April 22, 2026

On The Upside with Marley

Overthinking feels like control, but it quietly destroys change

I am the absolute WORST at this.  Overthinking traps us in an endless loop of “what ifs” and worst-case scenarios, convincing us that more thought will somehow make the outcome safer. But change doesn’t come from perfect plans, it comes from movement. And overthinking replaces movement with hesitation.

Every time we replay a decision, second-guess a step, or imagine ten different outcomes, we drain the energy that could have been used to act. What starts as caution turns into paralysis. Days pass. Opportunities close. The moment that once felt possible slowly fades into regret.

Overthinking also distorts reality. It magnifies risks and minimizes our ability to handle them. We begin to believe we need certainty before we begin, when in truth, certainty is something that only comes after we take the first step. Growth is messy. Change is uncertain. And waiting until everything feels “right” often means waiting forever.

Worse still, overthinking erodes confidence. The more we question ourselves, the less we trust our instincts. We start to feel stuck not because we lack ability, but because we’ve trained ourselves not to move without perfect clarity. And that clarity rarely arrives.

Meanwhile, life continues to move forward without us.

The truth is, change is built on imperfect action. It’s built on trying, adjusting, failing, and trying again. The people who grow aren’t the ones who think the most—they’re the ones who act despite the noise in their minds.

Breaking free from overthinking isn’t about silencing your thoughts completely. It’s about choosing to move anyway. To take one small step, even when doubt is loud. Because momentum creates clarity, not the other way around.

And once you move, even just a little, you realize something powerful: you were never as stuck as your thoughts made you believe.

Sourtoe Cocktail??

The Sourtoe Cocktail is a famous Dawson City, Yukon tradition since 1973, featuring a shot of whisky (usually Yukon Jack) garnished with a real, dehydrated human toe. Served at the Downtown Hotel’s Sourdough Saloon, participants must touch the toe to their lips to join the exclusive Sourtoe Cocktail Club.

The Golden Rule

To officially join the Sourtoe Cocktail Club, you must follow one strict rule: “You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow, but your lips must touch that gnarly toe.”

Key Details

The Drink: You typically order a shot of Yukon Jack (a honey-based whiskey liqueur), though any spirit that is at least 40% alcohol (80 proof) is allowed to ensure the toe remains preserved.
Cost: It costs approximately $12–$16 USD, which includes the shot, the “toe fee,” and a signed certificate of completion.

The Fine: Swallowing or stealing the toe is strictly forbidden. After several incidents—including a man who deliberately swallowed a toe in 2013—the fine was increased to $2,500.

Availability: “Toe time” generally happens nightly, often between 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM (or later) at the Sourdough Saloon.

History & Origin

The Legend: The tradition dates back to the 1920s Prohibition era. Rum-runner Louie Linken suffered severe frostbite on his big toe during a blizzard. To prevent gangrene, his brother Otto amputated it with a woodcutting axe.

The Discovery: They preserved the toe in a jar of alcohol, which was found decades later in 1973 by Captain Dick Stevenson in an abandoned cabin.
The Club: Stevenson established the Sourtoe Cocktail Club that same year. Since its inception, over 100,000 members from around the world have been initiated. The saloon now uses “toe-nations” from donors who have lost digits due to frostbite or medical conditions to keep the tradition alive.  Yea… Yuk!

How Not To Convert A Bear

A priest, a pastor, and a rabbi decide to test who’s most convincing in their calling. Each heads into the woods with the same goal: convert a bear.

They meet up afterward to compare results:

The priest goes first. “I came across a large bear, read from the catechism, and blessed him with holy water. He’s already preparing for his first communion.”

The pastor nods. “I found mine down by the river. I shared the Word, and the bear was so moved he let me baptize him right there.”

They both turn to the rabbi, who’s lying in a hospital bed, wrapped head to toe in bandages.

He winces and says, “In hindsight… I probably shouldn’t have opened with the circumcision.”

Misfortune Cookie

Sad after the funeral of a friend, my wife and I went into a Chinese restaurant for a rest and a meal. Talking about the funeral and how short life is and you never know when your number will be called. Then I read the fortune cookie: “You will soon be reunited with a good friend.”

Editors Quote Book

“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”

—Leonard Cohen

Trivia Quiz

(Click Question For Answer)

Not for the faint of heart!

Your Horoscope

For Amusement Only

A Man Walks Into A Bar

A man walks into a bar. As he sits down, he looks up and notices three pieces of meat hanging from the ceiling. He asks the bartender “what’s with the meat?”

The bartender says, “If you can jump up and slap all three pieces at once, you get free drinks for an hour. If you miss even one, you have to pay for everyone else’s drinks for the rest of the night. Wanna give it a go?”

The man takes another look at the meat, then says, “I think I’ll pass. The steaks are too high.”

* * * * * * *

A man walks into a bar and orders a drink.

A minute later he hears “You look great. Have you lost weight?” He looks around, but there’s no one near.

Again, a minute later, he hears “You know, you don’t look a day over 30.” Looks around again, no one but him and the bartender, so he asks “Did you hear that?”

The bartender says “It’s the peanuts. They’re complimentary.”

* * * * * * *

Guy walks into a bar, grabs a seat and orders a whiskey double, neat. The bartender prepares his drink with great delicacy and brings it right over.

The gentleman reaches into his blazer searching frantically. This catches the bartenders attention so he monitors the patron out the corner of his eye. Finally the man finds what he’s looking for and sighs a sigh of relief.

He pulls out a straw and takes a sip of his whiskey. The perplexed bartender grabs his attention “I’m terribly sorry sir, was your glass dirty?”

To which the man replies surprised “oh no no everything’s fine! I just promised my wife I’d never put my lips on another glass of whiskey again.”

The Anniversary Tear

A wife finds her husband crying at the kitchen table at 3 a.m.. “What’s wrong?” she asks. He says, “Remember 20 years ago when your dad caught us in the car and said, ‘Marry her or go to jail for 20 years’?” She nods tearfully. He sobs, “I’d be a free man today!”.

A Budgeting Lesson

At the store, a husband puts a $30 case of beer in the cart. His wife makes him put it back, saying they can’t afford it. Later, she puts a $60 jar of face cream in the cart. When he asks why, she says, “It makes me look beautiful.” He replies, “So does the beer, and it’s half the price!”.

The Wishing Well

A husband and wife come across a wishing well. The wife leans over, makes a silent wish, and tosses in a penny. The husband decides to make a wish too, but he leans over too far, loses his balance, and falls right in. The wife looks down and whispers, “Wow, it really works!”.

The Last Word

“Success is rarely a single dramatic moment. It is usually the result of many quiet days when you simply refused to quit.”