Tag Archives: GOALS

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How Not To Suck

There are a lot of areas in my life where my skills are somewhat subpar- Like Cooking, weeding the yard, hunting, and even organizing the house. Let’s face it: nobody wakes up and aspires to be bad at something. But we’ve all been there. But here is a secret. If you’re going to do something you’re not skilled at the best, you might as well aim for zero… or at least something better than bad. Because, after all, the second-best thing to zero is, you guessed it, something better than bad!

If you’ve ever burned toast so thoroughly that it resembled a charcoal sketch or danced like no one was watching (because they all left the room), then congratulations, you’re on the right track to not sucking!

You don’t have to be great; you just have to be better than bad. Celebrate those small victories! Because if we’re honest, it’s during those times when growth and improvement happen.

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Mondays Stink!!!

Ah, Mondays. The day of the week that nobody looks forward to. The day when the weekend is over and the workweek begins. The day when coffee is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Yes, Mondays stink. And if you’re anything like me, you probably feel like you need an IV drip of coffee just to get through the day- To quote Lorelai Gilmore.

happy coffee
Photo by Kaboompics .com on Pexels.com

But why do Mondays have to be so terrible? Maybe it’s because we’ve spent the last two days living it up, and now we’re paying the price. Or maybe it’s because Mondays are just inherently cursed. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that Mondays are the worst.

For starters, getting out of bed on a Monday morning is an uphill battle. You’re groggy, disoriented, and you’ve probably hit the snooze button on your alarm at least five times. And when you finally do manage to drag yourself out of bed, you’re hit with the realization that you have an entire week of work ahead of you. Ugh.

Then there’s the commute. Whether you’re driving or taking public transportation, Mondays always seem to bring out the worst in people. Drivers are more aggressive, commuters are more irritable, and everyone seems to be in a rush to get to their jobs. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll spend the entire commute fantasizing about all the different ways you could quit your job and become a professional trout bum.

But let’s not forget about the actual work. Mondays are usually filled with meetings, emails, and catching up on everything you missed over the weekend. And even if you managed to get some work done over the weekend, it’s never enough. You’re always playing catch-up on Mondays, and it feels like you’re constantly behind.

And then there’s the coffee. Oh, the coffee. Without it, Mondays would be even more unbearable. But even with it, Mondays still suck. You’re constantly refilling your mug, trying to stay awake and alert, and praying that the caffeine kicks in soon. And if you’re really desperate, you might start fantasizing about that Gilmore IV drip of coffee we mentioned earlier.

But hey, it’s not all bad. Mondays can be a great excuse to procrastinate. You know you should be working, but instead, you’re scrolling through social media, watching funny cat videos, and reading blogs about how much Mondays suck. And who knows, maybe you’ll even find some inspiration for your next meme or TikTok video.

And let’s not forget about the silver lining. Once you make it through Monday, the rest of the week will be a breeze. Well, maybe not a breeze, but at least it won’t be Monday. (Unless you’re like I was like week and have a week of Mondays.) And before you know it, the weekend will be here again, and you’ll have two whole days to do absolutely nothing.

So there you have it. Mondays suck, but they don’t have to be the end of the world. Embrace the coffee, procrastinate a little (or a lot), and remember that the rest of the week is just around the corner. And who knows, maybe someday we’ll all have access to that IV drip of coffee we’ve been dreaming of. Until then, let’s just try to survive Mondays one week at a time.

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Work – Life Balance- It’s all Bull

This week I had the following question asked to me by friend Gretchen (who gave me permission to use it as a blog post). I’ll be honest; I’ve had a hard time answering it. Right now, I’m on vacation. It’s early, the cabin is quiet, and I’m enjoying a nice hot cup of coffee while I write this. There are some people out there who will try to get you to buy a course on Work-Life Balance. But the truth is, save your money. Work / Life Balance is all bull.

Part of the reason I hate this phrase is that it is basically saying one of the two is negative. Either your work life is negative, or your life at home is negative. So to achieve happiness, you need to balance them, so one doesn’t interfere with the other.

We’re taught don’t let home life negatively affect our work, and for goodness’ sake, don’t let the work life negatively affect your home life. The problem is we’re conditioned to compartmentalize everything and become actors staring in different plays at different times of the day. No wonder our mental health is so jacked up in this country.

The truth is that’s all BS, and there are a ton of people who spend thousands each year trying to find balance.

Newsflash: Balance doesn’t exist because it’s all one thing- LIFE.

Work is the reason I get up in the morning at 5:30 am. Family is the reason I come home. Hobbies are the reason I can disconnect and breathe. Each has its ups, downs, and stresses, but in the end, it’s just life.

Listen…

I have failed as a leader at work.

I have failed as an author.

I have failed as a friend.

I have failed as a father.

And I have failed as a husband.

You learn how to do it all as you go. But that still doesn’t answer the question- how do I blog, podcast, be an effective leader in the workplace, be present with my kids, write stories, love my wife, garden, game, and watch shows?

I’m not sure I do all of this all the time. It may appear that way, but I try to be proactive in my approach. Sitting the phone down at night to focus on my wife and kids is hard. It’s a challenge. I have to be proactive at it. I have to make it a habit to place it on silent and on the mantle. Why silent? Because if someone calls and they need to get a hold of me, they can leave a message. It’s that simple. I also turn notifications off. That has been an enormous help. I don’t see a notification unless I click on the app.

As far as podcasting and writing go, I make time because I love doing it. The podcast started for my sanity. I don’t talk about politics, religion, or current events online. One- Those conversations are not crucial to me. Two- I find them boring because it’s the same people making the same tiring arguments from both sides. Three- They always turn toxic, and honestly, they are very uncreative discussions.

So the podcast birthed out of myself and my friends just wanting to have fun geeky conversations without all the mess of toxic fandoms.

Regarding writing- 90% of all my writing is done on my phone or iPad. A large portion of my blog is written in my WordPress Jetpack app.

Being a Dad who writes, I don’t have the luxury of waiting for the perfect mood or setting for the muse to hit. I have to go. If that means I’m writing Iggy & Oz at a stop light, checkout line, or Doctors office, I do it. If something is important to you, you do it. That’s how I feel about blogging and writing stories. You make it work. It’s not about balance.

Everything else. Gardening, playing video games and watching my favorite shows. I don’t do those things every day. But I do them and find time to do them because I love doing them.

You don’t have to block out huge chunks at a time. Ten minutes here or there is all it takes. I may read only a chapter a day or consume mostly audiobooks, but I make time for the things I love.

I don’t scroll endlessly on TikTok, Instagram, Or Twitter anymore. Sure, I show up, but it’s in little spurts here and there. Heck, YouTube has become my social media of choice, and 90% of all my Social Media posts are in my IG stories or me sharing a blog post.

It’s hard to find time to do everything in life, and there are things I give up. But at the end of the day, when you enjoy doing something because it’s a challenge or makes you happy, you find the time.

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Smoking Cheese- A New Hobby

Recently my wife has been experimenting with charcuterie boards and making snack trays for birthdays or when we have friends over. One thing I’ve always enjoyed is Smoked Cheese and crackers. So, I’ve decided to attempt smoking cheese- a new hobby. Or, a disaster, it’s yet to be determined

Smoking cheese- a new hobby

The first batch seems to of turned out well. I did three types of cheese. Colby jack, Sharp Cheddar, and a White Sharp Cheddar. I wanted to do some Gouda but they didn’t have any blocks.

The method was simple. Find a large disposal aluminum tray and fill it with ice.

Next place the cheese on either toothpicks or a small wire rack, and place it in a smaller tray. A tray that will fit nicely into the larger iced tray.

Smoke on a low heat at around 150 to 200. After one hour, flip the cheese, add some more ice if necessary, and smoke for another hour.

Last, wrap the cheese in parchment paper and place in the fridge for at least 48 hours.

Simple method, and probably the cheapest thing I’ve ever smoked.

So smoking cheese- A new hobby? Most likely.