The Space Between The Waves

Meanwhile, musicians are funny creatures… driven by the love of the music and the excitement of that next song, the one that just might change everything. Maybe it finds its way into a movie, maybe it becomes a song that helps someone through something… maybe. Let’s face it, it’s true what they say… a musician will drive 200 miles in a van with $2,000 worth of equipment for a $150 gig. I know plenty who have, and they’d do it again without thinking twice. Tip jars have always fascinated me… or maybe it’s the way they’re viewed. Some nights, that jar becomes the scoreboard. Was it a good gig? Was it worth it? Should we come back? The time slot, the crowd, the energy in the room… somehow it all gets measured by what ends up in that jar by the end of the night. But here’s the part that doesn’t always get talked about… Some of the best nights don’t show up in dollars. They show up in the connection between a song and a stranger. In the quiet moment when a room actually listens. In the smile from someone who needed to hear exactly what you just played. That’s the real currency. Because long after the tip jar is counted, and the gear is packed back into that van… it’s those moments that stick. The ones you can’t measure, the ones you didn’t expect, the ones that remind you why you started in the first place. Remember, don’t let the scoreboard define the experience. Sometimes the real win is simply being there, doing what you love, and sharing it with whoever’s willing to listen. But always fill the Tip Jar, it brings back the magic especially now! Have a great day… see you on the radio. Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes

Meanwhile, funny thing about cycles… one day, the things that once bothered you the most don’t even cross your mind anymore. Down at Chix on the Beach, Kim is working her magic in the kitchen, serving up She Crab Soup and snow crab legs like it’s just another day in paradise. I’ve always loved the history of that stretch of sand, where the old Sun-N-Fun Bathhouse Grill once stood back in the 1950s… a reminder that everything has its time. She said some of life’s biggest frustrations come when we don’t realize we’ve crossed into a new chapter… or worse, when we do realize it and fight to stay in the old one because it feels safe and familiar. Kind of a transition boundary into the next phase of my life. And she was right. One day, that person who used to take up so much space in your thoughts… becomes just a passing memory. The things that once got under your skin fade out so quietly, you almost don’t notice they’re gone. That’s the nature of change. When you start to accept the season you’re in, instead of resisting it, something shifts. You begin to lean into it… even if it feels uncomfortable at first. And yeah, it can be a little unsettling stepping into something new, but that’s where the growth lives. Dates are sure sign, they come and go and yes even you forgot to remember, oh well. Remember, when you realize the change of a transition … don’t fight it. Make peace with it. Let it carry you forward into whatever comes next. Have a great day… see you on the radio. Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes

Meanwhile, when I was a young boy, our family would make the trip to Myrtle Beach to spend a week soaking up the summer sun. My mother’s love for the beach found its way into me early on. As the years went by, I started to explore more on my own, a little spending cash in my pocket and the freedom to wander. Built in 1954 during the height of the beach boom, Sea Mist Beach Resort felt like everything a beach resort should be back in the late ’70s. These days, it may not carry the same shine, but back then… to me, it was a palace. Out front, there was this little snack shack that served hot dogs with names you didn’t forget—The Lazy Jane, The Junkyard Dog, The Hot Italian… and my favorite, The Carolina Slaw Dog. Foot-long, of course, with a Double Cola and a side of those sneaky fries. Music from America and The Beach Boys would drift through the air, mixing with the hum of summer, while the ice cream stayed just as cool as the place itself on a hot Carolina afternoon. It’s funny how things change as you grow. The hill you once ruled like a king somehow gets smaller. The house that felt larger than life doesn’t quite stretch as far as it used to. And even though the same orange paint still lines the railings and walls, that old “palace” looks a little different through older eyes and sadly is not what it once was. But memories… they have a way of taking you right back. Back down that sidewalk, past the snack shack, to a time when everything felt bigger, safer, and full of life. Remember, memories may fade around the edges, but they never truly age… and for a moment, neither do you. Hold onto those. Have a great day… see you on the radio. Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes

Meanwhile, when I was a young boy, our family would make the trip to Myrtle Beach to spend a week soaking up the summer sun. My mother’s love for the beach found its way into me early on. As the years went by, I started to explore more on my own, a little spending cash in my pocket and the freedom to wander. Built in 1954 during the height of the beach boom, Sea Mist Beach Resort felt like everything a beach resort should be back in the late ’70s. These days, it may not carry the same shine, but back then… to me, it was a palace. Out front, there was this little snack shack that served hot dogs with names you didn’t forget—The Lazy Jane, The Junkyard Dog, The Hot Italian… and my favorite, The Carolina Slaw Dog. Foot-long, of course, with a Double Cola and a side of those sneaky fries. Music from America and The Beach Boys would drift through the air, mixing with the hum of summer, while the ice cream stayed just as cool as the place itself on a hot Carolina afternoon. It’s funny how things change as you grow. The hill you once ruled like a king somehow gets smaller. The house that felt larger than life doesn’t quite stretch as far as it used to. And even though the same orange paint still lines the railings and walls, that old “palace” looks a little different through older eyes and sadly is not what it once was. But memories… they have a way of taking you right back. Back down that sidewalk, past the snack shack, to a time when everything felt bigger, safer, and full of life. Remember, memories may fade around the edges, but they never truly age… and for a moment, neither do you. Hold onto those. Have a great day… see you on the radio. Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes

Meanwhile, there’s something about a chilly morning on the road that makes a warm cup in your hands feel like more than just a drink… it feels like a moment. Funny how something so simple can become part of your rhythm, something you didn’t need once, but now you wouldn’t go without. Across the room, someone sits quietly with their tea, content in their own routine, reminding us that not everyone needs the same things to feel whole. The door swings open with that familiar little chime, and a voice cuts through the calm with a cheerful good morning and an order that feels like tradition more than choice. And just like that, life moves along in its own steady way. Somewhere in all of this is a simple truth… the best thing you can be today is yourself. Not a version shaped by someone else’s expectations, not a reflection of what you think you should be… just you. Time has a funny way of stretching and folding in on itself. Some days feel like they linger forever, while others slip by before you even notice they’ve begun. Pieces of yesterday show up in today, and hints of tomorrow are already quietly taking shape. Remember, stand where you are, grow how you’re meant to grow. Like a lone pine rising strong among a forest of oaks… not out of place, just different in all the right ways. Have a great day, see you on the radio. Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio and The Space Between the Waves Podcast for more good vibes.

“being a little salty goes with the territory,” he said, sitting at the Original Oyster House in Spanish Fort, out along the low-lying Mobile Bay Causeway… a place well worth the stop if you’ve got time to just chill.
Now in that setting, “salty” means you’re enjoying some of the best oysters this side of Gulf Shores… maybe even New Orleans, depending on who you ask.
There was a time I spent a couple days a week there whenever I was in town… back when life moved a little slower and conversations seemed to last a little longer.
But somewhere along the way, I started thinking… sometimes being “salty” isn’t a bad thing.
Sometimes it just means you’ve drawn a line.
When your patience gets tested, a little edge can remind people, and yourself, what you’re worth.
Sure, life will hand you moments that leave a bitter taste… things that stick with you longer than they should. And while everyone handles that differently, there comes a point where holding onto it starts costing more than letting it go.
Because the longer you let something live rent-free in your head… the more of your time it takes with it.
So maybe it’s time to step back, grab some good oysters, a cold drink, and remind yourself… that thing, whatever it is, just isn’t worth it anymore.
Remember, a little salt adds flavor… but too much can ruin the whole dish. Stand strong, know your worth, and keep moving forward.
Have a great day, see you on the radio.
Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes.

In the midst of the world going a little crazy, it’s the small things that still have a way of making you smile. You just have to slow down enough to notice them.
I was standing in line not too long ago, half paying attention, when someone quietly paid for the person behind them and walked out like it was nothing. No announcement, no credit… just a simple act.
And just like that, you could feel the mood shift.
That’s the thing about paying it forward… it’s not new, it’s been around forever. But somehow, it still catches people off guard in the best way.
One small act of kindness can change someone’s entire day… and the ripple effect of that can reach people you’ll never even meet.
We don’t always get to control the big things going on around us, but we can always control how we show up in the middle of it.
You, too, can hold the door, buy the coffee, share a smile… whatever it is, pass it along.
Because you never know how far it might go.
Remember, a little kindness travels a long way and may very well travel back to you when you need it the most.
Have a fantastic weekend everyone, see you on the radio.
Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes.

Meanwhile, there’s a small word that carries more weight than most people realize… “no.”
Somewhere along the way, we were taught it’s a bad thing, that it disappoints people or makes us miss out. So we say “yes”… even when we don’t mean it.
But the truth is, saying “no” isn’t rejection… it’s direction.
Every time you say “yes” to something that doesn’t feel right, you’re quietly saying “no” to something that does.
Sometimes the strongest thing you can do is simply be honest, with yourself and others.
So if something doesn’t sit right today… trust that feeling.
Remember, every “no” said for the right reason is a “yes” to the life you’re trying to build.
Have a fantastic day, see you on the radio.
Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes.

As a traveling man, I learned early on that the faces and places along the way start to feel like chapters of your life. Even though there’s probably a mailbox somewhere with your name on it, these little pockets of the world somehow feel more like home.
I rolled the window down crossing over the Corey Causeway, the breeze carrying that mix of salt air and sunshine as sailboats drifted across the water. People tend to lump it all together—St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, Redington, but if you slow down, each one has its own rhythm, its own story.
Later on, sitting at a small beach bar, I met a couple from Ohio celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary, frozen cocktails in hand and not a worry in sight.
“We’ve been coming here for 20 years,” she said with a smile—and I believed her.
At one point she leaned in and said something simple, but it stuck…
“You know, I had to learn how to be happy.”
And she’s right… we all do.
Happiness isn’t something that just shows up one day like a package at the door. It takes work. It takes letting go of things that try to follow you from one chapter to the next. It takes choosing, sometimes over and over again, not to live in the weight of what was.
Because if you spend all your time looking in the rearview mirror, you’re bound to miss what’s right in front of you.
And the truth is, people who haven’t found their own happiness yet… well, sometimes they don’t know how to help you find yours. That’s not always their fault, it might just be all they’ve ever known.
But that doesn’t mean it has to be your story.
Remember, keep your eyes on the road ahead. Let the past stay where it belongs, and give yourself the chance to see clearly what’s waiting for you next.
Have a fantastic day, see you on the radio.
Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes.

The magic of winning can be a long road, and more often than not, it’s defined by what winning means to you… not what it looks like to everyone else, and that part matters more than most realize.
Out on the edge of a quiet marina, just after sunrise, there’s a guy most mornings working on his boat long before anyone else shows up. No crowd, no applause, just the sound of tools clinking and water tapping against the dock. To most, it doesn’t look like much… but to him, that’s winning.
True winners don’t just chase the finish line, they fall in love with the work it takes to get there. The early mornings, the setbacks, the days nobody sees. That’s where it’s built.
Because if you depend on what others think, winning can feel pretty short-lived… like a wave that comes in fast and disappears just as quick. You’ll always be chasing the next one.
But when you define winning by your own growth, your effort, and the way you carry yourself along the way… that’s something that sticks. That’s the kind that stays with you.
Now sure, if you’re a race car driver, you probably need to win every now and then… or someone else might be driving your car next week.
Remember, winning is showing up, staying the course, and becoming a little better than we were yesterday.
Go after it your way and you'll always be winning.
Have a fantastic day, see you on the radio.
Follow along on Tiki Bar Publishing, Tiki Man Radio, and The Space Between The Waves Podcast for more good vibes.