Cooking, Foraging, and Farming: A Blueberry Muffin Story

My neighbor said
don't mix them so much 
next time but good
level of taste.

Lately, I’ve been getting into cooking more of my own food, which means trying new recipes and sharing them with anyone interested enough to read about it. The other day, I made blueberry muffins and realized that if I could make one type of muffin, I could probably make others too. That’s how I think about camp cooking—it’s all about substitution within broad categories of food. Once you know how to make a good base, you can adjust and modify it in countless ways.

In this case, I made blueberry muffins because I had some frozen blueberries that needed to be used up. Every once in a while, it’s worth digging into the bottom of your freezer to see what’s hiding down there and doing something with it before it gets too old. I used some protein flour to make the muffins a bit healthier, along with sugar, honey, blueberries, vegetable shortening, and a few other ingredients—simple and easy to make.

During the summer, when I’m out hiking, I like to keep an eye out for wild berries. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone—getting outside and finding something delicious to take home. Sometimes you can stumble upon a good patch of wild berries and turn them into a pie or a jar of homemade jam.

The blueberry, native to North America, first became a cultivated crop in 1893. I’ve always believed that good ideas lead to good things. In northern Michigan, there are many abandoned small farms, which could be great opportunities for anyone interested in growing berries, pine trees, maple syrup, and other natural products. I’d recommend looking into land in Delta County—it would help increase the number of healthy, working farms in the area nestled in the woods. It’s unfortunate that so many farms went out of business in the 1970s and 1980s, but I believe organic farmers could bring new life to them again. 

Foraging for Berries

The History of the Blueberry

Blue Berry Muffin Recipe.

Graduate School: Goals and Distractions

College and graduate school serve as a rite of passage, certifying that you’ve achieved a level of knowledge applicable to future employment and life pursuits. These experiences teach not only occupational skills but also valuable life lessons that shape you as an individual. Success in these programs requires grit, discipline, and the determination to complete the work necessary to earn your degree.

However, life today is full of distractions—perhaps more than ever. While distractions have always existed, they now come in countless forms, tempting us away from focus and persistence. The ability to stay on task and complete a major goal like graduation is what separates those who succeed from those who do not. Individuals who demonstrate diligence, meet all requirements, and master their studies tend to find long-term success.

Research supports this idea: the ability to delay gratification is strongly linked to achievement. If we let our immediate desires control us, we lose the capacity to think purposefully about our actions and their consequences. Graduate school, then, is not only about education—it’s also about developing a disciplined approach to life.

Ultimately, studying comes down to consistent effort and active engagement with the material. At the graduate level, learning becomes more applied, allowing you to make broader and deeper connections between ideas. Graduate students are preparing for leadership and managerial roles, where success depends on demonstrating knowledge, critical thinking, and systems-level understanding.

This piece emphasizes the simplicity of studying: focus, persistence, and engagement are the foundation. Good luck on your journey of knowledge.

Study Smart

Can Engaging the Gifted Lead to Social and Economic Growth?

Thinking about the concept of the gifted, I see it as an untapped resource for the nation and society. This blog explores ideas and concepts related to the broader development of society. Every society has a structure that determines who receives the most rewards and who does not. That isn’t unique to any one nation—every society functions within such frameworks and those also adjust and change over time. However, an often-overlooked group that doesn’t always fit neatly into that structure are gifted individuals who can step a foot or two into the unseen .

Arthur Schopenhauer said, “Talent is hitting the target nobody else can hit, while genius is hitting the target nobody else can see."

I won’t go into great depth about what “gifted” is or isn’t, but I do want to focus on the benefits of developing gifted people and how doing so can improve society as a whole. Gifted individuals often possess certain traits and characteristics that make them unique. On one hand, they can process information and detail much faster than others; on the other, they may take longer to make decisions because they consider multiple contingencies and factors before reaching a conclusion. They can often see relationships and patterns that others cannot, allowing them to anticipate outcomes or consequences that are less obvious to most people.

We can learn a lot

from gifted people...

"all men are by nature equal,

made all of the same earth

by one Workman". -Plato

"We hold these truths to be self-evident,

that all men are created equal,

that they are endowed, by their Creator,

with certain unalienable rights..."

— The US Declaration of Independence

There is also heighted emotional and moral dimension to giftedness that isn’t necessarily common in the broader population at that level (The general population has them as well but gifted often develop them faster and can help others see those values within themselves.). While everyone is socialized to certain values, the gifted may have the ability to form deeper connections between symbolic and moral principles, helping them organize and interpret moral dilemmas in more complex ways. For example, if society professes certain values but fails to act on them through unspoken rules or social norms, gifted individuals might not only recognize that inconsistency but also categorize and analyze it in ways others may overlook (I suspect if they were very profound they could analyze more systemically.).

The combination of advanced cognitive processing and heightened moral aptitude can make gifted individuals either assets to society or disruptors of the status quo. Few would doubt that figures such as Jesus, Plato, and other great thinkers were gifted. Their empathy and awareness allowed them to introduce new ways of understanding the world—one through a divine lens and the other through social philosophy. Despite their differences, both contributed profoundly to human societal development.

Currently, the gifted population  is estimated to make up about 2% of society (Profound intelligence is less. If we also add devleopmenton the multiple intelligences then we are likely to find a small fraction.). They are not always the wealthiest, do not necessarily come from elite schools, and are not confined to any race, religion, or political belief. Giftedness is a natural biological variation—an outcome seen across nearly all species, where some rise above the average curve while others fall below it. Unfortunately, because we often define “gifted” narrowly—through privileged programs or selective institutions—we overlook the vast majority of gifted individuals in society.

I bring this up because I’ve met a few gifted people in my life, and I’ve always learned something from them. As a society, we should think seriously about how to better utilize their potential, even when we don’t always agree with them. Gifted individuals sometimes express truths we’d rather not face, but those truths can help us grow and enhance performance. Their ability to see patterns and relationships that others cannot often means their insights are ahead of their time and that is not going to sit well with others.

I don’t claim to be an expert on developing gifted people, but it seems clear that without environments that nurture their abilities, many of them will be lost to society. When that happens, the moral and intellectual progress we need as a people is delayed. Such bell curve people may have an important role of pushing society to develop for its own good but run into challenges by those who would arrest development for their own benefit. As with any entity, business, society or nation if they do not update and develop regularly they fall behind (The Renaissance existed because of the socio-cultural factors mixed with techonology lead to profound advancements in multiple fields. We may be at those times again with AI. Without the right environment we won't maximize societal growth. A reason to develop human capitality and the social and economic development of society.)

It’s something worth reflecting on. A few random late night thoughts in front of the fireplace while listening to the news. The following two articles discuss some common traits of giftedness and how gifted individuals perform in their careers. Overall, they tend to do better than average, but their growth can still be limited by standardized environments that fail to accommodate their unique ways of thinking. I wonder what would happen if they fully engaged in an environment that willining accepts development? Perhaps societal advancement would be faster. 🤔

Professional Situation of Gifted

Gifted Traits Adults

Thomas Jefferson, Religious Freedom, and the Test of Values

 It is often beneficial to reflect on the core values that define us as a society. While opinions differ on what is “right,” there is always room for meaningful discussion about how we view certain rights, oaths, and shared values. In this reflection, let us consider the concept of religious freedom through the lens of a hypothetical scenario called the Clan.

The Clan is a philosophical and theoretical thought experiment designed for learning purposes. It explores what happens when a system defaults on its values and allows poor behavior to persist due to misunderstandings of religious freedom and human/civil rights. In this example, a corrupted “good old boy” network—bound by social ties and homogeneous views—benefited from institutional outcomes at the expense of fairness and justice (Most are unaware of these benefits and are for the most part good people.).

Those who tried to report wrongdoing of specific criminal behavior of some and fraud through manipulation quickly found themselves targeted due to the inner clan actors. The victims,witnesses and whistleblowers concerns were undermined, and longstanding patterns of misconduct continued. While religion became a central justification for mistreatment to some, this intolerance intertwined with corruption, created even more victims. The issue was not true faith, but rather a distortion of values—a misuse of belief to justify harm.

Thomas Jefferson understood the dangers of allowing bad actors to manipulate systems of power to impose their values on others. He may not known of the comingled corruption but he did seem to recognize tainted human nature to justify the unjustifiable. When that happens, governance becomes a game—a dangerous one—where people use authority to control others, sometimes through illegal means. In our example, the community eventually uncovered parts of the corruption, and though they may not have seen everything, they took action.

Working together with honest officials and loyal to oath officers (the vast majority but not all), the community chose to stand for freedom and equality. Through confronting the darker nature of some individuals, they rebuilt trust, strengthened unity, and refocused on social and economic progress. Jefferson would no doubt be proud of those who continue to stand for what is right and uphold the essential purpose of our shared humanity—even when doing so comes at personal risk (no matter the type of extremism).

So, what is appropriate when religious beliefs are misused to justify targeting others and violating civil and human rights? The answer is simple: to correct the wrongdoing. Jefferson championed freedom of conscience, and centuries later, we still face challenges that test that principle (Human nature needs laws and checks & balances to strengthen core universal values.). How we act today—and the choices we make—will shape the moral landscape for generations to come (People don't often see their behavior in the context of time, history and the long chain of choice impact).

These were my morning reflections before heading out to go fishing. I came across an article that reminded me just how relevant these lessons remain.

Thomas Jefferson and Religious Freedom

Tank to Hydrant Transition: Learning About Fire Truck Pumps

Firefighting is something I do part-time on the side. One of the best things I can do is keep learning—reading, watching training videos, and studying new techniques—because that knowledge makes a real difference on the fire scene. Running the trucks efficiently is a big part of that, which means spending time watching instructional videos, inspecting the equipment, practicing with the crew, and understanding key performance metrics. The goal to maximize water flow. 

Once one becomes certified they have a lot of work they must do to keep learning.

This particular video is a good one—it walks you through a transition. If you’re ever interested in donating to a fire department in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, let me know and I can point you in the right direction. Many departments in this area would deeply appreciate tax-deductible donations that help them continue their good work in the community.

The Hunker Junker Chronicles: Using Enamel Paint and Next Projects

 

My Hunker Junker is coming along pretty well. Over the past few weeks, I’ve made some solid progress figuring out how to handle different parts of the project. For example, I figured out how to remove the broken bumper covers in the front without taking off the bumper. If the back one's work similar to the front then I should be ordering some replacements soon and that will make the car look great without the gap between the bumper and frame. 

Right now, I’m painting the car with enamel paint, which is completely different from the primer I was using before. After cleaning off the rust, I used a cheaper primer to rattle-can it gray. That made it easy to sand and repaint if something didn’t look right, which happened often enough.

Most of the car’s body is ready for paint now. I’ve been taping and applying the enamel paint, which really makes it look much cleaner. There’s a guy I know who’s restored a bunch of cars, and he’s been generous with advice—solid tips that have helped me more than a few times. He even showed me how to get a decent paint job done the easy, inexpensive way while still making it look good.

Almost everything on the engine works, too. I discovered all the air-conditioning components are still there, though I’ll need to add a converter later. That’ll be a project for another day. 

Because I'm within a few months of finishing this one off.  I’ve been keeping an eye out for a “Santa Claus Chevy” or another old pickup to restore. I’d like to add some wood slats on the sides and really give it that classic look. My thought is that if I am enjoying fixing up old cars and get to my third I will likely want to sell one and see if that can self-finance the next car (Car collector on the cheap but you have to put in your own work and give up a car to finance new projects. If I do that it is at least 8 months down the road before I can find and fix up my next project.)

Here is a bonus of fixing up classic cars. I have friends with Mercedes, BMWs, and other high-end cars that always draw attention, but I’ve got a touch of country in me. While I can appreciate those finer performance vehicles, my heart leans more toward classic American rides—though I did fix up a Porsche once.

Almost every day, someone comments on how cool they think my car is. Considering I bought it for $1,000 and put maybe another $2,000 into it, I’d say that’s a pretty good deal. It runs, looks decent, and best of all, there are no car payments or expensive insurance. Basically when I calculated it all out it was about 4 to 5 months before I got my money back and now I have an appreciating asset. If you ever want to buy it, let me know—but I can’t sell it just yet because it isn't quite finished. Then onto my next Hunker Junker.

Classic Car Restoration Market

November 10th Show Nearly Sold Out: Stories Teach About History

 

The November 10th performance is nearly sold out for both nights. Originally, it was planned as a one-night show to honor the Edmund Fitzgerald and its crew. However, the live reading proved so popular that a second night was added—and that, too, is almost sold out. Earlier today, I checked and found no seats left, but during tech week practice, we discovered about 50 extra seats stored away on a cart. I rushed out and bought a few for some friends.

btw...I had an extra little part added that was a nice touch based on our own shipping industry in Escanaba (I seem to like being around ships. I even have a small one. San Diego and Escanaba have shipping but this story is on the Great Lakes.)

This is a wonderful show that brings history to life. The storyline, lighting, videos, and other elements help us better understand the lives of those who came before us and the challenges they faced. Major historical events often shift the course of time, and the arts allow us to see and feel what those moments might have been like. The social benefits of art far exceed the costs. 

Art also enhances tourism, education, community cohesion, and overall satisfaction. It helps develop soft skills that can carry over into the boardroom. There are many reasons businesses might want to support the arts—communities with a strong artistic presence often have a powerful sense of identity and vitality that renews itself year after year. Donate to Players de Noc Theater

On a related note, I’ve been exploring the idea of activating different neural networks in learning by incorporating images, sounds, and other sensory experiences to strengthen encoding and recall. This isn’t a new theory—it’s long been recognized in the arts as a way to deepen audience engagement. It’s not about volume or noise, but about drawing people in through sensory and emotional connection. Perhaps it’s also about creating patterned sensory recall—something worth thinking about. Study on Multisensory Recognition.

In any case, if you’re thinking of going, don’t wait too long—tickets are going fast! 

10 November Tickets

Teaching Art Through History Experimental Study