This past week included a business trip to Miami, more ideas for the ranch, a little nostalgia, and plenty of anticipation as Dragon Con gets closer.
It was not an especially hectic week, but there were several moments that gave me something to think about, whether that was working through business goals, imagining alternatives to a traditional lawn, or remembering what it was like to hear an ice cream truck coming down the street as a kid.
I spent the second half of the week in Miami for a business conference, traveling down Wednesday and staying through Friday.
The group is made up primarily of entrepreneurs who run their own businesses. Most are also married and have children, which means there is usually a lot of common ground when we talk about the challenges of balancing business, family, and everything else that comes with both.
The main purpose of this meeting was to work through our goals for the next quarter.
August may seem like an unusual time to begin a new quarter, but our planning period runs roughly from August through November. The thinking is that December can become difficult for major projects because of the holidays, travel, and everything else happening at the end of the year.
These meetings give me an opportunity to step away from the day-to-day responsibilities of the business and think more intentionally about what I want to accomplish over the next few months.
Everyone in the room has faced different problems while building and operating a business.
Sometimes someone brings up an issue that I have already dealt with, which allows me to share what worked for me. Other times, someone has solved a problem that I am currently facing.
That exchange of experiences is one of the biggest benefits of being part of a group like this.
The meetings take place at the 10X Center in Miami, which is Grant Cardone's building. The group itself is not affiliated with Grant Cardone, but thinking of it as the 10X building makes the location much easier for me to remember.
One recent ad showed different ground covers and flowers that could potentially be used instead of a traditional grass lawn.
Some included clover and other low-growing plants.
The idea is that these alternatives may require less mowing while also creating something that is potentially more useful for bees and other pollinators.
I have not researched it enough to know whether all of those claims are true, but I find the concept interesting.
When you start planning a property from the ground up, you realize there are a lot more options than simply doing things the way they have always been done.
I do not know what we will ultimately choose, but it is another idea to add to the growing list.
The 300 DC Spartans, the group I normally march with, have started posting schedules and information about where everyone will be throughout the weekend.
Friday night is traditionally our big reveal, followed by the parade on Saturday.
I have marched with this group for several years now, and it is always a fun experience.
Dragon Con has become one of those annual events that Holly and I look forward to, and once the schedules start appearing, it feels like the countdown has officially begun.
After spending much of the summer working toward being ready for the Spartan parade, it is exciting to finally be this close.
Estate sales are always interesting because you get a glimpse into what someone collected and valued over the years.
This particular sale had a large collection of Coca-Cola items, including older bottles and commemorative bottles from different events.
One of my cousins collects Coke memorabilia, so I took some pictures and sent them to him to see whether there was anything he wanted.
His first question was about the prices.
Fortunately, they were pretty reasonable, and several items caught his attention. I had already left by that point, but I believe my parents were planning to stop back by the next day and take another look for him.
I always find collections like that interesting. Something that may look like an ordinary bottle to one person can have a completely different meaning to someone who has spent years collecting them.
An ice cream truck came through our neighborhood.
We really do not see many of them anymore, at least where we live, so it immediately brought back memories.
When I was a kid, hearing the music from an ice cream truck coming down the street was enough to make everyone stop what they were doing.
You would run inside, ask your parents for some money, and then hurry back outside before the truck disappeared.
It is funny how something as simple as that sound can immediately take you back to a completely different time.
Ice cream trucks may not seem like a major event, but seeing one again after so many years can bring back a surprising number of memories.
That meant taking care of her walks each day.
The early morning walks were not too bad, but the evenings have been another story.
It has been extremely hot lately, and the temperature has taken a long time to come down in the evenings. That can make walking a dog much less enjoyable, especially after the heat has been building throughout the day.
Luna still needs her walks, of course, so Holly handled everything while I was traveling.
I am sure Luna appreciated it even if Holly was not quite as enthusiastic about the evening temperatures.
Monday was officially his last first day of school, which is a little strange to think about after so many years of classes, semesters, and school schedules.
It feels like law school has moved quickly. He is now heading into the final stretch before graduation and whatever comes next.
We are excited for him and proud to see him reach this point. There is still plenty of work ahead during his third year, but it is exciting knowing that graduation is now starting to feel much closer.
It is one of those family milestones that makes you realize just how quickly the years move.
This week was a mixture of business planning, travel, nostalgia, and looking ahead.
The trip to Miami gave me time to work through goals for the next few months and reconnect with other business owners. Back home, ideas for the ranch continue to appear in unexpected places, including advertisements for alternatives to a traditional lawn.
Dragon Con is now right around the corner, and the 300 DC Spartans are beginning to prepare for another year together.
Between an estate sale full of Coca-Cola memorabilia and the unexpected return of an ice cream truck to the neighborhood, there were also a few reminders of how small things can bring back memories.
Now it is on to Charlotte, followed very quickly by Dragon Con.
The next couple of weeks should be busy, but there is plenty to look forward to.
This past week included a business trip to Miami, more ideas for the ranch, a little nostalgia, and plenty of anticipation as Dragon Con gets closer.
It was not an especially hectic week, but there were several moments that gave me something to think about, whether that was working through business goals, imagining alternatives to a traditional lawn, or remembering what it was like to hear an ice cream truck coming down the street as a kid.
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