10 Things Thankful, and a bit of self-forgiveness

Hayden snapped this photo at Bennett’s Real Smoke Barbecue Pit in Gatlinburg. We celebrated a season with a rack of ribs and a pint of homebrew. (This class mysteriously disappeared from our table, however.)

The toughest person to forgive is often ourselves.

I’ve two Go Ask Daddy posts unpublished. Crazy, huh? If I can’t finish on my self-imposed deadline, I won’t publish. I’ll save them. I’m holding my blog hostage. I force myself to finish freelance work (veggies) before I get to blogging (snickerdoodle cookies.)

Heard of the Pomodoro timer?

I’m using that too. I’m rewarding myself for hours of distraction-free work with writing for fun. It keeps me hungry (not for snickerdoodles, although …) to put in the work to get to what feeds my soul most.

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Go Ask Daddy about firehouse monitoring, NFL turkeys and mashed up chickpeas

Here’s to sea glass, sunsets and sales in beachside gift shops.

The comeback is complete.

I haven’t done a Go Ask Daddy post since … the last time the Rams were in the Super Bowl. Or the Patriots didn’t cheat. That was 1776. Anyway, it’s been a while, and the girls’ questions are different now, but I still have 250 unanswered waiting on a spreadsheet.

Here’s how it works.

I select five questions each week randomly. They come from a trove of inquiries my girls ask. I capture them on bits of paper or in my phone note-taking app or in sharpie on my skin. (Not really, that last one.) Most I forget if I don’t write them down immediately.

Weekend Reads III: Attitude, friends and time

Back when my stormtrooper’s elbows didn’t bend and my Android phone took blurry pictures.

For now, all the girls are close.

They’re in town, really. Two in the same house. Plans changed for one and brought her back to Charlotte. Another will leave for school in the fall, but won’t be far. The youngest? She’s got budding wanderlust in the 37th degree.

I don’t blame her.

She’s the one who has lived in one town. She’s the one who has seen Charlotte – or east Charlotte, anyway – as only a waning wasteland of faltering lifestyle. They all want to see the world. I imagined I’d be the one with a passport and plane ticket next to them.

Guest Post: Jenn from The Bold Thing, on Self Care

Hanging out with The Sith and Batman (prone, kissy suit) on a sunny day at Mazeppa.

Ever feel ready for something, but just not quite ready, all at once?

I know. Confusing. In all the time I’m not writing, I’m hoping to write. I’m also hoping to improve processes so that I can write soon (and have more tacos. Let’s be honest.)

A few months back, I connected with Jenn Shull, a local coach, and yogi. And, it turns out, way tons more.

She writes the blog The Bold Thing. It takes someone bold to write a blog called The Bold Thing. Jenn’s perspective and ability to see someone’s potential – through endless tarnish even – is remarkable.

Where We’d Build a Tunnel to, in 6 Words

Sometimes you get to storm a castle at the church yard sale. #truecrusaders

I’m all for being in the moment.

But sometimes, you just want to tunnel your butt someplace else. Not always even to a churro factory after hours, although … well, we all have aspirations. And I’ve asked several strangers, bloggers, friends, and a few strange blogger friends this question:

If you could build a tunnel from your house directly to anywhere in the world, where would it go? And why?

That’s a lot to get into six words, but it’s possible.

10 Things Grateful, Even When Aldi’s Out of Naan Bread

‘sup cat?

So I’ve got these systems.

Some are working. Some aren’t. I’m in that journal nearly every day. The 30-day pushup challenge? Well, it might have been 30 days since I’ve done it. I’m sticking to the systems, though, and have found a couple new ones that I know will help.

One is the productivity planner.

I have a lot going on. I can handle it. When I don’t deliver, though, people get ticked. And I don’t sleep so well. I’m having trouble getting the time to do it, though, and that’s problematic. After I post this. I’ll get to it

#AtoZChallenge: K is for Kids’ Questions (Which Can Lead to Go Ask Daddy and Other Posts)

Just checking in on the sugar-bearing Santa, while waiting for Madison to get out of work.

Let’s get at this.

It’s not like the girls’ questions have ever stopped. No, dad just doesn’t answer them on the internet like he used to. He’s all … responsible. Writing stuff for his job, journaling, sitting perfectly still in his recliner, silent.

It’s different from when he does this after eating pizza.

At that point, he’s reclined and grinning like a baby with gas. No, he’s actually meditating. That’s fine and all, but Go Ask Daddy posts don’t just write themselves.

#AtoZChallenge: I is for It’s Not Always Racism (Even When Pizza is Involved)

Two girls walk into a pizza parlor.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one. It’s kind of late for a school night. They’ve just lost a playoff soccer game. Thoughts turn from how to build an attack, to where can we load up on pizza. As a team, we just want a place to sit and eat and be together.

The internet says the place is open until 10.

It’s almost 9. Only, the person behind the counter asks the girls, are you going to order? We close at 9. The girls tell them the door says 10, and so does the internet. It’s wrong. So are you going to order?

#AtoZChallenge: H is For Here, as in Far From Here (Guest Post by Beatrice Pittoco)

I’ve been strict with water and sleep and even exercise.

In fact, lots of puzzle pieces of life are fitting together. As they should. Not the forced way we did as kids. One by one, the frame, the corners. Maybe something in the middle, like a hamster or eyeglasses or even Sandra Bullock.

A piece I haven’t put into place is writing and that is a shame not because of my words being bottlenecked, but the words of talented and feeling friends that sit idle in my folders, a place you could never appreciate them. I wish I’d posted this on Father’s Day.

Beatrice Pittoco has been here before, in a #GirlsRock piece. It was beautiful and moving and included her incredible photography. She’s back today, sharing a poignant piece about a place she’d love to build a tunnel to.

#AtoZChallenge: F is for Finally, he’s writing again (Thanks Cheryl Strayed!)

So, it’s been a minute.

And by a minute, I mean a month. Holy hell – how did April get outta here so fast? Everyone’s wrapped up their #AtoZChallenge, and I’m still stretching my hamstrings. Yes, I’m on the letter F. And there’s plenty to post about.

I have a guest post from Madison, even, that she sent me as a PDF and why do post-millennials do things so differently than we do?

I also have a guest post from Lauren Mayhew that you’re going to love. And the rest of my posts about looking for my next job. I got plenty of words: What I don’t have is plenty of space in the day to write such things.