Old Year Special: Quick Hits and Quick Misses

Once again, we have special programming for you as we usher out the Old Year (2018) and usher in the New Year (2019). Enjoy these quick hits. You will probably recognize a few!

2018 Misses

1. 2018 New Year's resolution: 2-handed dunk on a standard 10 ft. basketball rim

Some of my loyal readers might remember that I failed this resolution last year (2017) as well. I was going to do a lot of jumjax™ over the course of the year to build up my variable explosive potential and, through hard work, gain the ability to dunk. It didn't pan out, even though it started strong. I think this is because I fell off of my jumping jacks regimen. I tried to slowly increase the amount of jumping jacks I did over the course of the year, but I didn't keep myself accountable for hitting my checkpoints. As many various coaches and mentors to athletes have opined: "If you don't put in the work, you won't claim the reward." A familiar miss for #1! Might have to bring this one with us into 2019...

2. Missing a few blog posts when I spent time in jail 

A bummer. However, I grew from the experience. It was a good experience to have, even though it was a low point of 2018. Definitely a huge miss, but if we didn't have misses our hits wouldn't shine as bright. The time I missed blog posts for legal problems was a worse miss because I didn't really grow from the experience, even though that experience led to this experience from which I did learn.

3. Not finishing some of my ideas

There were some good ideas I had in 2018 that I didn't act on. They would have been hits, but instead they are unrealized. This miss has big hit potential, is what I'm trying to say.

4. The Noisevember mishap

Noisevember was a mess! Let's leave that one in 2018!

5. Only found 4 films with jumping jacks

At the same time, found 4 films with jumping jacks is kind of a hit! What's that? You hadn't heard about the fourth one!? While I haven't seen it yet myself, it has been passed along to me that Welcome to Marwin (2018) features jumping jacks on the silver screen! You can be certain I'll be welcoming it into the Jumjax™ Database with great fanfare.

These misses were tough, but it wasn't all bad... there were some hits as well!

2018 Hits

1. Made some great friends

The FNB community grew in a surprising way. It wasn't always what I had in mind--and definitely was not as I planned--but, as the old sayings go, quality over quantity and sit back and enjoy the ride. Natalie Portman was definitely a quality member to this community, ha ha. Talk about surprising, I don't think anyone will dispute that. And Bobody was I guess just an ok guy to have around. (A good "extra," as he would be considered if this were a movie. I guess in this analogy that would make you, my loyal readers, the supporting actors.) We definitely had a fun year together...

2. Posted 52 Cool Things, completing the 2018 resolution

Success! It feels good to know that we did it--not without ups and downs, trials and tribulations. That's life, after all. But 2018 is ending, and there were 52 Cool Things from 2018 (and you can check them out via the Cool Things Database page). And boy were they cool!

3. No cavities

A repeat celebration from 2017, I have still never had a cavity. This is a bit of a brag. I am only human and might need to floss more though. The dentist keeps mentioning it, and gum disease is a real danger to us all.

4. Had some great ideas

There were zines (2, digital). There were slogans (jumjax™, the road trip of life ©). There were creative endeavors (both fully and partially realized). There was a lot going on in 2018. It was a year of creative exploration, if I had to label it.

5. Once again, had some pretty good pizza

I'm not sure if I had more pizza in 2017 or 2018. It's kind of a bummer you can't look up stats like that! They probably aren't considered essential stats, but they would be fun to know. 

What about you?!

Any hits or misses of 2018 you'd like to share? Comment below!

-Frank (sched.)

Cool Thing 52

A lot of Cool Things, a lot of ways to say "cool."

COOL THING 52:

Cool 52

cool 52

hut hut hike

with a nickel ev'ry time

I'd have 26 dimes

superfine

chill

cold

bracing

brisk

crisp

okay 26 dimes?

that's two dollars sixty cents

sophisticated

stylish

chic

up-to-the-minute

invigorating

nippy

hip

and

funky

with it

fashionable

trendy

big

phat

fly

happening

groovy

kicky

all right

multiply that by a million

what would you buy?

a mansion

a pool

or maybe 

control

self-command

equilibrium

composure

calm

aplomb

wizard

stylin(g)

poise

sangfroid

fresh

fizzing

shopping for great value

presence of mind

refrigerate

a la mode

frosty

dynamite

au courant

sharp

smart

happening

in

modish

exclusive

five-star

pure class

that's it

There have now been 52/52 cool things created in 2018. That's 100%, my loyal readers. It has been my pleasure, truly. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Where our journey ends.

-Frank (sched.)

Cool Thing 51

A story fitting for the date.

COOL THING 51:

Please enjoy this short story titled New and Old

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December 31, 4000
Somewhere over present day Antarctica, 260 miles from Earth.

The clock struck midnight. It was the next day. However, not only was it the next day--it was also the next week (if you keep track via the Monday-Sunday model), the next month, the next year, the next century and the next millennium (if you follow ordinal year names). This was a momentous New Year's Day. Perhaps the New Year's Day. And it also happened to be Greg's birthday.

He sipped his coffee. This was it. This was January 1, 4001. Coffee seemed like the right choice three hours ago, when fatigue had begun to set in and Greg needed something to stay awake. He definitely couldn't risk missing a momentous occasion such as this. Now though... now it might be difficult to get to sleep.

Greg looked out the bulbous window in front of him at the vastness of space, the distant stars. 100 years old, 100 "new" years. It all seemed silly for a moment. What was the significance of this date to the rest of the universe? What was the significance of him turning 100? What did million and billion and etc year old rocks and collections of gas care for January 1, 4001? They probably didn't. Just another 365 days around the Sun. Greg poured the rest of his cold coffee into the reclamation system.

Oh well.

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There have now been 51/52 cool things created in 2018 for your viewing, reading, and listening pleasure. Just the one remains.

Greg seems a bit of a miser if you ask me, but he is 100 years old.

-Frank (sched.)

Cool Thing 50

It would look good on the walls, you've got to admit.

COOL THING 50:

Custom Hotel Room art. I got to thinking about that Art Gallery I found in a Hotel Room and was inspired to create a collection of digital prints. These pieces would look right at home on the walls of any Hotel Room (of which there are, by my estimations, multiple millions). There are so many unique hotels, why not fill them all with unique art?

There have now been 50/52 cool things created in 2018. The final 2 are set for release later this very day. (The countdown continues.)

Anyone know contact information for any hotel administrators? I'd like to get these up in a New Wave Art Gallery (or even a traditional Art Gallery).

-Frank (sched.)