Before 2021 comes to a close, I wanted to send a heartfelt thanks to all of you for being members of the Walk It Off community. What started as a random idea I had at the beginning of this year has blossomed into one of the most enjoyable projects I’ve ever put my mind to doing. Thank you heaps and heaps for walking with me.
Looking back at my original brainstorm notes, it makes me happy to know that a mere 8 months and over 50 posts later my initial aspirations remain at the center of Walk It Off.
I also wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who has contributed to the “Tell Me About…” posts this past year. I absolutely love hearing from all of you, and I can’t wait to hear more of y’all’s stories in 2022.
I’m so excited for all of the walks that I’ve got coming up in the new year. Some truly wonderful folks—both in NYC and out on the road—have agreed to go on a stroll with me. In a way, Walk It Off is just getting started, and I’m thrilled to see where this project takes us.
With that in mind, I wanted to take a minute to put out my hat as we come to the year’s end. Before I do though, please know that if you cannot afford to help Walk It Off financially, you are exactly for whom I am keeping this newsletter free. It’s important to me that Walk It Off continues to be available for anyone and everyone to enjoy. I refuse to put any walks, interviews, or essays behind a paywall—and I plan on keeping it that way in the new year. If you can’t afford a subscription, all I ask is that you mention Walk It Off to a friend, or maybe give us a shout-out on social media. (If you’re a recent subscriber, maybe take a cruise through our archives, where you’ll find great walks with Marlon James, Raven Leilani, and Susan Choi.)
That said, if you can help, I, well, need your help. Walk It Off now has thousands upon thousands of subscribers, but far fewer have paid subscriptions. If you’ve been enjoying Walk It Off, and can afford to convert to a paid subscription, please know that your support would mean the absolute world to me (and you’d be supporting some pretty big walks in the coming year). Nothing excites me more than getting an email from Substack that reads, “New paid subscription for Walk It Off! (Upgrade from free).”
The (optional) prices remain the same, as they have from the start. You can choose to support Walk It Of at either the socks, beer, or sandwich level:
$7 for 1 month (socks) 🧦
$80 for 1 year (beer) 🍺
$200 for 1 year (sandwiches) 🥪
If you’ve already subscribed, thank you! If you find yourself asking, “how do I show even more support?” please remember that you can always gift a Walk It Off subscription to a friend or loved one:
“But Isaac, is there some other way I can support you?” you ask, which is really quite kind. Or maybe you’re more thinking along the lines of, “Isaac, I swore I would never pay for a newsletter as long as I live,” which is a pretty specific oath, but I’m not one to judge. A person’s got to have a code.
No matter your thinking, another lovely way to support me is to buy my books.
For example, preordering my forthcoming memoir, Dirtbag, Massachusetts, from your local independent bookstore would be incredible.
If you preorder your copy from Books Are Magic here in Brooklyn you’ll get a free koozy:
Dirtbag Massachusetts is out in July of the coming year.
“But Isaac,” you plead, “I forgot to get a friend a gift and I need a book that is available now!” Well, there are a lot of good books out there, but if you’re still interested in helping me out at the same time, I’ve got a few for you to choose from. One is a children’s book about tattoos (but really it’s about believing in yourself), one’s a book about chefs and tattoos, and one’s about, well, tattoos. Each of these books has a five-star rating (and How to Be a Pirate was a national bestseller). Ask for ‘em at your local independent bookshop! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
How to Be a Pirate with Brigette Barrager
Knives & Ink with Wendy MacNaughton
Pen & Ink with Wendy MacNaughton
Now, maybe you find yourself thinking, “Isaac, why didn’t you put this letter out before the holidays?” Here’s my reasoning. One, the holidays should be for close friends and family. It’s only now, as we approach the new year, that I feel comfortable asking for financial help with my lil’ walking blog. Also, if you think the books, or a Walk It Off gift subscription, would make for a great present, maybe you’re like me and are a late gifter. Surprise someone in January with the gift you forgot to give them in December! 🎁✨
With all that said, I hope you have a wonderful close to your year, and that you are making time to move through the world at, as Garnette Cadogan would put it, “a human pace.” I can’t thank you enough for all your support thus far, and please know how much I’m looking forward to walking with y’all in 2022.
🍓 -Isaac
A UU friend from decades ago sent me a link to your piece on Star Island. My parents met at Star when they were 17 at a UU teen conference. My dad proposed out there on the rocks that very week, and that was that. Our family attended All-Star week for years. Their 50th anniversary photo is at the turnstile. (Is it still there?) My sister was a Pelican in the dining room (do they still call staff Pelicans?) and my other sister was the guest speaker about 20 years ago.
That stone chapel is always the first place that comes to mind when I think of “sacred space.” The lantern procession and the lights they created in the little space gave me a profound sense of spiritual connection to all. I've been on the west coast for many decades now, so haven't been back in many years and appreciate your beautiful photos.