What's new at The GP Diaries

Greetings, friends!

I'm writing to say welcome to new subscribers and to give a shout-out to all of you who’ve been with me up until this point!

A few quick notes about who I am and what I’ve been up to:

I’m Mo, a writer and comedian from the southeast United States. I have Long Covid and remain Covid-Conscious, so I am committed to masking in public until Covid is no longer the threat it is today. I realize that day may never come in my lifetime and like many of you, I’m grieving the loss of relationships with people and communities who are not going back to any kind of life that could safely include me.

So in 2023, I started my blog The Guiness Pig Diaries, with 3 aims: comedy, connection, and content that speaks specifically to a CC audience.

On my site, you’ll find:

Maskhole Clapbacks jokes: Hundreds of humorous answers to the question “why are you wearing a mask?”

Essays: I write longform content to inform, inspire, and validate the experiences and perspectives of the Covid-Conscious. Most include personal stories, humor, and a smattering of four-letter words. We Had the Tools compares a summer job I held as a teen at a hardware store with our shitshow of a pandemic response, and remains the most popular piece I've published on my site.

Wayside – a serial novel: Many fiction fans in our community have had a tough time finding novels which acknowledge the reality of the ongoing pandemic and the plight of the Covid-Conscious. I made it my goal last year to change that, and began writing a serial novel about a Covid-Conscious community that comes together on the grounds of a shuttered amusement park in North Carolina. I've been publishing one episode (chapter) at a time for those who want to read along. You can find a description of Wayside and links to each episode here. Wayside is still a work in progress, on track to be completed by the end of 2025. Read all episodes for free online till then!

Parodoke: It's parody. It's karaoke. It's parodoke! Just for laughs, these are songs you know and love, but with new lyrics that poke fun at the absurdity of life in the sixth year of the Covid-19 pandemic. More coming soon!

Movie Watch Parties: Once a month, I host an online watch party featuring a movie with relatable themes for our community. It’s a cozy, low-key hangout without video or audio, just text chat with like-minded folks while watching a movie together. It’s free and everyone is welcome. More details here.

I’ve got more stuff brewing that I hope will bring laughter, hope, and connection to our community in the days to come. I usually send out emails with new content 2-3 times a month. I do not sell or share whatever info you provided when signing up for this newsletter, and never will.

Thanks for coming along for the ride!

Want to reach out? Use this contact form.

In good humor and solidarity,

GP