I love this.
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That seriously just made my weekend! I have a secret wish to befriend a crow (
), they are super smart. If you can, share a picture of your new lieutenant.
I hope your wife is feeling good and knows that we’re all thinking about her! 
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Just want you to know I’m thinking about you, miss you, and hope everything in your life is as beautiful as you!
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some might find this obnoxious but it brings me joy. I’ve always enjoyed working out and playing sports but as time passes i’ve started appreciating it more and more. I love the comradery of being on a team. I play hockey with my dad, who is excellent at 66, and some friends i’ve had since elementary school. winning together is great and I’m super competitive but i don’t mind giving it my all and losing together either. i’m with friends and family so it’s never a loss to me. depending on the time of year i’ll play softball , soccer , pickleball , spikeball , football just about anything but my favorite sport is definitely hockey. I hated going to the gym when i was in high school, though i was a pretty successful wrestler. I’m starting to love the gym! Going with my friend Ben, working towards our goals and pushing each other is great! joking around and catching up makes the natural strain of exercise far less painful. nothing beats that after workout feeling of accomplishment. food tastes better after and being lazy on the couch feels earned! plus the boost to my serotonin , dopamine and confidence seems to last for days. i’m not in great shape or anything but hopefully some day soon i’ll be in such good shape people will say nick you have to stop working out!
thank you for your time!
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That’s awesome and is like the farthest thing from obnoxious! It’s great that you have so many sports and activities you can do with friends and family that not only make you feel good but are also good for you. I’m trying to get back into doing yoga while dealing with my health stuff, so thank you for reminding me to stick with it! I gotta say, I hardly recognize you in that picture–maybe you do need to cut back on the working out. 
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My baby’s 37-week ultrasound was yesterday. Everything looks great, she’s healthy and, according to my wife, she has insanely strong arms and legs (maybe she’ll be a drummer like her dad).
I have always been an incredibly anxious and doubting person. I can’t explain it but for this, arguably the most anxiety inducing moment in my life, I have never felt so confident and sure that everything is going to be fine.
She refused to show her face, so this is the best I can offer for a picture. Already laying down beats at 160 BPM. That’s my girl.
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VelvetJones, wow, all the best to your family, Jack
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That’s awesome, glad to hear everything’s looking great for your soon-to-be-daughter. I was a worrier too when my wife was pregnant with our daughter, we were fortunate that everything turned out great. Your daughter may be shy for the ultrasound, but you’ll have plenty of time to see her face very soon! 
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What’s bringing me joy right now is Tobie, a Shih Tzu we started fostering last week. He’s just over a year old and as cute as can be.
It’s such a joy to have a dog around again. Our last dog Scrappy, an adorable Yorkie, passed away in June. He had heart disease and a few other health issues but hung in there and stayed “scrappy” and lovable 'til the very end.
Tobie is still basically a pup, so he has an amazing amount of energy. He’s very affectionate and looks happy whether he’s playing with his rope, jumping up like crazy when we come home, or just chilling watching football with us.
We don’t know how long we’ll be fostering him, and we’re starting to talk about maybe looking into adopting him permanently. I already gave him a nickname, “Tobie-Wan”, like Obi-Wan from Star Wars.
My daughter and wife both love him, so whether or not we end up adopting Tobie-Wan he’s definitely brought joy to our lives, and hopefully we’ve brought a little joy to his, too.
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He does look happy! he kinda looks like he’s smiling in the second picture. pretty adorable!
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i’m glad that you like the post and find it helpful! i know from personal experience it’s difficult to keep at it while battling health issues. definitely stick to the yoga and good for you for staying active with health issues! that’s awesome! the rock with fabio esk hair isn’t that what i look like? o well it’s good to have goals!
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How exciting, I’m so happy for you and your wife! I hope she is feeling okay and able to sleep. Does TYT sell onsies?
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Tobie-Wan, I love it! He could not be more adorable! If your daughter and wife are in love, it looks like you might have a new family member. 
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For me a negative thought stems from wishing life had turned out differently than it actually did. And I hate regret. Yep, I got divorced after 25 yrs of marriage. No, I’ll probably never enter into another relationship even though I feel lonely sometimes. Most people want to run out and replace what they feel that they lost. Since reading, “When Things Fall Apart,” by Pema Chodron, I’ve learned to tell myself that I’m okay, I’m breathing, an I’m going to make it even if I feel like I’m free-falling.
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Another book I recommend is “The Myth of Normal” by Gabir Maté. It might help you figure out healing - and we all have healing to do, I believe.
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I am so sorry to hear about your divorce. Even when a divorce is a good thing it’s still damn hard. Regret is a fickle friend who cozies up next to us with fantastical stories of “what ifs” that would have been amazing, or at least with better than what we ended up with. Regret is a lying, manipulative asshole. It sounds to me like you are on a good, healing path from which a new and amazing future far beyond what you once thought possible can now begin. Hang in there and please know that you are not alone.
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Thank you both; your comments mean so much. I love being a part of this community. It seems that it consists of people who are realists. There’s a difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is fleeting, but joy is what comes from things we’re able to accomplish and can take a little pride in or appreciate in others. I always let people know that I don’t discuss my trials to generate sympathy but to connect with others; and that I, too, know what suffering feels like. I’m glad for the journey and for what it’s taught me.
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There are two things guaranteed to put me in a joyous mood:
- Music, especially unknown bands with serious talent
- All things spooky.
A couple of years ago, I discovered an awesome goth band called Cemetery Echo when their guitarist happened upon the brewery. I’ve been a fan ever since. Seriously, they’re so good.
Last week, my friend Krista and I organized a last-minute road trip to see them perform at a vegan diner in their home city of Buffalo. We got to catch up on the drive, had a ton of laughs and kicked off the Halloween season with an amazing show: Five veiled figures playing haunting music in a shroud of fog.
That may not be a joyful experience to most, but it is pure joy to me.
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Everyday, I take time to intentionally engage strangers on a personal level and in a positive way. Every pebble that you throw into the lake causes small, but significant waves. A smile and a good sense of humor go a long way to reminding people that we are not all that different from one another and, perhaps, we can rise above our differences and at least engage decently and positively with one another, if, in fact, we are not always able to agree with one another all of the time.
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That’s awesome! I’m so glad you got to see a band you love (and see them live!) and spend time with a good friend. I’ll have to tell my daughter about Cemetery Echo, thanks for the tip. 
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