Another Year at the King Biscuit Blues Festival

Tommy and Dad Watching the Acts

I went to the King Biscuit Blues Festival (KBBF) again this year. It was October 8-10. Once again, I worked the main stage.

We did not have a lot of help this year, but it might have run the smoothest I recall the festival ever going. The acts were given about 30 minutes between when one finished and the next needed to play. It was wonderful! We had all kinds of time to get set up and prepare for the next band. It worked out great!

Anson Funderburgh Playing Guitar

Dad Shirron and I went this year. I was trying to remember how long I have been going to the festival, and I believe I started around 2004 or 2005. I am not exactly sure. I have been going every year since, only missing 2020 when the whole festival was canceled.

I thought all the acts this year were really good. Sometimes there are bands that play where you question why they were there, their sound is not good, or they are difficult to work with getting them on and off the main stage. This year, we had no issues at all. Everything went smoothly, and it was great!

Back Stage of Paul Thorn

As we were leading up to the festival, the weather was forecast to be hot, with rain all day on Saturday. As the weekend approached, we did have hot weather on Thursday and Friday, with temperatures around 91 degrees both days. It was not too bad, but it did get hot and sweaty.

Saturday was forecast to have a 95% chance of rain, with possible flooding due to the hurricane coming up from the south. As Saturday approached, though, we noticed the forecast changing. Finally, Saturday morning, the rain went completely out of the forecast. It turned out to be a beautiful day in the seventies, overcast, and with no rain at all. It was glorious!

Bart and Me Working the KBBF

Every year as KBBF approaches, Dad Shirron talks about how it will be his last, and Tommy says the same thing. On the drive down this year, I was asked if I would continue after they stopped going. Before the festival, I was not sure. I mainly go because I want to spend time with Tommy and Dad Shirron and see other friends.

After this festival, though, I can see myself continuing. I did lead a few of the stage acts this year, getting people on and off the stage and making sure they got started on time. It went really well, which made me feel better about possibly continuing in the future.

Robert Nighthawk Playing B3

Dad did leave everything he normally takes with him from Topeka at the festival for whoever takes over the stage manager role. We will see what happens next year.

Here are a few pictures, and that is it for tonight. I am writing this early Sunday evening after getting back from our last camping trip of the year.

Until next time, have a great week, and I will talk to you later.

Bobby Rush and His Dancing Ladies

Dad Watching Anson Play

October's Soundtrack

October has its own soundtrack.

The rustle of leaves across the yard. A football game in the background. A favorite song playing somewhere nearby.

This time of year also reminds me of Oliver. He loved these cool fall mornings, and I still find myself expecting to see him looking out the window or waiting by the door.

I miss that.

I'm not ready for winter yet, but I'd be happy if October stayed around a little longer.

Have a good weekend.

The Last Time Wasn't Announced

The other day, I started thinking about all the things I used to do that have completely disappeared from my life. Not major life events. Just everyday things that once seemed permanent.

The funny thing is that most of us never know we're doing something for the last time. There wasn't a ceremony when I rented my last movie or printed my last set of directions. One day it happened, and I didn't realize it would be the last.

That's what this week's post is about: some of the things I did for years that quietly disappeared from my life. There was no fanfare when they ended. One day I simply stopped doing them and never realized it was the last time.

Having a newspaper delivered to our home or picking one up at the grocery store was once a normal part of life. I do not recall the last time I bought a newspaper. For that matter, I do not recall the last time I read one. It is one of those activities that ended, and I did not realize it would be the last time. It was so long ago that I do not even remember when it last occurred.

For a while, I had our local paper here in Topeka delivered electronically to my mobile devices. I enjoyed it, but eventually I let the subscription expire and never went back. Where do I get my local news now? I rely on Really Simple Syndication (RSS). No matter where I am or what I am doing, I read through my RSS feeds every morning and throughout the day. I stay current on local, national, and technology news through those feeds.

Reviewing and printing maps for a trip was a process. I can remember having pages printed with a route, notes about what was available along the way, and highlighted directions for the trip. The papers would sit in the passenger seat. If Carrie or someone else was traveling with me, they would be responsible for making sure we stayed on the correct route. If it was a solo trip, I might have to pull off to the side of the road to read through the directions and make sure I was headed the right way. Now, of course, all of that is on our phones, and there is rarely a need to print directions or even look up a trip ahead of time.

One thing I do miss is burning CDs for a trip. I would spend time ahead of a trip compiling songs and carefully selecting music that fit the journey. Once everything was ready, I would burn the songs to a CD and use a Sharpie to label it appropriately for the trip. I would guess that if I went through some of the boxes in our basement, I would still find a few of those old CDs I created for road trips or simply for the fun of having a disc filled with my favorite songs.

As many of you know, I watch a lot of television series and movies. I remember making sure the DVR was set to record a show. If we were away from home and someone mentioned a program that was on that night, there was no way to remotely set the DVR to record it. The technology simply was not there. Recordings had to be planned ahead of time.

I never owned a TiVo, which I know was popular for many people through the years. We used an old-school VCR to record shows and later relied on the DVRs provided by Cox and Dish. It was not until years later that Dish added the ability to schedule a recording through an app while away from home. If a game or another event ran long and I was not home to extend the recording, I would often miss part of whatever I had planned to watch.

Some of the things I've stopped doing have nothing to do with technology. There are restaurants I used to visit regularly. Stores that no longer exist. Routes I drove every day in previous jobs. Even roads and routines that once felt permanent and familiar have faded away.

What strikes me is not that these things disappeared. Change is inevitable.

What fascinates me is how quickly something can move from being an ordinary part of everyday life to becoming a memory. At one point, I could not imagine living without some of these things. Today, I rarely think about them at all.

Working in technology, I spend a lot of time thinking about what is next. Maybe I should spend a little more time noticing what quietly slipped away.

It also makes me wonder what I am doing today that will seem equally outdated twenty years from now. What routines feel permanent today but will quietly disappear without me noticing?

I do not know the answer, but I am pretty sure there will be a last time I do some ordinary thing this week, and I will not realize it until years later.

Until next time, enjoy your routines and reflect on the things you no longer do but never noticed had disappeared. Have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week.

A Weekend of Changed Plans

Apple Sleep Score from 9/24/2026

Sometimes plans do not go as planned. That is exactly what happened this weekend.

I had planned to attend an NFL watch party that I have been going to most Thursdays, and I was really looking forward to this past Thursday night's get-together. We had also planned a last-minute camping trip to Hillsdale just a couple of weeks earlier. Well, all of those plans changed as the week began.

We had been watching the weather forecast for our camping trip, and it did not look promising. Rain was forecast throughout the weekend. We started keeping an eye on it the weekend before our trip, but the forecast was not improving. Rain was expected when we would be setting up on Friday night and for most of the day on Saturday. As the middle of the week rolled around, we checked the forecast again and began preparing to skip the camping trip altogether.

On Wednesday, I started feeling a little off. I could not focus, and food did not taste good. I had lunch with some friends that day and, while I ate everything, it did not taste nearly as good as it had in the past. That evening, Carrie and I went out to dinner with Erin and Greg, and I could barely eat. Nothing sounded good, and I had no energy. I just wanted to go to bed.

When we got home after dinner, I basically went straight to bed. I was in bed by 7:30 that night. I slept and slept. I ended up calling in sick on Thursday and was able to move around my meetings. I spent most of the day sleeping. Whatever I had caught caused some significant stomach issues. I was up several times throughout the night and day, but I still managed to sleep for 12 hours and 25 minutes.

Unfortunately, it was not over. I did not feel any better on Friday, so I took Friday off as well.

With our camping trip canceled, I was also unable to meet up with the guys for Thursday Night Football. By Saturday morning, my stomach was still a mess, so I stayed home and took it easy. Carrie made me some soup with rice and chicken. We had read that when you have an upset stomach, it is best to stick with foods like rice, chicken, toast, and applesauce. Saturday afternoon, we placed a Hy-Vee delivery order for a variety of those items.

I forgot to mention that from Wednesday through Friday, I barely ate anything. Nothing sounded good. By Saturday night, I was finally hungry, but I was still cautious about what to eat, so I stuck to the foods generally recommended for someone dealing with an upset stomach.

As I write this update, it is Sunday morning, and I am finally starting to feel normal. Food sounds good again, although I am still being careful. For the first time since Wednesday night, I am leaving the house. Carrie and I are heading to Kansas City to stop by Costco and pick up a few things.

While I never developed a fever, I felt miserable from Wednesday through Saturday. Thankfully, I feel so much better today. Whatever that bug was, it was awful, and I hope I did not spread it to anyone else.

I know this is a somewhat unusual post for me, but I thought I would share my experience in case anyone else is dealing with similar symptoms. Until next time, have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week. Stay well, and take care of yourself and your family.

Twenty-Four Years and a Weekend in Kansas City

Carrie and me at the Washburn Tailgate

I am late with my post this week, but I have a good excuse. Carrie and I celebrated our twenty-fourth wedding anniversary by traveling to Kansas City for the weekend. It was a somewhat last-minute decision following the Washburn football game being moved back to an 11 a.m. kickoff, which meant we could get into Kansas City Saturday night in time for dinner. We stayed through Monday morning and both went into work a little late.

We had a great time at the Washburn game, which was my first tailgate of the year. Washburn won, which made it even better. As I mentioned, the game kicked off at 11 a.m. because of weather-related concerns. We set up, and to my surprise, Erin and Greg came out too. I did not think they were going to come because it was expected to be so hot, but they came out to support me. There was a nice cool breeze blowing, and we had a great spot with our tent set up along with snacks and drinks.

Oysters, Fries, and Bread at Earl's Premier

Following the game, we got ready to head to Kansas City for the weekend. We had only made hotel reservations on Thursday, so the trip was very last minute. We knew we wanted to go to Earl's Premier for dinner, but we did not want to sit anywhere except at the bar. We had a little wait, but eventually we got exactly the spot we were hoping for, right in front of the oyster shucker. What a fun place to sit! I highly recommend it if you have not tried it yet.

Eggs Benedict at Westport Cafe

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel, as it had been a busy day filled with tailgating, heat, and travel. On Sunday, we had reservations at Westport Cafe, a spot Carrie found, and it was wonderful.

We spent the rest of Sunday doing a little shopping, and we visited two breweries that had been recommended to us. It was a wonderful day and a lot of fun spending it with Carrie while trying new beers from the Kansas City area. We went to Discourse Brewing and Alma Mader Brewing, and both had excellent beers. It was a lot of fun sampling different styles and comparing our favorites. After our beer tour, we went to Ponak's Mexican Kitchen & Bar, which is one of our favorite places to visit in Kansas City.

Selfie at Discourse Brewing 

We both slept in on Monday morning since we had taken the morning off. That allowed us to make our way back to Topeka and still get to work by late morning. It was a wonderful anniversary weekend spent doing things together.

Happy anniversary, Carrie. Next year is our big twenty-fifth anniversary, and I am excited to see how we celebrate. I love you so much!

Until next time, have a great week, and I will chat with you again next weekend.

The Routines That Shape Us

Routines are part of who I am. I think routines are probably part of most people's lives. I have a routine that I follow every day at work to start my morning. Before the day gets busy, I go through my email, get rid of the junk, and leave only the messages that require action. I keep my inbox cleaned out so that only emails needing my attention remain. Everything else is deleted, moved, or snoozed if I need to revisit it later.

Today, I am going to write about what a typical Sunday looks like for me.

As you know, I regularly post to this site, and those posts usually go live on Sundays. Sometimes I write them on Saturday or earlier in the week, but often I am writing these updates on Sunday morning if time permits. Occasionally, the writing stretches into the afternoon as I struggle to think of something worth sharing. Still, I have been posting regularly on Sundays for the past two or three years. I do not remember exactly when I started doing it, but it has become part of my routine. I am always looking for something to write about or share.

I enjoy the process. It also gives me memories to look back on when I visit the site and see what I was doing during a particular weekend.

Sunday is also a time for me to watch sports. During the fall and winter months, I spend time watching football. If baseball is on, I will of course watch the Royals or other teams I follow. The television is usually on for most of the day with some sporting event playing in the background. If Carrie and I are catching up on a show from the past week, I usually have my laptop nearby so I can keep tabs on whatever game is being played that Sunday.

As you may know, I play fantasy sports, so I make it a habit to check my various leagues. For baseball, I am currently in three different leagues. That means I check rosters regularly and move players around as needed. I try to review things before games start each day, but life gets busy and sometimes I miss making those changes.

On Sundays, I spend extra time reviewing my fantasy football leagues. I am also in three fantasy football leagues this season. Whether it is baseball or football, I enjoy having players to follow. They are often on teams that I would not normally watch, and having players spread across different teams gives me a reason to pay attention to games I might otherwise skip.

Sunday is also a time for me to think through the upcoming work week. As I mentioned earlier, I organize both my work and personal email throughout the week. On Sunday, however, I spend time reviewing my calendar and looking ahead at what is coming up. Sometimes I spot a scheduling conflict and can adjust meetings before Monday arrives. I like doing this because it helps me start the week feeling prepared. Occasionally, I will also spend some time getting ready for important meetings rather than leaving all of that work until Monday morning.

Sunday is also a good day to get some personal reading done. My goal over the past few months has been to read every day. I typically read a few pages before going to bed each night, but being intentional about reading has become part of my routine, and Sunday is no different.

For a while, Sunday mornings were also reserved for a run. As I have mentioned numerous times on this site, exercise routines are incredibly easy to lose. It has been a few weeks, or maybe even a month, since I last ran. We had several trips that disrupted my routine, and then the summer heat arrived. When temperatures started climbing toward 100 degrees, I simply was not motivated enough to get up early and run before it got too hot. That was really the biggest reason my running routine fell off again. Yes, I know the weather has cooled down, and I need to get started again, but it did not happen this Sunday.

A little about my routines, and specifically my Sundays. Routines are a good thing. I know my dad was a big routine person, too. The nightly runs, visiting the same restaurants, and following familiar patterns were all part of who he was. As I have gotten older, I have realized I am very much the same way.

Looking back, I probably did not fully appreciate those routines when I was younger. At the time, they were simply things Dad did because that was how he liked things. Now I understand that routines provide structure, comfort, and a sense of normalcy. Maybe that is why I find myself following many of the same patterns in my own life. Whether it is checking email, setting aside time for sports, reviewing my calendar, reading, or writing these Sunday posts, those routines help mark the passage of time and keep me grounded.

If I miss doing something that is normally part of my routine, it just does not feel quite right. Maybe that is one more way I am becoming more like my dad every year.

That is all for today and my post about routines. Have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week ahead.

September 11: Twenty-Five Years Later

It is hard to believe that a quarter century has passed since that morning. Like many people, I can remember exactly where I was when I first learned what was happening. Some events become permanently attached to a specific place and time in your memory, and September 11 is one of those days for me.

I was commuting from Topeka to work that morning. At the time, it seemed like any other day. The drive was routine, and nothing felt out of the ordinary. When I arrived at work and walked into the building, I immediately noticed people gathered around the television in the breakroom. That alone was enough to tell me something was wrong. As I joined them and watched the news, it quickly became clear that this was not an ordinary day.

Like so many others, I spent the rest of the day trying to understand what was unfolding. The images, the news coverage, and the uncertainty are memories that have never really faded. Even now, 25 years later, I remember that day like it was yesterday.

Over the years, life has moved forward. New generations have grown up with no personal memory of September 11. For those of us who experienced it, though, it remains one of those moments that instantly takes us back to where we were and what we were doing when we first heard the news.

Today, I am remembering the nearly 3,000 lives lost, the families forever changed, and the first responders who ran toward danger when others were trying to get away. Their courage and sacrifice deserve to be remembered, not just today, but every day.

Twenty-five years later, the memories remain, the lessons endure, and the people impacted by that day are not forgotten.

Please take a moment today to remember.

My MLB.TV Year in Stats

I am a Royals fan. That is true. This has been a tough season to be a Royals fan. It is also true. I pay to watch Royals games along with all the other teams through MLB.TV. Stats are fun. I enjoy using apps to track everything from running, cycling, and reading to my sleep patterns.

In the case of the streaming stats I received from Royals.TV and MLB.TV, it was interesting to see my viewing numbers. At the time I received them, on September 1, I had watched a total of 76 games. Even more interesting, although it does not seem quite right, was the stat showing the Royals had a record of 39-37 in games I watched. I do not think that is accurate because I clearly remember tuning in for plenty of losses along the way.

Overall, I watched games involving all 30 MLB teams. There were often days, especially on weekends, when I would watch the Royals while also keeping three other games on at the same time. This image does not show it, but the team I followed most after the Royals was the Houston Astros.

I have subscribed to MLB.TV for several years now. This season it was much easier to watch games because the service is integrated with ESPN, allowing me to watch MLB games alongside other events on ESPN. The only exception is Royals games, which still have to be watched through the MLB app, whether on my Apple TV or computer. That has not been too much of an inconvenience because I can still have other games playing through the ESPN app while watching the Royals.

It was fun to see these stats, although I am a little disappointed that my total games watched was relatively low. Baseball is a sport built on statistics, and this is the first time I can remember MLB sharing viewing data like this since I started subscribing to MLB.TV. It is a fun feature and something I will have to remember to check again next year. If you subscribe to MLB.TV, you can view your own stats by visiting MLB.TV My Stats.

This is an odd post for the week, but I thought the stats were interesting. And yes, as a matter of fact, I watched the Royals lose on Friday night while writing this post.

Until next time, have a great rest of your weekend and a wonderful week.

Zero Zero Was Worth the Wait

Pasta Dishes at Zero Zero

We made a quick trip to Kansas City, arriving Saturday afternoon and heading home Sunday afternoon. Our trip was planned around a place that is notoriously difficult to get reservations for called Zero Zero. The restaurant is small, seating only about twelve people, so reservations need to be made about a month in advance. Greg was able to get a table for us at 9:30 Saturday night when he logged on back in July to try and secure a reservation. It was worth it!

Selfie at Zero Zero

The food was excellent, and the service was fantastic. They took great care of us and even brought out an additional dish because one of the items we wanted was unavailable. The replacement was on the house. Classy! We ordered all four pasta dishes and ate family-style so everyone could try a little of everything. It worked out perfectly. We then ordered desserts to finish the evening, and those were outstanding as well. The cake in the lower-left image was so good that I think we were all fighting for the last few bites.

Desserts at Zero Zero

After arriving in Kansas City, we went directly to lunch at a place called The Westside Local. It was a good spot for sandwiches and drinks and was located just down the street from where we would be going later that night for Zero Zero. Carrie and I had never been there before, but Erin and Greg had visited previously.

Following lunch, we went straight to the hotel to check in and get our evening started. We stayed at the InterContinental on the Plaza. After getting situated in our room, we relaxed for a bit before heading across the street to The Raphael, where Chaz on the Plaza is located. We had a few drinks there before taking a Lyft to J. Rieger & Co., a place we have visited several times. We enjoyed a few more drinks and a snack since we were eating dinner so late in the evening. It was perfect!

Selfie on Way to Drinks

We headed to Zero Zero for dinner, and because they are so small, they were running a little behind. While we waited, Greg and I walked over to Fern Bar KC for a drink. It was a wonderful evening spent in Kansas City.

On Sunday, we spent time visiting a few different shops before stopping for lunch at Longboards.

Selfie Leaving Hotel

We had a great time, and I am so glad we were able to try Zero Zero. I highly recommend giving it a try if you have not been there yet.

Until next time, have a great rest of your Sunday and a great week.

As a Longtime Subscriber, This Is My Favorite YouTube TV Upgrade Yet

Over the years, I've accumulated more streaming subscriptions than I care to admit.

Like many sports fans, I've been a YouTube TV subscriber for quite a while. It's become our primary way of watching television, and I honestly can't imagine going back to traditional cable. Between the unlimited DVR and the ability to watch from just about anywhere, it works well for how Carrie and I consume television.

At the same time, I've also subscribed to ESPN Unlimited.

The reason was simple. Some of the college sporting events and other programming I wanted to watch weren't available through the traditional ESPN channels included with YouTube TV. If I wanted access to everything, I needed both services.

For years, I just accepted that as the cost of being a sports fan.

Recently, however, ESPN announced that ESPN Unlimited content is expected to become available through YouTube TV. The integration hasn't happened yet, but it's coming soon, and I'm surprisingly excited about it.

Part of that excitement is financial.

Once the integration is complete, I won't need to maintain a separate ESPN Unlimited subscription. Any time I can eliminate a monthly bill while still getting the content I want, that's a good thing.

Streaming was supposed to simplify television. Instead, it sometimes feels like we've recreated cable with a dozen separate subscriptions. Every opportunity to consolidate services feels like a step in the right direction.

But the savings aren't actually the feature I'm most looking forward to.

The real benefit is the DVR.

One of my favorite features of YouTube TV has always been the unlimited cloud DVR. If there's a football game, basketball game, or television show I want to watch, I simply add it to my library and watch it later.

ESPN Unlimited content hasn't worked that way.

If an event was exclusive to ESPN Unlimited, I generally had to watch it through the ESPN app or find it later if a replay was available. Once the YouTube TV integration arrives, I'll be able to record those events just like anything else on the platform.

For someone who follows college sports, that's a pretty significant improvement.

Not every game starts at a convenient time. Some overlap with other games. Sometimes life gets in the way. Having the ability to record an ESPN Unlimited event and watch it later fits perfectly with how I already use YouTube TV.

It's one of those technology improvements that isn't flashy, but it makes life easier.

And honestly, those are usually my favorite kinds of improvements.

We'll see exactly how the integration works once it launches, but from where I sit, it's a win. I save money, I get a more streamlined viewing experience, and I gain DVR functionality for content that previously lived outside the YouTube TV ecosystem.

That's a pretty good combination.

Until next time, have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week!

Mid-August Musings: Running, Reading, and Random Thoughts

The month of August is almost half over. That is hard to believe. It has already been a busy few weeks. Time is certainly not standing still as the days march on toward the end of the year. It is no joke that the older we get, the faster time seems to go.

Today, I am struggling to decide what to write about, so this post will be a collection of random thoughts.

My running a few times a week had been going extremely well. As I reported, I was able to run twice while I was out of town. This week, though, I struggled to get my runs completed. I was busy on the nights that I usually run and did not make adjustments to run in the mornings or on different days. The last time I ran was August 9. Today is August 16, and although I had planned to run, I simply did not feel like it. Even though the weather is nice, with temperatures in the low 80s, missing two runs this week made it harder to get motivated. I will start again on Tuesday and get back into my routine.

I am doing well on my 2026 reading challenge. My goal was to read 25 books this year. As of today, I have completed 16 books. According to Goodreads, I am one book ahead of schedule. As you may recall, I am trying to read about two books each month to reach my goal. So far, that has gone well. The two books I am currently reading are both lengthy, so I need to spend more time reading if I want to finish at least one of them before the end of August.

The end of baseball season is fast approaching. Well, for the Kansas City Royals, the season has been over for a while. I still manage to watch some of the Royals games, but often turn them off after a few innings. Anymore, I do not tune in to Royals games in the late innings even if we are ahead by a run. In past years, I would have turned the game on to watch the end and hopefully see a win. This season, though, we seem to find ways to lose games. Our bullpen has been awful.

On Saturday, the Kansas City Chiefs played their first preseason game of the season. As you may recall, last season was not the best for the Chiefs. The offensive line struggled, which forced Patrick Mahomes to spend too much time running around and avoiding pressure. Late in the season, he was injured and missed the remainder of the year. He did not play yesterday, but reports say he is ready for the start of the season.

I have high hopes for this team as we get closer to early September. There are still two preseason games remaining before the regular season begins. As is typical during the preseason, the starters do not play much. Mahomes did not play at all yesterday, which was expected, and I am not sure whether he will play in either of the final two preseason games. It will still be interesting to see how the team develops as the season approaches.

Switching to television and movie tracking, I am still enjoying the Trakt app that I mentioned a few weeks ago. It continues to work well and helps us know where to watch our shows and movies. I am still getting used to using Trakt to track everything I watch, but I like it better than TV Time, which I had used previously before discontinuing it in July. I highly recommend giving Trakt a try if you have not used it yet.

That is about it for today and my rambling post. Sometimes these kinds of posts are fun to write, but I was struggling today to think of something specific to share. Have a great rest of your Sunday and a fantastic week.

Oysters, Crab Legs, and a Conference in DC

A fun trip last week took me to Washington, DC, for a conference. I was able to get out and see a little bit of the city on Saturday night. I flew out Saturday morning and arrived in DC by mid-afternoon.

That evening, I visited two cool spots. The first was a fun place to relax on the patio with some drinks and oysters. With beautiful weather and cool temperatures, it was a great evening to spend outside. I was with a co-worker, Homer, who grew up in the area, so it was fun hearing him talk about some of his favorite places from when he lived there years ago.

Our first stop was Ragtime in Arlington, Virginia. It was a lively place with plenty of people, and the food looked great, too. We had originally planned to stop in just for drinks, but we ended up ordering oysters as a snack before heading to our dinner reservation.

We had 9:00 p.m. reservations at Quarterdeck Restaurant, which specializes in blue crab and crab legs. Of course, I had to try the blue crab. It was a lot of work trying to get the meat out of those crabs. Granted, I probably did not know what I was doing. The little bit of meat I managed to get tasted good, but I still prefer crab legs. I know how to work my way through crab legs, and I was able to get some good chunks of meat out of them. The hush puppies that came with the meal were also excellent.

I ordered far too much food, so Homer helped me finish the blue crab. I took care of the crab legs and enjoyed a few of the hush puppies as well.

This was my third trip to the DC area. The first was way back when I was in junior high. I traveled there with my parents and my sister, Jen. I still remember that trip because we drove all the way from Kansas. One thing that stands out is that we stayed at the Watergate. I remember hearing all the stories about why the hotel was famous. We visited the Reflecting Pool, monuments, and many of the other sights around the city. It remains one of those great childhood memories with my family.

I also visited the DC area last March while attending a work meeting. Unfortunately, I did not make any time to explore the city during that trip. It was all conference and meetings. This time, though, I was able to get out and see a little bit of the area on Saturday night before the conference began.

After that, it was conference sessions from Sunday through Tuesday. I flew back home Tuesday afternoon, which made for a short work week. The conference was good, and I am already thinking about attending again next year.

So, that was my trip to DC, complete with my usual rambling updates about where I ate. I only took two pictures from dinner, so there is not much to share beyond that. With that, I will wrap up this week's post. Have a great rest of your weekend and a wonderful week ahead.

Five Things I'm Looking Forward to This Fall

It is Saturday morning, and I am thinking through what to post for this week. I am struggling a bit, so I am going to keep this one relatively simple and write about five things I am looking forward to this fall. It is a simple post, but I think it can be a good opportunity to reflect on what is ahead as we move toward the end of 2026.

Summer is about to end. We are nearing the final weeks of the season. Friday brought beautiful weather to Topeka. Carrie and I sat outside for a few hours Friday evening, enjoying the nice breeze and cool temperatures. It felt odd to be sitting outside comfortably on the last day of July. I mentioned how, in past years, our lawn would be burned up by July 31. We had plenty of rain before the summer heat arrived, and over the past couple of weeks, we have had several good rainstorms. As a result, the lawns still look lush and green without having to water them.

It is always a little sad when the summer months come to an end. At the same time, I am looking forward to being able to spend time outside without burning up in the heat. Friday gave us a nice preview of what we will experience over the next few months. We have a lot of limbs that have come down from various storms, so we plan to have our fire pit going most weekends. I look forward to hanging out with Carrie and spending time in our backyard. Yes, it still feels odd to be outdoors and not have our little Oliver running around, keeping watch on the neighbors and other dogs.

The fall semester is fast approaching. We are just a few weeks away from classes starting at Washburn University. It has been a busy summer preparing the campus, and a variety of projects have been priorities throughout the break. It will be good to have the campus bustling with students again. I say it every year, but it seriously feels as though the semester just ended. It feels like only yesterday that the 2025-2026 academic year was beginning. Now here we are, and a new year is about to start. I look forward to a packed campus and the challenge of finding parking spots with all the faculty, staff, and students back on campus.

Football season is just a few weeks away as well. Washburn plays its first game on August 29, and it will be an away game. Our first home game is September 5. Again, it seems like only yesterday that we were heading to Washburn football games and tailgating in our spot. We will be out there again this year. I renewed our season tickets, even though we rarely go inside the stadium, and we kept our tailgate spot.

Chiefs season starts up soon, too, with preseason beginning on August 15. I already have one of my fantasy football draft dates set, and I am working with the other league I am in to get that draft scheduled as well. I look forward to a fresh season for both my Ichabods and the Chiefs. Both teams struggled last season. I am excited to follow them throughout the year and hope they can get off to strong starts in their opening games.

We have only been camping once this year. Sad! We went back in May, and that has been our only trip so far. Traveling and then losing Oliver changed our plans to camp more often this summer. Instead, we are left planning a few camping trips to finish out the year. We already have one planned for October, and we may be able to fit in one more before the season ends. It is disappointing that we have only managed one trip so far, but hopefully we can squeeze in at least two more before the weather turns cold.

My running routine is going well. I was able to run three times last week. I have extended my running intervals and can now run a half mile before walking. I am gradually building up my stamina so I can eventually run the entire distance without walking. Right now, that is not happening, but I am making progress. This past week, I took a short break because I had a medical appointment on Thursday. That interrupted my normal running schedule, which usually includes runs on Tuesday and Thursday. I will be back at it Sunday morning.

That is all for today. I hope you have a great rest of your weekend and a wonderful week.

From TV Time to Trakt

Carrie and I watch a lot of shows, from major network programs to those on various streaming services. It can be difficult to remember where certain shows are available or where we left off in a particular series. To help with that, I started using an app to track the shows and movies we watch.

The app was called TV Time. I'm not exactly sure when I started using it. The service launched around 2011, but I think I began using it sometime in 2014 or 2015. For years, I used it to keep track of the shows and movies I watched. Unfortunately, in early July, TV Time shut down. The company behind the site and app decided it was no longer worth keeping the service running.

I searched around for a similar app to help track shows. Over the years, I had tried several alternatives but never found one I liked as much as TV Time, so I stuck with it. With TV Time gone, I had to move on and find something else. I landed on Trakt, which offers both a website and an app. I've been using it for a few weeks now, and I'm enjoying it.

Trakt is free if you manually enter the shows and movies you want to track. They also offer integrations with services such as Apple TV and Netflix, but those features require a paid subscription. Naturally, I started with the free option before deciding to see how the automatic tracking worked. The VIP subscription costs $5.99 per month and includes features such as automatic tracking and calendar feeds for upcoming shows and movies. So far, I like it. It makes it very easy to keep track of shows across multiple streaming services.

For shows we watch through YouTube TV, such as those on NBC, CBS, and other networks, I still manually mark them as watched. That process has been working well for me.

You might be wondering why an app is needed to track shows in the first place. As I mentioned, we watch a number of different shows and subscribe to several streaming services. Many times, we can't remember where we watched a particular show, especially when a new season arrives a year or two later. In the past, I would open TV Time to see where a show was streaming and then go directly to that service to start the new season.

Trakt offers a similar experience. When I receive an email or calendar notification about a returning show, I can click through and quickly find where it's available. From there, I can mark it as currently watching or watched. It's a simple process and works really well.

Before long, the regular network television season will be starting up again, so I'm glad I found a new place to track everything. One thing I appreciated was how easy Trakt made the migration process. I was able to transfer my watch history from TV Time without much effort. That meant I didn't lose 10 to 15 years of viewing history, which was nice.

I know I wasn't very consistent about tracking movies in TV Time. I got better about it over the past few years, but I still missed quite a few. With Trakt, I'm trying to do a better job of recording all the movies we watch, especially those that aren't part of a streaming service. It's nice to have a record of what we've watched and to be able to add notes that I can refer back to later.

I'm not sure if I'll continue with the VIP subscription long term, but for now, I'm enjoying the process and the information it provides about the shows and movies we've watched.

Until next time, have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week!

Learning to Appreciate the In-Between

Random Coffee Cup

Lately I've been staring at a blank screen trying to figure out what to write about this week.

Usually, I have something. A camping trip. A vacation. A conference. A family gathering. Some kind of adventure that gives me an obvious topic.

This week, I wasn't coming up with much.

Then it occurred to me that maybe the fact I don't have a major story to tell is the story.

The truth is, life right now is in one of those in-between seasons.

Leadership Greater Topeka (LGT) is behind me. Summer is flying by. The fall semester at Washburn is still a few weeks away. There are no camping trips on the calendar this weekend and no vacations immediately around the corner. Most days have settled into a routine, and things have been relatively quiet.

And maybe that's not a bad thing.

For a long time, I thought the most memorable parts of life were the big moments. The trips. The celebrations. The milestones. The things that show up in photos, blog posts, and social media memories years later.

As I've gotten older, I've realized that most of life isn't lived in those moments.

Most of life happens in the ordinary days between them.

It happens during a quiet evening at home with Carrie. It happens while watching a Royals game, catching up with friends, attending meetings, working on projects, or sitting outside on a warm summer evening. It happens in simple conversations and everyday routines that seem unremarkable in the moment.

Those moments rarely feel important while they're happening, but looking back, they often become the things we remember most.

The past few months have certainly included their share of significant moments. Finishing LGT was a highlight. Celebrating Oliver's 15th birthday was a moment I will always treasure. Then, just a week later, saying goodbye to him was one of the hardest things Carrie and I have experienced in a long time.

In many ways, this summer feels divided into a "before" and "after."

The house is quieter now.

It's funny how many little things remind me that Oliver isn't here anymore. Sometimes it's looking over at one of his favorite spots. Sometimes it's expecting to hear his nails on the floor. Those are the moments that catch me off guard.

At the same time, life keeps moving forward.

One thing I'm happy about is that I've managed to get back into running. Earlier this summer, I wrote about wanting to restart the routine. Over the past three weeks, I've actually been doing it.

I'll be honest, it has not been perfect.

The weather hasn't exactly been ideal either. July in Kansas is not known for cool temperatures. Most of my runs have been after work when the heat is still an issue. I feel pretty good when I get a run in, especially on those evenings when it would have been easy to come home and skip it altogether. 

But I've stayed consistent.

For me, that's what matters.

I'm not training for a race. I'm not chasing a personal record. I'm simply trying to rebuild a healthy habit that had slipped away.

I've found that getting back into running is a lot like getting back into anything worthwhile. The hardest part is often just starting. Once the shoes are on and I'm moving, I almost never regret it.

Our Neighborhood with a Drone

There is also something calming about the routine. The familiar route through the neighborhood. Most of my runs have been on my usual route, and while it may not be the most exciting course, it's familiar and easy to fit into my schedule. The quiet time to think. The feeling of making progress, even if it's only a little bit at a time.

Three weeks isn't much, but it's a start. Right now, I'm more focused on getting out there consistently than I am about how fast I'm running or how far I'm going. A lot of goals are achieved the same way. Not through one grand effort, but through showing up over and over again.

Maybe that's another lesson from this season of life.

Not every week needs to be exciting.

Not every month needs a major accomplishment.

Not every blog post needs a big story.

Sometimes success looks like getting through a normal work week. Sometimes it's making time for a run. Sometimes it's spending a quiet evening with the people you care about. Sometimes it's checking in with friends. Sometimes it's simply appreciating where you are instead of always focusing on what's next.

I think social media can sometimes make us forget that. We see vacations, celebrations, achievements, and milestones. We see the highlights. What we don't often see are the ordinary Tuesdays and quiet evenings that make up most of our lives.

Yet those ordinary moments are where most of us actually live.

Maybe that's why I've been thinking about them lately.

I spent much of the first half of the year looking forward to events. LGT activities. Conferences. Trips. Summer plans. Through it all, Oliver was still here, even as his health challenges increased.

Now those events have mostly passed, summer is moving quickly, and life has settled into a quieter rhythm. I'm finding that there is something comforting about that.

There is comfort in routine.

There is comfort in familiar faces.

There is comfort in a neighborhood run, a conversation with Carrie, dinner on the patio, or a Royals game on television.

Those things may not seem remarkable, but they're the pieces of life that often matter most.

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about the months ahead. Football season is around the corner. Cooler weather will be here before we know it. Hopefully there will be a few camping trips, family gatherings, and adventures to write about before the end of the year.

But for now, life is pretty ordinary.

And honestly, that's okay.

The older I get, the more I realize a quiet week is not something to complain about. There is value in routine. There is value in a normal Saturday. There is value in having an evening where nothing special is planned and nowhere you need to be.

Those ordinary days may not make the highlight reel, but they make up the majority of our lives.

Maybe that's why it's important to appreciate them while we're living them.

So this week, instead of writing about a grand adventure or a major milestone, I ended up writing about the fact that I didn't have anything big to write about at all.

And maybe that's the point.

And as it turns out, the in-between might be worth appreciating just as much as the big moments.

That's all for now. I hope you have a great weekend and a wonderful week ahead.

Run, Walk, Repeat

My plan for working out, which started in July, is going well. I have worked out three times so far this month, and I actually started running on June 30. It has been a good start to my running program. I'm using more of a run/walk approach to ease back into the routine of running and gradually build my ability to run for longer periods. It has felt good, and I am really enjoying the process.

I had planned to start riding my bike again in August, but now I'm questioning whether I will. That would have me running three times a week and biking one or two days a week. I worry that might lead to burnout, so I'm still debating whether to add cycling back into the mix. I enjoy biking as well, but I'm concerned it could end up being too much.

There is also some travel coming up starting in August, and I need to make sure I continue running even when I'm on the road. I can't let travel become an excuse for skipping workouts. That's easier said than done, especially with conferences and evening events on the schedule, but I need to make fitness a priority and avoid making excuses.

As I mentioned, I'm following a run/walk process to get back into the routine, so my pace isn't great right now. After three runs, including today's, my average pace is 14:17 per mile. I'm hoping to see that improve over the coming months as I stay consistent. Ideally, I would like to get down to around a 12-minute mile. It will be interesting to see how things progress, and I'll be sure to provide updates here along the way.

Carrie started water walking last week. I've gone with her twice, and I enjoy it too. It's a good workout, and I can definitely feel it in my legs the next day. We water walk in the lazy river in North Topeka. Carrie enjoys it so much that she's already planning to get a season pass next year.

We typically walk for about 50 minutes, spending time both with and against the current. According to my watch, I cover nearly two miles during each session. Walking against the current is brutal, and sometimes I nearly get knocked over by the water jets in certain areas. It's a lot of fun, and it gets me in the water, which I enjoy.

I'm also keeping up my walking routine after my runs. Yes, I know I already do some walking during my run/walk workouts, but I still set aside an additional 10 to 15 minutes for a separate walk. It helps me feel connected to Oliver, whom we had to say goodbye to in early June.

I can still walk the same path we used to take and remember him stopping to sniff everything, hopping on and off the curb as he investigated every scent and searched for signs of other dogs. I miss him so much, and these little moments help me stay connected to him. He loved going for walks, and I'm sad I didn't take him on even more of them. Still, I have many wonderful memories of our walks together, and revisiting those places has been helpful as I continue to process losing him.

That's all for today. Have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week ahead.

Fireworks, Freedom, and Memories

Happy 4 of July to you and your family. I hope your summer is going well and that you have a happy and safe July 4 celebration. Yes, it is also the 250 celebration of our United States. 

I can remember when there was a celebration in 2001 for the 225 anniversary of the United States. I remember all of the fan fair, celebrations on TV, fireworks shows, and joy that it brought to me as I watched the celebrations. I am not sure what to expect from the 250 celebration of the United States. At this point, it seems as though it is going to be more of a celebration of Donald Trump than the 250 anniversary of the United States. It is going to be interesting.

For our family, this is the first time in a number of years that we will not have a little dog in our world that is scared of the fireworks. We have already heard some large booms in the night leading up to Independence Day and I am sure there will be more to come. Oliver was so scared when this time of year would occur. He would hide behind furniture and shake because he did not understand what was happening. He will not have to be scared this year. 

Enjoy the day and the celebration. Happy Independence Day! 🇺🇸

Back to Costa Rica for Javi’s Big 5-0

Riding in Shuttle to Resort

Carrie and I made a return visit to Costa Rica from June 18 to 23 to celebrate Javi’s 50th birthday. We had a great time, and it was wonderful to see Javi and his family. We stayed at an all-inclusive resort that Javi had picked out, since he had been there before, and it did not disappoint. Our stay was so enjoyable that Carrie and I decided to add an extra day. The food was good, the drinks were flowing, and we lucked out with the weather. It only rained hard once, and that was our first night.

FC with Javi

Our flight left bright and early on June 18, so Carrie and I stayed in Kansas City the night before near the airport. It was well worth it and made getting to the airport easy. We connected through Dallas, which allowed us to meet up with Javi and his friends, who were on the same flight to Costa Rica. Javi, Carrie, and I all sat in first class, which was a fun experience. It had been a long time since I had flown first class, so we enjoyed it. We were in the same row as Javi, and even though the drink service was a little slow, we still had a great time. The food on American Airlines was really good.

We stayed at The Westin Reserva Conchal on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. We arrived at the resort after about a 45-minute ride from the airport. The ride was fun since we were with Javi and his friends from Dallas, and we made a stop at a convenience store to pick up some local beer, Imperial, and snacks to enjoy along the way.

Javi Bday Celebration

That first night, we headed to happy hour in the main building before going to dinner. Of course, we checked out our rooms first and were very happy with the setup. Most of us stayed in Tower 2, with a few others in Tower 1. Everything was close, which made it easy and fun to meet up and explore different areas of the resort together.

The resort has around 8 to 10 restaurants, so we had plenty of options. The food was good at every place we went, but the desserts were disappointing at most of them. We did enjoy dessert at Cauri Lobby Bar & Bistro, but at the other spots, desserts fell short. The appetizers and main dishes were consistently good, so overall we still ate very well.

Us on the Beach

Our first full day at the resort was spent at the beach. We enjoyed the waves and sand for a few hours. Carrie and I had reserved a cabana by the main pool, so we spent the afternoon there. It was definitely worth it, and we liked it so much that we reserved the cabana again for the next day.

On Saturday, we went back to the beach early to get some snorkeling in before it got too hot and the waves picked up. We rented equipment from the resort, but it was not very good. Javi and some of his friends brought their own gear, which worked much better. Next time we travel somewhere with snorkeling, I plan to bring my own equipment. Even with the subpar gear, we still saw a lot of fish, which made it worthwhile.

Snorkeling Spot

Our days fell into a great routine of getting up early, heading to the beach, spending time at the pool, and then enjoying dinner in the evening. It was an incredible rhythm, and it made it hard to leave. On Sunday, I told Carrie I would check with the resort about extending our stay and keeping the same room. They said it was no problem. From there, it was just a matter of adjusting our flights and transportation back to the airport, which also went smoothly. Just like that, we extended our trip and planned to leave on Tuesday instead of Monday.

Dinner and Celebration

Sunday night, the whole group met at Cauri Lobby Bar & Bistro for dinner. It was a great meal, and as I mentioned earlier, the dessert was very good. The restaurant overlooks the golf course, and we were treated to a beautiful sunset. Since Javi and his friends would be leaving the next day, we said some goodbyes that evening. After dinner, a few of us stayed at the bar to have a few drinks. It was the perfect way to end the night.

Flying Home from Great Trip

On Monday morning, we met Javi and some of his friends as they prepared to leave around 10 a.m. to say our goodbyes. They were heading to other locations in Costa Rica to do some sightseeing, while Carrie and I stayed one more day at the resort.

Tuesday morning, Carrie and I ordered room service and enjoyed a relaxed breakfast before packing up to head out. It was a great way to wrap up our stay. The food was good, and we had plenty of time to get to the airport for our flight home.

Sunset Our Last Night

It was fun celebrating such a big milestone for Javi. I am really glad we made the trip and had the chance to spend that time with him.

Until next time, have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week!

Finding My Rhythm Again

Here we are mid-way through June, and I cannot believe how fast time is going. As I reflect on how quickly it is flying by, I am reminded that I have not been working out the past few weeks. In fact, it has been a full month since I last ran on May 17. That was not my plan for the summer, but things have been busy and have pulled me away from my routines.

I had planned to start riding my Peloton again in June, but that has now been pushed to early August. I do not recall the last time I actually rode it, but it has likely been over a year at this point. I have been delaying the Peloton payments and even set a reminder so I remember to keep doing that.

I plan to start running again in July. I want to build it back into my routine and put it on my calendar so I stay accountable and make time to get out and exercise. I have shared before how much I enjoy running. It will feel a bit odd to come back from a run and not have Oliver there, excited to go for a walk. Still, I plan to keep that part of the routine, heading out for a walk after my run just like I did when Oliver was by my side, probably even taking the same route.

For now, I am trying to motivate myself to get started again in July. I would like to be at a point by mid to late August where I can run without stopping. I think if I begin in early July, that is a realistic goal. I am not training for a race or anything like that, just continuing my health journey.

I bought new running shoes back in early May and have only run in them twice. That is pretty pitiful. I need to turn that around, get them broken in, and put some miles on them through my neighborhood routes. I do have a regular route that I tend to stick with. I have tried to mix it up in the past, but I usually find myself going back to that same path.

A few years ago, when I was running regularly, I even made time to run while traveling. Whether staying in a hotel or a rental home, I made sure to fit in a workout. That has not happened at all in recent years, but it is something I would like to get back to. I enjoy running in new places, and it always makes me feel good as I start the day in a different setting. It can be tough, especially when traveling for work, but it is a goal I have for the fall and winter to keep the running going.

That is all for now. I hope you have a great rest of your weekend and a fantastic week ahead.