Chapungu

I took a very fast work trip to Colorado earlier in the month. One of the biggest surprises was this: the Chupungu sculpture garden. This park full of walking trails was adorned with several large Shona sculptures, celebrating the life and culture of Southern Africa.

These sculptures offered these little vignettes into family and village life; their accompanying captions were so short but also so revealing. I always love stories that take you on a long journey and let you see that life is a tapestry of so many different moments. Some beautiful, some horrific, some seemingly mundane. But when you stand back, it’s all breathtaking.

Movies like Boyhood or books like Pachinko do this really well. This might be the first time a city park has made me feel that way, though! Good for you, Loveland, Colorado!

Baby Days Dwindling

Scuse me while I hop in some dad feels for a moment.

I got to spend a lot of time over the long weekend with all three kiddos and while they can be tiring, days where I’m mainly looking after the kids are so richly satisfying.

I got some great babies over here. So many more words now. More complex ways of expressing themselves. Hella personality and curiosity.

Lately, it’s been dawning on me that this baby phase is winding down. I know that the toddler stretch (which I’m simultaneously already in) has its own wildness. More independence, more ‘tude, sure. And while things don’t totally change overnight, they kinda did for Rhys. His second birthday pretty much brought full sentences, a new classroom, a new house, new siblings, all in a whirlwind.

I always end up a little more sentimental around October-November when the reality of all my kids blowing out another candle sinks in. And while there are a lot of challenges of these years I’ll be happy to move on from, I’ll miss a lot too, so I’m glad this is dawning on me a bit early, while I have some months to take it in.

If you roll back the clock to when we learned about Rhys and started mentally preparing, we’ve been doing this baby thing since early 2019. Five years, three kids, that’s a long stretch. And against the backdrop of a pandemic, housing price spikes, formula shortages and all that. I’m sure I’ve changed in so many ways during that window, many of which I won’t totally realize until I’ve had a moment to get used to being on the other side. This chapter has been so full of extremes, but we’ve done so in great company: each other’s.

Chocolate Hills ATV Ride

I think if you’re not regularly discovering things you’re kinda bad at, you might be a little too nestled in a comfort zone.

Happy to report that I am absolutely terrible at driving an ATV.

We had a visit planned to the Chocolate Hills, one of the Philippines’ natural wonders. I thought we could go beyond the usual pull-over-and-take-pics, so I booked us an hour with ATVs. My first time on one of these guys. Kept feeling like I would hit a pit that would send me out of the thing.

Got a little more in a groove after a bit, but pushing on that thumb accelerator hurt!

Making Up for Lost Time

I’ve interviewed a lot of people doing big things for nature. I remember several years ago talking to a South African lion conservationist, learning so much about all that goes in to protecting a species. I asked him where this journey all began and he cited a childhood in South Africa with a lot of time spent outdoors… not with lions per se, but in nature. Gaining an appreciation for the natural world.

This is such a common thread among environmental protectors, but you know what? This wasn’t my experience. I felt like I spent way too much time inside. Part of it was living in a suburban setting with parents who were really limited in their ability to move around a city that prioritized cars over people. I grew up hearing friends talk about their camping trips, and when I finally got the ability to take myself to the national parks and state forests I heard so much about… I was hooked.

All that to say, if you didn’t grow up with the most outdoorsy childhood, there’s still room for you to reconnect. We’re all part of creation, so we can’t ever be all that separated from the natural world when you think about it.

2023: Winter Reads

Last year, I barely read anything, thanks to having two newborns and a toddler. I was really hopeful I’d regain some space to read this year, and while I still don’t read anywhere near the volume that I used to, I’ve prioritized picking things I really want to read.

Here are some of the titles I’ve enjoyed this year:

📘 How to Tell a Story by The Moth
📘 How to Stop a Dictator by Maria Ressa
📔 Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman - this one really challenged my way of living!
📘 A Bigger Picture by Vanessa Nakate
📗 Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer - technically a reread, which I rarely do. But that’s how much I love this book.
📙 Insurrecto by Gina Apostol

Climbing Napulak

How to hike Mt. Napulak…

This hike was one of my favorite adventures this year so far, and a big part of it was the fact that simply getting to the start of the hike was an expedition. I found it on Google Maps, and while the pictures were gorgeous, it was unclear how to even get there.

It turned out to be a bit of an obstacle course. First, find your way to the small town of Igbaras.

Get to the town’s municipal hall. It’s on the upper floor of a building across from the public market. When we got there, a woman in the front knew exactly where to direct us.

You’ll sign in and she’ll direct you to Victor’s house. Just an ordinary house in a village.

It’s about 12 miles away. We didn’t meet Victor, but whoever was there let us use their kitchen change into your hiking clothes. By the time you’re done, your next ride will probably arrive.

Motorbikes came to pick us up and take us the to the Bagay Tourism Office- a one room output at the trailhead. That’s where you’ll pay an environmental fee and meet your guide.

And that was just the start of the adventure! It was beautiful, challenging, and definitely rewarding.

Two Teas in Dhaka

Would you drink a tea that was basically a bunch of chili peppers and tamarind infused in water?

That was one of two unique teas I was told I needed to try in Bangladesh.

Honestly, it wasn’t so bad! Seems like something I might crave to remedy a sore throat. And the other one was basically liquified brown sugar.

Thanks to @cholobangladeshtours for the tea stop!

A Tale of Two Mothers Days

We are a collective of chaos muppets, but one of the things I’m most confident about is that the kids absolutely have as good of a mother as there is.

I love seeing her come up with brilliant activities for them, helping them develop the tools to handle big feelings, and being real and intentional with every single moment of motherhood.

It’s impossible to overstate how we’re all so much better because Deanna is who she is, where she is.

Swipe to see the difference a year makes.

Thanks Guatemala

One year ago, today, we were on our first journey as a family of five: Guatemala 🇬🇹

Antigua will always hold a special place in my life. I was coming out of a five month stretch of life completely revolving around taking care of newborns and a toddler. It was sweet and exciting, but I was also losing huge parts of myself.

Getting to travel and explore was a huge part of coming back to myself, and doing so with my kids made it more like a step towards the latest version of myself. An adventurer at heart with these young adventurers in tow, trying to figure out how all these pieces can fit together.

That question of presence, balance, and attention is still one I face daily, but this trip helped offer a lot of glimpses of what that could look like.

Thank you, Guatemala.

Stove Replies

Dear Guatemala

My interest in Guatemala and the Mayan lands goes way, way back, but mentally I kind of always prioritized going to more distant places, assuming I was “saving” the closest country I hadn’t been to yet for a time when travel would be a little more complicated.

Glad that kinda worked out. I’m not usually one to wait on things I know I want to do. When my twins showed up, travel got a lot more complicated (whether or not they’re coming!) but I voraciously missed exploring new places.

Antigua was a beautiful first journey as a family of five. It’ll always hold that distinction in my memory.

Hiking Igbaras

How to hike Mt. Napulak…

This hike was one of my favorite adventures this year so far, and a big part of it was the fact that simply getting to the start of the hike was an expedition. I found it on Google Maps, and while the pictures were gorgeous, it was unclear how to even get there.

It turned out to be a bit of an obstacle course. First, find your way to the small town of Igbaras.

Get to the town’s municipal hall. It’s on the upper floor of a building across from the public market. When we got there, a woman in the front knew exactly where to direct us.

You’ll sign in and she’ll direct you to Victor’s house. Just an ordinary house in a village.

It’s about 12 miles away. We didn’t meet Victor, but whoever was there let us use their kitchen change into your hiking clothes. By the time you’re done, your next ride will probably arrive.

Motorbikes came to pick us up and take us the to the Bagay Tourism Office- a one room output at the trailhead. That’s where you’ll pay an environmental fee and meet your guide.

And that was just the start of the adventure! It was beautiful, challenging, and definitely rewarding.

Can I Climb This Mountain?

My love for the outdoors came despite not growing up in the most outdoorsy family. Throughout all my childhood visits to the Philippines, I don’t have as many experiences in the ocean or mountains as I would hope from one of the most ecologically phenomenal places.

I really tried to start setting this right with my own family on this most recent visit. I scanned some maps and found some of the most impressive looking mountains on the island of Panay. Then I tried to climb them.

But, figuring out how to even get to the start of this hike was an adventure in and of itself. All the usual maps were pretty useless. Instead I tried navigating using an eight year old blog post, hoping the person’s retelling of their hike was still accurate.

Thirtythree

Started a new lap around the sun today, chef.

Doesn’t really feel like I’ve been on the earth for as long as I have. Feels more like the adventure just got started.

I can’t think over the past few months without seeing my life as very, very full. I get to spend my day doing work I enjoy. Sometimes that takes me to fascinating places to hear people’s stories. Sometimes I get to speak. Perform. I get to come home to play with my kids who are literal miracles. I get to play with old friends. New friends.

I’m an enthusiast with constant wanderlust, but it’s been a lot harder to *want* things when life looks like this.

I’ll still take invitations on trips and babysitting offers, though!

Notes on storytelling, life, adventure, and other things

When you travel somewhere, learn 12-15 phrases. That’s so few, anyone can do it, but it makes the experience wayyyyy better. So worth the effort.

Sometimes you have to tell the kids “sorry, I can’t right now, I’m busy,” but try and watch the ratio that they hear that versus “yeah, I have time for you right now!” Playing with Hot Wheels for as little as 2-3 minutes counts! At least at this age, it can be this simple.

There’s a reason why your work has brought you closer to both nature and culture. Those two go together. Always.

Don’t be so hungry for explanations that you miss out on experiences.

Bring a brick, not a cathedral. Don’t try and hit a home run every at bat. There are better ways to contribute to a team than trying to do it ALLLLL.

Do more things that aren’t for the sake of your next project, to get to the next level, or to create future opportunities. Do more things because they’re worth doing, just because.

There’s something really special about watching your team go on a run and succeed. Ride that enthusiasm.

Take more friend trips. Friendships, especially the older ones, matter so much, and the American adult life really only gives you so much time together. New places set up new memories. (Also things are still a struggle, but don’t forget your friends are nowhere near as broke as you all were fresh outta college.)

If you want to get to know a place real well, visit the market.

Spend as much time as you can outside. Note when you’re doing something inside that could be done in the open air. Pay attention to the obstacles. Can they be solved with something as simple as a jacket, an outdoor bench, or rearranging the deck furniture to get shade?

Curiosity is a healthy relationship with the unknown.

Being close to God humbles ya. When that experience is deep and real, it makes it impossible to feel superior or judge others.

Storytelling takes space. It’s not just about doing non-stop things that sound interesting, but seeing things more deeply.

Too many people go through life feeling unseen. Every now and then, show someone over-the-top enthusiasm that they exist.

Tell stories from the ego, and you shut people off. Tell stories from the heart, and people connect.

Even if you get an exceptionally long lifespan, the life you experience today has a very short shelf life. People move, routines change, and settings evolve very quickly. Let it go as slowly as you can and take it all in.

The natural world is a playground, a classroom, an adventure, and a sanctuary.

It doesn’t take much to stop and accept my kids’ invitation to play for five minutes (or less!), before going back to my inbox. I might not be able to say yes every time, but if my yeses can far outweigh my nos, it’ll really help avoid the impression that dad is always too busy or tired.

When setting a vision, verbs beat nouns. Not, “what title do I want?” but “what would I love to do over and over?”

Pay attention to what your people are doing. Releasing albums? A show this weekend? Creating content about stuff that gets them excited? It costs nothing to be a hype-man for five minutes. Repost them on social. Send a text to ask how it’s been going.

You can live with lightness and it’ll still leave a mark.

Tabi Tabi Po

“When you enter a forest in the Philippines, you’re supposed to say the phrase *tabi tabi po.*

It means “excuse me” or “may I please pass?”

You say this because you don’t want to accidentally step on a duwende, engkanto, or any one of the many mystical beings in the forest.

Filipinos are a superstitious bunch, there’s no denying that. And it might be easy to dismiss this one as an episode of magical thinking or simple folklore, but I think there’s something important about it.

The forest truly is full of vibrant, living beings in every direction. And whether you’re inclined to think of duwendes or mycelium, it’s important to enter that space with respect. A reverential fear. An understanding that your presence has an impact, but an intent to do as little harm as possible.”

Street Art in Anchorage

A massive new mural popped up last summer in Downtown Anchorage.

It replaced an old piece of art called “Anchorage History,” which in spite of its intention, omitted the Alaskan part of Alaskan history, failing to incorporate any indigenous perspectives or elements at all.

The new piece was done by a Filipina-Athabaskan artist and infused the vibracy of many different Alaskan cultures and creatures, from a Yupik inua symbology to wild berries and salmon and caribou.

Wanting to go see the art led me to discover many other great pieces of street art around the center of Anchorage.

Extrapolations

Antigua's Mercado Central

There’s something thrilling about stepping into an alleyway marketplace and realizing… whoa, this place goes deep. More turns and corners and pockets of vendors than seemed possible from the outside. Hidden stands selling hot food you know is probably amazing. The sounds of livestock for sale. The smells of piles of fruit.

One place that perfectly exemplifies that is the Mercado Central in Antigua, Guatemala. Loved the multiple visits I took there during my time in the city.

Clean Cookstoves

Giving a family a new stove, a cleaner and more efficient stove, might seem like a very small drop in the bucket with everything going on in the world. But traditional cooking practices in lower-and-middle-income countries account for anywhere from 2%-5% of yearly greenhouse gas emissions.

For that family, it means severely reducing the risk of burns or other cooking related accidents, and the amount of harmful smoke inhaled over time. And for the entire planet, it can mean that en masse, a lot fewer trees are made into charcoal, preserving carbon sinks and cutting back emissions.

Don’t underestimate the “simple” stuff.

No Sense of Rush

In the Philippines, there’s just no sense of rush.

If you’re not used to it, I suppose it could be a little disorienting. Maybe patience testing. Why don’t the vendors share my sense of urgency? Are they just unmotivated?

It’s actually made me realize how much of the urgency we live with on a daily basis is totally made up. It’s one of the things I appreciate about life here.

This isn’t exclusive to the Philippines. It’s almost everywhere when you leave the western work-obsessed world behind. It’s a more natural rhythm to live with. It’s definitely more innate for me, and one of the hardest things for me to break away from when my visits come to an end.

Each day, hour, or moment can be an episode of abundance. They don’t exist on a conveyor belt of limited chances to get things done.