100k Strong: The Journey, The Grind, and What’s Next
It’s a Monday night, and I’m sitting here fueled by nicotine and caffeine—the only way I really know how to function. But tonight feels different. I’m looking at the numbers, and we finally did it. We cracked 100,000 subscribers on YouTube.For the folks who might not know, getting to 100K on this platform is no joke. It takes a massive amount of heavy lifting. I’m just an old, hairy dude who looks good in a polo, not someone in a tiny bikini, so I know I had to work my ass off to get your attention and keep it. Every day I’m pushing to get better so that watching this isn’t so “painful” for you guys.Looking Back: The Road HereThis journey hasn’t been a walk in the park. You guys remember when they shut my channel down and put me on a two-week timeout just for telling a story about a school giving pills to kids? YouTube goes hard; the more content you put out, the more they seem to try to starve you out or drop your lives. But we’re still here.I’ve been doing a lot of traveling for work lately. I even spent a couple of days on the road where I didn’t have a drop of coffee—just straight energy drinks. I didn’t die, which was a surprise! I also finally got my lease situation sorted out. My landlord sat down with me, we had a real talk, and she gave me a straightforward lease to sign. It’s a weight off my shoulders.And for those asking about the “vacation”—let’s use that term loosely. I was pulling 12, 14, and 16-hour days. To top it off, my truck, which usually runs like a top, decided to throw a check engine light the second I arrived. For a guy, that’s just embarrassing. It’s like the truck is telling your girl, “Yeah, this dude doesn’t take care of his ride.”The Real Talk: Why I Do ThisPeople call me a hero, but I don’t see it that way. I’m just a regular, decent dude willing to handle the business that needs handling. I care about our kids and I care about victims. That’s why I took a 20-year hammer—because it was worth it to me to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves.I’m still on EM (electronic monitoring), doing the last leg of my sentence with this ankle bracelet on. It’s been a long road from the max joints to where I am now, but I’m doing the work.What’s to ComeSo, what’s next for the Alaskan Avenger?Refining the Brand: You’re going to see a lot more polos and button-ups. I’m going “official.” I’m getting older, I’m getting refined, and I’m leaning into that.The Wedding: Everyone’s asking if I got married. Not yet, but I am engaged to a wonderful woman who is willing to take on the challenge of me. The date is set for as soon as this ankle monitor comes off. I don’t want to be standing at the altar with that thing on.New Projects: Keep an eye out for the Old-Fashioned Masonic Podcast. I was a guest on there recently, and the episode is dropping soon. It was a great conversation about my associations and life.Travel: The second this monitor is gone, I’m hitting the road. Pittsburgh, Memphis, maybe even Colombia—I’m going to see the world and meet the people who have supported this platform.Thank you to the mods and every single one of you who subbed, commented, and stood by me. We’ve got a lot of work left to do to keep this world safe for our kids, and I’m not stopping now.One Light.— The Alaskan Avenger