Time for a Philly Spring Break!
Already looking forward to the next time I get to make it out to CBP for a Phillies game. I don’t know when that’ll be, but I’ve got two other kids to introduce to the Phils in their natural habitat.
I wouldn’t have noticed the ballpark tulip garden if Rhys didn’t wander over there, but good work to whoever’s caring for them!
Also, I love how after the Phillies won, he instinctively took to pole climbing. Not prompted or taught or anything.
Man, I feel like people are being tough on that White Lotus finale.
There were some moments of dialogue that landed weird and some odd character decisions, but the show’s appeal to me is its portrait of humans as really fricken complex. It does that real well.
Still can’t believe this is all from the creative mind of Ned Schneebly.
“We are faced not with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental.”
–Pope Francis
Olde Hansa
One of Estonia’s quirkiest restaurants.
Olde Hansa is a bit of a tourist draw but it’s absolutely fun. The staff and the whole restaurant is totally committed to the bit. And the food is legitimately good.
Try the honey ale!
At Maria’s cringe show
Mission Trails and Papaya Milk… a successful hike outing with Kai.
Fishtown, for my favorite breakfast in Philly.
Join Or Die- the documentary that most makes you want to join a club.It’s based on Robert Putnam’s famous bowling league study.Putnam conducted several studies, including overlaying the spirit of cooperation and citizenship against the trend of more people bowling alone rather than joining leagues… and the clear conclusion was that the decline in memberships to religious groups and social clubs is completely in sync with the decline in civic behavior.
It matches what I’ve strongly felt the past few years. You hear all the reports. Men have no friends! Kids don’t socialize like they used to.It maybe feels a bit naive to think our big social problems can be solved by joining a book club and having drinking buddies, but it also makes sense to treat an inhumane era with more human interaction.A sense of belonging is so transformative. I know my biggest and most important shifts in belief happened in the context of community.
“What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.”
–Kurt Vonnegut
Two fascinating stories I’ve come across recently:
Only one state has seen 4th grade math scores improve since pre-pandemic measures, and probably not the one most people would expect: Alabama. (npr.org/2025/03/17/nx-s…)
and…
The obvious benefit of solar panels is the creation of power from sunlight, but a neat secondary benefit? Creating large areas of shade in places that are typically sunscorched has allowed life in the soil below to thrive. (glassalmanac.com/china-…)
One of my must-try items in Valencia was horchata. While Mexico took the drink and ran with it, its origins are most likely from Valencia, where it was originally made with a nut milk rather than rice. Orxata Daniel in the Mercat Colon was said to be one of the better spots to try. Their horchata had a somewhat sour, yogurty flavor to it, which was actually pretty good.
Our layover in Dallas was hit with one delay after the next. We spent about 9 hours there, and the announcements kept coming in 2 hour increments so we couldn’t even leave. My 4yo was mostly happy with checking out the terminal 4 aquarium and some bonus Pokémon episodes. Pretty thankful I got such a solid traveler. Some of our really early trip have paid off in the form of flexibility around surprised.
Why did we name him Rhys? Obviously because of what R.H.Y.S. stands for!
Actually, these were his own word choices for his adjectives assignment, minus the S word he wanted to describe himself with: screaming.
It’s often helpful to have goals, but I think attention matters more.
Just like how you want to carefully choose what you aim for, be mindful of what gets your attention. It’s perhaps your most underrated resource.
Been feeling ready for a second tat. Thinking up something kinda inspired by Northern Lights for several reasons but still want it to play well with this one.
The joys of making poser paella.
Church Trivia Hosting
Bravo, Tina!
Every time I go on a run these days, it makes me amazed at how I managed to run as much as I did last year. Where’d I find all that time?