Lucy May Singletary: Happy 24th Birthday

Emily: I am so proud of Lucy's last year! It's not easy to enter the "real world" from college years, let alone have the challenges Lucy faced at her first job. I'm so proud of her for being aware of her mental health and knowing when enough is enough, but also how she continued reaching out to her friends and family when facing a difficult time and didn't let it beat her. Lucy is wise beyond her years; seeing her now tapping into all her creative talent is so exciting! I also love how often Lucy and I talk and catch up. Her trip to visit me and try on dresses was so easy and fun; I'm so lucky to have best friends with my sisters. I can't wait to be a part of her beautiful wedding. I love that we all get to be together to celebrate soon!

Sally: Happy 24th to our Lucy May!! So much to celebrate on the horizon! I love how Lucy has stayed the course this year. She realized a challenging situation wasn't working for her and made the conscious choice to pivot and find something that would serve her so that she could be the best version of herself. Doing that takes so much courage and wisdom; many would have taken a more passive approach. Now she is building a career in the creative world, shining her light big, and we couldn't be more proud!!

Taylor: Happy Birthday, Lucy! One of your most outstanding qualities is your strong faith. I admire that so much. In our world, it's rare to find someone very firmly committed to anything, and I've seen you exemplify firm commitment with your faith. You have shown it all 11 years I've known you. Seeing life as a father, I hope Collins will emulate this quality of yours. She has a great role model in you. We love you and can't wait for you to make another big commitment this summer. 

Trey: One thing I love about Lucy is how great of a teammate she is. The best teammates sit with you, encourage you when you're down, and celebrate with you when you're up. She does both of those things really well. She looks at every day purposefully and shines brightly to everyone around her. No wonder her name means "Light". I also love how lighthearted and funny she is. I knew she was the one for me when she told me she watched SpongeBob as a kid. I hit the jackpot. Can't wait to be married in a few months! I love you, Lu!

Kyle: I love that you recognized the unhappiness in your current situation last year and made a significant change to correct the course. Life can be scary and volatile sometimes, and it's never easy to make those decisions, but I am so glad it worked out for you. Now, you get to do something you are passionate about and be part of a growing business. Congrats, and keep on keeping. 

Mum: Wow, Lucy. What a year it has been! You have handled your move, TFA, wedding planning, and a new job with poise, grace, strength, and determination. I am confident you have everything you need to succeed in life and marriage. You have a beautiful light. Keep it shining while you reach for the stars. I am by your side all the way. Happy Birthday, sweet Lu. I love everything about you! 

gPa: Happy Birthday, LuLu, from your adoring, grateful father. I could not be more proud of you for all the reasons others have stated above. Resilience, perseverance, reliability, and confidence come to mind. Also, last night, I thought of this famous quote from Marianne Williamson. I shared it with you at dinner, but I wanted to also post it here.

Paul Graham: The Top Idea in Your Mind (Do you have attention sinks?)

Hey girls and guys, 

I found the space to dive into another powerful essay from Paul Graham. Please find 15 minutes to read and think about this.

The Top Idea in Your Mind. YouTube narration here.

“There's a kind of thinking you do without trying to. I'm increasingly convinced this type of thinking is not merely helpful in solving hard problems but necessary. The tricky part is, you can only control it indirectly.”

In short, this essay is about the importance of the top idea in your mind. If you want to know that idea, "just take a shower!"

Some key takeaways:

• Fundraising for a startup is compared to the challenge of doing the work needed to drive the startup forward. (Been there, done that!)
• The Nile Perch reference: Have you ever been so worked up over something you can't see the forest for the trees? And while being worked up, do you harm or ignore the things that matter most? (Yep, this, too, has been me! See postscript for more on The Nile Perch.)
• The all-consuming power money can have on us, and how that is the same power we lose when we obsess over disputes or wrong-doings. (The second part of this takeaway is a powerful topic in and of itself.)

"Getting money is almost by definition an attention sink. The other is disputes. These too are engaging in the wrong way: they have the same velcro-like shape as genuinely interesting ideas, but without the substance. So avoid disputes if you want to get real work done."

How do you respond when someone has caused you harm? Are you hurt once or hurt twice?

"Someone who does you an injury hurts you twice: first by the injury itself, and second by taking up your time afterward thinking about it. If you learn to ignore injuries you can at least avoid the second half. I've found I can to some extent avoid thinking about nasty things people have done to me by telling myself: this doesn't deserve space in my head. I'm always delighted to find I've forgotten the details of disputes, because that means I hadn't been thinking about them.

Hope you get a chance to read.

Dad

P.S. "Nile perch were introduced to Lake Victoria in the 1950s to boost the fishing industry. The introduction caused an economic boom but also drove hundreds of species of native cichlids to near-extinction." [ref. Impact of an Invasive Species]

Dear Harvey: A nice gesture from a top-notch young man, Guy Liljenwall

Hanging with Harvey on the practice tee.

Dear Harvey,

It has simply been too long. I have many golf stories for you, including a magical summer of 2023 after I last wrote from Cornwall. Dear Harvey: Chasing Scratch (in Cornwall) 🏌️‍♂️⚓️⛳️⛵️☀️ - June 1, 2023.

I will be back in touch about the golf trip of all golf trips to Ireland with Uncle Charlie McDowell and his friends (in July) and an equally magical trip to St. Andrews (in August) to visit Ginny and Steve Booton and take on The Old Course. Plus, several other memorable loops around the London area, including Walton Heath Golf Club, which hosted the 2023 Women's Open Championship, a return to Swinley Forest Golf Club, and another crack at the spectacular Woking Golf Club. It would be hard to find three better heathland courses, but that will not stop me from trying! I am absolutely in love with golf in England. My American mates need to know England is every bit as magical and special when it comes to golf courses as the more popular Ireland or Scotland trips.

Do you remember when we lost Eric Liljenwall suddenly and at way too young of an age? Shortly after his death, I spent quality time with Eric's youngest son, Guy, shuttling him to junior golf tournaments and caddying for him. We were a good match, as Emily had left for her University golf career in Savannah, and Guy needed a caddy. I was the man for the job, though far from the excellent player his father was. 

I heard from Guy this afternoon via text message. It warmed my heart to know he saved this note and took the time to share it back with me. Guy is on his way to a successful career in commercial real estate after graduating from the University of Arkansas.

"Hey Mr. Singletary, this is Guy Liljenwall. I had found an old letter you have given me, when we used to play in tournaments together. Started reminiscing about those golf tournaments. I hope you and your family are well!"

And Guy later sent this, which Emily will love:

Shout out to dear friend @Andres Gonzales, who taught me the simple putting drills using a six-inch ruler as an alignment aid. 

I am in a sales meeting this week in Sitges, Spain. Check out my view this morning from my room. (The rest of the day was all training in a crowded conference room, but at least I had the morning view.) 

And then Guy's text messages made my day!

A lot to learn in Spain, but these lights are not the same as the Sitges sunshine above!

Take good care, Harvey, and tell Eric hello.

gPage

The 'Guy' in the middle with the first-place flag must have had a great caddy!

Letters to Harvey from The Kingdom:

• Dear Harvey: Chasing Scratch (in Cornwall) 🏌️‍♂️⚓️⛳️⛵️☀️
• Dear Harvey: Stick-to-it-ness, Tattoos, and the Supernatural
• Dear Harvey: Thanks, Austin CC, for an amazing wedding (Emily & Kyle)
• Dear Harvey: WGC Dell Technologies Match Play (7 times and a wrap!)

• Dear Harvey: Bucket list month of July 🎾 ⛳️🏆
• Dear Harvey: Portsmouth UK & Hayling GC ⚓️ 🐚 🚀 ⛳️ 🕵🏼‍♀️
• Dear Harvey: On business in Spain (Parador de El Saler GC) ⛵️🍤🍷🏌️‍♀️🏖
• Dear Harvey: St. Enodoc Golf Club - Church Course (Cornwall) ⛳️ ⛪️ 🎢
• Dear Harvey: Trevose Golf & Country Club (Cornwall) 🏌️‍♂️⚓️🦈
• Dear Harvey: Ernie Els or Ernie the Milk Man 🥛🍼🥛
• Dear Harvey: Grateful is the right word (#GDTBATH)
• Dear Harvey: (Uncle Charlie) McDowell trumped by (Great Uncle Fred) McLeod
• Dear Harvey: The Jack Burke Sr. Golf Legacy Tree
• Dear Harvey: gPage-A-Palooza 2022
• Dear Harvey: The Stage Golfing Society (London)
• Dear Harvey: First Woman Captain (The Richmond Golf Club)
• A couple of gems: Muirfield and North Berwick
• Tube to Tee: Sudbury Golf Club
• Hugging Harvey Goodbye and off to London for a Bit

Other 'golfy' scribblings:

• I Knew Harvey Invitational Golf and Dinner + Ode to Harvey (tribute poem)
• Dear Harvey: "Up against a kid" by Bo Links (slightly modified for gender)
• Dear Harvey: Life is long if you know how to use it
• Stay Whole Tuesday: Stillness, Rome, Herb Brooks, and Harvey Penick
• Patty Sheehan: "Some kind of peacefulness about what you are doing."
• Oscillate, as in Oscillating Dynamic Variable Resistance
• All bets are won or lost on the first tee
• 5.5.05 - 5.5.20 It has been 15 (Bart Star) years since I wrote this . . . Stay Whole!
• Pete Dye (1925 - 2020)
• Dear Harvey: Ace on 16
• Swing sequence - 4th of July (thanks, Emily)
• Fit as a Fiddle Friday: Deceleration with Tom Kite
• My Flat Ass Fitness Rules (12 of them)
• Rudy's 360 boys with Tom Kite - two-time NCAA champions!
• Roane Puett: Austin CC Legendary Golf Member and Friend
• It's complicated: A special video clip from Emily's college golf experience
• Celebrating Dan Bates: Why do men have a hard time getting to know each other?

"Millions of people were charmed by the homespun golf advice dispensed in Harvey Penick's Little Red Book, a sports classic that became the best-selling sports book of all time. Yet, beyond the Texas golf courses where Penick happily toiled for the better part of eight decades, few people knew the self-made golf pro who coaxed the best out of countless greats -- Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw, Betsy Rawls, Mickey Wright -- all champions who considered Penick their coach and lifelong friend." - Kevin Robbins, author of Harvey Penick: The Life and Wisdom of the Man Who Wrote the Book on Golf.

Make it a Great YEAR: 2024!

Good morning, hoot hoot children,

You have a telegram from your father. 

I penned Mum a ditty called 'BETTER TOGETHER' and typed the footnote on my new portable Royal (iOS v1.0.) The one that sailed across the Atlantic. 

A special Xmas gift from my secret Santa, Lucy May. It's a carbon copy of my Grandfather Singletary's Royal, only smaller. The iPad of yesteryear! Well done, LuLu. 

I miss Kyle's notes. The ones he typed for me on the larger Royal, that remains in the closet in ATX. MIGM - The sun did come up (sort of)

As is my tradition on New Years Day, for the goal-setters and those who prefer to simply wing it, I share my favorite quote and whole-person diagram below. Plus a link to some New Year's goal-setting Nuggets for those who choose to go deeper.

But first, here's the poem and a couple of photos of Mum's new swag . . .

Swinley Forest Golf Club

Happy New Year: My gift to you

And a final thought 

in form of a verse

Let’s all make 2024,

as good or better, 

than any before.

And maybe Collins 

has it all right, 

a calm, uncluttered mind,  

the type 

of peace, 

we all should find. 🙏🙏🙏

God bless our family,

Dad (gPa)

Sad news in Tar Heel land on MiaGM

Hey peeps,

We lost a special member of the Tar Heel family yesterday in Chapel Hill. 

Eric Montross was a fabulous player, but read this article to learn about what he meant to his family and to the community.

Here's a great short from the article: 

Eric never thought about a legacy. In that way, he was the embodiment of Dean Smith's admonition, "You should never be proud of doing the right thing. You should just do the right thing."

Hope all are making it a great Monday, and doing the right thing!

Go Heels,

Dad

Make Anything Thursday: Countdown for LuLu and Trey

You can't birdie them all if you don't birdie the first, so they say. And you can't start nuggets back if you don't post on Make Anything Thursday after you posted Woman Power Wednesday: Collins Catherine Wilkinson. Right, Collins?

I know you agree and think it is all about you these days, but guess what? Your Aunt Lucy is getting married in 204 days, 1 hour, and 2 minutes. That's right, gPa made a countdown timer, and you can see it here and on my Blogger site on the right-hand side when on a computer, not a phone.

You can also access Lucy and Trey's well-done wedding website through this link or the blogger site above the countdown. Exciting stuff, Collins. If you want to learn more about how Lucy and Trey got engaged, you might enjoy Happy Birthday and welcome Trey! 💍🎉.

Woman Power Wednesday: Collins Catherine Wilkinson

About the size of a jumbo peanut

Hello Nugs,

It has been a while, but we have a new nugget. Welcome to the world, Collins! Let's start with your birthday affirmations.

Two for Collins:

1. You are a perfect little angel. 6.5 lbs at birth on the wee morning of the 7th of December.

2. You gave us quite a little scare with your 48-hour visit to the NICU, but in the end, you were okay. You passed your first life test with flying colors.

Medically speaking, after a lovely first 12 hours, you tossed up some green bile, the quickest way to find yourself en route to a different part of Chelsea Westminster. We learned of something called volvulus due to malrotation, or in layman's terms, a plumbing problem. This is an emergency and can be a serious situation. You got the all-clear after two days of testing and excellent medical care.

Sally, Taylor, and baby Collins came home two nights ago, and Collins has settled into a routine with help from her night nurse and namesake, Grandma Peach. Sally also doing well after c-section delivery. Patterns are predictable, and they repeat!

God bless our Collins and her remarkable parents. She can't wait to meet the rest of her family!

Some photos below, plus a poem I wrote titled Collins First Christmas.