Are the boat ramps open?
Check Comal County’s map and ramp details for the access point you plan to use.
Check boat ramps ↗Useful before profitable
Ryan's Recommended Resources
Books and tools for the work of writing, creating, speaking, rebuilding and running a business—what problem each solves, who should use it, who should skip it and what to try first for less.
Canyon Lake community
Before you head outside
Boat ramps, burn restrictions, river flow and lake level—the local questions worth checking at the source.
Open the official source for its latest update. Conditions can change; these links do not confirm that a ramp is open, a burn is allowed or the river is safe for your activity. No signup or affiliate links.
Is there a burn ban?
Read the current outdoor burn status and notices from the Comal County Fire Marshal.
Check burn status ↗What is the river flow?
View Guadalupe River discharge at the USGS Sattler gauge. Check the measurement time and units; conditions vary along the river.
Check Guadalupe flow ↗What is the lake level?
View NOAA’s Canyon Lake gauge. This reports lake elevation; it is separate from downstream river flow.
Check Canyon Lake level ↗Each official source opens in a new tab.
Affiliate disclosure
Some links below are affiliate links. Ryan may earn a commission if you purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. Fit comes before commission, paid tools are optional, and a lower-cost alternative is included with every recommendation.
Amazon links are web-only. As an Amazon Associate Ryan earns from qualifying purchases. Read the full disclosure.
10 categories shown
Writing
The writing tool you already open
Problem solvedCapturing a draft without turning software setup into procrastination.
Who should use itWriters who need a reliable place to return to the page every day.
Who should skip itAnyone whose current tool is causing lost work, broken collaboration or inaccessible files.
Why SAGE recommends itThe best writing system is the smallest one that protects the words and keeps the next honest step easy.
Lower-cost alternativeNotes, a plain document or a local text file.
Affiliate disclosure: No affiliate link or commission. Use what you already own.
Publishing
Amazon KDP
Problem solvedMaking print and Kindle editions available without buying a warehouse of inventory.
Who should use itIndependent authors with a finished, edited and properly formatted book.
Who should skip itWriters still revising, anyone needing hands-on publishing support, or authors who have not reviewed rights, pricing and distribution terms.
Why SAGE recommends itIt is the publishing path used for Ryan's current print and Kindle editions, with the author retaining responsibility for files, metadata and decisions.
Lower-cost alternativeFinish and validate the manuscript and files before opening a publishing account; use library and platform documentation before paying a service.
Affiliate disclosure: This KDP link is not an affiliate link; Ryan earns no commission from opening it.
Audiobooks
ElevenLabs
Problem solvedRepeatable voice production and faster audio iteration when rights, consent and purpose are clear.
Who should use itCreators testing narration workflows, language options or voice drafts they are authorized to produce.
Who should skip itAnyone whose natural performance is the work, who records only occasionally, or who lacks permission to use a voice.
Why SAGE recommends itRyan uses ElevenLabs in an approval-controlled production workflow; human review and voice rights stay non-negotiable.
Lower-cost alternativeVoice Memos or Audacity with a microphone you already own.
Affiliate disclosure: Ryan may earn a commission if you purchase through this link, at no additional cost to you.
Creator Tools
vidIQ
Problem solvedTurning YouTube topic research and channel data into clearer publishing decisions.
Who should use itCreators publishing enough video to review the data and change what they make next.
Who should skip itAnyone not publishing yet, not reviewing performance or paying for features they will not use.
Why SAGE recommends itRyan uses vidIQ for research and decision support, not as a substitute for a useful message or consistent publishing.
Lower-cost alternativeYouTube Studio analytics and manual search research.
Affiliate disclosure: Ryan may earn a commission if you purchase through this link, at no additional cost to you.
AI
ElevenLabs for bounded voice work
Problem solvedProducing consistent voice drafts when repeated recording has become a real bottleneck.
Who should use itCreators with a defined workflow, voice rights and a human approval step.
Who should skip itAnyone looking to impersonate a person, remove human judgment or automate sensitive storytelling.
Why SAGE recommends itIt can reduce repetitive production work without giving the tool authority over truth, tone or release.
Lower-cost alternativeRecord the first versions yourself and edit manually until repetition proves a paid tool is warranted.
Affiliate disclosure: Ryan may earn a commission if you purchase through this link, at no additional cost to you.
Video
vidIQ for an active YouTube channel
Problem solvedReducing guesswork around topics, search intent and what channel data deserves attention.
Who should use itSpeakers, authors and creators already publishing video on a repeatable cadence.
Who should skip itAnyone who still needs to publish the first useful video or has no review habit.
Why SAGE recommends itIt supports decisions after the work exists; it does not replace story, service or consistency.
Lower-cost alternativeYouTube search, YouTube Studio and a simple monthly review note.
Affiliate disclosure: Ryan may earn a commission if you purchase through this link, at no additional cost to you.
Photography
The camera you already carry
Problem solvedCreating useful, honest images without delaying the work for another gear purchase.
Who should use itAuthors, speakers and entrepreneurs who need consistent documentary images more than a new equipment stack.
Who should skip itProfessionals whose client work requires specific resolution, lenses, lighting or redundancy.
Why SAGE recommends itExisting equipment returns attention to composition, light and the human moment instead of shopping.
Lower-cost alternativeYour current phone, window light and a stable surface.
Affiliate disclosure: No affiliate link or commission. No camera purchase is recommended here.
Business
HighLevel
Problem solvedKeeping forms, contacts, opportunities and approval-first follow-up in one maintained system.
Who should use itBusinesses with enough relationship volume and repeated follow-up to justify a real CRM owner.
Who should skip itSomeone with a small list, no follow-up process or an existing CRM that already works.
Why SAGE recommends itIt is the CRM and workflow system Ryan uses behind SAGE, while SAGE keeps judgment, approvals and relationship context human-owned.
Lower-cost alternativeA basic email platform, calendar and lightweight contact tracker.
Affiliate disclosure: Ryan may earn a commission if you purchase through this link, at no additional cost to you.
Veterans
The free Day-1 Mercy practice
Problem solvedMaking the next step small enough to take on a hard day.
Who should use itVeterans and anyone rebuilding who wants a short reflection and action practice.
Who should skip itAnyone seeking emergency, medical or mental-health care; this resource is not treatment or crisis support.
Why SAGE recommends itIt returns attention to one human decision—movement, reflection, connection and mercy—without requiring software.
Lower-cost alternativeIt is already free. In the United States, call or text 988 for immediate crisis support; veterans can press 1.
Affiliate disclosure: No affiliate link or commission. This is a free Ryan-created resource.
Books
Mountains, Monsters & Mercy
Problem solvedGiving readers an honest story and a practical 30-day framework for taking the next step after life breaks the plan.
Who should use itReaders, veterans, fathers, teams and communities looking for lived experience, accountability and mercy.
Who should skip itAnyone looking for clinical treatment, crisis care or a guaranteed recovery method.
Why SAGE recommends itIt is Ryan's firsthand work and the source of the practical framework supported across this site.
Lower-cost alternativeBorrow or request the book through a local library, or begin with the free Day-1 practice.
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate Ryan earns from qualifying purchases. The link is for website use only; price is set by Amazon and may change.
No matching resource yet.
Try a broader word or ask Ryan. A missing category is better than an invented recommendation.
Business systems
Want the operating stack behind SAGE?
The SAGE Recommended Business Stack shows how CRM, AI, automation, websites, analytics and reporting fit together—with the same fit-first disclosures.
One rule before buying
Do not buy a tool to feel prepared. Buy only when a repeated job, a clear owner and a way to measure usefulness already exist.