R.I.P. Samoa April 2003 - November 2021

 

October 1st

 

October 1st is the 274th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 91 days remain until the end of the year. It is the first day of the fourth and final quarter of the year.  

Redeeming Your Time

Here's @JordanRaynor’s new book: REDEEMING YOUR TIME: 7 Biblical Principles for Being Purposeful, Present, and Wildly Productive. Pre-order the book and you can enter to win a trip for two to the Holy Land! Details at JordanRaynor.com.

Weekend in Willoughby

Victoria and I visited Willoughby Ohio this past weekend.

We stayed at the Homestead House Bed & Breakfast in downtown Willoughby.

While Victoria was in class Saturday, I visited three area parks.

Chagrin River Park

Osborne Park 

Headlands Beach State Park

Welcome to September!

 

If you find yourself bored with your work...

If you find yourself bored with your work, view it as a red flag. Either it’s time to leave to do something you are interested in, or it’s time to be interested in what you are doing. - Vincent​ Pugliese

33rd Wedding Anniversary Day Trip

Victoria and I weren't overly original this year for our wedding anniversary. Somewhat like last year, we opted to drive a portion of the Ohio State Route numbered the same as our anniversary year. Last year was Route 32, and this year was a portion of Route 33.

After a leisurely morning and a small breakfast of "cinni-minnies" and fruit, we headed to New Carlisle Ohio to have lunch with a good friend of ours of over 30 years.

After a delightful lunch, we continued north towards State Route 33, stopping by Kiser Lake State Park on the way.

Our short time on State Route 33 began at the small town of Lakeview near Indian Lake.

Our time on State Route 33 ended when we stopped at Campbell Hill, the highest point in Ohio. Here are some of the pictures we took while there.

Once we recovered from the altitude sickness brought on by spending time at a whopping 1,549 feet above sea level, we drove into the small city of Bellefontaine to see a few historical sights. These included the beautiful courthouse, Holland Theatre, and the oldest concrete street in America.

To celebrate the end of our short day trip, we enjoyed some ice cream at Stoner's Ice Cream Parlor in West Liberty Ohio. 

 

August - Anniversary Month - 33 Years!

 

Happy Independence Day Weekend!

 

Happiness

Pursuing happiness in our day-to-day lives can be quite challenging, especially when there are obstacles that cause us stress and anxiety. One path toward a more pleasant existence is to look to the science of happiness.

I recently attended a Meetup Live with psychologist and author Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar.

Some points I took away from this event are as follows:

• There are 3 secrets of happiness: reality, reality...and reality
• Embrace unhappiness because all people experience it except psychopaths and the dead!
• Active members of social groups and organizations tend to be happier
• Real servant leaders are great at listening
• Writing about painful experiences (journaling) is helpful
• Have “islands of sanity” in your life. These are times of single focus (as opposed to multi-tasking)
• Maintaining a gratitude journal seems to elevate happiness