Hi everyone!

What I’m working on, and what’s next.

I’m in gorgeous Epworth, GA, with 14 of my closest friends, including Mark. We’re on our yearly cabin trip with some of Mark’s former co-workers.

One change this year: more wives are here! One is sitting out on the porch quilting. Unfortunately, the exchange rate at the beginning of the year kept one co-worker from Canada from coming.

We planning to swing by my old home in McCaysville tomorrow as well as spend time in Blue Ridge. When we head out on Sunday, we’ll visit Mercier Orchards to pick up cherry pies.

Mercier Orchards is one of the many stops along the Georgia Agribusiness Trail.

Thank you for your patience while I’ve been working through my to-be-finished pile of posts. Also, that problem with last week’s banner in the email? Fixed.

If you’re not in the habit of checking out my website, I invite you to do so. Things have changed a lot in the last few weeks. I’m making little changes all the time.

Https://nikkifinlay.substack.com

You’ll also see a name change. (You don’t need to upgrade to paid, if that pops up.)

You’ll see more audio added to posts too. The links to the posts with audio are at the bottom of this page. After new posts, the GDP Series will have priority..

Planning for the rest of the year

I’m planning out the year as best I can. I’ll finish up the GDP series and spend time on environmental problems and solutions over the two months.

But like the poet says:

“The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men,
Gang aft agley.” —Robert Burns

Keeping in mind knee replacement surgery in August, I’ll be working on Substack and getting my book ready to publish in January 2026.

I’ve got the first round of copy edits in hand. There will be layouts and covers and proofreading as well. Paid subscribers will start getting sneak peaks at the book soon.

I’m also thinking about book two. The logical choice for an economist who’s working on a macroeconomics (the economy as a whole) should be a book on microeconomics, or how we make decisions.

You’ve seen my first forays into micro in my Star Wars Day post and the one from Saturday on plastics recycling.

But I’d also like to write a book about labor and labor markets.

The hard and soft data are easy to collect. Stories from the ground are harder to come by.

As always, thank you reading!

Nikki

Now with audio!