Dec. 16: Why note-a-day is different this time around

Way back in June of 2013, I decided to start doing the note-a-day project. It was inspired, in part, by my magician friend, Eric Leclerc, who had taken it upon himself to put up a video of him doing a magic trick every day for 365 days. I didn't want to be a copycat but I admired his tenacity, so I did the same thing, only with writing.

The idea was to have a friend send me a title every day and I would write something inspired by it. I broke with tradition twice. Once I dedicated an entire month to writing notes based on Prince songs. Another time, I spent a month writing notes inspired by the work of David Mamet.

It's different this time too. At first, I was going to have people send me titles again, but that just seemed old hat for December of 2024. I decided instead that I would let each day inspire me. I would go into an environment and I would take something from it and that would be my inspiration for the day's note.

Yesterday, for example, I was inspired by some people in my church singing Hallelujah. The day before that, I heard someone in a restaurant talk about the loneliest Christmas they ever had. I have been similarly inspired this month by football teams, television actresses, and watching my son watch me from his window.

I'm aware that this might be cheating. Then again, when you make up a game, you're entitled to change the rules now and then.

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