50 Days of Gratitude - Week #2

Last week was about perspective, so to continue on my 50 things of gratitude leading up to my 50th cake day, I thought I’d touch on the little things that I’m grateful for.

#8. Baseball hats.

Especially black ones. I've worn a baseball hat for as long as I can remember, and even back when I had a very lovely mullet in the late 80s and early 90s (I posted a dandy of a picture of mine on Insta last week!), I still wore a hat. Since we started SOVRN in 2008, I've worn a SOVRN hat nearly every day, so much so that to a lot of folks I'm a little notorious for my black hat. At this point it's my armor.

#9. Quality tools.

Nice tools are more expensive, but the old adage "buy once, cry once" is sure accurate. I’m a Milwaukee guy and over the years have invested heavily into their tools. I feel like I can build anything. That confidence breeds motivation--which means I actually finish building something!

#10. Quality gear.

Quality gear is as important as tools— whether camping, traveling, shooting, hunting, listening to music, whatever. It's great to be able to focus on doing the thing, rather than spending time fixing something so you can then go do the thing. (Probably doesn’t help that I’m a bit of a gear junkie.)

#11. Guns.

I know everyone’s gonna feel a certain way about them, and that's okay. Shooting guns has been a lifelong hobby of mine. Growing up my Mom wasn't the biggest fan of them, but rather than try and push me away from them she made sure that I would make safety paramount. I expect that anyone I’ve shot with would agree that I feel very strongly about being safe around guns, so I think Mom would be proud. Be responsible with your guns and go out and shoot! (Cue the dad joke...) It's a blast! 

“I didn't realize guns bred like rabbits. Every time I open Joe’s safe there seems to be more of them.” - My wife, 2024

#12. Coffee.

Nothing beats a cup of black coffee. I don't care if it's from a campfire or from a hotel room, the smell of a freshly brewed pot of coffee is next level. It's one of the little things that I love. 

#13. A coffee mug that doesn't leak.

I've had many different mugs in my life, and let me tell you how many have been utter failures. They leak if they fall over, cumbersome to open with one hand, they aren't insulated, they spill all over your cup holder,  impossible to clean--on and on and on. However, for the last decade I've been rocking the Stanley 20oz trigger action vacuum mug, and it's been amazing. Fits in almost all cupholders. Doesn't leak. Insulated. The best.

#14. Quality sunglasses.

One of life’s many mysteries for me is how so many people can go outside without wearing quality shades. If I go outside without them, my eyes start to melt, so sunglasses are a must for me. But for me they have to be a quality pair, and they’re worth every penny. I’ve been an Oakley fanboy since I was about 10.