Life: An Update
Where has Ken Melendez been lately? He was publishing regularly, then dropped off the face of the earth...
Some of you in the Coil community may have been wondering why I haven't been actively writing over the past couple weeks. It's not that I haven't wanted to be active, but because I now have a full-time position at a distribution center that has me working full-time hours plus overtime. My first week on the job I worked a total of 49 hours, and this week I clocked 47.
What I'm trying to do now is establish a new normal, dividing my time appropriately between work, family, blogging, and whatever else life throws my way. I found myself needing to shift the majority of my time towards work and family, with my first priority placed on my roles as a strong provider and doting father.
Blogging, or writing in general, is a passion of mine. One that will not go away simply because priorities get shifted from time to time. I am still over-the-moon excited about Coil and Web Monetization taking off in a big way over the coming months and years. Grant for the Web just announced an update where they are preparing to launch proposals for Web-Monetized project funding in April.
My wife and I are currently saving up to purchase a home. We've been married 9 years now and have 3 children which requires more space inside of a place we can call our own. Each day we are getting closer to that glorious moment where we accept the keys and relocate to a new home where we can make even more happy memories together.
My younger brother's wedding is coming up in May, so my son and I went out to get our tuxedos fitted as he is going to be the ring bearer. He was so excited and had a lot of questions throughout the process such as, “Dad, why am I only putting one shoe on? Don't I need to put both shoes on?”
It was a special moment that we shared as it was Jonah's first time getting fitted for a tux. Jonah is our oldest boy and he sets a great example for the other two to follow. He's caring, thoughtful, and well-mannered. Sarrah and I are blessed to have him in our lives.
My dad and I share a special bond. We always enjoy spending time together. Recently, he's been wanting to look at new trucks for sale since his existing truck is 13 years old and doesn't provide the space he desires. Here's us and my parent's dog, Maggie, taking a ride to the car lot.
My dad absolutely adores this dog and attempts to take her with him everywhere he goes such as Home Depot and the running trails he frequents. My parents have had many dogs in the past, but this one is super sweet and gentle. She's my favorite dog that my parents have owned throughout the years.
I must admit, I discovered a secret obsession. OK, it's not a secret to my family, but it is a new favorite activity of mine to partake in. That activity is none other than automatic car washes! I am not talking about the spray kind that has no contact with your vehicle. Instead, this kind has the cloth spinners that clean your car in every nook and cranny.
Zoom Express is the very first car wash where I signed up for a monthly subscription. I get unlimited car washes for $20 per month which I think is quite the steal. Plus, they give a free air freshener and towel with each visit. Not to mention, I get to go through the specially designated members only line which allows me to bypass other cars waiting in the other 2 lines.
Right now, I feel blessed to have consistent income from my job to support the family and save for a home (and of course, to support my car wash obsession). I'm hoping to land a promotion sooner than later to help reach that goal even faster. Currently my job requires a lot of physical labor in terms of lifting heavy 50lb bags and large boxes onto pallets. Down the road, the plan is to do more supervising and a bit less lifting.
XRP is still the digital asset of choice that I continue acquiring. I am confident that it will be worth much more than $0.22 in the coming years as more banks and financial institutions on-board with Ripple's technology. Other projects are good too, but XRP is being used to solve the most real-world problems and is showing no signs of slowing down.
A really good book I am reading for the 2nd time is Rich Dad Poor Dad, which I have referenced before in my writings. It is extremely valuable to not only read the words in a book, but also to put it into practice in your own life. That is where the magic happens.
The section I read today was on forming your own corporation, a tool that the rich use to pay less taxes as compared to employees. I'm going to look into doing that this year and see if it makes sense for my current situation or if I should wait and return to it a bit later.
Thank you for tuning in to my life update article. I am still here, just in a different capacity. I still think that Coil is amazing and I will continue publishing here to share my message and help the platform succeed. We are in a unique moment in history where we get to be the pioneers of a brand new space that is yet to be explored. Yes, there will be bumps in the road, but it's all part of the journey.
Take care.
Related articles:
✪ Personal Finances: Getting Ahead
✪ Grant for the Web: A Paradigm Shift
Streaming payments for traditional jobs?...
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