I stepped up to the plate after being a little lazy this morning, sleep was rough last night as I never got comfortable with the shoulder. It’s a cold one on the bayou, 50 but winds have it feeling in the 30s. Have a couple of errands and a trip to the barber so she can trim up the beard, I can shave with the left hand but the trimming and real grooming is out of my realm right now. Plus I get to enjoy my vests and in the mind of the five year old in me be Han Solo again. The shirt, Vince The vest, Brooks Brothers The pants, Bonobos The boots, Johnston and Murphy Chelsea The scent, Sauvage Elxir by Dior The watch, AVI-8 The hair, by me The photobomb, by Angel Make it a good day.

With a 35 degree day I grabbed a Pendleton light wool Board shirt I picked up on sale in the spring of this year. Had to cut the tags. Layered it over a CT linen blue shirt and an orange tartan tie I picked up in Italy over 25 years ago. Picked up the weathered navy in the shirt with some deep navy RL cords. Donned a new for Christmas pair of Pendleton socks and to fit the 80 plus year old shirt design grabbed my 1940s Ernest Burrell watch, 1982 Cole Haan Waxhides, a wool raglan shoulder car coat and my Dobbs wool fedora. Now if I can just get those geese outta my yard.

So while on that void of Christmas and New Year’s where it’s a crap shoot as to who is working, open, etc., we’re down to the final day. Been catching up on housekeeping and fielding a few calls, got a couple of deals, and having some conversations with myself about the coming year as far as goals, personal quotas, and the like. So in all this, admittedly I had a rough night of it with the shoulder, just never could get the right position, I was in my PJs doing this. As I’m back and forth between work and scrolling the various groups I thought to myself why haven’t I started to focus on “my” goals for 2026 and what can I start doing to continue this journey over the past 18 months through weight loss and the last five being part of this overall community. It starts with mindset and it starts now I said to myself. Yes the closet/clothes are still a work in progress, yes there will be days that I will be in jeans, boots, and work polos, yes there will be days where the heat will cook an egg on the sidewalk, but that’s OK. As I try to do everyday at work, I can try to do everyday with my personal style and that is simply do my best. So I did just that today and for the rest of today which will consist of a few errands and a visit to my barber so she can clean up my beard, I’m going to look better and feel better doing it because I’m not 100% satisfied with my work year, even with the challenges that tariffs placed on my industry, I should finish about 8% below my budget, better than the company as a whole and, sadly(because we’re in the negative) in the top fifth overall against budget and I’m not 100% satisfied with my development. Next year, I will be better and I thank each and every one of you as y’all have become daily reminders and motivators to become a better person, not on just how I dress or smell, but in how I act, carry myself, interact with others, and most importantly how I feel about myself. As I see my brothers and sisters posting their possible good byes as there is uncertainty about how the groups will be moving forward, I want to say it’s an honor to be amongst like minded individuals who want to better themselves and are willing to help others on their journeys as well. Yes it was a series of videos that brought me here, but it’s each and every one of you who keep me coming back everyday and make me have the “a-ha” moments like this morning that keeps me on my toes as I continue to mold myself into something new and better. If this is your ride off into the sunset, Godspeed on your journey as it has been an honor to interact with you! I know it’s a day early, but Happy New Years to you all and my you grab life by the reins and enjoy the ride!