This is my journal entry from August 27, 2025, part of my daily autobiography Author in St. Petersburg — my real, unedited days, published in order.
my ex-wife and I shared a lovely lunch today at a restaurant. She had driven an hour away for her Master Gardener class and returned just in time to eat with me before I went to pick up the kids. I felt grateful for our time together and even more thankful for the life coaching session I’d had with my life coach yesterday. It left me present enough to fully enjoy a close, connected evening with my ex-wife last night. She seemed more open and joyful than ever, which is a gift to experience. I even shared some of the insights from my session with her, thanking her for her openness and confidence in herself.
This morning I dropped the kids off, then met my friend for tennis. The first set was a disaster—I didn’t win a single game. Yet instead of spiraling into frustration, I practiced saying an internal yes: yes to being outside, yes to my friend and me showing up again, yes to the game itself. This was probably the thirtieth or thirty-fifth time we’ve played together, and I wanted to keep that perspective. The world constantly tempts us toward an internal no, and I’ve learned that one of the most important choices is deciding where my inner dialogue points.
Even so, my shots baffled me. After losing the first set 6–0, I went down 0–2 in the second before something shifted. I realized I needed clearer direction, so I prayed and began repeating silently: I intend to hit my shots in play. I am prepared to hit my shots in play. I will do whatever it takes, safely, to hit my shots in play. My game improved almost instantly. Although I lost that second game, it was competitive, and I won the next three in a row before my friend steadied himself and ultimately won the set 6–4.
The cloudy weather kept things cool enough for a third set, which we played just for fun. My friend won most of those games, but I was thrilled to have the energy to play. I sweated through my entire shirt, completely soaked, and felt alive.
Between sets we talked about car maintenance. I told my friend we’ve spent nearly $14,000 at the Toyota dealer this year between both cars. I’ve always taken my vehicles there because their mechanics specialize in Toyotas, and I trust them. Horror stories about independent shops botching repairs have kept me loyal to the dealership. Still, I realized those stories may not give the full picture. If I could have saved thousands by using a reliable independent mechanic, that would be worth exploring. My friend recommended one he trusts, and it makes sense to give them a try.
It reminded me of how I prefer supporting independent massage therapists instead of big franchises like Massage Envy or Massage Luxe. Local, personal, and professional feels better than corporate and impersonal.
At lunch afterward, I half-jokingly asked my ex-wife if I could drive our 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid instead of the old 2006 Corolla for my trips to Sarasota five days a week. To my surprise, she said yes. That would mean she’d drive the nineteen-year-old Corolla for school drop-offs and errands, while I took the hybrid on the eighty-mile round trip. It makes sense. Hybrids are ideal for long drives and idling in the school parking lot. The engine stays off most of the time, the battery runs the air conditioning, and when the charge dips, the engine recharges it. It’s efficient and comfortable—especially when I might spend nearly three hours a day in the car. I was glad I brought it up lightly, in a joking tone. Presenting requests that way keeps things easy and makes rejection less heavy. I want to use that approach in more areas of life.
Later in the day, I tweaked my own website with new pictures and updates, then turned to helping others. On Monday I’d received a massage from a massage student at the Sarasota school’s professional clinic. She gave me her card, mentioned she wanted to build her own business, and I immediately offered to trade marketing help for massages. She now has her own domain, and I set up the basic framework on my hosting accounts so it’s ready for her whenever she wants to add content.
This is what feels like living life right: This massage student wants independence, more clients, and better marketing. I can build websites easily and would rather exchange for massages than fuss about money. ChatGPT says I should charge at least $750 for a site like hers, but I’d never ask her for that many massages in return if the setup doesn’t take me that long. Fair exchange feels better than rigid pricing. This massage student shares my value of working independently without someone else dictating your hours, and I look forward to the trade.
Reflecting on the marketing workflow, I realized I’d made things too complicated for a massage therapist friend. I gave her multiple steps instead of keeping it simple. This massage student reminded me of the need to streamline. With a massage therapist friend, I’ve now suggested she just pick a domain name and we’ll follow the same workflow.
I also updated my OpenChat for the first time in a month. Logging in, I noticed ICP’s price had sunk below $5. I’m glad I sold a few thousand ICP at $6 a month ago. Hopefully it rebounds, but I’m grateful I got out of chasing that whole online circus when I did. At least my skills still let me help others.
This afternoon I’ll pick the kids up, take my daughter to basketball practice, then aim for an AA meeting afterward. Tomorrow morning at 7:30, I’m playing tennis with a friend. My book is sitting at 45,000 words before today’s entry, and I’m excited to submit it to Amazon within the week. Holding a printed copy in my hands, sharing it with people, and offering to help others write their own—that will mark the real beginning of this next chapter.
If you connect with how I live and think, you can follow the rest of my days on YouTube in my Life playlist.