Starting in September or so I start thinking about Blogger of the Year, a thing I do at the end of most years. Not too many people care, but it’s a good thing for me to do — to review what makes a blog the most interesting and valuable of the year, to me — obviously. We all should name a BOTY, or give out any award we feel is deserved. People think “well it’s just me and I don’t matter” — which is totally true, and is why you might as well pick someone. At least they’ll know you appreciate them. And it gets you to think about what you value, which builds over time to a better understanding of everything. Last year I chose Heather Cox Richardson, whose Substack site is a constant read for me. Every night an email arrives, at different times, and if I’m up and in the mood, I’ll spend a few minutes with HCR and it’s always illuminating. She was my choice last year because her writing re-kindled my interest in American history, and I started reading books on most slavery, something that was seriously missing from my NYC education, and is so important to who we are as a country. #