A Man of Thought Photo and the Poem 'An Ocean's Saga: A Young Sailor's Choice' (Poetry and Art)

A Many of Thought Photo
Actual non-AI photo.
I can print different sizes and
can do special prints.
Most start about $50 with
free shipping. Send me
a message to the right if interested.
It may make a great photo
for your office or studio.
I can imagine a few restaurants 
that it would look great
on a wall. Just saying
Check out some
of my other work. 
I'm starting to populate
my own page.

A Man of Thought
This photo was taken a few years ago. I was on a beach and saw the silhouette, with a ship in the background, a sunset, and rough waves that suggest challenge. The solid rock beneath the figure represents the safety of our comfort zone, while the open water symbolizes the unknown—a place of risk, adventure, and uncertainty.

Many young people eventually face a defining choice in their lives: remain in the safety of what they know, or leap into the unknown. There are risks either way. Those who seek growth often choose to jump, while those who value security tend to stay where they feel safe.

An Ocean's Saga: A Young Sailor's Choice

Into the sea young hearts wander,

or stay close to home they may ponder.

One offers endless wonder,

The other safe from plunder.

One may jump head first into the ocean drink,

Another gets their fill no further than the kitchen sink.

A young sailors choice.

An article that is interesting to think about, 'What happens in the brain when we experience art' with a few key bullet points.

• Research in neuroaesthetics shows that engaging with meaningful art activates brain networks involved in introspection and reflection, not just basic perception.

• Aesthetic experiences can promote empathy, strengthen social connection, and support cross-cultural understanding.

• Art shapes thought, emotion, and identity by integrating cognitive and emotional processes, indicating that art appreciation involves deep psychological engagement.

 

Escanaba City Council Meeting (Feb. 5, 2026) Strong Fiscal Management, Funds, Infrastructure, Hiring, Business Thriving, and Yacht Clubs! (Lance Jumps in a Row Boat)

(Illustrative Only)

Lance couldn't find an
intro to sculling class so
he decided to just row 
his dingy. Thinking he also
might need to take a water
safety and navigation 
class. Would such classes support
 tourism, local health and a
little revenue for the club
and city? Maybe or Maybe not.

 Even with a dinghy he still
gets a pretty good workout.
He is thinking of heading
downtown to a 
new bistro to try it out
after he is done.
Elleven 10 Bistro

This city council meeting covered a range of topics, from fiscal management to decisions about the yacht club. The town has grown significantly into a hot spot over the past four years as residents and administrators have worked together to build something special. It’s becoming a popular investment and vacation spot on the Great Lakes, supported by strong infrastructure—roads, a port, an airfield, a railway, and high-speed data.

The area is also attracting more social events, including concerts, clubs, ice races, and activities at local museums and historic sites. This enhances quality of life factors in economic development. With all this growth, it raises an important question: what does it take for a small Upper Peninsula town to stay competitive and financially sound?

Ultimately, it requires people coming together around a shared vision and focusing on strengthening the community while creating new opportunities. A type of model is starting to form of how to create economic thriving and comebacks.

Comments on regular need for funding for businesses seeking to expand, housing projects, etc. Escanaba downtown has gained some new businesses and while it is strong for start-ups it also has industrial areas for scalling up successful businesses. An interesting article on 6 Characteristics of Cities Where Businesses Thrive

Feb 5th, 2026 Agenda

• City Council meeting scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on February 5, 2026 at City Hall.
• Agenda included approval of minutes from December 18, 2025 and January 15, 2026.
• No public hearings or unfinished business listed.

• New business items included:

  • Audit presentation by the city controller.: Appears to be that finances and grants were well run with no findings. Increases in assets and cash. Grants and infrastructure development. Increase in long term liability. Pension liability decreased because of investment returns. Electric is going up so perhaps there are ways to maximize that while creating more local electric independence. Just something to think about. 
  • Contract with CUPPAD to update the recreation five-year plan. 
  • Agreement to establish an unendowed agency fund with the Community Foundation for Delta County. A financial fund used for city related projects but don't have clear funding channel. Comments on regular need for funding for businesses seeking to expand, housing projects, etc.
  • Approval of the Yacht Club lease. Some discussion on opening more up to public use. Some discussion on cost and public services. Designating certain days and times when it can be rented by the public might help. A little revenue source for weddings and activities. There may be a beverage issues. Another option might be having club members volunteer for activities around the beach and park. i.e. boating training, etc. 
  • (Thinking out loud....🤔How about a rowing or other watersport activities? Like glass out there some mornings. Not specifically rowing but a variety of recreational activities/rentals, fishing 101, sailing 101, etc. Perhaps purchase year memberships and offer a few classes for the public. Some yatch clubs manage rentals and put on classes. Maybe helps tourism, park appeal, pays the rent and gets the club some money. Another thought is health, recreation, socialization, etc. Just something to think about but run your own numbers. 
  • Btw... If you haven't seen sculling you can look at a video from the San Diego Rowing Club. These guys/gals are awesome! I row there sometimes.👌 UoM and a few other university in Michigan have them as well.  We also have some Finlanders and a touch of Finlander culture here so they may like how the Finnish Row  Now if we keep the innovation juices alive we can start our own UP Sculling Version 🙃 :)
  • Resolution to add streets to the ACT 51 street system.
  • Resolution to change street names in the ACT 51 system.  
  • Discussion on hiring and candidates.
  • Join a number of the available committees.   

Agenda also included appointments, public comment time, and adjournment.

 

The Case for Joining and Supporting Your Local Fire Department

(Illustrative Only)

Firefighting is more
of a passion for many. 
They enjoy helping their
community. 

Equipment needs to be updated
regularly; unless
you want this piece of
history showing up! 
Donating to 
a non-profit is tax free. 
Send a message to
the right.

This would be a good place
for a business to consider
reducing tax liability
while supporting their
community.

Firefighters protect businesses, homes,
natural assets, etc...

People are drawn to firefighting for many reasons. In recent years, some departments have struggled to recruit younger members, especially for volunteer or part-time roles. Training takes time, regulations keep increasing, and departments have to put real effort into bringing new people in. Still, some firehouses do well—one department even has about a third of its crew under age 25, along with experienced members who have decades of knowledge. Sounds cross generational and that should be supported.

Why someone becomes a firefighter varies, but a few motivations come up often:

• A sense of community and helping others

• Being part of a tight, long-lasting team

• Personal development—firefighting gives you a reason to grow, stay fit, and take responsibility

• Pay, though it’s usually modest, even as firefighters take on increasing challenges like climate-driven emergencies

If you’re in business, college, a veteran, or another career path, joining a local department can still offer real benefits. You’ll learn teamwork, gain technical knowledge, take on responsibility, stay consistent, and maintain a basic level of fitness.

Even if you can’t be a firefighter yourself, you can still support your local departments—fundraising, recruiting, sharing fire-safety information, helping with events, and more.

 NFPA has an interesting article on why people choose this path if you'd like to explore further.

NFPA Firefighting Occupation Info

Also, if you would like to donate to a UP fire department that supports a couple of communities and could use some new equipment please contact me and I will connect you with the right people. Tax free donation. 

Making Pizza The Fast and Cheap Way for Cabin Dwellers (Camp Cooking)

People have all sorts of relationships with cooking. Some folks genuinely love it, some avoid it like it’s an optional tax form, and then there are people like me—who enjoy cooking only when the planets align and the mood is right. Most days, I keep it simple. Very simple. “If it requires more than two steps, it’s too fancy” simple.

When you live a camp/outdoor/sailing kind of life, cooking becomes part survival skill, part improvisational comedy. You rarely have everything you need, so meals often become, “What can I make with three vegetables, half a protein bar, and olive oil?” Surprisingly, the answer is usually something.

Cooking should be cheaper, but that depends on whether you actually have the ingredients. If you don’t, suddenly that “budget meal” costs more than a small car (More than my metal car tank thing Riveria). Health-wise, cooking at home is generally better—you know exactly what’s in your food, and you can control calories, protein, and how many vegetables you pretend to enjoy.

(Illustrative Only)

Recently, I made a very simple pizza. Yes, I cheated and bought the dough. Could I have made the dough myself? Sure. Have I made it before? Also yes. Did I want to do that again? Absolutely not. I sliced up a block of cheese, added sauce, threw on some veggies and lean white-meat protein, drizzled a little garlic olive oil (supposed to be good for your joints, or at least that’s what I tell myself), and shoved it in the oven.

Was it the best pizza I’ve ever made? No. Was it edible? Surprisingly, yes. For five minutes of effort and about five dollars’ worth of ingredients, it was basically culinary magic. Or at least edible sorcery. Either way, dinner was served.

With whitemeat chicken 300 ish calories, 30 carbs, 30 protein. 

A Pizza Recipe I found. Look up your own. Pizza Recipe

Corruption, Hate, and the Erosion of Trust: A Philosophical Reflection (The Story of the Clan continues....)

 In The Story of the Clan, we use a philosophical, hypothetical thought experiment to explore how hate and corruption can distort systems, weaken economies, and slow social development. Corruption exists naturally in every institution to some degree, and research shows that as corruption increases, it creates economic drag by wasting resources and weakening trust (Keep in mind no system runs with perfect efficiency and it is about extent more then its existence.). Hate functions similarly on the social side. It shapes expectations, biases, and perceptions, limiting opportunity and preventing societies from fully developing human capital; In turn everyone suffers from the thought processes of a few. When people are excluded from employment or advancement because of hate and/or corruption, both local and national economies suffer.

(Illustrative Only)

Joe learned from history

and philosophy.

He knows that we

are at our best when

we are all treated on

merit and recognized

for our unique contributions.

People around here trust

each other and they 

have created a sense 

of community that leads

to economoic and 

social growth.

If you can't find value

in others you cannot 

find your own value.

Hate and corruption

is a warping of self-value

and thus the value 

of others. Sometimes

that can lead to dehumanization.

The deepest of mirrors into

one's own soul.

If officials or society itself begins to give a passive eye to corruption or hate—especially when it seems to benefit a particular group or ideology—the results are predictable. Corruption drains resources, and hate undermines social foundations. Together, they reduce overall economic activity and stability. This is why strong checks and balances are essential. Any society and anywhere as the general elements are the same.

Most officials and officers act with integrity and deserve community support. They are our heros and we should be helpful so as to encourage such pro-social behaviors that reduces crime and helps strugging societal members to rehabilitate. But when bad actors operate from corruption or hate—and when systems fail to hold them accountable—they can harm people for years. A wake of voiceless and often retaliated against victims. In our story, we see how misinformation, prejudice, and biased decision-making warped outcomes and eroded trust.

(In this learning story we will actual reverse that but we have to go through the mucky stuff first because we have to understand how this functions from our thought experiment. Your only job is to understand, agree/disagree, proposal alternatives, debate its value, so on and so forth. Take a second and think about collective interest.)

As the narrative continues, we also see that confronting corruption and reducing hate improves economic and social conditions over time. Although hate and corruption are different concepts, they both arise from forms of self-interest, and they often overlap. Understanding this connection helps explain why addressing both is necessary for healthier institutions and stronger communities.

The UN put out a piece on social and economic development as it relates to corruption. UN Corruption

• Integrity drives impact and trust: Businesses that operate with integrity—meaning they are ethical, transparent, and accountable—have a strong potential to create positive outcomes for society, markets, and global development.

• Integrity supports sustainable economies: Ethical business practices help strengthen long-term economic resilience, attract investment, improve competitiveness, and contribute to fair, transparent markets. 

Bard Study helps highlight some of the cost of hate. However, that likely doesn't include the more difficult to measure long term impact on expectation, engagement, community cohesion and growth. Bard Study on Hate 2023

• The Bard Center for the Study of Hate released a report by Bard Associate Professor Michael Martell that examines the economic costs of hate crimes in the United States, estimating measurable annual costs at nearly $3.4 billion, while noting the actual cost is likely much higher.

• The study breaks down a wide range of costs—from tangible losses like lost earnings, medical bills, property damage, and policing to more complex social costs such as psychological harm and fear in communities—and introduces a framework for thinking about these costs as a “hate tax.”

From a philosophical perspective one might consider how this problem has resonated in history and how it has influenced our world over the generations. 

Tacitus once wrote,

"A shocking crime was committed

on the unscrupulous initiative

of few individuals,

with the blessing of more,

and amid the passive acquiescence of all."

*This is a hypothetical, philosophical, theoretical thought experiment to explore the impact of hate and corruption so take with a grain or salt. Change around the elements and come to whatever conclusion you wish as long as you thought about it. 

The Value and Importance of Setting Goals (The Ladies Want to Start a Gas Station in a Place Like Escanaba)

(Illustrative Only)
"The Ladies" are thinking of
starting a gas and repair shop
in a place like Escanaba.
As veterans they know 
how to fix cars and are 
great at understanding 
processes. They
hope to grow their 
gas sation into a chain.

As they focus on their goals of
their first gas station,
it could lead to a successful 
launch of their business and then eventually
buying a second or third.
Goals lead to greater growth
and often more opportunities.

Escanaba is a place that has become
an investment hub and has
relatively low start-up costs
and room to scale. 
While this is just an example
you can check out
Delta County Chamber of Commerce.

 Goals help us stay focused on what we want to achieve, whether they are big and long-term or small and short-lived. They guide our efforts, give us direction, and help us stay motivated even when life gets challenging. Effective goals matter to us personally, can be measured, and are broken down into manageable steps that keep us moving forward. As we grow and change, our goals evolve too, but the process of setting and pursuing them remains essential. While we cannot control everything in life, staying committed to our goals helps us move with purpose rather than drifting aimlessly. A leaf in the wind versus a gliding sparrow that has more control where it goes. Giving up guarantees failure, but persistence creates the path to progress.

Steps for Setting Effective Goals

• Choose goals that matter to you so your effort feels meaningful.

• Make the goals measurable so you can track progress and know when you’ve achieved them.

• Break each goal into smaller steps that can be done daily or weekly.

• Stay persistent, even when obstacles arise.

• Review and adjust your goals over time as your life, priorities, and circumstances evolve.

Goals play an important role in the lives of college students and military veterans. In many cases, these groups overlap—some students are veterans, and many veterans pursue new paths such as starting a business after leaving the military. Setting goals helps guide that process of discovery. You begin by exploring how to start a business, learning the rules, figuring out financing, understanding operations, and following a developmental path that leads from one step to the next.

The same is true in college. If you want to earn a specific degree or pursue a certain career, goals help you stay on track. Even for those who simply love learning for its own sake, the journey is shaped by goals. You take new courses, meet new professors, encounter new ideas, and gradually expand your understanding of the world. It becomes a continuous process of discovery.

Goals are not meant to be easy—they are meant to challenge you. That challenge is what shapes personal growth. The goal gives you a direction, but where you ultimately end up depends on your choices and the environment around you. Along the way, you may grow enough to adjust your goals into something even more meaningful. That evolution could never happen, though, if you didn’t take the first step and keep moving forward.

*Written for a project related to veterans.

Stronger, Healthier, and More Mobile: A Holistic Fitness Approach (Fitness Training)

(Illustrative Only)
A guy and gal working 
out at a northern gym.

Fitness plays an important role in many people’s lives, including my own. Over the years, I’ve played a wide range of sports and taken part in different activities—not long enough to become a professional in any of them, but enough to develop a broad set of interests. Whether you’re active in sports or simply focused on general fitness, incorporating complex movements under resistance can be extremely beneficial. Varying your training and participating in different activities helps build functional strength, flexibility, and overall well-rounded fitness.

Many people, especially younger lifters, push heavy weights and consume large amounts of protein to gain size. While that can increase muscle mass, it may also reduce flexibility or lead to preventable injuries over time. I’ve known more than one person who faced serious setbacks—such as heart issues or repeated knee injuries—because their training lacked balance.

Using slightly lighter weights while emphasizing complex, compound movements—working at 70–80% of your max until fatigue—can help strike a healthy balance between building strength and maintaining mobility. Sports naturally demand different kinds of coordination and muscle activation. For example, if I box, kickbox, dance, snowshoe, yoga, downhill and cross-country ski, fence, polo, row, and more then each activity challenges the body differently, so my workouts reflect that variety.

Even if you’re not a sports enthusiast and simply enjoy going to the gym, focusing on stabilizer muscles and functional motions can improve recovery and reduce the need for supplementation. Lighter loads with higher complexity often lead to less severe micro-tears and faster recovery while still promoting broad, sustainable strength gains.

I’m a licensed fitness trainer—this is a hobby I’m passionate about—and I’m available to help at a local gym if you’re in Escanaba or San Diego. Outside of that area, I’m happy to work with you remotely. My general rates are:

• $60 for a one-hour gym session where I teach you how to use equipment or set up a basic routine

• $100 for a more personalized program, including a defined routine and a simple nutrition guideline plan.

If you’re interested, feel free to send me a message.

Editorial: Adaptations to Advanced Resistance Training Strategies in Youth and Adult Athletes