RMiddleton

letter to my alumni magazine

i'm not just bizarre on the fediverse, sometimes i take it into the real world too. below is an email i sent to my college's alumni magazine—a print publication that arrives in my mailbox, then on my floor, twice a month!

Re: Cancel magazine delivery

I appreciate the good work you do & I've worked in publishing. I love the magazine. For this reason I respectfully request to no longer receive the print edition. I feel like I should read them but I never do. They pile up. They are a weight on my psyche. It's not you it's me. I'm an artist; I'm never gonna have an extra cent to donate to Princeton. I struggle to just get by, financially and spiritually, in a land of haughty hostility. I don't want to feel guilt or anger when I see your work arrive. You deserve better. And I deserve better. If I ever feel ready to receive your communications again I will let you know. Likewise if I am ever able to reach a period of sustained stability in my work/life I'll inform my university community through you, as intermediary. That's a flowery way of saying that if I ever get it together and produce anything sustainable I'll send a press release. I do value what you do & I do value Princeton's past role in my life. At the moment all that PAW is contributing to my life is litter, an unwanted cleaning chore. So if you stop sending it I'll stop feeling negative about PAW. That would be good.

Thanks for your attention,