Books, Blueprints, and the Reality of January

Ted the Dog in a basket being pulled by Shane Smith

By Shane Smith, Founder of Shane Smith Law and Personal Injury Attorney

Designing a Library That Can Actually Hold Our Books

As Holly and I continue working through the plans for our ranch, one of the things we’ve been spending a surprising amount of time thinking about is the library inside the house. I already have a library now, which sounds great in theory, except for one small problem. It is completely full of books.

That irony hit us fast during the planning phase. A library is supposed to have books, but when you are designing a new space, “full” quickly becomes a logistical issue.

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When Books Become a Math Problem

While reviewing plans with the architect, one of the first questions was whether there were enough bookshelves in the library. That turned into a much bigger discussion than expected.

We ended up measuring how many linear feet of books we currently own. Once we started, it got a little ridiculous. Holly and I have accumulated several hundred feet of books over the years.

Measuring Everyone Else’s Collections

Then came the next question. How many books does my brother have?

So we measured his collection too. Shortly after that, my mother-in-law mentioned her cookbook collection. That opened another door entirely. Cookbooks add up fast, and suddenly we were measuring those as well.

It is funny how little thought most people give to where cookbooks actually belong until space becomes limited.

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Where Do Cookbooks Belong?

That led to another debate. Should cookbooks live in the library, the kitchen, or the pantry?

We eventually landed on the practical answer. Where you use them matters. We decided the pantry will need dedicated space for cookbooks, with additional utilitarian shelving elsewhere to handle the sheer volume of books we have collected. It is one of those details you do not think about until you are forced to.

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Back to Routine and Cutting Holiday Weight

Outside of house planning, I am back on my diet and normal routine. I am tracking protein, carbs, and fat again and working on shedding the Christmas weight.

It is coming off, just not as fast as I would like. That seems to be the theme every January.

A Truck That Looks Straight Out of a Movie

I also came across a wild truck for sale recently. I had heard about it before but never really seen one up close. It is incredibly expensive and looks like something designed for a dictator or a mob boss.

Bulletproof windows, smoke screens, and extreme add-on features. Oddly enough, I think it looks far better than something like a Tesla truck. Sharp, aggressive, and completely impractical for me. Interesting to see how extreme and expensive vehicles have become, even if I will never own one.

A Simple Solution for Ted’s Walks

One evening, Ted and I went for a walk. Ted has had some issues with his legs and is not as mobile as he used to be.

Instead of a stroller, I grabbed a rolling basket from the garage and made it work. It got him outside, gave him fresh air, and let him enjoy being out again. Sometimes the simplest ideas end up being the best ones.

Family Game Night With an Unexpected Hit

Around the house, the boys talked Holly into playing a video game called Stray. You play as a cat in a dystopian future.

Noah and Carlye both like cats, which is how it came up. Sam said it was surprisingly good. Holly ended up playing it one night and actually enjoyed it, which was fun to watch.

A Crowded Gun Show and an Ongoing Search

On Saturday, we went to the gun show in Coweta County. It was much more crowded than expected, with a line outside just to get in.

We did not buy anything. We are still searching for a specific pistol for my youngest son, a full-size .380, which is surprisingly hard to find.

One thing that stood out was a set of AR-15 display stands that hold the rifle upright through the magazine well. They looked 3D-printed and were a clever display idea, though probably not ideal for long-term storage.

The Real Start of the New Year

Monday was MLK Day, so work was limited. Banks were closed, mail was closed, and many insurance adjusters were out.

I have always felt like the holiday season officially ends after MLK Day. Once that three-day weekend passes, it feels like the year truly begins.

Sticking With It When Motivation Drops

Now we are fully into the new year. About two weeks into January is usually when New Year’s resolutions start to get hard. Motivation fades, routines get tested, and quitting becomes tempting.

If you are still sticking with your resolution, keep going. This is the part where consistency actually matters.

Until next week,
Shane