The Mission Clock and the Gift of Time

 Stardate 10.09.2026

Every morning during my meditation, I ponder three wishes.

Health.

Longevity.

Financial peace.

These three blessings provide the framework I'm building on as I prepare for the next chapter of my life. I bring them into my morning prayers and ask Jesus to help me become a good steward of what He has given me.

Each one has a place in the life I'm working to build.

I want to take care of my health so I can remain active and enjoy the experiences ahead. I want longevity because I look forward to sharing more years with my wife. Financial peace matters because I want to approach our future with confidence and the freedom to make thoughtful choices together.

This brings me to the mission clock.

I've set Stardate 07.05.2030 as the milestone marking the beginning of my next mission. I'll be turning seventy that year, and I look forward to closing one chapter of my working life and opening another.

The thought of having more time with my wife fills me with gratitude.

I imagine visiting places we've never seen, trying new experiences, and spending time with friends who have become part of our lives. I think about the freedom to decide what we'd like to do on an ordinary Tuesday and having the time to do it.

Those possibilities give the mission clock its meaning.

My preparation has already become part of my daily life. I continue working on my health. I pay attention to our financial future. I explore new ways to tell stories, share my faith, and support causes that matter to me. Each day offers another opportunity to learn something useful.

I returned from Scotland and London with new experiences and new friendships. I'm learning to create YouTube videos and discovering ways to introduce my writing to new readers. At this stage of life, I still have plenty to learn, and I enjoy the process.

I have a long-standing practice of trying to become one percent better, one day at a time. That approach serves me well as I prepare for 2030.

My morning meditation brings me back to the three blessings. Health. Longevity. Financial peace. I hold them with gratitude and ask Jesus to guide my choices.

Scripture offers a beautiful reminder in Psalm 118:24:

“This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” — Psalm 118:24, NLT

I love the reminder in these words. Every morning brings another day to appreciate the blessings Jesus has placed in my life. I can prepare for the future while finding reasons to be grateful for the present.

My wife and I have plans for the years ahead. Today, we have another opportunity to enjoy the life we've been given and take another step toward the experiences we hope to share.

Join me here:

https://substack.com/@michaelmulliganlivelong

Captain's Addendum

Bones: “Michael, you've got a clock counting down to 2030 and three wishes to keep you busy every morning. When do you plan to relax?”

Spock: “Doctor, I believe the Captain has already identified his objective. He wishes to maximize the time available for shared experiences with his wife.”

Bones: “Well, that's one mission even I can understand.”

I have spent years working toward goals and preparing for what comes next. Today, I'm grateful for the opportunity to keep preparing while enjoying the life Jesus has given me. The mission clock gives me a date to anticipate, and each morning gives me another chance to make the most of the time I have.

A Slice of Heaven

Stardate 10.08.2026

My sleep report from last night leaves plenty of room for improvement.

I'm still finding my rhythm after returning from Europe. My body is reminding me that restoration takes time, and I'm okay with that.

Yesterday was my first day off while I'm on assignment in Lawrence, Kansas.

I started the day looking for a place to play indoor pickleball.

A quick online search led me to a facility with a small weight room and a large gym where they roll out nets for pickleball. I joined for 30 days and took advantage of my senior status. Ten dollars for the month gets me free open play on certain days.

After I signed up, I asked the receptionist if she knew where I could swim indoors.

That question changed the rest of my day.

When I checked into my hotel, I discovered the jacuzzi had been sealed over with plywood. Swimming and the recovery provided by jacuzzi jets are part of how I take care of my body, so finding an indoor pool became a priority.

She directed me across town.

I plugged the address into my phone and headed out.

I had no idea how close the aquatic center would be to where I will be working for the next three weeks.

When I walked through the doors, I found a slice of Heaven.

It was one of the largest indoor swimming pools I've ever seen.

There wasn't a soul in the water.

Lisa, the senior administrative specialist, offered me a tour. I asked if it would be okay to shoot some video for my wife. Since the pool was closed until later in the day, Lisa told me she would need to escort me.

So I started filming.

A few seconds of what I discovered:

I'm beginning to see how my daily blog is becoming a vlog, too.

For years, I've written about the places I go and the people I meet. Now I'm learning how to bring some of those moments to life through video.

After the tour, I headed to the front desk and met Phyllis.

The ladies asked where I was from and why I was in town. I told them about my assignment, my daily stories and our effort to raise money for children's hospitals across the country.

I gave them a signed copy of Live Long and Prosper.

That's when Phyllis shared that she is undergoing cancer treatment.

She really connected with the children's hospital part of my story.

Abigail, the afternoon lifeguard, walked in while we were talking.

By the time I left, all three women knew about the blog and planned to follow the videos when they begin appearing regularly.

I purchased a punch card good for ten visits. One of the pools has jacuzzi jets, giving me another recovery option while I'm away from home.

I also bought goggles and a swim cap.

Now I have what I need to make swimming part of my routine for the next 30 days.

Then I discovered something else.

The aquatic center is only blocks from where I will be working.

A question asked at a pickleball facility had led me to a place I can use throughout this assignment.

I also discovered that one of my favorite steakhouses is only two buildings from my hotel.

Texas Roadhouse.

So I met a colleague for dinner and captured some video there, too.

By the end of the day, I had several more YouTube Shorts.

I'm continuing toward 50 Shorts so I can unlock additional YouTube features that will give me more ways to tell these stories.

The camera is becoming easier to use and hopefully more inviting for followers. 

I'm trying different locations. I'm experimenting with camera angles. I'm learning how to capture pieces of the day while I'm actually living it.

That feels like progress.

I'm also learning that progress doesn't always arrive through a carefully designed plan.

Sometimes it starts with a question.

Sometimes it starts with being willing to look around.

Sometimes it starts with asking someone who knows the area where you can find a pool.

I'm still recovering from Europe.

I'm still working on my sleep.

I'm still learning how to tell stories through video.

And I'm still stumbling forward, one percent better, one day at a time.

“Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.” — Psalm 90:17

Join me here:

https://substack.com/@michaelmulliganlivelong

Captain's Addendum

Spock: “Michael, your search for a swimming pool appears to have produced several additional missions.”

Bones: “And goggles. Don't forget the goggles, Michael.”

Spock: “Indeed, Doctor. The Captain appears to be prepared for the next 30 days.”

Sometimes the next step is right around the corner.

I just have to keep moving long enough to find it.

Live Long and Prosper.

Finding a Way When the Odds Turn Against You

Stardate 10.07.2026

Golden Hour looked a little different this morning.

My prayers and meditation were complete, and I was sitting downstairs in the dining room of my hotel in Lawrence, Kansas. My smartwatch battery had died during the night, so there would be no complete sleep report waiting for me this morning.

I checked on the Padres.

They are still alive.

San Diego defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 4–3 last night in Game 3 of the National League Division Series. The Padres had already lost the first two games and needed a victory to keep their season going.

The circumstances around the game made the challenge even greater.

Mason Miller, one of San Diego's top late-inning pitchers, was unavailable after his wife went into labor with their first child. Adrian Morejon, another important bullpen arm, was unavailable because of a shoulder issue.

The Padres had to adjust.

Jake Cronenworth hit a solo home run in the fifth inning. Manny Machado drove in another run. San Diego carried a 4–3 lead into the ninth inning.

Then Michael King took the mound.

King had started Game 2 two days earlier and had thrown 72 pitches. He had not pitched in relief during the 2026 season.

Last night, he recorded the final six outs.

The Brewers put the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the ninth inning. Christian Yelich came to the plate with the game hanging in the balance.

King got a ground ball.

Xander Bogaerts started the game-ending double play.

Ballgame.

The Padres had survived another one.

All three games in this series have been decided by one run. Milwaukee won the first game 3–2. The Brewers won Game 2 by a score of 4–3 in walk-off fashion. San Diego answered with its own 4–3 victory last night.

Now the series moves back to San Diego.

The Padres need to win tonight at home to force a decisive Game 5 in Milwaukee. If they get there, they will have to win again on the road to continue their postseason.

They have some work to do.

They are worth watching.

I think that is part of what has kept my attention throughout this series.

Both teams have played well in front of their home crowds. Every game has come down to a few important moments. A pitch. A swing. A defensive play. Last night, the Padres had to piece together the final innings with pitchers who were available.

That happens in baseball.

It happens in life, too.

Plans change. Circumstances arrive that we didn't expect. Sometimes someone who was supposed to help us isn't available, and we have to figure out what comes next.

We keep going.

That doesn't guarantee the outcome we want. It gives us another opportunity to find a path forward.

Great teams have a way of finding a path forward when the odds turn against them.

I have had plenty of moments in my own life when the original plan changed. Looking back, some of those moments opened doors I never would have found on the original path.

This morning, sitting in a hotel dining room with no sleep report and a Padres team that somehow found a way to survive, I was reminded of something simple.

Keep going.

Psalm 90:17 says:

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.”

That is a prayer I can carry with me today.

The Padres have another game tonight.

So do I.

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

Captain's Addendum

Spock: “Michael, the Padres have demonstrated an interesting capacity for adaptation.”

Bones: “And you needed a baseball game to remind you of that?”

Spock: “Apparently, Doctor.”

I think Bones may have a point.

I don't know what every day will bring. I do know I can begin the day with prayer, take the next step, and trust God with the part I cannot control.

That feels like enough for this morning.

Live long and prosper.

YouTube Channel Under Construction

Stardate 10.06.2026

Golden Hour is nearly complete.

My prayers and meditation are finished. My bags are packed. I'm ready to hit the road once our collaboration is complete this morning.

There was another interesting development when I checked my sleep report.

My actual sleep time was 5 hours and 38 minutes. Deep sleep was 1 hour and 6 minutes. REM sleep was 1 hour and 22 minutes. I was awake for 1 hour and 31 minutes, and my sleep latency was only 18 minutes.

The total amount of sleep still has room for improvement, but the report gave me something encouraging to watch. After traveling across time zones and returning home from London, my body appears to be finding its way back toward a familiar rhythm.

I'm paying attention to these reports because sleep has become another experiment in learning what my body is telling me. Nearly four years of tracking have given me plenty of data. Now I'm watching what happens as my body settles back into the routine of being home.

While my body has been working on getting back into rhythm, I've been working on something else.

My YouTube channel.

Yesterday I posted the channel description we developed together. This morning, I decided it was time to do something with the channel's front porch.

I needed a banner.

The idea of a front porch seemed appropriate. It's the place where people arrive before they come inside. My YouTube channel is still being built, and I want it to feel welcoming.

I didn't want a picture of myself on the banner. I wanted something a little more creative.

So we came up with a simple idea.

A front porch. A broom. A little cleanup.

Front Porch Duty.

The broom became the star of the show.

I created the image in Canva, added the words Front Porch Duty — Mission Accepted, downloaded the banner, and uploaded it to YouTube.

Done.

One more small piece of the channel is now in place.

That's how I'm approaching YouTube right now. I'm learning by doing. I have plenty left to figure out, and each small step gives me something new to learn.

There was another update yesterday that I want to share.

My partner, DoNotAge®, informed me that Performance has now been released. I had previously been given permission to share information about it before its worldwide release. Now it's officially available.

If you want to learn more, you can find my DoNotAge® link on the welcome page of my blog. Click the link beneath the picture of my wife and me to get to their site. The promo code is LLAP, for Live Long and Prosper.

I'm sharing that because the product is now released and readers have asked about it. I'm continuing to learn about the work DoNotAge® is doing to help extend healthy lifespan for as many people as possible.

Scripture gives me a simple reminder for mornings like this:

“And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.”
— Psalm 90:17

A YouTube banner may seem like a small thing.

It is.

So is one night's sleep report.

So is one more video.

So is one more story.

Those are the pieces that make up a day.

Join me here:

https://substack.com/@michaelmulliganlivelong

And now, before I hit the road, the bridge crew has something to say.

Spock: “Michael, the YouTube channel appears to be progressing.”

Bones: “He's got a broom on the front porch, Spock. Give the man a little credit.”

Spock: “I was giving him credit, Doctor.”

Bones: “Then try sounding like it.”

I have a feeling the broom is going to have a few more jobs before this channel is finished.

And I still have a road to travel.

Live Long and Prosper.

Time For a Reset

Stardate 10.05.2026

If you happen to be a San Diego Padres fan like me, especially if you happen to be a longtime fan, the first two games against the Milwaukee Brewers are probably haunting you today.

I get it.

The difference between winning and losing sometimes comes down to the slimmest of margins.

I stood in front of our son's big-screen TV in panic mode as the Milwaukee hometown crowd went into a frenzy. Our beloved Padres had their ace closer on the mound. The bases were loaded. We were down to one more strike to close out the game.

One more strike.

We lost.

This one stings.

It was the second night in a row that a remarkable game came down to one moment.

On Saturday night, Ty France sent a towering drive toward the left-field roof with one out in the ninth inning. The ball struck a cable and came back toward the field, where Jackson Chourio made the catch. The Padres lost Game 1, 3–2.

On Sunday, the Padres carried a 3–2 lead into the ninth inning. Mason Miller, our best closer, was asked to record the final six outs. He retired the side in the eighth and got the first out of the ninth.

Then came the walks.

The bases were loaded with two outs when Jackson Chourio stepped to the plate.

Miller got ahead of him 0–2 before Chourio battled back. On a 2–2 fastball, Chourio lined a two-run single into center field.

Game over.

Brewers 4. Padres 3.

All we needed was one more strike.

I write stories about the importance of being one percent better each day. This is a prime example of what that means at the elite professional level.

These are the best teams in baseball. Every player on that field has spent years developing the skills necessary to reach this moment. The difference between advancing and going home can come down to inches, one pitch, or one swing.

The Padres have been here before.

So have their fans.

This entire season has carried moments like these. The team has found ways to keep moving forward, and the fans have stayed with them.

Now it's time for a reset.

Game 3 comes to San Diego on Tuesday. The Padres will need to win two games at home to keep the season alive and send the series back to Milwaukee.

We will be cheering from afar.

“Though I fall, I will rise.” — Micah 7:8

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

Captain's Addendum

Spock: “Michael, the probability of a reset appears considerably higher than the probability of surrender.”

Bones: “He's right, Michael. Two losses don't mean the story is over. They mean you've got another game to watch.”

I suppose that's where I am now.

The sting is still there. So is the hope.

Tomorrow is another day.

Good luck, Padres.

May you live long and prosper.

When the Day Takes a Different Turn

Stardate 10.04.2026

My body is still adjusting to being home.

After nearly two weeks in Europe, my sleep report continues to show that my normal rhythms haven't completely reset. Yesterday morning, that travel fatigue showed up in another way. My brain was moving a little slower than usual.

I was planning to get to cardio tennis, but Luuuucy was blocked in the driveway. I needed to move several vehicles around to get her out, and I simply wasn't moving quickly enough to make it happen.

So I shifted gears.

There was a list of things around our home that needed my attention, and I decided to work through it.

One of those projects was the garage door opener.

The replacement part had arrived while I was in London. I had purchased some new tools as I prepare for the Luuuucy build, including a special attachment designed to reach into tight spaces where a standard screwdriver can't.

This was my first real opportunity to put those tools to work.

I removed the failed part, installed the replacement, put everything back together, plugged the opener in and pushed the button.

Success.

I also reprogrammed the keypad that had failed earlier and had already been replaced just before the garage door opener decided to give up.

It was a small home repair, but I couldn't help thinking about Luuuucy.

The van is still an empty shell. There is a lot ahead of me before it becomes the camper van I have envisioned. Yesterday gave me a little taste of what that process will be like: figure out the problem, find the right part, use the right tool, work carefully in a tight space, put everything back together and see if it works.

Apparently, the garage door has become my first training exercise.

By the time family time arrived, I had accomplished what I needed to do around the house.

We gathered at our son's house to watch the rivalry between the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and Ohio State.

Neither game went our way.

We were the underdogs, and the scoreboard eventually reflected that.

The scoreboard wasn't the most memorable part of the football game.

Yesterday's story included the kindness of the Ohio State coach, who had sent a letter to every child who was a patient at University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital.

That act of kindness came back into the story during the game.

At the end of the first quarter, Iowa made a big play that kept the game close. Then something happened that I hope I never take for granted.

The television coverage stayed with the stadium.

Seventy thousand people were waving.

They were waving toward the patients watching from the 12th floor of the children's hospital.

The camera showed the stadium, and the television audience got to see the same thing happening that has become such a special tradition in Iowa City.

The patients waved back.

Caitlin Clark was in the hospital room with the children, waving with them.

For a few moments, 70,000 people were connected to those children.

That was the highlight of the football game for me.

Then came baseball.

The San Diego Padres had clawed their way into the postseason after spending weeks during the regular season close to playoff elimination. For Game 1, they were on the road in Milwaukee facing one of baseball's best pitchers.

The Padres scored twice.

Milwaukee answered with two runs of its own.

Then Milwaukee's ace left the game as his pitch count became a concern for the manager, who was thinking ahead to the rest of the series.

Milwaukee added another run.

It looked like the Brewers were going to take Game 1.

Then came the eighth inning.

The Padres advanced a runner to third base with two outs.

And that's when I saw something I had never seen before.

The Padres hit a ball so high that it struck the roof.

The left fielder caught it near the wall in left field after it hit the roof.

The umpires gathered together to discuss the play. The Padres manager came onto the field to talk with them.

The ruling stood.

Third out.

The Padres' threat was over.

Milwaukee still had to play the ninth inning and record the final three outs, but the strange play had ended San Diego's opportunity to extend the eighth.

The Brewers eventually won Game 1.

Game 2 of the best of five series is today.

After worship, more family time is coming.

When I look back at yesterday, I think I'll remember the moments surrounding the games for a long time.

I remember being too slow from travel to get Luuuucy out of the driveway.

I remember shifting gears and finding other things that needed my attention.

I remember a garage door opener working again.

I remember learning that the tools I bought for Luuuucy already have a job before the van build has even begun.

I remember an Ohio State coach writing letters to children in an Iowa hospital.

I remember 70,000 people waving.

I remember children waving back.

And I remember a baseball hitting a roof and ending a threat in a playoff game.

Yesterday didn't follow my plan.

It still gave me plenty to carry into today.

"Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it."
— Psalm 90:17

Join me here:

https://substack.com/@michaelmulliganlivelong

Captain's Addendum

Spock: "Michael, the Captain demonstrated reasonable adaptability when cardio tennis became unavailable."

Bones: "For once, Spock, I agree. He fixed the garage door and still made it to family time."

Spock: "An efficient use of an unexpected change in circumstances."

There are days when the mission changes before breakfast.

Yesterday was one of them.

I am grateful for the ability to recognize it, shift gears and keep moving.

One percent better. One day at a time.

Live Long and Prosper.

Luuuucy, I'm Home

Stardate 10.03.2026

My sleep score was horrible again this morning.

So was my energy score.

In fact, my energy score was the second-lowest score in nearly four years of keeping these records.

The lowest score came last week while I was in London.

That was the week when I was getting lost, dealing with battery problems, missing my family, and trying to absorb everything I was learning from researchers at the DoNotAge® conference.

Today feels different.

I’m home.

My prayers and meditation are complete. Golden Hour has about 30 minutes remaining, and then I’m going to climb into Luuuucy for the first time since I adopted her.

That feels pretty special.

Luuuucy is finally street legal. Her insurance is in place, and now she gets to leave the driveway and become part of my life.

Eventually, her custom plates will say Luuuucy.

Our daughter gave me the plates as a gift.

I can't think of a better way to begin.

My first destination is cardio tennis.

After spending much of the past two weeks walking around Edinburgh and London, I’m ready for a different kind of exercise.

Walking through London was certainly exercise. Some days the step count was impressive.

Cardio tennis is going to ask something different from my body.

And I’m curious to see what happens.

That’s part of the experiment.

I have nearly four years of sleep and energy data sitting on my watch. Today I get another data point.

I also get to drive Luuuucy.

There is something wonderful about that.

While I was away, Iowa kept moving too.

Last Saturday, the Hawkeyes stunned Michigan in Ann Arbor with a touchdown with two seconds remaining, winning 20–19.

I was thousands of miles away when it happened.

Today, I’m home for the next chapter.

Iowa returns to Kinnick Stadium to face Ohio State in a nationally televised game.

That means people all across the country will get to see something I love about Iowa.

At the end of the first quarter, the football game stops.

More than 70,000 people turn their attention toward the windows of University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital and wave to the children and families watching from the hospital.

The Hawkeye Wave began in 2017.

Today, the fans will wave again.

And so will the Ohio State players and coaches.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day sent a letter to every patient at Stead Family Children's Hospital before today's game, telling them that the Buckeyes are thinking about them and looking forward to waving.

That gets me.

The opponent changes.

The rankings change.

The score changes.

The Wave remains.

And today there is a little girl named Eliana Gaul who will be watching.

Eliana is the Kid Captain for today's game. She was born 15 weeks premature with spina bifida and has received years of care at Stead Family Children's Hospital. She is now 10 years old and continues to see specialists there.

This is one of those days when several parts of my life seem to be arriving at the same place.

I’m coming home from an international trip.

I’m climbing into a van my daughter helped name.

I’m getting back on the tennis court.

My body is giving me some pretty lousy numbers.

I’m going to watch my Iowa Hawkeyes play Ohio State with my family.

And somewhere across the field, children at Stead Family Children's Hospital will be waiting for the moment when an entire stadium turns toward them.

Maybe that's what coming home feels like.

The numbers on my watch don't get to tell the whole story.

Neither does a football score.

Neither does a travel itinerary.

There are other measurements.

Family.

Faith.

Friendship.

Purpose.

Movement.

And the people we choose to remember when the clock stops.

Today I'm going to climb into Luuuucy.

I'm going to drive to tennis.

I'm going to move.

I'm going to come home.

And later today, I'm going to watch Iowa wave.

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.”
Psalm 90:17

Join me here:

https://substack.com/@michaelmulliganlivelong

Captain's Addendum

Bones: “Michael, your watch says you have almost no energy, and you're going to play cardio tennis?”

Spock: “Fascinating. He appears to be gathering additional evidence.”

Bones: “I was afraid you'd say that.”

Sometimes the best data comes from simply living the day.

Luuuucy is ready.

So am I.