Are there any activities or hobbies you’ve outgrown or lost interest in over time
Jet Pack Prompt – 2/9/26

“There are two ways to be happy: improve your reality, or lower your expectations.”
(Jodi Picoult)

I look back today with fond memories that I once strived to become an accomplished trombone musician in my formative years. Starting at age ten, I naturally found fun playing this strange looking instrument as I kept my hyperactive energies occupied by positioning my arm at seven positions along a slickly moveable slide. My musical mentors also taught me the magical “buzz” technique to obtain the desired tone quality on the trombone mouthpiece that I desired. It seemed inviting then that my horn sound was a convenient way for speaking to others without putting in the hard effort in face to face conversation at the time.

Aside from these technical aspects of playing my music this way, I became proficient enough on the trombone to become the 3rd ranked trombonist via the state of Florida’s All Star band selection and earned the distinguished John Philip Sousa Band award in my senior year of high school. Thereupon getting serious about pursuing music as a career, I further honed such ambitions by pursuing four hard years of study at the University of South Florida in its applied music program. During that time I also toured on the road as a performer for an extended time with an emerging rock band while composing and arranging music arrangements that would likely help me succeed as a professional in the music industry.

But as I neared college graduation, I suddenly began to lose interest in pursuit of my expected trombone future. Why was that? Let’s just say I didn’t feel the excitement that I originally had in striving for trombone excellence as the daily grind of “practice, practice, practice” for pressurized college recitals and concerts made mastery of my instrument a laborious chore rather than the fun that I’d intended it to be. Embracing a glamorous rock star image playing “gigs” for captive audiences on tour also didn’t seem to suit my somewhat inwardly shy nature.

So I’d discover that listening to music as a form of enjoyment suited me better than playing it as I increasingly thought of myself as an emerging well rounded-person of many interests and hobbies.This self transition definitely meant I was no longer hung up” on pressurized thoughts of being better than everyone as my trombone ambitions once called for. Even more so today, I’ve found more relaxing hobbies of a non- competitive nature such as reading, yoga and bike riding to better pass my time.

What books do you want to read?
Jet Pack Prompt 1/27/26

“Strive not to be a success but rather to be one of value? (Albert Einstein)

My longstanding reading interest in history drives me to understand why people become famous and sometimes immortally viewed because of that as well. In particular, I go strong for either biographies or autobiographies that intrigue me based on my own personal interests at the time. Throw in a little travel as well for enriching my book search perspective as I’m often intrigued by artifacts and stories where such famous people lived in places I visit.

Know then there’s an online app vehicle called “Story Graph” that I often use to refine my book search efforts. For I find it an effective tool for both recording my past and current book reading efforts as well as matching up my personal interests with concise book recommendations at the time. So if you examine the two photos shown at the end of this blog, you might notice how “Story Graph” demonstrates my preference for choosing books to read in such a visually organized fashion. Take a look at my cover photos as well. Which of these famed persons you see here would most interest you in reading about and why?

If you could un-invent something, what would it be?
Jet Pack Prompt 1/18/26

“ I became very critical of zoos and circuses and keeping animals in captivity. I wish it was against the law. “ (Christopher Walken)

Wild animals deserve to roam free as nature intended. So why do we continue to encapture them merely for human entertainment? So my answer would obviously be to un- invent the existence of the zoo. Think alternatively if human zoos existed where people would watch them perform in cages. What would they see?

As our species promotes violence as animals do, would spectators thus enjoy caged humans taking out their frustrations similarly during such incarceration as they performed such hostile acts against each other? Would they blindly label these captured humans as inferior species with daily feedings and cage cleaning for instance being the main highlight of their day? Think back in this regard to the movie series “Planet of the Apes” in which the ape species ruled the earth and humans were treated inferiorly like zoo animals as we know it today ?

So without zoos, caged animals released back to the wild would of course need to fend for themselves in their natural environment. But isn’t that what humans do to survive their own daily challenges? Life existence where humans and animals thus exist together as such co-equals does not sound like a bad idea to me!

In what ways do you communicate online?
Jet Pack Entry 1/14/26

“ Digital citizens. Think before you post.”
(Germany Kent)

I’m an avid Word Press advocate and love to share my views about real issues of interest to anyone willing to read my posts and respond. Those who like to “chit chat” in “small talk” ways can explore numerous outlets to do so on social media. But not me! But I do read them now and then to just “catch up”on the local gossip. This helps me sometimes get my mind off pressing reality matters. I’ve also dabbled with podcasting functions through Spotify but find the significant amount of time in preparation does not seem worth the effort.

So to me, online communication must have a relevant two way purpose in mind or why bother! So count me in when using various apps on my iPhone that offer live feedback functions like Chat GBT, FaceTime, Zoom, and Conference Call. I give notice as well to my fervent use of Amazon to read and respond to those who post book reviews for more judicious shopping, I also look at the Cleveland Browns / Cleveland Guardians official apps and sometimes engage with other sports fans about various post game reflections. Then there’s the important matter of travel. As I do plenty of research on my own regarding to finding places to visit, I use apps like Air B& B and Trip Advisor to fine tune authentic communication options for making lodging, sightseeing , and eating selections.

With regard to Yahoo email, it’s a must in my busy life to communicate online although I’ve become increasingly wary of enticing scam entries. If anyone has a good answer about how to better screen such “crank come-ons”, I would be glad to hear it. I sometimes wonder if it would be better to go back to letter writing days when communication while slower seemed more thoughtfully intended. Maybe soon, Ruth and I will find a less busy place than South Florida to relocate for a long term stay that provides more meaningful face to face communication.

Think back on your most memorable road trip.
Jet Pack Prompt (1/13/26)

“A journey into the Alaskan wilderness will leave you with an incredible impression that will stay with you forever.” (Jeffery Siger)

My wife Ruth and I have embarked on so many roadtrips over several decades so it’s really hard to say. But one particular self guided drive through the Alaskan “Last Frontier“ during summer vacation during our teaching years seems to “stand out.” Being two free spirited adventurers at the time, I vividly recall that our travel plans did not happen smoothly as we intended it to be. For we experienced several unanticipated problems as we made our way over great distances in our used rental car throughout the remote interior of the state.

Would we have considered for example that along our northerly drive through mountainous wilderness on unpaved roads for over five hundred miles to the city of Fairbanks, there’d be zero gas stations or rest stops at any point on our route? Why would we have anticipated as well that summertime weather in July meant the onset of dangerous warming conditions? That meant riverbank floods caused by melting snow, mushy roads as a result of unfreezing permafrost and invasions of pesky mosquitos who breeded heavily amid the seasonal soggy landscape. To make matters worse, how could we have better prepared for loosening rocks now dislodged by summer warmth at times flying into our front windshield from passing trucks?

At one particular “shanty town” we stopped at “off the beaten track” heading back south then, I also recall being asked by a local resident if we’d be interested in becoming teachers there. This offer included an assurance that there was immediate employment available. How enticing that opportunity first felt given my restless travel mindset. But then I realized that being permanent residents of this rural Alaska landscape meant enduring near total darkness in their frigid winter, possibly buying a gun to hunt for our food and likely needing to use a snowmobile during blizzards for transportation from home or work.

So would I want to visit Alaska again? No doubt a tour would be nice if I was given the chance to experience a spectacular panorama of Mount McKinley on a clear sunny day, gaze wondrously at the colorful “ Northern Lights” on a calm winter evening or see hungry Grizzly bears quenching their appetite on a salmon filled river. So when the time’s right we’ll do it again in a more manageable fashion.

Do you spend more time thinking about the future or the past? Why?
Jet Pack Prompt 1/5/26

“Never erase your past. It shapes who you are today and will help you be the person you’ll be tomorrow.”
(Ziad K Abdelnour)

Yes I do think a lot about the past but try to limit my obsession on the future. For while I cannot change the past, I can use it as a specific measuring stick as to how I might move forward in my life in a positive fashion. Take the inevitable idea of change for example. A few years ago, some of my friends were resistant to using a mask in a crowded public setting and several of them got COVID. Obviously those who’d contracted the disease had learned a hard lesson to change their ways and that influenced me to make better choices about how to combat COVID exposure right then and in the future.

On the other hand, any overthinking ahead of time tends to create paralysis in action as I just dream up hypothetical scenarios that might potentially occur. So why should I do it? Consider again my previous example then. Know that thinking ahead about getting COVID or any other disease for that matter presents too many hypothetical “what ifs” for me to deal with in any present moment. So for mental and physical health reasons, I prefer to stay away as much as possible from fear of the unknown and other negative thoughts that such futuristic thinking provides.

You get to build your perfect space for reading and writing. What’s it like?


“When your mind, choices, and behaviour align, life stops feeling like a struggle and starts feeling like a flow.”
(Itayi Garande)

A vital component of my reading and writing efforts involves finding a comfortably smooth flow of actions to complete wherever I am at. Notably in the case of longer reading and writing sessions, it’s best for me as well to find a sitting spot that minimizes external sensory distractions.

I must clarify now that my ability to read and write in such a fluent manner often happened to me before as a former musician when I practiced and performed band compositions on my trombone with natural ease. I can also recollect from my college days that finding a quietly sheltered space of my own choosing once improved my focus on memory retention and reduced my stress of exam preparation.

So here’s my strategy for building my perfect reading and writing space, I first find a secluded environment. Next I put on my headphones to play some soothing classical or New Age music to set the mood for calming my busy mind. I then turn on my quietly whirling mobile fan I brought for this occasion to get some continual ventilation. After that I slowly sit down with an upright posture on a well cushioned spot offering uncluttered flat space and sufficient but not too brightly lit light. A glass of water placed nearby also provides a handy way to keep me hydrated. It’s time now to place my iPhone on vibrate mode to avoid the temptation of answering emails, text messages…impulsively.

A final task before I begin reading or writing involves pre planning a definite time frame on each literacy occasion that will not adversely affect the rest of my day. And I am accepting not stressed about if my agenda seems unfinished at the end of this reading or writing session.

Are you a good judge of character?
Jet Pack Prompt 12/23/25


“You’ll only find your voice through the struggle.” (James Jean)

Being a good observer of character definitely provides a challenging test for me in making the right decisions about going about my life. So far so good it seemed for me in the career past in finding success with this character matter in my own methodically patient way. For I can Ireflect back to my teaching days involving deep level questioning of my students to gain their positive participation in class. Nowadays, I’m similarly finding it successful to look beyond the superficial like or dislike of one’s personal appearance or complaint filled ranting and try to help others I meet feel some good in their life for themselves. In doing so, however, I’ve found that for many people, their search for a brighter path through such daily struggle in their life can be concealed in an outwardly contrasting way.

So examine four mural photos I’ve displayed from our past travels. For these are the kind of questions that I’d be asking to determine their character if I met them consecutively for real? What dreams for success does this unsmiling person of color really have? When these three faces turn ugly, what kind of better life are these young people trying to find? What hopeful thoughts cross a sad looking woman’s mind as she hugs a favorite animal? Why might those struggling immigrants in a new country cause them to desperately cup their hands in prayer?

What was the last thing you did for play or fun?
Jet Pack Prompt 12/20/25


“Sometimes you have to drop the rake and play in the leaves.” (Douglas V’Soske)

I never assume that something I do for play will be considered fun. So let’s just say I found recreational leisure today in my one mile walk along Old Tampa Bay in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. But given that I focused on the challenge of walking faster than normal on this chilly morning, it could not be considered in my mind as being accomplished in the spirit of fun.

So one way to improve the quality of my life with respect to these two concepts can better be accomplished by finding ways to accomplish both of them in one activity at the same time. Better choices must thus be made to reframe my constantly busy mindset concerning hobby play in a more enjoyable manner.

Take for instance I could better use my weekly yoga play to practice having more fun. That first of all means foregoing the compulsion to compete with others in difficult poses and instead just let my body do what it can. Also I should “let go” of thinking too much and in particular, meditate more on positive thoughts when given the opportunity at the end of each session. Engaging in “small talk” about common interests with other yoga classmates would produce more fun as well. Enjoy the photos from the St. Petersburg outing today.

What skills or lessons have you learned recently?
Jet Pack Prompt 12/16/25


“Transitions in life can offer opportunities for discovery.” (Robbie Shelly)

I’d like to combine the words skills and lessons as one unified entity in this blog. Let’s consider then that I’ve chosen some previously learned skills that I’ve decided to seek improvement on recently while lessons follow-up as personal conclusions I’ve determined about the success of such transitional efforts. Know as well that these desired changes during this busy holiday season have been strictly targeted toward enhancing my quality of life at home while I’ve uncharacteristically chosen to not be traveling. So here we go below with three examples.

SKILL #1 – SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

I’ve taken a greater interest in the challenging pursuit of my Duolingo Spanish lessons in a more two way conversational way with friends and strangers. That means paying more attention to key words I know best that I hear and feel confident enough to respond with an appropriate phrase of my own.

LESSON #1 – I will do anything I can to slow the conversation down to give me more time to process the listening information . Say it to me 3-4 times if needed.

SKILL #2 – BIKE ROUTE ADAPTATIONS

At our new condo community, there’s heavy restrictions as to where I can actually ride my bike. That means repeating a set route each day for exercise rather than riding around freely for the joy of sightseeing adventure. As such, measurement of time spent pedaling and distance traveled from home capture my attention more for such strictly workout purposes

LESSON #2 – There’s little sense in just pedaling non stop to work up a sweat. Thus I need to take more time to just sit on a park bench or picnic table to rest quietly during this routine to gain more enjoyment of this hobby.

SKILL #3 – JET PACK BLOGGING

I notice a shift in the subjects of my blog beyond just travel. So I’m using Jet Pack topic prompts daily more to generate 1st person self reflections.

LESSON #3 – I observe my blog readership has expanded this past month in response to my more diverse selection of topics other than travel. My blogs also take less time to write with less emphasis on copy/paste thoughts from my notes app along with fewer photographic enhancements.