Dear Friends,
I wish I had something profound to say this last day of 2023. I don’t. I’m glad the year is over. I’m glad I get to roll up everything that happened this year and place them in the box labeled “The Past,” a box which I can store in a safe place to be forgotten or retrieved and examined at my discretion. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad for everything 2023 came with: the joys, the triumphs, the excitements, the sorrows, the fun, the awesome, the confusing. I’m also glad I get to step out of it into a new year of possibility and promise.
I do want to thank everyone who has made this year wonderful. Looking back, everything amazing about 2023 was due to the kindness and generosity of people who care about MA’s mission. I especially thank everyone in the MA community across social media for your interest, trust and support. I thank the folks over at the Internet Archive without whom MA would be impossible at this point. I thank Laura Gibbs for her support and her enthusiasm about mythology and folklore in general. I thank Ada McCartney of the Femme On podcast, Dr. Camilla Power and everyone over at Radical Anthropology Group, Bwesigye Bwa Mwesigire of the AMLA Network and the Institute of African Studies at Emory University, Dr. Sam Hirst of Romancing the Gothic, Prof. George Veletsianos and Dr. Shandell Houlden of Royal Roads University, Vanessa Rodgers of the Fabric of Folklore Podcast, Komal Salman at Folkloristan, Tracy Nichols at The Folklore Podcast, Mel of CM’s Substack, Dustin of Sandman Stories, Rakesh Khanna of Blaft Publications, the folks over at The College of Psychic Studies, and the folks of World History Encyclopedia.
I’m still not sure what MA will look like for 2024. I may not return to active posting on X (Twitter) or other social media. I do, however, plan to continue with this monthly newsletter, podcast episodes, some talks if the opportunity arises, blog posts, and Deep Dive episodes. I also plan to continue offering research services and working on writing projects (Have you seen my latest?)
In any case, wherever you are, whatever your plans, I wish you a joyful, prosperous and above all, peaceful 2024.
Be Well,
Helen