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We need more 1984 in our lives.
Now before thoughts of an Orwellian society with Big Brother come to mind, just relax. That’s not the 1984 I’m talking about. Im also not taking about Ronald Reagan’s reelection or really anything political for that matter. I’m just talking about that feeling of something lacking today. Things not being like what they used to…
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The end justifies the memes
Full disclosure, I stole this title. I stole it from a presentation made by the undersheriff of Wabaunsee county at a county conference I just attended. The presentation was about using social media in county government and all that, but I just saw Memes. I love memes. I make memes and quite frankly I’m hilarious.…
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The Travel Report Returns: With a vengeance
It’s been a while since I have posted anything about our travels. This could be because all travel has seemed to revolve around school events or a home project or a work related renovation. Or maybe because the family vacation squashed the travel urge. Maybe it’s because I can get so wrapped up in life…
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Travel Report: family vacation
Eight people, two cars, 74 bags, 1 AirBnb and no dog. The caravan left on time at 7:30ish. It took careful planning to make this happen. First I told my two oldest that I would pick them up at 6:30 am. Then I could head back home gather up the rest of the gang so…
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The Human Highlight Reel
Do you ever look at social media and see all these people seemingly having the picture perfect lives?Everything in order. The perfect house, the perfect job and all that. Meanwhile I sit here just wrecking
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Parental Advice: Proehl Edition
So I’m 46 years old. I own my own business. I’m an elected official. I have lots of life experience and some really interesting stories as well. So there are times when I feel that I have things under control for the most part. It’s times like these when I get myself in trouble. And…
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It’s moving day! It’s my favorite.
It’s always surprising what you find what has been lost or forgotten about on moving day. Lightbulbs continue to go out all over the house. Last minute packing is getting frantic. The tension level is starting to rise as well. I find it helpful to sing, clap or just hoot and holler to be annoyingly…
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24 hours and counting.
Except for a few odds and ends. And those few odds and ends fill 37 boxes. So the day before a move it’s essential to have everyone pitching in and doing their part. So the wife took the kids to Branson and I’m here working two jobs, packing
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Travel Report: 48 hours to go
It’s getting close. Things start to get real at this point before a big move. Gathering up keys. Figuring out what needs packed and what needs to stay out. This is where my moving experience comes in handy. For example, Brenna said she wasn’t sure what she should have the kids pack from their rooms.…
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Travel Report: Pack your bags. We’re moving. 72 hours
did some figuring and since I graduated college, I have moved 19 times. I think. I’ve moved halfway across the country. I’ve moved to the next state over. I’ve moved across the state, across town and down the street
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Travel Report: Graduation Season and fighting a turkey Only in Kansas.
So we have a small leak and a mad turkey. The leak is fixed.” “Did you say a turkey?” I asked. “Yeah right there. And I’m not fighting a turkey for you Cole. Not today.”
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Travel Report: Wal-Mart after 9:00 p.m.
It happened again. Just needed one thing and time got away from us. We didn’t realize how late it was before we were already there. Wal Mart after 9:00 pm is an experience. It’s part circus , part hunger games and before you say not my monkeys not my circus, not it’s not. This circus…
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Conference update: it’s getting wild.
7:58 a.m. – We have had the first verbal outburst of anger. Profanity was used. It was not me. My mother raised me better. My father taught me better. If I had shouted out my profanity laced displeasure of a topic at a conference of elected officials, I would have been terrified to face my…
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Travel Report: Driving through Kansas-300 miles
It’s conference time in Kansas so if you’re a Kansan that means there is about an 85% chance that whatever conference you’re going to is in KC/Topeka or Wichita. If it’s not in one of the three metro areas, it’s most likely in Lawrence or Manhattan. But my meeting isn’t about cows, dirt, basketball or…
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Travel Report: People who see at your garage sale.
Having a garage sale always seems like a good idea, doesn’t it? But for us it always brings about a roller coaster of emotions. First it’s excitement to get some things cleared out. Then it’s annoyance at some of the patrons, or hagglers. Then it’s frustration that I have all this stuff to begin with.…
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Family Report: That one uncle-Big Saint
So every family has one. Well at least the good ones have one. That one uncle that just does things a little differently. He will tease and torment until kids cry. But that same guy will also take you on grand adventures where you learn all sorts of new things. In our family that was…
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Travel report: time to get some culture.
a wedding gift, my mother in law gave Brenna and me, her favorite son in law tickets for a dinner theatre in KC. Now while this is not a normal Friday evening activity for me, I’m up for anything and this show was special as it included the real Greg Brady.
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When you’re hilarious, it’s easy to find the humor in things.
When you work with multiple properties, multiple tenants and multiple projects you are going to have problems arise. Then I often have been known to not think things through. I say I’m a doer not a planner. But I often find myself saying “Well that certainly didn’t go l like I’d planned.” Lucky for me…
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Travel Report: back where I came from.
How’s the saying go? You can never go home? Well maybe that’s true but you can go back where you came from. You can also just go where everyone knows you and where you came from. This also means they know some of antics that you may have pulled back in the day, allegedly.
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If you would have told me three years ago that I would be here, well thing sure do change.
Things got weird. Covid made it worse. At times it seems like it’s Bizarro World where Earth is a cube, Superman is the bad guy and Batman is the world’s worst detective. Need examples? In 2021 I had one brother in law. Now I have 5 brother in laws and 6 sister in laws. I…
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Rental Report: Welcome to the Thunder-Dome
While I prefer to spend my time traveling to new places and eating breakfast, I do have to work to pay for these adventures. That’s where my career in real estate comes in. Real estate renovations, remodeling, rehab and renting. I’m a landlord and it’s always an adventure. If you’re thinking of jumping into the…
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A life time of learning: Marriage edition.
I’ve often heard that you should never stop learning. Remain curious, remain hungry for knowledge. So in my marriage I’ve learned some fascinating things that would never have entered my head as a single guy. Its time I share this knowledge with others. 1. If you remodel your kitchen and have extra boards, how long…
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Travel report: things she brought, things she forgot.
Packing efficiency is essential when traveling. You never want to be unprepared but you also don’t want to be the person with 6 bags for a weekend trip. My motto is phone, wallet, keys I go anywhere I please. My wife’s motto is “if she forgot it, I had better have brought it. So let’s…
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Oklahoma Pt 2. people hiking and more breakfast.
So Brenna wanted to go hiking, but I really had no desire to walk around on some make shift trails with a bunch of yuppie hikers. So …. we had a nice 4.5 mile hike with the city folks. I also conducted a social experiment during the hike so I could gauge the friendliness of…
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Travel Report- Back to breakfast. Oklahoma part 1
Travel season is upon us and we are kicking it off in style. No more Airbnb’s with insect issues. We are now officially Silver Level Hilton Honors members. We now go first class or don’t go at all. Well firstish class. Because, well we came to Oklahoma. Driving down, I knew the wife would want…
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Travel report- The Dentist.
It’s been 6 months since my last cleaning. I have the appointment card. I have dental insurance. I got the text reminder. I even filled out the online paperwork. It’s like I’m a real adult. Well almost. Under emergency contact I listed my wife. In the “relationship to patient” I put “the old ball and…
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Travel Report- Marital misCommunication
So it’s been a whirlwind of marital bliss the last five months . And I can honestly say the time has flown by. Now most days pass like a cool breeze, and others fly by like a flock of giant dirty pigeons over my freshly washed car. Luckily the dirty pigeon days are rare, but…
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Travel Report- Casey’s tips, Otto and the Super Bowl
There are lots of great places to visit and sights to see all across Kansas. From Big Brutus in Southeast Kansas to the Salt Caves of Hutch to Dodge City and the Wild West, we have it all. We even have an NFL team. Sort of. It’s actually across the river in a city with…
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Stress, slackers, silk shirts and saving the world
Is it just me or does everyone you meet seem to have the stress level of someone being chased by a swarm of bees. Or maybe it’s a pack of wild dogs. Actually wild dingoes sound even better. Much better in fact, then real stressors such as Covid, politics, inflation, Ukraine, Mahomes ankle and the…