I realized last night that I had forgotten to observe the anniversary of the blog. It launched on August 7, 2020, with a photo of an undated O & M stamp on Regent Street. On the anniversary, without intending it, I also published a photo of an undated O & M stamp on Regent Street.

I have posted here every day for over a year, and have featured a different stamp or sidewalk feature every day. I also had a rule that the photo had to be taken that day. If I saw more than one interesting stamp, tough; I didn’t let myself bank any. This was partly so that my blog and my daily walking habit would mutually reinforce each other. It worked; I also have not missed a day of taking a walk in over a year.

Still, I told myself that once a year had passed I could re-evaluate the blog. Perhaps I could start banking stamps for later, or drop to three- or four-times-a-week posting. The fact that I have begun finding it difficult to find new contractors or unusual stamps to write about on the east side (my usual walking grounds) is part of the incentive to scale back. The other part is my impending return to in-person work and hours of commuting every week.

As Aristotle knew, though, it’s hard – even painful – to break a habit this solidified. I’m also much better at being perfect than being good. Being good slips away from me quickly. For another couple of weeks I will probably continue daily updates, but will make a shift to less frequent posting once work resumes. In the meantime I have to decide what that will look like, and how to be religious about it.