The Self-Starter for March 2025

[Art Director]

This message comes from Mark and Jen Wheeler, CLC Office administrators:

We are being inundated with phone calls from members who have not received their March issue of The Self-Starter. We did some research to figure out what is going on, and we found this:

• The US Postal Service is in the midst of a major network overhaul, including consolidating mail sorting into fewer facilities and implementing a new end-to-end delivery model.
• This transformation, while intended to improve efficiency and reduce costs, has led to initial disruptions and challenges.

We are being told that it may take four to six weeks for people to receive their magazine.

In the meantime, you may go online to read the March issue and all issues back to January 2004 at cadillaclasalleclub.org, click on the MEMBERS tab and then THE SELF-STARTER ONLINE.

[Carfreak]

No surprise, the Olds Club of America has been having similar problems for the last couple months also. 

Their printer will get the magazines to the local St Louis post office and then they sit......

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

And I thought that I might have gotten it and forgot where I put it.... (At least I put off calling and adding to the chaos.)

[Clewisiii]

I havent even gotten my February yet. I had to sign in to the main page to see if my membership had expired. Not till December

[Art Director]

I havent even gotten my February yet. I had to sign in to the main page to see if my membership had expired. Not till December

E-mail the CLC Office at CLC@cornerstonereg.com or call them at (763) 420-7829 and they can mail you a copy of the February issue.

[76Caddy]

Received mine Saturday.

Tim

[Cadillac Jack 82]

I'm enjoying the digital copy so far.  The ease of access and not having to fight with USPS for failed deliveries is nice.

[Big Fins]

I got mine Saturday also. I hate holding a phone in the throne-room. I getting rental payments 3 weeks late also. I can't blame the customer. I'm happy I get it at all now that the USPS is under siege.

[Clewisiii]

I got my February Self Starter Today.

[Carfreak]

Locally our home (rural) mail delivery is so ridiculously bad we pay almost $350/yr for a PO Box 'in town'. 

3 out of 5 times I stopped to pick up mail in the last month the counter was closed. This is important because postal regulations require any package over (I think) 6 ounces be handed to a carrier or counter clerk.  You know like CLC Museum Calendars, LaSalle books, etc. 

Recently I was waiting for 2 packages to be delivered. Both boxes took multiple days to be transferred from the larger Post Office in town to the building where my PO Box is located.  Then it took a few more days for them to be delivered into my PO Box.  The 2nd box took 6 days to travel no more than 20 miles as the crow flies.

They also don't bother to shovel snow at their entrance.

Why I am surprised when a package, envelope is actually delivered.  And the reason why I no longer handle sales of CLC Calendars.  After 12 years I didn't have the time to chase around town trying to coordinate when the staff would decide to show up for work, AND have stamps on hand since they wouldn't run more than 10 of the same size envelopes through their meter, etc etc etc.
 

[Roger Zimmermann]

Got the March issue yesterday. I'm in Switzerland!

[2011DTS]

Yes there are problems with the mail, however the Postal Service has approximately 635,000 employees. The Post Master General has been working six years to modernize the distribution system. This has nothing to do with DOGE you are seeing slandered in the media. This reorganization has been going on for years as well as the modernization of sorting equipment that has been in place since the 1960's. As noted some small as well as large post offices have staffing issues. As many of you know a lot of young people don't want to work. I remember a time when people would do anything to get a job at the post office (lifetime employment and great benefits) but that is not the case any more. However I would keep the criticism to a minimum as it concerns the Sef Starter as you may have read in a notice sent out by the CLC the Board is looking at the Self Starter because of a reduction in advertising. If you read between the lines this is just a precursor to stop print the magazine. Because as past actions have show, the Board is ready willing and able to reduce the benefits of membership because to them it is all about the Benjamins.

[Carfreak]

You forgot to say "In My Opinion"

Regarding the board supposedly being "all about the Benjamins", you can't operate a club in a negative financial situation for very long, or it will cease to exist. We aren't the government that can continue printing money whenever needed.

Through the years Membership benefits have actually increased except for the directories stopped being printed for free. Have you been a member long enough to recall when they were printed only every two years?

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

Re: Stoppage of the print S/S. Should this happen, it will be literally "over my dead body," as I will resist this "money saving measure" with all my being. So relax and enjoy your issue when it comes. Mine is lying on the bed behind my computer desk as I type, so I'll shut up and "enjoy." (At least it came in the same month.) And my TV Guide didn't make it on time, either. Can you imagine answering the phone at that switchboard?

[Art Director]

The April issue was mailed from Missouri on Monday, March 24. Watch your mailboxes!

[Big Fins]

So figure about the 24th of April.

As least I get it in good condition.

[James Landi]

Barry Wrote: "Re: Stoppage of the print S/S. Should this happen, it will be literally "over my dead body," as I will resist this "money saving measure" with all my being. So relax and enjoy your issue when it comes. Mine is lying on the bed behind my computer desk as I type, so I'll shut up and "enjoy." (At least it came in the same month.) And my TV Guide didn't make it on time, either. Can you imagine answering the phone at that switchboard?"

We older folk are being pulled through an emotional knot hole as video is taking over print media.  I want to believe that certain magazines, such as "The Self Starter" will always have a physical presence in our lives; yet, cultural/generational and economic trends suggest otherwise. Hang in there Barry, and thank you. James

[Carfreak]

Our February issue arrived Monday. 

[Art Director]

I want to believe that certain magazines, such as "The Self Starter" will always have a physical presence in our lives; yet, cultural/generational and economic trends suggest otherwise. Hang in there Barry, and thank you. James

Due to a renegotiated contract with our printer, The Self-Starter is expanding to 48 pages each month, starting with the May issue. It has shrunk in size the past two years due to the disappearance of display advertising. The Grand National issue is planned as 56 pages. The CLC takes our multiple award-winning print publication seriously and there are no plans at present to discontinue it in print. For what it's worth, about 77 percent of our members still receive The Self-Starter in print.

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Got my April SS today. Arrived in perfect shape, as always
Greg Surfas