a Kind of Refugee is tired. Am I the only one who is spectacularly failing to keep up with all the “theaters”—virtual and even in real life—that I should be watching and appearing in? Facebook, Substack, specific people’s substacks, email, the Guardian, the war in Israel, the war in Ukraine, fundraising websites, the Telegram chat for the activists in my apartment building, the Telegram chat for the local Lindy Hop community, the chat for the Hero of Ukraine fundraising team, the secret group in Signal where I periodically get news about successful missions performed by our Backfire UAV… I scan Facebook to see who needs a donation, whose friend just died, who has a birthday; check my Ukrainian bank account, PayPal, US bank account; pay the monthly utility bills… Respond to the people who want something from me; reach out to those whose help I need; notice the Ukrainian friend who is living in my apartment after spending the past year and a half in France; remember my beloved friends with whom I converse so infrequently because there are just not enough minutes in a day…
The perfect Thanksgiving letter - captures so much of both our universal and your particular... And thrilled to hear about the Backfire recognition! Saw that post on Twitter a couple of days ago, and wondered if it was THE Backfire that HeroesUkraine.org supports!
Dear Larisa, thank you for all your work. Sometimes we all think we are tired from eveything you described, at least mentaly, but it is nothing to compare to Ukrainian people and to you. You have the right to be tired. But we have not. We are and will keep supporting Ukraine as much as we can. Greetings from Lithuania. ❤️
In spite of how it may seem, Ukraine has not been forgotten. Israel may have stolen your thunder with the news media, but we have not forgotten you❣️❣️
1 more thing I wanted to ask you, before you went 'paid' how many free subscribers did you have and what percentage converted to paid? where do you get most of your new subscribers? thanks
Hi Didier, I had a few hundred free subscribers before launching paid subscriptions. I don't have that many of those, as buying a subscription is purely a gesture of support: everything I write here I publish for everybody. When Substack recognized my blog at the beginning of this year on "Substack reads" the number of subscribers jumped to over 1000. New subscribers appear when I give public talks / readings or republish some of these writings in other communities; some have come through recommendations of other substack bloggers; some also appear without my knowing how. I should also note that I've put 0 effort into soliciting / managing subscriptions for most of the past year. This neglect has been more circumstantial (not getting around to it) than deliberate.
Thank you very much Larissa for your honest and complete response. In any event, I am a fan of your writing. the most important criteria for me is quality of the writing. The subject is not that important. I don't want something too long, 1 page max. Your writing is honest and I have the impression I can either feel or see what you see. Plus I like the fact that even though the subject is painful, there is artistic detachment. In other words one can see the event, but with detachment, the immediate pain does not distort the meaning.
The perfect Thanksgiving letter - captures so much of both our universal and your particular... And thrilled to hear about the Backfire recognition! Saw that post on Twitter a couple of days ago, and wondered if it was THE Backfire that HeroesUkraine.org supports!
It is always a pleasure reading you Larissa! Even though you are always evoking dramatic events, I often somehow find your writing poetic and relaxing
Dear Larisa, thank you for all your work. Sometimes we all think we are tired from eveything you described, at least mentaly, but it is nothing to compare to Ukrainian people and to you. You have the right to be tired. But we have not. We are and will keep supporting Ukraine as much as we can. Greetings from Lithuania. ❤️
Thank you, Migle, for these words of support from Lithuania!
In spite of how it may seem, Ukraine has not been forgotten. Israel may have stolen your thunder with the news media, but we have not forgotten you❣️❣️
Glory to Ukraine🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦
Glory to the Heroes! Kate, I appreciate your keeping us in Ukraine in mind. Please make sure your Congresspeople know you care! https://www.votervoice.net/RAZOMFORUKRAINE/Campaigns/107413/Respond
Dear Americans, *now* is the time to contact your Congresspeople to urge them to vote for Ukraine aid before winter recess! Here is state by state contact info and a sample letter: https://www.communityforukraine.org/2023/12/07/congress-pass-ukraine-aid-now/
1 more thing I wanted to ask you, before you went 'paid' how many free subscribers did you have and what percentage converted to paid? where do you get most of your new subscribers? thanks
Hi Didier, I had a few hundred free subscribers before launching paid subscriptions. I don't have that many of those, as buying a subscription is purely a gesture of support: everything I write here I publish for everybody. When Substack recognized my blog at the beginning of this year on "Substack reads" the number of subscribers jumped to over 1000. New subscribers appear when I give public talks / readings or republish some of these writings in other communities; some have come through recommendations of other substack bloggers; some also appear without my knowing how. I should also note that I've put 0 effort into soliciting / managing subscriptions for most of the past year. This neglect has been more circumstantial (not getting around to it) than deliberate.
Thank you very much Larissa for your honest and complete response. In any event, I am a fan of your writing. the most important criteria for me is quality of the writing. The subject is not that important. I don't want something too long, 1 page max. Your writing is honest and I have the impression I can either feel or see what you see. Plus I like the fact that even though the subject is painful, there is artistic detachment. In other words one can see the event, but with detachment, the immediate pain does not distort the meaning.