Speak It Into Existence: Celebratory Toast
Song Of The Week
If you haven't yet sent your ears on a delightful quest with The Oh Hellos, now's the time. "Soldier, Poet, King" is their lyrical cocktail—anthemic enough to rally a crowd, yet tender enough to make you ponder your role in the grand cosmic play. With a stomping folk beat and harmonies that feel like a campfire sing-along, this tune captures the spirit of timeless storytelling.
The song weaves a tale of archetypes—soldier, poet, and king—each representing different facets of strength, creativity, and leadership. It’s catchy, clever, and feels like the musical equivalent of finding a secret map to your own inner kingdom.
Crank it up during your next walk, write-session, or for that much-needed burst of motivation. Just be warned: your foot might start tapping on its own, and humming along could become utterly unavoidable. Embrace it. The crown awaits.
Another Milestone
Not to make a big deal out of it… but this is blog post 80. So yeah, I’m celebrating. Eighty! Eighty open stories. Eighty little windows into my mind. Eighty ways for you to understand who I am, who I’ve been becoming. I thought blog #80 would come with fireworks. A huge reflection, a personal essay, something deep and polished. But the truth is, what I feel most is something quieter— something steadier.
What got me here wasn’t some perfect plan or long-term vision. It was just this: I kept showing up. Even when I was tired. Even when I didn’t know what to say. Even when I doubted if anyone was reading. I honestly can’t believe I’ve made it this far, I knew I had to but to finally reach this point is bizarre. I kept my word, from the very first post, I vowed to my readers that every single Wednesday, there The Unfinished Times would be. I built this. I built The Unfinished Times.
That’s what I’m really celebrating — not just a number, but a world I created from my own words. My own identity, shared with whoever might find it. Millions of people could stumble across this space one day. And when they do, I hope they feel it — the honesty, the effort, the heartbeat in every post and every change.
There’s something sacred about words. We all know the ones that rise every holiday, every birthday, every moment — a toast, a blessing, a saying only your family knows. We say them every year without batting an eye. So if you think about it, words shape our celebrations. They are the cement to our traditions, they are the start and breathe of life in every memory. If actions are the bones of tradition, then words are the heartbeat. They’re what we hold onto when everything else changes.
Just think about all the milestones humans have marked over time — weddings, birthdays, graduations, hell, even death. They all have sayings, they all have cards, they all have balloons. But is there one for writing your 80th blog post?... No! I mean how many people do you know that have written 80 blog posts? It's a unique universal experience lol.
So, I’ll get a cake. A real one. Wear something fancy — a long dress with a slit, dramatic and deserved. I’ll buy those little number candles — an eight and a zero — and I’ll light them, let them flicker for a moment, take a breath, and blow them out. I’ll close my eyes and make a wish on the next goal.
I didn’t turn 80 — but I made it to eight-zero. And that’s enough to bring a few proud tears, because showing up for yourself deserves to be celebrated. And maybe, a cake smash at the end because I can’t resist those.
Let’s get to 100!
It’s easy to celebrate the final product — the 80th post with cake, and a moment when you can finally point to and say, “Look, Mom, I did it!” or the 365 day spin you accomplished. But the real celebration? It’s in everything that led up to this. The moment I made the vow. The days that passed when I didn’t realize just how hard this could be. The drafts I deleted. The late nights when I almost didn’t write. The quiet mornings where I had to catch up anyway. The days I questioned whether I had anything of value to add — to the internet, to my readers, to myself. Some days I hated the fact that I would put this upon myself, that I had to think. Crazy enough, all that has led me here.
And I would do it again! Blogging isn’t the same as journaling, and it’s not just another form of creative writing either. It’s its own craft — a distinct style of reflection that blends honesty with intention, vulnerability with voice. Blogging asks you to think, to connect, to share in real time. It reshapes how you see your own thoughts because you’re writing not just for yourself, but to someone. And that changes everything because when you know you have an audience and you want to sound sane…it is damn near impossible. Some way shape or form I haven’t been caught yet, so add that to the list of things to celebrate.
Hey, you! Yeah, you!
And if you’re reading this, maybe you have something like this too — something small but steady, something you’ve kept showing up for even when it didn’t seem like much. Whether it’s journaling, healing, working toward a dream, or just trying — speak it into existence. That’s my best advice.
You don’t need a crowd or a milestone to make it real. Because here’s the thing: words only hold power if you mean them. And I mean truly, deep, deep, deep down mean them. To say something and stick to it — that’s more powerful than any action. Actions flow from what we say and believe. So say it. Claim it. Mean it. And let your actions follow through.
No need to wait for perfect timing because that will never come. Stop spinning in analysis paralysis — it will only keep you stuck. You’ll blink and find yourself in the same place, thinking the same things, afraid of making the wrong move. But progress doesn't need to be perfect. It doesn’t need to be the best of the best. It just needs to be real. It needs to be you. Let this be your reminder. Like Nike says, – and this is the only time I will ever have a corporate ad, “Just Do It.” For God sakes people Just Do It!
This week’s song is "Soldier, Poet, King" by The Oh Hellos — a short, powerful track that feels like a prophecy, a challenge, and a celebration all at once. The lyrics speak to the different archetypes we carry within us: the fighter, the dreamer, the ruler. It’s a reminder that we each walk into the world with roles to play and choices to make — and that our words, like those archetypes, have the power to wound or heal, to build or destroy. The song’s urgency and folk energy mirror the spirit of this post: showing up, claiming your voice, and choosing to speak with meaning. It’s short, like a spark — but it lingers, and lights something up.
Enjoy This Journey With Me
° 𐐪𐑂 ♡ 𐐪𐑂 ₒ 𐐪𐑂 ♡ 𐐪𐑂 °
Enjoy This Journey With Me ° 𐐪𐑂 ♡ 𐐪𐑂 ₒ 𐐪𐑂 ♡ 𐐪𐑂 °
This isn’t the end—just a bookmark in the conversation. Stories don’t really close; they unfold, shift, and find new voices. If this one stirred something in you, let it breathe. Leave a thought, challenge an idea, or carry it forward in your own way. And if you ever feel like wandering through more unfinished thoughts, you know where to find me. Let’s keep the conversation alive. ~XOXO
