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.

Books, Bikes, and Baseball: A Sunday State of Mind

Oliver Sleeping

This Sunday morning, I’m struggling a bit with what to write about. I feel like a blank slate that I can’t quite start filling in—so I’m jumping in and writing anyway, hoping it sparks some ideas. I’ve got golf on the TV and baseball coming up later today. There are a few chores I need to tackle around the house, and I should probably think through some work-related things, but overall, it’s a pretty relaxed Sunday.

With no set plan for this post, I’ll be jumping around a bit as different thoughts come to mind. Bear with me as I shift from topic to topic.

Reading Goals and Audio Book Struggles

My reading has been steady, but I’m not quite meeting the goals I set for the year. I’ve only finished one book in the past two months. I recently started a new book and also began an audio book that sounded interesting.

When it comes to audio books, I’ve realized that unless I’m in the car and fully focused, I don’t retain much. If the TV is on or I’m following sports, my attention drifts. It’s clear that multitasking doesn’t work for me when listening to audio books—I need to be fully engaged. Right now, I’m about three books behind where I should be.

Bike Riding: Out of the Habit

I’ve definitely slacked on my bike riding. Between camping, travel, and just falling out of the routine, I haven’t been on the bike since June 6, 2025. Wow. I keep telling myself I’ll get back to it, but it hasn’t happened yet. I’ve got a conference coming up in early August, and I’m planning to restart my riding routine once I’m back. It’s amazing how easy it is to fall out of a habit—and how hard it is to get back into it.

Camping Adventures Continue

I’ve shared quite a few posts about our camping adventures this year—and for good reason. We’ve done a lot of it, and we already have another trip scheduled for the end of October. It’s been great to get out so often. Carrie summed it up perfectly: last year was our year of concerts, and this year is the year of camping. All of our trips have been in Kansas, and our final one will be as well. I’m really looking forward to it.

Family Time in Lawrence

Group Photo of Cousins

Carrie and I met up with my family on Thursday for a cousins’ dinner in Lawrence. We gathered at the Lawrence Country Club for drinks and dinner. It was a fun night. Some cousins couldn’t make it, but Mom, Dina, and Aunt Barb joined us, which was a treat. We usually meet in Kansas City, so it was nice to have a get-together closer to home.

Birthday Dinner at Fire Keepers

Birthday Celebration Wine Toast

Friday night, we celebrated my birthday at Fire Keepers Golf Course with dinner at Three Fires Steakhouse. It was our second time dining there, and it lived up to our memories—excellent food and great service. Big thanks to Joan and Eddie for the birthday dinner! Erin, Carrie, Greg, and I keep talking about making a trip to Fire Keepers to stay overnight and do some gaming. We haven’t made it happen yet, but we brought it up again while walking through the casino.

Sports Season Shifts

As July winds down, baseball is still front and center—especially with the Royals managing to stay somewhat in the hunt. But football is on the horizon. Fantasy football leagues are forming, and draft dates are being set. It should be a fun season all around:

• KU football kicks off in a newly renovated stadium.
• Washburn has a new coach and fresh energy on campus.
• And of course, the Chiefs are gearing up for another exciting run.

Let’s go!

Wrapping Up

That’s enough rambling for this Sunday. We’ve moved into the afternoon, and baseball is about to begin. The Royals are just about an hour away from first pitch.

Have a great rest of your Sunday—and a fantastic week ahead!