Why every year is the year of just because
I'm doing all these ridiculous things simply because I can.
I like to set myself a ludicrous editorial challenge. Back in 2018, that was Trainfinder, where I travelled the entirety of each railway system in Australia and New Zealand's capital cities in a single day. This resulted in lots of fabulous train journeys, much stressing over delays, and a fair degree of buttock numbness.
One question kept coming up whenever I wrote about that challenge: Why are you doing this? As I explained when I launched it, the answer was a mixture of genetics (many members of my family are obsessed with trains) and living up to Finder's long-term mission to compare absolutely everything. Not everyone accepted this as a valid reason, to be honest. These people are wrong, but I don't need that level of hassle in my life.
So in 2019, I followed up with an even simpler and more ludicrous idea:
THE YEAR OF JUST BECAUSE
The goal? Once a month, I did something patently ridiculous, and wrote about it. This might involve some of my well-documented obsessions, like travel (flying and trains a particular speciality). It might force me to eat patently ridiculous foods. It might see me imposing my much-admired fashion stylings on the world. It might require me to get my job done using only a Commodore 64. Why? Because I can. Just because.
Just Because was originally meant to be a 2019-only project. But pandemic hassles meant that I didn't come up with a new 2020 big editorial project to replace it, and the same went for 2021.
And now, in 2022, when travelling is back on the agenda, it still seems like the best approach I can come up with. Why? Just because.
Check out earlier entries in the series below, and keep an eye out for whatever I come up with next.
The Just Because archives
Angus Kidman's Findings column looks at new developments and research that help you save money, make wise decisions and enjoy your life more. It appears regularly on finder.com.au.
Picture: Angus Kidman
