The Bright Spot 5/8/26

I got the privilege to attend a graduation for a friend last night. It was awesome. I graduated many years ago at this point but my friend took the time and determination to finish up a college degree later in life. It is inspiring, honestly.

I am very proud of him. And everyone who pushes through to make things happen in their life despite everything thrown at them. We should all celebrate any type of effort made towards someone bettering themselves. It makes me want to take some changes in direction thinking about it.

The Bright Spot 5/1/26

Lately, I’ve mostly been listening to lofi music when starting up Spotify. It’s really calming for me. The change is nearly instant.

Today, I’m bringing you a YouTuber who gives me a similar feel when watching his videos. It’s  Vlogs by El  

Here’s an example of the stuff he brings.

I have been enjoying his stuff after finding him on a search for a backpack review. Is there anyone out there that has given you calm after watching?

Thanks for reading,

The Bright Spot 4/24/26

It’s been a rough few weeks for me. If I’m being honest it’s been a lot of rough few weeks gingerly laced together with some really good ones for a while now. My life hasn’t been terrible but I’m not always great at adjusting to the ride.

Of late, I’ve been looking for new ways to find a spark. Ted Lasso was the thing helping me with that for a while. Hopecore videos on TikTok have me shedding tears at almost every military dad coming home orย  people going out of their way to help someone else.

I believe that we all need a little bit of help sometimes prioritizing positivity and beauty and that’s where these posts were borne out of.

But sometimes what I really need is something a little grittier. Not just something hopeful but something with a willful resilience that draws me to fight further. Something that places a burning mantra deeply so that it resonatesย  and rhymes with the rest of my life.

Today, my bright spot is the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. As I wait, not so patiently, for the 8th book to arrive in a few weeks, I hang onto Carl’s he starts off to himself in the first book ‘You will not break me’. The series has many highlights but the perseverance to stand and fight with and for those you love and not letting the bad break you is why I love it so much.

What is your bright spot?

The Bright Spot

Today we’re kicking off a series highlighting some bright spots found in every day life. Hopeful, impressive, or beautiful: I’m not trying to put too tight of a definition on it. Just looking to share something that will make you feel something. I’d love to hear what you think should be featured. Comment below or email me at Jeff@junctionpointnetwork.com.

Today’s bright spot is maybe a bit on the nose.

This is a picture I took a few weeks back. I was struck by the view of a sunset here three years before and came back on the same date years later to try and capture it. I’m at the beginning stages of a photography journey so I’ve got a lot to learn but had a lot of fun trying.

Sometimes I get frustrated when it doesn’t work as well or as easily as I’d like. But sometimes I remember it’s really good to just soak in the beautiful moment. Have you had any beautiful moments worth sharing lately?

Maybe in the Sequel

I’ve heard the icebreaker question “who would you want to play you in a movie?” many times. I’ve never really sat down and put serious thought as to what my answer would be. It’s difficult to see my story being one worthy of being told, even when I try to live my life in a way that acknowledges that everyone I meet has a story worth telling.

Continue reading “Maybe in the Sequel”

Listening In 3/12/26

Today we’re going to take a look at a great podcast that if you love the medium that you either are listening to or should be. Video shows are increasingly popular, with many people viewing those as the default when they think of the word podcast. I won’t get on my RSS soapbox today but I will say that I prefer a great audio experience over everything.

Continue reading “Listening In 3/12/26”

I Want My Personal Pan

When I was in elementary school I had somehow come to the conclusion that I didn’t like pizza. I was a pretty picky eater and honestly haven’t fully grown out of that.

It turns out that to overcome something you don’t like can just be something that you love. A good partner puts up with stuff that they don’t like to be with the person that they love. Back then, I loved reading. I would absolutely devour books and was constantly begging to go to our local library to get new ones. When the book fair came to school, it was a magical experience for me. When I read, I specifically remember telling people about how I stopped even seeing the words on the page, just images flooding in.

I picked up a lot of new words in my pursuits, somehow earning the nickname The Human Dictionary. It doesn’t sound that bad right now but it stung third grade me. It became clear to my younger self that being well read wasn’t something cool. Even the prizes I got for absorbing volumes of books didn’t even do it for me; personal pan pizzas from Pizza Hut. I didn’t even like pizza! Present me laughs at that. Past mom enjoyed the benefits of my labor.

In 1993, Pizza Hut decided to capitalize on the success of my favorite TV show, X-Men The Animated Series. They were handing out free comics to people who made a purchase at the store. I begged, this time for going to Pizza Hut. She agreed but on one condition, I had to eat the pizza that we ordered. I solemnly agreed. It was in this awkward agreement that I discovered another love, pizza. How had I spent my life avoiding this amazing food? It was lunacy.

I’ve picked up reading again over the last year or so. First with the book The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Most recently and most impactful, the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. I recently finished book 7 of that series and while I wait for book 8 in May, I started author Matt Dinniman’s ‘Operation Bounce House’ to tide me over. It feels good to reignite an old passion. Wish I was earning pizza points though.

What old hobbies have you rediscovered? What book are you reading right now?

Five Faves – Shows I’m Watching Right Now

I have never been a huge TV guy. At least now until I met my wife. Give me a two hour piece of cinema over something episodic any day.

Life changes, especially after marriage. Here are five shows that I’m into currently.

Silo

This is one that I watch on my own but I bet my wife will eventually get into it. Silo is considered too dark and too slow by some online but the pacing is part of the enjoyment for me. I found the show on Apple TV while searching around the app after finishing the first season of another show later on this list. I haven’t read the books yet (although I have them downloaded onto my tablet ready to go), because I love the reveals of the show. It’s intriguing, tense, and thought-provoking sci-fi.

The Rookie

The Rookie is not the kind of program that will change how you look at life. The writers are often using silly ways to get out of situations. But it is fun. It’s popcorn watching that my wife and I can always easily be in the mood for. I was interested because of Captain Mal, Nathan Fillion. She was brought in by a clip from the show hitting her social feed.

Severance

Man, what a breath of fresh air was this show and yet how frustrating the long wait was for season 2. If you haven’t seen the show, employees at Lumon get a chip implanted in their brain that severs their work self and off of work self so they never know what is happening on the other side of each. As viewers we’re kept mostly in the dark but slowly get more pieces of the puzzle. It’s great. Aubree and I did a podcast on it for Junction Point during season 2.

Ted Lasso

Another Apple TV product and it’s the one that caused me and a lot of others to sign up in the first place. The first season especially is incredible TV, making you laugh and cry. I am a little skeptical of this fourth season after a bit of a rocky ending to season 3, but I’m staying curious.

Pluribus

The last entry on the list is yet another Apple TV product. I have never seen Breaking Bad, the show that Pluribus creator Vince Gilligan became a massive success with. I have heard only good about it but the premise made me feel like I’d only end up depressed watching it. Pluribus fits in my sci-fi wheelhouse, with the main character Carol running into some out of this world challenges that I think should be experienced watching the pilot before hearing about. I wasn’t as strong on parts later in the season but the subsequent seasons have a lot of interesting avenues to go down.

What are you watching lately?