The Past Year: Things of Significance (Family, Business, Persona)
YPO retreat with Kevin, Kent, Marco, Jeremy, Jeff, and Robert. We had some challenges but they seem to have drawn the group closer together. I am super grateful for these men in my life.
Hunter’s Graduation, so proud of him and his tech start-up. Best quote from Hunter, “I won the dad lottery.”
Trip to Italy with Olivia and her comment, “I can always count on him”, that I overheard her say to her friend Talis about me. Incredible to see her doing her thing. Especially with her internship and having some of her designs picked by Zara Home and the French brand.
My daughter Olivia & I in Capri, Italy
Summer with Grayson and seeing him develop into his own person. Best quote from Grayson. “I want to study in Spain and not be like the other kids in Oregon.”
What aspects were the most important to you in the following areas last year? Which happenings or events were the most significant? Summarize briefly.
Personal
Decision to prioritize my health. Did a deep dive physical and decided to schedule my stem cell treatment to address an old parachute injury to my right leg and overuse injuries to my shoulders and lower back.
The Past Year: Things of Significance (Family, Business, Persona)
YPO retreat with Kevin, Kent, Marco, Jeremy, Jeff, and Robert. We had some challenges but they seem to have drawn the group closer together. I am super grateful for these men in my life.
Hunter’s Graduation, so proud of him and his tech start-up. Best quote from Hunter, “I won the dad lottery.”
Trip to Italy with Olivia and her comment, “I can always count on him”, that I overheard her say to her friend Talis about me. Incredible to see her doing her thing. Especially with her internship and having some of her designs picked by Zara Home and the French brand.
My daughter Olivia & I in Capri, Italy
Summer with Grayson and seeing him develop into his own person. Best quote from Grayson. “I want to study in Spain and not be like the other kids in Oregon.”
What aspects were the most important to you in the following areas last year? Which happenings or events were the most significant? Summarize briefly.
Personal
Decision to prioritize my health. Did a deep dive physical and decided to schedule my stem cell treatment to address an old parachute injury to my right leg and overuse injuries to my shoulders and lower back.
Reading more about relationships and philosophy from Allan Watts.
Hobbies
Skiing, took a great solo trip to Chamonix, France to do my goals for 2024.
Flying: getting my airplane to Portugal and learning the basics to flying in Europe.
Turning Pilates into a regular hobby to help address overuse injuries during my time as a Navy SEAL.
Chess, finally got to 1600 rating!
Health Fitness
Taking the results of my DNA/Physical exam and implementing better eating habits. Pilates and Yoga regularly.
Friends Community
Losing a lifelong navy friend, Jason Degroot to cancer. Then unexpectedly losing another great friend and entrepreneur, Solomon Choi (Founder of 16 Handles). Being able to reflect on the lives they lived and how they improved my own life by knowing them gives me inspiration to continue to live a good life for myself and my family.
Getting to know James Altucher better and visiting him and his amazing wife and family in Atlanta before the Holidays.
Meeting new friends, Bastian, Phil, Carlos (pilot), Georges, and Diogo in Portugal. Getting to know Sami better. Taking that trip to Laplands, Finland.
My friend and YPO Forum-mate Kevin Tung (CEO of Interplay VC) flying my bird over Portugal during our retreat.
Belongings
My Vans RV6 airplane. Being able to enjoy flying and share this with others. I took over twenty new people flying this year. All amazing experiences except one where I took a Ukrainian flying who was traumatized by heavy turbulence! Lesson learned, don’t fly around Cabo De Roca in high winds!
Also at the end of the year my plane was damaged by the owner of the airport I keep it hangared at. He denied doing the damage with overwhelming evidence.
What bothered me most was the lack of integrity and that he put me in an unsafe situation by not disclosing the damage. I noticed it on take-off when my controls were stiff, landed and found extensive damage under my left wing from a small tractor used to mow the grass. My left aileron was damaged along with structural damage to the inside of the wing.
This also was a great reminder of how important it is to do the right thing when nobody is watching. Reminded me how much I appreciate the group of aviators who brought me up to fly air combat in the Yaks at KSEE field in San Diego.
Inside my wing that was damaged.My Vans RV6 in Portugal
Intellectual
Regular reading. However, this made me realize I need more intellectual activities in 2025.
Finances
Nothing earth shattering here and this definitely nudged me on 2025 thinking.
Emotional/Spiritual
Explored a psychedelic retreat by asking friends who’ve done it previously. On my list in 2025.
Bucket List
Mostly travel related. Traveled to Turkey, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden. All new countries for me.
Saw the northern lights for the first time at my friend’s family lodge in northern Finland.
Northern lights in Finland just past midnight and deep into a bottle of 30-year-old Italian red with friends.
The importance of health and cumulative effects of taking care of our bodies.
Biggest Risk
Changing the way I date women. Looking more seriously rather than a bunch of casual encounters that I know will lead nowhere.
Also saying no to USAA as an advertising sponsor after their agency Publicis kept paying us late. We had over 4 invoices past due 180 days. Then some on the team lying to us, so I said no to the money because the relationship was killing my team’s morale. USAA is a great company but some customers you have to quit was the lesson.
Biggest Surprise
A family member going bonkers on my mother for an arguement that happened between them and my mom’s husband. Without going into details it was extremely disappointing to see their behavior. My mom had to see a doctor for the stress it put on her. I’ve been trying to rebuild a relationship with this person and this feels like an avalanche buried me as I was close to the peak of the mountain. Feels like two years work is in a snow pit at base camp.
A guy I thought I trusted who damaged my airplane and didn’t say anything, then lied about it. Super disappointing.
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