I’ve got to start off with something that was a very minimal amount of time in my day but was a moment we’ll remember as a family forever. Comet NEOWISE was supposed to be visible with naked eye for us tonight. The way 2020 has gone I figured it’d be cool to see it as it was probably going to hit Earth 😉 Becky had the awesome idea of staying up late (for us anything past 8:30 is way late) and then heading somewhere to see if we could catch a glimpse of it.

We drove out to Nelson Park and were quickly able to see it a ways below the Big Dipper. How crazy to see something that is 70 million miles away and is only about 5km big in the sky lit up like that? Nothing like seeing something so wild in nature like that on a size and scale that is difficult to comprehend to help us see just how small each of us as individuals are. To share that moment of awe with my family was pretty special and something I’m very grateful for.

Earlier today there was an interesting new article in The Wall Street Journal talking about American Airlines. Their CEO made the decision to increase the number of flights dramatically. The theory is that they will gain market share when everyone is willing to fly again. The risk is that they start burning through cash rapidly and run out before everyone starts booking flights again.

In my experience I struggle to look at myself, my team, and my industry from a true third party perspective. I try to view the world from outside of these paradigms, but it is very difficult to take the emotion and passion out of it 100%. Situations like this with American Airlines offer interesting test cases to bend my brain around. Throughout the day and across several conversations I found myself bringing up this story and finding ways to learn from it.

I appreciate the gusto and passion of the CEO to push forward. There’s something to be said about taking action instead of standing back waiting for the dust to settle. He’s making a bold bet in an effort to drive his business forward. In many ways he’s focused on future growth.

I fear that he is oblivious to the market change around him. It seems he’s trying to fight a new battle using old strategy. I’m reminded of someone gripping on too tightly to something obsolete in hopes it will work again. This story reminds me of the times when I’ve bet more than I’ve had to lose, the times when I’ve rushed into action for the sake of action, and the times when I’ve let passion get the best of me.

So many take aways I can pull from this. Are any of the correct or wrong? Maybe, but we’ll never quite know for sure. What I truly appreciate about this is the opportunity to learn vicariously. Where I struggle to remove my personal perspective from a challenge I find it much easier to do the same for something I am not at all related to. As I pull each component apart I can find little nuggets of wisdom to save for the future. Whether this bet by American Airlines works or not (I’d bet on the latter) I’ve found ways to learn and improve my thought processes as a result.

Thanks!!!

I am a little surprised at how nostalgic I’ve been for my summers as a kid. Specifically, the times when I would hang out with my grandparents and cousins in Union Grove. Over the past couple of months I’ve had many reminders of those times. Some reminders were very direct (seeing all of my family in Union Grove) and others were much more indirect. However the memories wash over me I can’t help but smile and remember how much fun those times were.

So what hit me today? First off were the two t-shirts I saw people wearing in the grocery store. He-Man on one, Voltron on the other. What a blast from the past! Those were some of the action figures we’d play with and the cartoons we’d watch at my cousins’ house. Seeing both of them had me chuckling and thinking back to the good old days when we’d all lay out on the living room floor staring at the TV and watch Sven and the team defend the universe from evil. So many fun memories!

Our walk today was dang near perfect summer weather. At times there was a beautiful smell of freshly cut grass. There was a house with an incredible flower bed with a mind glowingly awesome aroma. There was just a touch of humidity, just enough to feel like summer without feeling oppressive. For whatever reason it felt like the exact weather every memory I have of nights in Union Grove felt during the summer. It was a perfect balance of all of the elements that made each of those night feel amazing. Was the weather always perfect like that? Of course not, but in my memories that’s how it remains.

Ahh… Some of my all time favorite summer memories. For whatever reason they really have been hitting me hard in a great way this summer. I am so thankful for that opportunity to spend time with extended family for a couple of weeks each summer. The memories and joy will last my entire lifetime.

Thanks!!!

When I put together a presentation I often pause and smile when I need to add a photo. Sure, I occasionally use a photo from online, but my favorite photos to use are my own. Now I have another reason to tap into my photos; Zoom & Teams video backgrounds. In those moments I’m thankful for my personal stock photos.

Over the past couple of days I’ve had to go to my personal well a handful of times for various reasons. Each time I need to find a photo I end up with a huge smile on my face. By the time I put the pic into the presentation I am usually smiling even bigger.

When I have the first spark of inspiration of what I want the photo to represent my mind races across all the photos I’ve taken. I basically flip through my mental rolodex to find a few potential pics. As I’m doing this I inevitably spend time looking at other old pics and am flooded with awesome memories.

By the time I find the pic there’s usually a 50% chance that it wasn’t quite what I was looking for. When that happens I roll through all those memories again to see what I can find. In doing so I sometimes have to change the idea of the photo a bit. Sometimes I need to take a deeper look at other pictures to see which ones may have the right details that I missed the first time. Regardless, I end up focusing more on the picture and see it in a new way. Once I finally find the right one I’ve probably looked very closely at a minimum of half a dozen others.

When I go back to my personal stock photos I have such a great time rekindling memories of great times, beautiful scenery, and epic trips. Having an excuse to cruise back through those old photos is something I’ll forever be grateful for!

Thanks!!!

Something I find interesting is how easy it is to take something for granted. I just assume it will always be there when I need it and I kind of forget to be thankful for it. I just assume it will always be there and has always been there… until one day it’s not.

Subtraction can be an inspiring source of gratitude. When something is removed, especially unexpectedly, it causes me to pause and count my blessings for it having been there in the first place. That something we always counted on leaves a big hole that helps me realize just how much I should have appreciated it all the time.

This one subtle concept of appreciation and gratitude through subtraction is so interesting to me as it seems so opposite of what it is trying to accomplish. Shouldn’t I appreciate it more while it is here instead of when it is gone?

The Dalai Lama shared how he focuses his brain on thinking that his favorite vase is already broken so he remembers to appreciate it while he still has it. This is in the same vein, but slightly different. How can I force myself into this way of thinking more regularly to increase my gratitude? Each morning should I think of something important to me and imagine that it were no longer in my life? How would my actions change throughout the day? Would I spend more time focused on how much I am grateful for it? Would my life be enriched through the additional gratitude?

That’s something I’m going to focus on this week. Each morning I’m going to pick one thing that I take for granted as always being there and see how it changes my appreciation and attitude throughout the day. I’ll let you know how it works over the next couple of days. If you have other ideas along these line please let me know.

Full disclosure, do you know what got me thinking about all of this today? A broken washing machine. How funny that lessons in gratitude can be found in something so ordinary and mundane as a broken appliance! I just ned to keep my eyes open.

Earlier in the day I got a text from a teammate. It was addressed to the entire team and said “I suggest you all do this.” Attached was a picture of a book being read in the sunshine.

My teams read a book together and each month we all get together for a Zoom to discuss the most recent chapter. The book we’re currently reading is Mindset by Carolyn Dweck. I hadn’t read this week’s chapter yet. Taking her advice I spent a little time outside reading in the sun today and it was AMAZING!!!

I’ve got my habits, routines, and idiosyncrasies. For some silly reason one of them is that if I’m working I should be in an office (at the office building or in the home office). I hate to admit it, but I’d never even realized I didn’t have to read inside when it was related to my career.

That one text helped me see the world through a different set of eyes and try something different. Not only did I get the chapter read but I also felt more refreshed, energized, and ready to take on the rest of the day. Thirty minutes of fresh air and sun was AWESOME!!! I’m so thankful wonderful suggestions from teammates like reading in the sun.

Thanks!!!

Today has totally felt like a pre-COVID Sunday. Outside of a quick run into Kwik Trip and seeing everyone in masks there really was no specter of a world wide pandemic anywhe

We slept in a little – crazy how 8am is sleeping in. My twe

Not too long ago I mentioned how much I was appreciating a very slow and methodical re-read of a great book. I’ve been re-reading Man’s Search for Meaning in this manner. With highlighter in hand I’m finding additional thoughts and nuggets of information I either missed or didn’t fully “get” in my first reading.

With all going on around us the world would most likely be a much better place if everyone took time to read this classic. There is so much we can learn from Frankl’s insight.

It’s been an awesome weekend and I’m pumped for another great week ahead. I know it won’t be perfect or my ideal, but I’m going to choose to find reasons to be thankful for each moment, each blessing, each challenge, and each breath. Each breath I take is one in which I have the opportunity to choose my attitude, my action, and my response to the world around me.

Thanks!!!

Becky had a great idea for us this morning. When we left the house for our bike ride we were both caught a little off guard by the very dark clouds roiling in the west. As luck would have it neither of us happened to look that direction until we were pedaling down our street. I pulled up the weather quick, confirmed what we were seeing, and decided to pedal around the island instead of hitting the trails. We had initially planned on hitting the trails as we both prefer the quiet of the woods, but we rolled with what life was throwing our way.

The first five miles went well and the clouds were moving much more slowly than expected. Balancing that with the flash of lightning in the sky we opted to go a ways further and biked along streets with tall trees. By the time we go to the north end of the island we did a quick U turn and went back to deck that overlooks Lake Onalaska. The storm clouds looming in front of us changed our plans in a frustrating way. In spite of that, they had a spectacular beauty to them. We paused and appreciated the storm, the very thing that had changed our plans. We were thankful to take a moment to breathe in the pre-rain air, to watch the mercurial shimmer of the silvery water, and to be thankful for the moment. It was not where we planned to be but we appreciated the fact that we were there, alive, and together, in that moment.

Off we went heading to the south end of the island. We almost bumped into each other (100% my fault) and we laughed it off. We had great conversation about important and meaningful things as well as nothing at all. We enjoyed the ride.

There was a little drizzle and we had to make a choice. Stay dry and head home or get some extra miles in like we wanted and risk getting wet. We measured the risk and knew the only thing to fear was wet clothes so we opted for more miles. Right about the time we hit the point of no return the skies opened up and dumped on us. We both laughed it off as I told Becky we should have pina coladas tonight as we obviously both liked getting caught in the rain. You’re welcome for the ear worm 😉 We assessed the risk, chose the right option for us, and enjoyed it even when it didn’t go as expected.

By the time we got home the rain had relented but our clothes were still soggy. Regardless of the cold damp shorts I was now wearing I was smiling from ear to ear. It was a wonderful start to our day and it really set the tone for the next twelve hours or so.

Throughout the day it got me thinking and I couldn’t help but see the similarities between this and life, between the ride and living in Covid times. We rolled with the challenges life presented us. We were thankful for the present. We found beauty in the changes we had to make. We found that we always had the ability to choose our attitude. We chose optimism, positivity, and gratitude. We made the decision to find beauty in the challenge. Gratitude… what a difference it makes.

All morning long there’s been another song stuck in my head – Superheroes by The Script.

When you’ve been fighting for it all your life

You’ve been struggling to make things right

That’s how a superhero learns to fly

Every day, every hour, turn the pain into power

The Script, Superheroes

For sure, COVID sucks for many reasons. We can’t change that. What we can do is find ways to grow through this, find reasons to be grateful, and find ways to adapt. COVID can cause challenges, but it is we who choose how we live through this. I choose life. I choose gratitude. I am finding ways to become better/stronger/more joyful/more positive through this challenging time.

What’s your choice? How will you choose to live? What attitude will you choose?

Thanks!!!

Camp Grandpa has wrapped up for the 2020 season. Another week of hanging out with cousins at Grandma and Grandpa’s house is in the books. As has been the case each year before it the boys had a total blast!

On the car ride home they were both excited to share all of the details of the fun they had. Learning about all their adventures and hearing the excitement in their voice was priceless. Once we got home we took the dogs for a walk and Gavin went into even more complete detail about all the action. It is so easy to see why it is always one of their favorite weeks of the year and why they are looking forward to the next one the same night the most recent one is complete.

There are so many reasons I am thankful for hearing about their Camp Grandpa adventures. Of course I love hearing that my boys are having fun, that one’s pretty obvious.

I’m also thankful for hearing these stories as I know they are memories they’ll never forget. Eating a crayfish from the river. Marshmallow face burns (Dominic is okay). Grandpa doing flips off the dock. Those memories and so many others are priceless. I’m thankful for hearing they are creating those awesome memories and enjoying those experiences as that’s what life is really all about. At the end of the day stuff comes and goes. Our memories and experiences can never be taken away. They are the true treasures in life.

Why am I so passionate about this? When they kept telling me their stories I kept thinking back to the memories made when I hung out with my grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins each summer. So many awesome experiences and memories.

Listening to Brewers baseball on the radio in a screen porch eating butter pecan ice cream under colorful flower shaped patio lights while going in and out to catch fireflies that would never survive the ride back “up north” and Grandma having to remind me to close the screen door virtually each time I opened it (she’s got to laugh each time Gavin & Dominic don’t close it at home). Staying up all night playing video games. Seeing how quickly I can pound a can of warm diet Dr Pepper over and over again. Watching late night cable karate movies. Making claymation and live action movies. Mini golfing.

So many memories, it seems like a lifetime full in just a short period each summer while I was growing up. Each story they told got my brain thinking back to another great memory. Every time that happened I smiled wider as I realized with hope that they will have that same magic moment when they pick up their kids from spending time with us each summer sometime long down the road.

I am so grateful for this time they have with family to create more of those memories for themselves. Thank you boys for sharing all of your stories of your time up north, they warm my heart!

Thanks!!!

This morning I was tired and went back to bed after Becky woke me up at 4:25am. I laid there for a short while and realized I was wasting my life one moment at a time as long as I stay in bed.

Got up, got dressed, and got on my bike. I attached my Bluetooth speaker to listen to an audiobook but instead opted for some great music. It became evident I was going to need some “pump up” music to get me going. Next thing I knew I was pedaling with the “Imagine Dragons” Pandora station keeping me going.

I didn’t have a plan, a goal, or even a direction. All I wanted to do was go for a ride and get some exercise. And then I saw it. Grandad Bluff. It’s been a while since I last biked up the 500+ foot tall bluff. In that moment I now had a plan.

A little voice in my head asked me why would I want to try it? It’s been too long. You’re not in shape. It’s hot and sticky out. There were a few other weak and halfhearted excuses wrapped up as questions.

“Because I can.” That was my three word answer to myself as I pedaled even more rapidly. The goal was clear, it was attainable, and I was on my way.

The first fifty feet went really well… I had momentum on my side as I started up. Very quickly I seemingly hit a wall and progress was slowed to almost a stop. I decided that I wasn’t going to stop to rest or get off my bike. This gave a combination of a mini adrenaline rush followed by a quick “how the hell am I going to pull this off?” I dropped all the way down in my gears and just focused on each pedal stroke. I continued to move forward and upward.

Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons popped up on Pandora and fueled me further up the hill. Talk about lyrics that were spot on! The next song was something from the same vein. Somehow the music gods knew what I needed and they had my back.

By the time I got to the top I was dripping in sweat (combo of hot weather and a very physical workout). I paused to FaceTime Becky to let her know I wasn’t going to be home as early as I’d planned and to show her the view. It was so peaceful chilling up there for a moment. And then I was off and back on my way home.

Today I’m thankful for realizing I was about to waste part of a marble. I realized, in time, that I was about to laze around instead of making something of the moment I had.

I’m also thankful for that voice in my head that seems to often push me forward, especially when I want to do something ridiculous; “Because I can.” That voice has yet to lead me astray.

Hearing the right music at the right time is something I’m also grateful for. I’m continually amazed at the power of music to help me push through the discomfort and fuel me to finish what I set out to do.

And to think, I almost slept through it all this morning. What a waste that would have been.

Thanks!!!