I'm very sorry I can't make it to your birthday celebrations. I was hoping to get back from Australia in time for Orycon, loaded down with duty free malt whisky, but the job here is taking longer than expected. However, this shouldn't stop me from sending you my best wishes. I'm afraid I haven't known you long enough to have a pile of amusing Art anecdotes to relate, so instead I just want to say this.
Every fanzine editor goes through periods of wondering why they bother. It is the public nature of the thing. Someone whose hobby is records or stamps or whatever can be proud of the size of her collection and be happy. Fanzine editors, however, have a hobby which involves giving something to other people, and a lot of the time all you get back is abuse or, perhaps worse, a deafening silence. Sometimes you forget that you also do it because you enjoy writing. When I go through those bad patches, I think about people like you and I say to myself, "heck, Art has been doing this for over 50 years, and he's still enthusiastic, what am I missing?" And then I remember that it is fun, and I crank the next issue out. Thank you.
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