2016

Ya know, despite all the bullshit that went down in this country and around the world as well, 2016 was actually a pretty good year for Arthur Graham. Definitely better than some years in recent memory. A banner year, even, if I do say so myself...

Trump won, yeah, but at least I didn't get hit by a bus or drink myself to death.

Sure, there were many beloved stars who passed away, but no one really close to me died, so that was nice for a change.

And okay, so I didn't spend as much time outdoors as I'd hoped to, but I did write/publish a record amount in 2016, so I'd say I came out on top in the end.

This really was a prolific year for me. In January I placed a story in Strange Sex 3, and then there was Great White House 2: Billary Bites Back and Zinester Scenester in March, Whores of the Industry in April, Cracker-Ass Honky Blues in May, Finally Broken Forever: Missives from the Post-Web World in June, and Labial Linguistics in July, followed closely by Tanuki Tango Overdrive in August and And So On... The BareBack Anthology in September, not to mention the Fall and Winter issues of HST Quarterly. So, in other words, 2016 was the only year on record in which I averaged a publication each month -- not too shabby!

In addition to all the writing/editing I did, I also read a fuck ton as well, I attended Days of the Dead LA, I was interviewed by GR-famous "Dangerous" Dan Schwent, and I interviewed Jon Konrath, G. Arthur Brown, and Fernando Sorrentino.

Let's see, what else did I do... I moved into a new place, I got new glasses, I made it to my yearly dental cleaning, I didn't get arrested, I met some amazing people, I only crashed my bike twice, I wasn't really hungover more than a handful of times, I didn't break any bones, I didn't get my heart broken once, I saw some great shows (Echo & the Bunnymen, The Church, Psychedelic Furs, etc.), I did some great drugs, I made it home to Michigan for the first time in years, I spent Thanksgiving with my daughter in Salt Lake, I washed my sheets occasionally, I cleaned my toilet pretty often, I only got sick once (blowing snot as we speak), I seem to be relatively healthy overall, I'm due for a raise at work, I have people who love me in my life, and, well, that seems like WAY too much good stuff to have happened in a single year already!

I guess I could list all the bad shit that happened to me in 2016 as well, but that would just get dwarfed in comparison, and really it would only make me feel like an ungrateful bastard. If you've had a bad year yourself and it's any consolation, chances are my 2017 is about to suck a big blue one in comparison, yo.

So, as 2016 draws to a close, I guess I'd just like to say thanks for everyone and everything that got me through this past three sixty-five. Thanks to all who bought/read my stuff this year. Thanks to all my friends and foes alike. Thanks be to whatever queer magic it is that keeps me hungry enough to get out of bed and DO this shit every goddamn day, even when all signs point to the complete and utter pointlessness/futility of it all.

Soon enough, I'll be gone, and none of this will have ever even mattered anyway, but until then, I suppose I'll just keep taking these blessed, ever-lovin' years as they come along. Do your worst, you motherfuckers.

xoxoxox,

AG