How interesting to find the Mustang and I both in a place where we could use an overhaul.

For the Mustang it's a matter of some undercarriage work (leaf springs, shocks, brakes, bushings, possibly a new frame rail on the left front side), a bit of rust repair and prevention and a basic tune up.

An oil change, new battery and set of spark plugs will breathe life back into the stout little 302. A fresh set of tires will get it rolling and from there we can start to address the things mentioned and whatever else comes up. There's always something.

The cleansing notion of tuning out the omnipresent buzz of the screen–time world and the 24–hour news nightmare to focus on the straightforward simplicity of a pre–1970 machine has never seemed more relevant. Bolts go on and off, hoses and wires attach here and there, all in working order. My greater hope here is to involve the kids in this decidedly non–digital endeavor. Replace the phones in their hands with wrenches. Get some grit under their nails. Maybe the satisfaction of making a thing work that didn't before can awaken tangible new possibilities in their minds. Or maybe we can just hang out together a bit.

As for me… There are the basic, corporeal things like improving my diet, getting back into that regular exercise routine that's evaded me for a couple years now, getting more sleep, drinking more water. So far, the diet and water parts are going well. (Trust me—cut back on sugar as entirely as you can.) Sleep and exercise not so much, but I'm working towards it, I guess.

Further though it's about getting back to me. Getting back to those tangible possibilities that used to keep me up late at night for the sake of inspiration (and not of bullshit, arbitrary deadlines). I recently spent a great deal of time giving everything I could to people who didn't appreciate my efforts, a process that was eternally, hopelessly broken and a situation that was completely untenable. It was Draining. And so it's time to shrug that garbage off and reclaim those things that define me: dad, husband, artist, designer, musician, bike rider, car guy. What I'm here for.

For now, I'm gonna soak some rusty bolts in WD–40 and start turning wrenches. First up: replace the battery box and install a fresh battery.