Hey crew!
Today’s the day! The Nighthawk, my effort to build community for senior citizens (and the rest of us) is live. Details below, but check this:
What’s this again? I got a bee in my bonnet the other day when I saw the State of New York is selling robots (glorified Amazon Alexas that know your name) to lonely senior citizens. I’d prefer to live in a world where we actually talk to each other. So, as long as I can write, I’ll be doing something about it. It’s Letters from Josh, a silly advice column, some comedy, some trivia, and hopefully, a reason to write back. Let’s see what happens!
Is it free? Of course. I’ve set up a Patreon page, too, if you’d like to support the effort, but that’s mostly aimed at the activities directors who have corporate budgets to spend on things for their residents. (The exception is if you’d like a paper copy. There’s a level for that on Patreon.) I’d much rather just have you has a reader, and please bring a friend. Post it on Facebook, tweet it, and hey, send me a letter at my new P.O. Box! I spent a whole forty bucks on it…
How do I sign up? Drop me a note at JoshUrban@Protonmail.com and I’ll add you to the list.
And here’s this week’s Letters from Josh in word form (same as the above photo.)
Letters from Josh
(A weekly update from Josh Urban’s adventures on the farm and in the city)
Howdy, folks! Welcome to the first edition of The Nighthawk. This is a fun new project to build some human connection. I’ll be writing silly advice columns and sending you stories, and you’re invited to write back. We’re all just trying to muddle through, and it’s nice to know that there’s other people out there who care. In fact, I just got a PO Box for this very reason! Send me a letter if you’d like: Box 783, Rustburg, VA 24588, or JoshUrban@Protonmail.com
They say stories help us live. I’d buy that.
Sometimes they’re serious and mysterious, told aboard trains hurtling through the sweltering summer nights, life advice imparted. Some are silly, like my trials of coordination on the dance floor, and the poor ladies’ trials of pain and suffering. (Nobody went to the hospital, although a few went to the floor.) Others are sun-drenched, tellings of alpine meadows and the hidden streams of the Appalachian mountains. A fine tale of travel is always welcome, and people have shared many. From the wilderness of Alaska to battlefields in Korea, I’ve sat enthralled, listening. Celebrities are captivating: Through your words, I’ve seen FDR on the back of a train, been dissed by Johnny Carson at the USO, lost to Jackie Robinson in a footrace at boot camp, and received orders from President Reagan.
What about the most important stories of all - the love stories? Top Gun is dominating the box office, which reminds me of a fighter pilot’s widow who told me hers. After a chance meeting him at Fort Bragg, NC, they continued to date long distance. “Want to get dinner, honey?” “Sure.” She’d drive her camaro from DC to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, and he’d fly the F4 up to meet her. WOW. They were married for years. Another friend told me once about meeting his wife at the “tall club”, the two year long distance courtship, and the devoted marriage, and her passing. He still loved her deeply, and missed her so. “But I’m happy, because I had all those years with her.” As the Gershwin song goes: “They can’t take that away from me.”
So maybe, if nothing else, that’s a good reason for us to share our stories. It’s nice to tell them, isn’t it? And so, if you have a story to share, please drop me a note! I’d love to hear. In the meantime, I’ll be wandering the fields and gazing at the stars, collecting stories to share, right here.
See ya then!
- Josh