Suppose you’ve been feeling inexplicably productive on some days, or especially lazy on other days, and have used the lazy days to scroll through your Tiktok feed. In that case, you may have encountered the cute (but feisty) 13-year old pug Noodle, @jongraz on Tiktok’s loyal companion who is said to be the determiner of if we have good days or not. Many people, including myself, consider Noodle’s age affirmation in his credibility in offering wisdom to the masses. Allow me to explain:
When Jonathan (@jongraz on Tiktok) wakes up, they show Tiktok if Noodle can stand up on his own, which signifies that it’ll be a fantastic day to thrive and be productive. However, if Noodle doesn’t “have bones” (meaning that he refuses to stand up in the morning), then it’ll be a “No Bones Day,” which means to take the day off if you can and relax. At first, the definition of a No Bones Day meant that it wouldn’t be a good day, that it would carry bad luck or unexpected consequences. However, Jonathan and his followers reclaimed the No Bones Day as one for self-care. In other words, to “be kind to yourself, to take it easy, no hard pants if you’re wearing jeans – switch to sweatpants, and do something nice for yourself today” (quote from multiple of @jongraz’s Tiktok videos in support of No Bones).
Noodle’s iconic predictions have led the Tiktok community to indulge in a hashtag devoted to the sagacious pet, called “#NoodleTok.” In #NoodleTok, you can find clips from Noodle and Jonathan’s most recent appearance on the TODAY Show for a live reading, Tiktok creators sharing what they’re up to on a No Bones/Bones Day, and even songs about the phenomenon from groups like NTMC (@notthemaincharacters on Tiktok). One of the songs created by NTMC about a no bones day is to the tune of Lukas Graham’s hit “Mama Said,” which is also trending on Tiktok: “If it’s a No Bones Day I just stay in bed, Noodle said it’s fine if I don’t get dressed, his legs are made of jello, sorry you didn’t get the memo, cause Noodle said that it was okay, Noodle said that it was quite alright if I don’t leave my house all night, it’s a No Bones Day.” The dozens of articles written about Noodle and Jonathan also speak volumes about how feel-good the game is to look forward to each morning, which makes the popularity surrounding the two so worth it. No Bones/Bones Day is far from transient, seeing as how the videos have traveled across the world for more than two months.
I find the anticipation of Jonathan’s videos to be engrossing and palpable from his followers and the Kenyon community. One of my favorite things to do upon learning about this trend is if I ever run into an inconvenience, I blame it on being a No Bones Day, and if something positive happens, it’s because of a Bones Day. I find that this simple yet amusing trend has geared my life more towards self-care and aiming to motivate myself more towards my goals, regardless of if it’s a No Bones Day or not. I will also be honest when I say that I forget to check the readings on some days, but after considering how that day went when I have a chance to reflect, based on the reading, it would explain why the day occurred positively or not.
Although most Tiktok trends usually fade away, I predict that because Noodle is so iconic, the pug will make a comeback differently with the help of Jonathan. Feel-good trends on the platform are also rare, which is why I have even more hope and expectation for a new or revised trend from the duo to arrive in the future. And it should go without saying, but hopefully, it’ll be a Bones Day as well when another gem from Noodle is bestowed upon us.