Since retiring on March 31 to focus on keynote speaking, I’ve been sharing monthly highlights of my adventures and experiences.
Enjoying Home and Family Time
After an intense travel and speaking schedule in June, I decided to stay home in July. It might not sound like a highlight, but spending time with family, picking blackberries, hanging out with the dogs, and simply reflecting was incredibly refreshing.
My favorite co-workers!
Keynote Preparations
July provided the perfect opportunity to refine my upcoming keynotes. With the invaluable assistance of [LinkedIn Contact], I made significant upgrades to my “Fry Your Chickens” keynote, enhancing both the script and the PowerPoint slides.
Framing the Generative AI Keynote
I also dedicated time to developing my Generative AI keynote, set to debut in October. This process included leveraging the insights from my social media sentiment analysis and having a blast with a Generative AI image generator.
Waiter there’s a hair in my chicken
Social Media Sentiment Analysis
One of my “follow that squirrel” moments in July led me to question how my social media posts have evolved in terms of positivity, neutrality, and negativity over the years. I extracted over 15 years of posts and used ChatGPT for analysis. This ongoing project aims to understand the impact of positive thinking in my life, with the hope of helping others as well.
Culinary Adventures
I bought a Weber charcoal smoker and prepared three different meals in July: ribs, pork loin, and chicken. Exploring new recipes and techniques has been a delicious and satisfying experience.
Day Trips
While much of July was spent at home, my wife Beth and I took a couple of day trips. We visited the Loveland Castle and took a trip with our youngest son, Tom, to the Ohio State Fair. These outings added a nice variety to our month.
Looking Ahead
As I look forward to the coming months, I’m excited about:
- Restarting my keynote speaking engagements from August through the end of the year
- A much-anticipated beach vacation
- Our oldest son’s wedding
Summary
July was a month of relaxation, reflection, and preparation. Staying home allowed me to recharge and spend quality time with family while making significant strides in my professional projects. I delved into social media sentiment analysis, had fun framing my Generative AI keynote, and explored new culinary adventures with my new smoker. With exciting events on the horizon, including more keynotes, a beach vacation, and a family wedding, I’m thrilled for what’s ahead!
Retirement has been an exhilarating journey so far, filled with new experiences and opportunities. I’m eager to see what the future holds and to continue sharing these adventures with you all.