2 Year Anniversary Post: How Substack Changed My Life

Photos by Denise Bovee

Dear Readers,

Please forgive these belated sentiments — my second Substack anniversary was in January, but I always worry it's bad luck to overlook significant milestones. Independence Day felt fitting to pause and extend my love and gratitude.

As of now, there are just under 330K of you. The PAID subs enable me to do what I do. Financially, on foot coverage is tough. It requires a lot of money to get to these places to tell the stories the way I prefer and to build a network to evolve a vision that empowers a people funded media. I hope you sense that my intention is always to make you feel part of it all. 

THANK YOU for helping me with this feat.

A little over two years ago, I embarked on an earnest journey to write more, with no clear expectation of what might come of it. My goal was simple: to create an online space where I could share long-form stories of varied interests and explore controversial theories without the censorship that plagues mainstream platforms. After some research, I stumbled upon Substack. Seeing figures like Bari Weiss and Leandra Medine Cohen migrate there convinced me it was a sanctuary for independent perspectives, an alternative to the deceptive and soulless mainstream narrative.

I wanted to write for an open-minded audience receptive to different angles, separate from the narratives pushed by mainstream media. I sought readers who asked questions, appreciated humor, and were not overly cautious or sensitive in their thinking. As I've mentioned before, my world, like many, shifted abruptly during the pandemic. Severing myself from a liberally minded audience left me feeling undercut by conflict. In this midst of this transition, I lost friends and family. I logged on and felt angry, resentful, and pessimistic. One afternoon, a friend of a friend who worked in PR called, offering unsolicited advice. She told me that if I couldn't be honest with myself online, I would never be happy in an online medium. She urged me to step boldly into voicing my beliefs without a guarded stance, promising that it might cost me a lot of followers but would gradually grow another kind of audience. Taking her advice, I embraced a more authentic sense of myself while clinging to George Orwell's belief that "Freedom of the Press, if it means anything at all, means the freedom to criticize and oppose."

Two and a half years later, my newsletter has risen to number one in culture, growing by about 12 thousand each month. I never anticipated this level of success, but I attribute it entirely to you. I am here because of your trust and support. As a collective force, we are carving a new path and making a difference in the war for truth.

We live in turbulent times, constantly manipulated by a media that has convinced a portion of society that an upside-down world is for their better good. Voicing skepticism and suspicion is made to feel criminal, and curiosity, common sense, logic, and dissent are somehow seen as controversial. The need for unshackled perspectives in the press feels more crucial than ever. I have learned in this endeavor never to second-guess when answering your calling. In the time we're given, we all choose and adhere to various roles in shaping culture. In media, that comes in multiple forms: Reporters shape our cultural outlook. Writers translate our experiences. Poets funnel collective consciousness, seeking beauty over surrender. Anyone who chooses a role in documenting culture should do so with a driving desire to recount what they experience with fearless pursuit and courageous curiosity, to seek and share the truth, even when it is ugly, unpopular, overlooked, or suppressed.

No matter what the tech gods and the algorithms claim, censorship is never on our side.

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My life these days feels like a dream script I could have manifested as a child. Every hour of every week is colored by new surprises, unexpected people, and compelling stories wanting to be told, while life behind the screen marches on and forward. Our oldest son just graduated high School and is off to a new chapter in a new city where his path will unfold. Meanwhile, approaching five million monthly views on my second anniversary with Substack is an amalgamation of parallel lives with our children. Both of us are reaching milestones, appreciating that the journey is always the destination. Thankfully, my kids were raised to embrace spontaneous twists in life. Our commitment to each other is the glue that keeps things steady. I know it's an innate aspect to be proud as a mother, but let me tell you - seeing your children proud and sweetly supportive of us as parents, is a whole nother thing.

As some of you know, House Inhabit started as an aesthetic springboard, with Mike and me renovating our homes on a tight budget. He built and sold furniture made from reclaimed wood and scaffolding he collected from job sites. I wrote about family life, being a stay-at-home mom to four growing personalities, wrangling absurd daily musings, and detailing life in general as a young family making it work in Southern California. With the birth of Instagram, my preference for minimal aesthetics, canvas neutrals, vintage books, 90s pop culture, and music all found a home online. It allowed me to connect with like-minded people around the world. I remember thinking 10K followers (strangers strewn across the globe) was an astounding feat. Then 50k, then 200k, and so on.

The power of social media still amazes me — how these platforms continue to evolve. What started as dozens of Instagram stories has grown into long-form writing pieces. More extensive than a blog but not quite The New York Times, Substack has helped me build a new home and career online — a new house with the same heart and habits.

In the last two years, I've met an incredible team of writers, editors, culture pioneers, and tech wizards from the Substack team. From helping me find the "post" button to double-checking the stats (five million? I think your computers are broken), the Substack team has supported and enhanced my writing journey, career, and income that sustains my whole family.

From debating in the halls of federal court over Ghislaine Maxwell to the grim details unearthed in the Harvey Weinstein diaries to alien takeovers, mysterious Hawaiian fires, MeToo criticisms, and what feels like the buildup to the 2024 election coverage, Substack has helped me reach and connect with people on a meaningful level through such weird and unpredictable times. Meeting all of you has been the greatest part. My DMs deliver juicy gossip — first about celebrities, now more frequently politicians, aiding me in unraveling so many of these "conspiracies" that are actually (usually) inconvenient truths. As a community, it feels like family in that we are rooting for each other, trading hilarious memes, recipes, vacation tips, and news links, and reminiscing about when music and celebrity fodder were genuinely good. This online community keeps on giving.

As Substack continues to expand its capabilities, I am incredibly grateful to be part of its world. Its ethos is bringing back uncensored writing and, most importantly, power to the people.

Here's to many more years of fearless reporting and unflinching truth-telling. Thank you for keeping independent journalism alive and thriving during these crucial times when election drama is ramping up and media wars are working their hardest to divide us and our interests.

With Love and Thanks, 

JRK

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What Are We Up to Now?

Home projects continue. Seven years later, we are still here in this spot, renovating the same house. We bought a fixer off the market for those new to my Instagram in 2017. It was the only way we could afford to buy a home in Orange County. Mike gutted and rebuilt it himself. Thanks to his extensive rearrangement, a hidden ocean view was revealed. The sun sets over the Pacific right in front of me when I wash dishes now. We are about a mile from the beach. Then he extended our back deck and added my home office and a pocket-sized library. His latest endeavor is building an outdoor gym on the lower deck, a pirate-themed surf shaping room with a koi pond and rock waterfall for Rex, and a floating treehouse with a guest bathroom for friends and guests. 

The success of Substack brought another major shift in our household. A year ago, Mike quit his job as a contractor for the union so I could travel with ease and flexibility to attend trials and, later, to track the campaign trail for a year. Previously, he worked, and I stayed home. We were happy in traditional roles. Trading spots required plenty of trust and patience on all parts. Everyone in the family had to believe in what I was doing to make it work. Because they have all been incredibly adaptable, I feel fulfilled in the deepest sense. To find semblance in a loving family and a dream career is the greatest gift. I always tell my kids that happiness does not come from money. It comes from a sense of purpose, so find what you are good at and chase and honor that. 

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ARLO (18)

Over the past year, he has been tagging along (even having fun!) at some of the political events I cover. I love that he still enjoys hanging with his parents. After graduation, he set off for Europe with a few friends. I may have mentioned before that he managed to save over 20k from his ice cream gig. He put the money he planned on spending on a new truck (he won't need it in the city) toward summer travels instead. They have hopped from Spain to Ibiza, the South of France, and now Italy. On daily calls, I am always excited to hear about his latest adventure and when he plans on returning. As of now, no date has been decided yet. As of this week, He and his friend Alex have taken up residence with Alex's aunt, an Italian actress who will show them around for another week or two. He tells me his new goal is finding an Italian girlfriend. Based on recent photos shared, it appears he has found a few.

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In September, he will move to New York to study culinary arts. I have plenty of emotions surrounding this next phase, but I am mostly excited for him. He took a solid interest in cooking earlier in the year, so knowing he wasn't interested in a traditional University experience, I pushed him to consider trade school as an alternative. Regardless of what he does with it, I figure cooking skills as life skills are never a wasted effort. Arlo is a great brother to all the boys. As different as they are, they all look up to him, so not having him around every day will be a tough adjustment. As a family, we will spend much more time back East starting this Fall. Our first Christmas in New York is already in the early planning stages.

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REX (14)

He still hates School. He threatens to drop out every other week. Sometimes, I am tempted to let him. His greatest drive is, and always will be, art. He has been creating art since he was a toddler. One of his sketches was chosen for the cover of his 8th-grade yearbook, and his custom boards are now sold in a few shops around town. He is stunningly talented in every medium he tackles, be it paint, charcoal, carving, or fiberglass. It never ceases to amaze me how he can create something out of anything. The shaping room is happening to harness his talent and hopefully keep the mess out of the house because his room is like a warehouse of art supplies exploded, and Hayes can't take it. They share a room. Rex's habits are reckless, whereas Hayes likes order. Ideally, the shaping room will solve this issue. 

Surfing also makes him happy. He is a much nicer kid when he can get in the water every day, which he usually does. He just returned from Mexico on a week-long surfing excursion hosted by his Spanish teacher, where he rode horses on black sand beaches and explored ancient ruins and volcanic regions. This will also be his fourth summer volunteering with Surfer's Healing - an organization that helps autistic kids worldwide learn how to surf. Rex is his best self at camp: compassionate, enthusiastic, joyful, and supportive. The kids love him, so when they return for the week, parents will often request Rex as their instructor. I am so proud of his dedication to these kids and causes. As moody and unpredictable as he can be, he really is the most sensitive of all his brothers. 

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LEON (15)

He is healing after suffering a horrible femur break last April. During Spring Break last year, he crashed on a dirt bike in a remote area and had to be airlifted to the hospital. I was in New York, and Mike was in Mexico. It was the only time we had been out of the state simultaneously. The break turned into an infection that ultimately required five surgeries, a three-week hospital stay, and three months in bed with round-the-clock medication administered by Mike and a home nurse who visited for the duration to clean his wounds and monitor his levels. After the pins failed - causing infection in the wounds we couldn't see beneath the cast, his break was braced by a metal bar anchored to his thing to his shin bone. It was an awful few months. We lived in constant fear of blood clots after each surgery, fearing some other unexpected turn in his healing. 

To make things worse, our insurance was lapsed when the accident occurred. The union insurance we had from Mike's work had stopped right before. Our new plan had yet to be chosen. 

Weeks later, a Dr. of a friend who once served on the board at the hospital where he was being treated showed up to sit in on one of his procedures and learned it was the hospital's fault - the infection and the re-break he suffered after they tried to force his leg into a brace before it was sturdily healed enough for it. With this information, we started pursuing medical records, which spooked the staff overseeing him. Suddenly, 150k worth of medical bills stopped. When I mentioned what we had discovered online, not a single bill followed. Assumedly because we were entitled to a 1-2 million dollar lawsuit that would likely lean in our favor. 

Aside from the money and the emotional stresses from this accident, all we wanted was Leon to walk again, and thanks to the help of Dr. Garrett, who insisted we bring him in after he was able to get out of bed, his healing has advanced tremendously. A year later, his limp is nearly gone, and his range of movement is so close to where it was before the trauma. 

Leon is back on his electric bike, riding around town, spending his summer days fishing and body surfing with friends. He continues to see Dr. Garrett once a week for 2-3 hour sessions and is working out to ensure his healing stays on track. 

He wants to get a job this year and thinks college after high school sounds fun.

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HAYES (10)

He is our superstar student in the family. He feeds off of scholarly recognition, certificates, and accolades. He prides himself on his testing scores, which underscore advanced reading and vocabulary skills. He has received "Student of the Year" 3 times in a row. His goals are all academically based. During a field trip to the San Juan Mission, I learned from his classmates that he constructed his own governing body after losing the School president. In this role, he is referred to as Lord Harry. He governs a cabinet that consists of two advisors, three bodyguards, two competing portrait artists, one kid in the role of a court jester (comedian), and a cafeteria attendant who informs him of the day's offerings so he can determine if it's worth the line. 

After speaking in depth to our Neighbor (who recently resigned from an advisor role but was reconsidering the move), I learned that Hayes (Lord Harry) is known for being very strict and holding high standards that make him “not always fun” to work for. According to several sources, he can also be temperamental. Regarding recent meetings about the budgeting of their class pet (also named after him), I hear he is fiscally frugal—maybe too frugal. And he keeps upping security protection, which makes him seem paranoid. 

I had to call Mike on our lunch break, whispering behind the stature of St Francis: "I know he's young, but I think Hayes might identify as a conservative."

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As for summer plans, Alex P Keaton of the Kraus house is off to a week-long STEM program hosted by a college up north. There, he will learn about robotic engineering, bridge construction, modern medical interventions, and computer coding. He has his polo shirts and snacks all packed. 

When he returns, he will be learning to sail here at home. 

He is a fabulous travel partner. Very well organized and typically optimistic in all situations. Whenever we go out he is complimented on his manners. He also really loves animals. Yesterday morning he woke to find a surprise litter - baby bunnies in a newly built cage, so on top of schooling obligations, he now has a family to care for. 

I can't wait to introduce him at the RNC in 2054. 

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