The Musers The Podcast

Episode 26: Celebrating Your Sandwiches

Date: January 7, 2026
Hosts: George Dunham, Craig “Junior” Miller, Gordon Keith

Overview: A New Year, New You?

In this lively, reflective episode, The Musers kick off 2026 by sharing laughs and insights about New Year’s resolutions, personal growth, and the nature of change. Listener stories, especially from a struggling nursing student, provide a springboard for both banter and deeper conversations about accomplishment, fear, and the tricky business of self-improvement. As always, the dynamic between George, Craig, and Gordon delivers equal doses of humor, honesty, and warmth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Listener Letter of the Week: Macy’s Story

• [01:00–03:43] Gordon reads an email from Macy, a junior nursing student who referenced episode 24, “How to Eat a Mountain.” She details an extremely stressful exam week but ultimately passes, crediting the podcast for timely motivation.
  • Macy’s Reflection: “That feeling of accomplishment is truly amazing. The struggle and stress was what made my most hard thing even more precious to me. Still, three more semesters left, but that encouragement and drive to be a nurse is stronger now more than ever.” — Macy [03:25]
• This sparks discussions on difficulty, success, and inspiration.

Notable Banter

• [04:12] George: “All I could think about was us taking one of those medical exams... Any of us get above an eight?”
• [04:27] Gordon jokes, “What if she stitches up the next Hitler, right? And saves his life and then he goes on to do bad stuff.”

2. Education Journeys and Academic Struggles

• [05:32–06:07] The hosts share candid stories about their own winding paths through college, formative failures, and self-doubt.
  • Gordon: “I think I went for 10 years and never finished.” [05:34]
  • “My primary grade was W. I swear, man, you look at my transcript … I was always withdrawing from my classes.” — Gordon [05:45]
• They joke about modern students entering college with so much credit, they “enroll as college graduates.” [06:20]

3. New Year’s Resolutions: Aspirations, Failures, and Progress

• [07:13–13:35] Gordon shares deeply personal journal entries and old lists of goals, ranging from “Learn French” to “Sell used cars.”
  • “This is the year. This is the year that wonderful things will happen. This is the year to begin my life, the life I’ve always wanted... I wrote that January 6, 1997. Still trying to get around.” — Gordon [08:54]
  • The group affectionately ribs Gordon about his goal to “Always be early” [13:05], given his reputation for lateness.
• Discussion of distinguishing between “goals” and “resolutions;” the value is in trying, not just achieving.

Insights:

• Craig: “We don’t make so many decisions based on fear. And it’s not always the fear of failure, but it’s the fear of the reaction of the world around us when we fail.” [15:44]
• Gordon on Fear: “Fear of failure is bigger. But the fear of success was always also there.” [19:50]

4. The Psychology of Fear in Self-Improvement

• [14:35–21:20]
  • Gordon admits to fears of both failure and success, describing how even anticipated achievements provoke anxiety about losing control or adequacy.
    • “If I became successful, then I would get more work that I just can’t do … so if… I got successful and then was given a... show, then I have to write 10 episodes... I can’t do all that work.” — Gordon [20:00]
  • Craig and George reflect on common fears—fear of the unknown as they grow older and deal with life transitions.

5. The Power of Teams and Long-Term Partnerships

• [21:36–23:20]
  • The strength of the Musers’ trio is highlighted as key to withstanding careers’ ups and downs.
    • “There’s something that’s been so great about being part of this three-member team that when one of us is low, the other two pick up for a while... It becomes much more of a bulwark and an insurance policy against the vicissitudes of life.” — Gordon [22:44]

6. Habits vs. Goals: What Makes Change Stick?

• [24:40–35:14]
  • The hosts advise listeners to focus less on “massive” goals and more on building steady habits.
    • “The lesson... is that some people get self-conscious writing things down and having goals, because if you write them down and don’t reach them, that marks you as a failure... But the lesson is: No, you were a success because 70% of us didn’t write anything down.” — Gordon [24:41]
  • “Life is about progress, not perfection.” — Gordon [31:15]
  • They discuss the importance of “stacking days,” making daily habits more manageable, and “embracing the process.”

Memorable Quotes

• George: “If someone says, ‘I’ve got to lose £50 this year and they only lose 15,’... it’s not a failure. You lost £15. That’s pretty good.” [30:41]
• Gordon: “Every great novel, the person who sat down didn’t sit down and write a great novel. They sat down and wrote a word, and then a word after that.” [33:36]

7. The Ritual of Resolution and the Strength in Trying

• [35:03–38:46]
  • Why wait until New Year’s? The symbolic “calendar flip” motivates many, but any day can be a start.
  • Craig shares his most successful resolution: to read a book a month.
    • “That’s the best resolution that I’ve ever made... and I know I’ve stuck with that.” — Craig [38:01]
  • Gordon commits to trying the same reading goal. [38:33]

8. Handwriting, Habits, and Generational Shifts

• [25:39–29:02; 39:13–40:12]
  • Spirited discussion about handwriting, deteriorating penmanship, and the practical fading of cursive in the digital age.
  • “I found something out this Christmas break that my youngest son cannot write, and he has a hard time reading cursive.” — George [26:39]
  • The banter includes comical attempts to write in cursive, with recurring inside jokes about “George’s balls” appearing in their practice notes.

9. Expert-Backed Advice on Making Resolutions

• [41:12–47:18]
  • Gordon shares findings from Pew Research and Psychology Today about the obstacles to sticking with resolutions:
    • Tips:
      1. Set the bar low and expectations manageable.
      2. Be patient and willing to adjust.
      3. Kill perfectionism and the “all or nothing” mindset.
      4. Silence your inner critic; give yourself grace.
      5. (Controversial): Have an accountability buddy.
    • Gordon is skeptical: “I think I’ve ghosted every accountability buddy I’ve ever had.” [45:22]
  • The hosts agree that accountability systems help some, but privacy works for others.

10. Self-Reflection, Focus, and Accepting Limitations

• [48:45–51:57]
  • The trio jokes about Gordon’s tendency to “go in 50 directions,” and the reality that with age, narrowing focus becomes necessary.
    • “I don’t know that I have enough life left to really become a master mechanic or a puppeteer or whatever it is... I’m starting to think about getting into.” — Gordon [49:13]
  • Jokes about puppet shows, Kermit’s left-handed banjo, and the quirkiness of New Year’s aspirations.

11. Cars, Humility, and Letting Go

• [51:12–53:26]
  • Gordon updates the group on his “humble” 2004 Buick Park Avenue and the seemingly eternal repairs of his old car.
  • “That car is like the ship of Theseus right now. It’s had every part replaced on it.” — Gordon [53:18]

Memorable Quotes

• “The journey is, of course, another way of saying process or another way of saying habit. It’s the thing that you do every day.” — Gordon [33:52]
• “Celebrate your sandwiches.” — George [44:25], a tongue-in-cheek, repeated phrase representing small victories.
• “Practicing cursing... No, he’s not. That’s all he’s doing.” — Gordon, on Craig’s cursive writing joke [54:25]
• “Thanks to our producer, Peter Welton, who’s producing the hell out of this thing.” — Gordon [54:33]

Segment Timestamps

• 00:00–03:43: Intro & Listener Letter: Macy’s Nursing Challenge
• 05:28–06:07: Tales of Higher Ed (and many withdrawals)
• 07:13–13:35: Gordon’s New Year’s Lists and Honesty about Failures
• 14:35–21:20: Fear, Success, and What Holds Us Back
• 21:36–23:20: Power of Teams
• 24:40–35:14: Habits, Progress, and the Truth about Resolutions
• 35:03–38:46: Reading Resolutions and Making Time
• 25:39–29:02/39:13–40:12: Decay of Handwriting and Cursive Comedy
• 41:12–47:18: Research-based Resolution Tips & The Myth of the Accountability Buddy
• 48:45–51:57: Focusing Goals & The Realities of Aging
• 51:12–53:26: Gordon’s Car Chronicles

Episode Tone & Takeaways

Expect trademark Musers chemistry—part sentimental, part satirical, always authentic. The core message: Trying (even if you fail), embracing the process, and finding humor in your struggles makes the journey worthwhile. Whether you write it down, share it, or keep it to yourself, any step towards growth—no matter how meandering or small—is cause for celebration (and, apparently, sandwich-making).

Progress, not perfection. And maybe, just maybe—celebrate your sandwiches.