Morning wake up ritual
I’m currently developing a new morning routine for the days my wife is in-office, and I’d love to share it with you! It begins with an early bedtime – 10pm is about the latest, aiming for 9:30. Waking up at 5:20, gives me enough time to stretch fully before throwing on my gi and hitting the road to early morning BJJ training (6-7am). I come back home, toss gi in the wash, shower, make coffee and I’m clean with coffee in-hand by 7:30.
I head up to the boys’ room and play You Are My Sunshine as I raise the blinds to let in the sunlight. Little guy pops his head up, ready for action, ready to eat. Big guy buries his face and sleeps on. Classic move.
Me and the big guy get dressed while the little one drinks his bottle. Then I have the immense delight and pleasure of changing the little one’s diaper while he twists and turns like the future jujitsu champion he will one day be. I seriously have to hold him down with one hand, and do everything else with the other hand. It’s great practice for me; I love it.
Next, we shoes on, load up, and head off to daycare!
(And if I time it right, I can be at my desk working by 8:00-8:15.)
A podcast I enjoyed
I discovered Derren Brown a long, long time ago and have been a fan of his work ever since. Derren is a mentalist, psychological illusionist, entertainer, TEDx speaker, and author. His recent interview with Tim Ferriss was illuminating – I had never imagined two massive personalities like theirs would come together, yet there they are.
The interview itself was perhaps not quite as entertaining as much of Derren’s other work (like this experiment with actor Simon Pegg). It did however delve into his mind and methodology behind much of his work, including his life history and his calling to this rather strange profession. I enjoyed it.
Another friend, lost
A long-time friend and fellow warrior on the journey of personal development had a tragic accident this past week and lost his life. Nico, a friend from my early days in New York City, was a few years younger than me but that didn’t even factor in to our friendship. His focused ambition and plain honesty earned him a permanent spot not only on my mind, but in my heart. He had a certain contagiousness about him.
This last stage of his life found him living out a dream in Thailand as a specialized copywriter, known and loved by many in the world of persuasive selling. Nico had a gift for talking to people. He had up and moved to Thailand a few years ago and had done quite well for himself.
He was at a water park last week in Thailand and had an accident due to asthma and sadly ended up drowning from the incident. Let this be a reminder of how fleeting life can be, and how abruptly it can end. Look around at your loved ones, call your mom and dad, hug your kids, kiss your spouse with the passion of your first kiss. You don’t know when it could be the last time. And if you’re going to commit to loving someone, commit, don’t hold back; be ferocious in your love, love with all you got.
I wish I could spend one more day with Nico, talking deeply on the pensive subjects we always discussed, or just laughing at the insane nonsense we always got up to.
Nico leaves behind his parents and brothers, his girlfriend in Thailand who planned to marry him, and their dog. He was 34 years old.
Rest easy, brother.
Bonus: the Secret Roll
No, this is not about rolling jujitsu. It’s something quite different.
If you ever get in a desperate situation in one of my bathrooms (ie run out of TP), you’ll discover a neat thing about me: I like to play a game called “find the Secret Roll.”
Now the thing about a truly desperate person, they’ll always find a hidden roll in a bathroom, no matter how well it’s hidden. I have case tested this – alas, I am a marketer with a penchant for behavioral psychology – and I now know this to be a certain truth, regardless of cultural background.
So I hide one, final roll very well inside each bathroom. Behind everything, and too inconveniently placed to get in anyone’s way. It lives there forever, right up until the moment a person in need finds it, and is immediately overcome with the sense of relief.
And if you’re the kind of person who, in a moment of true desperation, are lucky enough to have found the secret roll but failed to replenish the TP after your delightful good fortune, then rest assured I will know, and I will know your true character.
Like this email?