Don Kowalewski
Writer. Ad Sales and Marketing. Social Media Content Creator. Aeropress Coffee. Makes the best salsa in the world.
A Man of Principle (I am Not)
Remember how I was all like, “I want black running shoes,” and made a big deal about it?
Let’s just say one man’s black shoe is another man’s grey-black-and-neon and blue-orange.
Both pairs were on clearance at DSW and the New Balance 850s will be for long walks and the Pumas might be the sleeper shoe of 2015. Light weight, like a Skecher GoWalk and crazy comfortable.
Black shoes are soooo last week.
My daughter tried to ruin my happiness because when she saw them she said, “no offense, but they look like ‘old man’ shoes,” and I told her to shut up, slammed my door, and cried. Not really. I kinda like that my 12-year-old has the confidence to rip on me, her Dad. I give her those little wins. For confidence. Maybe I’m wrong, but it feels like that’s a good thing.
Thought you’d all want updates on the shoes and a quick bit of parenting advice …fathers …let your daughters “win” some times.
Tomorrow, I’ll tell you about the new fishing boat.
Follow me @donkowalewski.
An Experiment. Subscribe to my #TheBachelorette Newsletter
At the urging of someone in a podcast (specifically Tim Ferriss’s podcast where he interviewed Noah Kagan), I’m conducting an experiment. Actually, it’s more than an experiment.
I’m starting a newsletter about #TheBachelorette. To subscribe, email me at donkowalewski@gmail.com, subject: Bachelorette or leave a comment below (where I can click and get your email) or just put your email in a comment. When I get an alert that someone commented, I’ll quickly grab your email address and then delete the comment (to protect your privacy).
Two reasons I’m doing this. (1) To see if Noah’s suggestion works about creating an email list …and yes I realize I could pick a better topic, but I have my reasons for going with The Bachelorette. (2) Because I want to write and self-publish a guide to dating, relationships, and marriage based on the wisdom collected from watching every single season of The Bachelor and Bachelorette.
Follow me at @donkowalewski.
Oh. And don’t forget to subscribe.
I Love Father’s Day
I’m famous for my birthday lists (detailed during the “Month-of-Don” and “I-Love-Don-Week”) and Christmas wish-lists. Today, I announce the creation of another gift-giving guide – my “Father’s Day Shopping Guide.”
It’s important to have lists, as a father, so some renegade child or wife doesn’t go off-the-grid and improvise about what I think I might need or want.
It’s going to be a quick list, as this list is in it’s infancy stages, but some stuff just needs to get out there into the public sphere so people can start budgeting, planning, and shopping. Oh, and even if I’m not your father or I’m not the father to your children, if you admire the job I’m doing as a father, feel free to get me something on Father’s Day.
Father’s Day Shopping Guide 1.0.15
- MyPillow
- The Blackman 2.0 White Dress Shirt from Mizzen+Main
- Running/athletic shoes (New Balance or Adidas), mostly black or mostly without neon colors
- Kettle bell(s) (and a book by Pavel Tsatsouline)
- Pair of Levi’s 559s (31W, 30L) – I’m putting the cart before the horse with that 31″ waist, my friends
OK. That’s enough to get you started. Happy shopping. If you think of another idea for me, just leave a comment and I’ll flush it out and see if that’s something I want added to my Father’s Day Shopping Guide.
Follow me at @donkowalewski on Twitter.
Time for New Shoes
If you know me, I’m an Adidas man. Always have been. Since I was in my late teens, all my running and athletic shoes have been Adidas, except for a pair of minimal Nike running shoe in the mid-2000s that mimicked barefoot running, and recently a pair of Merrell’s that also are a minimalist shoe given to me by a friend (K.C.) that works at Merrell. Both were great, but as I’m not a runner anymore, I need a new pair of kicks (people still use the word “kicks” in reference to shoes, right?).
Well, I’ve always had a pair of Adidas running shoes on stand-by, but there was an incident Thursday night. While out walking the dog, the dog had an “accident” (not really an “accident” because dogs are supposed to poop while out on a walk, but stick with me). What she did was, well, like poop, but not poop. Looked like some sort of cosmic goo. So I dutifully tried to grab it in the plastic garbage bag but it got away from me and before you know it, the bag was out of my hand and this “cosmic goo” had splattered all over my Adidas. In some J.F.K.-bullet-bending way, it managed to land on and ruin both shoes. It was so bad, and so disgusting, because it was the eve of trash day, I took off both shoes mid-walk and about 300 yards from home, and threw the shoes right in the nearest curbside can.
Am I that prissy that I couldn’t have cleaned these shoes? Let’s just say …the shoes were four years old and I’m not kidding …they weren’t going to be saved. Thank me for not taking a picture for Instagram.
That story leads to one major decision, now . . . a new pair of running shoes that won’t be used for running. Mostly for style and long walks, with the occasional bike ride and running around a park with the kids, thrown in. They need to look good with jeans (I am not ready to do the stark-white shoe with jeans Dad-Look), shorts and short black or white socks, or with athletic pants.
The issue is, most of today’s running shoes feature loud color schemes or at least one color that glows in the dark. I want grey on black or black on black – and that’s no easy task. I’m also considering changing brands – from Adidas to New Balance (collective gasps, I know).
So, for the next month, I’ll be debating between the following two shoes. The New Balance 1012s or the Adidas Powerblaze M Black Onix.
Decisions, decisions. Great blog entry, eh?
Q2 Goals
I’ve looked at my New Year’s Resolutions, looked at my Lenten Resolutions, and reviewed which goals and objectives I’ve hit and which I’ve missed. And, based on that, I’m course-correcting for Q2 and the rest of the year. NOW IS THE TIME TO RE-EVALUATE and set new goals or recommit to the goals set in January.
The goals are simple:
- Dominate the Evenings (8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.) – Realistically, I only have 2-hours to myself each night after soccer practices and other kid commitments. As I’ve previously declared, I dominate mornings (5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.) and I need to do the same with 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Things I need to fit into that 2-hours include chores, walk-the-dog, talk-to-wife, write, read for pleasure, relax. I’m thinking every night needs to be slightly different.
- Dominate My Eating – I’m giving up 4-Hour Body and going with a whole foods, good foods, well-rounded, well-supplemented, proper-caloric amount, and no eating or snacking after dinner.
Oh, and a final thing … I want my work space to look like the picture below. Simple. Efficient. Perfect. Sorry, kids …I’m going to get rid of picture frames in my work space at work.
Time to Fix This Year
My Life: Q1 came and went and it’s time to look back, take stock, and implement action items for Q2 and Q3. Like a business, I’m going to review my goals and objectives and re-calibrate.
The bad.
Sleeping – I’m getting about 6 restless hours a night 4 out of 7 nights. 1 night, I’m getting about 4 hours or less. And then for some reason, inexplicably, I’ll get a good 7-hours with vivid dreams and no waking on those other two nights. I’m starting to chalk this up as to what it’s just gonna be like …until it isn’t.
American Ninja Warrior – I’m no closer to auditioning for American Ninja Warrior that I was when I blogged about it back in December. This morning …I walked to the local park and did exactly three pull-ups. I suck. I was supposed to be up to 20 pull-ups by now. And …why aren’t I exercising and pushing my limits? Well …read that post. It’s because of my worry of failure.
Writing – If you count the blog entries written here over the first 13-weeks of the year, you’ll see what’s going on with that. Writing is at a stand still. I have someone begging me to write marketing material for him, another begging me to write his book (and more, future books), and yet … see “American Ninja Warrior” bullet item above.
The good.
Mornings – I’m dominating mornings. Like …total domination! I wake at 5:00 a.m. Sometimes I sleep until 5:30 a.m. I always walk the dog for 20-minutes minimum. Poor thing …any longer than that, and she feels the need to poop even when there’s nothing to poop. That crazy dog wasn’t bread for walking. She’s like a cat that happens to be a dog. It’s a good speed, most of the time, but I’d love a dog that could handle a three-mile walk.
Cold Showers – Another odd thing that I hear is good for me, so I’m doing it. Every shower is like a fight with an enemy, but I can notice the health differences.
Diet – I spent the first 13 weeks of the year on the 4-Hour Body diet. I give myself a B-. I didn’t gain any weight, but I didn’t really lose any, either, and I can’t see my abs …yet. But I’m revising the plan for Q2 and going with an Optimal Health and Energy diet that will be a calorie counting diet and will mix in the right amounts of all the food groups and will not include snacking.
Hmmm. Seems like I should be talking about more. Like success at work. Or how about my kids or my time management. Well, if I was proud of my time-management, I’d probably have a better report on the writing.
Have you reviewed your New Years Resolutions? Taken stock of your goals for 2015?
I still have some big goals for the year …I’ll lay those out tomorrow after I course correct from Q1.
Granite City Food and Brew in Northville GRAND OPENING!
Full disclosure …yes, this is a client but, hey, sometimes I’m lucky enough to work with really, really cool clients. Enter Granite City Food and Brewery opening this week in Northville, MI. Every time I’ve tried to get into the one in Troy, MI, it’s been packed and I regret I still haven’t eaten or drunken (or is it “dranken”) there.
Anyway, there’s a new location in Northville and tomorrow (Tuesday) is a V.I.P. event (which you can win entry into here) and then Wednesday is the big grand opening for the public. Um, I’ll be there both nights …but it doesn’t mean I have a problem. And I’m probably going to buy a growler-full o’ their beer. Which, for those scoring at home, will mean I’ll have three growlers in my possession, and that’s crazy because up until about a month-and-a-half ago, I was more of a Molson-in-a-bottle type guy. Now? Just call me Donnie-Growler or Donnie-Craft-Brew (just don’t ask me what I like in a craft brew, or which is my favorite brewery, and why I like what I like …I’m primarily in love with the idea of a growler).
Channel955 is going to be at the grand opening on Wednesday (6p8p). That’s always fun. Oh, and you can win a dinner-for-4 here or text ‘CITY’ to 9-5-5-0-0 and possibly win a $50 gift-card.
Maybe I’ll see you. Oh, and below is Spike talking about it. Enjoy.
Ice Shower? Yes. Seriously.
Every morning when I turn on my shower, I turn on only the cold-water. Nope. I don’t even turn on the hot at all. I’m not doing luke-warm. I’m doing ice cold.
I gave up “hot showers” for Lent.
Why? Because I’m crazy. And, as I’ve established previously, I do anything and everything Tim Ferriss says. He wrote 4-Hour Work Week and …well …um, I obviously didn’t do it quite right because I’m not sitting in a hammock on Gulf Shores managing four start-ups – but I did get something out of it.What? That there’s a faster, more efficient way to do everything and I’m always trying to “hack my life” to fit more stuff into the same amount of time.
So when Tim Ferriss wrote 4-Hour Body, I was first in line.
He says ice cold showers that bring on shivering are good in many ways. Accelerates fat loss. Increases alertness. Strengthens the body’s immune system.
I really had big intentions for Lent, and it seems the only thing I really did well was take ice cold showers.
Here’s a couple links about this cold shower thing.
Benefits of Taking a Cold Shower
That’s all I got. I told someone today, “hey, you’re a blogger …I’m a blogger,” and then when they asked, “oh, what’s your blog?” . . . well, I sheepishly gave her this blog’s URL and then felt ashamed all day that, um, no I’m really a semi-retired blogger.
But, like with everything, the journey of a million miles (or words in the case of a blogger) starts with a single keystroke.
Tomorrow I’ll analyze my “Best Lent Ever” and either (a) publicly lie about what a great job I did or (b) publicly admit I kinda bailed on Lent (except for the cold showers …of all things I’d stick to, it was cold showers).
Follow me at @donkowalewski
Bedphones
Remember when I wrote that “I Won Christmas?” I made such a bodacious claim because I asked for a buncha utility items for Christmas and it wasn’t really a vanity play. What are “utility items?” Because I’m an old man, it means I’ve started to ask for things I “need” versus “want.” And it feels good.
I got a dog last year. When it’s rainy or a little snow outside, I won’t want to walk in heavy boots for long distances. And tennis shoes get wet. Enter the BOGS Urban Walker. Utility.
Which brings me to one of my favorite things I own – the Bedphones.
I bought them to listen to music while sleeping or trying to get to sleep, and they’re popular for that because they are thin and lay on the outside of the ear so as not to jam deep into your ear canal. But, I like them better than all my ear-buds (because they’re comfortable and the bendy-wire design makes them bend exactly as you need them to fit around your ear). They serve their purpose, but …what I missed is that they have a microphone, too, so I can use them while walking or driving and talking on the phone, and the sound quality is terrific – so I wear them almost exclusively. An earbud won’t ever be used again if I can help it. And I’m not longing for over the ear Beats by Dre or Bose noise cancelling headphones.
If I still traveled, these would be my music-listening earphones, my talking-on-the-phone head-set, and my “I can’t sleep in hotel rooms” sleep remedy. Heck, I’d chat up people at the airport or on the plane just to talk about my Bedphones.
What is the point of this blog entry? Maybe so the Bedphones people will send me a free pair? Or because I just love them that much? Mashable’s review says, “you’ll probably forget you’re wearing them.” That’s spot on. I get up at 5 a.m. and start breakfast and listen to podcasts and I literally forget they’re on my ears.
My life is better for having Bedphones. And because I have a blog, when my life improves …guess what. I write about it and you get to read about it.
If you travel alot. Get Bedphones. If you like to or need to listen to music or any sort of audio in bed. Get Bedphones. If you frequently work remotely and join conference calls and sometimes need to talk. Get Bedphones.
I’ll fight any man who says they have something better.
When your Christmas, Father’s Day, and birthday wish-list are designed around the concept of making your life better, and your well-researched items actually perform as (or better than) advertised, it’s worth blogging about and sharing.
Yes. I like these better than my BOGS, I think.
Follow me at @donkowalewski.
If You’re Not First, You’re Winning
I told my eight-year-old (daughter) that I think she might be getting a new bike this summer … her 10-year-old brother’s old bike, actually.
“But it’s black and it’s a boy’s bike,” she said.
I told her that’s the downfall of being last (born), but sometimes being last is a huge bonus.
Yes, being our third and final child means her life will be full of gently worn clothing that’s about 4 years out of date handed down from her sister and, in the case of her “new bike”, it means a boys bike. However, I explained, she gets to do all sorts of things her sister didn’t do when she was 8-years-old. My 8-year-old stays up until 9 o’clock sometimes during the week and until 10 o’clock on weekends – or later. She gets to watch PG-13 movies. She definitely gets more junk food. She has an iTouch. At one point in my life the words, “no 8-year-old needs an iPad,” came out of my mouth. I’ve relaxed that stance.
I’m not in love with the, so-called “winners” who say things like, “if you’re not first, you’re last.” These win-at-all-costs types aren’t approaching life in a healthy way. If you’ve never lost at anything, you’ve never learned anything or, maybe worse, you’ve never really challenged yourself.
My son’s soccer team (U10), earlier this winter, went undefeated in their division and won a trophy. Most games were blowouts. It was quite a thrill getting the trophy and being “champion.” I’m not saying that doesn’t feel good. But then, in the second session, the divisions were restructured and suddenly we met up with teams we couldn’t beat so easily …or we couldn’t beat at all. It was humbling. The boys got mad. They pushed and shoved and yelled at each other.
I loved it.
I told them …if you win everything and win easily, you won’t improve. But when you take on the best and your goal is to beat the best …only then will you get better yourself.
I started this blog talking about my 8-year-old complaining about a hand-me-down boys bike. Well, that’s a symptom of not-being-first. But being last has many other benefits to her life. And when competing, yes, make it your goal to win and come in first-place, but remember this, too …when you lose, you win. You earn a chance to improve. You get to see a benchmark at which to evaluate yourself. A chance to analyze and think about what went wrong and why you finished in second, third, or 514th place (that’s where I finished in the longest triathlon and ya know what, I felt pretty awesome about that).
I’m the fastest sprinter in my house and I can lift the most weight. My competition is my wife, my 11-year-old daughter, 10-year-old son, and 8-year-old daughter. Yay me! (sarcasm). I can win every time. But what should I do? Go to the park and time myself running the hundred yard dash. Do exercises and drills to make me faster and see if I can shave a half-second or a full second off the time. That would be positive. That would be winning. Will I ever be able to beat Usain Bolt? At 5’5″ and 41-years-old …um …no. There’s not enough HGH and chemicals that can reverse the effects of aging or make my legs longer. But the fact I’ll never be faster than Usain Bolt doesn’t make me a “loser”.
“Winning doesn’t always mean being first. Winning means you’re doing better than you’ve ever done before.” -Bonnie Blair
Put yourself in a position to fail or to come in second place. Trust me, it will be your gain.
Coming soon on the blog …my take on P2 replacing email and Slack for team communication.
Follow me at @donkowalewski.
Don Kowalewski 