Show Up: The Real Secret to Fitness Success (Fitness Trainer)

Fitness is important, and it plays a big role in overall health. Some people thrive in their fitness journey—getting stronger, healthier, and more confident—while others struggle to stay consistent. As the piece below points out, most people who start a routine don’t stick with it. The ones who do succeed aren’t necessarily experts; they simply show up through self-efficacy. By being present and putting in the work, they learn, grow, and improve over time.

This lesson applies to many areas of life. If something truly matters to you, you’ll show up for it. But if you keep finding excuses, the habit eventually fades. And sometimes, that’s okay—maybe the goal was exciting at first but didn’t hold long-term importance.

Fitness, however, is something everyone should practice at some level. At minimum, aim for three days a week. If you rotate routines and allow proper rest, you can go up to five or even seven days (you have to be clear on which body party which day), depending on your schedule and goals.

Don’t be intimidated by the gym. Most people there are learning and improving just like you. Yes, you’ll see a few bodybuilders or ultra-fit athletes, but they’re far less common than people think—and certain gyms simply attract them more than others.

I go to a few gyms myself, including the YMCA and The Point Loma Sports Club. I like the YMCA because their nationwide program lets me walk into just about any location when I travel.

I’m a certified fitness trainer with experience in various sports and activities. If you’d like help getting started or want guidance along the way, I can work with you virtually. If we’re in the same area, we can train in person as well—though most sessions will be online.

If you’re interested, send me a message.
Stay committed—you’ve got this.

Why Do Some Stick with Their Fitness Routine

Platonic Valentines Day in Escanaba (Two Bands and Italian!)

(Illustrative Only)

Tony enjoys hanging
with platonic friends. Less
hassle and good 
laughs. Besides
when you bust out 
the suit you know
your doing some 
dancing. 🙃

Good car, good friends,
and a nice suit is all one needs.

Some people spend Valentine’s Day wrapped in romance—rose petals, candlelight, mushy photos, the whole glittery circus. The rest of us? We squad up with our platonic ride-or-dies and rip up the town like friendship-fueled goblins. Honestly? Way more fun.

No drama. No “where is this relationship going?” interrogation. Just laughter, chaos, and zero expectations except “don’t lose anyone in the parking lot.”. Definately don't forget you left your phone and swear you just had it. 😬

We hit Amvets first—because nothing screams “Valentine’s spirit” like a place that rocks your socks off. Then we rolled over with the Guppy Gangsta Wagon to Eagles, the private club that occasionally opens its gates like, “Fine, peasants, come party.” Membership’s about fifty bucks, which is cheaper than one fancy date-night dinner and comes with something fun every other day. You’ll meet people, might make a few friends, and have a few laughs. Better than Cheers! (Honestly, a low key fun place).

The weather? Foggy. Cool. Not the romantic fog from movies—more like “I hope that’s a person and not a trash can.” Love was not in the air. But the smell of pizza was.

We ended the night at Mueller’s Pizza, investigating their top-secret cheese-and-Italian combo like undercover food detectives. I was trying to eat more vegetables, but it’s Valentine’s Day—you’re legally allowed to eat like you’re starring in your own food documentary. Besides it has tomato sauce and onions on it so that is healthy.

If you want to know the bizarre history behind this holiday of chocolate, heartbreak, and overpriced flowers, go read up on the origins of Valentine’s Day. Spoiler: it’s weirder than any modern relationship.

The Dark Origins of Valentine's Day

Working Behind the Set-The Producers, The Tape Marks, and The Joy of Local Arts (Jared Holds Up the Wall)

(Illustrative Only)

Jered learned that
the best way to hold up
a set wall was to use
two hands. 😲🙃

Tourists love the arts.

Lately, I’ve been working backstage on the set for The Producers. If you know the show, you already know it’s a riot—one of the main characters basically funds his productions by sweet-talking little old ladies. It’s ridiculous in the best way. The tickets are descently priced so you don't need to bring the "checkie".

Backstage is its own kind of show. We have 10 to 12 people moving set pieces around like a well-choreographed game of Tetris. Everything has a specific place, marked with colored tape so we don’t accidentally send a prop flying into the orchestra pit. I was originally cast in the show, but I was traveling for the first month of rehearsals. And with all the singing, dancing, and memorizing, catching up later would’ve made me look like I wandered in from a different musical entirely. So I happily joined the backstage crew instead.

The crew is a dedicated bunch keeping the fine arts alive and well in our community. And the arts matter—whether you’re onstage, backstage, or sitting in the audience. People learn a lot from theater, and some even go on to do amazing things because of what they started right here. Plus, our productions are genuinely as good as anything I’ve seen in big cities. I love all of it: ballet, theater, live music, the symphony—you name it. I’ve even performed a few pieces and times myself, so I guess I’m at least part-time artsy.

If you get the chance, definitely check out the upcoming show. It’s funny, a little raunchy, a little weird—but in that “this is going to be fun” kind of way. Pair it with dinner before or after, and you’ve got yourself a pretty great night out.

And don’t forget—our theater is a fantastic place to send tourists. Point them to our website, get them to a show, and help them create a memorable experience during their stay in Escanaba. A good performance becomes the story they tell when they go home. https://playersdenoc.org/

Whether you donate, volunteer, or simply encourage people to check it out, every bit helps keep our local theater thriving.

The Producers

Show Dates: March 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14 of 2025 @ 7:30pm
March 8 Matinee @ 1:30pm

Tickets for the 'Producers' Players de Noc

The Veins of Nature Painting and the Creative Process (The Arts)

This painting came out of a couple days of creative wandering, which is a polite way of saying I stared at a canvas until it got awkward and then finally put paint on it. I’m not the world’s greatest painter—and I don’t pretend to be—but this piece was meant to be an impressionist abstract showing how every society has a lifeblood running through it. That’s what the “veins” represent. The lighthouse is there to guide us toward something better. And the ocean? Honestly, I just really like oceans, so boom—ocean.

The painting is for sale, and I’ll even cover shipping because I’m nice like that. If you’re interested, send me a message on the right. I can ship it matted, unmatted, or emotionally supported—your call.

---

A creative process

1. Start With an Idea

I begin with a mental image of what I want to create. Sometimes I sketch it first. Sometimes I just start painting like a chaotic goblin with a brush. It depends on the day.

2. Lay Down the Base Colors

Next comes the big color blobs. No mixing. No finesse. Just the artistic equivalent of yelling “FOUNDATION!” and slapping paint on.

3. Add the Details

Then I start refining—adding details, fixing things, creating depth, and pretending I totally meant for it to look that way.

4. Step Back and Adjust

At this point I step back, squint at it, tilt my head like a confused dog, and adjust whatever looks weird. This loop repeats approximately 47 times.

5. Stop When It Feels Finished

Eventually, I reach that magical moment where I declare, “Yep, that’s done,” either because I’m satisfied or because I’ve run out of snacks. Either way—finished.

6. Share the Final Painting

Up it goes on the webpage! And yes, it’s still for sale. And yes, shipping is still free. And yes, I will still ship it matted or unmatted. I’m flexible like that.

7. Reflect on the Process

People sometimes ask why I bother with painting in the first place. Simple: art is a deeply human experience, and honestly, we need more of that. Every painting teaches me something new, gives my brain a much-needed stretch, and lets me see things from a fresh angle.

I’ll never claim to be a great artist, but the process keeps me thinking, keeps me curious, and keeps me learning—and that alone makes it worth doing. I also have an art page I'm building. Art Page

The Veins of Nature

The Greater Responsibilities To Foster Transactional Trust By Minimizing Hate and Corruption (The Story of the Clan)

(Illustrative Only). 

A philosophical discussion
on the real and hidden 
nature of men and how
bringing focus on 
togetherness and shared
histories and futures
leads to greater social
development and economic
performance. 

Review Son of 
Man

(Sorry I like philosophy and art.)

Let’s talk about how hate and corruption affect society and economic development. Social and economic systems are deeply connected. Economics is really a measurement of choices, and those choices are shaped by our social values.

The Story of the Clan highlights how a society can split into two groups—an in-group and an out-group—and what consequences follow. When institutions or groups treat others differently, injustice grows, and both social and economic systems begin to degrade. This story helps us imagine what that breakdown might look like and how institutional failures, bias, and corruption can lead to long-term decline.

But the allegory has a silver lining and also shows the opposite: when divided groups come together around shared principles—like fairness, rights, shared futures—new value is created. Social cohesion strengthens economic resilience, sparks new knowledge, and encourages growth.

If institutions favor one religion, race, political identity, or group over another, unwritten rules begin to replace fair ones. Once that happens, the underlying economic assumptions shift. Patterns become harder to measure, and the risk of instability increases. It may not happen immediately, but the likelihood of economic and/or social disruption grows.

On the other hand, when society unites around shared values, exchange improves—both in speed and in quality. As a transactional process improving the efficiency and value of social exchanges among different people leads to value creation. Much like you would find if a new market was created except this one is right there in front of us but we struggle to see it as assumptions hold us back (Mirroring back sometmes leads to new information and minimization of assumptions that allow us to see new paths.) People share more knowledge, trust increases, and the overall economy benefits  Research supports this: stronger social trust leads to stronger economic performance. 

Perhaps our renaissance was infront of our face waiting to be tapped.

Trust is essential in any society. To build a stable future, we have to think beyond the present, consider the needs of the next generation, and bring people together around common principles. Doing so puts us in the best position to maximize human potential and support sustainable economic development. Any time you can improve an institutions performance around core values we should do so. There is a greater responsibility beyond the narratives of the day. 

Law should support the moral conscious of the heart.

*As a philosophical theoretical discussion you can adjust or change around the elements and come up with your own conclusion. There is no right or wrong answer but helpful and unhelpful ones. Take with a grain of salt. 

January Inflation 2026 Consumer Price Index 2.4% for 2025 (Janice Starts a Business to Pick Up Extra Money)

(Illustrative Only)

Janice starts an outdoor
clothing shop selling
snowmobile, side by side,
and atv clothing.
The goal is to take her
money and put it into
something she thinks
will make more than inflation.

She things Escanaba
might be a good place to start
her clothing line.

Inflation is a measure used to understand how the value of money changes over time. As inflation rises, your purchasing power falls. That’s why earning $20,000 a year a century ago meant something very different than earning the same amount today. When our grandparents paid 50 cents for a gallon of gasoline and we now pay $4, $5, or even $6 depending on the region, that’s inflation at work.

While taxes, import costs, and other factors influence prices, inflation itself is typically measured using the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI tracks price changes across a collection of common goods and services. You can see the governments consumer price index below.

Inflation can occur for several reasons:

• Demand-pull inflation — too many dollars chasing too few goods.

• Cost-push inflation — rising expenses for raw materials, metals, tariffs, or supply chain disruptions.

• Inflation expectations — when people and businesses anticipate higher prices, which can reinforce rising costs.

So far this year, inflation has remained relatively moderate. A few categories have seen noticeable increases, which you can view in the charts linked above.

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX - JANUARY 2026

• Headline inflation (CPI) rose 0.2% in January 2026 on a seasonally adjusted basis.

• On a 12-month basis, consumer prices increased 2.4% (not seasonally adjusted).

• Core CPI (all items less food and energy) increased 0.3% in January (seasonally adjusted).

• Over the past year, core inflation was up 2.5% (not seasonally adjusted).

• Shelter prices contributed to the overall increase in January.

• The next CPI report (for February 2026 data) is scheduled for release on March 11, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Finding Meaning: The Idea of Purpose, Enjoyment and Human Capital

Let’s move on to human capital development through the lens of finding purpose and meaning. Many young people begin their careers without really knowing what they want to do or what they should study in college/tradeschool. They often choose something that seems interesting, familiar, or influenced by what they’ve seen on TV or from others around them.

Every person brings a unique set of skills—some innate, others developed through learning, training, and exposure to new ideas. But many people drift without direction, letting life push them around. Sometimes they end up in good places; other times, they get lost at sea. Having a sense of purpose creates a focal point for one's actions and decisions.

Over the years, I’ve met people with a wide range of passions: some love working with orphans (I’ll include a link below in case you’d ever like to donate), others love sports, camping, painting, fixing cars, the outdoors, fishing, or hunting. These interests become their outlets, and sometimes their callings.

Ideally, you can combine your passions with your work. Making a living doing what you enjoy is a wonderful thing. If you love teaching, you’ll naturally gravitate toward activities related to it—and if you can earn money doing so, even better. If you love theater and it’s tough to make a living in that field, you can still participate in your local community and pick up occasional side gigs.

When choosing your purpose or focal point, think about what you’re genuinely good at and what truly captures your interest—not what others say you should like. Then, find ways to develop those skills so you can use them meaningfully. Use them to develop your community and society. Always strive to make a better place.

For example, I enjoy painting. I’m not particularly skilled, but I’ve sold a few paintings and I find the process fun. Is it a major passion in my life? No. But it brings me joy, and that’s enough. Want a painting let me know. I do custom stuff...even when not great. :)

If your purpose is simply to enjoy life, that’s perfectly valid—just do it intentionally. Btw way.....Donate to Orphans

You might be interested in this study on finding meaning and gifted. Gifted and Meaning