I live just a few miles from Crystal Bridges, which is world class art museum founded by Alice Walton. They don’t charge any admission since they’re funded by a pretty hefty endowment. It’s a really cool place.

Seeing a photograph of a painting is a far cry from seeing the actual painting. If for no other reason than a photograph is two dimensional. It’s a little harder to appreciate art that someone made with their own hands two centuries ago when you can’t see the texture or the defects. Not even in a really high quality photo. It’s just not the same.

And you don’t touch the paintings because there are security guards everywhere who have no problem reminding you to not touch the paintings.

I know lots of people who aren’t depressed.

We also understand a lot more about mental health than we used to, including the fact that mental health challenges are not as unusual as they were once thought to be. Growing up in the 90’s and early 2000’s, I was just a “lazy”, “unmotivated”, and “inattentive” kid. You know, a “space cadet.” I now know that I have ADHD. I have also struggled with depression since childhood. Depression, anxiety, and emotional disregularion are often comorbidities with or symptoms of ADHD. Getting a diagnosis and on proper medication was life changing for me.

But, lack of happiness is not the same as depression. I think sometimes people get those confused. You can be unhappy without being depressed. I would say that there’s a whole lot more unhappy people in the world than depressed people. I also think people often look for joy in the wrong places and expect that “stuff” is going to make them happy. It works. For a bit. But that kind of happiness quickly vaporizes and leaves you feeling as empty as you felt before.

Real happiness comes from a sense of fulfillment. That looks different to different people. I feel happiest when I feel like I’m “grounded”. When I get time to shake off all the responsibilities and BS that gets piled on my plate. Sometimes that’s when I’m kneeling in church on a Sunday morning or taking time out of my relentless schedule to play with my kids. Or when I can get my wife to go for a walk with me. Especially when I can do something that makes someone else’s day a little brighter.

It took a lot of searching to find the things that bring me joy. And the only way to really know if something will is to experience it. Life is hard. On some level there’s just no way around that. But it can also be good. Personally, I’ve had a LOT of hard days. But I’ve had a lot of good days too. For me it makes the hard days worth it.

Takes Texas away from Mexico. Returns it in worse condition.

I was honestly surprised that Stellantis agreed to reopen the Belvidere assembly plant (in Illinois). I am less surprised that they’re now trying to weasel out of it. Shitasses.

Too expensive and unhealthy to be an “every day” luxury but I do love a good scotch and a cigar to unwind.

In my case:

If you’re falling in love with someone who’s “perfect”, you’re probably falling in love with someone who has an undiagnosed mental illness and is very good at pretending to be the person she thinks you want her to be, for a while.

She will spend the next 6 years making your life very, very miserable.

I’ve spent the better part of the last decade of my 16 years in technology either trying to shield my team from a constant river of bullshit or contributing to projects that are clearly DOA from day one.

Got laid off a month ago and to be completely honest, I’m pretty bummed about the idea of going back to another corporate job. I’m going to do what I’ve gotta do to take care of my family. But there’s an increasingly large part of me that isn’t sure I want to do this until I retire. Don’t get me wrong, I do my job for the money; not the enjoyment. Anymore, a “good” job is one that I don’t hate. But it would be nice to work at something that doesn’t feel like a total waste of my time and expertise.

I live in Bella Vista and absolutely love it. There’s plenty to hate about this state. Most of it related to politics. But the Northwest Arkansas area is beautiful and an overall nice place to live.

That said, I’ve avoided Walmart like the plague because they’re a notoriously shitty place to work. Of course that’s not exactly a secret.

Gravette: the armpit of Benton county. I would say “asshole” but I believe that title belongs to Decatur.

One time I worked for a small company (300ish employees) that was well known locally for being heavy handed and micromanaging. I have never before or since seen so much intentional time wasting by so many people in one place.

Turns out if you micromanage your workforce and are constantly slapping their hands for not appearing to be busy enough, you’ll successfully create a bunch of actors who should get Emmys for playing the part of “productive” employees.

On the other hand, if you treat them well, give them the tools to do their jobs, and leave them alone most people will actually do their jobs quite well. Shocking, I know.

What is a flap knife clamp?

Ha! Just need an even bigger tractor.

Joking aside, that’s pretty easy since the basement has an outside access.

I got a set of cheapies from FoxBC. We’ll see how long they last. Next time I’ll probably spring for Freud’s.

Single phase 240VAC 2HP motor.

Ash trays in all the passenger doors. AKA mini trash cans.

I remember making a crystal diode radio with my dad as a kid. You can still buy kits for those.

I’ve thought for a long time that there are a ton of legitimate business problems out there that could be solved with software. Not with AI. AI isn’t necessary, or even helpful, in most of these situations. The problem is that creatibg meaningful solutions requires the people who write the checks to actually understand some of these problems. I can count on one hand the number of business executives that I’ve met who were actually capable of that.

President Trump will never let anything stop America. Especially not something so unimportant as the truth.

I’m still pissed about the fact that I can’t buy a reasonably priced TV that doesn’t have WiFi. I should never have left my old LG Plasma bolted to the wall of my previous house when I sold it. That thing had a fantastic picture and doubled as a space heater in the winter.

Governor Mike Parson, Is that you?