October 2025: Fall Adam, ACTIVATE!
Travel, fatherhood, and the quiet work of becoming more human.
Whatever the male version of a “Basic Fall B***h” is, that’s me.
Instead of tall boots and pumpkin spice lattes, I’m all about flannel, hoodies, and doing whatever I can to get back to my Orion’s Kin roots. I know how to dress, I know how to get things done outside, I flex my muscles, pound my chest, and let the world know I’m alive.
I’m not even joking. If you’ve been outside in my neighborhood in the morning when I let the dogs out, you may have actually seen or heard this. It’s a whole thing.
I’m sure one day soon this display will be horribly embarrassing to Ford.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this month’s newsletter as we shift into fall and I move one step closer to Ford’s first Halloween.
Bonus points if you can guess what we have planned for him.
-AM
When the Knife Hand Fails
If you’ve ever served in the military, you know the look. Stern eyes. Firm jaw. The knife hand.
It’s how we communicate urgency and precision when life is on the line. I carried that same clarity into my career, and for years, it worked. Until it didn’t.
Recently, I used that same approach with a colleague overseas and learned that clarity without cultural awareness can cause damage. It took weeks to rebuild trust, and I’m still thinking about it.
Leadership isn’t about always being right. It’s about knowing when to adapt. The real tragedy of a mistake is failing to share it so others can learn.
So please, learn from mine HERE.
Ford is Jenelle + Me: Beware.
More than anything I’ve ever done in my life, I love being a dad.
Let me tell you, when you put Jenelle’s independence and my drive into a baby and shake it up, well, I’m not sure the world was ready for Ford Michael, but HERE HE IS (and he is almost mobile!)
It has been so cool to watch our little dude come into his personality. His big blue eyes and alluring smile are powerful tools, and at only eight months he is learning how to use them (well.)
Much like his dad, he doesn’t do anything small. I mean, why crawl when you can walk?
Much like his mother, he wants what he wants, when he wants it, and without compromise. And, much like his mother, the influence begins with a smile and a cute laugh. But, if the desired outcome is not delivered fast enough, he gets demanding and SPICY!
We’re in trouble, and we’re here for it!
I am excited to teach Ford how to be a strong man of character.
I’m excited to spoil him.
I’m not looking forward to correcting him when he crosses what I’m considering “character guardrails”, but anything worthwhile isn’t without its tax.
Stay tuned for halloween pictures. I THINK we (Jenelle) has landed on fighter pilot in a (stroller) jet, a flight attendant (Jenelle), and a ground crew person (me.) Or an F1 driver and pit crew. We’ll see.
Unlocking Your Humanness
Life is about more than work. Your value as a person is bigger than what you produce.
I know for many of you, neither of those statements are profound. For me, they’re new. It’s not that I haven’t said those words before, I have, probably directly to many of you reading. It’s that, for 28 years, since I was 15, I didn’t believe them for myself.
Since I was young, I’ve felt deeply flawed. Those feelings of inadequacy grew after losing so many friends overseas and especially when Kevin died so that I could live.
For years, I’ve carried guilt. I’ve worked to make an impact that might fill the void left by my nine brothers in arms who never came home. I’ve pushed myself to the edge because I believed that if I wasn’t good at work, I wasn’t a valuable human being.
I’m a flawed human. But recently, I’ve started to wonder: what if I’m not?
As I dig deeper into AI and confront the reality of our future, I’ve been reading about the evolution of physics and soft computing.
When I was in school, we were taught that the universe was a static, endless expanse of nothing. But recent discoveries suggest the universe may actually be dynamic; perhaps even “alive.” Research in cosmology (see work by Dr. Avi Loeb, Brian Cox, and others) suggests large-scale cosmic motion follows organic patterns, like oscillations or “breathing” cycles over billions of years.
Even more intriguing is research into chromosome 2, the feature that most clearly differentiates human DNA from other primates. Around 250,000 years ago, two ancestral ape chromosomes fused to create human chromosome 2. This event is well-documented in genetics (see Nature, Vol. 431, #7010, 2004) and is one of the major mutations that led to advanced brain development, complex language, and emotional depth.
It’s this kind of science that makes me realize how little we understand about what it means to be human.
When you compare the computational and electrical potential of the human brain to modern silicon chips, our biology is superior. The human brain operates at about one exaFLOP (10¹⁸ operations per second), comparable to the most powerful AI systems, but on just 20 watts of power. Our biology beats engineering.
So here’s my theory: we are closer than ever to discovering what it really means to be human, but our obsession with technology is pulling us in the opposite direction.
The more we rely on ChatGPT, the more we build simulated relationships, the more we let algorithms think for us, the further we drift from our innate intelligence, empathy, and spiritual connection. The lazier and less evolved we risk becoming.
Some use this kind of research to disprove religion. For me, it does the opposite. The more I read, the more convinced I am that we were created with intention, purpose, and power beyond comprehension. We are literal sparks of creation, capable of far more than we realize.
If only we could figure out how to unlock it.
I’m building a deeper hypothesis around this topic and would love to interview a few of you to help shape it.
If you’re interested, hit reply and let me know.
If you want to check my work…
Chromosome 2 fusion: Verified through multiple sources including Nature (Fan et al., 2002; IJHG, 2004). This event is accepted as a defining feature of human evolution.
Universe “as living system” hypothesis: Still speculative, but supported by analogies in quantum cosmology and biocentric models (Robert Lanza’s Biocentrism; Penrose & Hameroff’s Orchestrated Objective Reduction).
Human brain vs. computer power: Estimated at ~10¹⁵–10¹⁸ operations/sec on 20 watts of energy, consistent with peer-reviewed neuromorphic research (University of Sussex, 2023).
A Business You Should Know: Nomad Jax
, and the recently opened Garage, by Nomad Jax is a Veteran Owned business based in Southern Pines, NC. Best described as a boutique for dudes (a Brotique, maybe?), the shops contain a little bit of everything curated during the world travels of the owners.
You can find everything from locally made, hand forged knives, to antiques, dude accessories, and cool clothes for both men and women.
These stores - the brotiques (trademark Adam, 2026) - are very unique and a lot of fun. If you’re in the Southern Pines or Carthage, NC area, please make a point to check them out. Otherwise, please check out their WEBSITE to get a feel for what they’re all about.
Nomad Jax Haberdashery and the newly opened Garage, by Nomad Jax are veteran-owned businesses in Southern Pines and Carthage, NC. Think of them as boutiques for dudes.. or as I like to call them, brotiques (trademark Adam, 2026).
These places are the kind of shops that remind you craftsmanship isn’t dead. Inside you’ll find locally made, hand-forged knives, vintage antiques, and a mix of clothes and accessories that feel like they were curated by someone who actually lives life, does hard things, and a cool design aesthetic.
Both stores reflect the owners’ world travels and their eye for quality. Everything has a story, and you can feel it the second you walk in.
If you’re anywhere near Southern Pines or Carthage, make a point to stop by. Shake a hand, share a story, sip some bourbon, and pick up something that’ll last longer than most trends.
If not, check out their website to get a feel for what they’re about — it’s worth the scroll.
In Closing.
I’m freaking tired.
As I type this, I’m sitting in Tokyo, fresh off trips to Denver for the SAFe Summit and AI Symposium, followed by SAFe Day Gov in DC, a stop in New York to support Planisware. After a quick trip home, I’ll be off again; this time to Netherlands to keynote RTE Summit, and then back to Denver for a 2026 strategy session.
After that? I’ll start my half-bbatical (what I’m calling my poor attempt at a sabbatical, split into two chunks). I value the time I have to reflect while traveling, and I love the moments spent with customers, partners, and colleagues. But I miss my family.
Truthfully, it feels pretty good to miss them. The goal is to grind for the next five years so that I can earn the freedom to spend all of my time with them.
Until then, you’ll find me on the road sharing my energy, connecting people, and enjoying some damn fine food.
Until next time,
-AM