the ultimate professional

Here’s what’s been keeping me focused, present, and on track.

Got here through the HBO documentary. The one that plays Gianni Agnelli like he’s a real life Bond. And he basically was. The suits, the watch, the way he moved through a room. Living that well, with that much reach, always has a shadow side. People still argue about where the power came from and what it cost to keep it.

But that’s not actually what’s been sitting with me. It’s the archetype underneath it. The guy who makes it look effortless. Who gets it done without you ever quite knowing how. Who’s in the room, knows everyone, says the right thing, and somehow also has money nobody can fully trace. Affable. Sharp. Emotionally grounded. The kind of professional you can’t quite categorize, which might be the whole point.

Been thinking about that a lot lately. Not the part about the money. The part about being the ultimate professional. That’s the character I’m choosing to live as.

I changed the way I pray. I stopped asking for things. Now I lead with thanks, gratitude for what’s already here. When I do ask for something, it’s not for stuff. It’s for character. Discipline. The consistency it takes to get to the level I’m going for. Guidance to stay on the straight path. Protection and favor.

I keep it simple. But all of it sits in gratitude first.

I’ve been blessed more since I stopped asking for things. It’s as if I’m being blessed for showing up every day and doing the work. For staying consistent in becoming the best version of myself.

One of the best purchases my wife and I have made this year. Sounds small. It isn’t.

It slows us down. Gets us back to that Blockbuster and Family Video feeling, picking something out for the weekend. We’ve picked up a lot of DVDs from the thrift store, and having the actual sleeves in front of us makes the choice easy. No scrolling, no decision fatigue.

It’s part of a bigger shift for me. I’ve been cutting out what I let into my mind. No YouTube Shorts, no Instagram Reels, no autoplay. I listen to music from my own playlists, or artists I actually support. We keep a few streaming services, but barely use them. The Gentlemen on Netflix. MobLand on Paramount+. Paradise on Hulu. Disney+ for my wife. That’s about it, and with how many DVDs we’re buying now, we’ll probably start cancelling those once the shows we’re watching wrap up.

This isn’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It’s about living life better. Being out of the loop on purpose. Keeping a private life, and only sharing what I choose to. Discovering things in the wild instead of seeing them online first. Being excited for something before I’ve already watched it happen to someone else. Just being human. It’s amazing.

Started reading about the history of chess. Didn’t expect to get hooked. The game started in India, something like the 6th century, under the name chaturanga. From there it traveled to Persia and became shatranj. By the time it hit Europe, the whole cast had changed. Different names, different pieces, different rules. The vizier became the queen. The elephant became the bishop. Even the board itself got remixed along the way. Wild to think the version we play today is basically a few rebrands deep from the original.

The game itself is beautiful. I really enjoy it. I run through little puzzles throughout the day when I get a minute. Want to join a chess club eventually, just haven’t had the time. Life’s been busy.

Also fell down a rabbit hole on s’mores. Turns out we have the Girl Scouts to thank. First published recipe was in their guidebook back in the 1920s, and the name is just “some more” worn down over time, since everyone always wanted a second one. Even the graham cracker has its own backstory. Guy who invented it was literally named Graham. Sylvester Graham.

That’s the week. Thanks for reading. See you next Sunday.