I was publicly and enthusiastically complimented on my shoes by two different young gents this week. In both cases, the accolades came as somewhat of a surprise given the source and situational conditions.   However, it was enough to inspire this episode where I share just a bit about my...well, shoe problem.  Or maybe it's a gift?   I'll let you decide.

On My Drive Home

"Cool Shoes, Man!"

Why did I decide to turn my Spotify dial to Milli Vanilli?  Great question.  But I did. And I remembered all of the lyrics!  That took me by surprise. This experience and a few other thoughts during this very short On My Drive Home episode. Happy October!  

Girl You Know It's True! (I Know Milli Vanilli Lyrics)

I unexpectedly rediscovered reading magazines this summer thanks to the subscription that accompanied my new Experimental Aircraft Association membership.   I really enjoy it!   As a result, I've (mostly) leaned into magazines and a book as the go-to sources for my morning reading over breakfast, and I find that it makes for a much more relaxing start to my day.   In this episode, I share my thoughts for why I think this new habit is more relaxing than engaging with my iPhone as I sip my morning coffee.   Mentioned: "Adorning the Dark" by Andrew Peterson EAA Sport Aviation Magazine 

A More Relaxing Read

There have been a handful of memorable times in my music listening history when I heard a song for the very first time and *IMMEDIATELY* liked it. When I say "immediately", I mean within the first few bars of the song. It is a rare experience, and I have to ask: Why? What is it that catches me off-guard, stops my brain, and engages me in such a unique way? I have wondered this about music over the years, and I'm curious if there's any hidden pattern to these specific occurrences. In this episode I share a short list of tunes that had this impact on me. Are there any songs that you instantly really liked the first time you heard it? Does it happen often? Or, like me, are there only a small number that left that kind of impression?

Immediately Liking Songs

My father rarely swore. But when he did, it was passed through the language cleansing translator in his brain and delivered as a common, benign word that still communicated the intensity of his emotions.   In short, he used Alternative Cuss Words.   In this episode, I introduce the concept of Alternative Cuss Words and share some of the more common examples my dad often used when I was growing up.   I also share some of the other unique Dad Sayings from both my dad and my father-in-law.   Did your family have their own vernacular for replacing foul language? Most families did. And it's something I never really thought too much about until I witnessed another family using their own unique vocabulary of Alternative Cuss Words.   Mentioned in the episode: A Way with Words Podcast Eats, Shoots & Leaves 

Alternative Cuss Words

I'm a huge fan of small, local hardware stores. And for most of the last 20 years, I have had the great fortune of living within a few minutes of a small neighborhood hardware shop.   In this episode, I share why I think they are so great and tell a short story (that I spontaneously recalled) about how sweeping compound nearly closed the personal space gap between me and another shop patron I had never met.   Mentioned during this episode: Jacobson's Ace Hardware of EC South Jacobson's Market An Example of Sweeping Compound 

For the Love of Local Hardware Stores

I took a solo trip to Duluth, MN on Sunday, June 27, to check out the Duluth Air and Aviation Expo. It was a great show, and I wanted to share my thoughts and enthusiasm with you. Oh, and I also share a short rant about people leaving early.   Duluth Air and Aviation Expo: https://duluthairshow.com/   

Duluth Airshow Experience

I'm currently on my second pass through the book "Soundtracks" by Jon Acuff. I remixed one of his soundtracks, "Writers Write", to "Podcasters Podcast" and that became the catalyst to fire up my recorder and capture a new episode. Jon's books are fantastic, and I highly recommend grabbing a copy of "Soundtracks" for yourself!   In addition to my thoughts on my new soundtrack, I also talk a bit about my cycling vs. lawn care dilemma, and I share an Apple Watch update. Spoiler Alert: I bought one. And it's great.   Mentioned in the episode: "Soundtracks" by Jon Acuff Heartbeatz by North Pole Engineering 

Finding That Which Inspires

I heard a Billy Joel song last month called "Laura" on Sirius XM that I had not heard in decades. It was never a hit, and few people would likely have ever even heard of it. But I knew it because it was the B-Side of the 45 single "Pressure" released by Billy Joel from his "Nylon Curtain" album.   It got me to thinking about the songs I discovered and learned to like just because they were on the other side of the record from the song I initially cared about.   In this episode, I muse a bit about my memories of this musical discovery mechanism and share a few other vinyl-inspired thoughts and stories.

B-Sides: Discovering the Non-Hits on 45 RPM Records

Years ago, I learned a great technique for managing my anger when dealing with very frustrating situations - especially when it requires interacting with other people. I learned this valuable lesson somewhat by accident as I listened to how my good friend Rich handled a thorny travel situation as he held his phone off to the side with me on the other end.   I don't think that I ever told Rich about the lesson he didn't know he was teaching. But it has stuck with me and been a handy tool when I want to be sure I manage myself well in difficult interactions.   I hope you find it as valuable as I do.

Angry, but Not Rude: A Lesson I Learned from My Friend Rich

Over the holidays, I decided to try my hand at making a custom frame bag for my fat bike. It was a fun project and great way to spend a day between Christmas and New Years.   Rather than purchasing new fabric, zippers, and all the other bobbles necessary to construct the bag, I decided to repurpose an old Columbia winter jacket that picked up at a local thrift store for only $11.   The idea was inspired by my friend Josh who make custom bike bags of various shapes and sizes with his small business The Nxrth.   I was also influenced by this article on BIKEPACKING.com:   DIY: How to Make A Simple Frame Bag   Check out the blog post for this episode at onmydrivehome.com for some pictures and a video of my completed frame bag.

Turning A Thrift Store Jacket Into A Custom Bike Bag

In an effort to be somewhat environmentally conscious and serve my desire for drive and eat convenience, I once tried asking for something out of the ordinary at a local fast food chain and threw a wrench into the whole system.   Not long after that experience, I tried it again at a different establishment and experienced the briefest moment of cosmic connection and understanding.   Lesson learned? Some systems are optimized for conformity; others are not.

A Wrench in the Quick Eats System

A few years ago, I tried calling an upstart organic foods company to give them a compliment. Apparently, sharing positive feedback via phone call was not accepted by this company.

Missing the Point in Customer Service

We bought a mobile home back in 1995. But before we bought that one, we did not buy another one. This is the story of the other one. You'll understand why.   Oh, I also mentioned the Meta Minute concept again not realizing that I already released my first Meta Minute episode in December. Ha! Oh well, these things are often stream of consciousness, and sometimes these kinds of things will happen.   Enjoy!

The Mobile Home We Did Not Buy

With this episode, I’d like to introduce a new podcast segment I call the “Meta Minute” where I share some behind-the-scenes stories about the process of producing these episodes.   With this first Meta Minute release, I talk about my mild frustration with the episode release tasks and share my thoughts for some things I want to try in order to streamline the work.   Specifically, I use Libsyn as my podcast host and run a WordPress them using the Divi theme from Elegant Themes.  It’s a great theme, and I have been using it for years both personally and professionally.   But some of the mechanics for releasing each episode get tiresome, and I’m ready to try some things differently to make the whole experience more efficient.   I hope you enjoy this slightly different angle on this humble podcasting journey.

Meta Minute: WordPress, Libsyn Publisher, and the Divi Theme

Join your host, Jason Pecor, as he shares thoughts on a variety of topics from his personal day-to-day experiences running a business, trying to stay healthy, fully engaging his serial hobby jumper lifestyle, and living as a husband and father in the Upper Midwest.

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On My Drive Home

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