As you may realize, we are in our final month of All New Year. I’m excited to finish this damn thing up, do some final big New Things, and have a big party at the end.

I told my friend Erika about the final month, and apparently it has inspired her. Erika makes brilliant crafts under the name My Imaginary Boyfriend, and sells them on craft superstore Etsy. She’s been featured in all sorts of magazines and blogs and stuff. She’s pretty fancy.

Well, she has decided to take the All New Year spirit into her crafting, and promises to make one new thing a day for the next month! She’ll be blogging about it and selling the results, so be sure to check out her My Imaginary Boyfriend Blog to follow along, and buy a few things while you’re at it.

I stand on the brink of six more months of All New Things. And frankly, I’m terrified.

I knew this project would be difficult when I started it - but I had no idea how difficult. I not only have to find time to plan and try new things, but also to find distance to think about them, process, and write about them. This on top of my daily job (which is also to write) and everything else in my life.

Over the past few months, it got overwhelming. I began to neglect posting, to put it off for a few hours, then a few days, then a few weeks. Each time I did, it would build up again, and I would look at the site and think of the many many posts I’d have to catch up on. When I’d head out, people would ask me about the project, and I’d have to sheepishly explain that I was behind but promise to catch up. Sometimes I’d wish I never thought of the damned idea, never got the tattoo that kicked off the whole project.

But I’ve made it halfway, and at this point, there’s no way I can stop. I’m taking this opportunity to refocus my efforts, to start again, to kick my own ass into gear.

So, on this eve of starting anew, let’s take a look back. My new thing today is to create a poll, and your job, dear reader, is to vote. Follow the links for a little walk down my own one way, dead end memory lane.

If I didn’t pick one of your favorites, feel free to write-in your own in the comments. And if you have no favorites, well, jeez, you’re mean.

Here’s to the next six months! And after that, to sweet, sweet rest.

Hey gang,

I got an email from a lovely young lady named Grace a while back - she said she had been inspired to try new things by my blog. That in itself was lovely enough for me. I’m an easy ego to stroke.

But just a few days ago she wrote me again to let me know she decided to take it a step further. Grace has started her own blog - called My Favorite Year.

I started this blog because I was worried that I wasn’t experiencing enough new things. Grace realized that she was being a bit too negative, so on her blog she’s decided to find the bright side of every day. I congratulate Grace on her blog (and her recent engagement) and wish her the best of luck.

Thanks times a billion to the lovely Kristen, who ran with a flippant photo caption yesterday to create this:

All that’s missing is my tiny peener poking out. But I think we’re all happy it’s not.

Kristen, expect a bag of Corn Lollipops headed your way very soon! And thank you thank you thank you!

–opus

PS - Also thanks to Jewlie, who, halfway through my writing this, submitted her OWN Nirvana Opus Mashup Coverart Project! Jewlie, who rocks, works on the kickass blog The Fabulist. She knows awesome stuff (case in point - she knows me) so trust her to steer you towards goodness. Thanks, Jewlie!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am cordially inviting you to

jump out of a motherfucking plane.

on Saturday, April 14th, 2007.

The place is outside of Los Angeles. The price is roughly 200 bucks. The fear will last a lifetime.

Interested? Drop me an email or a comment. The more the scarier.

–opus

The party last night was a raging success. More forthcoming, including photos which may or may not include my nipple.

However I did want to point out this comment from my darling mother:

Hey kiddo, love the tattoo (excellent font & interesting arrangement) but do you realize that it is 366 days until your next birthday? 2008 is a leap year!

So the “365″ i just had permanently tattooed on my back is, in fact, a typo. Sigh.

1 down, 365 more to go…

–opus