TCS: Dear Readers – Some Last Thoughts

Posted on October 5, 2020 by wordcloud9

All good things must come to an end – Geoffrey Chaucer, 1380s

My very first post at Flowers for Socrates, in July 2015, was a Word Cloud about James Dickey, a poet better known for his novel Deliverance.

My very last post will be the ON THIS DAY tomorrow – Tuesday, October 6, 2020.

In between, I’ve posted here over 2,245 times.

Thank you all so much for stopping by, some of you every day, to read what I’ve posted.

The reason I am not continuing is because Word Press has initiated a new block system for writing posts which I find baffling and completely unfriendly to this user. Given the stress which all of us are under because of the pandemic, particularly here in the U.S., the added problems on the West Coast because of the wildfires, our upcoming election, and some personal issues, the timing of this new system is especially difficult for me.

I can’t control a pandemic, a drought, or an election. Trying to meet daily deadlines while struggling with a new system is one stress I can choose not to face. 

I am 71 years old, and had to suffer through learning new systems many times in my  working years in order to continue to make a living. However, I am retired now, and my work at Flowers for Socrates, while I have taken it as seriously as anything I have ever done, has been an enjoyable and fulfilling elective passion project. 

Please know that you, my Dear Readers, have so enriched my life. My knowledge of geography has been greatly enhanced by looking to see where you lived, and your comments have been overwhelmingly kind and positive.

Flowers for Socrates itself will continue until the beginning of 2021, but without any new content – unless somebody else steps in to write it. If you have a favorite post, you should be able to find it using the search function until the site goes dark in the new year.

Special thanks to Gene Howington and Chuck Stanley for recruiting me as a contributor to Flowers for Socrates, and for all your help over the years.

Thank you again Dear Readers for your kindness and support. I wish all of you the very best that life can offer.

Stay well –

Nona Blyth Cloud – wordcloud9

About wordcloud9

Nona Blyth Cloud has lived and worked in the Los Angeles area for over 50 years, spending much of that time commuting on the 405 Freeway. After Hollywood failed to appreciate her genius for acting and directing, she began a second career managing non-profits, from which she has retired. Nona has now resumed writing whatever comes into her head, instead of reports and pleas for funding. She lives in a small house overrun by books with her wonderful husband.
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15 Responses to TCS: Dear Readers – Some Last Thoughts

  2. deanramser says:
    October 5, 2020 at 5:25 am

    Thank you, Nona, for all that you have done to brighten our day, educate and inform us, and to keep our curiosity stirred. You will be missed.

  3. wordcloud9 says:
    October 5, 2020 at 6:21 am

    Thank you Dean for your very kind words – you have expressed what I have tried to do here exactly!

    This was not an easy decision, and I will miss you and all my other readers here at Flowers for Socrates.

  4. Justine says:
    October 5, 2020 at 11:04 am

    Sorry to see you go. You must have put tens of thousands of hours into research and then sharing your findings.
    It will be a pity to see it all “disappear” in 2021.
    Wishing you emotional, spiritual, mental and physical wellbeing, strength and courage for the future.

    Thank you!
    Justine

    ps… I feel exactly the same way about the WordPress block system. Tired of trying to keep up with tech progress.

  5. wordcloud9 says:
    October 5, 2020 at 11:11 am

    Thank you Justine for you kind words, empathy, and good wishes. My wishes for you are the same.

  6. Sockpuppet says:
    October 5, 2020 at 4:30 pm

    Awwww….so sad to see this era come to an end. You’ve done such a lovely job posting Word Cloud every day on FFS, steadfast for years! The poetry is always outstanding. {{{Big Hugs}}} I will miss the “new Word Cloud” notice in my email every day. Well…at least we will still have the pleasure of your writing talent over at Daily Kos. Love and thanks. CS & RS

    • wordcloud9 says:
      October 5, 2020 at 5:05 pm

      Thanks Sockpuppet –

      I will miss being here at Flowers for Socrates. Thanks for the kind words.

  7. Chuck Stanley says:
    October 5, 2020 at 5:07 pm

    Thank you for your yeoman work. You have single-handedly kept this site going. I am so appreciative of your scholarly hard work. You introduced us to so many people who helped shape our culture and our century.

    This site was created in 2014 with the intention of making it a cultural oasis in the vast vapid wasteland that is the blogoverse. You have been a bright shining light in that direction.

    Thank you so much, Nona. As we have discussed backchannel, this has been a work of love, but like all good things, they must eventually end. I am glad we end this project on our own terms and not have it forced upon us. We all grow older, and hopefully, wiser. I know you have added more than a modicum of wisdom to all our worlds.

    These words by Robert Frost seem appropriate here:

    • wordcloud9 says:
      October 5, 2020 at 6:18 pm

      Thank you so much Chuck – for the opportunity to do good work, and for your steadfast support and appreciation of that work.

      The chance for a writer to explore and write about whatever they find of interest or feel passionately is a great and rare privilege, which I have striven to use responsibly but fully.

      I am so grateful for your belief and trust in me.

  8. Serena Uible says:
    October 6, 2020 at 3:30 am

    Although I completely understand …. I’ll miss you and your posts. Your blog is one of my favorites. Sigh. Thank you so much for all you’ve done.

    • wordcloud9 says:
      October 6, 2020 at 9:52 am

      You are so welcome, and thank YOU Serena – I will miss Flowers for Socrates and all my readers

  9. rafflaw says:
    October 6, 2020 at 2:04 pm

    Thanks Nona. Your efforts were amazing. I will especially miss the On This Day articles. Take care and be safe!

  10. pete says:
    October 7, 2020 at 1:03 am

    I haven’t commented as much in the last few years as I once did but I have very much enjoyed the “On this day” posts and the well timed poetry.
    Fair winds and following seas.
    pete

  11. wordcloud9 says:
    October 7, 2020 at 9:43 am

    Thank you so much pete – and the same to you.

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