Sonny the Alien: The Skyscraper

by
Sonny the Alien

Earth Log Entry #16: Getting Vertical

Chad and Sonny were on the basketball court at a local park on a Saturday afternoon, locked in during a competitive game of 2-on-2.

Chad dribbled at the top of the circle, breathing heavy, sweat soaking through his headband. “14–12. Us.”

Sonny moved effortlessly around the court. “I am open, at the left corner!” Sonny called.

Chad sent the ball over with a crisp pass.

Sonny caught it, set his feet, and released—perfect form.

Swish.

“Game!” Chad yelled, jogging over for a high five.

They shook hands with the other team and walked back to the bench.

Sonny took a long drink of water. “Who would have thought placing a leather sphere through an iron ring could be so enjoyable.”

He paused. His eyes widened. “…Chad.”

Chad stretched his hamstrings, not looking up. “Yeah?”

Sonny gestured over to the far end of the court. “That human appears to be…vertically enhanced.”

Chad glanced over. Then did a double take. “Oh. Wow. That’s Jellybean Johnson.”

Sonny blinked. “Jelly…bean?”

Chad took a sip of water. “Played for the U back in the day. Then overseas,” Chad said casually. “I heard he shows up here sometimes.”

Sonny stared. “What is his exact height?”

Chad put his water bottle down. “Seven foot. Maybe more.”

At that moment—

BOOM.

Jellybean slammed down a dunk, barely leaving the ground. The rim shook. The ball snapped through the net. A few people nearby cheered.

Sonny did not blink. “…Are we going to play him?”

Chad shrugged. “Yeah. Why not?”

Sonny turned slowly. “Chad, I am exactly 6 feet, 1 inch. You are exactly 5 feet, 10.23 inches.”

Chad sighed. “Thanks for calling attention to that.”

Sonny nodded gravely. “We will be reduced to cosmic dust by a man named Jellybean.”

Chad picked up his water bottle and took another drink. “Probably.”

Sonny pulled out his Earth Log device and began typing.

Humans vary greatly in height. Some reach extreme upper limits. A being known as Jellybean Johnson appears to occupy this category. Engagement is imminent. Outcome uncertain. Morale: steady.

Jellybean walked over, the basketball looking like a grapefruit in his hand. “Y’all runnin’ 2-on-2?”

Sonny looked up.

…then up more.

…then slightly stepped back to see Jellybean’s whole face.

He turned to Chad. Then back to Jellybean. “It will be a noble battle.”

The Power of Convenience

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Anything positive you want to achieve, make it convenient.

The most obvious example is the gym.

You could join the best facility in the world. Top equipment. World-class trainers. Perfect lighting.

But if it’s on the other side of town? It might as well be on the other side of the planet.

Traffic. Weather. Mood. Life.

Friction kills follow-through.

Now flip it.

A gym five minutes from your door? You’ll go without thinking.

Not because you’re disciplined—but because you removed the excuses.

This applies everywhere.

If healthy food is hard to reach, you won’t eat it.

If your work needs attention but your phone is closer, you’ll scroll.

If learning requires a bunch of steps, you’ll skip it.

Convenience isn’t laziness.

It’s leverage.

Don’t rely on willpower. Don’t rely on motivation.

That’s impossible.

Design environments that make the right choice automatic.

Don’t make better habits heroic. Make them unavoidable.

Make necessary things so close you trip over them.

Hate It

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Dislike isn’t enough.

We can live with things we don’t like.

Many of us do—day in and day out.

But if you want change?

If you want transformation?

You can’t just dislike it.

You have to hate it with a passion.

Only then will you have the fire to move.

Only then will you stop tolerating and start building.

Only then will you stack the bricks that create something better.

Dislike accepts. Hate ignites.

Hate it.

The Weight of Waiting

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Everyone says they’re “waiting for the right time.”

But waiting is a weight.

It builds resistance the longer you hold it.

Every day you delay, the idea grows heavier.

Doubt adds plates.

Fear locks the bar.

The right time doesn’t show up—you build it.

You clear the bench, bear down, and start pressing under imperfect conditions.

Because movement creates momentum, and momentum kills fear.

Waiting feels safe, but it’s just stagnation disguised as strategy.

Don’t wait—lift, build, write, ship, love.

Even when it’s messy. Especially when it’s messy.

The longer you wait, the heavier it gets.

Lift now.

If It’s Not an Enthusiastic Yes, It’s a No

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Think how much simpler and better following this little maxim would make your life.

It instantly weeds out the “meh”, the things you’re lukewarm about, and frees up time for things you’re really passionate about.

Of course, it’s not always simple, or easy to know what’s an enthusiastic yes.

And enthusiastic yes’s can turn into “meh”.

And “meh” can turn into enthusiastic yes’s.

Go with your gut.

Hell yeah things could turn into hell no things. Hell no things could turn into hell yeah things. Also, there’s just going to be some hell no things you just have to do. That’s life.

But trying to keeping a good number of hell yeah things front and center in your life is

Free Time?

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We love to say it:

“I’ve got some free time.”

But time is never free.

Every second is a withdrawal from the only account you can’t refill.

Your life.

You don’t spend time.

You trade pieces of yourself for whatever you do.

Scrolling? That’s a trade.

Complaining? That’s a trade.

Building? Also a trade.

There is no neutral.

You’re always paying.

So the question isn’t “Do I have free time?”

The question is:

“Is what I’m giving my life to worth the cost?”

You don’t “make time” for what matters.

You choose it.

You prioritize it.

You sacrifice for it.

Your time is your signature.

Your time is your legacy.

Your time is your proof you were here.

So treat it like it is:

Rare.

Precious.

Final.

No “free time.”

Only time.

Make it count.

Sunday Sendoff #43: Relentless Persistence

by
Brickwall's Sunday Sendoff

I’m reading Shoe Dog right now.

And one thing that hits early?

Relentless persistence.

Keep going.

When you want to quit. When things look bleak. When it feels like it’s not going to work.

Keep going.

I’ll be honest…

In the past, I’ve been a quitter.

I’ve walked away from things too early.

Now, some of those decisions were right.

You should try things. Test. Explore. Find your path.

But not all of them.

Some of them?

I quit because I was being weak. Because it got uncomfortable. Because it got hard.

Don’t be that guy.

Don’t be the man who folds the second things stop being easy.

Yes—cut what isn’t right for you.

But what is right for you? What matters?

What you know—deep down—is part of your mission?

That’s where most men fail.

They quit right before it starts to pay off.

What stood out to me about Phil Knight wasn’t just his success…

It was how many times things went wrong.

Doors slammed. Deals fell through. Money got tight. Pressure stacked.

He had every reason to quit.

And almost did—multiple times.

Imagine if he did.

No Nike. No impact. No legacy.

Just another guy who almost had something.

That’s the difference.

Not talent. Not luck.

Staying in the fight.

So if you’re in it right now—

If it’s hard…

If it’s slow…

If it feels uncertain…

Good.

That’s part of it.

Keep going.

Builder Principle

When it gets hard…

That’s when it counts.

Keep going.

Something to Ponder

Did you quit something that mattered?

Or are you thinking about quitting right now?

Be honest.

Was it truly the wrong path…

or did it just get hard?

See You In the Arena

This week is just about over. Next week is just about here. Let’s keep building.

Brick by brick.

Sonny the Alien: The Middle School Man Friend

by
Sonny the Alien

Earth Log Entry #15: Animal Instinct

Sonny sat on the couch staring at his phone. Vanessa had just sent a message.

He read it again slowly. “…Chad.”

Chad looked over. “Yeah?”

Sonny didn’t look up from his phone. “Vanessa says a male human she attended middle school with has asked her to get lunch.”

Chad nodded. “Okay.”

Sonny looked over at Chad. “…okay?”

“Yeah. Old friend catching up.” Chad answered.

Sonny frowned. “Chad.”

Chad flipped the channel on the TV. “Yeah.”

Sonny sat forward and set his phone down on the coffee table. “Why would a human male invite another male’s romantic partner to consume food privately?”

Chad didn’t look away from the TV. “Because they’re old friends.”

Sonny put his hand on his chin. “I do not believe that is the complete explanation.”

Chad flipped the channel again. “What explanation do you think it is?”

Sonny leaned back, put his feet on the coffee table, and crossed his arms. “It is one-on-one time with another male.”

“Sure.” Chad said.

Sonny continued. “Private conversation increases emotional bonding.”

Chad shrugged. “Sometimes.”

Sonny pointed at his phone sitting on the coffee table. “Therefore, objectively, this situation has the potential for romantic escalation.”

Chad sat forward and looked over at Sonny. “Dude, not every interaction between men and women is a mating ritual. And it’s Firecracker…she’s going to have lots of male friends. It doesn’t mean she’s interested in them romantically.”

Sonny crossed his arms again. “Your words ring hollow in the face of territorial instinct.”

Chad continued. “I get it, dude. But she’s not going to put one over on you. I mean, she told you about it.”

Sonny sighed. “Yes. You are correct. She is certainly rooted in truth.”

Chad sat back. “There you go.”

Sonny grabbed his glass of water from the coffee table and took a slow sip. “I still feel my territory is being infringed upon.”

Chad shrugged. “Welcome to being human.”

Sonny smirked and took another sip. “Yeah. Human.”

Sonny took out his Earth Log device and began typing.

Earth romantic relationships are incredibly complex and nuanced. They also invoke a human-like territorial instinct I’ve not felt before. It is unpleasant. Being what humans call “single” was much simpler.