Anonymous Patron Brightens My Father's Day

Stardate 06.22.2026

This year the longest day of the year fell on Father's day yesterday. I knew it was going to be a challenging one for me because I'm away from all three of our adult children. I also seem to go deep into memories of past Father's days when I was in my younger days. I walked into the Twisted Fire to get a lone table amidst a full crowd of patrons celebrating their dads. Perhaps someone noticed my sadness as I sat deep in thought. The energy required to do what I do on the road can leave me depleted even on my best days.

There was a certain joy in the dining room all around me. I ate my dinner in silence imagining my family seated around me. When I asked for the check, Lexi leaned in and whispered, "your meal is paid by one of our guests." That's the moment my joy returned. Gratitude filled my heart. I walked to the host stand and asked to speak with a manager assuring the concierge I wanted to offer a compliment.

When I started talking I froze. My eyes welled up. Words disappeared. The manager assured me this place was safe. As I expressed my gratitude for my meal I shared how challenging it was to be away from my family on Father's day. Her eyes welled up. She extended a hug and wished me a Happy father's day. I walked outside. My tears were mixing with raindrops from Heaven where my dad has been residing the last 24 years.

I called my wife and shared what happened. She told me the whole family felt the same way all day. All I can say about the patron who took care of dinner is thank you. Your kindness turned a rough day into a day I will cherish all the days of my life. Thank you. May you live long and prosper.

There is Only One Perfect Father

Stardate 06.21.2026

There is only one person who walked on this planet who can claim he has a perfect father. In fact, he happens to be the only one who can claim he is a perfect son. If you understand you are less than perfect, stop beating yourself up. And if you realize your father is less than perfect, please stop blaming him for your own troubles.

I'm applying my 1% better philosophy to being a dad because I realize I'm flawed. Instead, I do my best to imitate the one who is perfect. I'm also doing my best to thank my dad for the contributions he made to my life. 

Today is a great day to let go of any hurts you have regarding your dad. It's a great day to stop judging your dad, comparing your dad to other dads, or blaming your dad. Without your dad, you wouldn't be here. What you do with your life is now up to you. If you are a dad, strive to be the best dad you can be. Do this well and the world will be a better place. Happy Fathers Day to all the dads. May you live long and prosper.

I'm Following the Yellow Brick Road

 Stardate 06.20.2026

Much to my surprise, I found Dorothy and her cohorts yesterday while on a break at my day job. I walked along the yellow brick road encountering other characters from The Wizard of Oz. A full-sized statue of the wizard himself greets visitors at City Hall next door.

I spent a moment in silence when I encountered Glinda, the good witch of the north. My friend Erin played that role in San Diego. It seems like yesterday when she descended on stage from a swing enchanting our young children. Sadly, Erin is now somewhere over the rainbow along with my traveling companion, Wilson.

I'm thankful Glinda's words of wisdom were displayed for visitors like me who may be traveling from afar. 

This is the line that helped me on my own personal journey...

"Home is a place we all must find, child. It's not a place where you eat or sleep. Home is knowing. Knowing your mind, knowing your heart, knowing your courage. If we know ourselves, we're always home, anywhere."

Are you not sure where to start? Glinda says, "it's always best to start at the beginning. And all you have to do is follow the yellow brick road."

May you live long and prosper. Have a great day.

Sardines on the Road

Stardate 06.19.2026

My new teammates at my day job are discovering my odd habits. You probably don't know anyone in your circle of friends who packs sardines in their luggage. My own brain may have thought my road trip would influence the score regarding my 90day sardines experiment. Sorry, brain. The current scoreboard still shows only one point against my mind despite the change in scenery for a while.

Yesterday I ate breakfast outside with a colleague who seemed intrigued by my can of sardines. I told her I don't care what others think about my odd ways. These experiments are helping me discover my healthiest version of myself.

Looking back at my life, I'm seeing a pattern. A poor blood pressure reading leads me to a new food experiment. A tragic auto accident allows me to discover how therapy can help me restore my fear of getting back behind the wheel. The loss of friends and family turns into a desire to learn about longevity.

Sardines on the road are simply part of my journey. I'm discovering that it's all about the small stuff. Tiny changes produce major changes if you stick with it. May you live long and prosper.

Virtual Team On Pause

Stardate 06.18.2026

These stories are coming to you using the one finger swipe method. Please overlook any typos or punctuation errors.  I left my MacBook Pro at home while I'm away on assignment. Since Alberta, Spock and Bones are artificial intelligence, they don't require vacations so I'm calling our time apart a pause. These stories will be shorter and unedited. Please bear with me.

I would like to give my wife a huge shout out for helping me to get started on my current journey. She dropped me off at my favorite rental car facility during a massive storm. Unfortunately, my rental car was at the airport when the storm was at its peak. Winds in excess of 75mph knocked down power lines and wreaked havoc. The good news is a driver managed to get me my vehicle so I could get going. The worst part of the storm passed while I waited.

I'm happy to report my family and I are all marked safe from the storm. We have sunshine in the forecast for several days. I'm reminded of a quote hanging on our wall at home about storms. This is something I'm working on. If Spock were here to offer commentary, he might say while the weather may be unpredictable, human behavior can be programmed to function without the turbulence emanating from emotions. And McCoy might chime in, "Just dance!" May you live long and prosper. Spock and company will return soon. Have a great day.

The Twin Yolk

Stardate 06.17.2026

Ask any of my siblings about the messages we've received from our dad, and you may be surprised.

On the surface, the messages seem ordinary. A song on the radio. A memory that arrives out of nowhere. A small coincidence at exactly the right moment. When timing and circumstance come together, they can offer a glimpse of something that feels Divine.

That's what happened to me yesterday.

It was my day off, and I was preparing my one meal of the day. I had been thinking about my dad only moments earlier. Father's Day is approaching, and this year I will be away from my own adult children. One of them had left a Father's Day card on the counter. I paused and looked at it.

Then I cracked my eggs.

The first egg was completely ordinary.

The second one contained a double yolk.

I just smiled.

A twin yolk doesn't happen very often. Whenever it does, my thoughts immediately go to my dad and his twin brother, both born on Christmas Day. Dad left this world twenty-four years ago, yet there are still moments when his memory gently taps me on the shoulder.

Yesterday felt like one of those moments.

Maybe it was simply an unusual egg. Maybe it was a reminder stirred by memory and timing. Either way, I received it as a gift.

I stood there in my kitchen holding an ordinary breakfast and an extraordinary memory at the same time.

If this story seems a little fishy, it is.

Some of you may be wondering if I returned to my sardine experiment after falling off the wagon the day before. Indeed, I did. I enjoyed my sardines and welcomed the bonus protein from my three eggs. As I ate, I found myself thinking about my dad and feeling thankful for the moment.

Scripture reminds us:

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights..." — James 1:17 (NIV)

Some gifts arrive in grand ways. Others come hidden inside an eggshell.

I'm thankful for the moment.

I'm thankful for the memory.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to share my twin yolk story with you.

Join me here:
https://substack.com/@michaelmulliganlivelong

Captain's Addendum

Bones: "A double yolk, huh? I've seen strange things in my medical career, but breakfast delivering messages from beyond still ranks pretty high."

Spock: "Coincidence and meaning are not mutually exclusive, Doctor. Humans often find significance in events that awaken cherished memories."

Michael: I don't need to explain every meaningful moment that crosses my path. Some experiences simply invite gratitude. Yesterday, a twin yolk reminded me of my father and his twin brother. For a few minutes, the distance of twenty-four years didn't feel quite so far away.

May you live long and prosper. And may the ordinary moments in your day carry a little extra meaning when you need it most.
🖖

First Sardine Failure in 90 Day Omega-3 Experiment

Stardate 06.16.2026

Missteps are part of the story. I share the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Yesterday, two experiments collided.

I was on a date with my wife, and we decided to eat out. Since it was a day off, I chose to eat only one meal for the day. It wasn't sardines.

There it was. The first failed day in my 90-day sardine experiment.

I made it 21 consecutive days eating sardines. The score now stands at 21-1 in the battle of my mind versus my brain.

I suspect my brain is feeling pretty pleased with itself right now. That's okay. I still sense that I have the upper hand in the larger challenge of becoming the healthiest version of myself that I can be.

Change has a way of teaching us through imperfect attempts. Most worthwhile pursuits include a few stumbles along the way. My wild stallion of a brain broke out of the corral yesterday. Today, I get back in the saddle and eat sardines as part of my one meal for the day.

The old three-meals-a-day routine feels like a distant memory. OMAD (one meal a day) on my days off is becoming a way of life. So is 2MAD (two meals a day) on workdays.

This 90-day sardine experiment serves two purposes.

The first is intense brain training.

The second is raising my omega-3 levels.

Both goals matter to me. One nourishes the body. The other strengthens discipline.

I have also decided to add one more rule to the experiment. If I skip a day of eating sardines, one penalty day gets added to the end of the challenge.

Apparently, my brain thinks it still has a chance.

That's fair.

The scoreboard now reads 21-1, with one additional penalty day waiting at the finish line.

I have many more experiments planned in the future. This one is teaching me something important already. Missing a day did not erase twenty-one days of effort. Those days still count. The lessons still count. The progress still counts.

A single misstep has never had the final word in any meaningful journey I've taken.

The Scriptures remind me of this truth:

"Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again." — Proverbs 24:16

I have always appreciated that verse because it leaves room for being human. Falling down is mentioned right there in the passage. So is getting back up.

Today, I get back up.

I open another can of sardines.

I continue the experiment.

Perhaps, after enough repetition, my brain will stop fighting and decide to become an ally in the pursuit of better health. That seems to happen with many habits. What once felt uncomfortable gradually becomes familiar.

Time will tell.

For now, I am simply grateful for another day to continue the experiment.

Join me here:
https://substack.com/@michaelmulliganlivelong

Captain's Addendum

Bones: "Captain, I've seen a lot of strange treatments in my medical career, but a ninety-day sardine challenge is a new one."

Spock: "On the contrary, Doctor. The captain's experiment demonstrates persistence. A single deviation does not invalidate previous progress."

Bones: "I still think the sardines are winning."

Michael: Every worthwhile journey seems to include a few unexpected detours. Yesterday's missed sardines became another reminder that progress is rarely perfect. I still climbed back into the saddle today. Sometimes that's enough for one day's mission log.

May you live long and prosper. 🖖