Between Meetings & Meals 008 | Spring Break Edition
Sometimes the best thing you can do is change the scenery and let everything else slow down for a bit.
For spring break this year, we headed out to Canyon Lake and the New Braunfels area. We wanted a change of scenery, a chance for the kids to experience the Hill Country with us, and honestly just a little bit of space from the normal rhythm of work, projects, and everything else.
The Hill Country never disappoints.
There were multiple times on the drive where we caught ourselves saying, “I can’t believe this is Texas.” The views open up in a way you don’t really get used to, no matter how many times you’ve been out there.
One of the best parts of the trip was a recommendation from my friend Mando. He told us to take River Road, and it ended up being one of the most scenic drives I’ve ever taken.
It winds alongside the Guadalupe River, with constant turns, small bridges crossing over the water, and just enough elevation to give you those views that make you slow down a little. You see people fly fishing, groups of motorcycles riding together, cyclists pushing through the hills. It feels like everyone is out there for the same reason.
To enjoy it.
The Pour
Our first night set the tone for the rest of the trip.
The kids were inside getting settled, showering after spending the afternoon at the lake skipping rocks, and we had just gotten back from an H-E-B run to stock up for the week.
For a few minutes, it was just Anisa and I out on the patio.
I opened a bottle of The Prisoner Red Blend, one of my all-time favorites, and as soon as I took that first sip, it all came back.
It’s bold but still smooth, and the way it finishes just feels elevated. I don’t really have the right vocabulary for it, but it’s one of those wines where you don’t need it. You just know it stands out.
Sitting there, with the sun starting to drop and everything finally slowing down after the drive, it felt like the perfect way to start the trip.
The Table
For this one, the table wasn’t about food.
It was the shuffleboard table at the Airbnb.
Most of the kids hadn’t really played before, and Anisa hadn’t either, so I walked everyone through the basics, and we turned it into a tournament. We set up teams, made it a double-elimination, and what started off as something casual turned into something much more competitive than expected.
I teamed up with Alanah, Deven was with Addy, and Anisa paired up with Aiden.
Once everyone started getting the feel for it, you could see the shift happen. Shots started to matter. People were thinking ahead, playing defense, trying to set each other up. It wasn’t just random anymore.
Deven and Addy ended up winning, but that wasn’t really the point.
What stood out was everything in between. You could see the reactions after a bad shot, the excitement when someone hit one just right, and the way people adjusted as the games went on.
I’ve always loved competition for that reason. It reveals things. You learn how to play with a lead, how to stay in it when you’re behind, and how to carry yourself through both without needing a lecture.
The lessons just show up.
The Edge
Competition Teaches What Comfort Doesn’t
There’s a difference between understanding something in theory and actually experiencing it.
Competition creates that gap.
You don’t get to stay comfortable. At some point, you’re either ahead or behind, and you have to decide how you’re going to respond in that moment.
That’s where things get real.
You start to see how people handle pressure, how they adjust when something doesn’t go their way, and how they carry themselves when the outcome isn’t in their favor.
What I appreciate about moments like this is that no one is overthinking it while it’s happening. It’s just a game. But underneath it, there’s a lot being learned.
Mental toughness. Composure. Awareness.
Not because someone explained it, but because they felt it.
The Lesson
Be Where Your Feet Are
I’ve been in a stretch lately where a lot has been happening. Work has been busy, I’ve been deep into AI, building, learning, and thinking about what’s next.
It’s exciting, but it also pulls your attention in a lot of directions.
This trip felt like a reset.
Being out there, floating the river, kayaking, driving through the hills, sitting on the patio, playing games with the kids, it slowed everything down in a way that felt real.
No trying to optimize the moment. No splitting attention.
Just being there.
It reminded me how easy it is to be physically present but mentally somewhere else. Thinking ahead, planning, trying to stay productive even in moments that aren’t meant for that.
But the moments that stick aren’t the ones you optimize.
They’re the ones you actually experience.
This week, I felt that.
Some moments don’t need anything added to them.
They just need you to show up and be there.
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