The 365 Day Challenge - The Movie.

I just wanted to write something to thank everyone who has participated so far in the daily diversion tactic that is the 365 day challenge.

The last few months of 2018 were probably the most difficult of my life. I was in a very low place mentally and physically and my tweets had become more poisonous and bitter than ever before. And this is coming from somebody who if you search "fourfoot corden" well you'll get the gist.

When I joined Twitter properly (I joined in 2009, didn't post for two years) in 2011 (thanks @sianz you absolute fucking monster for ruining my life with this by the way) I was almost instantly hooked. You make a stranger laugh at something you say and then they share it and then they follow you and you chat about shit you've got in common and a connection, albeit one powered by digits and electricity and technology and all that electroshit, is made. I won't add to the chorus of people saying Twitter isn't what it used to be. I'll agree it's a darker place but I contributed to some of that darkness, and it bit back. I wanted my Twitter area to be one where I made friends instead of lost them.

So, late 2018, I decide I want to give something back. I hit upon the idea of a small daily question that people could respond to. It wasn't the most radical or groundbreaking of ideas but there you go. I wanted the questions to be a mix of the profound and the profane, to amuse and occasionally inspire. I never thought for one second it would be nearly as much hard work as it became but that's my fault. I wrote out 365 questions in advance, powered by late night red wine and office coffee. You can tell my state of mind by the first week's questions which involved getting pissed with Mr Men and wanking off animals.

Lots of people seem to look forward to the challenge and some days it's impossible to keep up with the responses. Sometimes I've almost immediately regretted the question, not seeing how it could be misinterpreted. Where I've made mistakes, I've tried to apologise. So far I've only received one barrel of personal abuse by direct message and, looking back, maybe I had that coming.

I just wanted to say thank you to all who contribute to this silly hashtag game. I've long given up asking people to use the hashtag because fuck it, it's all bollocks anyway. People can join in or not, they don't need to follow rules. So many of you have become regular contributors whose answers always make me smile, laugh or nod in a knowing way. Some days the questions don't really land many answers or responses, others it goes mad. There's no way of knowing which ones will hit.

My thanks especially to @cherryaimless for stepping into the breach when i needed some time to escape, @mickmuldoon for coming up with a question which was so much nicer than the one i was going to ask, @KathyBurke for ensuring my phone goes fucking nuts when she joins in, @riffraffhands for being there to tell me not to quit when I really wanted to and all of you who made this hellsite a better place for me again especially @mariadonovanwri, @kevinmagoo72 and @BananaFoxJones - if I've forgotten anyone I'll mention you when they make a film about it and it wins the Oscar and I have to go make a speech.

It wouldn't work without you. I love you all. Sorry about all the swears.

Paul.