It Ought to Begin by Being Personal

A letter from me to you.

“Whatever else anything is, it ought to begin by being personal.” —You’ve Got Mail (1998)

Dear Reader,

It’s crossed my mind more than once that I should be sharing my writing with the world, but every time I stop short. Who cares what I have to say? Who would actually read these silly things I put on the page, and who would ever want to hear my musings and yappings somewhat regularly, delivered through something as intimate as one’s inbox?

Well, you would.

And to me, that means everything. So, thank you :)

But it also means that for the first time in my life, really, people are reading my writing. My thoughts laid bare, my inmost self exposed, here I am, ready to be read. And here you are, ready for the reading.

It’s quite an intimate endeavor, don’t you think?

But the only kind of writing that ever was worth reading is the intimate kind.

Well, now that we’re acquainted, let’s make an arrangement—if you keep reading, then I will keep writing. And everything that I write will be like letters exchanged between friends…

Unfazed.

Unfiltered.

Unabashed.

Unapologetic.

And if I keep on writing, then reader, you must write back to me, and I will pore over every word of yours and treasure it in my heart like a small promise.

Deal?

Here’s what you can expect from here on out.

Every week (or more if I’m in the mood to be bothersome), I’m going to knock on the door of your inbox to deliver a short (and only sometimes sweet) newsletter on whatever I’m thinking about that week—from media and music and culture to deeper topics of faith and life.

If there’s something you’d like to hear me talk about, please don’t hesitate to let me know in the comments or write to me! I would love to hear from you.

And whatever it is I write, I cross my heart and pinky promise you that it will, indeed, be personal.

With love, Perm

P.S. My close friends and family call me “Perm.” This being “Perm Press,” it only feels right to sign my newsletters that way :)