Word of the Day
Sehnsucht (n., ZEN-ZUUCKT)
The deep, intense inside a human for what we do not know, something hard to identify but deeply profound. Yes, it's a German word.
Gif of the Day
AnimalsDogsLeaf BlowerSilent barkingMy, what large teeth you haveI am really angryFloppy ears!
Link of the Day
State of the Union
Olympic journalist/filmmaker Bud Greenspan famously said, “I choose to concentrate 100 percent of my time on the 90 percent of the Olympics that is good.” I love this quote. It’s joyful but realistic, understanding that there is 10 percent bad but making a conscious choice to look at the beauty around us instead. This has been our M.O. at The Dailies from day one, one year ago today.
Today is the first birthday for The Dailies. The components of the site have been around for another year but October 22, 2014 is the official date of birth for this website.
I unveiled it on a Wednesday, during the “Hackathon” portion at the end of a company demo. I remember the reactions of people as they watched the tiny puppy tumble off the coffee table.
“Why does he keep doing that?” asked someone, eliciting a round of laughter. I left the page on the company TV throughout the day so they could watch the puppy tumble to their hearts’ content. The site was enjoyed by many inside and outside of the company.
One year later, I would estimate our consistent readership at about ten. I haven’t tracked numbers (a choice) but the comments about the site have all but ceased. The goal I had at the beginning, to enjoy things with others, is a failure. The site is a consumable but doesn’t return much back, certainly not like it used to. Without the enjoyment of sharing favorites, updating the site has felt more like an obligation, perhaps a one-way friendship, and a cost/benefit equation. The 4–5hr weekly to maintain the site is rarely a fun service anymore, not like it used to be.
When it came time to renew the site’s address, I considered ending it and walking away. After a little deliberation, I renewed the site’s address for another year. Yes, The Dailies is a grind right now. I still think it's worth doing. As stated in our longest entry, "The world is broken. It is also beautiful. Choosing to focus on that beauty and reflect on it is what we do here." The Dailies exists to highlight the best things in the world—and laughter certainly qualifies—and expose others to them. The goal, in its ultimate form, is to have our hearts and emotions awakened to something broader, as the word of the day indicates. We’re not after American Happiness here. Joy is the goal.
Joy is both a choice and an outlook. Our switch here is set to it and we broke the controls on purpose so that no one will switch it off. There’s enough cynicism in other parts of this world and Internet. We—yes, we, whoever’s left—choose to engage, to be open, and to be filled with joy at what we see.
The site will go dark at some point. Now is not that time. But even after this Yearbook closes or the Shylights are taken down, we’ll still be focused on the good. If this site helps you do that, then it’s worth keeping alive.
See you tomorrow. Bring your joy.
It's my birthday, I'm gonna do what I wantSoap boxesRant overJoyStatements of purposeState of the UnionUnorthodox birthday speechesThank you, readers!