Welcome to MidThoughts

I've coined MidThoughts as a sketchy survival guide for today from a mind of the Mortal Kombat generation.

I should add some clarification here. This publication is an honest attempt to survive day-to-day life and find personal fulfillment in spite of all the wild shit going on today. The world is a much different place than it was over three decades ago when I was blessed with a more or less indestructible 12-year-old iron cask of a body, finding sustenance on microwave beef and bean burritos while ninja training with my friends in the backyard and popping minor brain vessels watching The Ren & Stimpy Show.

Those from my generation know that no amount of Hamburger Helper and secondhand cigarette smoke could have conditioned our young cardiovascular systems for the absolute beating the last decade or two has collectively rained down on our nerves. The social climate has morphed into something hostile and menacing, an almost unrecognizable place when compared to the relatively silly innocence that carried many of us through to adulthood.

I'm a big believer in the power of perspective, and I firmly believe that how we react to any given situation dictates, in no small capacity, our success in finding peace amidst chaos. That's why I've more or less given up worrying about those things that are beyond my control. Instead, I've placed my efforts on those things that I do have control over in order to find my personal joy. This publication is an extension of that.

Part self-help journal, part nostalgia trip, part absurdist commentary, MidThoughts represents a lot of different things to me:

• It's an embracing of our past to help guide us forward into an uncertain future.

• It's about being ourselves, I mean really dropping all pretense, and taking that measured, but confident step into the unknown.

• It's about ensuring that as we age, we continue to grow, taking sharp and inspired action to keep our seat at the table.

Although this publication is very much a product of my personal history and current trajectory, it's intended to be enjoyed by any curious soul regardless of age, cultural background, or locale.

I hope that you'll find this ratchet little publication of mine smart, stupid, sincere, humorous, and thought-provoking. I find so much amusement in the many ridiculous dichotomies that exist in life, and I want this space to be a big ol' dumb reflection of that.

Finally, and this is important, I'll always strive to keep the best stuff free. However, paid subscriptions are available to those who want to support my work. Paid subscribers will have access to my semi-regular column Spread Shot, A soothing dip into my current habits, reads, listens, eats, and other assorted obsessions, as well as occasional subscriber-only posts.

Godspeed,

Dan