If you don’t have something good to say, don’t say anything at all. That old adage underlines the primary reason that I haven’t written a post in the last week or so. There are other factors as well; being so sick that I felt like one foot was in the grave and the other on a roller skate, navigating the labyrinth in a quest for unemployment compensation, work to steer Jim Hinckley’s America in a new direction and a quest for income to name but a few.
By nature I am an optimistic pessimist that can find humor in most any situation but in recent weeks it has been a challenge to maintain my signature dry wit and quirky since of humor. This isn’t to say that there isn’t much to laugh at. Just flip through the news programs in the morning, cruise Facebook and read a few of the posts from people passionately defending the latest conspiracy theory or spend a few minutes trying to decipher the us versus them political soap opera. But the daily dose of gallows humor has worn thin.
So, aside from recovery, I have been spending as much as time as possible salvaging Jim Hinckley’s America and ensuring that we continue telling people where to go for years to come. I have revamped the weekly newsletter and am offering authors an opportunity to promote their books and restaurants that offer carry out service a marketing platform as well as encouraging people to keep dreaming of road trips. I have also launched the weekly live stream program Coffee With Jim on Saturday mornings. The idea is to avoid the daily dose of bad news and instead give folks a reason to smile. Aside from a few technical difficulties, such as internet issues, the program has been well received. As a bonus it is something I enjoy doing and it helps lift the spirits, mine as well as the audience.
Authors collection©
And I have returned to my roots. For the first ten years of my career as an author writing centered on the American auto industry between the years 1885 and 1940, and the corresponding societal evolution. This past week I began writing a weekly feature for Motoring NZ, an online automotive publication based in New Zealand. In addition to a weekly column on automotive history I am also recording an audio podcast. This is in addition to the weekly 5 Minutes With Jim audio podcast that is published on Sunday morning.
A few months ago I embarked on a rather strange odyssey, the writing of my autobiography. I have been providing this as exclusive content on the Patreon based crowdfunding site. I feel a bit awkward about this as by nature I am a private person. And some of the stories are hard to share as the guilty parties are still among us. And as with some of my other projects I am amazed by the comments and response. It never ceases to amaze me that people find me interesting and even fascinating. That is an odd sensation that I have trouble getting used to.
Another endeavor is short live stream programs from sites such as Fort Beale Springs. Aside from giving advertising sponsors a bang for their buck, I want to inspire people to get out, to explore, and to find a bit of solace in troubling times. This is going to be a challenging year. We have all gotten used to road trips and the occasional international adventure. It looks like 2020 will be the year that we discover or rediscover wonders in our neighborhood.
Stay tuned. Jim Hinckley’s America is here to stay. Jim Hinckley’s America will keep telling people where to go, we will just be doing it in a different way.
Keep encouraging folks to enjoy their own back yard. 2020 is going to be a roller coaster ride all the way through and who knows what happens next? None of us – so we might as well learn to love our lives and live them well. And we need to do that without a great many things we’re accustomed to – travel, concerts, movies, parties, and a host of other ‘normal’ stuff. The new normal will be an interesting world, whether temporary or permanent. So thank you for making sure folks have a new concept to chew on, a new way to enjoy their lives.
Thank you