Of course there is also the serendipity of a complete stranger who reads your work and completely gets it--rejoices over it, lavishes praise, and forges the kind of connection every author dreams of. We can't discount how this site has also made that happen more than it ever did. Because for every misanthrope who gorges on trite pablum, there are literate, urbane readers who do seek out difficult works and then recognize what is special about them. These people might live outside Dallas or in the Dakotas but possess the drive to apprehend the world in its fullest complexity. These are the people who must battle against stupidity and laziness, and that they do so gives me hope that all isn't lost. So here's to the folks who haven't given up and continue to strive for the eternal.