This past week included experimenting with new social media content, preparing to clear trails around the ranch, completing an unexpected county requirement, and spending time on a few family and technology projects.
Some weeks are built around one major event. This one was a collection of smaller projects, each requiring a little research, problem-solving, and patience.
Monday through Thursday included many of the normal responsibilities that come with running the firm, but our team also spent time experimenting with our social media content.
We have been trying different camera angles, filming techniques, and approaches to presenting information. Some of the videos also required additional review and adjustments after filming.
Anyone who follows our social media pages may begin to notice a few changes. If the differences are not immediately obvious, that may mean they were more subtle than I expected.
Creating content involves much more than simply turning on a camera and speaking. Small changes in lighting, positioning, pacing, and presentation can affect how a video looks and how viewers respond to it.
The goal is to continue improving while finding new ways to make our content useful, interesting, and easy to watch.
There are several cut-throughs that allow our trucks to travel between different areas of the property. Over time, some of those paths have become overgrown and need to be cleared.
To prepare for the project, we purchased an electric chainsaw and began looking at additional tools.
Gasoline fumes and smoke can aggravate my allergies, so electric equipment seemed like a better option. I was surprised by how expensive the tools, batteries, and complete kits have become.
My dad is a big DeWalt fan, and my father-in-law is as well, so that is the brand we have been considering. Apparently, purchasing the chainsaw is only the beginning. Once you start adding batteries, chargers, and other tools, the total increases quickly.
Hopefully, the equipment will make it easier to maintain the trails and keep the cut-throughs accessible in the future.
When we originally took over the land, the well was no longer working. It was damaged and had collected trash and debris over time. The county initially instructed us to cover it, which we did.
Later, when we began working with the county on dividing the property into separate lots, we learned that covering the well was not enough. It had to be formally closed and certified.
That meant locating and uncovering the well again so approximately 10 feet of concrete could be poured into it. A certified well professional then had to inspect the work and verify that the well had been properly closed.
The project was completed on Thursday.
I was happy to finally have it finished, although I was still frustrated that we had to uncover something we had previously been told to cover.
The certified closure was necessary for the lot division and for any future septic work in that area. Even though the process seemed unnecessary at times, it is now officially completed and no longer standing in the way of our plans.
Holly bought her a small kiddie pool and added several rubber ducks for her to play with.
Luna enjoys getting into the pool, pulling the ducks out of the water, and dropping them at our feet. We toss the ducks back into the pool, and she immediately starts the process again.
Sometimes she retrieves one duck at a time. Other times, she continues until she has removed all of them.
It is a simple game, but she seems perfectly happy to repeat it as long as someone is willing to keep throwing the ducks back into the water.
Watching a dog enjoy something as basic as a small pool and a few rubber ducks is a good reminder that entertainment does not always need to be complicated.
I contacted the company that made it because I wanted to update the system and explore whether more games or features could be added. After discussing the current setup, they explained that there was not much room left for expansion.
They recommended upgrading some of the internal equipment.
That required me to open the machine, work around the wires and components, and remove the existing hard drive. The company is sending the equipment needed to complete the upgrade.
Once everything arrives, the machine should have more space and additional options for future updates.
Technology projects often appear simple until the machine is open and there are wires going in every direction. Fortunately, I was able to remove the necessary equipment without creating any new problems.
Now I am waiting to see how the upgraded system performs.
Sam continues to settle into his work at the office and has been learning about several different parts of the firm.
Over the past couple of weeks, he has been helping Jaclynn with social media. This has given him an opportunity to see everything that goes into planning, producing, and publishing our content.
He has been learning about the podcasts we produce, how videos are broken into smaller pieces, how posting schedules are organized, and how the team keeps track of content across different platforms.
There are many moving parts behind every finished post or video. What viewers see may only last a few minutes, but the planning, editing, scheduling, and distribution can require a significant amount of work.
Sam said he has found the process exciting, and I am glad he is getting the opportunity to experience different areas of the business.
Understanding how the departments work together provides a much better picture of what it takes to operate the firm.
Noah has been enjoying the summer while preparing for school to begin again.
The start of the school year is approaching quickly, and this will be his final year of law school.
It is difficult to believe how fast the time has passed. The beginning of a new school year always seems far away during the early part of summer, but once August arrives, the remaining weeks move quickly.
We are excited for him as he prepares for this final year and begins thinking about what will come next.
Major milestones can feel distant when they first begin, but eventually the final year arrives, graduation approaches, and the next stage of life starts to become real.
This week was a combination of regular work, new experiments, property maintenance, family updates, and unexpected expenses.
Our team tested new approaches to social media and continued working to improve the content we produce. Holly and I prepared to clear overgrown trails around the ranch, while the county required us to officially close an old well that had already been covered.
Luna found a new summer activity with her pool and rubber ducks, and I began upgrading an old video game machine. Sam continued learning about the firm’s social media operations, while Noah prepared for the beginning of his final year of school.
None of these moments defined the entire week on their own, but together they created a busy and productive few days.
That seems to be how many weeks unfold. There may not be one major event, but there are always projects to complete, problems to solve, and small moments worth remembering.
Overall, it was a full week, with progress at the office, on the ranch, and at home.
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