This is my journal entry from September 7, 2025, part of my daily autobiography The Kind Divorce — my real, unedited days, published in order.
I spent most of the day working on I Was Famous on the Internet. I dictated for hours and feel excited to already be at 35,000 words. Dictating the book straight through works much better than trying to piece it together in smaller chunks. Yesterday I focused mainly on telling my story, while today I shifted to addressing the questions people often ask me—such as how to promote a business without relying on the internet, or how to parent children without screens, drawing on my own experience both as a kid glued to devices and now as a parent. I’m thrilled that this book is fulfilling the vision I had for my original technology addiction book.
I can hardly believe massage school begins tomorrow. I’m glad I had three weeks to prepare and tie up loose ends, and I hope I can finish I Was Famous on the Internet within the first week or two of classes. With the momentum I’ve built today, it feels possible.
This morning started with my daughter’s friend still over from the sleepover. I didn’t sleep that well—my son tossed and turned, keeping me up for an hour before I could fall asleep, and I woke up several times during the night. Still, I’m grateful not to spin negative stories about poor sleep. I usually get seven to eight hours a night, so one restless night doesn’t matter. At 10 a.m., I went to yoga. The class was packed—around sixty people—and while I enjoy the extra space at my yoga studio when classes are smaller, there’s something powerful about moving together in such a large group. The energy lifts me, and I left feeling relaxed and naturally high, the kind of joy I describe in I Was Famous on the Internet, only this time connected to community rather than a screen.
After class, I spoke with a man I’ve known from AA for a while. I offered him a copy of Author in St. Petersburg from my car, but he insisted on buying it. He handed me a twenty-dollar bill, and I gave him both Author in St. Petersburg and Speaker Meeting 2017. It felt good to sell two books, not because of the money but because people want them, and they can genuinely help. The books serve as both meaningful tools and lead magnets. Occasionally making sales feels like a win-win, especially as my catalog grows. I imagine one day having fifty books, with readers going through them all just as I once devoured every Eckhart Tolle talk available on Audible.
I’ve been puzzling over what to eat during massage school. Beans are out—they’d leave me gassy all day. Salads are fine if made in advance, but they can be fussy and disappointing if not done right. After yoga, I stopped at a natural-foods store to look at their prepared foods. They had roasted mushrooms for nine dollars and roasted sweet potatoes for four, and it hit me: I could roast my own vegetables. At home, I roasted mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and a cauliflower I had on hand, using avocado oil, olive oil, dressing, and seasonings. Finally, I’ve landed on a meal that feels perfect—healthy, simple, and practical for school.
Meanwhile, my ex-wife spent the day out with the kids. They went to breakfast—without me, since I rarely find plant-based options worth eating at those places—then to ice skating at a mall in Clearwater, where they met one of my daughter’s friends. Since the kids don’t have tablets, we make a point of arranging real-life meetups, which always leave them happier and more engaged. They spent hours at the mall, then stopped at PetSmart and my ex-wife’s parents’ house before coming home around 5:30. I was grateful for the uninterrupted time to focus on my book, knowing that this week will be much fuller once school begins.
My workflow with ChatGPT was a little frustrating today. When I first give it instructions, it follows beautifully, but the longer I use it in the same session, the more it drifts off target, producing lower-quality output that I must fix. I spent part of today correcting transcripts it had converted, keeping the book consistent.
In the evening, I visited my mom briefly before heading to my AA meeting. The atmosphere was so relaxing I could barely stay awake. I sat back in the rows of chairs, closed my eyes, and simply listened. Usually I share, but tonight it felt good to be quiet, to soak in other people’s words without planning my own. By the time I got home, I was sleepy but content.
I’m going to bed early tonight, around ten, which will give me more than eight hours to rest before my first day of massage school. I skimmed through some of the school literature beforehand, excited by all there is to learn. I even meant to cut my hair today but didn’t get to it. That can wait. What matters most is that tomorrow begins a new chapter of my life.
SSMT
If you connect with how I live and think, you can follow the rest of my days on YouTube in my Life playlist.