Cecilia and I have a running “discussion” about the use of air conditioning in our house. She would prefer to keep it at Rocky meat locker levels. I am a bit more frugal. To avoid having the same “discussion” each night, we’ve come up with temperature thresholds that dictate when we use it. Can’t argue with a thermometer. Well, you can if you’re a teenager….

It’s the ability to tolerate minor discomfort.

Obviously, this really isn’t just about air conditioning usage, but it did lead me to think about our ability to tolerate minor discomfort. It is shocking to me sometimes how readily we all set aside our ambitions, merely to avoid tolerable levels of unpleasantness.

It’s easier to flip through FB or TikTok or Insta and get that hit rather starting that dreaded task even when you know, you know, you’re going to feel better when it’s done.

And this isn’t just me preaching to the girls, I’ve been wrestling with this through my sabbatical with my goal to write 2k words a day. I know its gotta get done, but I put it off or make side deals with myself even if I know better.

What’s the fix? Heck if I know other than just working at it. Exposure therapy. Let those feelings of anxiety or boredom come and then go and get on with the task. Keep doing that and you’ve got yourself a superpower that is slowly going extinct.

It was National Dog Day yesterday and it was only fitting that we were dog sitting for friends.

This is Max.

He is still a puppy.

He is a good dog, but also a good reminder of the energy and attention that puppies need.

Dash was quite happy to use his couch privileges and stay mostly out of his way.

And it wasn’t just a puppy at home. GoFi has a new litter of puppies that needed minding and Ally was all over it.

Though it was a long shift and an early start. Sometimes both the minder and the puppy need a little nap.

After puppy sitting, there was some school supply shopping. High school this year. I’ll let you be the judge of her feelings based on her expression.

The start of school also means the start of dance season around here.

This year Ally is doing a solo dance as part of the competition team and the choreography started yesterday.

Max comes from a house of boys, so he spent much of his weekend residency adjusting to the amount of spontaneous dancing that occurs at our house.

The highlight of the day was checking off a bucket list item in seeing Bruce Springsteen and bookending our summer with another stadium concert.

Slightly different crowd and experience from Taylor Swift.

It did not disappoint despite the heavy feel of mortality and farewell that hung over many of the songs.

The band was great, especially the horns and organ, and with some of the R&B covers from the latest album it definitely had a bit of a tent revival feel going for it.

Have a great Sunday! Go do something mildly uncomfortable. Work on that super power.