These are my Momentos, short personal diary entries I write daily – since 2013 – and publish monthly. Some links are affiliate links.
1
It was hard to get out for a nice walk when we lived in Tbilisi. But here in Andorra every walk is nice. Found a trail up behind the telecabina station today, followed it through the woods to an abandoned shack, spectacular views all around.
2
Been renting a car since we got here. Finally dropped the rental back today and picked up some new wheels. (Not new-new, but new to me.) It’s not a crazy amount for a car, but still the most money I’ve ever spent on one thing.
3
Finishing up my last weekly newsletter, sending it out tomorrow. That’s 200 editions. Only week I missed was when I was hospitalized for a few days in Bali with dengue fever. Switching to a daily newsletter now, will see how that goes.
4
I’m trudging through a snowy, windswept field, cursing under my breath. I find my brand new jacket caught in a bush, somehow it survived unscathed. I go back the way I came, trying not to land on my ass. It’s about then that I realize I’m actually enjoying myself.
5
Work feels like a chore so I head off for another long walk in the woods. I’m gone for about three hours. I watch a squirrel process a pine cone, examine tracks in the snow, explore the ruins of old buildings, find a hidden cave.
6
I need to get more proactive about taking time off. My current pattern is to squeeze in as much work as I can each day until I burn out and have to take it easy for a while. Then I swing back the other way. Over and over and over.
7
Quit my last job 12 years ago now. Which means I’ve spent more years working for myself than anyone else. I still get a kick out of the small benefits of being my own boss, like going to the supermarket in the middle of the day when it’s quiet.
8
A comment held for moderation on my site, made me laugh…
I was on a webinar yesterday where I heard how a bunch of course creators are putting a documentary together about this site and the owner’s shady reviews. Apparently a creator with a really decent course got extremely depressed and stopped selling it. Even though it was a great course with genuinely great feedback. Just be carful what you read on here guys.
9
I seem to play better basketball these days when I slow down. I had been trying to play the same way I played twenty years ago, but I don’t have those legs anymore. There might be some analogy there with business.
10
For a few months now I’ve been listening to audio books while nodding off to sleep. Selection is key; it has to be something a bit boring. Was listening to a book called A Man On The Moon last night and that was too good.
11
Finished watching Invasion of the Body Snatchers from 1978, considered by some to be the best remake ever. It features a young Jeff Goldblum, a man’s face on a dog, an old lady getting punched, and Donald Sutherland making a meme.
12
Running 10k through the woods. Younger me would have tried to do it without stopping. Now I stop whenever I hear or see something interesting, try to be more present. I’ve learned that I never regret time spent observing a squirrel.
13
The climate here is perfect for me. 300 days of sunshine a year, but with four distinct seasons – which makes the year feel longer – and lots of green. Not sure how it’s so green with that much sun.
14
First edition of the daily newsletter went out today. Have the rest of the week lined up already. I’m hopeful this move to daily will work out great, but wouldn’t be all that surprised if it bombed. Time will tell.
15
It’s not so much the overwhelm that’s the problem; it’s thinking I shouldn’t be overwhelmed, feeling like being overwhelmed is some kind of personal failure. But hey, I’m still getting settled in a new country while trying to build an excellent business. Of course I’m overwhelmed.
16
I used to think I ate quite healthy. The last few years though my diet has improved a lot. My main treat nowadays is a cup of tea with 2-3 squares of 89% dark chocolate after dinner. And I enjoy that immensely.
17
Been watching that Garry Shandling documentary. He lived an anxious life, but seems to have found peace before he died. I wonder how much of that was due to becoming financially secure, having the freedom to devote himself to friendship and spirituality.
18
Fifth edition of the daily newsletter went out today. Not sure how it’s going so far. Open and click through rates are okay, but definitely more people unsubscribing than usual. How long before I can tell if this is a good move?
19
On sluggish days like this I try to tell myself that it’s actually a good thing, that I’m using up all the energy I have each week, rarely leaving anything on the table. It doesn’t really work though. I still feel like I’ve failed somehow.
20
Reading a book about the whaleship Essex. 222 years ago, it was attacked and sunk by a sperm whale in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Cue 20 men trying to survive thousands of miles from land in 3 small whaleboats. Shit got dark.
21
Low on energy and motivation lately. I think I just need a proper holiday. Don’t need to go anywhere, just need to not work for a week or two, properly disconnect. It’s been years since I last did that.
22
Snow the last couple of days have turned our neck of the woods into a winter wonderland. Got even better this morning when I looked up from the laptop and saw two deer scampering and feeding in the white field across the way.
23
Asked subscribers for feedback on the daily newsletter. About 80% of respondents preferred the weekly setup. Does that mean I should switch back? Still way too early to decide. Will stick with daily for the rest of the year at least.
24
Heard a throwaway stat recently that having a kid requires about 33 hours of your time/attention each week. So kind of like having a second job then. I know lots of people make it work, but it sounds so overwhelming.
25
Turned out to be a good work week, got a lot done. And I feel energetic enough that I could probably get more done this weekend. But I’ll risk burnout if don’t rest up proactively. The discipline I need these days is the discipline not to work.
26
So many little things that I think will be straightforward end up being complex and take way longer than expected. To the point that I get suspicious when things come easy, almost resist them, as if there must be some catch or complexity I’m not seeing.
27
Hatching a plan to go see Wembanyama play in the coming months. Thinking back to my years in New Orleans, and I know I saw guys like Kobe, LeBron and Steph play in person, but the memories have faded. More reason to appreciate the moment when it’s happening.
28
Can I take credit for those days when I’m more kind, more attentive, more present? Some days I just feel more energetic than others. The days I’m on a downswing, I’m not as nice to be around. But I don’t really get to choose which day is which.
29
This kind of email usually leaves me reeling, hard to think about anything else, find myself formulating the perfect response in my head. Was able to put it aside today though, for the most part. Much healthier when I can stop my mind from dwelling on these things.
30
Looking up from my desk in my home office, I can see cows grazing green fields, sloping up to pine tree forest, topped off with snow-capped rocky mountain peaks beneath a bright blue sky. It’s such a privilege to live here.