M&T launched more than ten years ago as a kitchen-table publication – a seat-of-the-pants, learn-as-you-go adventure into the unknown. I had set out on something that turned out to be way bigger and more complicated than I ever envisioned. Right out of the gate, I knew I couldn’t do it on my own, and I enlisted my good friend Mike Updegraff to help out. Over the ensuing decade, Mike and I worked side-by-side on all of M&T’s publications and woodworking projects. We’ve manhandled boxes of inventory from storage unit to storage unit, we’ve driven together to woodworking conferences, we produced the magazine, our own books, and online classes. Not to mention, of course, our biggest undertaking: the House By Hand project. If you’ve been around M&T for any length of time, you know the breadth of things we’ve dipped our toes into, and Mike and I have worked together on all of it.
That being the case, it is hard to come to grips with the fact that Mike and I believe it is time for that season of co-labor to come to a close. Over the years, we’ve both grown in our interests and strengths, and this development is now taking us in different directions. As you can imagine, it’s hard to let go of the experience of working daily with a dear friend – it’s given us so many rich memories. And yet, I have learned over the years that if there’s one thing that’s consistent in life, it’s that nothing stays the same. There are ebbs and flows in the seasons that we are given, and Mike and I have come to realize that our season of working together has passed. I am immensely grateful for the years I’ve been able to work with him. Mike is not only a dear friend, but also a dear brother in Christ, with whom I’ve found daily fellowship. It’s hard to see all of this go.
What then does this mean for the next season of M&T? As this shift has been transpiring, I’ve been reflecting and refocusing and have charted the way forward. The bottom line: even as the new workflow settles out, the efforts of M&T will press on into the future, strengthened by a network of friends. Jim McConnell, who served as content editor for our first seven issues, has agreed to jump back into the saddle. He told me he’s looking forward to again taking on this work, and I’m stoked to have him back on the masthead. I will also pull on a few local friends to help finish the House By Hand exterior. None of this year’s plans are going to be cancelled – all the publishing, Handworks, etc. – it’s all still happening. And in terms of the future, I am working out plans for other forms of collaboration. Suffice it say, M&T will not be slowing down or fizzling out – this next season promises good things.
And I am genuinely just as excited to see what’s in store for Mike. He’s an incredibly skilled woodworker and writer, and I know that his next chapter will be as fruitful and fascinating as the last. If you’d like to keep up with him, I encourage you to follow his Substack “Gracious Curmudgeon” and to follow him on Instagram. He will, no doubt, be in his element exploring the woods and experimenting with nature-inspired handcraft techniques. And, I expect we’ll also see glimpses of his amazing 1971 Triumph Spitfire restoration.
Mike, I want to again thank you for the years of worthy and steadfast work. It’s been a tremendous blessing to labor alongside you, brother, and I pray that the next season will be one of rich blessings for you and your family. Godspeed, Mike!
-Joshua