Friends, Readers, Fans, and Hangers-on,

I'm cutting my email list to those who actually find something of interest within it. I would love to have you all stick around, but if you haven't opened an email or clicked on a link in quite a while, I'll be removing you from my subscriber list in the next few days. I'll tell you why at the bottom of this newsletter.

If you definitely want to remain, just opening this letter will mark you as an active subscriber. Clicking this link will take you to the first episode of a story I'm adding to my website. That click will make you an active subscriber who clicks on the links, at least feigning an interest in my writing--hey, feigned interest is better than blatant disinterest, right? Also, I hope I remember to put the episode up on the website and add the link here before I send this letter. If I don't, you have license to send me a reminder that I've had an idiot moment that requires correction. Changed my mind--although the bit about feigned interest is still true. Click this link to check out some blog posts on three different topics, but which all have a reference to Doris Day -- note that my writing playlist has changed since then. I'll have to include an updated list in a future newsletter. Or you could check out these free books looking for reviews if you would rather. Clicking either link makes you a priority to keep as a subscriber.

Of course, if you don't open this email, you won't be reading this, and will likely be removed as a subscriber.

If you do want to unsubscribe, you can click the unsubscribe link at the very bottom of the page.

Nevertheless, in the words of the band Rush, "If you choose not to decide, you still have made choice." You risk remaining as a subscriber if you don't unsubscribe, and you risk being removed as a subscriber if you don't open my emails and click the links.

Why must I remove potential readers and fans? It's the algorithms (and I don't mean drumbeats by a former VP). If I have a low percentage of opens and clicks on my emails, my sender refuses to send to the entire list. Additionally, as I understand it, low open and click stats result in more of my emails going to spam folders or not being delivered at all because the digital big brothers of the internet figure if enough people aren't opening and clicking, no one else should either. Thus, although I wish all of you were fans, many of you aren't. I can live with that, but I can't keep hauling you along with those who are fans or who at least go through the motions.

I do hope to keep the sweet ramblings coming to you. If you don't get any more from me, you'll know why. You can always go to Stanleywheeler.com to re-up for the newsletter.

Stanley