I read Of Mice and Men as a teenager and just loved it. John Steinbeck's tale of George Milton and Lennie Small really affected me. What I didn't know at the time was where the phrase "of mice and men" comes from.
The title is taken from Robert Burns' poem "To a Mouse".
The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft agley
(The best-laid plans of mice and men / Often go awry).
When I look at my life in March 2026, I see 4 pillars. Here they are in no particular order:
- TMDS - I have several clients and I aim to make them all happy. This afternoon I'll be producing a new episode of the new WPBL podcast, for example.
- Toronto Mike'd - this is my podcast.
- Family
- Personal fun - this might be a bike ride or a sporting event or concert
This first quarter of the year has presented a few interesting challenges for #2 on that list. I maintain a recording schedule, but despite my best-laid plans, things seem to go awry.
Some guests postpone, some come up with an excuse as to why they can't visit, then never reschedule, and some simply ghost me. I had an 11am recording today and my guest never showed up.
I'm learning to go with the flow (shout out to QOTSA), but that doesn't come naturally to me. I'm a big fan of a structured work day, and once it's in my calendar, I prepare for the event in every way. When that event disappears, it frustrates me.
But I am learning to roll with it, and Robert Burns' prose helps. The best-laid plans of mice and men...
