January 16, 2023

How did I get here? 🤔

IT'S NATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM DAY!

I am the totally secular type* (as you can see from the art above), but thankful to live in a part of the world where you are free to believe in reincarnation, deities, or even pasta if you like. Societies that protect religious freedom are more likely to experience a surge in economic and social development, so there's personal and societal benefits to live and let live when it comes to faith.
 
* Sometimes people get mad at us about references to the devil in our art, because they think we are advocating "devil worship." We don't advocate the worship of anything. To us the devil is an amusing literary figure and references to him are no different than references to Dracula, Frankenstein, Krampus, or Hecate.  
That's just your opinion gif

Us responding to trolls telling us we are going to "hell" for our art.

GIF via The Big Lebowski

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Today is also Book Publishers Day, and we are about to publish our THIRD BOOK! As I type this email, copies of our next release are being boxed up and shipped to our office here in SoCal. Wery exciting!
 
Book number three is a departure from our usual snark, but I still think you might appreciate it. The idea for this one came about long before Boredwalk existed.
 
For most of my adult life I've had a blank book in my living room, and every time anyone visits me I ask them to draw a self portrait or write a haiku about their visit. Over the years I've amassed this very cool collection of drawings and writing from all my favorite people, and I can flip through to remember the fun I've had hosting.
A couple months ago when some friends were visiting they were lamenting the fact that they don't have a guest book like this at their house, so book number three is the guest book you never knew you needed (and Isaac and Karina will now have a guest book for their living room).
 
The book comes with 40 unique drawing/writing prompts, so your friends and family won't have to try to think of what to write or draw. They can select a prompt they like and leave an entry. Your visitors get a diversion while you're mixing drinks or preparing food and you get a collection of messages and doodles from your favorite people that will help you remember all the fun you had with your guests.
I am really excited to release this new title. I am very happy with the product design work Matt and I did for it. It's both useful and pretty enough to display on a coffee table or mantle. It will make a great gift for a new home or just for forming the habit of commemorating time with your friends and family. We expect to have inventory around the end of this month!
 
I am currently in the process of writing book number four, which will be released later this year.
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Want a few January 16th famous birthdays and historical facts? Here are a few...
 

• Born on this day: filmmaker John Carpenter (1948), playwright/songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda (1980), singer Aaliyah (1979), and model Kate Moss (1974)

• On this day in 1574 Ivan IV the Terrible crowned himself first tsar of Moscow at age 17 (teen boy declaring himself tsar, what could possibly go wrong?)

• Alcohol prohibition started on this day in the United States in 1919

• Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a day to honor King and his nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement

• Finally, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was sworn in as Liberia's new president on this day in 2006, making her Africa's first female elected head of state

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Alright! Scroll on down to learn a bit about fellow Boredwalk fan Jessica! If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Monday email (and are a customer with some Boredwalk tees, tanks, hoodies, towels, bags, or books to show off), just reply to this and let us know, and we'll send you some fun questions to answer (along with our undying gratitude)!
 
We'll be back here in your inbox on Wednesday with some more random holidays to observe, historical tidbits to acknowledge, and fun links to entertaining content! Until next time...
 
Peace, love, and freedom,
 
Meredith
Jessica looking unworried (however briefly) in her Maybe Worrying Will Help? racer back tank top.
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1. What's your actual day job and what's your dream day job?
 
I am the operations manager for a small philanthropic organization. And I genuinely love my job. So really, unless professional puppy petter becomes a thing, I’m good.
 
2. What's your biggest pet peeve?
 
Top three: Performative cruelty, disregard for the feelings of others, indifference to the impact of one's actions.
 
(Editor's note: "Performative Cruelty" DOES sound like a really rad band, though...)
 
3. What's a book you think the Boredwalk community should read?
 
There’s too many! I think everyone should read at least one Terry Pratchett book. And if we want to be serious, The Body Keeps the Score is pretty brilliant.
 
4. If you could make a mundane wish (meaning, a wish for something seemingly inconsequential that you still believe would benefit you immensely), what would it be for?
 
The ability to sleep soundly through the night.
 
5. Make a prediction about something you think has a reasonably good chance of happening in 2023.
 
American politics will continue to be an embarrassment on the world stage.
6. If you could have any super power what would it be and why?
 
I would want to be able to heal others. Nothing sucks more than to see someone suffering and being unable to do anything other than be there.
 
7. You can curse your nemesis with a minor annoyance for eternity; what do you choose?
 
I am lucky I guess that I don’t really have one. But there are a few folks that should have perpetual hangnails.
 
8. What experience do you most want to cross off your bucket list?
 
Hug a wombat, see a gorilla in the wild, give an elephant a bath.
9. What is something you wish you could go back in time and say to your younger self?
 
“You really are as good as people say. You are way better than you think. And you deserve to be treated well."
 
10. What is a surprising fact about you?
 
I am 47 years old, and I have never ridden a bicycle (ever), (really).
 
11. Where can the rest of the Boredwalk community find you? 
 
I broke up with social media. So your best bet is to try to find me when I am walking my amazing ancient sweetheart of a dog.

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