Not a Relaunch… Well, Kind Of

I’m well aware it’s been over a year since I last reviewed a new theatrically released movie here. It’s been September since the last episode of The Movie Breakdown. The Substack newsletter hasn’t quite become weekly, and it still hasn’t delivered the promised fiction or reviews of MCU or Disney animated films.

Declaring a big New Year relaunch is deeply tempting. Fresh starts are balm to my brain. I am, admittedly, addicted to them. But we all know how this usually goes: grand declarations, bold resolutions, and then—thud. It’s Wile E. Coyote trying to catch Road Runner, and trusting ACME will work this time.

But I’m also in a genuinely precarious financial position right now. As much as I love this site, the podcast, and the newsletter, they are not going to magically rescue me from debt in the next few weeks. Still, even though the days before Christmas are probably the worst possible time to expect new work, I have to try. I need to hang onto the slim hope that I can bring in a little Christmas-miracle money before December 25 arrives in six days.

It isn’t a clean, shiny relaunch on January 1, 2026.

What it is is a moment of triage and intention.

For the next couple of weeks, most of my energy has to go toward finding quick-turnaround paid work. At the same time, whenever I do have writing energy, I want to use it wisely: building a small bank of 2026 articles, recording at least one podcast episode in advance, and drafting a newsletter or two so I’m not starting the new year from absolute zero.

I’d also love to begin a few paid-tier exclusive stories, so that if and when that tier becomes viable, there’s something ready to go immediately.

What this means is not a hiatus, but it does mean things may stay quieter and lower-key here for the rest of the year while I focus on survival now and stability later.

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