A blueprint for 2026￼

I’m a little disturbed that I’m carrying the philosophy of Matthew McConaughey with me into 2026, but here we are. Just keep livin’…

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I’m also a little disappointed that I’m two weeks late this year with a post that has become something of a tradition—my “Blueprint for the New Year.” In years past, I’ve been ambitious with my blueprints, only to come up short.

If 2024 was my “Uncle Rico” phase of dreaming big, and 2025 was about realizing those dreams were more of a “breeze” than a “windfall,” then for 2026, I’m keeping the agenda simpler, more vague, and more open-ended.

Visit three new MLB ballparks

This has been on my list since my very first blueprint. In 2024, I set my sights on the Midwest. In 2025, I managed to hit two new parks, but the “Big Trip” stayed on the back burner.

This year, I’m finally putting the Philly–Baltimore–DC plan into action. My plan is to start making arrangements after the first of the year—coordinating home schedules, looking into Amtrak or hotels, and putting aside the money to pay for it all. I’m still chasing the dream of all 30 parks, but I’m learning to enjoy the “Extra Innings” of the journey.

Cleaning up the house and preparing for a transition

Let’s face it: Phred and I aren’t getting any younger. In 2024, I talked about “reclaiming my piece of the Earth,” but I’ve realized that I can’t do that until I deal with the “stuff” I’m standing on. There are still things in our house from the old man, and even from when Guillaume lived here. Mother’s things are still here, too.

There are still things in our house from the old man, and even from when Guillaume lived here. Mother’s things are still here, too. To be blunt: at this time last year, Phred and I didn’t think Mother would still be with us. She’s in assisted living, and twelve months ago, it didn’t look like she’d make it another year. But here we are.

Cleaning has been on my mind as I prepare for Kid 1 to arrive tomorrow. If I’m being honest, the house looks like shit. Phred and I haven’t had the time to do much during the school year, and Guillaume is no help either. I’m just tired of acting like we have all the time in the world to deal with the past.

Look for (and likely land) a new job

My current school is far from perfect. While I don’t feel unsafe, I know it isn’t a “safe” working environment, mostly due to leadership. There are rumors the district might break up my school next year. If that happens, I hope to land elsewhere in the district. If not, I’ll be looking elsewhere entirely. It’s time to find a place where “Plugging Along” feels a little less like an uphill battle.

Work on my savings

In my first blueprint, I joked that my retirement plan was death. In my second, I realized that child support “windfalls” disappear quickly. This year, I’m getting serious.

I’m starting with a $100 monthly investment on January 1st. If that goes well, I’ll bump it up to 10% of my paycheck. I spend money too frivolously, and at 52, I need to make sure the “next phase” of my life is actually funded

Final Thoughts

Those who read my 2024 and 2025 blueprints will notice I’ve stopped talking about weight loss goals or graduate school. Regarding the Master’s: while the salary increase would be nice, it might actually over-qualify me for the specific jobs I’m seeking this fall. I’m not ending the dream; I’m just deferring it.

As for the “Batman weight”? I’m still working on it, but I’m focusing more on “The Art of Moving Slowly” and staying healthy enough that my heart doesn’t “explode,” as I so eloquently put it last year. 2026 isn’t about being a new man; it’s about acknowledging the man I am and making his world a little bit better.

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