Make sure you're not tracking the wrong lion

Hello again, dear reader.

In case you're new here, I'm Alastair Johnston and you're receiving this newsletter because you subscribed over at my blog or via a link from Substack. I'm grateful for you giving me some of your time and attention and hope I always inform or entertain you here. If not, please feel free to unsubscribe, I won't be offended.

I’d hit a bit of a slump recently. Disobeying some of my own healthy rules, in particular those around not getting caught up in the 24hr news cycle, not letting events in the USA get into my head. And the result of this was a lack of ability to sit and write. Hence why I decided to pause paid subscriptions as it didn’t feel right for me to continue receiving your patronage for nothing.

Whilst I hadn’t been “writing” writing, I had been notemaking. Pulling together ideas and thoughts. Deciphering scribbles in paper notebooks and adding them to my digital Zettlekasten/Slip Box required smaller bursts of energy and was doable. Creating ideas and forming embryonic articles that will hopefully appear in future.

And I forced myself into reading more. Reading printed books, from time tested authors. And slowly as I focused less on the madness and slowed down, I felt myself getting back together again.

So this newsletter is a result of all of the above.

Over on the website you’ll find my latest essay. It talks in more detail about a lot of what I wrote above. It’s got skidpans, lions and Donald Trump. I hope you enjoy it.

It’s still wintery over here in Blighty. So not too late to read something seasonal.

I picked up The Children of Green Knowe after seeing it recommended as a similar type of children’s story to The Dark is Rising. It was excellent. A strange mix of ghostery, witchery and discovery set in an old country house. Whilst reading it I kept wondering if it was all a dream. Lovely.

Although it’s February it’s not too late to have an Almanac. And Lia Leendertz’s The Almanac A Seasonal Guide to 2025 is a joy. Each month lists facts, fables, weather, standing stones, recipes for the month. It grounds you in the seasons to help you notice the world better. It makes winter easier as you really involve yourself in it, rather than wish it away. And it helps you see the rhythms of life and natural pace and change of nature.

Blogging is still alive. And that’s a good thing as I explain here in this post from the archive. I’ve been nicely surprised to see a whole new generation discover the joy of writing on your own bit of digital turf rather than renting your spot on social media. Bear Blog seems to be helping drive this change, which is fantastic, and I enjoy reading a selection of writers on this page. Although my personal choice is still to do it all yourself, the ethos behind Bear seems good.

Finally, I’ve noticed another batch of new subscribers to my little newsletter. If that’s you, welcome. And also if that’s you I’d love to hear a bit about yourself. What brought you here? What are you interested in? Drop me an email and say hello.

That’s it for now.

Be kind and live well!

Comments? Insights? Join the discussion or email me.

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