The story of the prodigal son is well know, even among people who haven’t read the Bible. The parable in found in the 15th chapter in the book of Luke. The conventional telling of the parable is about a young man who leaves home and … “Parable of the Prodigal Son”
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The following is a list of the lessons I learned, beliefs that were strengthen, and/or topics which frequently came up in discussions with other while walking the Camino. Walking the Camino provided a wonderful opportunity to consider what makes a meaningful life. TL;DR The “Big” … “Lessons from the Camino”
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I have carried the Vagabond Trail more than 1500 miles over last year for EDC, done in a day outdoor activities, and onebag travel which included walking 500 miles of the Camino Santiago Frances route from SJPP. I found the Vagabond provided nearly perfect functionality for … “Vagabond Review”
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I have had a love hate relationship with ponchos. Theoretically they make great sense, but I have tried rain ponchos five times for six month or longer. After each poncho experiment I switched back to a rain jacket. This post is about my current re-evaluation … “Poncho System (+ Insulating Liner for Sleep)”
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The following is one of the posts that makes the rounds a bit like a chain letter. No idea who the original author is and how it has changed from when it was first written. My wife received it from a friend as we were … “Men Are Generally Happy People, Why?”
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TL;DR. If you are looking for a small, light, fast drying towel to use while backpacking or traveling, I recommend the PackTowel Ultralight. I found I can effectively dry my body with a 25″x35″ towel, but the body size lets me wrap the towel around … “A Tale of Four Towels”
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I would like to produce images which inspire to help others see the world in new ways like Ansel Adams, Mary Ellen Mark, Sebastiao Salgado (Salgado@NYT), Steve McCurry. Peter Turnley, David Turnley or Galen Rowell. After many years I realized I am more of a “snapshot” … “Photography”
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I strive for simplicity using items that enable a healthy, impactful life, while removing unnecessary friction and decisions. Additional thoughts in my packing light post. The following is a complete list of everything I own. Making this list was inspired by zenhabit’s one bag lifestyle … “Gear 2023”
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Several items on my personal gear list were used by the whole family, and thus, this page was born. I have excluded our furniture. We keep only those items that are useful and/or are enjoyed which allows our family to focus on doing things that … “Family Gear 2023”
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The next 2-3 years we will be renting our home out as we explore living other places. We are living out of 1-2 bags, and Jackie has some capsule wardrobes that are stored in a location we can periodically access. Traveling actually started a couple … “Traveling Begins”
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I retired this pasted summer so I would have more time to pursue my interests. I decided to sign up for psychology class at Foothill college for several reasons: I am interested in psychology, and thought having introduction class would ensure I had a broad … “Remote College Classes are Painful”
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When I first started to learn about nutrition, I found a lot of conflicting information about protein. The USFDA recommendations were very low. Advise to body builders was extremely high. There seemed to be differing views about optimal timing, the minimum effective dose, maximum effective … “Protein!!”
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TL;DR I have seen excessive media consumption have a profoundly negative impact on friends. One have the news on in the background whenever she was home. It led to her being anxious and worried all the time. She recognized this and started to limit how … “News – Favorite Traditional(ish) Media”
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I think of trekking as travel which involves a significant amount of walking while carrying all the gear you will need. Nights are typically spent in huts, hostels, guest houses, inns, hotels, yurts, or maybe tent provided by a guide. These trips might be a … “Trekking Packs”
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We completed 500 miles / 800km from SJPP to Santiago de Compostela along the Frances Camino on June 7, 2023. I posted a follow-up Lessons Learned on the Camino and our polarsteps photo journal. The Camino de Santiago started out as a Christian pilgrimage, but … “Camino de Santiago”
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I am a fan of Dr. Peter Attia who is a physician focused on the science of longevity. He strives to help his patients simultaneously improving lifespan (delay the onset of chronic disease) and healthspan (quality of life). In 2023 he released the book Outlive where he systematically … “Peter Attia – Science of Longevity”
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Nearly fifty years ago I was looking through a book of early Peanuts cartoons while I waited for my violin lesson. One of the comics showed the simple pleasure of a cool breeze on a hot day. Since that day whenever I feel a cool … “simple pleasures – cool breeze”
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TL;DR My three rethinking posts (part 1, part 2, and this one) were written at the end of December 2021, but I delayed posting until plans for my retirement had been settled. I think anyone reading this would realize I was transitioning and didn’t want … “Midlife Reset (Part III) ReThinking 10 Years Later”
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