Knock On Jessica Simpson's Door, Texas HS Football Eye-Gougin' & Philip Rivers Is 1-0
Thursday I asked you guys what brings joy to your life...here's how you responded:
Let's start with Guy G. in Springville, NY, who notes that he has written out 10 emails to me, but has never hit send because "no one really will care." Nonsense, Guy! These Screencaps readers will key in on the smallest of nuggets. Trust me! I've written things that are complete throwaway thoughts in my brain, and it'll turn into five hours of back and forth emails.
Guy hit send on Thursday:
I consume news all day, while I work. I’m at a desk like a lot of the guys here. I make my calls, sell a bunch, all while reading everything that is newsy. When I’m done at the office, that’s it! I have no idea what is going on in the world past 4:30. The tractor is calling my name, the oldest wants to play wiffle ball or shoot bow, the youngest needs attention at all times, and the wife wants quality time too. So, I mow, I do what I can with the kids, and I make dinner every night. We all sit and discuss our days at the table at 730 (except Thursdays)
I couldn’t be happier with my life, and am thankful every day.
--- Mark W. on the joy in his life:
A walk with my dog near dusk. The day is starting to cool. No phone, just me and the doggo listening to the creek by our house, enjoying the quiet and our walk.
--- Stephen S. writes:
You asked what makes me happy. I've been working on this 1976 280z all summer with my dad. His dad gave it to me 2 weeks before he died 13 years ago. I had it running eleven years ago. Took my future wife on our first date in it. It had fallen into disrepair after leaving it with my dad as I moved around for work several times. Combined him and I have poured a lot of blood sweat and tears this summer but anytime work or the toddler gets to me I just think about driving it or look out the back window into the garage and it brings me so much joy.
--- Kevin F. on the joy in his life. After reading this email, I might have to connect Kevin with my dad down there in SWFL for some golf:
My kids are grown up & out of the house, so no daily dad duties for me.
I'm a former Masshole who migrated from miserable MA to Naples, FL. One of the 5 best things I've ever done was move to beautiful SWFLA. I'm happy just being at my house, out on my lanai, and in my pool.
However, here are my 2 special places where I find peace and happiness in no particular order:
Golf Course: LOVE hot summers here, where I can tee off after work, play 18 in under 2.5 hours for $30 with no one else out on the course. I put my iPhone in DND mode & leave it in the bag. Sometimes I don't even keep score; I'll play a couple balls, work on chipping. Relaxing, quiet, & enjoyable.
Beach: Go with my wife, short ride to the town beach. We bring a cooler of Coors Lights. I sit in my chair, read my Kindle, go for a few dips in the ocean, and sip some Rocky Mountain refreshment. Sometimes I don't even bring my phone with me.
--- Brian J. knows exactly what brings him joy these days:
Got to go with my daughter as she has grown up, and is a beast on the softball field. She's in her junior year of HS and has a lot of schools looking at her. Watching all of this unfold makes me not regret a second or a dollar I spent on travel ball going all over the country. Just last month she played in OK for a week, and CO for another. Throughout her travel ball career she's played in...GA, TN, FL, AL, LA, MS, SC, NC, VA, CA, CO, OK, TX, KY, IN, and maybe more I'm leaving out.
Some say I could have invested the money we paid for travel ball and paid for her college. But she has learned so many lessons about leadership, pressure, being on a team, hard work, sacrifice, commitment, etc. that you can't pay for. When she has to give a presentation in front of her class of 30+ that freaks everyone in the class out she has no worries as she's been in a state championship game playing in front of 1,000. She's played in front of SEC, ACC, Big 10, and other coaches who stood behind the backstop to watch her as part of the recruiting process, and she knew why they were there and answered the bell.
Knowing I raised someone who can perform under pressure and wants to be the player who comes up in the bottom of the 7th (softball is only 7 innings!) with the bases loaded, two outs, down by a run. And if she strikes out, she will work harder to keep that from happening again. She won't make a living playing softball, but the lessons she has learned from it will carry on throughout her life. When your son asks you to go to the local field for batting practice, play catch, or to field ground balls, do it. Even if you are exhausted, hurting, or hungover. Do it. Let him drive the process. And then maybe you will realize the joy I have.
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I'd like to add that Guy G. told me that he starts hitting F5 (refresh) on OutKick starting at 9 a.m. I apologize to Guy and all of you who do the same. It's been taking me a little longer to get the post rolling this week. I'd been hitting 9 for so long that you guys got into a groove and then I slipped up. It's time to clean it up on my part.
That said, I absolutely LOVE that readers are crushing that refresh button looking for this post. I'm forever grateful for the passion you guys have. I'm also grateful for those who share emails. It brings so much life to the community. Over the last month, I've connected dozens of you guys through the Gauntlet fantasy leagues that are forming, thanks to Tim in Texas. And it's all because you guys are willing to share. Tim in Texas alerted all of us to the Gauntlet idea when I asked readers to share "weird things you're doing out there that you think other people should know about."
Screencaps Odds & Ends:
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com
• Ryan from Fargo emails:
Today (Thursday) is the start of the Minnesota State Fair, the country's largest state fair with attendance averaging around 2 MILLION people over its 12 day run. We are not even one month past Sturgis, which everyone freaked out on as a superspreader event, yet this event is in a suburban area (St. Paul), has much higher crowds and density (!!!!), and supposedly the virus is surging...yet nary a peep from anyone. Yet another example of the media and political narrative choosing sides as Minnesota is liberal and South Dakota is conservative.
• Gerald W. enjoyed the Reagan nugget from Thursday's Screencaps:
Thought it was neat that you mentioned Ronald Reagan came to your small town when he was president. People must still talk about that if you brought it up. I bet he liked stopping in Perrysburg more than Dayton. He grew up in Dixon IL which would be a similar size town. Heck he probably would’ve even rather have gone to the town you grew up in. My hunch comes from the fact I am typing this 50 ft from where he was born in Tampico, IL (population 734…)
We need more leaders that came from small towns. Maybe the world wouldn’t be such a crazy place….
P.S.
It was pretty surreal when the plane taking his family and body from D.C. to California buzzed the town of Tampico on his way to be buried.Also, you are probably too young to remember 20/20 but Hugh Downs wife also grew up in Tampico.
Love your work. I wonder if it’s your small-town roots that make your content so popular?
• Gerald, I'd like to think that just being a normal human makes my content so popular. We're inundated with such ridiculous fake morons on television and sports talk that there's a clear path for people who can weave a few words together and relate to the common person out there who busts his/her ass on a daily basis. And I have to believe it also has to do with not looking down on readers. I've had full-blown conversations on here about how great it is that my trash day lines up perfectly with my mowing schedule.
This is stuff guys talk about on the patio or in the garage with their buddies.
Enjoy your weekend. Saturday Screencaps will be back tomorrow morning to go along with the start of the college football season. Let's enjoy it.