December 28, 2023
Volume 169
Slowly but surely
Curated by Mike Lynch
Founder, Artist, Craftsman, Underground Poet
Slowly but Surely.
I realized I say this to myself all day, every day, consciously and subconsciously; it's like a gentle nudge I’ve trained myself to coach myself on. It’s this mini little optimistic gesture that isn’t overwhelming because it is realistic. 2023 has fully kicked my ass and in doing so, has taught me that when chasing your dreams, a sincerely realistic mindset coupled with a touch of optimism, provides you peace of mind, and peace of mind is invaluable while building a company from scratch. So, ‘slowly but surely.’
It’s all going to happen one way or another, why not kick back and enjoy the ride, right? All of those cliche sayings come to mind right now: ‘Rome wasn’t built in a year’, ‘everything happens for a reason’, and ‘patience is a virtue.’ Well, most days I don’t want to hear any of that because I ain’t trying to build Rome and I ain’t the Dali Lama patiently floating in lotus pose! I am just a guy with a dream and a hard-working attitude with all the will needed to remain a student for as long as it takes to achieve the dream of being a successful artist. There is no degree or trophy or end goal where I am headed, there is only an ongoing series of changing tides and fires to react to - but slowly, but surely, we will work our way through.
Another little deal that keeps playing through my head like a flowing series of harmonic notes coming off Cannonball’s Keyboard is, “You’re going where no one has ever gone before.” It’s honestly hilarious and true, you can say this to yourself about yourself at any time in your life journey because truthfully, you are on a journey only you are on and no one can change that, not even you. Yea, it’s dramatic, but sadly these days, the truth is so dramatic because it's not the norm. Feel me?
As I started popping keys on my Mac here, I wanted to write about the year in review - perhaps verbally genuflecting to 2023 for absolutely whooping my ass - but then I realized, not necessary… gotta keep it true to form and fess up about how you feel and share what you’ve learned after surviving 365 rounds with the undefeated heavyweight champ, The Universe. That is the whole point of Little Friday Emails in the first place - to express. I’m not sure what Volume of LFE this is but we are getting close to 200 for sure and that is the best accomplishment I think I can hold up right now, outside of staying in business by making art every day. But yea, let’s focus on Little Friday Emails as the major win of the season. LFE for the soul-growing win; if you’ve curated one for us, then you know, they run deep! If you read ‘em weekly, then you know a lot of love and effort goes into this stuff! Don’t get me wrong, it's not easy to build the things we build at Imperfects and they are worth celebrating in their own right but damn, it’s way harder to personally express your shit out loud for all to read!
I have a whole lot to be thankful for in this life, most of which I can’t trade in for monetary value. That statement right there, alone, sums up my year and my current perspective on life.
So, instead of going deeper down this rabbit hole and spelling out all the crazy stuff we have been working on and slowly grinding toward, I will end this sentiment with a THANK YOU. Thank you for supporting us this year, for listening to our crazy stories, listening to our playlists, riding our boards and wearing our clothes. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you. I will keep growing and learning from my mistakes so that I can continue to do a better job for you - the product will get better, the message will get clearer and the experience will deepen.
Big Love, Fam
What's been keeping you grounded?
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.”
-Bob Marley
What are you into lately?
END OF YEAR PLAYLIST
Jazz Mix
By Mike Lynch
