“I was surprised, as always, by how easy the act of leaving was, and how good it felt. The world was suddenly rich with possibility.”Jack Kerouac, On the Road Echoes of the Past Tara and I hit the road this afternoon, officially kicking off a new adventure — one that has echoes of the past … Continue reading Getting OUR Griswold On: Day 1 – Sioux Falls
Month: April 2021
The Happiness Project
Five years ago, on my birthday, Tara gave me a little blue journal called The Happiness Project. It's based on a self-help book by Gretchen Rubin, in which the author dedicated a year of her life to focusing on things that truly matter...and as a result, finding happiness. The book was wildly popular and spawned … Continue reading The Happiness Project
Off to the Salt Mines
I was up dark and early this morning. Got out of bed at 4:40, which seems ungodly but is really only half an hour earlier than I get up most days anyway. I had to be at the office by 7 a.m. for a phone interview with somebody in Hartford, in the far east. I … Continue reading Off to the Salt Mines
Montana Medicine
Saturday, we drove three hours to Medicine Rocks State Park in Montana. Think of it as prep work for our upcoming road trip! A coworker at Ye Olde Publishing Company told me about this place last year, wooing me with pictures of cool rock formations and carvings. To say it's off the beaten path is … Continue reading Montana Medicine
With a Hocus Pocus, You’re in Focus
Have you ever had the feeling you were on a hidden camera show because of the sheer incompetence of the person you’re interacting with? Here’s what happened: Normally I run home for lunch, but I’d had a Target errand to run and was short on time, so I decided to grab a sandwich from Subway … Continue reading With a Hocus Pocus, You’re in Focus
I Joined the Fleet Farm Cult
Tara and I recently discovered the awesomeness that is Fleet Farm. Prior to moving out here, we'd never heard of the store before. It's one of those Midwest chains, like Menards and Culver's, that people in other parts of the country are oblivious to. I bet few people around here are familiar with Fred Meyer … Continue reading I Joined the Fleet Farm Cult
Spray It, Don’t Say It
A few months ago, Tara was scrolling through Instagram and happened upon a post by one of her cousins. She had painted poppies on her fence, giving her backyard a splash of color. Inspired, my wife said, "We should paint a mural on the retaining wall out front!" She didn't know whether I'd be in … Continue reading Spray It, Don’t Say It
Impractical Joker
I have always loved April Fools’ Day. I’m a practical joker by heart, so it’s a “holiday” that’s perfectly up my alley. Over the years, I’ve pulled some killer pranks. Like the time I created a fake note from Rusty’s first-grade teacher announcing that he’d been expelled from class. His mom was LIVID and started … Continue reading Impractical Joker
Tossed Salads & Scrambled Begs
The good news: I’ve got the next three days off work.The bad news: They’re not paid…and my long-term employment at CenturyCo is suddenly in jeopardy. #&@%! I’ve only got myself to blame, I guess, though I think my supervisor, D., has blown things way out of proportion. She called me into her office Wednesday afternoon … Continue reading Tossed Salads & Scrambled Begs
Mark My Words 