It is the anniversary issue of
this letter. I sent out my first one in February
of 2004. Wow. Ten Years.
I am amazed that ten years has passed so quickly. When I first began this project, I was not so
sure that it would last ten weeks or ten months, let alone ten years. Now, I cannot imagine life without this
wonderful hobby of mine.
That first letter we sent to about
40 people. The letter was distributed by
email exclusively through December 2008:
71 letters. Each of those
letters were handwritten and then typed.
I was distributing the letter to well over 300 people at that
point.
In January 2009, in the pit of the
Great Recession, I had a bit of free time.
So, I learned about blogging in general and Blogger, the Google blogging
platform. I put all my previous letters
on http://thissideoffifty.blogspot.com
and I posted my January 2009 letter on the blog just before I emailed it
out. I continued to post on letter a
month until September of that year. I
had three posting that month.
Beginning in 2010, I began to gradually
moved away from handwriting every day. These
days, I type my daily writing mostly using my iPad. That daily writing still turns into my
monthly letter. It also results in three
other blog posting and two postings to my work blog.
I still have not written the book
I set out to write when I began writing every day. I have not written a book at all, but I have written
a lot. This letter, the other This Side
of Fifty blog postings, and my business blog, www.cr-supplychain.com, form the bulk
of my personal writing. Beginning in
April of 2012, I actually started getting paid to write. Now the writing side of my consulting
business is as lucrative as my supply chain work. This, to me, is very cool.
I like that it started off as one
thing and then, as is the story of my life, became something related but
different.
Being an important anniversary, I
have asked a few friends to comment on this occasion with the intent of
including them in this letter. The first
to respond is Ara Topouzian whom I refer to in every two or three letters. Thanks Ara!
AraTopouzian: So much of what we
read today can be classified as negative, self-fulfilling or politicizing.
Facebook has magnified this issue. Your blog has always been from the heart and
you have never used it as a platform to rally the troops to get them to convert
to your way of thinking. Much of what you write is enjoyable to me and as I
have known you my entire life, I can say that I look forward to reading your
anecdotes, historical commentary and wit. Hard to believe I have been reading
your works for ten years. Best of luck Marko on another 10 years...then let’s
give it up ok? Enough already. :)
My letters have
hovered between 1,800 and 2,500 words.
This one will be much longer. I
asked several folks that have commented and encouraged me along the way to send
a few sentences. They certainly did
that. Here is one from Greg
Postian. He and I got to know each other
when I was living in Connecticut and working in New York. We were friends for sure but I must say this
letter and the interaction we have had since I started sending this letter out
took our friendship to another level. We
always see each other at the Armenian Youth Federation Olympic games each Labor
day. We are in touch online much more.
Greg Postian: Congratulations Mark on starting and then
continuing your This Side of Fifty e-letters!
When you first started them, I was “only” this side of forty but I am now where
you were when you started your letter and appreciate even more the perspective
and insight shown in your writings. I’ve always looked forward to your letters
as a welcome break from the every day, whether it’s a discussion about the
comparative quality of different fine pens, the challenges of increasing ones
speed on a two wheeler, heartfelt reflections on your childhood and family,
musings on Armenian, Turkish and other music, views on Armenian and global
history and politics or just commentary on the hot news topic of the moment,
there is always a bit of warmth, friendship and truth that comes through.
Your letters have always come across as a very pleasant personal chat between
friends over a cup of delicious (Armenian) coffee. Here’s to many more
cups of coffee in the future…
Mark Axelrod is
a great friend and supporter. He writes
me on almost each and every letter I send out.
Given the quality and length of his responses I have encouraged Mark to
start his own blog. By profession, Mark
is an ace number one recruiter of quality and manufacturing talent. He loves his trade and is top notch at
working his network and keeping in touch with people he knows and values. I am fortunate to be in that network.
Avocation wise,
Mark and I have music in common. The
music we like and perform is not quite the same. Mark is a barbershopper. His is an accomplished singer in a barbershop
chorus. He is an active member of the
Teaneck Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society and has served in various
leadership positions in his chapter. He
has shown me a world of excellent music that I would have otherwise not been
exposed to.
Whenever Mark
emails me, he refers to me as Gavoorian and signs off as Axelrodian. This speaks to our friendship and supports my
theory that the Armenians might be the lost tribe of Israel… or
vice-versa. Please enjoy his e-letter
within this e-letter. Maybe this will be
his inaugural blog posting.
Mark Axelrod: Gavoorian - It is my pleasure to add a
thought or two in response to your superior monthly letter, the arrival of
which I always look forward to. All the more so, of course, because it is the
auspicious tenth anniversary of the same. Your talent for selecting engaging
topics and word smithing in your reliably entertaining and enlightening manner
is a monthly gift you give to your readers.
The topic of
your sermon this past month is the horrendous winter weather that has blitzed
every part of the lower forty-eight except for southern California and southern
Florida. How did they escape? Sometimes they don't. Of course we all complain
about the weather... what else can we do? It's been trying back east, but I
must say that what you've gone through in the upper mid-west would test the
patience of a room full of saints. Would my speculation be accurate that the
Chicago Polar Bear Club has dispensed with its annual January frolic in Lake
Michigan? A wise decision... they would have had to enlist the air force to
bomb the lake to break through the ice. Back here the polar bears pressed ahead
with their yearly masochistic rite. Then again, that was back in December,
positively balmy December.
Five or six
Januaries ago I drove from Teaneck to Cherry Hill to attend COTS (chapter
officers' training school) which the Barbershop Harmony Society runs at venues
throughout the nation at that time of year. I made the trip on a particularly
frigid Saturday morning... low single digits... which is about as cold as it
gets in these parts. I picked up a fellow barbershopper in Weehawkin (I don't
remember why he was there) who needed a ride to COTS. We rode for a half mile
or so along the Hudson before we headed inland to hook up with the NJ Turnpike.
The sight I saw that morning above the surface of the Hudson and the upper NY
Harbor was one I shall never forget. Being neither a physicist nor a
meteorologist I cannot explain the phenomenon, but I suspect it has something
to do with the water very closely approaching the exact point at which it
freezes. What I saw looked as if the water was on fire. Above this immense body
of water rose a heavy blanket of what appeared to be steam (it was some form of
water vapor) that stretched into the distance. It's hard to describe how
beautiful the Statue of Liberty looked as it rose out of the "steamy"
harbor.
I will tell you
two more weather-related tales, one of the batten down the hatches variety, the
other of the colder 'n' hell type. They both occurred in 1938. That year was
totally miserable weather wise. In late September the Mid-Atlantic and New
England states were creamed by a massive hurricane; only Hurricane Sandy in
2012 was more destructive. Back then hurricanes were not named. This one was
(and is) known as the Great Hurricane of 1938. Among the many calamities it
delivered, one was a great water surge that slammed into the south shore of
Long Island. Water vapor was lifted aloft by the wind and soon thereafter
interior Vermont and New Hampshire experienced salt water rain!
The good news is
that Long Island had a tiny population in 1938. The island's great development
did not begin until the GI's returned from WW2, got married, had kids, and
wanted a split level and a back yard. Levitt and others like him were more than
happy to provide same.
The other
weather misery in 1938 was in Jan-Feb when the cold was epic. My father...never
one for tall tales...told me that the Hudson was so solidly frozen that large
trucks drove on it, presumably just because they could. Why else would they? My
Uncle Natie had one helluva treat that winter compliments of the US Army. He
was stationed in Atlantic City and his job was to scan the ocean through
binoculars for ships in trouble and for German subs. Thus was the state of
surveillance in 1938. Even though the war in Europe would not commence in
earnest for nearly two more years, German subs were plying the Atlantic in the
late 1930's and our military wanted to keep an eye on them. Uncle Natie told me
that it was so damned cold that for a quarter of a mile or so out from the
beach the ocean froze. The breakers were defeated! That's cold. I, too, once
saw the breakers on the Atlantic Ocean defeated, but it had nothing to do with
cold. I'll tell you about it at another time. Mazel tov on your milestone anniversary,
my boy. Keep the monthlies coming.
~ Axelrodian
What can I say about Tommy Vartabedian? He retired from the Haverhill Gazette after a
long career as a writer, photographer, and editor. He is a feature writer and columnist for the Armenian Weekly. I knew of Tom for a long time, but we became
friends through the AYF Olympics. Tom
was the editor for the Armenian Weekly’s Olympic Coverage issue to which I
contributed an article now and then.
One thing about writing every day and putting it out there first
by email and now by blog is that you don’t worry so much about what people will
say. You take the criticism in stride
because you become confident in what you do.
So at some point in my first few years of this letter, I decided to put
Tom on my mailing list. From the get go,
he was incredibly encouraging and supportive.
It meant a lot coming from a professional like Tom.
We became better friends again because of the interaction of this
letter and my blog. As a result, I took
over from Tom pulling the Olympic Issue of the Armenian Weekly together. The only difference is that Tom did 99% of
the writing and photography himself whereas I had a team of ten… and we barely
were able to do the job.
Tom Vartabedian: As a writer and newspaper columnist over the
past 50 years, my inspiration comes from reading the work of others like Mark
Gavoor.
While my focus is
primarily upon newspapers, his is to a vast following of readers connected to
his e-letter and blog.
And like any good
journalist, he writes it like he sees it --- straight from the heart. He hits
the common good with people with everything from his travails to his
frivolities, current events to the good old days of yesteryear.
The reason why they
don't get old and disappear is because Mark continues to refresh our memory.
One piece that comes to mind is the good, old fountain pen.
I don't know who gave
who the idea to expound upon the virtues of good writing implements but I
worked it into an Almanac column of my own.
Shortly thereafter, a
package arrived to my home addressed from Mark and behold! Inside was a
gorgeous black Waterman pen emblazoned with my name. A winning lottery ticket
would not have meant as much.
Today, that pen remains
a staple upon my desk, used concurrently for all my formal writing, giving
credence to the adage, "The pen is mightier than the sword."
Good luck on your 10th
anniversary and may every journalistic approach open the gates to a new
tomorrow.
One other thing: Only through this medium will he continue to
get out the last word.
Ruth Swisher is another Armenian friend. I met her when my band was playing picnics in
Hartford. I learned that her mother was
from the same village as my maternal grandmother, Yeghikeh, which is part of
the city now known as Elazig in the Republic of Turkey. Our family was the only descendants of Armenians
from Yeghikeh in Detroit. Hartford was a
place many more settled. It was great to
have had the opportunity to play there for the children and grandchildren of
Yeghikeh.
Ruth has also been very supportive of this project. Again, I believe we are better friends
because of this project.
Ruth Swisher: At the end of each
month, I look forward to reading your blog and find it to be very informative
and educational on either current events and/or past history. I
especially enjoy reading your articles on Armenia/historic Armenia and our
music. Keep up the good work Mark.
My cousin David
and I were always kind of close. We are
closer now than we have ever been. We
often see things the same and when we differ, it is nuanced.
I do believe as
my cousin gets older, his inner Uncle Rouben has come out. David keeps in touch with the family better
than anyone else. Uncle Rouben would
have been very proud of him. Uncle
Rouben would have loved this writing project of mine.
David Gavoor: Mark:
Being a devotee (and lover) of your Monthly e-Letters, ALL OF WHICH I'VE
READ, I know that February is the 10th anniversary of your "musings and
meanderings." How has the time
flown by so quickly?!
Although my
first instinct was to write that I'm constantly amazed by the range you show in
these letters, of course I'm not; I know you too well. The breadth and depth of your knowledge
(albeit with a little help from the Net) is nothing less than astonishing. I literally don't know anyone else who knows
more about more topics than you. There's
something for everyone.
You've always
had my ultimate respect when it comes to your mind and it is reinforced anew
each month when I receive that much anticipated email with your newest
piece. Looking forward to 10, 20, 30+
more years of your incalculably enjoyable letters! ~ Your Cuz
In my first
letter, I explained how the idea for the letter came to me. Every anniversary, I refer to Aram Kevorkian
and the legal letter that he sent out on a monthly basis. His letter grew into something much more and
more grand. I read a few of his letters
in January of 2004, shortly after he passed away. I was so moved by what Aram had done that I
immediately knew what to do with my writing.
I wish I could have thanked him personally. I get to thank his daughter Corinne every
year. We most certainly have become
friends because of his letter and my letter.
I am honored
that Corinne provided the following testimonial.
Corinne Kevorkian: Congratulations on the 10th Anniversary of
your Newsletter! It is hard to believe that 10 years have gone by
already. And yet, I remember so well the day I met you, 10 years ago, at
the memorial service for my father who had recently passed away. You had
never met my father, but you felt compelled to come and pay your respect to
this man who had inspired you. My father had started his own Newsletter
around the time he turned 50. And somehow from Paris, through the
Armenian Diaspora, to the United States, a copy of his Newsletter found its way
to you.
I was very moved
when you approached me these many years ago and told me that my father's Newsletter
is what inspired you - or rather, gave you the courage - to launch your own
Newsletter. As if in his passing, he had also passed on the torch to you.
Though your styles and topics are vastly different, the passion of your
shared Armenian heritage, your love of music and compassion for the common man
echo in your written words. So as I commemorate the 10th Anniversary of
my father's passing, I also celebrate the anniversary of your Newsletter - in
every ending, there is a beginning. As my father used to say (which he
attributed partially to William Saroyan), "When in doubt, do the
bold thing, and do it with joy in your heart!" You certainly have.
Congratulations Mark!
For the final
comments from readers, I am delighted to include this contribution from my
son.
Aram Gavoor: Dad, twelve years ago you embarked on a
personal goal to write every day. Ten years ago, you began sharing your writing
in a monthly letter. The goal was to be
self-reflective with your thoughts and experiences of the human condition.
Your monthly blog, which organically grew from your humble desire, has
blossomed to a delightful reminder of how proud of you I am each month. Your
unique insight and consistent discipline are a splendid example of the
importance of living a life of conscience. Congratulations on the first ten
years. I look forward to the next twenty-five!
Fulfillment and
success in life differs from person to person.
Probably, there are always riches involved. For some, it is the richness of fame. For others, it is gold that glitters
most. It can be love of friends and
family. It is the inner pride that comes
from what we have built, made, or… it my case written. I am proud of what I have accomplished.
I am excited to
take it to new heights.
Thank you again
one and all for reading my musings and meanderings. Thank you for your encouragement and
feedback. I greatly appreciate it.
