As I sit here eating Gouda Cheese Squares with a Crisp Apple while drinking my morning coffee, and pondering things as I always do, I can’t help but to think that perhaps I should write out a review of this past year. There will be a lot left out but hopefully you can find some inspiration in here somewhere. Take your shoes off and have a seat. Enjoy.
JANUARY (2023)
My painting business has been at a halt for months. I have not as much as installed a bathroom sink since October and I am broke. I have applied for multiple jobs ranging from the grocery store to PetSmart. Apparently I don’t meet their expectations. I have a feeling it is because I am a white male but it could just be my imagination. My dog, Sprocket, needs to go to the vet and I don’t have any money. The places I go to looking for a job I don’t see any white males there. Mostly women and men who dress like women with green hair. Not very happy about all this plus I have to shovel the driveway every damn day. Joined a Torah study last month because I feel that it is important to support those who are different than I am. I am an atheist but I only want the best for everyone and I hope that it is easy for them to achieve no matter what our differences may be. That’s how I define love, anyway.
FEBRUARY
I got a reply from three jobs all at once and took all three. Washing dishes at an Indian/Chinese restaurant. They wanted an interview on that same day. I started work a few hours later. The other was a caregiving job for a young woman who is paralyzed from a horse accident and the third was a call from a doggy daycare. He wanted to know when could I start. I went to work the next day.
MARCH
My friend who owns a painting company needed my help painting some ceilings. That paid several hundred bucks. Finally got to take my dog to the vet. Plus I worked over 104 hours clocking in at the doggy daycare, the restaurant, and helping with my caregiving job. Went to Las Vegas for my friends wedding. Saw Elvis bitching about having to work too many hours. Started playing racquetball with someone I met on Craigslist. It’s worth a shot. I went to a Hindu festival with my Hindu friends at the restaurant. Amazing.
APRIL
After a month of working over 100 hours a week I put in my two week notice at the doggy daycare. He said it wasn’t necessary and was kind enough to spare me two more weeks of that awful, loud, stinky, job. Yes, I got bit a few times. I was more than willing to endure the doggy job but they want to make me manager at the restaurant. I told them I have never managed a restaurant before and this is a large fancy restaurant that I was not sure I had the skills to manage. I was told I didn’t have a choice and as soon as a new dishwasher was found I would be the manager full time. Caregiving is going well all things considered. I repainted her whole interior for free: ceilings, walls, bathrooms, hallway, kitchen. I even built a ramp for her wheelchair and some other small projects. The most difficult part of the job is the hours. I get there about 7pm after a long day of painting houses and working at the restaurant. After caregiving I then drive home for an hour starting about 2 am typically. Then I have to be at the restaurant at 10 am. It’s nonstop and I love it.
MAY
I am in transition to be the manager at the restaurant but we can’t find a steady dishwasher. So at 9pm each night after managing all day I go to my car and change clothes and wash dishes. Sometimes I stay until midnight or 1 am. Everyone really appreciates my hard work. Things run so much better when you have a good dishwasher. Sometimes the staff will stay after work to help with the dishwashing. A brotherhood of dishwashers! I let the boss know that I could only work at the restaurant until my painting business picked up then I would have to leave. I did say that I could return in the winter. He said that would be fine. Caregiving is getting harder as we are not getting along so well anymore. Perhaps I am too tired. My therapist says I need to find time for myself. Sadly, as selfish as it may seem, I thought the caregiving job was a great way to give back unto the world some of what I have taken. But we don’t get along so I told her I would not be able to keep it up anymore. Luckily she does have good help so I wouldn’t have to leave her stranded. I hope she is doing well. I have picked up a few painting jobs with my company as well as some landscaping. Started taking boxing lessons.
JUNE
My painting company is in full swing. Of course I can’t find dependable help. Unfortunately, as much as I love the restaurant and the people there, I had to quit for the summer to focus on my own business. I fully anticipated making a hundred thousand this year with my company. I just had one job approved for $32,000 after depreciation.
JULY
Business is good. Staining fences, cutting yards, landscaping, painting, pressure washing. Working on a bathroom remodel as well. Walking Sprocket at the river and in the mountains. He is doing much better. Little guy has such a good disposition that he hardly ever lets me know if anything is wrong with him so I am always extremely vigilant. Started running. Ran my first 5K ever. Timed in at 22 minutes and came in 8th place. More than 150 people showed up. Not too bad but can I do better?
AUGUST
Taking my health seriously at 40 years old. Well aware that the things I do now will impact how I feel when I am much older. Quit drinking soda and energy drinks and immediately dropped 9 pounds. Here is how the next 4 races went after my first one mentioned above. Still trying to get under 20 minutes.
Summer Splash 22:36:43 8th
Pirate Run 20:34:35 2nd
Unicorn 20:54:99 2nd
Holy Cow 20:05 4th
SEPTEMBER
My boxing coach is DaVarryl Williamson. Ring Magazine’s hardest puncher in the world at one time. Check him out. Amazing person who loves to give back to the community. Racing for the company 3W races (they host the race events) has been one of the best things I have done for myself. Have made a lot of friends in the racing community. Here are a few more race results. Glad to be under 20 minutes with my 5K.
Erie 19:45:4 1st
Panda 19:59.80 3rd
The Denver 5K 19:58 19th
OCTOBER
Keeping it going. Boxing is great and I am getting more talented. Had a few good rounds here and there. Have read so many great books this year and therapy has been so good to me. Really taking control of my diet. I am going hungry quite a bit because I refuse to eat fast food. Bananas and apples here we come! Sprocket loves life and that makes me happy. I have so many wonderful people in my life and I can’t even keep up with all their names! A few more race results. Racquetball is a blast and volleyball has been amazing as well. Started playing with a gay group on Saturdays also. Everyone has been so kind to me this year. I love everyone so much.
Jag Jog 21:54 1st
Historic Elizabeth 5K 20:07 2nd
It’s Fall Y’all 19:51 1st
Westy 5K 19:50 7th
NOVEMBER
My personal painting company has slowed down again. I am now back at the restaurant as I promised earlier in the year. I am on salary and 10% profit share plus he wants me to help him open a restaurant in Seattle. And I was a dishwasher? I filled out an application that was sent to me by 3W Races. Only 150 people out of the thousands of applicants from this year received the email to become a Brand Ambassador plus they will sponsor my races. I have become well known and they all agree I am a great applicant for their program. I was asked to sign up starting from my second race. I have gotten to know everyone. I am hoping to be able to speak to large audiences for better marketing strategies for their company, fundraising, and asking cities and towns to host the 3W Race events in the future. I started taking yoga last month and fell in love with it. In fact, I am now a certified Yoga Sculpt instructor! I feel like this is one of the best things I have done for my future regarding my health and where I plan to be when I am older. Here is a photo of the group I graduated with. It is also a fantastic way to give back.
DECEMBER
I will be 41 on the 17th. I have a metric shit ton of friends who are going to be at my birthday party at the restaurant that I manage on that day. I love them all. I am in the best shape of my life and next year is only going to be better. Where I started out this year and where I am now is a totally different place. This month I also set another milestone; I have been completely sober for two calendar years for the first time since I was 16 years old.
Don’t forget that on your journey (may it never end) you will find people around you like the ones I mentioned in my last piece (which I strongly recommend reading.) They will never ask about how things are going. They will never text you to ask about your day. They will never ask you about your plans for the future. This is because you are a threat to their own way of thinking, their own perception, their own invincibility. Getting out of bed is a milestone for so many in America these days.
There are also those who define themselves as real '‘go-getters” or “unstoppable” without allowing for any competition in their life. Then they say that you are able to do all these wonderful things because you are a vagabond or because you are not in their situation, or because you don’t have kids, or because you are not married. Whatever they can point to in order to take away the wind our of your sails. Lobsters.
They will also bring up how it is because of some unfair advantage that you are able to do more than they are without acknowledging that you put in the work. They say that ALMOST having a degree is the same as having a degree (because they are so smart anyway) but they forget that using that same metric I myself ALMOST have 2 degrees. They don’t want to hear it.
They will talk about their busy lives working 9 to 5 and the challenges associated with being married to a firefighter. They will talk about the strategies involved in having two kids and having to cook twice a week after buying groceries. They will speak as if though they are raising kids without any help when they actually have a large network of people bending over backwards for them, many of whom are getting no credit.
They will complain about the system or maybe even bring up privilege without realizing that hard work and determination to accomplish goals has brought more people from the bottom to the top than privilege ever will. There are not even any statistics for “privilege” so just ignore the garbage. Don’t look down. Each day is a new day and a new adventure which ALWAYS brings opportunities. Don’t be at the bottom of the pile of victims. And be prepared for them to talk about the things you lack that they posses. You cannot argue with people who say “the point is that you don’t listen” after complaining for over an hour that you didn’t put the broom back after you used it. Not that they needed it.
When there are people in your life that you want to validate you and they don’t seem interested their lack of compassion and interest will only cause you total chaos. Don’t look for others to validate you or approve of you as a good human being because if you do you will miss out on those who are right there that love and respect you. You will miss out on opportunities and you will only get angry with people who don’t acknowledge what you are doing, what you have done, or what you are helping others to accomplish. The best way to judge the kind of person you are is to look at the people who surround you; the people who miss you and want you in their lives. I have a ton of friends from boxing, racing, the gym, volleyball, yoga, racquetball, neighbors, the restaurant, customers, my business, etc. Not to mention all the people from different platforms on the internet who think I am awesome. I’ll take that over money any day.
There is so much more and I apologize this reads like a grocery list but unfortunately I have been given the notice by Substack that I am nearing my email length. Don’t worry I am also writing a book to share with you. If you made it this far (tell someone who didn’t what they are missing) and know that I love you. I only want the best for you and yours and I hope it is easy to achieve. That’s what I call love, anyway.
best,
“We can’t buy more time but we can better manage the time we are given.” My boss at the restaurant.
best,
Think Dragon.
Awesome success story, Jason!! Looking forward to your book!!!
Ur Awesome Jason!