How to Have the Best Summer
May 30, 2022
đď¸How to Have the Best Summer
Now that the summer season has just begun here in the United States, I thought I would share some suggestions on how to make it the best summer ever. Now I know that we are not all in the same place in our lives, so this list is not all inclusive, and of course, not all activities are going to be relevant to you. This is my personal plan that may spark some ideas for you.
1.   Skill Up. We all want to achieve certain goals. Maybe get a promotion, a new job, start a business or just be better at what we are currently doing. Skilling up to learn a new skill or hobby has never been easier. There are plenty of resources available on the internet but in case you need some help you can check out my video on how to get access to Ivy League Courses for free here:
The Secret on How to get FREE Ivy League University COURSES
2.    Read good books. Whether you are looking to escape from reality, escape to another dimension or just ease your curiosity about a topic or subject, reading offers us a way to do all of that. Your summer reading should be a combination of interests that feed your soul and mind. If you are looking for some ideas, I published a video with several recommendations of 7 Books that you NEED to read this summer.
My Summer Book Haul - 7 Books you NEED to read this summer
3.   Spend time with the loved ones. Since school is out for the season in most places, summer offers a time for us to spend more time with the kids. This can be as simple as stopping in on them with a surprise dinner or setting up a trip for the family. In my experience it is usually the spontaneous gestures that work the best. Your heart gets full, and the kids will enjoy it (even if they donât admit it).
4.   Take a trip with your loved ones or friends. In my house, my wife and I do enjoy traveling and summer offers many possibilities. This year we are planning to do a cruise for the first time. For some of you, something as simple as a two night stay at a hotel in the local area is enough of a break from the normal to get away and refresh the mind and soul. Whatever action you take, make sure you disconnect from work or business for a day or so and focus on your relationships.
5.   Enjoy the outdoors. We have been in lock down enough over the past couple of years. Now is a good time to dip our toes into the outside world again. Find open air places to go to like the beach, the zoo, the forest, whatever is in your local area. The wife and I went to a local carnival the other week and we had so much fun that we felt like kids again. There is nothing better to relieve stress than to scream it away at an amusement park or attraction.
6.   Take a few days to do nothing at all. In these days of the grind and hustle mentality, some of us (myself included) may find it hard to just spend time doing nothing but it is important for us to just take a break. This is separate from a vacation which usually involves planning, commitment and financing. This is a simple day or two off work to stay at home just to sleep, eat good food, binge out on some TV, play video games, read a book and just lay around in your pajamas. (Embarrassing to say, but there are days that I do this and do not even shower.)  It is so good to veg out occasionally. Try it and thank me later.
đĽThe Latest on my YouTube Channel
My latest video reveals my Summer Book Haul: 7 Books that You NEED to Read This Summer. Check it out here:
My Summer Book Haul - 7 Books you NEED to read this summer
đWhat I am learning
đComputer Science
I am still working on Harvard Universityâs CS50âs Introduction to Computer Science Course. I am on week 6.
đData Science
I found additional resources on Data Science and Data Analytics.
I recently completed the Analyzing Data with Excel Course from IBM through Edx.
I just received my copy of Storytelling with Data.
I am enrolled in Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate Course available through Coursera. I have not started it yet but plan to jump in this week
đŹFilm Making
I recently experienced technical problems with using Camtasia as my editing software, so I stepped up my game in learning Adobe Premier. I am going to try to use Premier Pro for my next video that I hope to release next week. Stay tuned and tell me what you think. I feel I made progress with my editing skills. I am getting comfortable with Camtasia and having a hard time biting the bullet to switch to Premier Pro. I know it is an overall better program and it will step my video game up a notch butâŚâŚ..
đBlockchain
Despite the craziness in the Crypto markets right now, there are exciting opportunities in the future for blockchain. I am compiling my list of resources on this still and hope to have something available for everyone to check out in the next month or so.
đWhat I am reading
So many exciting things going on here.
I just received my Storytelling with Data book in the mail. Yes, it is a physical copy because I will be using this as a resource for years to come. Here is the link: Storytelling with Data
I downloaded Longshot by Zach Graumann to my Audible library and will be diving in this week. Here is the link: Longshot
I have two books on deck on Kindle. Die with Zero from Bill Perkins https://amzn.to/3DAIb2M and The Unfair Advantage from Ash Ali and Hasan Kubba. Here is that link: The Unfair Advantage
đ ď¸Project Updates
I am total revamping my website and making changes to how this is formatted on this newsletter. Stay tuned for updates as I experiment with ways to be the most effective in bringing you relevant and timely information.
â¤ď¸What I am loving
đşThe Offer: This is a series on Paramount Plus that gives us the back story on the making of the movie The Godfather. Itâs a very intriguing look at the early days of Hollywood when creativity flourished but the back room deals, and politics started to infiltrate the industry. I was surprised at the amount of resistance there was to the making of the film as much as I was encouraged to see the tenacity and determination by multiple players that was required to get this done
đStar Wars: Disney Plus just released the latest in the Star Wars Saga. I will have more to write on this next week as I gather my thoughts, but Obi-Wan Kenobi is a much anticipated mini-series that chronicles the story of Obi-Wan Kenobi. One of the few characters to be an integral part of the overall Star Wars Enterprise. As of the release of this article, only the first two of six episodes are available.
đRandom Insights
I am going to keep this short today so that you can get on with your holiday. Let us take some time this holiday to reflect on the reason for it. Memorial Day is when we are to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Military. Sometimes we forget the bravery and sacrifice of these people who gave their lives so that we can read newsletters and watch the programs that we love. Freedom should not be taken for granted. Freedom is the result of their sacrifice and will continue to be tested for years to come. Current events in Ukraine and Russia are reminders of the delicate nature of freedom. Let us take time to remember those that sacrificed so that we can have so much.