“Julian in Purgatory”

“I’m sick and tired of books like this encouraging dogs to use drugs. You know what drugs dogs should get high on? Life. Walkies. Snecks.

And that’s all.

Yesterday I was walking with my brother, and we saw this dog on a balcony way, way up above where we were walking, and the dog was prancing around, throwing a toy up in the air and chasing it. My brother said, “I hope that this year I’ll be as happy as that dog.” And I said, “Good luck, NOBODY is going to be as happy as that dog.”

We went for a Beer Walk yesterday. This is a thing I started doing for my birthdays in the COVID era (which, for me, continues…) when I couldn’t do a bash with other people and in bars and so on. Basically, I set a walking path, put some beers in a backpack, and hit the road.

On my birthday this year, I walked just over 20 miles. And it was fun! I liked it.

Yesterday, me and my brother walked about 9 miles, then I did another 6 solo because I was feeling emo, I guess. Feeling my age, feeling unoptimistic about the coming year being much different.

I DID start the year eating Wendy’s and drinking champagne while walking on a trail, so that was pretty fun, I guess. Or maybe set the tone for 2023, although I’m not sure if it set a good tone or a bad one. Maybe it should just be enough that it’s an accurate one. Maybe that’s what I should aim for: accuracy. I’m a mix of trash and less-trash, champagne and Double Stacks, and there’s no reason to think that’s changing in 2023.

Happy New Year?”