Admittedly, it’s a cliche to talk about milestones on January 1. But like all cliches, this human tendency is rooted in something elemental, and to skirt the temptation is its own cliche. So here I go, giving in and running some numbers.

It’s been 4 years since I tripped into the idea of trying to make it to an open mic in all 50 states (and back then I was only thinking to do the contiguous 48). I’m a hair past halfway and that feels, well, kinda cool. My own open mic is about to hit its paper anniversary at our latest venue. I’ll turn 50 this year. And I have a new calendar with a Rumi quote each month. So there.

I made a spreadsheet—with formulas like a turbonerd—and voila!

And even though a real statistician would smash her calculator before attempting to glean from what’s below a single meaningful insight about the state of amateur talent events in the United States…it’s still fun, donchathink?