Off to Work
Mike shares his morning routine, including his daily tradition of playing the national anthem. Over a quick cup of coffee, he touches on current events and some of his latest Louisiana observations before heading out the door for work.
Good morning, everyone! This is Mike George coming at you live — well, I’m not quite fully 'alive' yet. I’m just waking up here at Crimson House in Alexandria, getting ready to head into work. I’ve noticed I tend to let these live sessions drag on a bit, so I figured I’d try something different today. I don’t usually do these on my way to work, but the time pressure should help me keep this short and 'bite-sized' instead of my usual 30+ minutes.
I’m currently in the middle of my morning routine: trying to get the coffee going, getting some weed going, and generally trying to get my life together. It’s a process, especially in the kitchen!
Lately, I’ve really enjoyed starting my day by playing the 'Star-Spangled Banner.' It reminds me of my undergrad days in Dayton, Ohio, when I lived near an Air Force base. They’d play it every morning at 7:00, and it just stuck with me. Even though things feel pretty heavy politically right now — I’d argue we barely have two independent branches of government left — I still have a lot of fondness for this country. I figure why not appreciate the republic as we know it while we can?
Of course, it wouldn't be one of my videos without a few technical difficulties. Between balancing Spotify on one computer, checking in on the stream on another, and managing the kids, my brain is definitely working harder than my technology. I tried to do a little buildup with some Janelle Monáe, which I think represents true American values, but Windows had other plans for a moment. It gives me a little comfort, actually—if computers are still this glitchy in 2022, they probably aren't ready to take over the world just yet!
I also took a moment to dump yesterday’s coffee grounds into my compost pile. Living in Louisiana, I was honestly worried a pile of food waste would attract every bug and snake in the state, but so far, it’s been quiet. I guess the local scorpions aren't big fans of coffee or tortilla chips.
After a few more technical hiccups, I finally got the anthems played — including Ukraine’s national anthem, which is honestly a beautiful song. But now it’s 7:25, and I really need to get moving if I’m going to make it to work. I’m going to finish waking up, find that coffee, and get the day started. Enjoy your hump day, take care of yourselves, and take care of each other. Adiós!"
