Happy New Year to everyone who follows the blog and contributes to our community here.
As world affairs go, it has been an eventful 2023 to say the least. With wars in Gaza and Ukraine, indictments, plea deals, trials and elections aplenty here in the US, the coming year promises no shortage of surprises and challenges. I hope that 2024 is peaceful, productive, and prosperous for all of you in the midst of all this.
I recently received a note that one of our readers was having trouble subscribing to the blog. Can anyone advise on how to do this? I should know, but I don’t. Thank you in advance for the insight. (Thanks, Holly.)
I’ll be starting the new year on the blog with a focus on how we can improve our own situations through our own efforts, to ‘mind our own garden’, as I think Voltaire once encouraged. Hopefully I can also detail some of my travels that are planned for this year, as all work and no play makes Byron a dull bore.
What will happen in between or from there is anyone’s guess. Inspiration strikes, and I compulsively spin to find a pen and memorialize it.
I rarely review previous posts. I don’t remember if I linked you, the dear reader, to my latest musical composition, Hot Couture Baby. If not, enjoy. If so, please forgive me.
Life here among the Frenchies continues to fascinate and frustrate, the mix mostly coming to a 60/40 split, respectively. I look forward to detailing the ongoing adventure in 2024 posts.
On the 60 side, I was recently fitted for two pair of shoes. It’s as much a necessity as a luxury as the retail stores here don’t stock product to accommodate my American size 14 feet. The Parisian shoemaker invited my wife and me visit the atelier where my made-to-measure monk strap and lace-up will be created. I hope to be able to photograph and write about this as the process commences. It’s been at least fifteen years since I’ve purchased a new pair of dress shoes, so I’m looking forward to it.
On the 40 side, a bathroom remodel that would have taken 3 days to complete in Los Angeles is taking 3 months here in the French countryside. Mon dieu.
As I’ve mentioned before, you as readers contribute mightily to the value and substance of this blog. I appreciate your comments and contributions very much and look forward to another insightful and fun year exploring Old Money and everything else here.
Thank you…and onward through the fog.
- BGT
Happy new year, Byron. Thank you for the good work you do keeping this blog going. I always enjoy reading your trenchant observations on life from the (mostly) old money perspective. And you’re right about the quote from Voltaire; it’s from his novel Candide: “One must cultivate one’s own garden”. I like the new song, too! All the best to you in 2024 and I look forward to reading more of your thoughts and insights here on The Old Money Blog.
Thank you, Amy. Your contributions are highly valued here. All the best in 24. – BGT
Good evening Mr. Tully and happy new year. I am a long time reader and I thought I would take the opportunity this evening to comment on the blog. I have been reading your delightful blog for a long time and have read two of your books many, many times (OMB and OMS). I have been trying to piece together many of the key themes independently in my adult life but your books have been the North Star or key resource for me. It is refreshing to find people who have the same values as you and a blog that is filled with substance in an otherwise hollow landscape on the internet. In the absence of a hand written thank you note I wanted to say thank you. Looking forward to posts in 2024.
Thank you very much for those kind words, Geoffroi. They are much appreciated by me, and by all of our community. All the best this year! – BGT
Happy New Year! Looking very forward to your continued ideas, thoughts, and essays, which allway provoke thought and inspiration.
Kind Regards,
Heinz-Ulrich
P. S.
Even in the US, bathroom renovations have an odd way of expanding to fill WEEKS beyond the promised rapid time to completion. We had an issue arise in mid-December 2022, that, contrary to what we were told, ended up taking eight weeks instead of 7-10 days before all was said and done. I’ve never been so glad to have various service people paid and out of the house. Jeeze Louise!
Happy New Year! A longtime reader of both the blog and book. Was glad to give the book to my two children who are now young adults. I really appreciate your perspective. All the best to you in the new year. -Heidi
Happy New year to you and your wife as well, Byron.
Happy New Year, Byron. I hope we all get to tend to our gardens in 2024, no matter what the year brings.