Hey y’all. The weekend has arrived. Set the phone down and have fun out there. Summer is flying by. See ya Monday!
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.
"Smile to life this morning and be assured, ma'am, that this life will make you smile. The present belongs to the optimists."
Doris Veillette
THE DIGEST
Wisdom of the Week: We’ve become really good at tracking everything, but none of the things that matter most as dads show up on a dashboard. Nobody tracks how many bedtime stories you read, how many times you kept your cool, or how often you put your phone down because your kid wanted your attention. Those are the reps that don't earn streaks or badges. They're just quietly shaping the kind of dad you're becoming.
Most Clicked: Are You Doing Enough As a Dad?
Gear of the Week: New Brooks GHOST Amp Running Shoes
For the Kids: Daily Multivitamin Made For Kids By Dads
Read, Watch, Eat, Listen
A few things to get into this weekend if you have a moment
📕 Read: The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway
📺 Watch: How 100 Bodyweight Squats Changes the Human Physique | ICYMI - This Dad Went All In On a Golf Brand (Dad Day original)
🍔 Eat/Drink: The Best Low Calorie Burger Ever | 4 Easy Summer Cocktails
🎧 Listen: Danny McBride on Ego, Grievance, and the Stories Men Tell Themselves
IN THE TRENCHES
From our Monday Poll:
What instantly puts you in a better mood?
The top two answers were a workout and time outside.
The comments made it pretty clear why.
A lot of dads talked about movement as a reset button. A run after work. Lifting with the phone put away. Getting outside long enough to clear your head before walking back into family life.
One dad put it well:
"Even if the run didn’t go well, you still had a chance to get outside and get your mind right."
Time alone came up a lot too. Not necessarily hours of isolation. Sometimes just a quiet room, a little garage time, or 15 minutes with music and zero notifications.
And then there was coffee.
Not just the caffeine, either. A few dads talked about the ritual of it. Grinding the beans. Trying a new coffee shop with the family. Sitting on the deck while the kids play.
There were a few wild cards too: music, playing with the kids, and even a simple hug from your wife.
Kind of a good reminder that the reset usually isn't complicated. Move your body. Get outside. Find a little quiet. Drink some coffee.
Sometimes that's enough.
GARAGE
Show us your space or something you’re working on
Office shed for the win. Thanks for sharing, Sam! Looks awesome.
We want to see your projects. Send ‘em our way! Just reply to this email.
WEEKEND BURNER
For Time:
• 100 Back Squats / 45#
• 80 AbMat Sit-ups
• 60 Push-ups
• 40 Shoulder-to-Overhead 45#
• 20 Burpee Lateral over Bar
Per usual…scale accordingly y’all.
ONE LAST THING
🍻 Weekend Assignment: Take one photo that isn't posed. The blurry ones usually end up being the favorites.
🧠 Worth Knowing: Researchers have found that people tend to remember experiences more vividly than things they bought. Good reminder before another weekend rolls by.
🎧 On Repeat: 🚨 New one for us: Dad Day Run Club Playlist → Listen
dad shower thoughts: Somewhere in your house is a phone charger that's been "temporary" for about four years.