Today's issue is dedicated to S.K. List, my co-editor a lifetime ago on The Ithaca Times. It was my second newspaper job out of college, and the one where my heart glommed on to my work ... which might have been a mistake, but too late now.
Each winter, with the central New York snow piled high and the winds so chilling you cursed as you walked the dogs (I did anyway), we asked readers to share their stories. We called it Readers' Writes, and we were humbled by the outpouring of talented, personal stories we received.
For papers to work, readers need to feel a connection, that the paper they hold in their hands or read online is their paper. So today, in the spirit of The Ithaca Times, we bring you our second annual Readers' Writes issue.
Once again, you astounded me. I was moved as I read about the "little red-haired boy" who arrived after Joan Miner (left) thought everything was fine with two yellow cats and scuffy terrier. I felt Blaine Paxton Hall's pride (and wanted to know more) at owning, at 
age 58, his first home. I smiled at Jane Schroeder's photo of Scout patiently waitingfor his walk, and felt a catch in my throat reading Mary Jane Young's essay on growing up during another Depression. (That's her at age 5, left.)
Thank you, everyone, who made this issue of Readers' Writes even bigger than our first.
And thank you, S.K. List, who taught me by example, to never take what we do for granted.
Happy New Year,
Mark
