feliz cumpleaños

Okay, now, sure. The title of this post doesn't mean what it would seem like I'd have something mean right about now. It means "happy birthday" and not "happy new year" — which, by the way, happy that, everybody. But my blog is going to have a very special birthday this year, and that birthday is going to mean some things around here, and I want to talk about those things right now. 

I'm going to be ten, you guys. ("I".) That's so big. In blog years, that's practically George Burns O'Clock. In lieu of booking myself into The Palladium, however, I'm going to take a step that I've put off for a long time for fear that everybody would think that I think I'm so fancy or something. I'm hiring somebody to make this blog look pretty and legit, and we're going to move it off Blogger, and I'm going to have a proper website as a writing person, and it'll be all bunched together in one place. Look what a big deal that isn't when I actually say it! What was I so freaked out about? None of you can possibly care. I know. I KNOW. It's only me. I'm the only one who cares. 

Anyway, yes. The Gallivanting Monkey will plow on, but it's going to do so in a nicer outfit. We deserve it. We're old. 

Also, though, another change is coming. You know how I've been writing here every Wednesday for the last year? Except for a very few of them? Well, listen. That's a-changing. Nobody's going to give a shit if I make the place look prettier, but some of you might care a little that there's not going to be a post every week any more. And if you do care, I appreciate that you do! I'm still going to post regularly, just not quiiite as regularly. It's for a good reason, I promise.  

I've loved posting every week here, by the way, even when my self-imposed deadline was looming a little heavy and I didn't know what I was going to say. I loved the deadline itself, the accountability to myself and to you guys. When a few bursts of big attention came to this blog early last year, I wanted to feel deserving of the new eyes on my writing here. I wanted to make it worth everybody's while. So I put a lot of love and care into writing my weekly posts. I got dedicated about it. 

And what do you know? Good things came of it! Opportunities came my way to write for other places, for not just good feelings but actual cash dollars. And more of those opportunities are on deck this year, which is very dreamy. I'll make more announcements along those lines when I have more concrete dates and places for you to go look, but I'm going to be writing for a different website on a weekly basis, and doing some other freelance stuff that makes me very excited. 

SO. The Gallivanting Monkey, like The Dude, shall abide. I couldn't abandon this place if I tried. It's brought me too much goodness. But it's going to abide a little more loosely, more like a couple of times a month, and not on a set schedule. Subscribe, maybe! You can do that, right? That's a thing, right? Don't I have a thing over there for that? Oh, lord, the savvy web people won't be getting here a moment too soon. 

Okay, so check back. I'm not leaving. I'm just slipping into something a little flashier and also more comfortable. A sequined Snuggie, if you will. (Just do.) This is a good decision. I can feel the freedom already and it makes me want to make even better things for you when I do post. 

Happy new year, you yous! Happy birthday to each of you, too, in advance, or today. You're all going to have birthdays this year. See, I know about you.