I send you a lot of digital stuff. Want me to mail you physical stuff…?

A while back I awkwardly mentioned that you can support this blog on Patreon if you’re so inclined. (You’re also more than welcome to join the free tier.) Back then I said I was thinking through more ways to provide value to the folks who are kind enough to kick in some financial support for the stuff I do around here. Which was a very Past Rick way of writing a check that Future Rick would have to cash. Well. Apparently Future Rick is here. And it turns out Future Rick likes to mail things. Like physical things. With stamps and stuff.

That’s right. Starting now, every single person who’s a paying patron is going to start getting actual, physical stuff in the actual, physical mail. From me. On the regular. I mean, so long as I have your address.

We’re talking stickers. A little zine. Handwritten notes. I don’t know. Whatever happens to be available and fun when the mood strikes. Maybe some pins. Maybe some magnets. Real objects. Things you can have and hold. And show off to your friends. Or whatever.

Why now…? Because Silicon Florist is somehow turning 20 years old. And I’m getting nostalgic. And that felt like a reasonable excuse to do something nice for the people who’ve stuck around. That’s it. That’s the whole occasion. I’m not going to get misty-eyed about two decades on you. But it seemed like a fitting moment to actually start putting things in envelopes on the regular.

But I also want to sweeten the deal. I want to make a bigger deal out of you. If you’re a paying patron, I want to start shouting you out. In the newsletter. On YouTube. In the various places where I ramble about our community.

Suffice it to say, I’d like to ramble about the people who make it possible for me to keep rambling. That feels right.

Now for the reassurances. Nothing changes here or on the Portland Startups Slack if you do nothing. There is no paywall. I am not gating the blog. Or turning it into a subscription business behind your back.

If you never give me a dime, you will continue to receive the exact same poorly written slightly rambly artisanal handcrafted blog you’ve always received over the past 19 years or so. Free of charge. For as long as I’m able to keep the lights on.

Same old, same old. Just like magic.

But if you’ve been on the fence about joining Patreon or if the idea of getting a weird little zine and a limited run sticker in your mailbox sounds like a good time…? Please join.

I always welcome folks joining on the free tier. But I also want to do more for folks on the paid tier.

For more information or to join, visit Rick Turoczy on Patreon.

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