How Much of Your Life Is On Autopilot?

Are you happy with the direction you're going?  If so, I hope your autopilot button is on and you reach your destination in good spirits.  If you're not satisfied, this is a great day to disengage the autopilot and make some course correction moves while there is still time.

I'm living proof you can teach an old dog new tricks if you're willing to do the work.  Doing the work means you are willing to change no matter what your chronological age happens to be.  Once the desired changes are implemented, that's the right time to turn the autopilot back on and proceed.

The manual override can be a bit bumpy at times.  If you consider your brain as the operating system, it really doesn't like it when you try to alter the pre-programmed controls that you set up as you were growing up.  Your brain will resist especially if you are implementing changes in your senior years.  

I'm writing this story before sunrise.  That's pretty much what I've been doing daily for fifteen consecutive years.  What's changing for me is my early morning routine that follows my daily blogging.  My manual course correction involves going outside at sunrise for a minimum of ten minutes per day in order to reset my circadian rhythms.  Today is day 2.  Should I turn the autopilot for my new morning routine on too soon, I risk reverting back to my old programming.  I need to turn off the autopilot every time I'm making a change.  This year I've been on manual mode for a record number of days.  

My hope for you is that you find the inspiration to go into manual mode and pursue something you once thought was impossible.  You see, when your brain convinces you something is impossible, it is tempting you to give up and go back to autopilot.  Challenge yourself to grow.  Challenge your brain to let go of outdated programming.  Plot a new course.  Have a great day.

First Sun Part of Revised Morning Routine

Andrew Huberman challenges his followers to go outside at sunrise for at least ten minutes.  I've been enjoying my time in the sun indoors through the windows until this morning when I decided to follow Huberman's advice.  He argues that certain frequencies are blocked when the sun is viewed through windows.  

As a new fan of habit stacking I did three things at once this morning at sunrise.   My wife looked at me like I'm an alien when I told her I needed to go outside.  How peculiar I must look with shorts on (it's cold this morning), my headphones in place and my cell phone set up on YouTube while holding my latest book I'm reading.  My cell phone is also my timer.  It's set for ten minutes before going outside to bask in the early morning sunshine.  Will this be a new morning routine?  Ask me in 30 days.  If I'm still doing all of these activities simultaneously I should be able to confidently state I'm well on my way to a newly revised permanent morning routine.

My pre-sunrise routine began at 5:00am when I woke up without an alarm.  I will need to be flexible with my morning habits as the sunrise varies throughout the year.  Viewing the sun as it rises daily will allow my body to adjust its time clock to be in harmony with Mother Nature.  

If you are not happy with your life as it is now, consider revising your early morning routine to give you an opportunity to enhance your sense of well-being.  I already know my brain is going to fight me when the temps fall below zero and I'm still following my early morning routine which includes ten minutes of viewing the sun outdoors, even on cloudy days or snow days.  These habits are what make me who I am.  Forcing myself to do things that are difficult only enhances the endorphins.  Yes, I may seem like I'm an alien in my wife's eyes but I can honestly say I'm a happy alien.  Check in 30 days from today and I'll let you know if the first sun habit is permanent.  Have a great day.

Sardines for Breakfast Today

People cringe when I tell them I eat sardines.  The truth is I cringe a bit as well.  After discovering that doing things you really don't like to do actually increases the size of your brain in the area known as the anterior midcingulate cortex, I'm doing my best to pursue activities I would much rather prefer to avoid.

I eat sardines because they are easy to consume when I'm on the road and there aren't any other good food choices.  Sardines can be eaten right out of the can.  There is no prep time.  Sardines are one of the healthiest food choices one can make.

When it comes to breakfast choices, sardines are probably last on my list.  Not this morning.  Too bad I can't measure the size of my AMCC.  All I can do is rely on my observations concerning all my experiments.  Some may argue that some benefits may be a placebo effect.   Whether all these positive changes are real or placebo, all I can say is I'm happy with the results of all my experiments.  Sardines aren't for everyone.  I simply choose to give my brain all the that it can get.  My body as well.  Have a great day.

Habit Stacking Makes New Habits Stick

I'm trying something new, pursuing multiple new goals simultaneously.  The pros suggest one goal at a time to nurture it until it becomes a habit before moving on.  I see the merit in this as I seem to do better with intense focus on one idea at a time.  There is a workaround that may make multiple new habits become a permanent way of life called habit stacking.

We are creatures of habit.  Good habits allow us to become a better version of ourselves while bad habits lead to stress, anxiety, and poor self esteem.  I'm experimenting with adding multiple new goals to existing habits in order to make all of them stick. 

Last week I started a gratitude journal.  It's part of my early morning stack of habits.  I also started reading every morning.  After finishing my morning routine and right before leaving for my day job.  My quest to find at least one new fifteen minute window of time each day is succeeding which is creating a block of time for reading.  That equals three new habits that are in the daily mix.  All three of these habits are bringing me joy, especially since the book I'm reading now is about happiness and how people incorporate it in their lives.  I don't want to leave out the new mantra I'm repeating daily which I plan to make permanent as the results are immediate.  This is a must do activity.  It goes like this..."I'm getting better at ________ (simply fill in the blank with whatever you want to get better at.

For those of you who think you don't have time to work on multiple goals at the same time, habit stacking is a hack that may change your belief system.  Try it when you are on auto pilot, like when you brush your teeth.  Every time you brush your teeth you work on another goal, like leg raises or stretching.  Brushing your teeth reminds you of the new habit you are forming.

Challenge yourself to use habit stacking for increased success with multiple goals and see what happens over the next 90 days.  Have a great day.

Can Speed Reading Increase Reading Comprehension?

 It's time for another experiment.  I'm curious about maximizing my reading time while paying attention to my reading comprehension.  There are two benefits I'm seeking – reducing the time allocated to daily reading while learning new ideas to help me become a better version of myself.  

There is a theory that when you read faster by pointing a finger at the sentences you are forcing your brain to focus on the material.  You aren't giving your brain any time to be distracted.  The only way I will know if there is any merit is to experiment with various reading methods.  While watching YouTube videos is my favorite way to learn, I'm planning on dedicating more time to reading.  The local thrift store has an abundance of books to choose from.  The target for 2025 is to read one book a month.  If the speed reading experiment is successful, perhaps I can exceed my own expectations.  The next 90 days will be dedicated to the speed reading/comprehension experiment.  Have a great day.

The 1% Better Challenge

 It's hard to believe, but Christmas is only 90 days away.  Most people will wait until the end of the year to set new goals.  I have a better idea.  It's called the '1% Better Challenge.'  It's more of a brain improvement strategy than a goal improvement idea.  Think about an area of your life you would like to excel at.  Imagine what your life would look like if you could make massive changes simply by improving 1% per day for 90 days.

My new mantra goes like this:  "Every day I'm better at _________ than I was yesterday."

Ask yourself what the odds are of hitting your targets when you set goals monthly as opposed to annually.  Ask yourself if your brain will respond when you begin using this mantra daily.  Keep in mind that 1% a day may not be a big deal today or tomorrow.  In my opinion, it will be a very big deal in 90 days when you wake up on Christmas morning with a new body, mind, and spirit.  

Ready or not, the next 90 days are going to pass.  Why not be 1% better each day and see what happens?  Have a great day.

The Science Behind Happiness

We visited our favorite thrift store last week during our date day and I found two books.  The purpose of reading these books is to experiment with my rate of reading and comprehension.  Every morning I'm reading one chapter of "The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People."  If I remain on target, that book will be completed before the end of the year.  If the experiment is successful, I will finish early and start the second book.  I'm excited about the material in the book because it's backed by science.  The studies are quoted in each chapter.  I have a hunch that if my comprehension increases while I'm reading about happy people, maybe my own happiness will increase.  Check back in 100 days and you can test me on this theory.

I'm discovering in my own life that happiness increases when I do certain daily routines backed by science.  The cold shower in the morning bumps up long-lasting supplies of endorphins.  The lunch-time outside sitting in my Tommy Bahamas chair barefoot while staring at the pond gives me a science-back boost of enough endorphins to get me through my busy day shift.  

If you are not happy, try doing science backed things that add brain chemicals guaranteed to increase your happiness.  Read about happy people.  Spend time with happy people.  Set goals that give you opportunities to visit places that will surely bring you happiness.  Have a great day. 

Are You Curious About Becoming a Super Ager?

 If you're having trouble reaching your goals, there may be a reason based on science.  The good news is that the latest research indicates we can actually get better at goal attainment simply by growing a specific  area of our brain known as the anterior mid cingular cortex (Amcc).  I never heard of this until yesterday when I listened to a podcast with my favorite neuroscientist, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and his buddy, David Goggins.  According to Huberman, he was on the edge of his seat when he discovered this research recently.  He learned this area of the brain can actually grow when you participate in activities that you actually despise.  The key is that you must hate what you are doing and do it anyway.  

If you love to exercise and push yourself hard, you will be in great shape but your Amcc won't grow because you have a passion for exercise.  If you hate to exercise and force yourself, Boom – your Amcc grows.  Hate avoiding sugary foods and avoid them anyway? Boom – enlarged Amcc.  Hate pursuing certain chores like doing dishes but do the dishes anyway? Boom – enlarge Amcc.  

Super agers found a way to keep their Amcc from shrinking.  You can do the same.  All you have to do is force yourself to do daily activities you hate.  For me, it's that one or two minute cold shower before the hot water reaches me.  I jump in because I want the big reward – up to six hours of endorphins.  If I begin to enjoy the ice plunge, the Amcc no longer grows because I'm now doing something I like.  

I'm all about building tenacity.  It starts in the brain.  I have a new attitude about doing activities I hate.  If you're curious about becoming a super ager, this may be a great first step.  You decide.  Have a great day.

Memory Training 101

 According to memory expert, Jim Kwik, there is no such thing as having a good or bad memory.  He defines memory as being trained or untrained.  This is rather enlightening for me because memory is key to success in building relationships.   How can you show someone you care about them if you fail to remember their own name?  Imagine what your life could be like should you decide you are committed to training your memory?

Keep in mind your brain listens to every statement you make and follows what you say.  When you say, "I have poor memory recall," your brain shuts down your own ability to remember things.  Instead, tell yourself, "I'm getting better at remembering names every day."  Watch what happens.  The experience is magical.  

Do you remember when you were young and you could recall all of your friend's phone numbers?  Don't let your smart phone make you dumb when it comes to memory recall.  Start small and build just as you would train a new puppy new tricks.  Whatever you do, please don't ever limit your ability to have a memory that will stun your friends and family.  Use this phrase to train your brain...  "I'm getting better at (fill in the blank)."  Have a great day.

I Found Out I'm a Dolphin

My life is starting to make more sense now that I found a new mentor to follow.  It's also day 3 of a new habit I'm forming – a daily gratitude journal.  Before I get too far off today's topic, I want to acknowledge Jim Kwik, a memory expert and coach who happens to be a best selling author.  I took a free test yesterday and the results tell me I'm a creative dolphin.  If you're curious about what animal you are, I'll have a link at the end of today's story.  Here's a summary of who I am...

Creative Dolphin

The Creative Dolphin is the visionary. You generate original ideas and find unique solutions to complex problems through out-of-the-box thinking and strong intuition. Imagination is your playground. You approach challenges with a fresh perspective, looking from all angles, even ones no one has considered. Impossible isn’t in your vocabulary. That doesn’t mean you’re trying to constantly reinvent the wheel. Instead, you enjoy building on what already exists, and either expanding their potential or taking a different approach. You thrive when you’re encouraged to offer new viewpoints and love brainstorming new ideas. At home, you breathe new life into Taco Tuesday and can craft a brand-new marketing campaign for a lagging product at work. You’re guaranteed to come up with an idea no one else has thought of. You shine in environments that embrace your creative spirit and can feel stifled in places that require you to conform to strict convention.

I have to admit that reading this excerpt brought about great conflict.  My first thought was, "Wow, this guy doesn't even know me and he's going really deep, maybe I need to dig deeper with Jim."  Then the temptation came in...90% off from a package designed to help me reach my goals at an accelerated rate.  For those of you who follow me, you know I'm on a very strict budget that has no room for error in order to reach my time target to build my dream van.  I didn't say no to Jim's wealth of knowledge.  I decided "not yet."  The hardest part about delaying my response is that I really wanted to offer a tip for the free stuff I've been delving into from Jim's YouTube videos.  The first thing I did to thank Jim and also help five people close to me was to send the first YouTube video I watched from Jim several days ago.  Now it's time to pay it forward to my readers who want to know what type of animal they are.  Click here for the introduction.  I would love to know what you discover about yourself.  Have a great day.

 

Missing Sleep Report

Sorry.  There's a gap in my sleep reports.  I had a ten month streak going until I blew it last night.  My smart watch didn't get charged in the morning because I jumped out of bed to finish my siding cleaning project and it took up all available time until our date day.  The day was so action packed that I forgot about charging my smart watch until bed time.  That's when something interested happened.  I thought I could stay awake long enough to get enough battery recharge.  Looks like it was lights out pretty quick.  That's good news when you're working on a bedtime routine that hastens sleep and bad news when you fail at staying awake long enough to put your watch back on.

All I can say is I slept great.  The day was a ten and the night was a ten.  I'm certain I achieved blue zone sleep in every category although I don't have the data to back it up.  My watch is fully charged and I'm also recharged.  Have a great day. 

Do You Have a Gratitude Journal?

 Are you happy?  Do you record the reasons for your happiness?  If your answers are negative, I have a simple solution for you.  It's called a gratitude journal.  It doesn't have to be anything fancy.  I'm using my writing software to record what I'm thankful for.  Today marks the first entry.  I have done this in the past but today I'm making it more formal so I can keep track of gratitude.  For those of you who think this may be a waste of time, I offer some science that may change your feelings about this.  It's all about the endorphins that are released when you practice daily gratitude.  Writing about it helps you keep track.

I have a challenge for you.  I challenge you to write down three things you are thankful for every morning for 30 days.  See for yourself what happens to your brain when you do this simple activity.  If your happiness improves, keep it up.  What do you have to lose?  Have a great day.

Are You Advancing the Football?

 

If you could post scores showing how you are doing with your life, what would the world see?  Are you winning or losing?  The majority of you reading this are most likely in the 4th quarter of your life.  I believe the second half of my life has been devoted to correcting all those errors I made early on in the game.  I also had to pay the price of some serious penalties.  The question of the day is, "Are you advancing the football?"  You don't have to share your answer with me or the world.  This question is meant for you to evaluate where you are on the field and where you are going.

For those of you who are like me and suffered early setbacks, I would like to share my take on the game of life.  Before getting too deep, I would like to thank both my parents for getting me started.  My dream to build a vacation home on wheels is rooted in the first quarter of my life when we spent so much free time camping.  Every weekend was an adventure.  Mom, you were burdened with the preparation and the cleanup afterwards.  I don't know how you did it.  Thank you for that.  Dad, you made camping a priority.  You exposed all of us to the great outdoors.  Thank you for sharing your love of travel with us at an early age.

It's time to go deep now.  I have a detailed plan for the remainder of my time on the field.  The plan requires sticking to a budget, living within my means, giving up time wasting activities, and surrounding myself with like-minded people who believe in winning.  Vince Lombardi tells us winning is a habit...so is losing.  It's not easy to advance the football.  It's not easy to recover from life's interceptions and fumbles.  The challenge is to stay in the game and make adjustments.  How committed are you?  Have a great day.

Two Tips for Boosting Endorphins

What would your life be like if you could do two activities per day that could give you enough endorphins to complete everything on your to do list?  I'm referring to small changes in your routine that are capable of boosting your happiness to off the charts levels.  The first activity can be accomplished in under two minutes while the second activity can be completed in under twenty minutes.  Don't ask me how this works because I'm not a scientist.  Instead, ask me how I feel and decide for yourself if you should give these activities a try for the next thirty days.  I suggest thirty days because that's enough time for you to make this a permanent habit that will bring you joy from the greatest source on the planet – your brain.  Ready?

Activity #1 – The cold shower.  I jump in as soon as I turn on the shower.  It takes a couple of minutes before the hot water flows.  Do this and you will discover for yourself that you suddenly feel great.  There are other ways to boost endorphins although the affects don't last for up to six hours from these quick blasts of cold water first thing in the morning.  It took a while for me to quit screaming during my cold showers but I stayed with it once I realized how great I felt all the way to activity #2 which happens at lunch time.  Since I no longer eat lunch, activity number two fits perfectly into my lifestyle.

Activity #2 – Barefoot in the grass.  One of the casualties of playing outdoor tennis and pickleball is the white feet.  I decided spending twenty minutes a day on my lunch break barefoot in the grass would solve this problem.  It worked.  Not only do I have tan feet, I also have a second surge of endorphins from the afternoon sun exposure.  This kicks in about the time the first dose of endorphins from the cold shower wears off.  I tell my teammates that it feels like I'm just starting my shift even though I'm half way done.

It's time for me to sign off and hit my morning shower.  Sure, it will be painful.  I visualize Howie Mandal asking me, "Deal or No Deal?"  Do I Jump in immediately and freak out for a minute or wait until the hot water comes?  The answer is immediate.  I will suffer the pain for one minute in order to be dealt up to six hours of endorphins.  The same is true at my lunch break.  I will remove my shoes and bask in the sun while giving up all the temptations being offered indoors that most Americans consume without even realizing they are addicted.  Give your endorphins a boost twice a day.  Deal?  Have a great day. 

How to Reach Consistent 'Blue Zone Sleep'

 A great way to sleep well consistently is to follow the 1% improvement rule nightly.  Top performers do this regularly to maximize their performance in their daily endeavors.  I'm striving to improve my own sleep quality using this method and it appears to be going in the right direction.  Last night I achieved my second highest sleep score ever at 93.  Below is a breakdown of the two top scores for your review.  My hope is that you feel inspired to make sleep improvement a priority in your life.

Here's my two cents on my reports.  I don't use alarms to wake up as I'm doing this naturally unless there is a priority to wake up early to catch a flight or attend an early morning meeting.  I also strive to go to bed at the same time every night.  There are allowances for special activities that keep me up later than normal.  I'm always working on  'go-to-sleep' rituals to help me prepare for falling asleep such as dimming the lights an hour before bedtime.

The sleep records help me determine how introducing new variables influences the actual fall asleep time.  My fall asleep time has been trending in a good direction and I'm gradually falling asleep faster over time.  

I mentioned my interest in acquiring a Samsung smart ring that was released recently.  The $400 price tag is a fair one as they do not charge monthly subscription fees that add to the overall costs.  I'm waiting on the sidelines for a special price before I jump in.  My smart watch does what I need although there are times when the report is inaccurate because it doesn't always record a second sleep period.  The smart ring would eliminate abnormal recordings.  The good news about smart rings is they can be counted as health purchases so I will get a reimbursement via my health savings account.  It looks like a smart ring will be in my future soon, maybe Black Friday, the one year anniversary of my smart watch purchase.  

Thank you for reading my stories.  I would love to hear what you are doing to improve the quality of your sleep.  Please keep me informed.  Have a great day.   

Biometric Health Screening Results Are In

I visited OnSite Wellness on my lunch break yesterday at my day job.  In my opinion, this is one of the best ways you can measure what is going on inside your body.  Sure, there are obvious external signs, like the size of your waistline, however, blood analysis reveals a more accurate picture of your health.  I wanted to see how my revised eating habits are influenced and I could not be happier about the results.

It is rare to see people in my age group who are 100% free of prescription medicine.  I believe these pills are often used as permission slips for unhealthy foods.  Ask your doctor if pills are the ideal choice or if there are food alternatives that can achieve successful outcomes without the need for pharmacy solutions.  The following results are to show that it's possible to reach optimum levels simply by eating the same way your ancestors did long before processed foods and artificial ingredients were introduced into our food supply.

Blood pressure... 110/72

HbA1c... 5.7%

TC/HDL Ratio... 3.9

HDL Cholesterol... 57

I already know the objections about skipping out on processed foods.  Time is a big one.  For those who say they don't have time to prepare food without visiting fast food establishments, I ask, "What is it you are doing during the day that is depriving you of the time you could use to prepare your own food at home?"

Another big objection is about food addiction, specifically sugar.  I know all about this one.  It doesn't help that food companies hire scientists who do their best to figure out exactly how to process foods so that you become addicted.  If you are hungry every two hours, you are addicted.  

Do yourself a favor and visit your physician if you are overdue for a physical.  Ask for a lipid panel test so you can see for yourself what is going on inside your body.  If you are able to get a biometric health screening, get one.  There is nothing more important in this world than your health.  Have a great day.

 

Biometric Screening Today

 According to The Integrated Benefits Institute, the US workforce loses $27 billion a year due to lost productivity from employee illness.  In my opinion, many of us have no idea we are sick inside our bodies.  That's why I believe biometric screening is a useful tool to measure what you cannot see.   Your blood tells the real story about your health.  Today I'm going to find out if my food program is on target to help me reach my longevity goals.  

There has been great debate in our country about what a healthy food program looks like.  I heard there was a new study about how eating processed foods can lead to improved health.  These folks are probably capable of selling land above toxic land dumps.  I don't trust processed foods or artificial ingredients.  The test results from today will give me proof about my food choices.  I'm no longer concerned about diseases like diabetes because my body is no longer suffering from poor eating habits.  If you get an opportunity to have a biometric screening, get one.  If this is not available, ask your physician for a comprehensive blood panel test.  The best way to handle a problem with your health is to prevent it from becoming a problem.  Your family will thank you for taking the time to monitor your health.  Have a great day.

Late Blog Message Today

 Sorry for the late story today.  My sleep cycle was interrupted in the middle of the night and I never recovered.  The morning was rushed.  Just checking in now on my first break of the day.

My sleep score was 59, an all-time low.  The last time I had a score in the "needs improvement" range was last November.  The challenge I have now is a full to do list.  Waking up after only 3 hours of sleep and not being able to go back to sleep is no Bueno.  The good news is I believe I can get back on track.  Have a great day.

Show Me the Money

The vision board I created for Lucy shows pictures of all the necessary tools I need to build my dream vacation home on wheels.  What's lacking on the vision board is the plan to fund the tools.  That plan is spelled out on my 'Timeline for Lucy' which sets up specific time targets for raising the funds for the van build and tool acquisition.   It's vital more my wife and me to do this van build without taking on personal debt.  So, maybe you're asking, "Where is the money?"  This is where my credit union is playing a role.  You've heard it said, "It takes money to make money."  That's what we're doing.

Our credit union is currently paying 5.5% for 7 month CD's.  This rate of return may not be as high as the stock market but it serves a short-term purpose.  The two biggest tool purchases I need to make to build Lucy are a table saw and a miter saw.  I want the table saw to be portable so our one car garage will be able to accommodate a vehicle when I'm not in van building mode.  The mitre saw will be placed on a yet -to-be-built fold up wall mounted work table.  Both of these tools can be purchased for about $500.  That means I need to buy enough CD's by January 8 to have the money available seven months later on August 8, the time target for buying Lucy on the resale market.  If my math is correct, I will have $500 from the interest earned on the CD's.  This is critical because without the tools, Lucy cannot be built.

Some of you reading today's story may be thinking that this van build idea is a lot of work.  It is.  In my opinion, the relentless pursuit of any goal requires much sacrifice.  Goal achievement requires making changes to your daily routine.  I've decided to have fun achieving my goal of adopting 'Five Star Lucy.'  For me, the journey is where the magic happens.  There is much learning ahead.  When Amazon says, "Show me the money," on 8/8/25, I will.  When the seller of our dream van says, "Show me the money," I will do that as well.  Stay tuned.  Have a great day.

The Best Investment You Can Make

There are no guarantees in life.  You may have heard that the greater the risk, the greater the reward.  What if you could invest in something that provides a high rate of return without too much risk?  That investment is in yourself.  It's all about learning something new every day.  The more you learn, the more your investment multiplies.  Apply what you learn to your dreams and that's when the magic happens.  You add value to yourself, your community and the world.

I'm a big believer in daily learning.  If you happen to be one of those people who believes you don't have enough time to invest in yourself,  you can benefit the most by today's story.  There is a daily struggle to invest in yourself.  To succeed, you must be willing to cut out the time wasters in order to free up time for learning.  A great place to start is learning about how your brain works.  Figure this out and ideas like goal setting and time management become easier to understand and implement.  The better you become at time management the more time you have for more learning.  

Imagine where you will be in five years.  If you don't spend time learning, the time will pass and you will be in the same place you are today and five years older.  Acquire wisdom from daily learning and the sky is your limit.  Start building a new brain today.  Never allow one day to pass where you missed an opportunity to learn something new.  Your future self will be grateful.  Have a great day.

Close Encounters

We are all connected.  Some of you reading these stories know what I'm talking about.  These are not random chance encounters.  These are close encounters that could only be found in sci-fi movie scripts.  I have proof.  Last week I met a man who is headed to a wedding in California.  The bride and groom will be wearing Star Trek outfits.  The entire wedding party will also be dressed in Star Fleet attire.  The man I met will officiate the ceremony while dressed as "Q," also from Star Trek.   Imagine the shock on his face when I pulled out a copy of my latest book, "Live Long and Prosper."  He plans to order copies for the wedding party.  

Here's another close encounter for your consideration.  The same week I met "Q" I met a man from Kihie, the place where I asked my wife to marry me on the island of Maui.  His spirit name is Saha which means "one who creates energy to open the heart like a lotus blossom with unbridled and unconditional love leading to ecstatic pleasure."  Our stories of moving to Iowa are eerily familiar.  We both found true love from people rooted in Iowa.  

Happiness does not come from where one lives, it comes from how one lives.   Happiness is derived from finding someone who shares your hopes and dreams.  Thank you, "Q" and "Saha," for beaming into my life and sharing time with me.  And for those of you who remember Kevin Costner asking, "Is this Heaven?"  No, it's Iowa – a place where close encounters happen regularly at my day job.  This is not science fiction although the veil of separation may appear thin at times.  Have a great day.

Happy Birthday to Dr. John Mulligan

 If you were to make a list of the top ten reasons why you are grateful, what people would you list?  I have a feeling most of us would list our parents and our spouses.  What about other names?  If I could list every one of my first cousins on both sides of my family, that list would be far greater than most people could even comprehend.  That's what happens when you are blessed beyond measure.  Most of my relatives prefer anonymity so their names will remain confidential.  Thankfully, there is a first cousin who has given me permission to share his name and today happens to be his birthday.    We are separated chronologically by a mere two months and four days which allowed us to be on a similar path for our elementary school years and beyond.  

There is a Bible story about ten lepers who met Jesus and asked to be healed.  All ten were healed.  Only one came back to say thank you.  The other nine forgot about the miracle they received.  Well, I got a special intervention at a time in my life when I had two strikes against me and it appeared I was headed to an early grave.  Thanks to my cousin John, I am here to today to wish him a happy birthday and to say thanks for being a special inspiration in my life.  Thanks for offering me the 'Caveman Food Experiment' which confirmed your theory my health issues were likely attributed to poor food choices.  Thanks for caring enough to help me improve my ways.  Happy birthday.  May you live long and prosper.  Have a great day.

DIY Dust Collector in Place

Good things come in small packages.  The 2.5 gallon shop vac is the smallest on the market and it's now powering up my DIY garage dust collection system.  I set up a connection point to the dryer vent which inspired this project as I was seeking a way to stop the spread of lint.  Success!  The bonus is the 6ft PVC pipe that can connect to the shop vac for cleaning hard to reach cob webs in high places.  I purchased two of these pipes to serve as a way to transport dust from future tools.  The diameter is one inch to coincide with the small shop vac.  This will work fine as long as I don't have too many connection points open at the same time.  The contraption I made yesterday is rather crude in design but highly effective and great for not breaking the bank. 

I'm thankful for all the YouTubers out there who share videos about projects like the one I completed yesterday.  Perhaps one day I will be able to pay it forward by sharing my own videos.  I will be building my own work tables once I acquire the proper tools to work with extruded aluminum.  These projects will help me learn the skills necessary for the van build next year.  Have a great day.

Tennis Drills and Dust Collection Today

It's an early morning on the tennis courts today followed by a trip to Lowe's to buy supplies for my DIY dust collection project.  It took twelve years to solve a nagging problem in our garage.  Today is the day that problem will be in the rear view mirror.  Imagine your dryer vents into your garage and spills lint all over the place.  You get annoyed every time you clean up the mess but not annoyed enough to do something about it.  This is a problem for me I'm attempting to fix – procrastination.  I think what I realized is the problem is only going to get worse when I start my van build next August.  That's all I need – sawdust mixed with lint.  Yikes!  

The plan is to connect our shop vac to some hoses and set up a cyclone dust collector for under $20.  I'm going to start small by solving the dryer vent issue first and then expand the dust collector tubing as I add more tools for the future van build.  Happy Saturday.  Have a great day.

30 Days to Reach 'Five Star Lucy' Checkpoint #1

 If you know where you are going and you set goals regarding how to get there and when you will arrive, the odds of success increase exponentially.  That's what I'm doing with my van build.  Although the acquisition date is eleven months away, the written plan along with specific checkpoints was set up once I decided this was going to be my top priority for 2025.  'Five Star Lucy' checkpoint #1 is 10/4.  Reaching the goal on time means this goal will be 30% funded.  

There is a part of me that wants to jump ahead and build the van now.  The practical side of my brain knows I'm not ready.  I realize I need every free moment of the next eleven months to learn the necessary skills to build Lucy.  My one car garage needs a transformation.  Now that all the clutter has been removed, it's time to learn how to do dust collection in preparation for my tools to build our second home on wheels.  One of the flaws of the garage has to do with the vent from our dryer which spills all the lint into the garage right next to the garage entry door to the kitchen.  I'm going to solve this problem by connecting that vent to a dust collection system I'm going to install inspired by some creative YouTubers.  This system won't break the bank as I will be using a shop vac I already own in the design.  The key is to build the dust collection system now while I have time rather than later when it's time to build the van.  

Checkpoint #1 is rather aggressive.  Checkpoint #2 is even more challenging.  Reaching that milestone on 11/29 means 'Five Star Lucy' will be 50% funded.  Stay tuned.  It's getting interesting.  Have a great day.

Why You Should Never Stop Chasing This Person

 There is one person in your life you will never be able to catch – your future self.  It doesn't matter what you do.  That future version of you will always be elusive.  For example, you think about what you will be like in ten years.  You go through the visualization steps.  You set goals.  You chase that future version of you.  Ten years pass.  Did you catch yourself?  The answer is no.  That future you is now ten more years away.  Some may ask, why try?  

Although I admit it's impossible to catch the future you, that person you are in the future is hoping you never give up on self improvement.  Every choice you make today affects what the future you will become.   What that means is that if you make the best possible choice based on the information you have at your fingertips, you are helping the future version of yourself be someone who makes the world better.  If you stop chasing that person and give up on personal development, the future you ends up deprived of being a valuable contributor.  

Set a goal today to chase the future you.  Decide which version you want to pursue.  Is it you one year from today?  Five years?  Ten years?  This is your daily assignment.  You are on the 'Impossible Missions' team.  You may not be able to catch the person you are in the future but your future you will thank you for accepting the challenge.  Have a great day.

It's All About Connecting

 Something happened last week that I overlooked.  8/29 was my 15th anniversary of blogging.  I'm a few days shy of 5,500 blog stories.  What's more important to me than anything is that a couple of you have actually read every story I've written.  This is not about my writing ability as I fully understand I'm not qualified to do what I do.  It's all about connecting with you in spite of my own flaws and weaknesses.  Sharing my life with you like this means I'm fully exposed.  Thank you for that.  Thank you for accepting me.  

I crossed paths with a gentleman yesterday who lived in Kihei on the island of Maui before relocating to his new home in Iowa.  I shared the story about proposing to my bride of thirty-five years on a secluded beach in Kihei.  Our time together was too short.  Before my new friend departed, I pulled out a copy of "Live Long and Prosper," autographed it and wished him well on his journey.  He promised he would share it with others.  That's what this blog is about – sharing.  Each of us has a story.  I'm going to keep doing this all the days of my life.  Stop by and visit any time.  My promise to you is continuous improvement.  I promise to keep showing up every day in good times and in bad.  Thank you for connecting.  Have a great day.

Why Your Goals Need Specificity

How do you handle days when you're driving in the fog?  Not easy, is it?  The same is true when your goals lack specificity.  Vagueness will put you in the fog every time.  The only way out of the fog is to make your intentions crystal clear.

The best example I can offer about making your goals specific is my 'Five Star Lucy' story, a story about building our dream vacation home on wheels.  Although this story is in the early stages of development, the plot is well-defined.  A couple of days ago I decided to add a journal to the budget outline.  There is no doubt I'm dotting the I's and crossing the T's.   I'm documenting my feelings as the Lucy story unfolds.

Fine tune your goals.  Put them under a microscope and examine the details of your plans.  Document the visions as they materialize when you visualize what the finish line looks like.  Artists do this.  Songwriters do this.  Writers do this.  The difference between winning and losing is in the specificity.  The Lucy adoption will take place on 8/08/25.  Her reveal will happen on Thanksgiving Day, 2025.  Stay tuned.  Have a great day.

Labor Day Marks End of Summer

 Many families will be closing out summer with their last barbecues today on Labor Day.  I will be barbecuing as well although it certainly won't be the last one of the year.  I plan to keep barbecuing year round no matter what the outside conditions may be.  Thinking back to the time period our ancestors lived in caves, I wonder if their food preparation habits were similar to mine.  Why should barbecue season end on Labor Day?  Why not keep the fun going?  I have a feeling our ancestors may have appreciated barbecuing as a way to keep warm on a snowy day.  

While you're enjoying time with your family today, think about what you can do after Labor Day to enhance your lifestyle.  I plan to use this time to fine tune our household budget.  As much as we enjoy eating out, we will be preparing more meals at home in order to reach our budget goals.  Have a great day.

New Fiscal Year at Day Job Begins Today

 Since I'm not authorized to speak about my day job this story is limited to my personal goals for the new fiscal year which begins today.  My boss is giving me the opportunity to have days off that are in alignment with tennis team practices and match play.  I'm realizing it's necessary for me to raise the bar on my play in order for the team to advance.  The first matches of the season are two weeks away.  It's crunch time.

My teammates at my day job are also stepping up.  We are doing our best to help one another improve on the quality of our presentations.  I'm volunteering to share more about lessons I'm learning regarding health and wellness.  My personal goal is to expand my efforts to raise funds for the University of Iowa Stead Family Hospital.  That means more time dedicated to writing and publishing books while reducing time wasted on frivolous activities.  Please keep my team in your thoughts.  It's going to be a busy year for all of us.  Have a great day.