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By Matt Nadelson / New York City The date was March 19, 2020. I was working at a client’s home in Brooklyn Heights. The appointment was routine, but the news was anything but. Covid aka coronavirus was raging in Europe and it felt inevitable that it would eventually come to our shores. When I walked out of that appointment, I walked right into quarantine. On-site IT support was the bread and butter of my company, Computer Camaraderie. How would it continue to exist in a world where I might not be able to set foot in a client’s home or workplace for many months or years to come? After just a few weeks of mainly fruitless efforts trying to convince our clients to try our IT services remotely, my prayers were answered. Enter Andrea Sachs, an accomplished Time magazine reporter who had started a pandemic newsletter she was distributing among friends but hoped to turn into something bigger. It was the type of project that under typical circumstances would land in my inbox three to four times a year.. Aspiring writers, bloggers, and novelists are often looking for ways to use technology to get their creative projects out to the public. But it turned out that Andrea was no typical client. Where most of our clients tend to ease online slowly, Andrea wanted to jump right into the fire. It was clear almost immediately that her goal wasn’t to have a small side project to fill her time in quarantine. Once she learned what was possible technologically, Andrea had a clear vision: The Insider was going to be a full online pandemic publication, complete with a regular publishing schedule, regular contributors and sections, and even a digital counter showing international Covid infections in real-time. It also became abundantly clear that Andrea’s vision included a larger role for me than I ever would have expected. One where I not only would help to build the platform, but actually help to publish the stories. It developed in to a role that led me very far away from my job description as a “tech guy,” but not far at all from another passion I’ve always had­: writing. I’m so grateful to Andrea for making this all possible. And so proud of The Insider’s success. While there are many fulfilling projects that come along, there are very few in which the quality of the people, the work and the finished product all line up to make one hell of an adventure. Thank you, Insiders! Matt Nadelson is the founder and president of Computer Camaraderie Corp., a full-service IT support firm based in New York City that specializes in the unique needs of home and small-business users. 833-IT-RESCUE (833-487-3728) Email: matthew@ccc4me.com Facebook: @CCC4ME Website: http://www.ccc4me.com

I thought about writing some gassy screed for this, the final issue of The Insider, with ruminations about pandemic journalism. Then I read all of these beautiful stories by our contributors, and I decided to keep quiet. Res ipsa loquitur, baby! Thank you to the many fine writers who made this publication possible. I watched you get better and better, experienced journalists and newbies alike. You wrote with more verve and ingenuity in each succeeding issue. I know from personal experience that it’s not easy. As the old maxim goes, Writing is easy–you just open a vein and bleed. A special shout-out to The Insider’s gifted film critic, Laurence Lerman, who wrote “Reel Streaming,” our longest-running column: 131 weeks ain’t chopped liver! Thanks to the hundreds of people who agreed to be interviewed by The Insider over the past 3½ years. I am overwhelmed by the number of folks who participated in frank interviews about having Covid. Your disclosures were truly the first draft of the history of this modern-day plague. I owe a special debt of gratitude to our technology manager, Matt Nadelson of Computer Camaraderie, who is one of those rare folks with both tech and English-major talents. Matt and I spent thousands of hours piecing together the digital pages you saw every week, all while gossiping and arguing about politics. His work ethic is legendary: It’s 3 a.m. and you need computer help? No problem! And a collegial toast to those journalists at other publications–The New York Post, The Detroit News, The Detroit Free Press, The Detroit Jewish News and The Silurian Press Club News–who gave us a publicity boost by writing colorful stories about The Insider. Your articles helped bring an increasing number of eyeballs to our site (50,000 unique visitors in all), and this sister journo is beholden to you. Most of all, I would like to offer an enormous thank you to our loyal readers, whose suggestions, comments and enthusiasm have been all-important. Those treasured folks who have been riding with me since Lilly’s Little Libels (my first publication, in law school, in the mid-1970s), please know you’re in my will. All of you made this veteran print journalist’s vague digital dreams real. Love you dearly! Andrea -30-

By Andy Borowitz | The New Yorker July 24, 2023 WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—An unskilled Florida man said that he deeply regrets having missed out on the opportunity to be a slave. The man said that his “lack of access to enslavement” had made his acquisition of essential skills “impossible.” “Every day when I mess something up at work, I wonder to myself, would I be doing a better job if I’d been a slave?” he said. “There’s no question that it would have been a game-changer for me.” He argued that being barred from forced servitude was a form of “white underprivilege,” and that Caucasians who suffer from a resulting skills deficit deserve reparations. “Something must be done to compensate people like me who were unfairly denied the chance to be slaves,” he said. “When I think about the personal benefits I was prevented from obtaining, it makes me furious.” Andy Borowitz is a Times best-selling author and a comedian who has written for The New Yorker since 1998. He writes The Borowitz Report, a satirical column on the news.

Thanks to the more than 100 contributors who have graced our pages for the past 3+ years! Sandy Adler Viviene Ayres Ruth Balin Madeline Barry Marty Barry Matthew Beck Olive Beck Sienna Beck Willa Beck Helene Bednarsh Pernel Berkeley Laura Berman Russell Bikoff Shira Brewer Dr. Shelly Broder Steve Cash Naomi Cohen Neil Cohen Robin Cohen Shary Cohn Charles Cole Michael Cole Barbara Collier Mary Coombs Gwen Cooper Mickey Davis Doug Dworkin Joel Dzodin Susanne Dzodin David Fink Bonnie Fishman Jane Fishman Dr. Nancy Fishman Amy Lennard Goehner Lisa Goldberg Brian Grant Eric Green Dave Greenbaum Lauren Grossman Polly Halfkenny Jeanette Handelsman Merrill Lynn Hansen Janice Horowitz Renee Horowitz Frieda Hughes Mitzi Jacobs Aileen Jacobson Stephen Koepp D’vorah Kost Julie Mann Kraus Andrea Kwok Ben Leeds Sophie Leeds Laurence Lerman Marieke Slovin Lewis Dr. Barry Lubetkin Jeffrey Markowitz Judi Markowitz Michael McQuillan Anokhee Mepani Joanna Migdal Jackie Minghinelli Matt Nadelson Albert Naglieri Anita Newman Robert Osborne David Perel Debra Perron Fred Plotkin Charles Polit Mitchell Polstein Guillermo Porras Evelyn Renold Alan Resnick John Rolfe Victoria Rolfe Wendy Rollin Dr. Jeffrey Sachs Lauren Sachs Dr. Sonia Ehrlich Sachs Anita Saesing Miral Sattar Joseph Schulz Jessie Seigel Emmy Serviss Naomi Serviss Susan Shapiro Dr. Tony Shields Bruce Shlain Susie Silverman Tony Spokojny Tobye S. Stein Patsy Swartz Stephi Tikalsky Alex Treblin David W. Tubman Debra Turner Bill Tynan Josh Van Gundy Debby Waldman Don Was Susan Weill Estha Weiner Morrey Weinner Judith Weinraub David Weiss Lydia Hope Wilen John Woodford Dr. Fayth Yoshimura

Our Nearly 11-Year-Old Correspondent Says Goodbye–for Now! By Sienna Beck / New York City Dear Readers, Wow! Three miraculous years have gone by since I wrote my first article. Three years’ worth of support from you guys. I am extremely grateful to all you have done: your wonderful comments, your reading my columns, and so much more. I am sad to close down, but Covid-19 is endemic now, and now it is time to move on. Writing my columns has been a relief for me. Finding the content is difficult, but fitting it together and finding which pieces snap has always been fun. And seeing how much you read my columns, I feel even better. Starting from when I was 8, when I wrote about our ski trip in Camelback, I then wrote 18 more columns, ranging from orthodontist visits to our new friends who immigrated from South America, to the Museum of Failure. And without The Insider and all your support, my career as a writer might have become a failure without my monthly columns. I will miss that satisfaction when my articles are published. This last column is about how I’ve changed as a writer. At 8 years old, my grammar was awful. (I always used the weirdest words, some that didn’t even exist.) Sometimes I miss being 8, because I had a wild imagination and never did writer’s block ☹ strike me. As a 10¾ year-old, I often can’t begin a story without a starter from the Internet or some sort of inspiration. The first article I published inspired me to launch my career. At 9, my grammar got a little bit better, because I never made up words and my stories started to make sense. I began to write longer columns with weaved-in logic. The writer’s block seldom came, but when it came, it was easier to cure. At 9 and a half, I became a spelling whiz, and it still pains me deeply when people misspell words. Actually, in the middle of fifth grade, I went over the work of a kid in my class and changed each word, either spelling, spacing or punctuation. I am a naturally fast typist, so I finished that very fast. (It was an ecosystem unit, and I was fixing a rainforest piece.) At 10 years old, I started reflecting on certain trips and recommending places to visit like the MOX (Museum of Failure) and started incorporating comedy into my stories. Now I am almost 11 years old and have gone on to submit my stories to contests, write plays, and feel more confident in myself. I would like to thank a couple of people personally. My great-aunt Andi, the editor-in-chief and publisher of The Insider, thank you so much for letting me write in your website. It has been so fun writing for you. Naomi Serviss, thank you for sending me emails and letters and for boosting my creativity. Whenever I needed inspiration for an article, you responded to my emails within an hour. My mom, for letting me go on my computer when I wanted to begin an article. Thank you so much for reminding me when to do so, as well. ☺ Writopia Lab, thank you for giving me my tools, inspiration, boosts, confidence, and so much more for four whole years. (I was 7 when I started.) And last but not least, for the millionth time (but never less important), my readers. Thank you for reading all my articles, even my extremely boring ones. (Honestly, never are any of my articles boring, but I’m the author, so what do I know?) I hope that Andi will maybe start an Outsider website so everyone can continue reading and writing (my two favorite subjects!) But if not, good luck with your Ph.D., Andi, and I really hope to stay in touch with everybody!!!! I will never, ever forget The Insider. It is an unforgettable–more than a website–writing home. Kindly, Sienna B. Skating Past the Pandemic! By Willa Beck / New York City Wow, things for me have changed!!! If you always read The Insider, you might remember my first article, about my first online piano recital. Our extended family had to watch it on Zoom, while my sisters and I were playing at our own house, because we could not all be together. Now, in the past year, not only have I had piano recitals in-person, but I have had in-person recitals playing viola and singing, both of which I started learning during the pandemic. I also performed piano at my school’s talent show, in front of hundreds of people gathered in the auditorium. You also might remember when I wrote about learning how to roller-skate in a hallway. Now, I’m biking, roller-blading and even ice skating outside. Writing in The Insider was one of the first times I had written for other people, and it was fun to share experiences. Since those articles, I have started writing much more. My favorite type of writing is writing the dialogue in plays. (That’s another thing I’ve been able to do since the pandemic ended: I’ve gone to a lot of Broadway shows!) When I think of the pandemic, I think of many fun times that I had, including writing for The Insider, but I am also glad the Covid years are over and I’m looking forward to new opportunities! How I Feel About the Pandemic Being Over By Olive Beck / New York City (as told to her mother) After long years of people being sick, finally, Covid-19 has come to a stopping point. I was very lucky because I did not get Covid. My sister, Sienna, also didn’t. But everyone else in my family did, even though we were very careful. When we went on trips in airplanes, we usually wore double masks. But we just went on our trip to Egypt with no masks. Now I get to get to school with no mask, too! I’m very happy about that. When my Great-Aunt started The Insider, I was 3½, and I couldn’t write, so I didn’t get to contribute articles. Then I started to write an article about losing my first tooth, but the draft is still in Notes on my IPad, and I never got to publish it. So my first article is going to be my last! I hope to publish other articles in the future, and I hope that you, readers, will see them! Farewell! Already seasoned travelers, Sienna, Willa and Olive visited Cairo, Thessaloniki, Istanbul and AlUla in July with their parents and grandparents

By Steve Cash / Detroit With a little sadness, I say goodbye to Andrea and The Insider. Writing for Andrea was a privilege and wonderful opportunity. It gave me a chance to do what I have longed to do for years: write weekly articles with the express purpose of trying to express myself and possibly making people laugh a bit. The deadlines forced me to discipline myself to deliver the work in a timely fashion. Andrea's patient and expert editing immeasurably enhanced whatever ability I possessed. When The Insider was mentioned to me as a possible outlet, I was hesitant at first. I read some of the articles and most of the authors did not share my views on politics, the pandemic, and other vital concerns. What convinced me to move forward was Andrea's integrity. When I shared my concerns with her, she was nothing but supportive. Although she also disagreed with my views, she not only allowed me to come on board, but in the true spirit of journalism, encouraged opposing views. By and large the feedback I've received has been complimentary and rewarding. The kindness has helped my self-image and has motivated me to continue writing in the future. The unexpected praise from prolific and proven writers like David Weiss and Andrea herself make me feel that trying to take this thing a step further may be something more than just a pipe dream. The criticism I suffered was also somewhat helpful. I realized how serious and passionate some readers were, and tried to diffuse their anger in a comical but heartfelt manner. I know Andrea started The Insider with the pandemic as the main theme, but for me it morphed into something much greater. It gave an aging realtor a chance to turn back the clock, and try to get back in touch with the creative side that I had long ago put to rest. The legacy for me is eight months of fun, and having made some new friends. The readers to be sure, and most of all, Andrea. Steve Cash is originally from Oak Park, Mich. He is a longtime real estate agent who used to do stand-up comedy in L.A. His claim to fame was winning The Gong Show in 1977, and working at the Comedy Store with such greats as David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Michael Keaton. After watching those brilliant comics perform, Steve realized he’d better make a beeline back to Detroit and get back into real estate. Steve has had articles published in a number of publications and enjoys writing and trying to make people laugh.

By Bonnie Fishman / San Francisco Bay Area Last weekend, I received disappointing news. Andrea Sachs, our fearless leader of The Insider, is shuttering the magazine. “Oh no!” was my first reaction. Actually, I said it out loud using more colorful language. I understand Andi’s position and I’m sad for all of us writing and all of you reading. For those of you who follow my column, do not fear. I plan to begin a blog soon with my thoughts, stories, food knowledge, and additional recipes. Please send me your email address if you want to continue riding the wave with me: bfishman333@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you! Here at the Fishman Family Compound, we already have two writers at The Insider. Add in our sister, Marcia, an accomplished writer herself. We are contemplating a collaborative blog of our musings about living your best life, including travel, food, adventures, hospitality, relationships and emotional challenges (written so eloquently by my sister, Nancy Fishman, Ph.D.) We will invite other writers to contribute their stories too, just to mix things up and offer plenty of “food for thought.” We’ll ask our readers what piques their interest. You get the idea. What I have discovered over the past two-plus years writing for The Insider is that it has given me so much more than I have given the magazine. I have begun to look at the world differently. My curiosity level is through the roof, especially when it comes to food ingredients and what you can do with them.  It’s cucumber season–there’s a story there. I see a field of sunflowers. Hmmm, what can I make with them and write about?? I have yet to visit the mushroom farm nearby and create a delicious recipe and column about that. I can’t turn my brain off! I never wrote before The Insider. Andi “discovered” me and I’m forever grateful. I have learned so much from her about writing, editing, idea creation, and how wonderful it is to have an editor in your corner cheering you on. Thank you, Andi! I have also learned that having purpose and direction is a wonderful thing, especially as we age. For those of us who are retired, you get what I mean. For those of you who are in the trenches working and raising a family, you probably have more purpose than you need! My son, Ben, who is a screenwriter, and his wife, Rachel, who is a writing instructor at UCLA, both juggle raising two young boys, maintain a house, careers, and still manage to write for themselves. It is a yearning and burning inside that just needs to come out. My “soul purpose” for my life is to live in peace, experience joy, enjoy a simple life, be a good person, maintain good health, have meaningful relationships, and challenge my brain by learning every day. Writing has helped fill my soul. Knowing that many people have gotten value out of reading my articles is beyond what I could ever have hoped for. I love the feedback, the photos of your cooking, and your shared memories of our lives, whether I know you personally or not. If we grew up in the same era, we know each other! For the past two-plus years, I have thoroughly enjoyed digging up interesting foods to write about. I educate me, I educate you. Win-win. It has given me a greater appreciation for how things grow and where my food comes from. I have also enjoyed weaving my cultural anthropology background into some of my articles. I can’t help it. As a self-proclaimed “busybody,” I want to know about different peoples and their cultures. Do they value what we value? Do they gather to eat at each meal, where here in America we seem to be eating on the run more and more as the years pass? Is our hectic First World pace the best way to live? Really? By providing my readers with straight-forward step-by-step recipes using raw materials, I hope that I have encouraged home cooks to take cooking more seriously and to do it more often. Making cooking a hobby has great benefits! I have also peppered my columns with tales of the Fishman Family Compound entertaining. We take it to the nth degree–it’s just our nature. I have demonstrated tablescapes, shown theme dinners, discussed appropriate appetizers and desserts. We even have perfected the art of porch sitting. I want my readers to know that I plan to carry on living my best life and hope you will come along for the journey. I’ve got some exciting columns on deck and a few trips before the year is out. You won’t want to miss them. Reminder: send me your name and email to: bfishman333@gmail.com. You’ll be the first to know when our new blog is released! Thank you for your readership, loyalty and feedback. I look forward to more in the future. Bonnie Bonnie Fishman attended the Cordon Bleu Cookery School in London. Later, she owned and operated Bonnie’s Patisserie in Southfield, Mich. and Bonnie’s Kitchen and Catering in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. She has taught cooking for over 35 years and created hundreds of recipes. She is now living in Northern California.

By Dr. Nancy Fishman / Morgan Hill, Calif. Wow! We were just getting to know each other and now we have to say goodbye, at least for the time being. It has been my privilege and pleasure to have been included on The Insider’s roster of writers. As the publication comes to an end, I reflect on the importance of Andrea Sachs’ mission to create a forum for bringing people together during the pandemic. At a time of uncertainty for most, and isolation and loneliness for many, The Insider has offered interesting topics that exemplified the notion we are all truly connected. Our spirits were lifted, we found our senses of humor, and we were reminded of our humanity. We became a community! This, being my final column for The Insider, I decided to write about love, loss and goodbyes. Lord Alfred Tennyson wrote: “’Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” These famous words appeared in In Memoriam A.H.H., a long poem Tennyson wrote after the death of a fellow student at Cambridge. Even as a young man, Tennyson understood that the risk of loving comes with the potential for losing. Even when we experience the pain associated with loss, the human spirit is resilient. Our need to avoid loneliness by insuring we are connected to others motivates us to choose love again, even at the risk of yet another painful end. Throughout the life span, we will all sustain many losses. A key characteristic of centenarians is the ability to withstand loss; after all, they outlive most of their contemporaries, including siblings and friends and, frequently, offspring as well. Do we get better at handling loss as we age? Perhaps we just get used to saying goodbye. At the age of 21, I adopted an English setter puppy one week after my mother died. Annie was my constant companion for the 11 years of her life. I loved that dog with abandon and couldn’t even say her name without crying for the first two years after her death. I have had many other dogs throughout my life. I have loved and lost them all. The only lesson I learned is that love comes with loss and I had better get used to it. Relationships of all kinds, including adult love, friendships, and human-to-animal love have inherent risks with precarious pitfalls. It is sometimes shocking to learn that not all relationships are meant to last forever. For example, the friends we make in our early school years are mostly friends of convenience who may not follow us through life. Sometimes we find friendships in our workplaces or neighborhoods. Later after changing jobs or moving to a new home, those friendships can fade into oblivion. One might ask, “What’s the point of these friendships if they are so vulnerable?” Tennyson reminds us that our lives are enriched by the love (and friendship) that graces our years. My life before the age of 21 was punctuated by a slew of losses. I had no idea I was practicing a crucial life skill, the art of saying goodbye. Certainly there is no comparison between losing a pet and losing a parent, yet there are ways we can prepare ourselves for significant loss of all intensities. Having a state of mind that is based in reality is absolutely necessary. The notions that we all die, that nothing stays the same, and that much of our existence is totally out of our control, are truths we need to accept in preparation for sad times. Some rely on their faith and the explanations offered for loss. Others have had positive interactions with mediums, who provide a window into the afterlife, which can be comforting. Taking some preemptive action to prepare for goodbyes can be very helpful. One example is planning your own retirement party to say your farewells in a way that works best for you. This may assure that you bring closure to one chapter of your life before starting the next. Another example is the anticipation of a family or friend’s death due to illness. Ask that person if they would like to talk about saying goodbye. If they are willing, that conversation can be therapeutic for both of you. A last example is having a child leave home to go away to college. This separation is usually preceded by the parents and the teenager feeling very annoyed with each other, easing the need to part. As we say goodbye to The Insider, we surely must be grateful for the time we had. We were entertained, educated, and enriched during its run. Personally, I thank Andrea Sachs for brilliant editing, and Matt Nadelson for technical contributions and layouts. I thank all the readers who expressed appreciation for the writers’ efforts. My sisters, who are both accomplished writers, and I live on a family compound. We are currently working on establishing a blog. Please send your email address to NancyFishmanPhD@icloud.com if you would like to be notified when we launch. As always, be well, connect with others, keep love alive, and do good work out there! Goodbye for now! Nancy Fishman, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist, consultant, and author. Visit her website for an extended biography and more information: www.NancyFishmanPhD.com

By Laurence Lerman / New York City “The world is changed.” So said Cate Blanchett’s Elvin queen Galadriel at the beginning of 2001’s The Fellowship of the Ring, the first film of Peter Jackson’s magnificent Lord of the Rings trilogy. It’s what I was thinking when The Insider’s founder and editor-in-chief Andrea Sachs announced she was shuttering the publication she founded back in March of 2020, and for which I have penned 130 Reel Streaming columns. I wrote about Fellowship and its companion movies for one of my first Insider columns back then, one month into New York City’s COVID-19 quarantine. Earthshaking permutations aside, it was also the time when the first substantial “Movies to Watch During the Pandemic” lists began to roll out. I say “substantial,” because it was a point where everyone began realizing that the virus was here to stay and that movie-watching lists were quickly expanding beyond the obvious picks (The Godfather and Star Wars, anyone?). With Andrea very kindly informing me that I should “write what I know,” my very Reel Streaming bounced all over the streaming spectrum. I chose a “streaming” of consciousness curatorial approach that included write-ups on an outlandishly diverse collection of titles that included the 1954 Bob Hope costume comedy Casanova’s Big Night, the 1985 Dan Ackroyd-Chevy Chase stinker Spies Like Us, the behind-the-scenes of The Wizard of Oz little people epic Under the Rainbow (1981), a pair of Ingmar Bergman dramas from the Sixties and a Suzanne Somers TV flick from ’78. And so it went for the next year—genre listicles, round-ups revolving around specific holidays (French films on Bastille Day, for instance), targeted examinations of great filmmakers (like Fellini’s costume epics of the ’70s) and lots of looks at new movies that were originally slated to open in theaters but were relegated to premiering on streaming platforms. (Everything from the Groundhog Day-ish comedy Palm Springs with Andy Samberg and the irrepressible Cristin Milioti to Soul, Pixar’s silky-smooth “jazz-is-life” fable.) But by late spring, 2021, the world was changing yet again. Movies slowly began to open in theaters, and over the four-day Memorial Day weekend, North American cinemas pulled in nearly $100 million in ticket sales, the best weekend performance for theaters since the start of the pandemic. It was a hopeful sign for the film industry. For everyone. Eighteen new feature films opened exclusively in theaters in June 2021, and another 18 premiered on streaming platforms. Hybrid movie viewing had begun, with a pair of high-end franchise action flicks leading the return to theaters: F9, an installment in the Fast & Furious series, and Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard with Salma Hayek and Ryan Reynolds. The first one was a hit; the second one most definitely was not. The slow return of audiences to theaters took its first significant leap forward with the wide of release of No Time to Die, star Daniel Craig’s fifth and final entry in the James Bond franchise, which opened on 4,400 North American screens in October 2021, following a nearly two-year delay. It ultimately grossed $775 million around the world, $15 of it coming from me in what would be my first time attending a movie in a theater since January, 2020. My review for No Time to Die and my experience in returning to a mostly-empty theater (I saw the film two months into its run) was and still is my favorite Reel Streaming column, the micro and the macro of movies in the time of Covid. As the virus twisted and turn around us and the world continued to change—medically, politically, psychologically and environmentally—the next year-and-a-half found me continuing to contribute weekly Reel Streaming columns, along with a handful of pieces on the media’s coverage of various newsworthy political events (like the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022), a slew of obituaries and tributes (which I like to refer to as “tribituaries”) and cover stories about the last three Academy Award ceremonies. And as Covid slowly retreated, I began covering a larger number of theatrical premieres, serving as a good old-fashioned movie critic, more than I ever had in my previous hundred or so columns. The world had changed—people were now regularly leaving their homes—and it continues to change. The technology of streaming and its role in the production and compensation of the entertainment industry’s writers and performers played a major part in igniting Hollywood’s current SAG-AFTRA and WGA labor strikes. True, one of the key issues pertains more to revenues generated by multipart programs than those earned by feature films, but there’s no getting around the perception that Hollywood’s colossal streaming industry is currently considered to be one of the bad guys. But the movies continue—I’ll soon be heading to the theater for the latest Indiana Jones movie (no, I still haven’t seen it!) and the just-arrived box-office behemoths Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig, and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer—and that’s reason to smile. I’ll be sad, though, not to have the same forum to offer my opinions on what I’m seeing, be it at home or on the big screen. I sincerely thank Andrea for giving me the chance to tell you all what I’ve been thinking about this past three years and, hopefully, given you an idea or two for a title you considered checking out—as the world was changing. Laurence Lerman is a film journalist, former editor of Video Business--Variety's DVD trade publication--and husband to The Insider's own Gwen Cooper. Over the course of his career he has conducted one-on-one interviews with just about every major director working today, including Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Clint Eastwood, Kathryn Bigelow, Ridley Scott, Walter Hill, Spike Lee, and Werner Herzog, among numerous others. Once James Cameron specifically requested an interview with Laurence by name, which his wife still likes to brag about. Most recently, he is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the online review site DiscDish.com.

By Marieke Slovin Lewis / Seattle When my mom, Helene Bednarsh, told me in the fall of 2020 that a friend of hers from Oak Park, Mich. had created an online magazine dedicated to all things pandemic, I jumped at the chance to write about my experiences living in northern Europe. At the time, my husband Richard and I were living in Bailleul, France. We had just moved there from Belgium after the pandemic turned our plans to return to the U.S. upside down. We had tickets and reservations for our three cats and our dog to return to Prescott, Arizona, but the airlines began canceling all international travel with animals. No way to sneak on board when you have four, but we were lucky to be able to say yes to a one-year postdoc position in France. Writing for The Insider gave me a clear focus and became an important outlet, a way to connect with people all over the world. I am deeply grateful to Andrea Sachs for her ingenuity and dedication to this project, as well as her support and feedback. I have learned so much about the craft through Andrea’s ideas and feedback. I have enormous gratitude as well for Matt Nadelson, whose tech brilliance gave added dimension and pizzaz to my pieces. My Insider pandemic experience spanned two lockdowns in France, the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the January 6 2021 siege on the Capitol, and my desperate attempts to get a first vaccine before returning to the U.S. in June 2021. In The Insider in January 2021, I shared the experiences of people from different corners of the globe, from Homer, Alaska to Holon, Israel. That story in particular gave me a chance to connect with people going through their own pandemic experiences. There was a sense of solidarity and support as we communicated back and forth, sharing ups and downs, photos of social distancing signs, selfies with masks, and creative ways to safely gather outdoors. The Insider was ever-present as I wrote about returning to the United States and the culture shock we experienced moving back to GOP-dominated Arizona after five years abroad and in the middle of a global pandemic. I wrote about life in Arizona and the struggle of trying to protect my health and well-being in a place that was already conservative before the Trump years and had become even more so in the years since. I managed to get through nearly three years without contracting the virus until I tested positive within days of traveling to visit family in Honolulu, Hawaii. Writing to you now from my new stomping grounds in Seattle, I feel a sigh that our time together is ending but also so much gratitude. For me, writing has always been a meditative practice, a way to find meaning out of the trials and tribulations of life’s up and downs. It has also been a means for overcoming loneliness. If you have followed my writing for The Insider, you know that I am a globetrotter. This kind of life comes with moments of intense isolation. It’s part of the package when you have to start over in a new place time and again. That can be an exciting opportunity to recreate yourself, to meet new people and explore new cultures and places. During a pandemic, the nomadic life can be more than a little challenging. I will always be so thankful for my time with The Insider and to everyone who has read and commented on my pieces. As I continue to write, I invite you to follow my journey. I never know where each new year will take me. In this strange new post-pandemic world, we need connection with each other more than ever. I hope you will come “see” me at my blog and share your stories as well! You can find me at “Life of Marieke”: https://lifeofmarieke.com/ To follow my work, writing music with people from their stories, visit: https://guidingsong.com/ Until we meet again, in the virtual realm and maybe even in person, I wish you joy and health. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you! Marieke Slovin Lewis is a writer, musician, singer-songwriter, yoga teacher, and editor. She holds a Ph.D. in Sustainability Education and writes music from people's life stories, using a method called Story-to-Song that she developed with a fellow doctoral student. She was recognized as a finalist for the 2021 Amateo Award for arts participation projects in Europe for her project, "On the Move: Poems and Songs of Migration," for which she wrote songs with refugees and asylum seekers in Brussels, Belgium about their migration experiences. Marieke is a wandering soul and has lived all over the world. She is currently living with her husband, two cats, and a big white husky in Seattle, Washington.

A Poem by Dr. Barry Lubetkin / New York City The pandemic darkened my mind. Everything changed. Office closed. Masks for frightened faces. Friends moving, dying. Time deranged. And then the invitation: A poem, please. Just a poem about what you see, what you feel, what you fear. The Insider gave me a chance to share 
all that I felt, all that troubled me, all that I had to say (scream) with those I would never know. And for this therapist, it became therapy, and I will miss it deeply. Barry Lubetkin, Ph.D. is the co-director and co-founder of the Institute for Behavior Therapy in New York City. The Institute for Behavior Therapy is the oldest private cognitive behavior center in the United States.

By Jeffrey Markowitz / Detroit Hello Friends, With the sudden departure of the digital magazine, The Insider, I want to thank everyone who enjoyed reading my articles. It was quite a surprise to see how many of you responded to my stories in such a positive way. It gave me an amazing feeling that I had never experienced before. It was a total shock to my system that I had a hidden talent. What Andi saw in my first article convinced me I had something going on upstairs. I was able to express my feelings in a genuine way and tell it like it was. I’m grateful to all of you who read the articles and could identify with them. It was truly a wonderful revelation! Thanks again readers, it was a lot of fun. Hope to connect in the near future. Hello Andi, What a pleasure it has been collaborating with you! I always wanted to write about my Oak Park experiences and you provided an avenue. It all started when my wife Judi said to me, “Jeffrey, stop watching the idiot box and do something with your brain.” I had no choice, I was between a rock and a hard place–in other words, a vice! Thank you so much for helping me to turn on the light! You opened my eyes! I was amazed how easy it became to express my thoughts and tell a story. I could personalize it in a natural way and readers found a connection. Writing for the magazine was truly an enlightening moment in my life. Good luck with your future endeavors! All the best, The Mouse Jeff Markowitz jeffmark17@gmail.com After a 30-year career in construction management, building commercial and residential jobs, Jeffrey has turned to his passion–cooking. He is the master of the grill and has been nicknamed Chef Jeff by his family. Jeffrey also started a small catering business. Nothing makes him happier than satisfying his customers. Jeffrey enjoys sports and has spent 60+ years playing golf. Competing with friends, playing the course and, most of all, keeping his head in the game for all 18 holes has been gratifying — even if he’s far away from par. He is also the husband of Judi Markowitz, who writes the Dateline Detroit column for The Insider. They have four adult children and seven grandchildren who keep them on their toes. Oh yeah, let’s not forget George, their Bernese Mountain granddog. Jeffrey’s life is full, and he is happy.