Happy New Year!

Dear Barry, 

  Happy New Year! I've been thinking about you a lot lately and just wanted to let you know that there are so many people who hold you in their hearts. New Years all seem about moving on and goals but I think they are also an important time for reflection. This year especially as it will mark the last year of our 30's. I think technically we're already well into what is considered middle age, but there's something about 40 that scares a lot of people. 

Not me. I look at all the joys, adventures, and just experiences that I have been blessed enough to have in my 30s and I say bring on another decade of fun! From living on three continents, to having had the two best children in the world and watching my wonderful nieces and nephews grow up and multiply alone has been amazing. But it's often the little things, the every day blessings(like my current work schedule or technology that allows us to stay close to loved ones even when we are thousands of miles apart) are so innumerable and it is hard to tally them all. So I won't. I'll just leave you with a remember that you are missed but not gone from our hearts.

Until next time, 

Your Friend Danny

PS-sorry I didn't attach any photos last time. Here's a bunch to make up for it... 

Rerun-Simple Living(or Smile, don't Stockpile) jan 2014-

Dear Barry, This post below is actually a rerun from 2014 right after my grandfather passed away (yes I know stupid euphemism). As you know, we are moving once again so the living simply motto is alive and well. Plus, I have read that omicron is once again inspiring people to hoard toilet paper so this post is doubly important right now. hope all is well... After my grandfather passed away earlier this year[2014- I promise I won't continue to interject editorial notes throughout], my father and family had to help clear out his apartment. We had already spent a long time a few years ago, consolidating, donating, salvaging and tossing most of his items when he moved from his house to the apartment he moved into. And yet in the years since he moved, he again managed to accumulate quite a few possessions. He came from a generation that had lived through the generation and didn't let anything go to waste. He would save a screw because he knew he'd (eventually) need one. And on several occasions that I can remember as a young kid, he'd be working on something and tell me to fetch the 3/8 inch screw on the second shelf down on the left in the right side of the rear garage. Or something like that-his memory was far better than mine currently. And sure enough that screw that he had saved from years before was exactly where he needed it. I loved him for that and I have found that I have started to do the same- holding on to gear that I no longer use just on the off-chance circumstance when my friend who spontaneously comes over forgot his 10 1/2 running shoes(or jacket, climbing harness, x-c skis, boots, shampoo, razor etc). And while there certainly has been a few times that this has come in handy[when my brother, Matt, decided to spontaneously run a marathon and needed to borrow: running shoes, shorts, shirt, socks, and Gu, comes to mind. Seriously.], there really is not much use for this hoarding. There are three problems with this. The first is that I probably would be better off donating the stuff now so someone could use it now not just if they serendipitously need something while at my house. The second problem is that it clutters my apartment making cleaning more challenging. The third, and most egregious, is that I don't need all this stuff! Why do I have so much stuff? Economists will tell you that we need to spend money and buy things in order to keep the economy running, but I would imagine that environmentalists would say that all of this stuff from its production, shipment across the world all the way to when it eventually makes it to the landfills isn't all that good for keeping the earth running. No offense to the economists but I'm going to side with the environmentalists. Therefore, I'm going to issue a challenge for myself which I would like to extend to you all as well. Here's your mission if you choose to accept it: Don't buy anything new if you have a similar object or can borrow one. Where I am going to have the most challenge with this is running shoes. I'm always so nervous that one of my favorite models will go out of production that I end up stockpiling shoes so I have enough. Well, I have enough. I could probably go several years without buying another pair of shoes. Give away at least one object per month to someone who can actually use it. I just gave away(very begrudgingly) all of my trad climbing protection. Let me clarify something: I have never trad climbed. I bought it when I was doing a lot of sport climbing and that was the natural progression. It was sitting in my attic for a few years now unused. The point is: evaluate what you actually need. You will be amazed how little it is. Between Brooks and Nike I have MORE than enough shoes to last quite a while. Save mementos but only real mementos. If you weren't sure whether I am neurotic then this will set you straight. Until about a month ago, I had saved every birthday card I had ever received. Sorting through them, I realized many of them didn't have anything in them of import and some were from people I no longer know. I kept a few memorable ones(my 21st birthday card from my adopted grandmother who wrote to me not to party "too hard"), but then tossed the rest. And that's the rule: if it's not memorable or meaningful, get rid of it. Buy experiences, not gifts. For any of your family, friends' birthdays, try to gift them an experience(my parents are doing this for us-most recently getting us surfing lessons) instead of something that they may already have five of. Decline the race shirts. I have already started doing this but if you're like me and have more than you know what to do with just decline the race shirt. Or get it in a size that you can give to someone that may need it. Same goes for all that free stuff given out at the expos. You don't need it. I promise.Don't skimp on the workout gear. Nobody will want to run with you if you're the stinky kid that always runs in the same smelly shorts. Have enough so you can cycle through them between washes. This means less if you have a laundry at home and probably a few more if you go to the laundromat. The point is: run solo or run clean:) Have fun. Remember: you are only as rich as your experiences and those with whom you share them. Possessions wouldn't make you happier. Be in the moment and enjoy your life. This is the only time we get to enjoy it. Until next time, Danny

75 Hard Challenge

 Dear Barry, 

    Hope you are doing well my friend.  Kendra and I are having a blast living in Europe and raising two adorable kids but lately we've noticed our fitness has really declined. Whether it be too much alcohol and food, not enough exercise or sleep, our slow glide into middle age or a combination, we are not too pleased. 

  It certainly is not nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of poor health, so Kenny and I have decided to take arms against it. In the form of the 75 Hard Challenge.

For 75 days we will:

  Exercise for at least 45 minutes twice per day. One of which has to be outside. Lots of good science behind the restorative value of nature so I am all in.

  Drink at least a gallon of water. Which I already do but will be great for kenny the camel.

  Take a cold shower. Good way to keep our insanity in check(i.e. a third kid from entering the picture;) )

  Eat a healthy diet. For us this means no alcohol during the week and cutting out the junk(for kenny-no candy and me no processed foods high in sodium).

 Read at least ten pages of non-fiction. I may try to argue that the news should count but that'd probably not true these days.

  Post progress on social media. Okay so I like the accountability of this. However, I also value my friends and family and don't feel like getting blocked due to nearly 11 weeks of flooding their news feeds. Therefore Kenny and I made a special Instagram page just for those few people who are actually interested.  And we can leave everyone else alone. It is @fitnesstravels603 if you're remotely interested.

We were supposed to start Novemeber 1st but got delayed when we thought about a week in Barcelona without alcohol, good food or treats so we decided to hold off until we return on the 14th. Let's see if the nearness to christmas markets make us delay again but for now that's the plan. 

I'll keep you posted.

Until next time,

Your friend Danny

Ps this is Matilda from Halloween the other day. She's Blippi. Look it up;)

Update

 Dear Barry, 

   Hey buddy. Sorry it's been so long since I last wrote. It's amazing how sometimes it's the most mundane and least eventful times in our lives when we feel the most busy. As you know, Teddie is growing like a weed and has his father's appetite. He literally ate two full hot dogs the other day, after Kenny had just fed him! And he still cried when he saw me eating! 

   Tillie starts preschool next week. Can you believe it? It doesn't seem that long ago that you were holding her in your arms in Bethlehem as a 3 month old. It is amazing how quickly time flies. And how it gets away from us. Like sand through our fingers. But at least I'm cognizant of this and am trying with all my being, to grasp on to every single grain of sand. I know this is the opposite of Buddhist thought where grasping is considered the root of suffering, but I cannot help it. I want and will try to keep my loved ones in my life and hearts for as long as possible. 

As you know. 

I hope you are doing well. Despite me writing infrequently, you are often in my thoughts. 

Until next time my friend, 

Danny

PS: As always, here's a few family photos to brighten your day. 

Til and Ted's Amazing Adventures

 Dear Barry, 

   I was thinking about Weekend with Barry the other day. That was such a fun trip. We both grew up with choose your own adventure stories and that weekend was a fun grown up version. Burger challenge or jump off a cliff. Go to a firing range or zipline down a mountain. Diabetes or Cirrhosis. It was the first time you, Chip and I had hung out in over five years and it was like we were back in high school again. It was like we had never been apart. 

Anyway, I used that idea as inspiration for a little book I just wrote for people who come visit us in Germany. Til and Ted's Amazing Adventures is a choose your own adventure type book that narrows down choices of activities to do and places to eat while here. Sometimes we can get overwhelmed when given too many choices so I've narrowed it down to two:) 

I'll probably trial with my parents when they come over, but maybe I'll send you a copy of the book so you can choose how you want to spend your time when you get over here.

Then I got bored because my family ditched me and I made another for our upcoming trip to Sweden. 

It's actually published and on Amazon which I think is funny due it's questionable quality(both production and content). 

Til and Ted's Amazing Adventure

Either way it was fun to put together and hope we will soon be able to have people over again to actually help us explore!

Until next time,

Danny

Anxious People

 Dear Barry,

  I'm sure you've heard of him but in case you haven't just wanted to let you know about one of my favorite new authors: Fredrik Backman. He's probably best known for A Man called Ove, but he's had several other great ones. In the week since the family has been gone to the States and abandoned me to my books, I've managed to read 7 books, sleep probably twice the number of hours and explore more of our region than I had previously been able. But I'd take illiteracy, sleep deprivation and the inexorable weight gain and have them by my side any day. Have I told you that I currently weigh the most I have since I played football in high school? That's right nearly 185lbs. I think, to make myself feel better, I will start measuring my weight in kilograms. That should take the edge off. I knew the metric system was useful! Plus it feels far more macho to bare zero degrees(c) than 32 degrees(f). Not to mention how much further I can run in kilometers!

I digress. But actually that's kind of how Backman writes. Only far more eloquently and more composed. But he comes off as if the whole story he's telling is literally just one long stream of thought. Occasionally he'll go on tangents and then, with a zap, remember what he was supposed to be talking about and circle back. And he does it in a way that, unlike John Irving, doesn't take one hundred pages of backstory. All in all I really like him and encourage you to read his stuff.

His new story, Anxious People, is another good one. I'm not here to give you a book report, but did want to quote you something from the book: 

"The problem is that everything is relative, happiness is based on expectations, and we have the internet now. A whole world constantly asking us: 'But is your life as perfect as this? Well? How about now? Is it as perfect as this? If it isn't, change it!' The truth of course is that if people really were as happy as they look on the Internet, they wouldn't spend so much damn time on the Internet, because no one who's having a really good day spends half of it taking pictures of themselves. Anyone can nurture a myth about their life if they have enough manure, so if the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, that's probably because it's full of shit."

Sorry I know that's a long quote and that you'll probably read the book yourself but I just love it. So much about social media is harmful to us(mental health, ergonomics, visual strain etc), but we view it as our salvation. Or at least too many people do. I say it's better to put down the phone, close the laptop and get outside and enjoy the outdoors. Or minimally read a damn book. Or, if you have some adorable children nearby, snuggle the heck out of them. I know I would.

Until next time,

Danny

PS- here are some pics from my last two running outings this week: Koningsberg and the Feldenpfad. Very different locales but both beautiful. Looking forward you getting over here so we can explore more together!

Thankful

 Dear Barry, 

  I was thinking today about a conversation we had years back. At the time I was sick of the bad pay and long hours of my work and vented to you that I wanted to go back to school to become a doctor. You looked at me askance and asked me what about my job I didn't like. I fumbled around, realizing as I spoke with you that it was probably actually less the job than my own insecurities about how others viewed what I did for a living. I did in fact like my job and I was quite happy with what I did. "So why change something that you're happpy doing?" You asked this in such a way that, at the time, I just passed off as a Barry thing but nothing that works for normal people. But then I realized that you were exactly right. Why do something that doesn't bring us joy.

Or at least bring us to the places where we can be with those who bring us joy and afford us the time to spend with them. 

Long story short, as you know, I didn't go back to school to become a doctor. And while I have since had lots of change in my life: joining the Peace Corps, then moving first to the South and now to Germany, all along the way, I focused less on trying to change things to make myself happy and more on being happy with what and who I have in my life. I have been blessed with every opportunity that life has afforded me and I appreciate your simple but poignant words of advice.

Until next time,

Danny

PS- as promised, more pics of the kids. Love you man.