What exactly is going on here?
The short answer: I have planned 365 days of brand new artwork, podcasts, blogs, newsletters, and merchandise. Here's what that entails.
2022 / January 04 / 11:00 PM / Ottawa, ON
The long answer: I have had ideas and lists and plans—of all sorts of wonderful crap—building up for years. The short explanation, within this long answer, as to why I haven't been publishing all these ideas and plans: mental health.
Having the last year and change away from a typical 9-to-5 has allowed me to really refocus and find enjoyment in life again.
I've arrived in a place where I regularly feel like myself. I have energy and motivation. For the better part of the last decade, I've only had that in brief stints here and there. It's been a slow progression to work my way back, and I needed that final push down the homestretch to get me there.
Now, I have, as the kids say, “flipped the script,” and the positive now consistently outweighs the negative. It's not short bursts anymore, it's that kind of steady, calm energy and motivation that lasts.
And I decided I'd put it to the test. I presented myself with a 365-day challenge: execute on your plans, post something new every day for a year—just get it all out there and see where it takes me. That's right, every day for a full year. I made a whole detailed plan for it and everything (I love plans), I even put it all into my calendar. Today is day 4 (so far, so good), it's the first in a year's worth of weekly blog posts, and I want to take this opportunity to make my plans public.
So, without further ado, this is exactly what is going on here
The longest answer: the full outline of what I have planned.
(Note: make sure to read the section about email newsletters‐it contains information about access to some of them sweet, sweet exclusive promotions and benefits.)
Sundays: Illustrations
- Every week a new illustration with bonus neat pattern for your computer and/or phone background (or just for your viewing pleasure).
- January 2nd post: Soften the Blow
- January 19th post: TBA (Stay tuned to find out!)
Mondays: Podcast
- Every week a new episode of Sonder: The Same Team Podcast.
- A podcast that doesn't have the answers to the world's biggest social, environmental, and economic issues, but a podcast that does have the answer to finding the answers.
- January 3rd post: Sonder Trailer
- Premieres this coming Monday, January 10th with Episode 00: How can we solve global issues? (The Same Team philosophy explained)
- Subscribe via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere else you can find podcasts.
Tuesdays: Blog post
- Every week a new blog post:
- 1st Tuesday of every month: personal blog post via Martensen.ca
- January 4th post: “What exactly is going on here?” (This post)
- February 1st post: “Superbald, Chapter 00: The Prologue”
- 2nd Tuesday of every month: branding & marketing blog post via StillCreekStudios.com
- January 11th post: “The one true rule of branding”
- 3rd Tuesday of every month: signage blog post via SunDevilSignage.com
- January 18th post: “Immortal Signage”
- 4th Tuesday of every month: philosophical blog post via FreestylePress.com
- January 25th post: TBA (Stay tuned to find out!)
- 5th Tuesday of every month (when applicable): surprise topic blog post—something that strays from the usual subjects I post about—via Martensen.ca
Wednesdays: Newsletters & Business Words™
- Every week a new humorous term or phrase: what I call Business Words™.
- I love the way we use the English language—sometimes certain words or phrases in certain contexts just bring a smile to my face. So, I began to write them down.
- This is inspired by corporate speak—the way business necessitates new terms to describe internal processes, or consumer products, or a variety of other things can result in what are typically generic and uninteresting words mashed into delightfully silly and/or odd phrases that are spoken in earnest.
- Partly because of the fact that these terms are used in earnest is what makes them silly, and I'm here for it—hence, Business Words™.
- Note that corporate speak was the inspiration but the idea stretches beyond words exclusive to business and extends to all corners of the English language.
- January 5th post: What are Business Words™?
- January 12th post: Sacred Containers
- January 19th post: TBA (Stay tuned to find out!)
- Every week a new email newsletter for general updates and exclusive promotions. Follow the links below to sign up and receive the exclusive benefits listed.
- 1st Wednesday of every month: Martensen.ca email newsletter
- Subscribers will receive 3-day advance notice of the monthly special product release in the Martensen.ca shop, before it is announced publicly.
- Subscribers will receive access to an exclusive product offering not available to the public with each month's newsletter.
- Martensen.ca subscriber benefits begin with February 2nd newsletter.
- 2nd Wednesday of every month: Still Creek Studios email newsletter
- Subscribers will receive a monthly promotional discount on Still Creek Studios services.
- Subscribers will receive access to an exclusive product offering not available to the public with each month's newsletter.
- Still Creek Studio subscriber benefits begin with January 12th newsletter.
- 3rd Wednesday of every month: Sun Devil Signage email newsletter
- Subscribers will receive a monthly promotional discount on Sun Devil Signage services.
- Subscribers will receive access to an exclusive product offering not available to the public with each month's newsletter.
- Sun Devil Signage subscriber benefits begin with January 19th newsletter.
- 4th Wednesday of every month: hustle double email newsletter (subscribe at the bottom of the page)
- Subscribers will receive a monthly promotional discount on hustle double clothing.
- Subscribers will receive access to an exclusive product offering not available to the public with each month's newsletter.
- hustle double subscriber benefits begin with January 26th newsletter.
- 5th Wednesday of every month (when applicable): Martensen.ca BONUS email newsletter
- Subscribers to the Martensen.ca email newsletter will receive access to a BONUS exclusive product offering not available to the public with each month's BONUS newsletter.
- Martensen.ca BONUS subscriber benefits begin with March 30th BONUS newsletter.
Thursdays: Typography
- Every week a new typographic design with bonus files for your computer and/or phone background (or just for your viewing pleasure).
- January 6th post: Speak Your Latent Conviction
- January 13th post: TBA (Stay tuned to find out!)
Fridays: Freehand Lettering/Calligraphy
- Every week a new freehanded lettering or calligraphy design with bonus files for your computer and/or phone background (or just for your viewing pleasure).
- January 7th post: Minimum Effort
- January 14th post: TBA (Stay tuned to find out!)
Saturdays: Promotions
- Every week a new promotion post highlighting a new or existing product.
- Weeks where an exclusive product is released in advance to newsletter subscribers on a Wednesday, that product will be announced to the public on the Saturday immediately following. For reference:
- 1st week of the month: Martensen.ca exclusive product announced to public on Saturday following the 1st Wednesday of the month.
- 4th week of the month: hustle double exclusive product announced to public on Saturday following the 4th Wednesday of the month.
- Weeks where no exclusive product is released
- 2nd week of the month: No exclusive product. Existing product promoted on Saturday following the 2nd Wednesday of the month
- 3rd week of the month: No exclusive product. Existing product promoted on Saturday following the 3rd Wednesday of the month
- 5th week of the month (if applicable): Martensen.ca exclusive BONUS product not available to the public. Existing product promoted on Saturday following the 5th Wednesday of the month
So, in summary: A LOT is going on here.
—James
