July 27,2025,Sunday afternoon,4:52pm,pacific standard time, apartment in Dana Point, California. Took my car to Big O in Aliso Viejo. Four new tires, alignment and $1,000+ later it is like new. Also, I opened a Robinhood account this morning. I now have shares of bitcoin, etherium and United Healthcare. I only put a couple hundred dollars in but I am glad I finally started investing. I am going to look at index funds and ETFs to see what I want to invest in next.

July 26,2025,Saturday night,8:54pm,pacific standard time, apartment in Dana Point, California, USA. Took my daughter to get ice cream this evening. Halfway there we heard a distressing flapping noise from the right rear tire. I pulled into a residential area and examined the situation. The tire was intact but a thin strand of tread ripped off and was slapping against the car as we drove. I got the spare out and after much effort got it on the car. However, it was completely flat and not safe to drive. I jacked the car up again and put the comprised tire back on and drove slowly to the nearest gas station, filled the spare with air then put it on the car. It was quite the learning experience. When I first started the adventure I struggled to properly put the jack under the car and turn the handle efficiently. By the third time I was a master.

July 25,2025, Friday night, 6:39pm,pacific standard time, apartment in Dana Point, California, USA. I went to bed with a headache last night. My thinking was it would go away in my sleep but that wasn’t the case at all. I woke up at 10:30pm in such pain I had to get out of bed and take ibuprofen. A half hour later I got up again and took DayQuil. Then I slept on the leather couch for a while because it was cooler. I didn’t wake up until 3:45am and didn’t have the energy to go for a walk. Which means I really didn’t feel good because I always get a walk in. I did do a chest/tricep workout because I knew I would feel antsy otherwise. Luckily work was low key. The big drama was getting the dog to the groomer and almost having to pick her up because my daughters mom wasn’t answering her phone. Fortunately she she answered and went to get the dog before I had to head that way.

July 24,2025,Thursday afternoon,3:50pm,pacific standard time,office in Costa Mesa, California,USA. My daughters mom let me know she was let go from her job today. On one hand it is a hardship. On the other hand she was under so much stress it is a relief. Having gone through the layoff process before I know the mixed emotions involved. The circumstances will change certain aspects of life but probably for the best. Change is a good thing. For my job the last two days have been tiring. Multiple meetings left me drained. Now that I have a moment to breathe feeling a little run down. The weekend will be a good opportunity to recuperate and start fresh.

July 23,2025,Wednesday evening,7:08pm,pacific standard time,parking lot,school of rock, San Juan Capistrano,California, USA. Spent the day with the new Division President. Lots of good information. We talked in the morning then had a strategy meeting and lunch with the marketing team. Afterwards I finished payroll and prep for tomorrows interdisciplinary meetings. The president and director of marketing went to dinner. I was supposed to go with them but my brain was fried so I told them I needed to take my daughter to singing lessons instead. Now I am feeling a little better.

July 22,2025,Tuesday night, 6:44,pacific standard time,apartment in Aliso Viejo, California,USA. I have become much more fastidious about retirement accounts since returning from Wyoming. however, money not tied to work isn’t as exciting. Earning money is more fun than counting it. Nonetheless, I do like being more aware of what I have accumulated. Between retirement accounts and CD’s I have a good start. The next step comes if I take a promotion at work. If that happens I am going to buy property in Dana point. I also opened an investment account to dabble in the markets. Lots of options available to me. We will see how it all goes.

July 21,2025, Monday evening, 6:48pm,pacific standard time, apartment in Dana Point, California, USA. This morning I got an email from the American Humanist Association. “Get uplifting wisdom right to your phone!” Said the subject line. When I opened the message I was offered what they call a “dose of humanism.” Three texts a week “…helping you reset your heart and your mind one direct message at a time.” This made me happy. I have been looking for a way to access the AHA. I am also excited by the concept of the email. I have been looking for a way to share my thoughts through direct messaging. It gives me an idea of how I can connect with people.

July 20,2025,Sunday evening, 5:37pm,pacific standard time, apartment in Aliso Viejo, California,USA. Went for the blue lantern walk this morning before working out at Plant Fitness. Afterwards, I cleaned house and did laundry. In the afternoon I went to the outlet mall in San Clemente for a new workout sweatshirt/jacket. I saw online it was $90 for in store pick up. I took my chances and went in person without reserving it. Good thing I did. When I got there it was listed for $65 on a discount rack. The total price ended up being $49. I was pleased with that price. While there I grabbed a coffee from the Starbucks by the Nike store. I didn’t want to go home so I drove along Beach Highway through San Juan and took Camino Capistrano all the way to Los Colinas, then Cabot to la Paz to Moulton then out to the office park off Oak Canyon in Irvine for a walk. I came back through Aliso to let the dog out. Five minutes after I got here my daughter and her mom came home from shopping. I will spend a couple minutes here with the dog then head back to Dana Point.

July 19,2025, Saturday night, 6:40pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Dana Point, California, USA. I woke up at 3:30am, mountain time. Packed the car then woke my daughter up for the drive back to Orange County. We got on the road at 4:40am, pacific time. The drive wasn’t bad until we hit traffic coming down the Cajon Pass and again in Riverside on the 91. We arrived inAliso Viejo right around 5pm. I unloaded my daughter’s stuff while she went straight to bed. I headed to Dana Point after stopping to wash the car and grab vodka and ice cream. I had hopes of celebrating my last night of vacation but by the time I unpacked all I want to do is crawl into bed and fall asleep.

July 18,2025,Friday night,7:52pm,mountain standard time,condo in Evanston,Wyoming,USA. Went for a walk past Broken Circle this morning then did a chest and triceps workout at the clubhouse. At 9am mom and I drove down to Costco to get gas, bars, water and gym. Afterwards we washed her car then headed back up the hill. When we got home I took my daughter to get Taco Bell and drive around to listen to music and eat. After an afternoon nap we headed to Riverdale and ate at Applebees. When we got back to Evanston we stopped by Smith’s to grab peanuts, bananas, eye liner and ice cream.. Now Mom and I are watching Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.