Postmarq is local news for the Valley, written by someone who lives it. Right now, that's me. It's where I share what I'm seeing, what I'm going through, and what I think it means. The Valley is the heart and home of all of it.
Here's something I should be honest about. Writing has never come easy for me. I'm full of ideas, but when it's time to put them into words, I get stuck. Part of that is not knowing if I'm right or if I've been misled. Either way, I feel strongly about the things I write about. That's how I know they're worth talking about.
I also tend to say things bluntly, then backtrack to explain what I really meant. Postmarq is where I'm learning to say it right the first time. And I know I'm not alone in that. Postmarq is for people like me: people who care about something and want a better way to talk about it.
Words you'll see here
Postmarq. The whole publication. Stories from and for the Valley.
Bookmarq. My daily writing page. Follow along with what I'm going through, like my job search right now. It looks different from the rest of the site on purpose, so you know you're reading one writer's own space.
Pulse. The beat a writer follows because they already live it. Mine: the economy, Valley lifestyle, technology and AI. Pet Marq belongs to my dog, Trixton.
Marqer. My name for how I write with Claude, an AI from Anthropic. I'm good at talking through my ideas. Marqer helps me sort them, clear out the noise, and find the core of what I'm trying to say. It also pushes back on my thinking. When a post ends with a Marqer note, that's Claude showing you our back-and-forth.
Check Marq. The fact-check. Claude and I test my claims against real evidence and records. If I can't find the proof, that's where my story loses credibility, and I'll tell you so.
A postmarq. Where a story lands. A postmark is the stamp that shows a letter arrived. Many of my stories are still on their way. My job search is one. When I land a job, that will be its postmarq. It'll probably start new stories, too, like building a Valley budget on a new paycheck or sorting out new health benefits.
A story close to home
Postmarq may not be your go-to place for every headline. But it will have a story close to home for you. You're not alone. There's a voice here that speaks to you, and you'll always have the chance to speak back and be heard.
So speak back. Leave a comment, or email me at dave@postmarq.org. Tell me where I'm wrong.
In Dave's words, shaped with Marqer.