The Appreciateur: Liker of Stuff and Things

Another morning getting started. Today I’ll be starting work early to get to an interview across the city by 8:30, which means I’ll be leaving by 7:30 to potentially battle traffic on those 19 miles.

So, no morning walk pictures today. Today is just my empty coffee and my overnight oats container. I don’t have to get up as early as I do but the day is always a little better when I do. I can sit quietly with my coffee and do my morning reading in this variation of the morning routine. Routines are important I think, but they have to be flexible, less they become little dictators in our minds and negating their benefits.

The second picture is from Brad Stulberg today. I love the concept of AND, not OR. Non dual thinking is where I naturally tend to exist. This was a good post about this concept: www.bradstulberg.org/p/things-…

I definitely did not want to get out of bed and or for a ruck/walk first thing this morning. All the more reason why I did and I am much happier for it. 😁

It was a beautiful walk at sunrise around the lake behind the hotel. This is about as peaceful as it gets near the airport of a major American city.

Now, it is time for more coffee and the rest of the day!! 🤘♾️☕️

This is my third morning in Atlanta where I’ll be until Aug. 13th. It’s been a few days since I’ve posted with traveling, work supply shipping issues, major life transitions, etc. Sometimes it is good to just stick with routines and habits as they can keep you grounded. I’ve been slack for a few days but today is starting off much better.

1. Outside fresh air walk/ruck while listening to some www.philosophersnotes.com
2. Hotel coffee with overnight oats and morning reading.
3. Finally getting my supplies from UPS for work!! They were supposed to be here Saturday in the AM…UPS will be refunding me on that for sure.

It’s a good day all ready!

Today started out with my morning mile walk on the treadmill wearing a 20lb. rucksack and reading on the iPad. This is how I start most days before my coffee. I can usually do this even while traveling for work. It has just become my go to morning habit over the last few years maybe. My morning routine can vary depending on several factors, but it doesn’t vary much. First, wake up time is variable. For me, I usually start stirring about 5:30-6:00ish. Then:

1. Quick outside for fresh air.
2. 10 body weight squats and 11 pushups.
3. Morning mile on the treadmill rucking and reading.
4. Coffee and overnight oats. That all takes less than an hour and I’m ready for whatever comes next. Now it is time to back inside and get out if the humidity of South Carolina in the Summer!

Morning coffee in the front covered area today. The back patio furniture is still wet from last night’s rain and I love to sit outside in the morning. Today I am appreciating morning coffee, good things to read, hanging out with my kid a bit, and maybe a mountain bike ride if trail conditions are favorable. Damn near a perfect day!

Finishing a quick cup of coffee before a ride on my local trails.

Croft State Park in Spartanburg has a great mountain bike trail system. It is perfect for getting out and getting in some quality dirt time and it is only about 25 minutes from home!

Now it is time to take my sweaty self home for more coffee and breakfast.

Morning coffee and morning thoughts.

I haven’t tried to journal in a long long time. I’ve done a little these past few weeks and it is definitely helping me organize and make sense of my feelings and thoughts in this transitional period of my life.

Today I wrote that I am not really a driven goal setter…I love to experience as much as possible, and in my simple way appreciate the amazing complexity of it all.

I think that is probably the closest thing I have to a personal mission statement!

Peaceful morning coffee listening to the birds. There are so many different beautiful bird songs out here and I can’t Identify even one! I know there is an app for that somewhere which I think I used to have.

I’m going to turn into the old man on the back patio early in the morning with binoculars, a funny hat, and books for identifying birds! Is that a typical old man thing?

It is 74 degrees and super comfortable. Later it will be 97… and then the humidity. 😩Summer in South Carolina is no joke…well at least not a funny one!

Morning coffee at home today!

Finally made it home yesterday after 12 days in Charleston.
While home there are many things that need to be done moving into this liminal period of my life. Also while home, I will do a little work preparing for the next trip which begins about 8 days from now. Right now I can sit on the patio, listen to the birds, and drink coffee… one of my favorite ways to start the day. ☕️😁

Morning coffee and morning journal.

Sometimes it helps to get words on the page so I can physically organize the thoughts swirling without purchase in my TBI brain.

This is the final day of the work trip and I’ll drive home this afternoon.

It is a good morning, 😊. ♾️☕️

Morning coffee…..definitely need more coffee.

Slow body. Slow mind. Slow start.

Today I am appreciating the magic bean juice a little more than usual.

Day 10 of the work trip and I’m starting to drag a little. I’ve put in about 56 hours this week so far, and 81 total hours over the first 9 days of this trip.

Yesterday I made the mistake of having a Diet Coke after my interview last night about 7pm.

I normally cut off caffeine about 4-5pm. According to the Oura Ring, I didn’t fall asleep until after midnight and only got a little more than 5 hours of sleep. For reference, I usually fall asleep 10:30-11:00 and average 7-8:00 hours.

Oh well… yay magic bean juice!

Apparently I’m old(ish) now.

And so it goes.

Day 8 of this work trip. After a 13-hour day yesterday, I think it’s finally starting to catch up with me.

I’ve been traveling for this job for a long time, but this is the loneliest trip I’ve ever taken.

Seventeen days ago, my wife and I had the conversation that led us to decide to get a divorce. We’re still living under the same roof with our teenager, who is handling it remarkably well. For a long time we’ve been living parallel lives—more like roommates than spouses. Now we’re officially roommates. I’ve moved into the spare bedroom.

We still care deeply about each other, and we’re moveing through this as friends.

There is sadness, recognition, and excitement…

Sadness for what was and what could have been…

Recognition that some pieces of our puzzle simply didn’t fit, no matter how much we wanted them to…

Excitement because we both get to write the next chapter of our lives… even though this is where our stories diverge.

I’ll continue being the best father and friend I can be through this whole process.

And today, in the middle of it all, I’ve got my hot cup of coffee, books to read, work to do, and a world to appreciate!

Unwinding after another 10 hour day of work. Had a good evening walk/ruck on the West Ashley Greenway. 90 degrees and humid is a delightful presoak for a shower back at the hotel!