Haven’t left yet, although I suspect that my butt has more than a few scars from the doors that have hit it before. I doubt my stuff is good enough for MuddyUm, how I wish! Sorry your earnings are meagre. Boy I hear that a lot. I can’t even imagine how much fun the editorial sessions must be. Thanks for the kind thoughts-well, okay, some of them — and sorry about the late reply. Sometimes this gets away from me.

I’ve missed your comments too. I am less of a wah wah for good old days than I have genuinely missed comments from people whose insight and input really caused me to grow as a writer and vice versa. Some of those folks are reappearing, and I wonder where they went, albeit quarantine may well have had an effect. I appear to have pissed you off, or at least annoyed you in some way; you’re welcome to interpret the piece as you wish. As we all do. But you said something really important: I’m with you when you say that a (my words) sober, sane conservative voice would be welcomed. I haven’t read one in years, and that is the kind of thing that would bring much needed balance. It is missing. And we do need it. And I would definitely read it.