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Hope y’all had a good week. Enjoy the long weekend!
If you’re new here, we mix it up on Fridays with a quick recap from the week and a few extra gems to head into the weekend right.
"There is no path to greatness without hard work. And the only person who feels like working hard for years is someone who is excited about the task. Follow your enthusiasm.”
THE DIGEST
Wisdom of the Week: Maybe we're not supposed to enjoy every minute of this. That doesn't mean it isn't one of the best things we'll ever do.
Most Clicked: 10 Things Every Dad Should Stop Saying to His Kids (Research-Backed)
Gear of the Week: Unbound Merino Compact Travel Hoodie
For the Kids: ATM Style Piggie Bank
Read, Watch, Eat, Listen
A few things to get into this weekend if you have a moment
📕 Read: Ball Four — The Final Pitch
📺 Watch: From Dying Mining Town to Mountain-Bike Mecca
🍔 Eat/Drink: How to Smoke Pork Belly
🎧 Listen: Lessons on Excellence — Caring, and Doing the Work
IN THE TRENCHES
We asked: How often are you getting a date night with your partner?
The runaway answer: once every few months.
And a pretty sizable group went with the painfully honest: “Couldn’t tell you the last one.”
From the comments…
Babysitters are expensive. Grandparents don't always live nearby. Work schedules clash. And by the time you get the kids down on a Friday night, rallying to leave the house can feel like a pretty big ask.
But there were some good ideas buried in there too.
A few couples have switched to date days. Drop the kids at daycare, block an hour on the work calendar, grab lunch or coffee.
One couple alternates who plans their monthly date. Another has a standing Friday night whenever the grandparents are around. And one dad said after 17 years of marriage, sometimes all they need is fast food and a walk.
Then there was probably the most relatable response:
"Date night is sitting on the couch watching Silo and eating Taco Bell."
Counts in our book. The bar doesn't need to be dinner reservations and a babysitter every Friday.
Sometimes you just need a little time where neither of you is cutting someone's food.
PROJECTS
Show us your space or something you’re working on…
Chris R. continues to get after it out in Arizona. Nice work, Chris!
YOUR NEXT PROJECT?
One Pergola, Endless Ways to Fit Your Space
Whether you have a relaxing patio, a spacious backyard, or anything in between, there's a Hansø pergola engineered to fit it - because your outdoor space shouldn't have to adapt to a one-size-fits-all structure.
Choose freestanding or wall-mounted to match your layout, the right finish to match your home, and a size starting at 10'x10' to fit even the largest patios - so you're never stuck between "too small" and "way more than I need." Every option is built with the same precision engineering and durability, so customizing your fit never means compromising on quality.
This Labor Day, make a Hansø pergola yours for less: save 35% on Horizon Smart and Pro+ pergolas. Every Horizon and Pro+ purchase includes a FREE Hansø ProCheck Care™ 10-Year Plan — worth $950.
Built to fit your space. Priced to fit your budget.
WEEKEND BURNER
4 rounds for time:
• 400 m Run
• 30 Wall Balls
• 5 Devil Presses - 35lbs (or something that feels good)
ONE LAST THING
🍻 Weekend Assignment: Make a reservation. Dinner next month. A campsite. Tee time. Concert tickets. Whatever. Give yourself something to look forward to.
🧠 Worth Knowing: Cashews don't grow inside a fruit. They hang off the bottom of one. The fruit is called a cashew apple, and once you see a picture of it, cashews somehow make even less sense.
dad shower thoughts: The confidence you feel after fixing something without watching a YouTube video is wildly disproportionate to the accomplishment.