This is my journal entry from August 18, 2025, part of my daily autobiography Author in St. Petersburg — my real, unedited days, published in order.
my ex-wife and I started the day with a trip to Ikea in Tampa after I woke up around 6:40, got the kids ready, and dropped them off at school. Once I got home, I worked with ChatGPT on processing some of my dictations. Lately, I’ve found that a 20–25 percent cut ratio keeps the integrity and voice of what I say while trimming out the fat and making the writing more readable.
The trip to Ikea was full of laughing and playfulness. Our main goal was to shop for my ex-wife’s closet office—the “cloffice”—a room she moved out of a year ago when she took over my son’s bedroom and I moved inside from my shed that was falling apart. I’ve since cleared it out so she can move back in, and I’ll relocate my old desk into a corner of the master bedroom beside the bed. That will give me space to record audiobooks while she has her office set up again. At Ikea, though, we realized the furniture we had in mind wouldn’t fit, so the only thing we bought was a colorful rainbow welcome mat. We had a nice lunch in the cafeteria—plant balls, house sodas, and a slice of cake—and enjoyed each other’s company.
Back home, I continued editing entries for I Was Famous on the Internet and worked with ChatGPT on the letter I dictated yesterday for my ex-wife’s parents. Writing that letter makes me nervous, because I dive into sensitive topics like money and sex in detail—the highs and lows of my income, the hardest years in business, and the challenges my ex-wife and I have faced in our marriage. My ex-wife glanced over my shoulder at some of the most tender parts, which made me tense. Everyone else in my life already knows these things in depth, yet her family doesn’t. Her parents are in their 60s and 70s, and I feel they should be able to handle grown-up conversations at this stage. The point of the letter is to be transparent, to share the challenges we’re working through so they can really know us. My hope is to create a deeper connection with them, since right now even casual acquaintances often know me better than they do.
For this letter, I asked ChatGPT to soften my tone, unlike with my books where I keep everything raw and direct. I wanted to make sure nothing sounded judgmental, especially when covering heavier topics. It helps me phrase things more considerately, so what might be hard to discuss face-to-face can at least open the door to meaningful conversations. My plan is to finish the edits and give the letter to her parents this week.
I asked the kids on the way to school today if they could think of any reasons not to go to massage school now. My son told me this is the perfect time, because if I waited, the timing might not work out. It matches up perfectly with the school calendar—summer break and holidays when I’ll need to be home more for the kids. They pointed out that we already drive farther to take them to a better school, so driving farther to massage school for a better program is consistent with how we make family decisions.
Over lunch, my ex-wife and I debated whether free will even exists. I could force myself to choose the closer school regardless of preference, but forcing things has defined much of my past. I thought back to my time at the University of South Carolina—how I enrolled without enthusiasm, simply because I had no better option. Those decisions never felt good. Massage school, on the other hand, seems carefully thought out and aligned with my life. The only thing holding me back is the time I’ll lose for writing.
I love writing so much I could easily spend 12 hours a day dictating, editing, and assembling books. If I skipped massage school, I’d finish many more volumes. Still, what would I offer people beyond the books themselves? Yesterday’s coaching session with my life coach reminded me how much more powerful it would have been if she had combined coaching with bodywork. Instead of meeting her for coaching and then going to my massage therapist for a massage, the two could have been integrated into one extraordinary session. That’s exactly the kind of service I want to offer: not just books, not just coaching, not just massage, but all of it together.
Today I pictured having my own space. For a while, I imagined running a bookstore called Jerry Banfield Books, but the vision felt flat—just another shop where people drink coffee among shelves. Then I saw something new: a massage room surrounded by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. My books, plus the ones that inspired me, plus used books I’d collect to resell. Each client could take home a few books after a session—maybe three included with the first visit, then discounts for more. The appointment would begin with conversation, then move to the table for massage, combining bodywork and coaching in a single transformative experience.
My ex-wife helped refine the branding. I had thought about “Jerry Banfield Books,” but when she mentioned how much she loved the name Book & Bottle, she came up with Book & Body. The moment I heard it, I knew it was perfect. It captures exactly what I want to do: author, speaker, coach, and massage therapist united under one simple, memorable name. Book & Body is so much more compelling than Jerry Banfield Books. I can already see it on my car: “Book & Body by Jerry Banfield — Author, Speaker, Coach, Massage Therapist.”
Tonight I’ll go to an AA meeting instead of yoga. I haven’t exercised today, but three days of tennis are lined up this week: playing with my friend tomorrow, a three-set match with my friend Wednesday if the weather holds, and a clinic on Thursday. Resting today is fine, though I’d like to add weights for days like this so I can still do something physical. Missing yoga is acceptable; there will be more chances. For today, AA feels more important.
If you connect with how I live and think, you can follow the rest of my days on YouTube in my Life playlist.