What bedtimes often devolves into in my household.

I never felt much like a country boy while growing up in rural Michigan, but sometimes I feel like it amongst Portlanders.

Walked to the school playground for a bit and then to the nature park. Son was really interested in the boxelder bugs and spent a lot time in the dirt with them. He’s covered from head to toe in dirt lol. We’re lucky to have so many parks around.

The whole fam aside from me has been sick for most of the week, so the house is a snotty mess from kids and holding down work. I’m sure I’ll catch it right before I need to go on TV or something.

Thinking about volunteering as a bartender trainee in order to have a social life again.

It’s taken forever, but finally getting some ripened tomatoes.

My sleep game has improved so much over the last 6 months.

After my younger brother died in 2021, I couldn’t shut off the anxiety at night, so I often distracted myself with my phone. I got maybe 3-4 hours per night for like a year.

In addition to working through my grief, a combo of putting the phone down at a reasonable time, using earplugs, and dialing in the CPAP have been key for me.

I now get a solid 7 hours and wake up without an alarm. My mental health has improved a lot as a result.

As I finished my last two staff reports today and sent them off for review, I realized the person I’ve been under has never told me “good job” or “nice work” in nearly six years.

Looking at all these 30-somethings with kids eschewing their childrens’ college savings in favor of $1,000/mo truck payments 👀

There is this weird habit of planners and other urbanists to rag on suburbs in the Portland area, especially Beaverton.

I know there are still a lot of parking lots, but that is changing fast. Western burbs are quickly urbanizing, and have some of the densest census tracts in the region.

I get real weird vibes from people expressing interest in musicians only after they’re gone.

More and more, we live in a know-it-all culture where professionals are doubted and disrespected. It’s sad.

Tonight’s dinner was mac ‘n cheese from a box and canned Hormel chili. Ain’t proud of it, but it’s been just one of those days.

Had my first crown today. Needed something soft and comforting because I think I’m a little traumatized.

Brady Bunch-like house on my walk around the neighborhood this morning.

We just found out our neighbors, who rent a townhouse behind us, are moving to Texas because they can’t afford a house here.

Their 5 year old son climbed the fence and was talking to my son about how he wishes they could stay and just have our house when we are done with it. Gave me all the feels.

That feeling when you work for the government and the network serves up Acrobat instead of it being a local install and it takes 30 minutes to convert two one-page PDFs to JPG.

There is certainly something to be said about practice and hard work in music, but sometimes it can be so difficult to find the motivation to write and perform when there is just so much talent and natural-born ability out there.

We got a little bit of rain today, which is out of character for this time of year, but always welcome.

A beautiful deer we saw on our hike this morning at Cooper Mountain Nature Park.

Had a lot of fun celebrating my wife’s cousin’s wedding last night. Longest we’ve both been away from our kids in a while. Felt a little strange, but good.

Controlled chaos

Hanging out with my kids on a slow morning while listening to this absolute classic.

🎵 [Turn on the Bright Lights – Interpol](https://www.last.fm/music/Interpol/Turn+on+the+Bright+Lights) – ★★★★★


Staying up far too late, watching S2 of The Bear.

A couple years back, when life was a little lighter. Lincoln City, OR.

Excuse the crude drawing, but when did it become socially acceptable for drivers turning right to pull up next to you, where there is only one lane, blocking your ability to see and safely turn left?

Am I the asshole for wanting to now hug the right curb while waiting to turn left?