Life Lately

A lot has changed again, mostly in good ways, and a few really hard ones.

The biggest change by far is that Laura and I welcomed our daughter, Millie, on August 11th, 2025. Becoming a Dad has been everything people say it is, and also nothing like you can really understand until it happens. It has changed the way I think about time, work, priorities, and what actually matters.

She has already grown so much it feels a little unfair. Everyone tells you it goes fast, and of course they are right. It goes fast in a way that makes you want to hold onto every little moment while also being excited for the next one.

Outside of family life, I finally got an elk last hunting season, which was a big one for me. Hunting has always been one of those things that resets my brain. It gets me away from screens, away from noise, and back into something real. There is something about cold mornings, hard country, and earning it that never gets old.

Flying has continued to be a huge part of my life too. I got my commercial pilot certificate in early 2025, which was a major milestone for me. Then in March 2026, I broke 500 hours total time. That felt good. Flying has a way of humbling you and rewarding you at the same time. No matter how much experience you get, there is always more to learn, more precision to chase, and more respect to have for doing things the right way.

Work has been moving in a really exciting direction too. AI tools are great. Not in the hype-cycle, buzzword kind of way, but in the very practical "this is actually making me faster and more creative" kind of way. I've built an AI art studio and a math system for my distributed electronic pulltabs system, and it has been one of the more fun stretches of development I've had in a while. It still feels like we are just scratching the surface of what these tools can do when they are applied to real products with real constraints.

At the same time, I have kept expanding my network with more industry leaders, which has been hugely valuable. One of the best parts of being in this industry is that when you keep showing up, building, and staying curious, you eventually get into some really good rooms with some very smart people. Those conversations tend to open doors you did not even know were there.

I'll also be heading to the AMOA Expo to catch up with colleagues and see what else is new in the industry. I always enjoy these events. Part of it is seeing the new products and where the market is going, but honestly a big part of it is just the people. Getting face time still matters, maybe now more than ever.

There is one update that is much harder to write about.

Our great friend Emily passed away after her battle with cancer. Laura and I were fortunate enough to travel with her not once, but twice, to Europe, and those memories will stay with us forever. She brought a lot of light with her, and we will miss her very much.

Every spritz we drink from now on will have a toast to her memory.

Losing Emily was a reminder that time is short, and life does not wait for perfect timing. You cannot sit around waiting for other people, circumstances, or the universe to decide when you get to be happy. She never did. She lived, she went, she loved people well, and I think there is a lot to learn from that.

So that is where life is at right now. A lot of growth, a lot of gratitude, a lot of momentum, and a reminder to not waste time pretending we have endless amounts of it.

Talk to you all later.