Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about adulthood, and some of that reflection has come while driving rideshare. Mini therapy sessions for people and myself. You meet a lot of people in a short amount of time, and sometimes the smallest conversations stick with you. Simple questions of what did you do before driving? Are you planning on doing anything else?

I’m genuinely excited heading into 2026, and a big part of that is because I’m going back to school. I haven’t been in a traditional classroom in about a decade, and I’m more excited about it now than I ever remember being before. There’s something appealing about returning to structured learning, deadlines, and the challenge of engaging with ideas on purpose again.

’Twas the day after Christmas and all through my house,I’m picking up pieces smaller than a mouse. I love that the holiday went off without a hitch, but cleaning up after Christmas with two small kids is no small feat. There’s something semi-cathartic about the chaos of post-holiday cleanup. I’ve been organizing toys, tackling the mess in the office, and breaking down the avalanche of boxes in the garage.

If I’m being honest, no. My life is not the picture I thought it would be a year ago. A year ago, I didn’t think I’d be navigating my addiction as successfully as I am now. I didn’t think I’d hit the lows I hit, and I definitely didn’t believe I was capable of reaching the highs I’ve achieved since.

Okay—so once again, I’m coming back to this blog after stepping away for a little while. Life has a way of pulling focus, and this time, it was for something important. I’ve spent the last few months in therapy, both one-on-one and in group settings, to face something I’ve struggled with for a long time: my relationship with alcohol. Today marks 100 days sober.

Language is one of the most powerful tools humanity has ever developed. There’s a reason sayings like “The pen is mightier than the sword” carry so much weight. Words have the power to persuade, to create, to destroy, to unite. But here’s the catch: words only matter if you can understand them. In today’s world, we’re lucky to have tools that help bridge those gaps.

What's the most money you've ever spent on a meal? Was it worth it? I think the most money I’ve ever spent on a meal was just north of $200. It was an anniversary dinner with my wife in San Diego, and we went to a really nice steakhouse. The place was beautiful, the food was delicious, and we shared a bottle of wine.

Scour the news for an entirely uninteresting story. Consider how it connects to your life. Write about that. I’m taking this writing prompt with a small caveat: I don’t believe any news story is inherently uninteresting. Even the most mundane corners of the internet have an audience. If someone took the time to write about something, even without deep passion, it shows at least some level of curiosity.

This week’s mood? Necromantic. As in: resurrecting myself from the dead. I had every intention of starting fresh—getting better, staying hopeful, doing all the positive things. The universe said, “Cool story,” then hit my wife with the flu, gave both kids ear infections, and dropped pneumonia right on top of me like a cursed treasure chest. It sucked. It absolutely cut me down.

Monday Mood: Determined Last week was supposed to be all about hopeful. Moving forward in a very scary world. In many ways, it was. Life chugged along at a slow and deliberate pace. My wife and I dived in to discussions about what the future would hold and what the biggest events of the week (including everything in politics) meant for us.

I have been enjoying gardening for the last several years. It started with buckets on patio porches and has now grown into flowerbeds and raised beds. Living in South Carolina, I’m fortunate to have several zones’ worth of growing time, which means my growing season is longer than average. Of course, that also means I deal with just as many unpredictable moments.

Monday Intentions Last week was a really hard one for a lot of people. The Big Beautiful Bill passed through Congress, and it’s poised to do real damage to a lot of families. The bill is big, but it certainly isn’t beautiful. It puts an entire generation of Americans into financial limbo. It threatens our healthcare system, undermines public education, and cuts deeply into programs designed to protect the most vulnerable.

While I understand that I’ve done this before, I’m doing it yet again, trying to refocus myself to stay consistent with my goals. This blog. This story. This creative thing that I love. It always ends up on the back burner when life gets heavy. I find myself surviving rather than thriving, and even though I’ve acknowledged that pattern before, I still fall back into it.