Apr 05, 2026

tNGE Trial 135

Happy Easter! I hope you got to spend it with family and friends. We didn't make it home this weekend, but we will next weekend! Looking forward to that as always.

We finally replaced the painting in our living room. A dog and pumpkins in the bed of a truck doesn't feel very spring, so we finally got around to finding something new.

Mar 29, 2026

tNGE Trial 134

I picked Florida to go back-to-back this year, so I've been out of the running for a while now. So, I'm just hoping for as much chaos as possible. Purdue lost this weekend, so the whole state is upset about that. But... Indy is hosting the Final Four this year, so I expect quite a week of people watching outside my office window.

Mar 22, 2026

tNGE Trial 133

I really wish I could say I had one of the two perfect brackets remaining on ESPN. 26,567,885 have already fallen and we're only halfway through the round of 32. By flipping a coin for every matchup, your odds are about 1 in 9.2 quintillion. If you know a little ball, they say the odds go to about 1 in 120 billion. I guess I don't know ball.

Mar 15, 2026

tNGE Trial 132

In the 2.5 years of tNGE, last week was the first one I've missed. I don't like missing things, so hopefully it's my last.

We just pulled in the driveway late last night after a week in South Carolina with the family. What a blessing that was. Luna didn't make the flight, so I missed her and Indy, but it was time well spent.

Mar 01, 2026

tNGE Trial 131

It's already March, and I have watched negative college basketball games. Maybe that means I have a better chance at a good bracket this year.

Pet a dog this week.

"Confidence shared is better than confidence only in yourself." - Mike Krzyzewski

Feb 22, 2026

tNGE Trial 130

The Winter Olympics concluded today which means I can forget about curling for another four years. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to forget learning that doubles luge is literally just two people laying on top of another.

Another thing I won't forget is watching the US men's hockey team celebrate a gold medal this morning. The team included the kids of their late teammate in the first gold medal celebration in 46 years. I'm not a huge hockey guy, but have you seen Miracle?

Feb 15, 2026

tNGE Trial 129

I just got back from a walk in a short sleeve T-shirt where I think I got a bit of a tan. The snow has almost all melted, so there is plenty of mud for Luna and her friends to play in. Our carpet is so screwed, but that's ok. Our home is meant to be lived in.

Plus, we love Valentine's Day around here.

Feb 08, 2026

tNGE Trial 128

Today is one of the greatest days in sports. I started off hot with some curling and skiing at the Winter Olympics, watched some of the rowdiest golf tournament of the year, and then, of course, the puppy bowl.

Oh yeah, there is a football game on now too. Go Pats.

Jan 31, 2026

tNGE Trial 127

Don't worry, I got my airport steps in this week. I hear a lot of bad things about ATL, but it's one of my favorites for just walking around.

What a blessing it is to be able to travel and spend a weekend with some awesome dude. It's always an honor to celebrate one of the best men I know. Hopefully my gratitude was communicated in the moment.

Jan 25, 2026

tNGE Trial 126

I always find it hilarious what people try to stock up on prior to a storm. On Friday evening, the popular items at Meijer were toilet paper, milk, eggs, snacks, and, weirdly enough, bananas. I really don't understand the toilet paper one. Also, maybe you can't get to the store for a couple days, but I don't get how that changes things so drastically. Do we really need 4 boxes of cereal because we'll be snowed in for a weekend?

Jan 17, 2026

tNGE Trial 125

Football this year has been crazy. It doesn't make sense in my mind that the Seahawks, Broncos, and Patriots have clinched conference championship spots and the Chicago Bears have a home divisional championship game. Aside from the NFL, Indiana is favored in the College Football National Championship. After the Colts choked horribly, Indiana has saved the state from ruin.

Jan 11, 2026

tNGE Trial 124

I apologize in advance for the long trial this week. I chose a few topics I'm really interested in to explore. If you disagree with me, let me know! Having the conversation is how we all get better. That's what this is all about!

There are a lot of things happening early in 2026. Let's keep getting better.

Jan 04, 2026

tNGE Trial 123

The start of a new year! It's absolutely crazy to me that we are closer to 2050 than we are to 2000. I'm 25, but I'm already trying to figure out who I need to talk to in order to stop aging. Only if I can share it with my family though.

2026 is going to be a great year because why not be positive? I hope this isn't the year the AI overlords takeover (jokes).

Dec 28, 2025

tNGE Trial 122

The holidays are always such a special time to slow down and be with family and friends. At the risk of beating a dead horse (what a bad phrase), I am extremely grateful to have a positive environment to look forward to. I feel for those whose holidays bring more stress than joy.

Dec 21, 2025

tNGE Trial 121

I've entered dangerous territory. I made my first loaf of sourdough yesterday (burnt the crap out of it but the inside was pretty good) and bought a dutch oven today. Now taking bets on how long I can keep the starter alive.

I hope you get to spend the coming days with family, slow down a bit, and remind yourself of the important things in life (hint: it's not the presents).

Dec 14, 2025

tNGE Trial 120

Snow was a lot more fun when I didn't have a driveway to shovel. That being said, I'm really grateful I have a driveway to shovel. It's gotten so cold this weekend that not even Luna wants to be out there for too long.

Stay warm out there.

"To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold." - Aristotle

Dec 08, 2025

tNGE Trial 119

We have officially entered the PTO days of 2025. After completing a huge milestone in November, most of my team will be OoO most of December. That gives me some much needed time to sort out the bedrooms that we haven't touched since moving in.

We also got to host Luna's friend for the weekend and boy is it fun to have two dogs. Tough to beat watching dogs play in the backyard.

Nov 30, 2025

tNGE Trial 118

Hand up - I missed last week. You'd think I would have more time without working at all last week, but it didn't work out that way. I'm a big believer that you make time for things that are important to you, but, to be frank, NGE was not at the top of my priority list this week. I apologize for that.

Nov 16, 2025

tNGE Trial 117

I've only run one time this week, so I'm already fantasizing about the next marathon. With another 50 minute PR, I'd qualify for Boston. Lol, that's not happening.

I'm also learning a lot about cars as I try to extend the life of my truck as long as that bad boy will run. Absolutely criminal that we're already halfway done with November.

Nov 09, 2025

tNGE Trial 116

This week will be fully devoted to the marathon. As always, you have free will (I think?) and can skip if you're not interested.

If you're still here, I'm going to share my thoughts going into the race and recap after. So, here we are on Friday, the night before the race.

Nov 02, 2025

tNGE Trial 115

We are one week out from the marathon, out of OT mode at work, and got to hand out candy for the first Halloween in our house. I guess you could say things are getting pretty exciting around here.

Not to mention it already looks like the North Pole in here. Sorry not sorry.

Oct 27, 2025

tNGE Trial 114

Hand up - I'm late. Honestly, I'm typing this all at 8:35pm on Monday night while watching the World Series. If we're being totally honest, I choose Mario Kart with my friends over this last night. Never thought I would type those words in the same sentence.

I've been leaving work in the dark a lot lately, and downtown Indy really isn't so bad. I'm the biggest fan of space and fresh air, but there is something pretty cool about the skyline lighting up on the drive home.

Oct 19, 2025

tNGE Trial 113

I may have lost a few years off my life this week when I saw a couple deer on the trail. It was still pitch black, but my headlight illuminated their eyes and I could have sworn they were five feet off the ground. I immediately shed my gloves to defend myself against the inevitable wolf attack that I would tell stories about for the rest of my life.

Oct 12, 2025

tNGE Trial 112

There's something special about starting and finishing a really productive run in the dark. It's getting a little too cold, but I know it's going to be a good day when I use my headlamp to take off my running shoes.

Congrats to all the amazing people that ran the Chicago Marathon today. I get emotional thinking about all the whys during today's run.

Oct 05, 2025

tNGE Trial 111

This weekend I got to play some golf with a bunch of friends I haven't seen in way too long. It's one of my favorite weekends of the year, and, honestly, I needed it. It's been a wild couple months at work and we've got a lot to accomplish in October, so I was really grateful to slow things down even if it was for a day.

Sep 28, 2025

tNGE Trial 110

I accidentally joined a local 5k during my run this weekend. I can't imagine what the racers were thinking when they saw me with a water pack - nobody wears a pack for a 5k. When I passed volunteers on the course I felt like such an imposter and tried to face away from them so they didn't ask me why I didn't have a bib. I felt like I was in the wrong, but I was just trying to get home.

Sep 21, 2025

tNGE Trial 109

We got to try out our awesome firepit for the first time this weekend. There's something innately fulfilling about being with friends around a fire that I am super grateful for.

I've got a lot to learn about my firepit operating skills though. We did start the fire just fine, but I wasn't expecting it to downpour before the fire was totally out and too hot to cover.

Sep 14, 2025

tNGE Trial 108

This weekend we had the opportunity to host in a slightly put together home, and it was awesome. The biggest benefit of a home is having the space to invite people over. It's such a blessing to spend time with people we love and show them around the place we call home.

Sep 07, 2025

tNGE Trial 107

Oh boy is it football season. I'll be the first to express my concerns about the physical effects of football, but it's really fun to watch. It's honestly just a great excuse to talk to your buddies about outlandish fantasy trades.

P.S. Daniel Jones may be elite.

Sep 01, 2025

tNGE Trial 106

Happy Labor Day! A three day weekend is always a welcome sight, but I think it's important to acknowledge the significance behind our holidays. Grover Cleveland made Labor Day a federal holiday on June 28, 1894 to recognize the contributions of workers after years of civil unrest which included the Pullman Strike.

Aug 24, 2025

tNGE Trial 105

It's starting to feel a little more like home around here. It was a big week at work, but we got a lot done around the house this weekend. Maybe one of these days we'll be able to park in the garage.

The weather is starting to cool off so my runs are feeling better. It may be something else too... foreshadowing. It also means it's darker for longer. It's officially headlamp season.

Aug 17, 2025

tNGE Trial 104

I'm no mathematologist, but I think 104 trials means we've been doing this for two years. Thank you all for following along and being a part of this thing.

"A rising tide lifts all boats." - me, but other people before that

New Trail Unlocked

Aug 10, 2025

tNGE Trial 103

I feel like I've spent the last week turning sprinklers on and off and moving them around. Still, most of my yard looks like the Sahara. The heat definitely doesn't help, but boy am I not looking forward to the water bill.

I can't wait to get our fence up so Luna can join me in the backyard while I'm grilling. How fun will that be.

Aug 03, 2025

tNGE Trial 102

I get to type this week's trial in our first home. Closing went smoothly and the whole experience was nothing but positive. It'll take a while for everything to find its place, but we are incredibly grateful to have a chaotic home full of friends and family.

Moving really takes it out of you; I can't remember the last time I have fallen asleep during the day, but I dozed off on the couch today. Luna is settling in pretty quickly, but it was a very stressful weekend for her. She's catching up on her sleep too.

Jul 27, 2025

tNGE Trial 101

I'm really grateful to have spent this week back in the United Kingdom. I acknowledge how lucky I am to be able to travel around the globe to work with great people. But, I am even more excited for this week.

We close on our home Wednesday! I can't wait to finally give Luna her backyard.

Jul 20, 2025

tNGE Trial 100

Here we are again, tapping on a keyboard above the Atlantic. Meals are a bit different this time, but it's really the eye mask that hits hardest.

It's tough to get up early when you sleep in silk sheets; I'm better off back here in economy.

Trial 100 surely can't be right. I appreciate every one of you that reads or responds to my words each week. I am grateful to learn from your perspective, and I hope you can learn something from mine.

Jul 13, 2025

tNGE Trial 99

What a privilege it is to spend time with people you love. Summers look a little different the last couple years without baseball, but good weather is a great excuse to enjoy the company of friends and family.

Short one today. My corporate mind wants to say I'll give you some time back, but I'll refrain.

Jul 06, 2025

tNGE Trial 98

One of the features of July 4th in Central Illinois is that you get a 360 degree firework viewing experience because it's so flat. That also means Luna can never get comfortable. She turned two years old on Saturday and spent most of the day clogging the pool filter with her hair. She may sleep all week.

Jun 29, 2025

tNGE Trial 97

We have been in a heat warning literally the entire week in Central Indiana. Luckily for me, my truck has great airflow. Unfortunately for me, it's always warm. Now I know how smokers feel when they have to drive with the windows down on the highway.

We are also 0-3 on the diamond this summer, but that was expected.

Jun 22, 2025

tNGE Trial 96

The NBA Finals finally come to a close tonight. They stretched it out as long as possible, but all good things come to an end. By good things I mean the crazy amount of business generated by making one series last two and a half weeks. I'm excited for the game tonight, but it feels like this series has been going on forever.

Jun 15, 2025

tNGE Trial 95

Happy Father's Day to all the pops out there. For a long time, I've said that the most important title I'll ever have is father. That's still true - I have a lot of hope that I will get to be somebody's dad in the future and have so much love for the man I get to call dad.

Jun 08, 2025

tNGE Trial 94

I think it is time for me to officially board the Pacers bandwagon. I may have watched 20 total minutes of NBA basketball this year, but the playoffs are pretty fun. It also seems like I need to know what happened in order to be an effective employee at work the next day.

Jun 01, 2025

tNGE Trial 93

Yesterday was opening day of the Painted Tree and, much more importantly, Haus Made. My mom must have been so inspired by my web design business failure that she wanted to try it herself.

I don't know much about business yet, but I do know it's not about the money. It's about using your time and talents to make a positive impact. It's been incredible to witness the fulfillment that comes from serving others first-hand.

May 26, 2025

tNGE Trial 92

Shorter (and later) trial today courtesy of spending time with family and friends this Memorial Day weekend. Skipping is simply not an option.

In addition to being the biggest weekend of the year for Indiana folks, it's a time to recognize the sacrifices made to make this country the greatest on Earth. I'm not sure there's a title I respect more than veteran.

May 18, 2025

tNGE Trial 91

Not much movement on the house this week, but it passed the city's foundation inspection. The slab gets poured tomorrow and framing right after. Hopefully the rain holds off long enough for the slab to dry.

Indy's getting ready for the Indy 500 a week from today. Personally, I'm not all that interested but I am interested in hearing some stories from coworkers next week about how hot it was in the Snake Pit.

May 11, 2025

tNGE Trial 90

It's starting to feel like summer here in Indy. To my wife's dismay, my burns are quickly turning to tan. Good weather makes me really excited to have a backyard and a grill.

Footers, foundation blocks, and plumbing went in this week. After a city inspection comes the slab/back patio/front porch and framing.

May 04, 2025

tNGE Trial 89

Life has been really exciting lately. So many crazy things have been happening and will definitely continue in May. It can get busy at times, but man is it cool.

We break ground on the house tomorrow!

May the fourth be with you.

"It's gonna be May" - Justin Timberlake

Apr 27, 2025

tNGE Trial 88

A few weeks ago I decided to sign up for the Indy Mini. There is a 5K and a half marathon - the half starts downtown, does a lap around the Indianapolis Speedway, and finishes downtown. Of course I chose the half, but I got a pretty discount by joining the RR team - we even get some cool shirts to wear and a tent at the post party. It's voted America's Best Half Marathon by USA Today (whatever that means) because you get to run on the track and the course is lined with bands pretty much the entire way. It'll be pretty neat.

Apr 20, 2025

tNGE Trial 87

I apologize to those of you that bought tickets to Fyre 2. Looks like Mr. McFarland has postponed the event until further notice. Playa del Carmen disputed the fact that there was ever an event scheduled, but McFarland is adamant that Fyre 2 will take place - just not in Playa Del Carmen.

Apr 13, 2025

tNGE Trial 86

The Masters is one of the best weekends of the year. There really is something about the traditions of the tournament that make it special. Fans are called patrons, cell phone use is prohibited, the back 9 is called the second nine, there is no range - it's the tournament practice facility, etc.

Apr 06, 2025

tNGE Trial 85

Regardless of tomorrow's outcome, I lost our family March Madness pool. I lost to my wife! That's a pretty good consolation prize in my opinion. She has both championship teams right, so maybe we'll win a car or something.

In an absolutely wild turn of events, British Airways reimbursed us for the essentials we had to purchase while waiting for my bag. In other words, I got some free pants. Couldn't have worked out any better. What a world.

Mar 30, 2025

tNGE Trial 84

It's a late one tonight. Sorry about that. Maybe you are starting your week by reading on a beautiful Monday morning. Either way, I hope you have a better week than my March Madness bracket.

I still have a chance because everybody in front of me has Florida winning; for the next 8 days, I am an Auburn Tiger fan. I know a couple great people that are/were Tigers, so I'm good with that. But, if you really pressed me, I would put my money of the Gators too.

Mar 23, 2025

tNGE Trial 83

Well, here I am in Birmingham, UK on Tuesday without my luggage. I made the call to check a bag so I could bring my greens powder without being hassled by TSA. Turns out it doesn't do much good if I don't have the bag. They tell me it's on the way...

Some of you probably know how incredibly uncomfortable I feel without a change of clothes, especially at work. Thankfully, my coworker graciously offered an outfit. But, I'm still wearing sneakers and no belt. Not even product for my hair. I have all my work stuff, so that's neat. Puts quite a damper on the day.

Mar 16, 2025

tNGE Trial 82

It was such a treat to have some nice weather this week. We spent as much time as possible outside after work and I got to eat lunch on the balcony again.

I head to the UK early tomorrow morning for work in Birmingham. While we won't have much time for exploring, we will have some time in London prior to our return flight on Friday. I am excited to experience a new culture and have some meat pies.

Mar 09, 2025

tNGE Trial 81

We got our taxes done with TurboTax this week. It was our first time doing it ourselves, so that is cause for celebration in the adult world. We did a first pass and came back to review another day. I didn't think we changed anything, but our return definitely did. And not in the good direction. What a tease.

Mar 02, 2025

tNGE Trial 80

Going into the week, I was excited to enjoy some warm weather. Little did I know I would be fighting for my life just to stand up in the wind. Luna didn't care of course. When the wind finally died down, I could see my breath again. It was fun while it lasted. Spring will be here eventually. That's what they tell me at least.

Feb 23, 2025

tNGE Trial 79

I've always enjoyed being able to watch friends play. I never thought I would be signing in to MLB.TV to do so. What an incredible feeling that is. I hope I get to do that for many years to come.

Being at the park today gave me an inkling that spring is right around the corner. I'm ready for a heat wave this week.

Feb 16, 2025

tNGE Trial 78

I don't know how I have made it this long without having the ability to subscribe on the website, but I finally implemented that feature this week. Mailchimp makes it awfully difficult to integrate with your own website when you are on the free version. Nevertheless, I hacked my way through it.

Feb 09, 2025

tNGE Trial 77

Correction: Last week I mentioned the US has export control restrictions on NIVIDIA's H800 chips. We prevent export of NVIDIA H100 and H800 chips. The H800 was made as a response to the banning of H100 sales to China, but was itself banned in late 2023. NVIDIA created the less powerful H20 to fill its spot, but this may also be banned now following Deepseek's recent innovations.

Feb 02, 2025

tNGE Trial 76

Happy Groundhog Day to all who celebrate. Phil saw his shadow at Gobbler's Knob this morning, signaling six more weeks of winter. Fortunately, Phil would be better off flipping a coin - his predictions stink. He was kind of right last year though.

"If a guy hits .300 every year, what does he have to look forward to? I always tried to stay around .190, with three or four RBI. And I tried to get them all in September. That way I always had something to talk about during the winter." - Bob Uecker

Jan 26, 2025

tNGE Trial 75

Return to office policies finally made their way to Central Indiana - at least three days a week downtown. I genuinely don't mind the work day in the office, but the commute makes the day feel so much shorter. I won't complain, especially considering today's first section.

Jan 19, 2025

tNGE Trial 74

I said this basketball season couldn't be worse than last year, but that is up for debate. We lost BIG. It may sound weird to say, but we are definitely better than last year.

It was a nice mid-week surprise to find out we have MLK Day off of work. I hope we're doing his mission justice.

Jan 12, 2025

tNGE Trial 73

You wouldn't believe how much Luna loves the snow. We probably have over a foot of accumulation - she disappears in some of the mounds. I don't know how her coat does it, but she doesn't seem cold at all. The only thing I worry about is her paws because she won't let us put her boots on.

Jan 04, 2025

tNGE Trial 72

Happy New Year!

Every new year I am reminded that no matter how hard I try, I won’t be able to live through the entire 21st century. Even if I do make it to 2100, I missed the first 9 months of 2000. How dare my parents do that to me.

I’ve never been a huge fan of resolutions. Personally, if I want to make a change bad enough, there’s no reason to wait until January 1. I’m an advocate for anything that makes a positive impact, I just think there’s better ways. A few years ago my wife and I started assigning words to the coming year. One singular word to define a clear vision. The only focus for today: connection.

Dec 30, 2024

tNGE Trial 71

I take hand-up accountability for being late this week. I was too busy soaking up all the quality time with family and friends - I hope you did the same.

In more pressing news, if you are reading this during Monday Night Football, I need you to root for the 49ers run game. I would never wish ill on anybody, but I am only up 17 points with George Kittle and the Detroit defense yet to play for the bad guys tonight in our league championship. I hope Kittle has a great time cheering for all his teammates tonight.

Dec 22, 2024

tNGE Trial 70

We made it home for the holidays this week which means Luna gets unlimited treats and play time. What a blessing it is to spend quality time with everyone you love in the same place. As us kids grow up and start families of our own, we all have obligations and responsibilities; I don’t want to ever take the time we have together for granted.

Dec 15, 2024

tNGE Trial 69

It’s officially PTO season. I didn’t realize how many days we could carry over into next year, so I might as well use them. Luna and I are going to have so many adventures over the next couple weeks.

I hope ping pong is a topic in my performance review because I think I gained some props at the company party this week. Putting a ping pong table in the basement may have been an elite career move. Is ping pong the new golf? No, definitely not.

Dec 08, 2024

tNGE Trial 68

We lost in the soccer semis (to the eventual champions) and ended up in 3rd place. Not bad considering we started 0-4. Basketball starts soon… that may be worse.

I forgot how jealous I was of Luna’s warm coat. She goes outside naked and loves it while I can’t even go for a walk without gloves. We’ve been going to stores a lot recently to train and get her out of the house. She has been awesome - I’m trying to teach her ‘middle’ to stay between my legs when the aisles are crowded. It’s a work in progress.

Dec 01, 2024

tNGE Trial 67

I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving with those you love most. This is always one of my favorite parts of the year; good food, good people, good football, good movies, etc… can’t beat it. I am incredibly grateful for my family, my health, a safe place to sleep, and constantly having a way to challenge myself.

Nov 24, 2024

tNGE Trial 66

I failed to find Nick Bare on the trails this weekend. Austin has a lot more elevation than I thought. Also, my wave percentage was atrocious. Nobody wanted to wave back I guess.

I’m not a huge city guy, but the trails around downtown Austin are pretty sweet. We also got to try Terry Black’s Barbecue and see the largest bat colony in North America underneath Congress Bridge. Supposedly 1.5 million bats live under the bridge and come out at sunset to feed, but we saw like seven bats. Pretty cool nonetheless.

Nov 17, 2024

tNGE Trial 65

It’s one week closer to the holidays, but every moment is precious. I catch myself anticipating a break from the norm, but then I remember my norm is what I dreamed of. It may not always be super fun to take Luna down two flights of stairs to the bathroom, but her head on my lap right now is well worth it.

Nov 10, 2024

tNGE Trial 64

It’s finally marathon week. The marathon is all I am going to reflect on this week, so I will save my words for below.

"The marathon is not really about the marathon - it's about the shared struggle. And it's not only the marathon but the training." - Bill Buffum

Nov 03, 2024

tNGE Trial 63

Sorry for the duplicate photo of the week last week. Hopefully this week’s makes up for it.

We forfeited our Halloween soccer match to bring us to a whopping 0-3. Instead, we walked around the neighborhood so Luna could get scared by animatronic spiders.

Against better judgement, the Christmas music has already started in our house. I am currently writing this under the warm, welcoming light of our tree. I need all the help I can get for the Monumental Marathon next weekend. I’ll share my bib number on Instagram if you’d like to see me start, clean your whole house, go back to bed, solve world hunger, and then see me finish.

Oct 27, 2024

tNGE Trial 62

If I was 12 again, I would love this week because Black Ops 6 came out. My brother and I used to try to get the the new game the moment it was released. Technically it was his birthday present, but I definitely benefited. Now I love this week because I have my health, my family, my dog, and a roof over my head. Life can get crazy sometimes, but it doesn’t get better than this.

Oct 20, 2024

tNGE Trial 61

I was really excited for the weather to get colder and make runs easier. Well, now it’s too cold. I love the fall temperature during the day, but man is it chilly in the morning. I guess I should get used to it. Three weeks until the Indy marathon.

Luna came home from training this week. More below.

Oct 13, 2024

tNGE Trial 60

We had a busy week. It was one of the greatest honors of my life to stand with my brother on his wedding day yesterday.

So, I am just going to list some things I’ve been chewing on in my head and leave it up to you.

Congratulations to Jacob and Bella. Married life is pretty cool.

Oct 06, 2024

tNGE Trial 59

Luna was picked up for her two week board and train on Thursday. Now we know what it must feel like to become empty-nesters again. She doesn’t care at all. She jumped into her trainer’s backseat so fast.

The next couple weeks will be great for Luna and the timing works perfectly. We are going to Milwaukee to win the alumni golf outing this weekend and then spending most of next week in Michigan for my brother’s wedding. Exciting times!

Sep 29, 2024

tNGE Trial 58

In some crazy anomaly, my dad is leading our fantasy football league. I’ve been one of the worst, and we play this week. Maybe I shouldn’t have shown him how to set his lineup.

We had a great friend complete the Chicago half marathon this weekend. It is so inspiring to see people commit to something really hard and come out better on the other side. I hope I can be as strong in November. By the way, a commercial for the Indy marathon came on yesterday and boy are there a lot of people. Now I’m terrified.

Sep 22, 2024

tNGE Trial 57

I’ve always wanted a study in my house one day. You know, the quiet room with dark bookshelves in the back of the house filled with knowledge and wisdom. I think of Batman for some reason.

I decided the next best thing was a virtual study, so I added a Bookshelf tab to nickgilhaus.com. There are only a few of my recent books on there now, but more and more will be added. I hope to add a review to each one. In that case, clicking on the book will take you to the review. If there is no review, it will take you to the book’s listing.

Sep 15, 2024

tNGE Trial 56

A couple weeks ago I received maybe the worst email of all time: my go-to BPN protein powder was being discontinued. Nutter Bar Blast is being replaced by Peanut Butter. First shipment came in this week…not the same. I’ll get over it one day, just not today.

I’m making a joke about it, but the only constant in life is change. No reason to stress over silly things, especially those outside our control.

Sep 08, 2024

tNGE Trial 55

We are just under nine weeks out from the Indy marathon. Good news is I just figured out how important water is. I carried a bottle for all fourteen miles yesterday, and while it was taxing, I didn’t feel like a shell of myself afterward. There have been some long runs that had me in a bad spot on the living room floor, but not this time! Ha!

Sep 01, 2024

tNGE Trial 54

Happy Labor Day weekend! Take this opportunity to wear that pair of white jeans one more time before they get put away for the year.

Football is starting and I start a new role at RR on Tuesday. Feel free to ask me about the interview and salary negotiation process. It is super intriguing to me as a young professional, but I can imagine most don’t care.

Aug 29, 2024

tNGE Trial 53

It wouldn’t be a big trial if we didn’t have some schedule slip. It may be late, but it will not be missed. Bend don’t break.

This trial officially marks one year of me expelling my thoughts through my keyboard every week.

This project takes a lot of time and energy to put together, so I am extremely grateful that I am not the only one reading. To everyone that reads and thinks critically about ways to improve themselves, thank you. I don’t know much, but people tell me that the most important trait of a successful person is the constant desire to be better. That’s you.

Aug 18, 2024

tNGE Trial 52

Maggie and I wanted to go to It Ends With Us in the theaters this week, but we settled with Twisters. I didn’t think it was possible to make a movie about tornadoes that captivates an audience, but Steven Spielberg is a wizard.

Glenn Powell has a quote something along the lines of, “You don’t just face your fears. You don’t just face your fears. You ride them.” Which is exactly why we signed up for intramural sand volleyball. Wednesday is game one.

Aug 11, 2024

tNGE Trial 51

The Olympics come to a close today with the US bringing home the most medals of any country with 126. However, we tied with China for golds with 40. This is the first time any two countries have tied for the gold medal lead at a summer Olympics.

It was also CrossFit Games weekend, but it wasn’t as celebratory as usual. Lazar Dukic, an elite athlete and proven competitor, tragically lost his life during the first event at Marine Creek Lake in Austin, Texas. The impact he made on the CrossFit community was obvious throughout the whole weekend.

Aug 06, 2024

tNGE Trial 50

Sorry for the delayed trial this week. We were too busy loving life in Michigan showering my soon-to-be sister-in-law and celebrating our one year wedding anniversary.

I can be a wreck at weddings because they are so meaningful to me. There is nothing more fulfilling than sharing your life with the person you love most and nobody else I’d rather lie to about wanting to get ice cream.

Jul 28, 2024

tNGE Trial 49

This week marked the start of my marathon training block for the Indianapolis marathon in November. I am excited to see how much I progress before November, but boy do I need to progress a lot. My long run this week was 8 miles, but it felt like 15. Maybe it was because it was warm or maybe a week off affected me that much. Either way, I need to learn how to fuel properly.

Jul 21, 2024

tNGE Trial 48

Most weeks I spend a few hours on the weekend compiling my thoughts from the week into this poorly-worded letter. This weekend I have much more important things to do with my brother and the rest of his wedding party in northern Michigan.

Most of my time will be spent searching the woods for lost golf balls and apologizing to my teammates for topping my drive for the 12th time. I can tell you right now that I am going to have an absolute blast doing it though.

Jul 14, 2024

tNGE Trial 47

I hope you spent yesterday on MLB Network watching the All-Star Futures Game. Mr. Blubaugh came in with the bases loaded and got two outs in three pitches, solidifying his spot as the most efficient all star game pitcher of all time (stat completely made up by me). Why the game was on a day with a full slate of MLB games is beyond me, but oh well.

Jul 07, 2024

tNGE Trial 46

Happy 4th of July weekend! We love any excuse to get outside and enjoy time with family and friends. There is no replacement for a solid support circle.

An added plus to early July is Shark Week. John Cena’s acting can get a little old, so we’ll see how he is as a host.

Jul 04, 2024

tNGE Trial 45

Today was an amazing day on the golf course with a great friend. I played very average on a windy day, but if I learned anything from the Presidential Debate this week, President Biden would have waxed me. If we really believe he was a 6 handicap that is.

Life gets pretty crazy sometimes, but it’s hard to beat a slow morning, a round of golf, a long walk with Luna, steak for dinner, and some Ninja Creami for dessert. I am looking forward to a short work week and celebrating the 4th in BloNo.

Jul 03, 2024

tNGE Trial 44

Our friends a couple doors down are off to Italy for a couple weeks, so we took a few plants to care for while they’re gone. One of them is a tomato plant, so I may help them out by sabotaging those.

Our local Pet Supplies Plus had a summer pet party (aka a plastic table outside the store) where Luna got to enjoy some popsicles, a pup cup, and a cookie. I don’t know how we’re going to match that for her birthday in a couple weeks.

Jul 02, 2024

tNGE Trial 43

Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing fathers out there. As I have gotten older, more and more events in my past start to make more sense, the respect I have for my parents grows, and the gratitude I have for life deepens.

I can’t imagine how my parents did it, but I hope to one day find out for myself. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll come out on the other side half the man my dad is.

Jun 08, 2024

tNGE Trial 42

Maggie and I watched Migration last night, an animated kids movie about a family of mallards that leaves their home pond to fly to Jamaica. It’s a little bit sentimental because we first saw the commercials for Migration in O-Hare as we left for our honeymoon.

No, I’m not even slightly embarrassed. I actually kind of appreciate the movies that Netflix (Migration is on Peacock but same thing) recommends under ‘Family Movie Night’ because the life lessons are so obvious.

Jun 02, 2024

tNGE Trial 41

I said we’ll get back on track and I’m a man of my word.

If my experience is any indication, the controls department does not find success in athletic endeavors very easily. We lost two softball games on Thursday and it really wasn’t close. The good news is soccer starts back up this week, so maybe we can win some games there.

May 28, 2024

tNGE Trial 40

Man, this schedule is just falling apart now. Don’t worry, we’ll get back on track. It was a big weekend for Indy: Pacers in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, Indy 500, and Memorial Day.

Memorial Day is a special holiday. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the men and women that sacrifice their lives in service of the greatest country in the world. I often feel guilt for not contributing myself, but I am encouraged by great people like my grandpa who are selfless enough to serve.

May 20, 2024

tNGE Trial 39

Happy Monday morning to everyone except people that think a hot dog isn’t a sandwich.

We had quite the weekend full of a myriad of emotions. Beginnings, middles, and ends. They are all beautiful.

I will never be able to repay everyone who has influenced my life, but I can start by living every day with joy and purpose.

May 12, 2024

tNGE Trial 38

Welp, looks like we caught Mr. Skenes at the right time. He made his MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates yesterday.

We absolutely dominated the second place team on Monday to take possession of second place going into the playoffs. It is an eight team single elimination bracket over the next two weeks to crown a winner.

May 05, 2024

tNGE Trial 37

Soccer get cancelled this week, but we did get to take a trip to the range and go to an Indianapolis Indians game.

The Indians are the AAA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates and have the second-best pitcher in minor league baseball, Paul Skenes. He will be an elite big league pitcher very soon, so it is super cool to be able to see him play close to home before getting to the MLB.

Apr 28, 2024

tNGE Trial 36

Maggie scored last week in route to a 6-2 victory for the good guys to move to 3-1 and third in the league. There seems to be a strong correlation between me playing goalie and us losing, so I think I’ll stay away from that. Our goalie tells me I need to stop stabbing on defense, but how else am I going to meg someone?

Apr 21, 2024

tNGE Trial 35

At one point in my life, which seems like forever ago, I played sports competitively. Now, all I have is adult intramural small field soccer and pickleball against my wife. But I’ll tell you what, intramural soccer is electric. We are 2-1 after a win last week thanks to me not having to play goalie.

Apr 14, 2024

tNGE Trial 34

Monday was the total solar eclipse. Indianapolis was smack dab in the middle of the zone of totality, so Maggie and I just stood out on our back porch. We could see and hear families gathered at the park next to our place. It felt like the end of a Marvel movie or landing a plane in turbulence (the clapping).

Apr 07, 2024

NGE Trial 33

Well, soccer season is already going better than basketball season went. It’s a pretty small pitch for 6v6, so I was pleasantly surprised with our team’s ability to pass and actually keep possession of the ball. I figured it was going to look a lot like our nieces’ games (kick and chase).

Mar 31, 2024

NGE Trial 32

Happy Easter weekend! As you can tell by the late release, we had a busy/fun/wonderful time.

I hope you are able to experience half of the love Maggie and I feel. Our families are always there for us, but holiday weekends make it even more special.

The price of cocoa just passed $10,000 per metric ton due to African disease and poor weather and they still got me Reese’s eggs. That’s love. And yes, the holiday versions of Reese’s are the best.

Mar 24, 2024

NGE Trial 31

March Madness started this week, and both my brackets are already in last in their respective groups! So fun!

It was pretty cool to see the Horizon League champs, Oakland, beat Kentucky in the first round. Jack Gohlke hit 15 threes in his first two NCAA tournament games, the most in history for a player’s first two games. Jack is a native of Pewaukee, Wisconsin, right outside of Milwaukee. There are some pretty cool people from Pewaukee, including the Watt family and, more importantly, some great friends that were integral to my college experience.

Mar 17, 2024

NGE Trial 30

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, the Players Championship day, and AJ Blubaugh mound day to all who celebrate.

My experience is St. Paddy’s Day is really just an excuse for people to get really messed up and not feel bad about, so I decided to look into this St. Patrick guy.

Mar 10, 2024

NGE Trial 29

I’ll always be the first one to admit when I’m wrong. The problem is I still don’t even know if I was wrong about the California FAST Act.

Last week I mentioned the clause in the act that exempts Panera from raising their minimum wage to $20/hour with the other fast food chains due to its status as a bakery. That was based on a Bloomberg article.

Mar 03, 2024

NGE Trial 28

It’s true. Maggie is the real mastermind behind my thoughts. Now that she got her wisdom teeth removed this week, we are all out of wisdom. Hopefully she recovers in time to help me write more trials.

I bet she will. She’s pretty great and I couldn’t be myself without her.

Feb 18, 2024

NGE Trial 26

It’s NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis. While I love the game of basketball and pour all my heart into my intramural games every Thursday, I don’t pay attention to the league really at all.

The closest Mags and I have gotten to All-Star festivities is putting some shots up on the NERF hoop at Meijer while grocery shopping yesterday (I struggled from the field but really made up for it on the offensive glass).

Feb 11, 2024

NGE Trial 25

Happy Super Bowl Sunday. Or Usher concert day with a special appearance from Taylor Swift’s boyfriend for the other half of the world.

Hopefully this finds you early enough to read and then enjoy the festivities.

For 22 years of my life, the Super Bowl was just the event that signaled the start of baseball season. Now it’s the only time I look forward to commercials.

Feb 04, 2024

NGE Trial 24

Punxsutawney Phil really showed up this week for all of us in northern climates. I sure would appreciate an early spring.

Unfortunately, history shows that Phil’s prognostication is more likely to be wrong than right. He has picked 137 times since 1887 - ten of those years do not have records and Phil skipped his 1943 appearance (nobody knows why, but I suspect he was boycotting the World War).

Jan 28, 2024

NGE Trial 23

Happy Jordan week!

It’s been almost eight months since I’ve picked up a baseball for anything other to reminisce. I have always been truthful with myself; I knew I was going to miss playing.

What I didn’t realize is how easy it would be in the fall and how difficult it would be when it came time for the season to start. At this time, I would be ramping up to pitch multiple times in a weekend via live ABs in the MOSH.

Jan 21, 2024

NGE Trial 22

Apparently there is such a thing called “mandatory overtime”? I’ve never heard of such a thing, but I have become more familiar with it this week.

We have a lot of work to do in the next couple of weeks, and leadership wants to ensure we get it done. Who can blame ‘em?

Jan 14, 2024

NGE Trial 21

Chances are it’s a bit chilly for you this weekend. Winter storms and a polar vortex prompted weather advisories in every state in the lower 48.

The Chiefs-Dolphins wild card game was especially brutal, given Andy Reid’s mustache icicles.

Now we all know what it would feel like to run an Ironman in Antarctica. At least Maggie and I do after taking Luna out in the -25 real feel this morning.

Jan 07, 2024

NGE Trial 20

Happy New Year to all my favorite people. Probably the most exciting thing about 2024 is that it is the year of the Wood Dragon. The Chinese zodiac consists of twelve animals. That means my birth year, 2000, was also the year of the Dragon… the Gold Dragon!

I know y’all are curious; The Dragon symbolizes power, nobleness, honor, luck, and success in traditional Chinese culture. The Dragon is a supernatural being with no parallel for talent and excellence.

Dec 31, 2023

NGE Trial 19

Happy New Year’s Eve! I hope you all are having a great holiday season and are ready to set yourself up for success in 2024.

Maggie and I are driving back to Whitestown tomorrow morning to give ourselves some time to grocery shop, meal prep, put stuff away, and anything else to get ready for the week.

Dec 24, 2023

NGE Trial 18

Merry Christmas Eve to you all. Nothing from me this week. Mags and I spent most of the week in the Caribbean, on airplanes, and prepping for white elephant.

In other words, I’m lazy. I hope you all are surrounded by joy and love this holiday season.

If the holidays bring more stress and anxiety to your life than joy, don’t be a stranger. Everybody’s situation is different.

Dec 17, 2023

NGE Trial 17

Don’t you worry for a second. Yes, I did hit the send button while on an island in the Caribbean. No, I did not spend any time writing this on an island in the Caribbean. Although the Gilhaus family dining table is pretty sweet too.

We have a busy holiday season. Boy, what a great ‘problem’ to have. There is nothing quite like being at home for the holidays and enjoying the company of the most impactful people in your life.

Dec 11, 2023

NGE Trial 16

This year is my first experience into the great annual corporate PTO purge. Everybody always says the holidays are weird, but I didn’t realize 80% of my team would be out of the office in December.

It’s a weird balancing act; we are under an awful lot of pressure to complete our objectives before the end of the year but don’t have the resources to get it done.

Dec 03, 2023

NGE Trial 15

It’s really easy to be thankful when you’re surrounded by friends and family at Thanksgiving. It’s much more difficult to remain thankful when the sights and sounds of the holiday have faded.

So, I decided to save my sappy intro for this week and remind you of how incredibly lucky I am.

Nov 19, 2023

NGE Trial 13

I’ve really been quite the contrarian this week.

Mags and I had pizza for the first time in Indiana and guess what. I ordered pineapple on it.

Even worse, we put up our Christmas tree and stockings yesterday. Before Thanksgiving. Sue us.

I will refer to the studies I’ve seen on social media lately stating that people who put their Christmas decorations up earlier are happier. Don’t fight it.

Nov 12, 2023

NGE Trial 12

Every once in a while you have weeks that end before they even start.

After getting back to town late after my brother-in-law’s wedding on Sunday, I spent most of the week working. As much as I thought I worked, my pals in the lab worked more.

I felt like I did nothing besides work, but here are people sitting next to me proving that I know very little about hard work.

Nov 07, 2023

NGE Trial 11

Much more important things to do this weekend means a special Tuesday NGE. Really I’m just trying to steal a primetime slot.

Maggie and I were in BloNo this week for her brother’s (Austin’s) wedding! It is such a joy to help create such a special day for them.

We are reminded every time we go home how lucky we are to have such great family and friends. Genuine love isn’t as common as it should be, but it’s everywhere in BloNo and we are so grateful to be a part of it.

Oct 29, 2023

NGE Trial 10

This was my last week with my current team at work, and I will be transferring to the software team on Wednesday.

As part of each rotation, I am required to make an exit presentation that summarizes what I have done professionally and personally throughout the rotation. Four months does not seem like a long time, but so much has happened.

Oct 22, 2023

NGE Trial 9

I have been a business owner for one week now (Is it considered a business if you have no clients?). By now, I believe most of the infrastructure is set up… at least I hope.

This week’s actions included:

• Setting up the Zenbusiness account

  • I used them as my registered agent for the LLC

• Purchased a domain name: haus-media.com

• Setup professional mailing to get a new email address: nick@haus-media.com

• Opened a business checking account and credit card

• Signed up for Quickbooks

• Learned the Showit platform by making a website for NGE

Oct 15, 2023

NGE Trial 8

My Blo-No folk will know that fall weather calls for a visit to Rader’s Family Farm. While Ma-and-Pop farms are all over the country, it’s tough to match Rader’s.

This weekend, Maggie and I visited Hogan Family Farms in Brownsburg, Indiana - mostly because they allowed us to bring Luna. I have a ton of respect for small business operations, but it was a little disappointing. Other than some pretty cool pumpkins that is.

Oct 08, 2023

NGE Trial 7

I take it back - running in the dark is a bad idea, especially in October. When it’s dark and your imagination is going wild, Halloween decorations suddenly become a lot more real.

Also on Thursday morning, I encountered two dogs that were not too happy I was too close to their home. There was a split second where I legitimately thought that was it for me.

Oct 01, 2023

NGE Trial 6

I’ve got nothing for this week’s intro, so I’ll leave you with a quote from one of the world’s greatest philosophers, Theodor Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss:

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”

If you do not have feet in your shoes, I’m sorry.

Sep 24, 2023

NGE Trial 5

On the way home from work one day this week, I was able to steal a few minutes from the busy life of one of my best friends. If you asked me what we talked about, I couldn’t tell you. All I knew is that I am incredibly grateful for the time I was able to spend on the phone with him. That call energized me for the rest of the week.

Sep 17, 2023

NGE Trial 4

On one hand, I can’t believe it is already week four. On the other hand, I can’t believe it is only week four. Boy this week has felt long; puppies need constant supervision and that is mentally exhausting. And I get to go to work! My wonderful wife has been with the puppy the entire time. How amazing is she…

Sep 10, 2023

NGE Trial 3

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s officially football season. It is now considered socially acceptable to sit on the couch in sweatpants for all of Sunday. As new residents of Indianapolis, Maggie and I are hitching a ride on the Anthony Richardson bandwagon - until we find out he’s no good.

Sep 04, 2023

tNGE Trial 2

Happy Labor Day! I hope you have had a relaxing and energizing weekend.

I can’t believe it’s already been a week (and a day)! Some people say the days pass slow and the years pass fast, but I think everything goes too quickly. Every day is a blessing and it is our duty to treat it such.

Aug 27, 2023

tNGE Trial 1

Welcome to trial numero uno! In the spirit of experimentation, I want to temper your expectations for this week’s trial as well as every week following.

I have never done anything like this before. I am an engineer! I’m not supposed to be writing emails about my thoughts - but that is why I am doing it in the first place. It is incredibly scary to create a product for others, especially when that product is yourself. However, I have found that the best way for me to get over those fears is to go head-first into them. The person that comes out the other side is often a more capable, kind, understanding human; if those benefits came in pill form, we would all be lined up at the pharmacy.