Exploring life one trial at a time.

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Wandering Off

I’ve always had a fondness for day dreaming, I think it’s quite vital to life. When we day dream, our minds gain the freedom to wander down mental lanes that we might not normally visit. We might think about creating something – a dress, painting, play, something that we have yet to try. We might think on our life choices and how things might have worked out differently. Day dreaming takes us to these ideas by setting aside reality. I think that this act is what allows us to be our creative, free selves.

Days are filled with busy schedules. Very seldom do we take the time to have our brains wander. Allowing our brains to wander away feels like a waste of time considering it doesn’t check off anything on the day’s to-do list. We snap our brains back into focus and go about tackling that pesky list once more for fear of not checking off everything. In this instance, we are consumed by the world and that constant nagging “you should be working” thought. Yet, by constantly throwing ourselves at this to-do list, we burn ourselves out. Constantly chasing after something with no break is tiring and hurtful to our productivity, which is why we need day dreaming. We need those creative moments where our minds wander to new realms for in there lie solutions.

Every day we face innumerable problems asking for solutions. What to do about dinner or that project for so and so? Sometimes we throw our minds at the problems time and time again, hoping for an answer to be forced out. What we wind up with most of the times is a headache. If you find yourself in that case, take the time to day dream. Allow your mind to wander far and wide over all sorts of topics for it there in the unusual realms of thought that the great answers lie.

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Welcome to My New Life Blog

All the world’s a stage, but in need of better scripts.

The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast.
— Oscar Wilde.

Life is full of wonderful struggles and different ideas. It has been related to a play perhaps for another Shakespearean pun or a note on how fake people can be. This blog will explore what it means to be an active role in this life and the struggles of such, especially for those inclined to change the conventions of it all; the artists.

Attempting Affirmations

I know that affirmations have been around for a long time and that I am far too late to the trend. In the past, I never understood the whole waking up, speaking affirmations into the mirror, and allowing said affirmations to manifest. It felt like a failed ritual designed to give the illusion of helping without accomplishing anything other than putting your mind in the right space for a quick second. Oh how naive I was.

Affirmations Can Quiet the Over-Thinking Brain

One of the most notable benefits to speaking affirmations is how they can calm down the brain. And while this might be for a brief moment, any amount of reprieve is well worth the effort. When we can find a phrase that stops us from falling into the vortex of over-thinking, it becomes a valuable tool for daily life. And, in a world riddled with anxiety inducing things, it is all the more important now.

I discovered that you need to treat affirmations like ice cream flavors. You will need to try a few before you figure out what fits your taste profile. This was my problem years ago. I kept seeing affirmations and none really worked for me. Consider my taste a bit more out there. I discovered that I need affirmations that serve as reminders, not manifestations.

If you are like me in this regard, allow me to share with you a phrase that is really helping me with my anxiety.

“Learn from yesterday, stay focused on today, aim for a better tomorrow.”

This reminder is lovely for when my brain is getting stuck on worrying about the future or focusing on a mistake I made. And while it is not a magical cure for the anxiety, the brief moment of reprieve allows for me to breathe and rationalize. This has been a huge help and I do hope that it can be a help for you dear reader as well.

Quote of the Week 2/2/2026

“Remember your particular mental signature. That’s the only thing worth holding on to.”

-R. F. Kuang

Preamble

I know I’ve been away but, dear readers, I am forever thankful to each of you for taking the time to read my little ramblings about life and literature. And if there is ever a topic you would like for me to cover in future blog posts, please let me know by leaving a comment!

While I have been away, I have been making progress on my every growing tbr pile. The most recent book to be read from this pile was Katabasis by R. F. Kuang. It was an absolutely fantastic novel that I highly recommend, but that review is for Goodreads, not here. But, this week’s quote does come from that novel.

My Thoughts

I love that when we create things, we inevitably leave a mark of our humanity upon. Some define this as mistakes or errors, but there is a beauty in that. These are the pieces of evidence used to show proudly that this was created by human hands. Machines can create perfection and there is a time and place for that, but we must not forget the utmost joy in creating something ourselves and loving the nuances between our creation and another.

Yes, it may be the same thing like a blog post or home renovation, but no matter what we do we must do it with out own mental signature; an unconscious flair of our own design upon the creation. This is what makes our creation unique and thus special.

If we only seek to copy exactly, we loose our sense of self and are no better than a machine. So, copy where it matters, explore where you can in your creations for that is what’s worth holding on to.

Remember the Value of Sitting Still

In the modern day, it is far too easy to distract ourselves. Not only do we have the entire wealth of human knowledge at the touch of our fingertips, but we have several apps that provide a constant bombardment of serotonin enriching timelines, cultivated to keep us hooked for hours. Now I know that this is sounding like an old man shaking his fist at technology post but don’t worry, it’s not. I, just like everyone else, love a good doom scrolling session or Wikipedia rabbit hole. I’m even a huge fan of hours long videogame sessions. But amidst all of these activities, I need to remember the value of sitting still.

Relax to Reflect

When we don’t take the time to relax, we can make easy mistakes. Its like tackling a home improvement project and encountering a problem. You can pound away at the problem with a hammer or keep trying the same thing over and over again, but the real solution only comes from taking a step back and thinking over the situation.

Far too often in life, we go about situations the same way time and time again failing to get desired results. Sometimes it can feel like taking a step back is abandoning the task. I get it. I have done this for several years with a variety of tasks. So, trust me when I say that there is value in relaxing a bit to reflect.

The key is to take away the distractions like phones and TVs. Let your mind relax and you’ll be shocked at what you’ll come up with.

Taking a Step Back Could be the Secret to Moving Forward

By relaxing and reflecting, we can often overcome problems in our lives. That or see that the thing we were so worried about is really nothing at all. We always had this knowledge, but our brains were just too busy with other things. By taking the time to sit still we were able to find the simple truth. This is why we must remember to sit still every once in awhile.

Do this and you will find a lot less stress in your life.

Quote of the Week 10/8/25

“Silence is a statement, Diago. Inaction picks a side. And when those lead to personal benefit, they are complicity.”

– James Islington

Preamble

It is late into the night for me as I write this but, then again, I have always enjoyed writing at night. Maybe its most of the world being asleep, the quite, or the aesthetic of the moon but I just think that this is the perfect time to pour out your soul onto the page or keyboard. But tonight won’t be an emotional charged ranting session about the quote. No, tonight’s quote post will be a simple meditation focused on the act of doing nothing.

My Thoughts

I love the first two pieces of advice that this quote offers. Yet there is a certain humor to them. When we don’t answer to something and remain silent, it is because we are afraid of answering. This in turn does provide an answer however and might be worst than simply providing the truth which leads to the ending aspect of this quote.

Inaction and silence are often self-servicing actions we take in situations where we might not like the truth. We then avoid it, thinking its for the best but the reality is the opposite. This is why I liked this quote, it is a simple reminder that the truth is better said then kept.

Embrace the Difficult Tasks

Last week I found myself overwhelmed. I had far too many things on my todo list and this stress was getting to me. I kept putting off these things to make room for activities that brought me joy, but this simply prolonged the stress. It was finally my wife who broke my out of this cycle by reminding me to embrace the difficult tasks, if only for a set amount of time.

Set a Timmer and Hop to It

Her advice was thirty minutes each day minimum, and more if I could. I followed her advice and quickly found my list of difficult tasks diminishing and my joy returning. For some items, time is luxury that you can’t afford, I get that. But for most of life’s stressors, we can make time for them. This would be embracing the difficult tasks.

Even if they fill you with dread, set a timer and get to work. Take comfort in knowing that it is not your entire day, it is only a small portion of your day. You’ll find yourself chipping away at the list and, more than likely, ready to tackle another chunk later on in the day.

Yes, It Isn’t Fun but It’s Worth It

If you are like me and pushing away those difficult tasks, I obviously understand. But neither are the sleepless, stressful nights or hours during the day. When we push off these things that must be done, it doesn’t help us at all.

No, we need to embrace these things and take comfort in the fact that soon enough the timer will end and life will look a bit brighter because of the work we did.

Quote of the Week 8/25/25

“That’s the key, isn’t it? To know the darkness will remain, but how you choose to face it, handle it…that’s the important part.”

– Sarah J. Maas

Preamble

Well dear readers, I have finally done it: I have finished my first Maas series. Yes, I do know that there are more book(s) to come but as of this moment, I can confirm that I am all caught up on The Court of Thorns and Roses series. While I did enjoy the latest entry–which is the source of this quote–I am ready to dive into a literary classic for my next read. But even amongst the entertainment reads, there are still great quotes like this one to be found.

My Thoughts

A Court of Silver Flames, where this quote comes from, does an excellent job of describing grief and what it means to live with not only trauma but mistakes. This is what “the darkness” in the quote refers to. With that established, I love the message and realism of the quote.

It’s true, we can’t make our past go away. It will forever be there. What we must do is focus on how we confront it. Yes, it might not be pretty but, at the same time, once we know how to face it, we can truly embrace who we are and find solace in that fact.

Getting Out of Your Head

It will forever bother me how our brains, in their infinite wisdom, cause so many problems. Well, I guess that fact alongside the one where the brain is the only organ to name itself, but I digress.

I loathe how our brains can cause so much worry yet, at the same time, know that the worry is pointless. This is what I think of when I talk about getting stuck in your head–that constant, worrying cycle that drags you down, down, down. It’s a cycle I’m all too familiar with and one that I’ve struggled to break. I’ve tried a few tactics over the years it to no avail but recently I’ve adopted a new motto and it seems to be helping. It is a motto that I am borrowing from one of the wisest men, Mr. Ted Lasso.

Be a Goldfish

If you have seen the show Ted Lasso, this is a familiar concept. For those that haven’t, please go and watch the show for it is amazing and a favorite of my wife and I. In the meantime though, let me talk about the phrase.

Goldfish are forced to “live in the present” because they do not have the memory to bring up the past. This type of mentality is what has helped me get out of my head.

I am a big fan of ruminating. In my years of experience with it, not once have I found it to be beneficial. All it does is bring about unnecessary anxiety. So, now when I found myself fixating on the past, I try to embody that small, humble pet and forgot what has happened, focusing only on the fishbowl around me.

And so far, I have found the water much more pleasant and I hope that you will as well.

Quote of the Week 7/27

“Still, we do what we can. We keep off strangers and the foolhardy, and we train and we teach, we walk and we weed.”

– J.R.R. Tolkien

Preamble

As an avid reader and writer, it is with great shame that I admit I waited until my thirties to get around to reading the works of Tolkien. Please understand that it wasn’t for a dislike for him or his mythos. It was simply due to not prioritizing reading his works. But now that I am making progress through them, I am kicking myself for waiting so long! He has a masterful command of the conventions of language and creates a flow unlike any other that I have read. I also love the little tidbits of wisdom included like this week’s quote.

My Thoughts

I know Tolkien is attributed to many great quotes but I am surprised that few have referenced this one! It’s filled with great, simply advice that leads anyone to a better life. Furthermore, it comes from Treebeard who, for context, is a living tree. As you all know, I have long noticed how nature is one of the greatest teachers for life and so it is only fitting that a nature being offers such great advice. I especially like the phrasing of “we walk and we weed.”

For me, this ending bit is a reminder for us to take the effort to leave places better off when we leave them. You can take this literally and pick up trash or more spirited by taking the time to remind a close friend or loved one that they are important to you. Just like the little effort to pull a weed, it doesn’t take much to improve the area around us as we walk through life.

K.I.S.S.

I was introduced to this acronym way too late in life, only learning of it’s existence in my late twenties. It stands for Keep It Simple Stupid and if I had learned of this earlier, well I might have avoided a few different, overly complicated situations.

I know that the “stupid” part is a bit harsh but it comes from a good place. Just think back to remember if you have ever taken a simple thing and made it complicated. I think the best example would be over analyzing a text message. Without tone, texts are ripe for over analyzing. What truly might have been a simple statement was given tone and suddenly you are beginning to question the message. With hindsight, you probably realized that it was all quite silly and you might even call that previous self of yours stupid for behaving that way. This is what I believe the message is: it’s silly to overcomplicate simple situations; which is the best take away from this.

Avoid Complicated When you Can

There will always be complicated situations that can not be simplified. Given the inevitability of these then, there’s not point in trying to change what can not be changed, to borrow from the Stoics. Instead, simplify the situations that can be. Going back to the text scenario, just read it at face value. If the other person is trying to showcase a tone, it’s one them for expressing that, not you over analyzing it.

If we can continue to keep simple things simple, we can avoid a lot of extra stress. I mean the whole lesson itself embodies this by keeping it down to only four letters.

Quote of the Week 7/8

“Your body is not a temple, it’s an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.”

– Anthony Bourdain

Preamble

So I have taken up the challenge of running a half-marathon again. This comes from two main motivations. One, I’ve only run one half-marathon so far in my life and I want to prove that I can do it again. Two, I’ve been focusing on my body seeking a healthier lifestyle. In that vain, I was reminded of this quote from one of my favorite people.

My Thoughts

Yes, our bodies need to be treated with respect but what this looks like varies. There are those that treat it as respectful as a temple meaning every healthy act is sacred while every unhealthy is sinful. If this works for you, keep it up! Afterall, there are several monks and nuns that prove how such a lifestyle is optimal for some.

For others though it’s important to treat it like an amusement park. You’ll have spent months saving up for the trip. During that time there was a lot of hard work, yes, but there were days of indulgence. You kept your focus on the goal and still found time for some fun along the way. This is what Anthony Bourdain is saying in my opinion.

We need to stay focused on what really matters and, while we do, remember to take some time to enjoy it all.