Greetings from
The Publisher . . .
Our 20th Anniversary: Looking Back & Looking Ahead
Yes, we've published 20 years of issues! It's been a long road that passed by quickly. For those of you who remember the first issue, eight pages of newsprint on larger pages, then you know we've come a long way. Our first issue actually came out December 1985. We missed one issue in 1986, but have been there every other month—a total of 240 issues with this one.
Being an Aquarian and having many interests, it feels good to have stayed with one thing long enough to continue it for 20 years. The other part of being Aquarian is that I enjoy exploring something new each month and continue that exploration as long as there is more to learn.
When I decided to start The Light Connection ( TLC ) no one I knew and no one in my family thought it was a good idea. For me that was probably a positive that motivated me. I called it The Light Con- nection because I have always liked the name The Light, for a publication. I liked the image of bringing light, truth or consciousness to the light of day, plus there was the dual meaning with the light representing spiritual awareness. The “connection” was about connecting people or lights.
I've always said that my being able to do TLC is an acknowledgment of the San Diego community. It is. Now our distribution goes beyond that to Palm Springs , LA and Orange Counties , and even spots in Arizona and New Mexico . San Diego , however, has been our focus and that community is the base that has picked us up and read us for 20 years. It took a community's response for my vision to work. People from all over the country come to visit San Diego and then subscribe.
People move and want to stay in touch. It's great to see how many people have stayed in touch since the beginning.
Through the years it has taken a lot of people giving a lot to produce TLC each month. I first decided to do it after Terry Cole-Whittaker Ministries closed. My exwife, Marlene, and I worked there. For months afterward neither of us knew what to do next. We were in shock for a while. Working for Rev. Terry was very full-time job. Afterward I would run into people, almost everywhere I went, who would ask what at lthe people we worked with were doing.
That started me thinking about doing something, to let people know what others were up to. About 1800 people attended her services each week, with many more on her mailing list. While working there, one of the jobs I had was publishing her monthly paper, The Good News .
For a while we printed 50,000 copies and sent them all around San Diego and mailed them all over the country.
The first issue of TLC was literally a reunion and update on those we had worked with. Kathy Hearn had founded the Alliance of Light Ministry in San Diego . Rev. Sandy Scott founded a ministry in Los Angeles . I stuffed what I could into eight pages. Taking three years journalism classes and doing Terry's paper for a couple of years was my training. I have never worked on a publication that I didn't run, so I've always had to learn live, in real time.
Stan Leopard first told me about a new software, PageMaker that made doing a publication on a personal computer practical. Daniel Higgins did the computer work at first and later we used Pacific Partners until we could do it ourselves, in house. We used the earliest Mac possible I think, a Lisa.
After deciding to start TLC , I met with several San Diego ministers and told them how I wanted to connect the New Thought spiritual community. That was encouraging. One of those ministers, Rev. Marilyn Hall of the New Thought Center for Creative Living, is currently in TLC. The advice of Dolly Brooks, now known as KatRama was invaluable at that time. I also talked to half a dozen publications and asked questions like, who delivers your paper? The practical stuff. The publisher of the Reader told me to buy a good dictionary.
Bernard Gunther, Ph.D., was probably the most responsible for applying foot to rear (mine) and getting the first issue out. He and Dolly kept pushing me to begin. I was looking for perfection in the first issue (another Aquarian trait?). It hasn't happened yet. It doesn't come with the territory.
Within a few months of beginning TLC , John Falchi began his long-time contribution to us. Since the first issue, I've tried to include more and more people and groups as I have become aware of them. John, a great networker, has helped us do that, providing us with stories, story ideas, and introductions to groups and people. We recently talked about an idea for February 2006. He's been instrumental in helping us expand to include more and more people and activities.
Among my acknowledgements, I need to include the late Mark Siegchrist. Many long-time readers will remember him leading Sufi dances in San Diego and Cardiff . Mark graduated from Yale and taught English literature at an Ivy League university. For over seven years—from the second issue on—after all the articles were completed I would take them to his place in Hillcrest and watch as he tore them apart, every month. Through that I managed to partially catch up on all of the English classes I ignored and struggled through in school. Eventually, he even gave me a much-needed massage afterwards.
While I started TLC by myself, it would not have lasted if it weren't for my ex-wife Marlene, now Marlene Martin re-married and in Miami . At first she shied away from it. Actually the expression regarding a ten-foot pole comes to mind. One day 6- 7 months into it, she asked how I knew if people had paid for their ads. When I pointed to that particular stack of papers and let her know the answer was within, she rolled her eyes and decided she was tired of driving from Cardiff to her job in downtown San Diego . The “organizer” was on board for the next 15 years.
In addition to her partnership then, I want to acknowledge her for the way we broke up. Without her commitment to making the transition smooth, TLC would probably have ended. We made the best of it, realizing we were very different people who wanted to move in different directions. Decisions were made with the idea that it was important TLC continue. She even worked with me, doing different sections after moving out and even now is arranging an interview she will do for a future issue. We are still the best of friends. I want to thank her understanding husband, Richard Martin, for allowing that to work too.
Through the years we have had many great people work with us. Jane Smithey, Andree Swezey, Jennifer Casey, Phyllis Kirk, Jonathon Field, Malia Rosa, John Noble, Margaretta Gannon, Joanne D'Amato, Tina Moreno, Lou Levitt, Patricia Neves, Patricia Stevens-Mann, DeeAnn Morgan- Holt, Leslie Gagneauv, Kristi Clark, Wendy Ruiz, Karen Lee, Francine DuFour, Frank Wuebben, Loy Young, Heidi Bonisa and Mary Zimmerman have all made note-worthy contributions. They all were the right people at the right time for what we needed. Those who are currently contributing are on pg. 4.
Astrologer Carola Eastwood has also been there with us, almost since the beginning. We printed the early editions on the laser printer of a neighbor, Ron Kaufman. Catherine Newhart was our first cover artist, then Rosemary KimBal of Dancing Brush in Cardiff gave our covers an Asian, zen flavor for years. Eventually we switched to featuring people.
Noelle Denke deserves special mention because she was the only person since the beginning who has done every single task that we did: managing distribution, doing the accounting, writing, editing, selling ads and quoting prices without looking at the rate sheet, she simply did everything at one time or another. Then she had a baby and I'm sure did everything needed in that direction.
MJ Lachowicz has to be acknowledged for her commitment and heart. Never was I concerned that she might get harsh with someone on the phone. The idea that she had to go home at a certain time while there was still something left to do and a deadline near never seemed to enter her mind. She was/is simply great. For almost 2 years she worked on a series of articles on the UN's Millennium Project, which identified what worldwide issues concerned people the most.
Of all the people through the years, Tim Brittain has been there longer than anyone. For 16 years now he has designed ads and has done the graphics necessary to get us to the printer. From '97 to 2005 he also designed the cover and has simply been a rock. He's another very talented contributor who puts in hours far beyond what most people are willing to do. He is a great partner and many times has noticed mistakes at the last minute.
Thanks to the many, many people who have helped get us out each month.
There's been the other side too, the mistakes. Unfortunately, Jan. 1985 became Jan. 1986. We had two Februarys and no March one year. In short, we've made every mistake possible —sometimes more than once. Some, believe it or not, were out of our control and totally unpredictable. Have you ever heard of software needing upgrades because of unpredictable problems? It's ongoing.
The first time we put a person on the cover and added color was not pretty. We featured Louise Hay with a green face and green hair. Graciously, she never said a word about it.
More than a few people have been upset. There are people around town who have never forgiven us for errors. One of them, 15 years after a typographical error—well, a couple—still won't even talk to us. It serves no purpose to upset people.
We don't do it intentionally. We've probably had a hundred people work with us, some more efficient than others. That people can take those mistakes personally and hold on to them is not too surprising I guess. I used to be in pain about every single mistake and take it personally, too. It's certainly humbling when you try to control too much.
I've always been amazed how, with the best intentions, we can get people po'd. Every time we've changed procedures, prices, columnists or due dates somebody has taken it personally and wants the good old days back.
It also amazes me too how some people think they will get something for nothing. I've noticed an uncanny correlation between those who get results from their ads and those who don't, and whether or not they pay for their ads. Not everyone who pays get results, of course, but not paying brings a very predictable result. All the time I see people who come in with a commitment to growing their business get results; and those who want to try it once and see what happens, don't do as well.
I've never produced an issue that was absolutely as predicted. It always evolves. I noticed a long ago that TLC took on a life of it's own. The synchronicity leaves me in wonder. I wanted to connected like-minded and spirited people and groups. I have always thought there is more that unifies us than divides us. I said I wanted to do this and now I notice how often I'm along for the ride watching it fall together better than I could have planned it.
It's fitting that we interviewed Patricia Aburdene, author of Megatrends 2010 and coauthor of Megatrends and Megatrends 2000 , this month. She speaks of a growing spirituality that is taking hold in this country now.
Looking ahead a wave of greater intensity and acceptance seems to be coming. We will continue to offer tools, information and our perspective on things. We want to balance spirituality or personal empowerment with health and environmental consciousness. Beyond that I'll have to expand in another issue. There is just never quite enough space. There were just too many wonderful people to thank. Thank you all.
Have a great month,
Steve
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