Thing A Day (2021)

About a year ago, before The Madness, I did this thing here on the Patreon that was actually a lot of fun. Basically, it was called “Thing A Day,” and the idea was, come hell or high water, I would post at least something every day. Maybe a mirror selfie, or a picture of what I’m cooking, or drinking, or some odd little snippet of life, a throwback pic, a silly nip-slip, a creative project that fascinates me temporarily, whatever. A huge, long-winded essay, or a stupid thing that I saw in the street. Something.

I’m not sure about you, but 2021 has gotten off to a rather interesting start. One of those months that seems to fly by even faster than months otherwise tend to. In that time, I realize that I haven’t posted anything, at all, this January. I feel bad about that, because you are a cool and motley crew of chill people, and in exchange for your much appreciated solicitations, I like to bring a little bit of well-deserved, goofy joy into your lives every once in a while. That’s what keeps this all so much fun.

While the month has been a bit of a hodgepodge, I look back on it and realize that some cool stuff has happened. Stuff that some of you, even if it’s small, might be interested in knowing about. I’ve held back on posting these things, because they didn’t meet a set of standards that were perhaps a little too rigorous: “I’d like to post this, but I want the thing that I post to really say something, to get a point across, to be a little sultry, or achieve a level of epicness that I have in my head.” The problem with holding yourself to such standards is that you don’t end up posting anything, which is worse. Option paralysis? The specter of procrastination? Waiting for Godot? Aim for the moon, and if you miss, at least you’ll be among the stars? Neil DeGrasse Tyson fans will know that that’s simply not true. If you aim for the moon, and you miss, you will float for an eternity in the empty blank void of unfeeling, unforgiving space. Metaphor… I guess that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t at least try?

In the grand spirit in which doing something actually encourages me to do more (I know at least that much about myself, thank God), I am revisiting “Thing a Day.“ Not only did it keep this Patreon presence lively and eclectic, but holding myself accountable on a daily basis provided a sense of accountability that I feel I’ve lost a little bit this past year, where everything has kind of blurred together. New year, new me, all that hocus-pocus.

Last year, I did it for a solid month, every day, which for me and my notoriously terrible attention span, was something of an achievement. I’m aiming for 32 days this time around, which ought to get me at least into early March. And who knows? Maybe it will become a habit, and one of those little snippets that I deem silly at the time will become something, in the long run, that is a bit more tangible than I thought at first, not too dissimilar from a diary entry that you wrote 10 years ago, that seemed kind of inane at the time, but upon rereading you realize was a bit of a touchstone for yourself. This Patreon was always intended to be something of a diary in the first place, so why not return to the roots?

I’m getting started one day early, on what is likely to be very late on January 31. For my first trick? I learned how to blow a really giant bubble. Not every revelation has to be huge. But I thought it was pretty huge. At least as far as bubbles are concerned.

(Editor’s note: Funny. When I started writing this entry, the words came out like molasses in January. By the time I finished, they were flowing smooth, and I found myself having a good time. I’m glad I did. I need to remind myself of that if I don’t feel like snapping a picture and attaching a few words on some non-too-distant, nondescript Tuesday. I hope you’re all well, and that 2021 has gotten off to a good start.)