Vlog #010: Announcing Mental Health Walk Club
I woke up buzzing about a simple idea: make mental health social, local, and easy by organizing walk clubs—not runs, not bar nights—just regular walks where people can talk and move. Over the last two weeks I’ve been learning to code with ChatGPT’s help, and it clicked: I can build a live-updating map where anyone can submit a walk, and it appears for everyone else—decentralized by design. That’s where this is headed: a framework that lets more people participate without me hand-curating every event.
Today I put it to the test. I set up the first Mental Health Walk Club, published the sign-up, and went to host it. And…no one came. Totally fair—I posted it with less than 24 hours’ notice. Someone on Reddit also pointed out that Buckingham Fountain isn’t central for a lot of people. Both notes are right, and both are useful. Next time I’ll give a proper runway and rotate to more convenient, neighborhood-based meeting spots. Bigger picture, this can (and should) include existing walking groups too—the map can aggregate them so people have one place to find options.
Why a walk club instead of “walking group”? The framing matters. Walk clubs feel open, repeatable, and light—something you can do every day. Post-COVID, we’re missing spaces that aren’t alcohol-centric or commerce-centric. A walk checks all the boxes: movement, conversation, daylight.
Meanwhile, I’m still sober—over two months now—and it’s reshaping how I spend time. I’m saving money, sleeping better, and building instead of booking my day around smoking. That extra energy is going into projects: the walk map, a time-lapse idea tracking a wildflower patch through the season, and immediate creative work (I literally filmed a music video right after this vlog). AI makes it possible to turn ideas into finished things faster, and I want to start sharing how-to guides so others can do it too. The more people who make, the better our collective mental health tends to be.
On the music front, Everyone Deserves Healthcare—my first album with vocals and a clear organizing message—is now live on streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music). The message is still the same: people shouldn’t be punished for having a body. I’m considering a video for it next.
What’s next for the walk club:
More lead time (no more last-minute posts).
Neighborhood-friendly meetups instead of just downtown.
Open submissions so anyone can host.
Aggregation of existing walking groups onto the same map.
Zero attendees isn’t failure; it’s a first data point. The value here is the map and the framework—something that can sustain itself, with me shifting into an admin role while the community fills it with life. Today’s lesson: ship early, listen hard, adjust quickly. Onward.
