I never really did hate Valentine’s Day - it was just a symptom of circumstance.
Being a pro-democracy truth activist for the last seven years is hard on relationships, and I like flowers. I resent having to buy them for myself, so when I wrote my recent column I Hate Valentine’s Day it was coming from that place I wrote about in Fox Undercover - those canyons of loneliness that often separate me from the world. Granted, it’s a self-imposed exile, but nevertheless.
So just to let you know what happened on Valentine’s Day. I woke up to a note from a member of the Bette community who wanted to do more. This member purchased six lifetime memberships - so I was able to upgrade free subscribers to paid memberships and grow our community. We now have new friends in Finland, the UK, Minnesota, New York, Texas, and Mexico.
In addition, multiple members reached out to offer increased support and my Ko-Fi tip jar ranneth over so much, I could pay bills, send a wee bit of VDay cash to my kids and to war correspondent Zarina Zabrisky. And if I wanted to, I could go to Trader Joe’s today and buy my favorite garden roses in pale lavender - so pale they almost look sepia - as if out of a faded magazine. I also like peonies, but those are above my kin.
This is just a way to say thank you for supporting me as I live my dream - writing with purpose.
To those who reached out frustrated with Substack for not offering flexibility on Founding Member’s rates, I inquired. Those who wish to, can pay their own amount - $210 is the suggested rate - but members can put in any amount they choose above the annual membership of $70. I am aware of hard times and extended the 15% annual membership discount for those who wish to upgrade to paid memberships, which includes invites to our ‘Speakeasy’ zooms with special guests, access to all archived content, including the newly launched podcast.
On the day of the unveiling of Johnny Ramone’s statue in 2005 at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, I memorized the inscription on his statue: “If a man can judge success by how many friends he has, then I have been very successful.”
Making new ones everyday. Thank you🤍.
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Bette Dangerous is a reader-funded magazine. Thank you to all monthly, annual, and founding members. Thank you, as well, to those who support my work with coffee tips and who buy my ebooks. My reflection, Confessions of a ‘Fox Blonde’ was recently published in Byline Supplement. In a review of my latest ebook, the erotic novella Fox Undercover, author Greg Olear called it “The Big Sleep 2.0” except with “not so much sleep happening.”
Both Fox Undercover or It’s Komprocated can be purchased here.
Save the date - the next Bette Dangerous ‘Speakeasy’ Zoom for paid members is Feb. 26, 4 pm.
More info about Bette Dangerous - This magazine is written by Heidi Siegmund Cuda, an Emmy-award winning investigative reporter, author, and veteran music and nightlife columnist. She is the cohost of RADICALIZED Truth Survives, an investigative show about disinformation and is part of the Byline Media team. Thank you for your support of independent investigative journalism.
I am so happy to hear this, all of this, all of the many people who helped make this a better Valentines Day for all. I already started cleaning out the planting beds around the oaks, early, very early for flowers, humming birds, and butterflies. All for Valentines Day.
Speaking of Trader Joe's I will be going again this weekend to Columbus and this time I will have enough time to "shop" hopefully but first I have to write something on the proposed Extremist Autocratic Republican Voucher Public Education System before I leave this afternoon. Here it is so far:
"Ohio’s Autocratic Gov Mike DeWine is pushing for a Betsy DeVos ‘Jim Crow’ Voucher Based Segregated Public Education System using our taxation funds! The Ohio Public Education system is 20th in the nation according to the US News & World Report and the Autocratic Extremist Ohio Republicans want to “dumb down” our students so they can continue to rip off Ohioans even more than they have already. Ohio under recent extremist Republican leadership since Obama’s last term, has taken Ohio well into the thirties percentage points in most economic variable except for Public Education! The wealthy families in Ohio have always and will continue to be able to send their children to private schools with their own funds (not our tax funds)."
Have a great weekend and I have to run to class now!!!