass. Sadly, I get paid for none of these professions.

3. I want to be the next Judy Blume.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Love your answers esp no 3. 🙏🥰

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Amanda Jaffe's avatar

"Whatever happened to that novel you were writing?"

"Mom, I'm writing essays now."

"Why don't you write something people want to read?"

--- My mom (who gets a pass because she reads what I write)

This was fabulous! Between massive bouts of self recognition, I laughed the whole way through!

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Haha. I thought you were quoting a recent convo I had with my ma! I'm still working on a novel. It's been a stretch and a haul.

I should have mentioned that my ma is a paid subscriber. She commented here too. ❤️🥰

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Chris Stanton's avatar

I'm very happy you didn't listen to your mom and instead remain devoted to your Subster.

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Heather Brebaugh's avatar

So glad to see that Jane's mom told her to keep her 'pride' in check. Clever!

I love how you used history and moms to showcase how writers have to forge their own paths....even if mom says no.

Regarding how the universe was formed and all those other questions we want answered...I've just started a book by Bill Bryson called 'A Short History of Nearly Everything'. Recommended by Mike Sowden. In just 2 chapters I have become an expert on our universe lol!

PS - Happy Cancerversary... somehow I missed that post and I'm sorry for that. Epic milestone.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

How thick is this book? What does it weigh? Hehe. Sounds fascinating. Thx for the recommend!

Thx for congrats on my 7 year milestone.:)

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Heather Brebaugh's avatar

A short 478 pages to become the master of knowledge of everything! I'm feeling fairly expert, having made my way to page 29... if you have a rug that curls up at the corners, this book could hold it down.

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Haha! I do have such a rug. It's annoying.

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prue batten's avatar

Mum never understood my writing or that I was published. And as for my friends? They never ask and I don't tell anymore. It's easier that way. A writer's life is such an odd one and they don't get the self-imposed isolation and solitude. C'est la vie!

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

“The self imposed isolation.” So true.

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