I’ve read a bit about how to grow interest and consumption of the words I write. Things like “find a niche and focus on it” are spewed forth. I guess if I were into vintage Italian belts or something that would be cool. I think I’m into too much to just meander around the same subject ad nauseum. Even so there  are a few recurring themes. Resilience, health (mental and physical), motivation, music, nostalgia all sprinkled with salt and wonder and maybe a dab of narcissistic umami. That fifth taste you’ve heard about but can’t put your finger on. Where will it wander today?  Too soon to tell. 

A couple weeks ago (a month? Two?) I saw where Gary Larson, the cartoonist of the 80-90’s single panel strip, The Far Side, was making a comeback. If you grew up from 1980-1995 you’d have to have been under a rock to not remember it. It began around 1979 and ran until 1995 when Larson pulled the plug as he felt he was becoming repetitive. I loved The Far Side. Most everyone I hung out with did.  If you’ve never seen it, go to www.thefarside.com and spend some time digging around. You won’t be disappointed. 

Anyhow, Every year for Christmas, for multiple years in a row, my parents would give me a Far Side 365 day calendar. The kind you peel away a day at a time, a different cartoon for every day. After we were done with gifts, I’d always start flipping through it with instant gratification that would eliminate any surprises. Probably the first signs of ADD, my impatience ruining 12 months of surprise in one sitting. 

I haven’t seen what Larson’s new cartoons are, but can’t imagine they don’t have the slight macabre tone and views into what animals are really thinking. Mostly cows. 

I bring this up because  for a year or two I’ve wanted my own 365 day peel away calendar. Daily reminders, odd thoughts, unbiased musical opinions, snarky health tips and the like. Per the usual I think this is a fantastic idea. Then I think, “So you’ll sell four. What will you do with the other 9996?” and I move along. 

I do feel I can come up with at least one years worth of things to fill a calendar with. Heck maybe even a whole 13 months worth. Warped daily affirmations and me knocking on your forehead every morning saying “Hey, thicky, get up. We have work to do.”  I had an 8th grade teacher that acutually used to knock on your head and call you a “Thicky”. He was referring to cranium thickness/density and your inability to think. 

I have a good friend who’s been pushing me to do a calendar so I wonder if I could get that done in 5 months.

Another bad idea hatched in darkness of morning. 

Unrelated, I miss my quarantine hair

#hugsandhi5s