A New Year, A New Newsletter
It's been a while and I've missed you. I'm glad we're back together again.
As the saying goes, woman plans, G-d laughs.
Indeed.
Just before the Covid pandemic hit and changed everything, I hoped to reshape my long-running blog into a newsletter and move it over to Substack, a more flexible, intuitive platform for writers. Alas, I was not among those highly motivated people who got a lot done while locked down in quarantine. I did not master a new language or digitize our boxes of photographs or bake crispy loaves of sourdough bread, though I managed to keep up my challah-baking.
As you know from my protracted absence from your inbox, I let the blog languish. I also failed to launch a newsletter, though not for lack of thinking about it. In fact, overthinking was what did the enterprise in. I debated over the hows and whys and whats. I wanted to wait until I had a new headshot and a logo. Learning a new platform, I will admit, scared me a little (okay, a lot). More time passed.
Even as we more or less re-entered the world, life challenges and article deadlines and the breadth of quotidian obligations distracted me. I threw whatever focus I had left into finishing the first draft of my book, a memoir about living a spiritual life. But a first draft is essentially a vomit draft — it stinks and needs a lot of cleaning up — so I’ve kept busy mostly with that.
But I looked at the calendar last week and thought, “It’s time. By the new year, I will finally get this newsletter up and running.” Progress, not perfection. There are likely (many) kinks to be worked out. I continue to figure out the intricacies of this new-to-me platform. Still, I’m glad to be here, back to writing and talking with you.
So welcome to Days of Rest, which explores Jewish ritual, heritage, and observance in meaningful chapters from my own life. It picks up where the blog left off and will include the popular post My Year in Books, coming up next in this space. I’ll also tell you about what I’m crafting and reading and what I plan to cook for Shabbos — and whatever else is on my mind.
A quick housekeeping note. The newsletter will arrive right to your inbox every other week, usually on Thursday or Friday. Please check your spam folder or promotions tab if it doesn’t. Folks far more tech savvy than I suggest marking this email address as not spam to ensure it lands in the right place. You can opt out of receiving the newsletter at any time.
If you like what you read, please be kind and share Days of Rest with friends. This community grows through new subscribers. As always, I’d love to hear from you. What’s on your mind? What do you want to learn more about from me?
And now, let’s begin. Put your feet up. Stay a while. Thank you for being here with me.
Until next time, wishing you a beautiful, restful Shabbos.
Love,
Merri
P.S. For more content, follow me on Facebook to check out my weekly #gutshabbosshorts posts.
Mazal tov!