Sorry I’ve been scarce here of late. I’d like to tell you I’ve been “busy,” but I’m afraid the word has lost all of its meaning and relevance. Plus, it sounds like an excuse, and I prefer not to make excuses at this point in my life.
Nevertheless, I only have a few minutes before my morning Zoom (still can’t believe that’s a thing) and wanted to take a few of those minutes to tell you about some really fun encounters I just had at Total Wine & More in Novi, Michigan, and again at The Jersey City Super Buy Rite in Jersey City. Fans of my grandfather’s whiskey are among the most interesting cross section of the species, and I love sharing their stories here, as well as reminding people that both stores now have autographed bottles in stock.
But then, just as I was starting to recount those charming encounters, I got an email from someone in the autism community, who had some wonderful things to share about the latest episode of People You Should Know, currently airing on my YouTube channel. So rather than write about my whiskey encounters, I decided instead to share a powerful clip from the current episode of PYSK and say something relevant and important about the incredible impact T.A.C.T. is having on the skilled labor shortage.
But then, just as I was about to share that story, I got a text from the former Governor of Texas, who wants to come on the podcast to talk about the impact of ibogaine on PTSD and drug addiction. Sounds heavy, and it is, but Rick Perry has an incredible story to share, the impact of which could touch many thousands of lives. So, I thought perhaps I should lean into that and give you guys a quick update about how we met and why I think ibogaine could very likely become headline news very quickly.
But then, just as I was working out the best way to share that story with you, I heard from the current governor of Texas, with whom I met last week to discuss a variety of ways the Lone Star State might lead the charge to close America’s skills gap. If you haven’t heard, the paucity of skilled labor has become more and more pressing, and now, it has the attention of every politician on both sides of the aisle. In particular, the race for dominance in AI has become a high-stakes sprint with consequences that are simply impossible to overstate. This means a pressing need for more and more data centers, many of which are currently on hold because it’s impossible to find the necessary workers to build the damn things. Governor Abbott, as well as Governor Perry (along with every CEO I’ve spoken to in the energy field,) believes the construction of these data centers represents a modern-day Manhattan Project—an endeavor whose success now depends entirely on our ability to reinvigorate the skilled trades on a national level. Obviously, given my limited time, this is the thing I should be writing to you about this morning.
But then, seconds after I began to outline the strategy being contemplated between mikeroweWORKS and Texas, along with various other states, I received the attached photo from my mother.
What we have here is my 92-year-old father, rising to greet the day somewhere on the Chesapeake Bay. He and my mother are on a local cruise, visiting museums up and down the Eastern Shore, making new friends, and living their best life. Given my limited time on this very hectic morning, I think this is probably the best image to share with you. The image of a man in his underwear, standing proudly at the rail of a mighty ship, enjoying the world unfolding before him as a cool breeze ruffles what’s left of his hair.
I mean, really. What could be more important than that?