Art, Neuroplasticity, and Mild Desperation: Painting Acrylic

 Art is fun. It’s something to do when you’re sitting around pretending to be productive. Plus, it forces you to step away from the computer before your eyeballs turn into little square pixels. I’ve got a beach painting going right now. I think it’s a beach, anyway. Might throw in some ducks… or seagulls… or whatever bird shows up in my imagination first. I’ll decide later. That’s called “artistic mystery.”

These masterpieces below? Yeah, they’re mine. Don’t worry, I’m not claiming they’re museum quality—unless there’s a museum somewhere dedicated to “Hey, at least they tried.” But they’re expressions of something, and that counts!

Now, if you feel a sudden urge to buy one, act on that feeling immediately. They’re piling up like I’m running a secret warehouse for unsold paintings. If nobody buys them, they might end up in a fire pit, and nobody wants that kind of emotional scene. So make me an offer—seriously, I’m not picky. Half goes to charity, half goes to me so I can buy more canvases and continue this cycle of creativity and mild chaos.

And here’s a fun fact: making art actually boosts neuroplasticity. Doesn’t matter if you’re an executive, a regular person, or someone who thinks a “palette” is something you grill burgers on—your brain benefits. Art helps you think flexibly, see things from new angles, and move shapes around in your mind like you’re the CEO of imagination.

If you’re a sports person and you’ve been laughing at “art people,” calm down—sports are good too. It’s the full, well-rounded human that matters. You can throw a football and paint a tree. Amazing, right?

Anyway, if you want to buy one of these paintings, hit me up. If not, start your own art adventure. Worst case, you create something weird. Best case, you hang it up and pretend to be mysterious and deep. Win-win.

If your interested in any of my neuroplacity art feel free to send me an offer to the right.

• Art-trained individuals performed better on creative tasks like design and divergent thinking.

• Their brains showed stronger activation in areas involved in imagination and cognitive control during creative thinking.

• They demonstrated more efficient and flexible brain network activity when generating ideas.

• Long-term visual arts education appears to reshape brain organization in ways that support creative problem solving.

8X10

11X14

8x10

8x10

Cooperative Approaches to Scaling Exports in Emerging Community Enterprises

(Illustrative Only)

Oscar makes some of the 
best knives and axes
in the country. These 
are custom but there 
are a lot of people who 
want them. He learned
how to scale a basic fishing
fillet knife
and firefighter axe while still
keeping his custom work.

He would like to work
with others in Delta County
to create greater export,
marketing, and hire
a few employees for
the small manufacturing
operations in the back of his downtown
storefront. His hope
is to develop his brand and
expand operations.

He might call them Al's Firefighter Axe
and Kipling Fillet Knife
(Just an example).
Ebay, Amzaon, Walmart online,
and wants to expand with others.
His business needs some export
knowledge and though others
might need that knowledge
as well.

The Value of Innovation
and Start Ups in Delta
County

Developing an export-oriented economy within a community requires careful foundational work. This includes attracting startups, supporting existing businesses, generating tax revenue, and securing grants to enhance local infrastructure, such as downtown commercial spaces. Economic development in this context is an iterative process, where shared knowledge and collaboration among stakeholders can catalyze tangible outcomes.

Even with a cohort of engaged businesses, many may initially be too small to export, whether regionally or internationally, due to limitations in production capacity, distribution, or logistics. Businesses often begin by serving local markets, gradually expanding regionally, and over several years, scaling to access global markets. Achieving this progression necessitates a robust business model that enables startups to establish stability, grow, and eventually engage in export activities.

Expertise in export processes is essential. Whether a community produces maple syrup, custom golf carts, metal-stamped goods, snowshoes, or specialty sports equipment, businesses require structured channels to reach regional and international markets. One effective approach is the formation of cooperatives or business associations, where firms can pool resources, share expertise, and coordinate export activities. Such organizations may be self-funded through a portion of international sales or initially supported through state or federal grants, and can operate as nonprofit or for-profit entities.

The overarching objective is to facilitate the expansion of small businesses into new markets, thereby generating employment, increasing tax revenue, and strengthening the community’s overall economic capacity as firms gain experience and efficiency in export operations.

An Export Readiness Model

• The paper proposes a comprehensive model to assess a firm’s readiness to begin exporting, addressing a gap in the literature where existing models are fragmented or not empirically tested.

• It argues that export readiness is complex and can vary by target market, depending on factors like product nature, firm expertise, and specific foreign market requirements.

• The model integrates key components from existing theories, including internal readiness, management commitment, external readiness, export stimuli, and barriers, with trust and commitment acting as mediators.

• The authors suggest that this model is suitable for structural equation modeling (SEM) to identify the most critical factors influencing export readiness and can help firms evaluate and improve their internationalization preparedness. 

Export status and SME productivity: Learning-to-export versus learning-by-exporting

• The study looks at how UK SMEs differ in productivity based on whether they are domestic, export-capable, or actual exporters.

• Evidence supports both learning-to-export (building capability before exporting) and learning-by-exporting (gaining productivity after exporting).

• Current productivity and both product and process innovation influence a firm’s decision to move toward exporting.

• Product innovation can reduce productivity in the short term, while growth ambition and planned innovation strongly drive firms toward export capability.

The Story of the Clan: A Cautionary Tale of Values, Leadership, and Justice (Dehumanization Lessons)

(Illustrative Only)

While the generations and centuries
have changed the basic concepts
of justice, wise leadership,
and societal development
have not. 

Vote your conscious and pick
the best and brightest to lead
versus the most connected.
It will influence future
generations and opportunities. 

Let us continue exploring the Story of the Clan as a philosophical and hypothetical example of how injustice can grow under the wrong circumstances. In this scenario, a good-old-boy network misused their positions to target people they disliked for racial, religious, political, or personal reasons. The story is simply a learning tool on dehumanization/hate and corruption—anyone can adjust its details, form their own conclusions, and reflect on what it reveals about their own values.

Lesson: Dehumanizing behaviors are a mirror into the perpetrators inner world. 

In this allegory, secret deals were made, courts were misused, and coordinated mistreatment became normal. Rumors were spread, children were put in harm’s way, elders were manipulated for financial gain, and some individuals engaged in long-term misconduct or extremism. These actors believed they had done nothing wrong because “it’s always been this way,” only later realizing that long-standing habits still require improvement. The behaviors were intentionally manipulative, dangerous, and horrendous but this didn't stop anyone; only the fear of getting caught slowed them down.

Whistleblowers reported wrongdoing, but their information was intentionally leaked back to perpetrators, leading to retaliation and collusion. Freedoms of speech and religion were violated. People were harmed. This kind of dehumanization erodes trust and weakens institutions. Wise officials protect long-term institutional health and are not easily swayed by social, political, religious, foreign, or personal bias. Their loyalty lies with the people and the social contracts that hold communities together. A higher standard should have been upheld, and only new leadership made a diference 

Lesson: Many perpetrators don't often stop stimply because its moral or immoral but seem to respond to risks of being held to account.

Lesson: Systems can be easily manipulated by internal actors so it is important to have stronger checks and balances. 

Lesson: New leadership can help if changes internally are strong enough, cultural adjustments occur, and checks and balances are implemented.

Societies depend on shared assumptions and everyday interactions that support growth and stability. When bad actors face no correction, the lack of accountability becomes a statement about decision makers true values. Over time, these choices shape deeper assumptions that influence cohesion. Justice is not only about punishment—it is about what a society chooses to stand for. In this example, community awareness and patriotic officials helped prevent a full breakdown of justice.

Founding documents and social contracts were created to protect people from these very abuses, though their purpose is often forgotten. Good citizens remember the lessons of history, avoid feelings of entitlement, and honor the sacrifices others made to advance shared ideals. While these principles have never been applied perfectly, the aim has always been to move toward greater liberty and freedom despite human flaws.

Lesson: The very misuse of law and entitlement of institutional outcomes is inherently immoral, illegal and fails to learn from history. 

When self-interested or corrupted actors adopt ideas that undermine those freedoms—dividing people by race or religion, fueling hyper-partisanship, suppressing speech, or creating unsafe conditions—they drift away from core values. Sometimes this comes from internal corruption, sometimes from outside influences that promote division. In such environments, both harmful actions and unhealthy assumptions can create a shield for destructive behavior. Protecting the mind and communities from distorted thinking becomes essential.

Lesson: People who misuse systems and cheat others out of their rights undermine the foundations of trust.

Good advice for the next generation is simple: vote for the best and brightest. Choose leaders at all levels who demonstrate integrity, competence, and commitment to shared values—regardless of party. Learn about social contracts, civic responsibilities, and the people who preserve them. If parties seem identical or unhelpful, vote independent to bring in new ideas. Many candidates are shaped by special interests, which distorts priorities and widens inequality. Encourage good people and those who preserve their independence of thought to serve and take on leadership roles.

Lesson: People who lack integrity are unlikely going to find it so vote for the best quality candidates beyond party considerations.

We need leaders chosen for merit and genuine service, not for their ties to special interests or ideologies that work against the purpose of society. Correcting wrongdoing is vital—not only for justice but to support the many officials who do act with integrity. Strong leadership can inspire them while ensuring real checks and balances for those who misuse power. Our choices today shape what the next generation inherits. Ultimately, they will decide what to do with that inheritance.

Lesson: The next generation should think about what they want and build off of the successes and learn from the failures of our generation. 

Choose wisely—time answers all questions.

Humanizing and Duhumanizing Research

• It emphasizes that social relationships and complex social identities shape how dehumanization unfolds in real conflicts and aggression.

• The authors highlight the importance of examining the institutional and organizational contexts in which dehumanization occurs, rather than only individual attitudes.

• They call for increased interdisciplinarity, bringing together perspectives from culture, society, and institutions to better understand how dehumanization connects with aggression and extremism.

• The overall aim is to make dehumanization research more applicable and insightful for real-world cases of conflict and brutality by re-centering human elements in both theory and empirical work.

• The article argues that dehumanization research needs to focus more on core human-centered aspects like cultural conceptions of what it means to be human, not just abstract theories.

Baking White Bread (Camp Cooking)

Here we go again—another attempt at cooking something from scratch. This time I made white bread because, well, I needed some bread and I’m trying to turn a new leaf. I want to cook more of my own food, eat healthier, and get back into the gym routine. I’ve gone to the gym plenty over the years, so that part isn’t new, but adding real home cooking into the mix definitely is.

It’s not even about saving money, though you probably save a little. It’s more about eating cleaner, knowing what’s in my food, and making things taste exactly how I like them. These days everything is so processed that people forget how to make the basics. I'm not overly concerned about each fad, eat almost anything, but still try and make better choices.

(Illustrative Only)

Its pretty simple. 
Just look for a recipe online. 

For this bread, I didn’t even use a recipe. I mixed a little sugar with warm water, added a packet of yeast, let it wake up, then stirred in flour, a bit of oil, and a touch of salt. I kneaded it into a ball, oiled it, and let it rest for a couple hours. After it rose, I punched it down, let it rest again, and baked it at around 350°F for 30–40 minutes—just checking it until it looked right. I brushed a little butter on the outside, which made the crust taste even better. Next time I might cut a few slices on top for that classic bakery look.

Honestly, you can do all of this by hand. Everyone tries to sell you a machine to “make it easier,” but then people stop using it and go right back to buying bread. At that point, what’s the difference? You might as well learn how to make it from scratch and skip all the unnecessary gadgets. It doesn’t cost anything except a little time.

Anyway, just some thoughts. Happy camp cooking—this can be done anywhere you’ve got an oven and some water.

When Leadership Lifts Everyone Up: Ethics in Positions of Authority

(Illustrative Only)

Companies can encourage 
strong ethical leadership 
and move beyond 
profit to foster
the development of their 
employees and be positive
contributors to the world 
around them. They
know that employees take 
cues from leaders so
they meet to discuss the softer
qualities of selecting their next CEO.

The Tree of Life is
in the background for 
learning about the roots
of ethics. I will 
try and include
other societal systems
of values from different
 cultural and value lines.
It is important to 
understand the softer
aspects that make up
transactional assumptions
that lead to great organizations.

Leadership matters everywhere—organizations, governments, nonprofits, and even places of worship. People take their cues from whoever is in charge. When leaders model honesty and strong values, the people around them tend to act ethically too. When leaders treat ethics like a joke, others start cutting corners and gaming the system. It is important to be reflective within any organization of leadership and ethics.

Organizations exist so people can combine their skills for shared success. Yes, shareholders matter, but companies also depend on the knowledge, creativity, and integrity of their leadership team. Avoid treating employees like service providers instead of partners who help build something valuable for themselves and the organization. Even better if they build it for society. 

Your organizations survival depends on commitment from employees. Employees who feel they are part of a cause, mission, or doing something beneficial they feel good create opportunities much more than money alone. Employees want to be part of something and leadership fosters or it hampers employee sentiment.

Ethical leaders understand this. They respect the insights and abilities of their people, and they use that collective knowledge to create something great. It’s not just about money—it’s about valuing contributions, encouraging innovation, and rewarding those who help the organization grow, ethically and financially.

There are many good leaders out there. And of course, there are some bad ones. The trouble is that the bad ones can cause a lot of damage. So make sure you hire wisely and think about the softer side of leadership and management. It is the long tail of organizational development.

Ethical leadership, subordinates’ moral identity and self-control: Two- and three-way interaction effect on subordinates’ ethical behavior

• Ethical leadership encourages employees to behave ethically, but the effect is stronger when employees themselves have a strong moral identity.

• Self-control also plays a role: employees with high moral identity and good self-control show the strongest positive response to ethical leadership, while low self-control weakens that impact.

The Great Snowblower Showdown: Battery vs Gas

The plastic
one is smaller size.

The other day it snowed so hard it couldn’t decide what it wanted to be—half rain, half snow, and if it could’ve squeezed in another half, it would’ve been ice. A real identity-crisis storm.

My neighbor and I ended up having an unofficial Snowblower Showdown: his $1,200 gas-powered beast vs. my humble $275 electric blower (plus $50 for extra batteries I barely use because one set usually does the job).

The snow was about four inches of slush—basically a giant Sno-Cone dumped on our driveways. We both fired up our machines, and honestly, his kept clogging like it was trying to eat oatmeal. Mine did better, but I’ll admit I cheated and sprayed my chute with coconut or olive oil spray. Yes, my snowblower was moisturized and ready for winter runway season.

Then the snowplow rolled through like a villain in a disaster movie and buried both driveways in ice boulders. By morning it was chunks of frozen misery. Neither machine liked that. His gas blower did do a better job chewing up the smaller ice chunks—apparently metal skid plates beat plastic ones in a fistfight.

But when it came to attacking the real frozen stuff, both machines just shrugged. We had to shovel, chip, and shave the snow like we were making artisanal ice for cocktails.

The funniest moment: he shut off his gas blower for a second, went to restart it, and had to yank the cord three times. He nearly launched himself backward. Meanwhile, I pressed a button like I was turning on a TV. Instant power. I laughed. He did too—after catching his balance.

Sure, the gas one still has some advantages, especially with deep snow. But for an $800 difference, the little electric guy held its own. Not bad for the budget underdog.

Escanaba City Council Meeting (Feb 19th, 2026) Esky-Cabo Discusses Golf Carts, Yacht Clubs, Investments, and Marinas (Tourism Industry)

(Illustrative Only)

Braman and Heidi love
to travel they both
work as digital nomads. 
They are thinking
of starting or 
angel investing in a business
down on Ludington Street. 
They love that they can
take their sailboat here, rent
a golf cart, listen to the bands,
get groceries, play tennis,
 have lunch, attend a theater show,
 visit downtown nearby, hang out
at the beach, fish, and listen
to Raggie music. Ya Maaan!

Braman is thinking about whether
building custom golf carts
and calling them Esky-Cabo
Carts would create
more tax revenue, allow for 
exports, service regional
golf courses, and contribute
to the brand and lifestyle?
Maybe or maybe not?

Attracting SME-Adventure Tourism

City government doesn’t usually feel exciting, but it should—there’s a lot of good happening. As more people get involved and participate, we see more positive momentum. This community has strong engagement, even though we could always use more involvement. Consider a discussion on golf carts and Yacht Club/Marina.

Over the past few years, the city has turned a corner. Tourism is up, cruise ships come in, investment is up, social clubs are coming back, industry investment up, infrastructure improvements, and new businesses are coming downtown. Yes, we had a couple of fires that set things back, but even those sites can become opportunities for fresh development and new investors. Specifically the House of Ludington lot might have some strong value. (😢I used to go there many times with my Buick Guppy Gangster Mobile and would feel the old world charm. Good memories)

One thing I liked about this meeting was the focus on tourism. There was even discussion about allowing golf carts. A lot of tourist-friendly communities use them, and modern carts come with lights and safety features. Imagine riding around the park, catching some music, and stopping by the grocery store on the way home. It gets neighbors interacting and adds charm for retirees and digital nomads who want an easy, relaxed lifestyle (We got our own Esky-Cabo and Beach vibe going on! Nice and relaxed. Nothing like sitting on your boat in the summer, bass on the barbie and listening to Raggie or Folk Rock. Maybe walk down to the beach. Snow is Falling: Snow and Fire).

The other topic was the marina and the yacht club. People lined up to talk about the value the club bringx, and they’re right. Highlighting water activities—posting them on the building, getting them on the Escanaba website—helps with tourism branding. Tourism isn’t just events; it’s making sure people know what’s happening. There is long tail value to also consider in terms of food, hotels, tax revenue, etc. (A state run fish hatchery would also help the area for recreational and commercial fishing. Garden is getting some new port and ship launch infrastructure I believe. They both could help each other to maximize return. Perpetual Economic Systems) 

One idea mentioned was offering classes. You could consider even building a certification program—something like boating safety or Great Lakes Sailing 101. Do it on-site and/or virtually, then offer an optional hands-on portion for people who want practical hours. Two certificates: one for coursework, one for on-water hours. It strengthens the yacht club’s brand and expands its reach and may spill over into hotels and dining accomodations. Come in for a week, stay at a hotel, use the club for classroom occassionally, take your water practical and expand boating in the area. (Doesn't necessarily have to be like this but... I was thinking of taking captain training online, because my friend has one and I know some captains. He bought a boat and is going to start fish guides and tours in his retirement. He asked if I would help him sometimes.)

Overall, the town is coming back in a big way. There’s interest, energy, and a lot of underused potential. And who knows—maybe one of those old downtown buildings becomes a golf cart shop with big windows and shiny custom carts inside. Just so the tourists and locals can salivate. People might come from out of town just to browse. Little sparks like that can create whole new local industries, revenue and exports if marketed and sold out of the area. Industries like that sometimes leads to other electric and small utility vehicle development. 

One has to make their own judgement on what would or would not work but the process of thinking about it changes things. You just never know where things start.....

Feb 19th, 2026 City Council Meeting

Gold Cart Industry 26-34

• Global golf cart market expected to grow steadily through 2034

• Market value projected to reach about USD 3.7 billion by 2034

• Growth driven by rising use in resorts, campuses, gated communities, and golf tourism

• Electric and solar-powered carts are becoming more popular

• North America holds the largest market share; Asia Pacific expected to grow faster

• COVID-19 temporarily slowed demand due to course and resort closures

10 Tips for Increasing Marina Revenue

• Good customer service and a clean, safe marina help keep existing customers happy and returning, which supports steady revenue growth.

• Adding new services and amenities (like equipment rentals, events, or expanded repair and storage options) gives customers more reasons to spend at your marina.

• Hosting events and becoming knowledgeable about local attractions can attract more visitors and create additional business opportunities.

• Using digital tools like websites, SEO, and social media helps more potential customers find your marina and boosts bookings.

Marina Industry Boosts Outdoor Tourism

• Outdoor recreation in the United States generated about $1.2 trillion in economic output and supported around 5 million jobs, with boating and marinas contributing significantly to that growth, according to Marina Dock Age.

• Marinas and boatyards boost local economies by supporting boating, fishing, and related small businesses, though the industry still faces challenges such as labor shortages.

Key Drivers of Yacht Tourism- Boating Classes

• The study used conjoint analysis with 484 yacht tourists to identify which factors shape yacht tourism preferences, including program quality, safety, service, accessibility, and economic value.

• Yacht sailing programs ranked highest, but economic value (getting a worthwhile experience for the price) was also an important consideration for many travelers.

• Experienced tourists focused most on program quality, while inexperienced tourists placed greater importance on safety and cost-effectiveness.

• Overall, tourists preferred a package that offered a strong sailing program, solid safety measures, good service, easy access, and a sense that the trip delivered good economic value for the money spent.