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Michael Steele's avatar

Despite being the title of the post, it was my favorite line in the poem as well.

Congratulations on two years! I was excited to subscribe, but then found Substack wouldn’t let me…because it was already pledged and went through automatically. Fun stuff. So happy to throw support your way.

Looking forward to many more than two more years reading, reflecting, and commenting on your writing.

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Michael Edward's avatar

I’m glad you liked the poem, and more specifically that line—that line helped me build the rest.

Ohh no, I’m sorry to hear that the pledge went through automatically, Michael! I did not know Substack would do that! I hope it wasn’t too much of an inconvenience for you. But also, I am super thankful for you throwing your support my way. It honestly means so much.

And yes, here’s to many more years of reading, reflecting, and commenting on each other’s work! I’m looking forward to it :)

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Michael Steele's avatar

It was zero inconvenience! A little less ceremonial than I expected—I was excited to rush over and press the button—but I like the optics of it: my support was automatic. :)

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Michael Edward's avatar

I’m glad to hear it wasn’t an inconvenience! And thank you Michael that is actually so sweet—your support is automatic! I appreciate you friend. :)

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Camilla Sanderson's avatar

Love your poem, Are You Open? and I feel like I'm living it🥰 but with a stream, not a lake😁 I also get the sense it reflects your poetic heart.

Gratitude bouncing back to you too Michael, The Curious Platypus is one of my favorite Substacks to read, and I also deeply appreciate your dedicated reading of my own writing too. And I agree, Substack is so much more fun with a community of writerly pals🥰♥️🙏🕊️

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Michael Edward's avatar

If push came to shove, I think I could settle for a stream instead of a lake haha. That’s so awesome your living it Camilla! I often read about your log cabin and it makes me both envious and happy for you.

And thank you, I’m so glad you enjoy my Substack and I am so happy I get to read yours and we are able to commune in this way. It is truly a gift.

Thanks again Camilla :)

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Camilla Sanderson's avatar

I read somewhere once that jealousy is only a pointer towards what you want for yourself. I'll look forward to one day reading about your own "house amongst the trees that’s nestled amongst the leaves", Michael😁 and yes, cheers to art and the craft of writing brightening the connections between us♥️🙏🕊️

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Michael Edward's avatar

Ohhh I like that notion of jealous—it seems to take some of the guilt away from the feeling hahaha. And yes, definitely, one day there will be the house amongst the trees and I will most certainly write all about it! Thank you Camilla :)

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Camilla Sanderson's avatar

And I love how Ecky talks about how guilt is only a function of the ego😜♥️🙏🕊️

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Michael Edward's avatar

Ahh yes, good point, what a gem old Ecky is :)

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Camilla Sanderson's avatar

p.s. Michael, I'm sorry I neglected to say congratulations on two years of writing and sharing on Substack! It's quite a journey and I'm so glad I get to walk alongside you as one of my favorite writers I've been reading here for this long! It's truly a treat to have your writing to read Michael, and I hope you know that deep in your heart🥰♥️🙏🕊️

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Michael Edward's avatar

No apologies necessary Camilla! Your engagement with this piece (and all of my work for that matter) was more than enough of a congratulations.

And thank you. I am so thankful that we found each other on here and that we’ve been able to share this weird Substack journey together Camilla. Your presence and support has brightened my time on here, and I look forward to much more fun and rascality with you. :)

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Camilla Sanderson's avatar

lol, yes, I'm so thankful too as I truly do enjoy the fun and rascality in our connection through writing Michael. Have a great weekend!

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Michael Edward's avatar

I enjoy it too, Camilla. Us born and bred Aussies have to keep a bit of rascal about us hehe :)

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Priya Iyer's avatar

Congratulations, Michael! Thank you for your support and company as well. Wishing you all the very best!

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Michael Edward's avatar

Thank you Priya! I am so thankful we met on here and that we’ve been able to share this Substack journey together. I appreciate you! :)

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daisy cashin's avatar

Wooooo!

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Michael Edward's avatar

Hahaha woooo! Thanks Daisy :)

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Michael B. Morgan's avatar

First of all, we did it, bro: I got the email with the new post! Second, the poem you posted is awesome. And yes, I am open, but... I wish I could accomplish all that!

Thanks for calling me a friend! It means a lot, man. A lot.

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Michael Edward's avatar

Fuck yeah, Michael, we did it bro! I appreciate your help so much man!

And thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed the poem.

Also, I think you accomplish a whole bunch more than you give yourself credit bro!

Your most certainly a friend brother.

Thanks again :)

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Robin LaVoie's avatar

Thank YOU Michael, and congrats on two years. Love this poem and where you took the photo and prompt, a feeling I also get when I look at that cozy little cabin by the lake. You tied it together brilliantly with your ask, and I hope your paid subscribers are open, indeed. :) :)

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Michael Edward's avatar

No trust me, it’s thank YOU Robin :)

I’m so glad you liked the poem and the cozy cabin that inspired it.

And thank you, I felt that if I was gonna ask for such a thing I had to at least do it artfully haha :)

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Jenovia 🕸️'s avatar

Congratulation on 2 years, Michael!!! I’m so glad our paths crossed and yay,I got your post in my inbox! Proud of you for going paid! 💥

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Michael Edward's avatar

Yay! I’m so happy to hear you got my post in your inbox—that’s such good news! And thank you Jenovia. I, too, am so happy our paths crossed, you are one of the special people who have enriched my time on Substack exponentially. I really mean that your support is invaluable to me. Not only that but your writing is always a source of nourishment and wisdom for me. Thank you :)

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Jenovia 🕸️'s avatar

The feeling is mutual!

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Factorial Zero's avatar

Congrats on 2 years!!

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Michael Edward's avatar

Thanks Factorial Zero! I hope you’re doing well mate :)

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Factorial Zero's avatar

Hey Michael! Doing well! Haven’t been writing much but thinking of getting back into it

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Michael Edward's avatar

Glad to hear your doing well, friend. I look forward to reading your words if you feel called to get back into it. :)

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Holly Starley's avatar

Congrats, my friend!!

I know you know you’re among one of the many who have made this Substack world of mine an absolute joy and have enriched my world with your wise and funny words and careful attention. Thank you.

Looking forward to continuing our Substack walks together!!

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Michael Edward's avatar

Ohhh Holly! I hope you know that I feel the exact same way about you! Your support and engagement with my writing over the last two years has been monumental to me! And the beautiful words you have crafted have been founts of endless joy, wisdom, and sometimes even envy—I mean, damn you and your incredible descriptive prowess haha.

I, too, look forward to continuing this Substack journey together.

Thank you so much friend. :)

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Will Boucher's avatar

loved the poem. happy 2 years of curiosity to the platypus! happy to be along for the ride :)

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Michael Edward's avatar

Thank you Will! I appreciate your support (and your fantastic writing) brother :)

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Kimberly Warner's avatar

“Will you leave all this behind

to live a life of a simpler kind.”

If anyone ever asked me these two stanzas I’d emphatically answer YES. (And I think I did when Dave did just that.:)

You’re such a gifted writer Michael. It’s a joy to be on this journey with you, learning from your perfect blend of playful and philosophical. I’m in it for the long haul so when you’re a famous philosopher/author/poet I’ll still be here cheering you on.

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Michael Edward's avatar

Ohh I know right!? I’m waiting for Evie to ask me just that haha. Bless Dave and you for finding your life of a simpler kind.

Thank you Kimberly. That honestly means so much, especially coming from someone like yourself whose work I admire so much. I am so happy to have crossed paths with you and to now be on this journey together. Your support and encouragement is more valuable to me than you know. And I, too, am in it for the long haul, so when your book hits the best seller list soon I’ll not only be cheering you on, but also subtlety nudging you to put out the next one. :)

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Francesca Bossert's avatar

Happy Platyversary🤗 I love that poem ✨⭐️

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Michael Edward's avatar

Ohh my god! Platyversary! That is brilliant! Thank you Francesca, I’m so glad you enjoyed the poem. :)

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Francesca Bossert's avatar

Haha! I’m clever like that 😂😂🙈🤪 Have a good weekend, Michael 🤗

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Michael Edward's avatar

Clever indeed! :)

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Kimber S Prewit's avatar

Happy Substackaversary, Michael! I've enjoyed your writing, that poem is worth more than a $25 giftcard (I know that it's priceless, buuuut also worth a $100 giftcard perhaps?), and also thank you for the shout out! I'm so honored to be among the many who also calls you friend on this platform! I'm excited for what this new Substack year will bring for you <3 And congrats on turning on and going paid! (If I was typing this from my phone, I'd do 'heart' and 'celebrate' emoji's, but I'm not, so I'm doing them in spirit!)

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Michael Edward's avatar

Thank you Kimber! And yes, that $25 gift card doesn’t have anything on my poem hahaha 😉

I’m honoured to call you a friend also Kimber! And thank you, I’m looking forward to reading what you’ve got cooking this year also. :)

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Alexx Hart's avatar

Woowoo! 🥳 Two year-versary! Yes. Yes, I am open to that. Someday when I’m rich & infamous yours will be among the first artist patronages that I sprint at with moolah in mah hand. This is reason #2806 why I wish Substack had a Buy Badasses A Coffee option. For when I have a little leeway and am especially inspired. Cuz you are one. Thank you so much for all you share, and for continuing to let we broke shmucks tag along. Congrats on the anniversary and move to paid!!! So glad the messed up rhythm let me see this one!!

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Michael Edward's avatar

Thank you Alexx! I look forward to when you are rich and infamous not just because I will graciously accept your patronage but also because I’d love to see what wild and wonderful lights shows, customs, and videos you’d make if you had some doe to splash around!

And yes, the buy me a coffee thing is another one of those things both I and Substack need to sort out haha.

And on a serious note—I’m so glad to have met you on here Alexx! Your support and encouragement (and hilarious and amazing comments) all mean so damn much to me. I am also so glad to be able read your brilliant and unique writing. You’re a straight up legend! :)

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Alexx Hart's avatar

Duuuude. 🤭🥰 I am equally glad. You always read and have actual conversations with me about it. That is so valuable in my life I don’t have words!! And you know me and words… 🤣 Your own writing constantly inspires me how to be better. Not just as a writer.

FYI there is KoFi in the meanwhile..just sayin. As for lights, costumes, vids and the like, I did just start launching this like…a half hour ago:

http://sunroom.so/belladancer

I’ll talk about it on here soon but—yeah. Technology glitches galore have abounded for the past week. Eh. Divine timing, I guess. As for the dreaming if I actually had cash to splash?! Ohhhh my! Yaaaas. My Queendom for a budget and a marketer. And a pro videographer. And an editor. And… 😜

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Michael Edward's avatar

I, too, value our deep reading of each other’s work and the subsequent conversations that follow. It is one of the best things about this whole online blogging craziness.

And are you kidding me!? YOU inspire me lady with the grace, humility, humour, and acceptance with which you navigate the situation that befell you!

Yes, I’ve gotta suss out the kofi thing and the sunroom thing you just sent (i just peaked yours briefly) — there is so much of that stuff out there, and I feel like I’m only just getting the hang of Substack after two years on the thing haha. :)

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Alexx Hart's avatar

I hear ya there. I still feel like a Substack flounder. Not quite a guppy anymore but…glub glub. 🤪

Sheesh I’m so glad! I read your stuff and feel like a big ole whiner/complainer/negative Nancy so I’m always tweaking. “Where can I inject some friggin humor, geez!!! Is there any inspirational I can hope to wrangle out of this? Or at least entertainment value? What would the platypus ficus on? No. Not ficus. Brown thumb. No, focus! Focus, darn it!! Squirrel!!!”

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Michael Edward's avatar

Not quite a guppy is still progress. This Substack ocean is a big one too, so I think many of us still feel like very small fish. I certainly do.

Haha ficus, some typos are too good. And don’t worry, I suspect if I was in your position I’d be focused on that bitch of a night nurse as well haha. I actually appreciate that you so candidly call it as you see it—it’s refreshing! :)

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Alexx Hart's avatar

Glub-glub guppies. Heeee! And yeah, we gotta ficus on the fun when we can because...sometimes cans o' WhuppAss just need to be taken out. I spent way too many years as a doormat and punching bag. Ugh. Dang it. Now I miss my punching bag as I wait for the knee to heal up. Uuuuuugh! Hahahah!

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Donna McArthur's avatar

This is an amazing poem Michael. There aren't many young guys who would drop everything to randomly enter a poetry contest so I think it's awesome you did that and it unearthed the writing spark within you. I find it fascinating how these things happen. Coincidence that you saw that poster? I think not.

Congrats on the second anniversary of TCP, it's a great publication and community. Onward!

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Michael Edward's avatar

I heard someone say once that they don’t believe in coincidences—and I think I’m the same. Synchronicity’s, yes. Nudges from the universe, yes. But just random coincidence, nah not for me, I reckon there’s more at play that we just can’t detect.

I mean, even our chance meeting on here Donna. I remember (vaguely) the first post of yours I read, and in it you prompted the reader to imagine an animal and hear what guidance it was giving (I may be remembering that slightly wrong) and I saw a crocodile of all things and it said ‘keep going’, and since then, we’ve been homies! And even to this day, I still hear that voice sometimes ‘keep going’ — no one can tell me all that is just a coincidence. As far as I’m concerned that is magic!

Thank you for all your support and encouragement and guidance (and for going paid!), Donna. Your presence here has been so meaningful to me :)

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Donna McArthur's avatar

Wow, thanks for reminding me about that post Michael. I'm going to go back and read it because I remember that I was equally surprised by my animal which was a mouse. I can't remember what it said so will take a look. I love that you got a croc and it said 'keep going' - I know you have needed that message many times and hope it's served you well.

I agree about no random coincidence and our meeting here. Yay!

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Michael Edward's avatar

Totally, I was surprised to see a croc, instead of the obvious animal: a platypus!

And yes, that message has proved very helpful over the last two years at many times.

Also, how’s this for a funny synchronicity—completely of her own volition, with no knowledge of the convo we had in my last post, brought home that book you mentioned ‘Horse’. I swear the universe is showing off sometimes. Thanks Donna :)

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Donna McArthur's avatar

That’s awesome!

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Mr. Troy Ford's avatar

I remember that Donna post too! In fact I think I found Donna through you, Michael!

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Michael Edward's avatar

That post stands out as a good one for sure. I can’t remember if you did or not, but I remember back in those early days I had like 10 subscribers and in my memory it feels as though you and Donna were some of the first. Good times :)

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Marmi's avatar

Beautiful poem Michael! Happy 2nd birthday Curious Platypus and here's to many more! Thank you for the shout out mate, and I'm so glad you saw the writing contest flyer which led to us having your great Substack, one of my faves ❤️

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Michael Edward's avatar

Thank you Marmi my mate! I’m glad you enjoyed the poem, and I’m so glad we crossed paths on here. Your support and levity are endless sources of joy for me—I appreciate you :)

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