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In my ongoing exploration of personal finance, I've delved deep into the principles outlined in JL Collins’s "The Simple Path to Wealth." This book has become a cornerstone of my financial philosophy, offering a blueprint for navigating the complexities of investing and achieving financial independence. However, as we stand at the crossroads of a rapidly […]

New Year’s resolutions are infamous for their failure rates. Most of them don’t make it past February, leaving many of us feeling frustrated, unmotivated, and defeated. I’ve been there—starting the year with grand ambitions, only to lose momentum as the days pass and life gets in the way. But over time, I realized something fundamental: […]

In "Stealing Fire," authors Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal explore an electrifying premise: the potential of altered states of consciousness not just for personal enlightenment, but as a tool for radically enhancing performance and transforming lives. The book delves into how individuals and organizations harness these states through technology, psychedelics, flow psychology, and extreme sports, […]

In today's fast-paced world, the ability to learn efficiently and effectively is crucial. Recently, I revisited my approach to self-directed learning through Scott H. Young's book, "Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career." Despite having over 25 years of experience in building websites and providing digital marketing services, this book offered […]

Recently, I delved into Sean D'Souza's insightful book, "The Brain Audit." It's a brilliant guide that dives into understanding customer decision-making. The core premise revolves around seven critical steps that customers go through before making a purchase: The Problem, The Solution, The Target Profile, The Objections, The Testimonials, The Risk Reversal, and The Uniqueness. These […]

As we journey through the ever-evolving landscape of the digital marketplace, understanding the bedrock principles of effective marketing is crucial. Seth Godin's "This is Marketing" has served as a lighthouse for me, guiding through the complexities of engaging customers, building brands, and creating meaningful value in a crowded space. This book isn't just a read; […]

In the vast expanse of literature exploring the mysteries of the universe, few books manage to blend the profound complexities of theoretical physics with the existential nuances of human experience quite like Carlo Rovelli's "The Order of Time". As an astrophysicist renowned for his contributions to the field of quantum gravity, Rovelli embarks on a […]

In the labyrinth of professional success, the age-old adage "it's not what you know, but who you know" often echoes, but I've stumbled upon a variation that digs deeper and truly resonates with me. "Furthermore, it's who you know that knows you know what you know. You know?" This quirky, extended version not only highlights […]

Hello, dear readers! It's me, Frank, and if you've been following my musings for a while, you know I'm all about cutting through the fluff to get to the heart of matters. I often say, "I prefer to upset you right up-front," which might seem a bit jarring at first. But let me tell you, […]

In both my personal and professional life, I've always held a guiding principle close to my heart: "I strive to make new, and innovative, mistakes." This mantra is more than just a quirky saying; it's a reflection of my deep-seated belief in the importance of learning, growing, and evolving through the experiences life throws our […]

New Year’s resolutions are infamous for their failure rates. Most of them don’t make it past February, leaving many of us feeling frustrated, unmotivated, and defeated. I’ve been there—starting the year with grand ambitions, only to lose momentum as the days pass and life gets in the way. But over time, I realized something fundamental: […]

In "Stealing Fire," authors Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal explore an electrifying premise: the potential of altered states of consciousness not just for personal enlightenment, but as a tool for radically enhancing performance and transforming lives. The book delves into how individuals and organizations harness these states through technology, psychedelics, flow psychology, and extreme sports, […]

In the vast expanse of literature exploring the mysteries of the universe, few books manage to blend the profound complexities of theoretical physics with the existential nuances of human experience quite like Carlo Rovelli's "The Order of Time". As an astrophysicist renowned for his contributions to the field of quantum gravity, Rovelli embarks on a […]

In both my personal and professional life, I've always held a guiding principle close to my heart: "I strive to make new, and innovative, mistakes." This mantra is more than just a quirky saying; it's a reflection of my deep-seated belief in the importance of learning, growing, and evolving through the experiences life throws our […]

In our fast-paced world, where the lines between personal accountability and external burdens often become indistinct, the quest for a guiding principle to navigate through life’s complexities is more crucial than ever. Among the vast array of philosophical insights and age-old wisdoms that have been offered to steer us through life’s ups and downs, there […]

In our ever-evolving digital landscape, the ability to focus deeply and produce high-quality work is becoming both increasingly challenging and valuable. This is the central premise of Cal Newport's insightful book, "Deep Work," which I recently had the pleasure of exploring. I found the principles of "Deep Work" particularly resonant, offering a fresh perspective on […]

The most obvious form of investment diversification that most people think about is related to their finances. You may be diversified in your stock portfolio or you may own different asset classes, like stocks and real estate. However, I have a much broader way that I approach investment diversification in my business, savings, exercise, and […]

In my garden and near the river, the impact of seasonal climate change can be seen. We have had two significant, but not devastating, floods in this neighborhood over the past year. My neighbors, who have lived here for decades, say that this type of flooding typically happens ever few years. Seeing these water levels […]

It's only the second week of February and I'm already working on a long list of projects to kick off the new year. These are related to my business, my home, and my garden. All of these tasks will be completed, of moved into a maintenance routine, by the middle of April. Business Spring Projects […]

At the end of 2019, I purchased a home on 1.3 acres in Greenville, NC. Since Barbie is attending graduate school at ECU, we had been paying rent for a townhouse near the college. This new home only moved us 10 minutes further from the school and the mortgage was only $50 more than our […]

In my ongoing exploration of personal finance, I've delved deep into the principles outlined in JL Collins’s "The Simple Path to Wealth." This book has become a cornerstone of my financial philosophy, offering a blueprint for navigating the complexities of investing and achieving financial independence. However, as we stand at the crossroads of a rapidly […]

New Year’s resolutions are infamous for their failure rates. Most of them don’t make it past February, leaving many of us feeling frustrated, unmotivated, and defeated. I’ve been there—starting the year with grand ambitions, only to lose momentum as the days pass and life gets in the way. But over time, I realized something fundamental: […]

In the vast expanse of literature exploring the mysteries of the universe, few books manage to blend the profound complexities of theoretical physics with the existential nuances of human experience quite like Carlo Rovelli's "The Order of Time". As an astrophysicist renowned for his contributions to the field of quantum gravity, Rovelli embarks on a […]

In the labyrinth of professional success, the age-old adage "it's not what you know, but who you know" often echoes, but I've stumbled upon a variation that digs deeper and truly resonates with me. "Furthermore, it's who you know that knows you know what you know. You know?" This quirky, extended version not only highlights […]

Hello, dear readers! It's me, Frank, and if you've been following my musings for a while, you know I'm all about cutting through the fluff to get to the heart of matters. I often say, "I prefer to upset you right up-front," which might seem a bit jarring at first. But let me tell you, […]

In both my personal and professional life, I've always held a guiding principle close to my heart: "I strive to make new, and innovative, mistakes." This mantra is more than just a quirky saying; it's a reflection of my deep-seated belief in the importance of learning, growing, and evolving through the experiences life throws our […]

In our fast-paced world, where the lines between personal accountability and external burdens often become indistinct, the quest for a guiding principle to navigate through life’s complexities is more crucial than ever. Among the vast array of philosophical insights and age-old wisdoms that have been offered to steer us through life’s ups and downs, there […]

In our ever-evolving digital landscape, the ability to focus deeply and produce high-quality work is becoming both increasingly challenging and valuable. This is the central premise of Cal Newport's insightful book, "Deep Work," which I recently had the pleasure of exploring. I found the principles of "Deep Work" particularly resonant, offering a fresh perspective on […]

The most obvious form of investment diversification that most people think about is related to their finances. You may be diversified in your stock portfolio or you may own different asset classes, like stocks and real estate. However, I have a much broader way that I approach investment diversification in my business, savings, exercise, and […]

In my garden and near the river, the impact of seasonal climate change can be seen. We have had two significant, but not devastating, floods in this neighborhood over the past year. My neighbors, who have lived here for decades, say that this type of flooding typically happens ever few years. Seeing these water levels […]

In "Stealing Fire," authors Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal explore an electrifying premise: the potential of altered states of consciousness not just for personal enlightenment, but as a tool for radically enhancing performance and transforming lives. The book delves into how individuals and organizations harness these states through technology, psychedelics, flow psychology, and extreme sports, […]

In today's fast-paced world, the ability to learn efficiently and effectively is crucial. Recently, I revisited my approach to self-directed learning through Scott H. Young's book, "Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career." Despite having over 25 years of experience in building websites and providing digital marketing services, this book offered […]

Recently, I delved into Sean D'Souza's insightful book, "The Brain Audit." It's a brilliant guide that dives into understanding customer decision-making. The core premise revolves around seven critical steps that customers go through before making a purchase: The Problem, The Solution, The Target Profile, The Objections, The Testimonials, The Risk Reversal, and The Uniqueness. These […]

As we journey through the ever-evolving landscape of the digital marketplace, understanding the bedrock principles of effective marketing is crucial. Seth Godin's "This is Marketing" has served as a lighthouse for me, guiding through the complexities of engaging customers, building brands, and creating meaningful value in a crowded space. This book isn't just a read; […]

In the labyrinth of professional success, the age-old adage "it's not what you know, but who you know" often echoes, but I've stumbled upon a variation that digs deeper and truly resonates with me. "Furthermore, it's who you know that knows you know what you know. You know?" This quirky, extended version not only highlights […]

Hello, dear readers! It's me, Frank, and if you've been following my musings for a while, you know I'm all about cutting through the fluff to get to the heart of matters. I often say, "I prefer to upset you right up-front," which might seem a bit jarring at first. But let me tell you, […]

In both my personal and professional life, I've always held a guiding principle close to my heart: "I strive to make new, and innovative, mistakes." This mantra is more than just a quirky saying; it's a reflection of my deep-seated belief in the importance of learning, growing, and evolving through the experiences life throws our […]

In our fast-paced world, where the lines between personal accountability and external burdens often become indistinct, the quest for a guiding principle to navigate through life’s complexities is more crucial than ever. Among the vast array of philosophical insights and age-old wisdoms that have been offered to steer us through life’s ups and downs, there […]

In our ever-evolving digital landscape, the ability to focus deeply and produce high-quality work is becoming both increasingly challenging and valuable. This is the central premise of Cal Newport's insightful book, "Deep Work," which I recently had the pleasure of exploring. I found the principles of "Deep Work" particularly resonant, offering a fresh perspective on […]

Almost one year ago, in March of 2020, I put a storage tote on my front deck to allow deliveries to be dropped off while social distancing. This week, that storage bin was upgraded for the new normal. This bench is also a storage box. My wife and I can sit here and watch the […]