A place to keep on your radar: Kesh Kesh in Nairobi. It’s an eclectic hangout/café that occupies three levels. You can use it as a workspace for several hours, but also, they have fantastic Ethiopian food so you can come to feast with a group. And I was actually in the mood for a burger and beer, so they’ve got you taken care of on multiple fronts.
Nearly everything in Christchurch feels new, and that’s largely because it is.
In some ways the scale and speed at which they had to build after the massive 2011 earthquake is impressive. But there’s always a more complex story. There are many who consider the rebuild a failure… and at the very least, it’s a mixed bag.
Always more to the story.
If you want to tell stories that feel more alive, remember: life is messy
You probably shouldn’t expect binge watching a series in one week to make you feel more human, more vulnerable, and more in awe of being alive.
But I suppose there are some exceptions.
I was pretty late to the party when it comes to getting into The Pitt, the emergency room medical drama that plays out in real time, a la 24.
Of course, I heard plenty of good things about it. Deep characters. Plotlines that actually provoke conversations about important social issues, but in a non-preachy way.
And when I finally got started, all of that rang true. I couldn’t look away. Except for the handful of times where I had to look away. That show doesn’t spare much in terms of gnarly incisions and open wounds.
Anyways, I made it through all fifteen episodes, each representing another hour on the job for its characters. And safe to say, by the end of it, I felt stuff.
Of course, it wasn’t that easy to put into words what I was thinking or feeling. Now that some time has passed, I suspect that’s because the sentiments were so paradoxical.
Like… the wide open showcase of blood and guts and all the calamities that can afflict the human body was quite the reminder that our bodies are squishy meat sacks. Maybe we shouldn’t act so invincible all the time.
That said, those squishy bodies can also be incredibly resilient. It’s miraculous what can be done via medicine and the intervention of professionals who know what they’re doing.
And yet, sometimes all that isn’t enough. Bodies are simultaneously vulnerable and resilient, and ultimately mortal.
That’s just one of the many contrasts The Pitt indulges.
It also successfully manages to get you to root for its characters while showing their prickly sides. And the characters who seem to have the most expertise and mastery in one area of life are often barely keeping it together in another.
Now that I think of it, so many of my favorite episodes, movies, books, and albums are favorites because they contain that sort of contrast.
I often point to the funeral episode of Ted Lasso as my favorite in the series, because of how quickly it can pivot from silly to sentimental. I mean, they even managed to make a tearjerker scene out of the friggen Rick-roll song.
As The Eleventh Doctor says in the Vincent Van Gogh episode of Doctor Who (wait, that’s another good example!), “Most lives are a pile of good and bad. The good doesn’t take away from the bad, but the opposite is true.”
These examples stand out to me because their silly scenes are hilarious, their tragic parts truly are devastating, and having them side-by-side works. That contrast doesn’t feel inappropriate. No. Instead it feels true to what the actual experience of life is like.
Sometimes on a totally dark day, a kid who’s too young to grasp its gravity will say something ridiculous you can’t help but honor with a laugh.
Sometimes on one of your happiest days, there’s a tinge of sadness because of someone who should’ve been there.
Human stories are full of contrast.
Actual life is full of contrasts.
And that grants them a level of emotional honesty that resonates.
Here’s a short and certainly incomplete list of adjectives that feel very human to me. Whenever a story reflects these attributes, it just feels deeply true:
Human Experiences
Embodied
Messy
Demanding
Self-Contradictory
Shared
Let me unpack that a bit.
Whenever I say that human experiences are embodied, I often think of good improv coaches who remind us to get back in our bodies. I think of running and those reminders that we get to experience all that we experience because of these skin-wrapped meat vehicles. I think of how bruises and scars tell stories.
Whenever I say that human experiences are messy, I think of how deep relationships aren’t possible without the understanding that you’ll inevitably step on each other’s toes at some point and it’ll hurt. I think of how the world won’t always fit into the neat frameworks you were handed as a kid, or even the ones you developed at 20.
When I say that human experiences are demanding, I think of how it’s inevitable that every person will at some point have to walk through a season of struggle. I think of how much more tender we’d probably be with each other if we actually knew the weights others had to carry. We’d probably have so much more admiration for each other.
When I say human experiences are self-contradictory, well… it’s pretty much what I just described. There are at least three hospitals I pass on my daily commute to my kids’ preschool. When I pass them, I often think about how inside, there are a bunch of people having a bad day. There are a handful of people having their worst day. And there are also a fair number of people having their best day. News about remission. Unexpected breakthroughs. The labor and delivery floor. Life be like that.
And when I say they’re shared… I mean that all this is a lot. Nobody should carry it on their own. It’s as if we weren’t meant to.
Yes, modern living has us quite isolated. But I think deep down we recognize that we’re wired to need each other.
It’s easy to fall for counterfeit versions of the human experience. Hedonistic delights can pass for embodiment. Life is messy but it doesn’t have to be crude. There’s a difference between a paradoxical life and an inconsistent one.
But in a world currently driven by algorithmic dopamine hits, I think it makes the real versions of these things that much more satisfying.
We’re ready for more human stories.
It goes by fast.
Everybody always says that and for good reason.
A thing you don’t hear quite as often is people expressing envy over people with kids at the stage where they need help with everything. But that’s pretty much what Bob Odenkirk said on Mike Birbiglia’s podcast and there’s a reason why I’ve seen that clip shared a gazillion times.
“I knew what I was doing when I had kids growing up. I was being a dad. I mean, that was my job, and I didn’t have to ask myself ‘What am I doing here? How can I be a part of this world? How can I be meaningful today?’ I didn’t have to ask that question because the f’ing answer is ‘Pick up everything between here and the door and make sure they get to school and have a laugh with them.’ Life was...I understood my purpose.”
Being at that exact stage… it’s nice to be reminded of that perspective, articulated in that particular way.
Whether it's through bringing up kids or some other form of caring for people, purpose flows from going beyond yourself. Things make so much more sense in the context of connection to other people.
"One day, Bruno, you're either going to be very famous or you're going to be in a lot of trouble"
Olde Hansa is a big tourist attraction in Tallinn, but it deserves the attention because it’s a lot of fun. I admire this place’s commitment to the bit.
I got a very short time in Singapore, so I decided to get to know the country via its street food.
Street food is an exciting part of pretty much any country with streets. But Singapore takes it to a whole different level. Singapore’s Hawker Culture even won UNESCO World Heritage Status on account of being a BFD.
This was a really tasty way to make the most of a short visit.
Street food is a noteworthy experience in just about every country. But Singapore takes it to another level.
Hawker culture upholds the role that its street food vendors have had in shaping the diverse, multicultural background of the country while creating well regulated spaces for its classic dishes to be enjoyed.
I had a short time in Singapore a little while ago, but to me it was the perfect opportunity to get to know it through street food.
9/1 – Got a little notification this morning… a thousand subscribers!
This took five years, so wherever this is going, it’s getting there slowly. Thankfully, I enjoy my day job.
But the fact that there are at least a thousand people out there, give or take the bots, who saw a video on happiness in Finland, mud-wrestling in Kolkata, running culture in Kenya, or mezcal in Oaxaca and thought… yeah, sign me up for more of that! That makes me smile.
I’m thankful I get to go on these adventures, and my hope is that by hitting record, I can play some part in helping people appreciate that our world runs deep with stories and to choose curiosity.
9/6 – Bananaball!
Never thought I’d be at a game with my kids watching Trevor Hoffman get a save, but here we are.
Fun outing to see the Savannah Bananas, mostly from the stadium play structures at Petco Park.
9/15 – Took my oldest on the Clue Walking Mystery that UCSD is hosting. Great idea!
Basically an escape room meets a murder mystery party, then spread across a whole college campus.
🕵️
Took a good amount of walking, and the commitment to the theme was strong. It was probably my ideal level of difficulty -a little bit tough- but it can be a bit easier if you remember how to play the board game or if you give yourself more time.
9/14 – Decorating for spooky season may seem a bit premature on September 14, but my kids and I raided a Spirit Halloween closing sale last November and they’ve been waiting to inflate the rat ever since.
LA-Philly’s gonna be a good matchup.
Phils have been pretty good at Shohei containment in previous encounters, but the LA lineup has few week points. If the lineup can run up pitch counts early then scrap together enough late inning rallies against the bullpen, the lock screen can survive into next week.
You know it was a good summer when it’s the year your kids discover The Sandlot and they ask you to play “The Throw Up Song” every time in the car. Shoutout to whoever decided to time actual fireworks for right when the movie in the park finished. Made for a nice touch.
Now that our kids are in school, Summer Break is an actual THING again, and while that means a lot scrambling to figure out what to do during working hours for ten weeks… it’s also nice. I wanted to lean into it this year, making a summer bucket list which was mostly checked off with these adventures.
Summer 2025… it’s been real!
Last month, I got to stay at this incredible eco-lodge in the Andean Forest.
It was connected to ancient hiking trails right alongside a river, in the prime location to find a spectacled bear. There were hot showers and cold waterfalls to splash in. Wildlife and wi-fi. The whole place pretty much felt like staying at one giant treehouse, and the food served on-site was all made from local ingredients with sustainability in mind.
It was a fantastic place to stay, and I was able to do so much without *technically* leaving the campus. After all, the campus did include several nature trails you could hike for hours, but still.
It felt like the exact opposite of decisions I was making in Luton twelve years ago.
At the time, I was in the middle of a European backpacking stint on an absolute shoestring budget, and I was taking any opportunity to cut the costs even further.
So, I flew into the Luton airport close to midnight. Rather than heading to a hotel for the night, I realized: I could save a whole 15 bucks by sleeping right there at the airport!
I just needed to find departure gates where I could blend in amongst the people who were actually waiting for something. I arranged my backpack to prop up my legs and enjoyed a wonderful four hours of sleep, made even sweeter by the prospect of saving… a very small bit of money.
But from my perspective, one uncomfortable night could buy me another night of traveling.
It helped that in my early 20s, my body was more forgiving of this decision.
I fell in love with travel pretty early, and during my study abroad stints, I discovered the magic of youth hostels. The ability to pay as little as $15 for a place to stay was a game-changer. The combination of these cheap hostels and budget airlines suddenly made my world open up wide.
Of course, hostels are always roulette wheels. You never knew when you would get the roommates who loudly stumbled in drunk at 4:00 in the morning.
But I had way more positive experiences. Like the time my whole hostel got up in unison to walk to a town square for the World Cup Final. Or the time I made friends from Cape Town I’d stay in touch with for years.
My logic was simple enough. My purpose in traveling was to see places. Not to stay holed up in a hotel room. If there was anything to skimp out on, it seemed like the obvious choice. If you’re making it all the way to iconic cities and epic locations, what’s the point if you’re going to spend it all in a generic hotel room?
And then… Airbnb!
Before it became the ire of housing justice everywhere, it was actually a pretty cool way to meet local families while traveling. In the early 2010s, I was an avid user. Most stays were about $20 a night, and I’d typically get to meet the person whose guest room I’d be staying in. Have a chat, get their recommendations.
And this is how I discovered my favorite pizzeria of all time, a proper Dutch breakfast, and a great hot springs hike.
I also had some Airbnb duds, like that Chicago apartment with no AC in the summer. Or the farmhouse in Memphis where perhaps not all the animals belonged. But at least there’s the story, right?
Things changed, however. As they do.
It’s safe to say that the Golden Era of Airbnb is done. And perhaps it’s debatable if it ever existed. But I really do miss that era.
These days, it’s unlikely I’ll meet the quirky local host, instead being let in by some key in a lockbox. And of course this is so that the faceless owner of the place can manage it easily among his portfolio of short term rentals, using contracted cleaning companies to quickly turn the place over. The furniture, even the names of the listings, all generic.
Another thing that’s different–I’m older. And between some genetic fortunes and a wee bit of a Peter Pan complex, sometimes it doesn’t always come across right away. But in a party hostel full of 20-somethings getting ready for a night out, I’d rather not explain that I got it all out of my system quite a while ago and I’m trying to call the kids before bedtime.
The era of cheap accommodations is done because not much seems to be cheap these days. And sometimes, if you have no choice but to pay more… you might as well get more for it.
I decided to fully commit to this mindset during my father-son trip to Finland last year with my oldest kid. I booked us one of those glass igloos in the Arctic Circle. It looked like ones I saw on Instagram feeds and figured that even if it was super cheesy, it wouldn’t be to a four year old.
Turns out, it was even better than I expected.
The glass igloo was one thing, but the campus of the hotel was even better. It had a couple restaurants and a bar on site. It had a sauna (because, Finland). And it had a massive snow play area. The place also had an ice hotel that you could rent. Maybe not ideal for a four year old, but they let us check it out anyways.
While we were dragging a sled around the site’s open fields, I realized that maybe it is worth it to actually go all out on accommodations sometimes.
Sometimes it can be much more than a place to sleep.
A few months later I was off on a work trip to Thailand. It was a fast-paced trip, as they tend to be. We visited a different village each day, so there was a lot of moving around. And with my family back home, I was trying to keep things efficient.
But I still found myself with a weekend in Laos. What to do?
Well, other than a quick visit to Kuang Si Falls and enjoying as much Lao food as possible, I focused on finding the most comfy place to stay that I could. I wound up at a place called MyDream, right on the NamKhan river.
And here, without work the next day or kids to wake me up, I got a rare full night’s sleep.
Here, I was able to spend half the day “staying in” without feeling guilty about it, or like I was missing out. It was actually pretty sweet.
Here, I also got an included breakfast that was so good it almost felt unethical to not have to pay extra for it.
Where does this story go next? Staying at those crazy five star penthouse suites? Living in a hotel full-time like Zack and Cody?
Probably not. Trendlines continue until they don’t, and if we’ve learned anything it’s simply that things change. I still have to sleep in airports every now and then… especially Doha’s for some reason. There are still times where I look for a cheap stay to save money, or because all I really do need is a basic place to sleep. Every location, and its costs, will be different.
But my flexibility on that is what’s changed. And my appreciation for mixing it up.
It’s hard to see change happening in real time.
One of the most discomforting truths about the world is also one of its most comforting: things won’t stay the same as they are right now. It’s a wild ride.
You might as well find a comfy place to sleep in whenever you get the chance.
Many of the people in this part of Thailand are ethnic minorities and refugees. Many of them lack Thai citizenship.
That makes land rights uncertain. Traditionally these communities survive off the forest. But many have the lingering fear that a regional agency might force them to leave.
The Plant With Purpose Thailand team has been helping these farmers develop kitchen gardens so they can still grow the food they need to feed their families.
Praiya: “In my backyard garden, I’ve planted beans, yard-long beans, and fruit trees like avocado, longan, and durian. Since it’s just my husband and me, and we’re both getting older, I think it is practical because I can pick them and cook them every day.”
It seems like a simple solution and in many ways, it is. But it solves very immediate needs, saves the families a ton of money, and lowers their risk of falling into exploitative work. Plus, demonstrating skill at caring for their land can help create a pathway to citizenship or expanded land rights.
Meals like this restore your belief in people.
Long tables.
All kinds of dishes.
Chats full of curiosity, even when you don’t have a language in common.
Full of gratitude and fish, thanks to my Lahu friends.
They don’t call it the Land of Smiles for nuthin’
Took my fifth journey to Thailand within a ten year span, each time to different parts and for mostly different purposes, from refugee camps to resorts. Pretty good place to have on repeat.
The Origins of Tasty Things: Pastel de Nata Edition
Whenever something’s yummy, there’s a story behind it. And sometimes monks.
I had the chance to go by Nelson Mandela’s old cell on Robben Island years ago. It’s a strong reminder that regardless of how down everything might look at a given moment, making an impact takes playing the long game.
Felt like I should’ve done a Mandela portrait ages ago, but only got around to it somewhat recently.
Human geography’s an interesting one!
If you look at most countries that are experiencing the most population growth, it typically isn’t happening across the whole country. It tends to be more concentrated in rural, agricultural areas.
India recently overtook China as the most populous country and it too follows this pattern.
This year, I completed a certificate in social impact storytelling… which is something I’ve been doing for well over a decade now.
It’s a lot of fun. Being a storyteller has allowed me to get up close interactions with so many different walks of life. Former street kids in Nairobi. Priests in Ethiopia. Mezcaleros in Oaxaca. Mud Wrestlers in Kolkata. But beyond all the fun is a deep belief that well told stories have the capacity to create real change.
It gets real buzz-wordy real fast, but in my newest video I try to break down how that actually looks in my experiences.
This was the house I lived in when I was Rhys’ age.
It’s usually what I think of as my childhood home, even though we only lived here for a couple of years and my family technically didn’t own it. My aunt did, and we stayed here while my dad was sick. I have some of my earliest memories here.
I hadn’t been back in nearly 30 years, but something about being in Philly with Rhys at this age made it feel like the right time. Kind of an emotional experience!
And then he had to go to the bathroom and since we were out in the suburbs, I quickly got reacquainted with the woods behind the old house.
I have a soft spot for classic Philly rowhouses.
They feel a little English with how space efficient they tend to be and each one has such a distinct layout it’s always a surprise inside.
If not for the scarcity of access to soil in these houses, I’d love living in one.
Philly’s Magic Garden – A large outdoor labyrinth featuring walkthrough mosaics aimed to change the area's rep. Now a thriving nonprofit.
Pretty pleased with this hat pickup from Gilda in Philly.
I’m too young to have seen Dick Allen play baseball, but I’m well aware of his importance to Black baseball, especially in Philly.
He took no crap, and made it clear that integrating the big leagues alone wasn’t enough. Respect was warranted. That paved the way for guys like Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard to later shine by being themselves.
Too bad Dick Allen passed just a couple years before being inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer. But I had to draw this as a tribute. Between the mutton chops and fro and old school Philly colors… really one of the more fun athletes to illustrate.
