Frederick City – The Theme

Themes. They’re fun to have, right? Sometimes it’s New Year’s Resolutions or a series of gifts on Christmas morning. A business office might have a special week for employees with a certain theme to let them know they’re appreciated. That’s what my sister and I are going for with our first of a series of hats from Wild Hat Designs. The theme is “Frederick City” and it has everything to do with our brother Nathan. Everyone calls him Nathan but that’s actually his middle name. His first name is actually Frederick, named after our father.

As I was thinking of a design specifically for my brother, “Frederick City” came to mind. This fit within a boundary I’d set for myself: I wanted the design to connect to my brother while still having a distinct design that people like even if they don’t know the whole story. And now you might be wondering what the whole story is, right? Nathan, Frederick, my brother, late last year he had to make an emergency trip to the ER with a dizzying headache only to find out there was a tumor up there in his head. Brain cancer. Totally unexpected and threw all of us for a loop. Since then Nathan will tell you that he’s been more in tune with God than ever before. He’s rallying around the idea that God’s got it under control, and the rest of the family is right there with him. We believe God can heal. Fast forward to 2026, now my brother’s been through successful surgery and finished a 6-week round of treatment, awaiting a test to find out how things are looking up there. In the meantime, the Frederick City theme was born and we have one hat under that banner.

A portion of every Frederick City hat sold goes directly to my brother, his wife, and their family to help with ongoing costs related to his cancer journey. I’m also really excited to announce that the next hat in the Frederick City lineup is coming out very soon. Before that one’s added to our store, check out what we have already by going to Wild Hat Designs. And if you feel compelled to, leave a note of encouragement for my brother in the comments below and I’ll pass it along to him.

-Out of the Wilderness

Dating in 2026 – Will it be better than last year??

I’m sure I wrote about dating last year. It was 2025 and I was 46 years old. To sum up the twelve months, and I’m barely not too embarrassed to record it here: I had three dates last year.

Three first dates.

If you ever hear that dating is a dumpster fire, believe it. I’m not saying that I’m the perfect date. I have my share of goof-ups and whatnot but only three first dates is pretty pathetic. I’m determined to have better romance in 2026. Mostly what that means is that I’d really enjoy having a second date. Or even a 4th first date. I mean, is that too much to ask? I bet when my stalker reads this, they’ll be eating this up with a spoon.

But for the rest of you… any advice you’d like to share, I’m all ears! Add your words of wisdom in the comments below.

-Out of the Wilderness

The ChatGPT Run and Jog Commercial – The Song, The Location, and More

OpenAI has a series of ChatGPT ads (here’s one with a guy and a girl on a date) that I can’t decide if I love or hate. They’re simple and show pretty plainly what ChatGPT can do, always using pleasant music and a colorful backdrop for the scrolling text. I guess I love them for their simplicity, proving that effectiveness doesn’t have to be complicated. I sort of compare it to Taylor Swift. Check out the latest ad and then I’ll explain below…

I’ve never (it can’t be proven, at least) been to a Taylor show but I’ve heard there’s been pyrotechnics, elaborate stage decor, dancers, etc., which has fed into a theory I have. The theory is this: When you play good music, you don’t need fancy window dressing. Of course Taylor is a world-class entertainer and her level of popularity only comes along a few times in any particular generation, but as far as pure singing goes, she’s just above average. That’s fine because she makes up for it with all kinds of other engaging and entertaining business tactics. But I’m so much more drawn in by a singer/songwriter who can be on stage with the bare minimum behind them and still command all of my attention. Maybe it’s their voice and maybe it’s the lyrics, but when you’re ultra talented, you don’t need anything else but your voice and your talent. That’s sort of the case with the ChatGPT ads. It’s not so much a “bare minimum” situation as it is a utilitarian display of what the service does. I go back again to the idea that it doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. A case of “what you see is what you get”in commercial form.

The Music. The song used as the soundtrack for this ad is Minnie Riperton “Les Fleurs” from 1970. Fun fact: Minnie Riperton is the mother of actress Maya Rudolph. Here’s the full track from the album “Come to My Garden.”

The Location. Although there’s a Laurel Street in Nashville, it’s definitely not Nashville. The location for this commercial shoot is Stillwater, Minnesota. More specifically, the corner of Laurel Street & 2nd Street by Pioneer Park.

I like this ad for its simplicity, the music, and the runners getting out there even when it’s hard.

-Out of the Wilderness

Latte for Jan – The Progressive Commercial

“Latte for Jan?” How many times have I inserted myself into situations where I should just… chill. That’s the sentiment behind most Progressive commercials but especially this recent one featuring young homeowners becoming their parents. Take a look then scroll down for more…

Fun fact, I’ve also been a bag boy. My first job ever was a bag boy at Winn-Dixie and I’ve got some stories from that place, let me tell ya. The guy in the commercial is right, though. Heavy stuff on the bottom. Also, don’t slip stuff from someone’s order out of sight so when they leave, it’s yours. That’s called stealing. And yes that happened… allegedly… at the 152nd Avenue Winn-Dixie and no, it wasn’t me!

-Out of the Wilderness

Tennis Shoes For Pickleball??

I wrote a few days ago about pickleball being a serious sport, as measured by the amount of brands making pickleball-specific shoes. In the beginning of the sports popularity, I only remember Skechers making a shoe. After I did research, there are probably at least a dozen brands with good pickleball shoes… so naturally I ordered 7 pairs to see which I liked best.

*Drumroll please*

Using a gift card I got for my birthday, I went with the K-Swiss Men’s Hypercourt Express 2 Tennis Shoe.

Yes, it’s actually a tennis shoe but I tried on Asics, Wilson, Skechers, and Fila. The K-Swiss shoe is SO comfortable while still offering solid side-to-side support. The shoe in second place was the Wilson Rush Pro Ace Pickler. Great support just like the K-Swiss but the exterior design wasn’t my favorite. Simply an aesthetic thing, I guess. The other pairs were either two wide (Skechers), not enough support (Fila and Asics), or too rigid in the insole (Asics). If you’re on the fence about a shoe to try, go with the K-Swiss or Wilson. Great shoes for narrow to mid-width feet.

My second tournament with the K-Swiss is this afternoon. Updates to come!

-Out of the Wilderness