A quick look back at where this all began. This one was born of frustration on Thursday, September 15th, 2022, and with most of my launches. Years of saying “I should” turned into the first day of publishing. A small goal turned into a big one, and as challenging as writing a daily newsletter can be, the style works for me. I heard an interview this weekend with John Lee Dumas, the Godfather of Creator Endurance. He started a daily podcast 11 years ago called Entrepreneurs on Fire, a daily podcast where Dumas interviews the top entrepreneurs in the field. To date, he has 4,080 podcasts published. In the interview, Dumas talks about making it hard; if it’s hard to do, fewer people will follow you, and you can stand out.

A newsletter is easier than a podcast, especially one with an interview with a famous guest. Writing a great newsletter and finding ways to develop and serve a fan base is hard. We can do hard things, one step, one day at a time.

Final Thoughts… The first post was on a different newsletter, Fables Reconstruction Letters; close to 400 letters were published, and a lot has changed. Much more to come.

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Today’s Fable is a song by a fantastic artist named Sam Fender. I play a Fender Stratocaster, Sam is a great song writer with a great name! My PJ (Pen Jockey) mode is with his song Seventeen Going Under. Thoughts & Feelings on the other side of my writing practice, enjoy!

Seventeen Going Under

Song by Sam Fender

I remember the sickness was forever

I remember snuff videos

Cold Septembers, the distances we covered

The fist fights on the beach, the bizzies round us up

Do it all again next week

An embryonic love

The first time that it scarred

Embarrass yourself for someone

Crying like a child

And the boy who kicked Tom's head in

Still bugs me now

That's the thing, it lingers

And claws you when you're down

I was far too scared to hit him

But I would hit him in heartbeat now

That's the thing with anger

It begs to stick around

So it can fleece you of your beauty

And leave you spent with nothing to offer

Makes you hurt the ones who love you

Oh, oh

Oh, oh

Oh, oh

See I spent my teens enraged

Spiralin' in silence

And I armed myself with a grin

'Cause I was always the fuckin' joker

Buried in their humor

Amongst the white noise and boys' boys

Locker-room talkin' lads' lads

Drenched in cheap drink and snide fags

A mirrored picture of my old man

Oh God, the kid's a dab hand

Canny chanter, but he looks sad

She said the debt, the debt, the debt

So I thought about shifting gear

And how she wept and wept and wept

Well, luck came and died 'round here

I see my mother

The DWP see a number

She cries on the floor encumbered

Oh, oh

Oh, oh

Oh, oh

Oh, oh

Oh, oh

Oh, oh

Oh, oh

Oh

Written by Sam Fender

Copy, Thoughts & Feelings by Johnny Christian

I listened to this song on early in the morning on the way to the gym. I didn't sleep the night before and that always increases my "emotionality". As I listened to this song, the music, tempo and progression were as moving as the words. I felt tears welling up as I listened to it. I remember 17, I remember anger, even now with 3 kids older than 17, I still remember the anger. Sam says "I spent my teens enraged." Johnny wonders if that has changed or if the confusion at the root of young anger, turned to exasperation of mid life? Either way, I will continue to fight the good fight.

I hope you find this song and listen to it today. Remember a time when you were angry, it doesn’t matter if it served you or hurt you. Remember it and let it fuel you now.

Be Good,

Johnny

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Back tomorrow with a new year of With A Shout!

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