It seems impossible that it’s already time for another edition of Notes & A Nugget, yet here we are, crossing into July like it wasn’t just March.
Life has been life-ing extra hard over here, and these past two weeks have been… well, something.
In the last roundup, I shared that the interior flood had just happened.
And as I mentioned, due to the Texas heat and humidity, extreme action needed to be taken immediately.
Which, it was.
But let’s be honest…
No good project can ever be complete without a hiccup… or twelve.
Given the amount of work already required due to the water damage, I made the knee-jerk decision to go ahead and repair or replace several other lingering issues and eyesores.
Needless to say, proceed with caution if you ever find yourself peeling back the layers of a 40-something-year-old structure..
Because, as I’ve learned all too quickly, there’s always a little more — hiding beneath the surface — than meets the eye.
Real quick, I want to acknowledge that I haven’t written anything long-form since the flood.
And it’s not because I haven’t had plenty to share.
In fact, I’ve started a few that I’m really excited about… but, the only way I can write requires hours of quiet, uninterrupted time and space.
And with me being up at the office from dawn ’til dusk, I’ve had neither.
I just wanted to mention that for those of you who might’ve been looking forward to seeing an extra postcard or two land in your inbox.
I lost my dad to cancer almost 13 years ago.
Since then, I’ve developed a whole new level of compassion for the people in my world fighting the good fight — and for the family members who faithfully stand beside them.
Recently, one of my high school buddies made a social media post asking his community for prayers for his beloved mom, who had just been diagnosed.
I haven’t seen or spoken to Sammy in nearly 30 years, but through his words, I could feel both the depth of his love for his mom and the fear of what potentially lie ahead for her.
I happened to be in Kathmandu at the time.
So the following morning, while visiting one of the temples, I lit a candle in her honor.
In Nepal, lighting a candle is a tangible offering of hope and prayer — the small flame is meant to push back the darkness and carry your intentions toward the person in need of healing.
And so, with Sammy and his family heavy on my heart, I lit one for his mom.
Lo and behold, earlier today, I received the following news from Sammy (shared with permission, of course):
As I wrote to Sammy: Halle-fuckin’-lujah!
His mom is an absolute warrior who has refused to give up, and I couldn’t be happier for her and their entire family.
And that, my friends, feels like a damn good spot to kick off this week’s Notes…
The Rudy You Didn’t Know
No Regerts
Getting Inked With Mom
The Bourdain Effect
Respect de México
From A Flood To Fleas
That’s all for now.
Once again, thank you for being here — and for being patient with me while I’m still in the thick of the unexpected Project of 2026.
And for those who’ve been locked in on the World Cup, Team USA has a big one tonight in the knockout round of 32.
Let’s go, boys! 🇺🇸
With Gusto,
Adrian
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