I’m in a strange in-between season right now. I’m waiting on a new AI book that drops in January, so I’ve been hovering “between books.” I also just finished reading the Bible—a three-year journey—so I’ve stepped away from daily scripture reading for the moment. Add to that some nagging foot issues (compression socks, orthopedic inserts, fewer walks with the dog), and a diet that helped me lose 25 pounds over the spring and summer… only to slowly drift off course again. If I’m honest, I’ve slipped back into a version of myself I don’t really like. That’s the frustrating part. This has been a successful year by almost any external measure. Business is moving forward. We’re staring down a financing hurdle that requires precision and discipline. Marketing needs to tighten up. Venues need to be filled. Guests need to be delighted. And then there’s life. An adult daughter battling addiction. A teenage son testing limits. A house full of kids—mine and others—who deserve attention, patience, and love. And a growing pack of grandkids who think Grandpa is basically Santa Claus with better jokes. When I list it all out, it’s impossible not to feel grateful. Challenges and blessings alike, things are genuinely good. And yet—I know they could be better. That’s what brought me back to Atomic Habits. I read it a few years ago, and it played a real role in helping me build a life I’m proud of. Somewhere along the way, I eased off the discipline that got me here. Not dramatically. Just subtly. Enough to matter. The good news? I don’t think it takes much to get back on track. I’m ready to rebuild a tight morning routine. Ready to recommit to the habits that actually move the needle. Ready to stop negotiating with myself about discipline. Because 2026 matters. It’s the year where a lot of long-term work begins to compound. We’re positioning ourselves to turn a roughly $500k investment into a $5M valuation. The pathway is clear. The opportunity is real. What’s missing isn’t strategy.

Sometimes little things make big memories. My mother in law has had cognitive challenges for several years. However, she still lights up when Elvis music is played. Therefore, my wife pulled together an Elvis Christmas party before her parents start an extended road trip. We all had a part but I got asked to be the face of the event. ...did I mention how expensive Elvis impersonators are? I think we'll look back and say that today was one of the little things. Even my teenage son thought it was cool. My wife saw how important a few moments of family silliness could be, but as with so many other event, I was just along for the ride. It'll be a Blue Christmas without Gammy and Papa but today was a good substitute. Moments like these matter, not because of what we do, but because what they mean to the people involved ...giving and receiving simple expressions of love. My wife sees them coming, months ahead of time. She's special that way.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

I’ve written a couple new posts over the last few days, and it’s reminded me that blogging—something I drifted away from—is still incredibly valuable. It takes real mental work to take an idea, process it, refine it, and share it, but that’s exactly what a blog is meant to capture: the living record of what we’re thinking and learning. With the help of AI, this is becoming a habit I can do daily without burning half my morning. If you want to read the recent posts, you can find them all here

Yesterday turned into one of those “suddenly everything is happening at once” days. Business demands shot up — I’m now shoulder-deep in a major application that requires clarity, precision, and a ton of information. And today I’m spending the entire day at a speech and debate tournament with three of my kids. So the pressure was on. But here’s the surprising part: I never actually got stuck. Not once. Every time a form asked a nebulous question…every time a government field was worded in a way that made no sense…every time I would’ve normally paused, second-guessed, Googled, or spun my wheels… …I just asked my AI clone.And instantly — boom — I had the answer, the reasoning behind it, and the next step. That was the pattern the entire day. There was no “fog” moment. No “I guess I’ll figure it out later.” No frustration spiral. Just forward progress. Honestly, I didn’t even realize how efficient I had become until this morning. I submitted the whole inquiry in about an hour. Realistically, the old version of me would have taken several days to plow through all that material. And it would have eaten up my whole evening. Instead, Wendy and I ended the day completely free — watching Naked Gun and laughing at the dumbest jokes ever written for film. If I had done this the old way, we would’ve never had that night. The realization hit me today: AI didn’t just help me work faster — it kept me from ever getting bogged down in the first place. It let me stay focused without having to be focused. It removed the friction that normally slows me down. And it bought me back time I wouldn’t have had. This is the shift happening in my life right now: AI is unlocking a level of efficiency and clarity I didn’t even know was possible.