It was not an ideas day. Rather, it was a day to act upon past ideas. I finished my Shelf Life proposal introduction and the introduction to Shelf Life and then passed both on to Pete. I then wrote up on my proposal for the City of Palmer, the subject being the Summer in the Park(s). I then passed both on to Pete.

All the above originated on differing idea days. I have learned that I can, and on a given day often do, have many ideas. Idea days are exhilarating, heady, full of hope and promise. It may be overcast, but the sun shines on these days. I hear Winston Weathers piano music in the background. Angels we have heard on high, yeah, there is also some ethereal nonsense going on.

I live for idea days. I throw caution to wind and allow the ideas to keep coming, well knowing that there are days like this in which I must act upon a given few ideas. I of course wish I could act upon them all, but this isn’t possible.

Pete's desk

I am more fortunate than I realize in that I live with an individual who after I have elected to pursue certain ideas, steps in and gives me an assist.

Today was one of those days. Follow through – if you have ideas you are obligated to act upon them. And inevitably, in acting upon them, you must ask for someone else to step in and help you complete the process.

The refrain “Pete will you. . .” has bounced several times off the cabin walls. Poor guy. I needed an editor/proofreader. I should, I know, do my own proof reading and editing, but the problem is that then it would take me several days to get writing-related projects done.

Today I thought some of what it would be like to live with a fellow who had no interest in writing and instead insisted on spending his time watching football games, snowmobiling, fixing cars, or going hunting with his buddies. Such individuals are in the majority here in Alaska. They either came here from Texas or were born here. This, the pipeline mentality, it has stuck to Alaska like a tongue to cold metal.

And so, I still have things to do in which follow through is going to be key. For example, I have to find a shipper who will take the books going to Kenya from Tacoma to Texas. And I have to write up grants for Summer in the Park(s). And I have to continue work on Shelf Life. All these things, they were once merely ideas.

I opened the floodgates, and the water came rushing through.

Today, Pete proposed that we get the horses and dogs out, and this is what we did. This was an idea that he had. It was simple and had a clearly defined beginning, middle, and end. My ideas don’t have clearly defined middle and ends. And therein lies the problem, like a puddle of dog urine, on the freshly mopped floor.

Next: 19. 1/19/26: Let’s Go