Some Places You’ll Find Me

I was away on vacation for most of this past week. We were up on Madeline Island, part of the Apostle Island chain in Lake Superior. Most of the island gets no cellular reception at all and few of the privately rented places (like the one we were at) have internet service as they are only used seasonally. Therefore, it is a good place to truly get away from it all.

The time spent was great. I got a ton of reading done — finished one book and put a major dent in my Instapaper queue. I spent some great quality time with my family over dips in the water, canoeing, and fires on the beach. We also have some friends who were up on the Island at the same time. So, it was great being able to share a few meals with them and watch Beatrix charm them like putty in a warm hand. In all, it was a great vacation.

That said, there are a few appearances I made before leaving that were released recently and I wanted to mention those…

  • I was on episode #130 of the Mikes on Mikes podcast where we discussed a couple of big productivity related ideas. The first of these was around a recent post by Mike Vardy about what is lost in the “Just Ship It” mindset — namely, delivering. Next, I discussed some new thinking I have come around on — due in large part to my friend Garrick — regarding blocking out time on your calendar for any task you wish to accomplish. I also asserted that, until one makes such time for any task it is essentially a wish and nothing more. Needless to say, I got a bit of pushback on this one. That said, I’m really happy with how this turned out and think it is worth a listen.

  • I was also interviewed for the latest issue of the Alpha Efficiency Magazine with a focus on Honesty and Self Belief. It is a good, short, to the point interview. Once again, I think it turned out well and it is worth your time.

  • Ben Brooks was kind enough to reach out to me for my thoughts on why we don’t mind that some of our tools and gear get a bit beat up while others we treat with kid gloves. My take — it’s about purpose.

Of course, I’ve been busy at my regular places since I’ve returned, too. The Cramped and Minimal Mac have both seen new posts and I have some more lined up to write soon. Stay tuned.

Things I Love — Patagonia Houdini Jacket

We’ve been having some strange weather this year. One minute it is partly cloudy with lots of sun, and just a few minutes later it is a pouring deluge. Lots of very windy days too. You just never know what the weather is going to hold.

Thankfully, this spring I bought a Patagonia Houdini Jacket. It has really been nice to have. It’s super lightweight and breathable. When on, it feels like you are wearing nothing extra but it does a great job protecting one against a chilly wind or most light drizzles. And, thanks to its light and breathable nature, a good run or other athletic activity is not out of the question (in fact, it is designed for such).

But perhaps the best part is that it packs into its own chest pocket resulting in a package about the size of a frozen burrito. Easy to throw into a bag or even a side pocket of your chinos. Mine pretty much stays with me in recent days. You just don’t know what surprises the weather now holds.

Your Independence Day

When the American Revolutionaries gathered to declare their Independence from Great Britain, it was really just the beginning of a hard fought war to actually achieve that goal. It was not until the Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783 that this freedom was secured.

It is because of this that one might find it a good day for personal reflection. One to seek, discover, and declare those things in life we want to declare our own independence from.

Is there is an unhealthy relationship in your life you know it’s time to be free of? Maybe, there is a task or project that hangs over you. One you need to either complete or walk away from. Or, a habit or addiction that is time to break free of. Then, there is freedom from debt or financial freedom. Freedom from having to worry. All of us have something we wish we could be free of.

Perhaps, this is a good day to declare your independence from something. Sit down, grab a paper and pen, date it, write it out, and sign your name. Tack it up in a prominent place so that you are forced to remember this day — your independence day.

Freedom from anything that takes away value from our lives is, like those brave revolutionaries discovered, worth fighting for. And, stating definitively what you are fighting for is a reminder of what makes the time, effort, blood, tears, wins, losses, and every thing else it takes worth it.

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