It’s Thursday. Now that Labor Day is officially in the rearview mirror, Fall is starting to creep in—and you know what that means: Candy Corn!

The girlfriend went on a grocery run yesterday morning and came back with these bags of tasty goodness! I know it’s one of those candies people love to hate, and not everyone is a fan, but I happen to love Candy Corn. In fact, it’s my favorite seasonal candy. So while everyone else is busy arguing about all things pumpkin spice, I’ll be happily stuffing my face with those little orange, yellow, and white wedges of sugary goodness!

-keep

It’s Wednesday. The Second World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing is a fascinating glimpse at how far humanoid technology has come—and an equally fascinating reminder of how far it still has to go. These machines may be getting faster, stronger, and smarter, but watching one face-plant into a wall at full speed is a pretty good reminder that the road to our robot-powered future is going to be filled with a lot of falling, stumbling, sparks, and involuntary somersaults.

-keep

It’s Tuesday. Well, I hope everyone had a Happy Labor Day. Nothing says “celebrating the American worker” quite like watching the price of gas climb to levels we normally associate with a small mortgage payment. As of today, the national average is around $4.15 a gallon, and AAA says this Labor Day period is on track to set a record for the highest gas prices ever recorded for the holiday.

Thankfully, we didn’t have to drive very far for our Labor Day cookout, which was perfectly fine with me. There was nothing fancy on the menu—just cheeseburgers, hot dogs, chips, pasta salad, and plenty of beer. Basically, the official food group of a proper backyard cookout. Add some good friends, full bellies, cold drinks, and absolutely beautiful weather, and honestly, what more do you need? Sometimes the simplest gatherings are the best ones. No fancy restaurant, no elaborate plans, no bullshit—just good people hanging out, eating too much, drinking enough, and enjoying a gorgeous summer day while we still can.

And then reality comes crashing back in. Gas is expensive, international tensions continue to screw with the economy, tariffs are pissing off our friends and complicating trade, and apparently our President thinks we have too many holidays and should all be working more.

After a good cookout, a few beers, a full stomach, and a beautiful day, I’m pretty damn happy to have a holiday where we’re encouraged to slow down and enjoy ourselves.

Happy Labor Day, everybody!

-keep