Being Better - Define It

Somehow I lost a chunk of this after publishing —- now pissed. I’ll try to recreate.

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It’s been too long. I have countless drafts and starts and stops to Blog entries commemorating a number of events, stressors and triumphs from the past several months. Many pages have torn from notebooks to start the next “journal,” “diary,” monologue, or whatever you’d call it. 

But, like everyone (or most, I guess), an alarm rings, an email or text comes in that warrants attention, or you’re off and pacing to any number of chores/responsibilities that make up your existence.

Each year, we hammer out a robust list of resolutions designed to make us “Better.” Whether it’s a nod to health, money, mental well-being or learning a skill, we all have something (or many) in our lives that we want to make “Better.”

I do it weekly. I put together the exhaustive list of “To-do” items. And I get overwhelmed and salty, knowing that it’s a Sisyphus situation. I’m gonna through a bunch of things. I’m gonna check some boxes, but the Sharpie’s not gonna touch each of those lines. 

Damned it all. The point of this blog is to find a little peace in the day, highlight finding the Lighter Thoughts. Jack Handey of SNL had his “Deep Thoughts,” and we’ll have some of those here. But it’s more about seeing/doing the things on your list, celebrating those triumphs and moving forward.

Friend of the show and colleague Jay Glazer talks about “fighting the grey.” In his appearances with us and his book “Unbreakable,” he speaks of rough mornings, and I can relate, to be sure. So, each day, I’m going to work - dare I say “Resolve” - to add at least one post. Short, in-depth expository or whatever - check in here. The goal is Community and talking … and embracing the positivity amid the chaos. 

So, with that in mind — What are my 3 victories today?

1. Great show on FOX Sports Radio this morning with Bucky Brooks. We absolutely destroyed a number of narratives and created some new while dissecting the NFL Division Games from Saturday and previewing Sunday’s tilts. 

(I’ll include game-watching on a larger scale here. We had all the drama we wanted, and then some.)

2. Long-ass nap. Sleep and I have been enemies since I broke my leg my sophomore year of High School (long story for another time). So, I’m learning to pause and listen to my body and foggy mind. I know it’s caused major issues in my past and still impact others, and contributes to physical and mental health. 

Nas said in NY State of Mind: “I don’t sleep, ‘cause sleep is the cousin of death.” The line was later cited by Greg Dulli in “Omertà.” 

3. I communicated with a great number of friends, colleagues and my brothers during the Sunday games. Text messages, calls and some Twitter back and forth. Add some of the 2021 Glogg and a hearty soup. And that’s a winner.

Community. Communication. Pathos. 

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How do you define “Better?”

EOD: June 7th

 There are some days when everything crashes around you. I’ve long had the ability, propensity and let’s face it, stupidity, to grind days until I had nothing left. You think you’re helping in the moment to get things done and, as I’ve always said, “to keep the line moving.” But, at some point, you hit the swing into negative returns and cause some frustration and pain to those around you. 

And, you find your own health compromised. The more elaborate tales of this ilk will arrive in book form sometime in the future. 

Suffice to say, the first win of Monday is simple ... nap. Nap for 15 minutes. Stretch it out to an hour if you can. Mine felt like a second half to a night’s sleep, leading to a rally for the day.

What else happened?

1. Nice long walks with the dog. Put on some tunes and just get the body moving. I carry a wide array of songs and artist in my playlist, a collection termed “The Devil’s Jukebox” long ago. So, Monday’s journeys included some Gutter Twins, Elton John deep cuts, Warren Zevon, Roger Waters and a block of Jethro Tull. 

One of the songs at the start of the walk was a Gutter Twins cover  of Jose Gonzalez’s “Down The Line.” 

I always forget the surroundings or, more likely, don’t much care and start singing along: 

“Don’t let the darkness eat you up!”

Check out the original here. 

Gonzalez’s “Down The Line”

2. I finally finished the draft for my Will. Psychologically damning and that recognition of age and how spread out your money can get. Diversification is a good thing. Just make sure you’ve got your spreadsheet of sites and logins handy. I do need to add one or two instructional lines — think Shawshank Redemption, and to produce the latest in the farewell playlist. Oh, and to procure a lot of mini-bottles of booze for the global toast. 

3. Finally, the FSR show on Monday had its twists and turns. The band “Jimmy Eat World” became part of the soundtrack because of the band’s appearance at halftime of the Suns-Nuggets game. We argued about the ongoing Aaron Rodgers saga, chronicled two blowouts in the NBA and celebrated Kevin Durant and the resurgent Blake Griffin.