People’s Opinions Are Not Their Own

Most people don’t even realize that when it coms to politics and world events, that is to say things to which they are not intimately involved with, that they don’t actually have an opinion. That the thing or idea they espouse to believe is just a regurgitation of what they have been told. 

How else do you explain people supporting foreign wars that kill millions of innocent people that they have never met and have never threatened them, fought in a place they have never been to?

How else do you explain why people would so easily agree to shut down their businesses, stay locked inside for months, and allow loved ones to die alone in hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics?

Would it really be the opinion of the average person that this was all ok had the ideas not been shoved down their throat?

The same goes for the love and hatred of certain political figures. How do you explain why so many people hold Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden, in such high regard, despite the fact that they have participated in genocide, overthrowing foreign governments, and the relentless bombing of foreign countries.

People hate Russia, China, and Iran, and yet most of these same people have never been to any of these countries (most of them probably don’t even hold a U.S. passport). Most of them have Russian friends, Chinese friends, Persian friends, or have met people from these countries and have never had more than a disagreement with them, and yet they believe, because they’ve been told, that these countries and the people that populate them are bad.

They view these countries as evil and cheer on any talk about destroying them. Whether it is by financial and economic ruin, or through physical aggression. They view it as just and reasonable. And they believe it is an opinion they have formed. It never occurs to them that these countries might just be filled with people similar to the ones they have known in their own lives.

It’s similar to a conversation Jen and I were having during our recent trip to Guatemala. When we told friends and family we were going to Guatemala, many of them said things like “Be careful.” “There’s a lot of crime there.” Which is the same reaction we got when we went to Mexico a year earlier.

We realized that only the people that have never visited these countries say things like “be careful,” “I wouldn’t go there,“ “couldn’t you go somewhere else.” While the people who have been to these places say things like “you’re going to love it.” “Have such a great time!” The former have formed their opinions based on what they see in the media and what they are told. The latter have formed their opinions based on real life experience. Going to a place. Seeing it with their own eyes. Meeting the people. 

I don’t really understand what it is about the human psyche that makes people want to stick their neck out for a belief with absolute certainty without actually having firsthand knowledge of it. I don’t understand how people don’t hesitate and question what they are being told, and look back to their real life experiences for the answers.

It feels like the whole world is suffering from amnesia, forgetting how many times in their lives they’ve been lied to, and how many times something they believed to be so absolutely true turned out to be so absolutely false.

It’s so frustrating to live in an age of information surrounded by people who are uninformed and unconscious, and yet hell bent on making “their” opinions heard. People who just accept what they are told, and then repeat it as if it’s facts they’ve uncovered. It’s an insane world to live in.

Guatemala: Acatenango and Antigua

Guatemala

We arrived late to La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City. So rather than making the 90 minute(ish) trip to Antigua, we opted to stay in Guatemala City for the night, and spend the next day exploring the capital.

We stayed at Courtyard Guatemala City because of its proximity to the airport. About a 10 minute Uber ride (as an aside, Uber is an affordable, accessible, and reliable form of transportation in Guatemala). For a night or two in Guatemala City this hotel does the trick.

We didn’t get to the hotel until 9 pm, so we decided to eat at the restaurant there. The food was perfectly fine for a late night, last minute, meal. If we had more time we would’ve walked to Pecorino Italian Restaurant. Although we didn’t get to eat here, the reviews on Google are mostly positive.

The next morning we explored Guatemala City. We took a short walk to Plaza Espana and then took an Uber to the Historic District and walked through the massive underground central market. You can find anything you could ever want or need here. Cooked food, raw meat, produce, textiles, souvenirs, and more. Had we not just eaten breakfast I would have loved to try some of the food here. It all looked and smelled fantastic.

We did some more walking and found Amor Cafe. My fiancé got a smoothie she loved and I had my first real Guatemalan coffee. A delicious americano. I definitely recommend checking them out if you’re looking for a spot for food or coffee.

After our coffee and smoothie we headed back to the hotel. We needed to start our drive to Antigua where we had our pre-hike meeting at Ox Expeditions headquarters that evening (our chosen guide company to take us up Acatenango).

Before leaving Guatemala City we grabbed tacos from this little spot, Café Portalito, which I randomly stumbled upon, right around the corner from our hotel. The couple running the café were extremely kind and accommodating. My fiancé wanted tacos vegetales and they happily made them for her even though they weren’t on the menu. Our tacos were great. Our first authentic meal.

We took an Uber from Guatemala City to Antigua. There was a bit of traffic and the drive took just over 90 minutes. Pretty typical. But not a bad trip at all. There are no restrictions on exhaust in Guatemala, like most South American cities, and this route seems to be the main thoroughfare, so try to keep the windows up and the AC on. Otherwise expect some fumes, and maybe wear a mask. The Uber cost around $40.

For our one night before the hike we stayed at Casa Santa Rosa Boutique Hotel. We had a beautiful, spacious, historic room, with a short balcony that opened up to the courtyard (room number 1). We moved hotels after our hike, but in hindsight we could have easily stayed here for the remainder of our trip. The hotel is beautiful and is in one of the quieter corners of the city. Our two friends we were traveling with stayed here for a few nights and enjoyed their stay.

That evening we went to our pre-hike meeting (more about the hike below). After the meeting we ate dinner at Laurel Bistro. It wasn’t my favorite meal. In fact it was tied for my least favorite of our trip. The food was just pretty bland and unimaginative. Especially when compared to the food options available in Antigua. I wouldn’t recommend going.

After dinner we went back to our hotel to pack our gear for our hike of Acatenango the next morning, and went to bed early.

Hiking Acatenango

All of the pictures make it look like the trail is overcrowded. It gave me hesitation when booking it. I couldn’t imagine how it could be enjoyable with so many people hiking at once. Turns out, it was better than expected, and well worth it. It’s like that Yogi Berra saying, “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”

But it’s not overcrowded. We started as a group of 30, and there were a lot of other groups going up. But it seemed like there were a number of different paths and stopping points on the way up, so it never felt too packed.

We chose Ox Expeditions because all the travel blogs we read listed them as being in the top 3 of guide groups. Also, they showed availability when we first looked online, while other companies looked to be fully booked (turns out that might not have been true). Regardless, we are so happy we went with them. We had an awesome trip. There’s nothing more I could have asked for from them.

How it Works

After going through all of the necessary online booking and signing of waivers, it is recommended that you show up to the pre-hike meeting the day before the hike begins. And I would agree. The meeting takes place at the Ox Expeditions headquarters which is within walking distance of any accommodation within Antigua. The meeting is at 4:45 pm, and runs about 1 hour.

During the meeting Ox will collect the remaining amount due for the tour in cash, as well as collect an ID from each person in the group to be held as collateral for returning any rental gear (rental gear is free, and even if you don’t think you’re going to rent anything they still require an ID, so bring one to the meeting). After that the lead guide, in our case Miguel, will go through a power point presentation that gives all the participants all the required information about the hike and what to expect.

Things like what size backpack to bring. They recommend a 50L backpack, which at first I thought was unnecessary, but quickly realized why it was needed (especially if you’re not using a porter and carrying all of your own stuff). You will need 4 - 5 L of water (there is no water sources on the mountain). You will want to bring some of your favorite snacks. Things like trail mix, protein/energy bars (I love RX Bars), maybe a piece of fruit or two. You will also need to pack warm weather clothes. We hiked in March and it was warm and sunny, but at night it gets cold, and you’re going to want layers.

Lastly, you’ll need to pack your lunch and dinner (provided by Ox Expeditions but you must carry it), as well as community food (something that I hadn’t realize beforehand). Lunch was a stromboli like sandwich. Dinner was a Tupperware of pasta that they mixed with what tasted like homemade sauce with vegetables. For the community food I had a bottle of wine in my bag. Some people had bagels or banana bread. Others had a jar of peanut butter, nutella, or jam for breakfast. 

Additionally, only about a mile into day one of the hike 7 people dropped out of the trip and turned back. But we still had to carry up their community food. I ended up adding cheese and coffee to my pack to help out. My bag at this point was by no means full, but I’m glad I had the extra space.

During the meeting they will also go over what clothes to pack (see below), conditions on the trail, how long you’ll be hiking for, what time to meet in the morning and where, details on hiking to Fuego, details on the sunrise summit, how often you’ll break, and a lot more information. Definitely attend this meeting if you’re able to. A few people in our group got in too late to attend and did just fine. So don’t fret if you can’t make it.

Clothes and layers

I hiked up in Danner trail boots. Knee high, thin smart wool socks. Prana hiking pants. A dri-fit t-shirt. A long sleeve base layer. Hat, light buff (for nose and mouth coverage from the dust) and sunglasses. Some people were in shorts and t-shirts which was perfectly doable given our weather conditions, but I always prefer long sleeves and pants on sunny days to protect against the sun.

In my pack I had base layer pants, fleece, puffy jacket, rain jacket, warm hat, warm gloves, and an extra pair of socks that I changed into for the night and to sleep. And I’m happy I had all of it. Once the sun went down it got quite chilly. Even with the fire we had going I still had on all of my layers minus the rain jacket and gloves. Luckily we didn’t end up needing our rain jacket. I did wear my gloves for some of the early morning summit to Acatenango. But once the sun came up it was plenty warm and I didn’t need them.

Here’s a good site for very accurate weather information: https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Acatenango/forecasts/3976

Food and Water

I mentioned some of the food I brought above. But I ended up bringing too much. The sandwich they gave us was dense and filling, and there was a lot of pasta for dinner. They also put out banana bread and hot chocolate before dinner. I brought 2 apples, 2 bananas, ~6 protein/energy bars, trail mix, and 2 bags of plantain chips. I could have done with half of it and been fine.

Breakfast was a beautiful assortment of bagels, English muffins, avocado, peanut butter, Nutella, jams, coffee. I was happy I had the banana for my breakfast.

I brought up 5 L of water and I drank all of it. One piece of advice: make sure you hydrate the morning of your hike before you begin. My water bottle was in my bag which went on top of the bus that takes you to the trailhead. So from about 7 am, when we left Ox Expeditions offices, to around 9:30 am, when we got to the trailhead, I barely drank anything other than coffee at Rainbow Cafe (where Ox Expeditions had arranged for free breakfast for everyone before the restaurant opened). Eggs, beans, tortillas, and plantains. It was quite good, but I didn’t have any water.

So I killed 1 liter of water immediately at the beginning of the hike. Electrolyte packets are also a nice thing to have.

The Hike

Day 1 was challenging. I didn’t use a porter, but a lot of people did (it cost Q200 for one way). But if you’re not using one, expect to carry 30 - 40 lbs. Day 1 took around 5 hours to go just under 5 miles, gaining close to 4,000 ft. Not an easy feet. But it is totally DOABLE. Our guides gave us breaks for water, a snack, and to re-group every 30 minutes or so. Don’t give up. Keep going.

And if you want to use a porter, do it. Not only will it help you get to the top, but it also helps the local economy by giving someone a job for the day. You pay the porters directly, and if no one uses them, they don’t have work. Don’t be ashamed to use one.

The trail is dusty, loose, and tricky at parts, but nothing too technical. While we did have some people in our group turn back early on, we also had a couple of people who were older, ~60s, and without hiking experience, who made it up. 

Sunset Hike to Fuego

A little less than half of our group did the additional sunset hike to Fuego. At the time it was not erupting and so I think many people decided it wasn’t worth it. But the people who went anyway were happy they did. The people who decided to stay back, myself included, and hang out at camp and shoot the shit around the fire, were equally as happy with their decision. The campsite overlooking Fuego is a beautiful place to spend the evening after a long day of hiking. I don’t think you can go wrong either way.

Having said that, if you think hiking to Fuego is going to impact your ability to summit the next morning, then I would say skip Fuego and do the sunrise summit of Acatenango.

Where We Slept

Ox Expeditions has 5 person cabins for anyone who books ahead of time. For people who show up the day before or day of to book sleep in tents. We got lucky and only had 4 people in our cabin. There’s sleeping bags and really cushiony sleeping pads with a small built on pillow. One thing we forgot was a sleeping bag liner. It is mandatory to sleep in one presumably to help keep the sleeping bags clean. If you have your own you can bring it, and if not they can let you borrow one.

Acatenango Sunrise Summit

We woke up at 4 am, and we were hiking by 4:30 am. There is no time for breakfast, coffee, or really a proper bathroom break. So plan accordingly. It’s just about getting up and going. But it is totally worth it, and not nearly as difficult as I had anticipated. I went up with 1 L of water and barely drank any of it. I also didn’t eat anything until I got back down. But some people did. Maybe bring a light snack.

Most of the trail on the way up is very loose sediment. I’m talking sinking a few inches in with each step (a little like snow shoeing). Especially on the way down. Expect to be “skiing” through the dirt. 

The summit is about 1 mile each way (depending where you camp is on the mountain). In total the summit was about a 3 hour event. 90 minutes up, hanging out for 30 minutes or so, and around 60 minutes or less on the way down. Once you get back to camp it’s time to back up your cabin (or tent) and eat some breakfast before heading back down.

The Way Down

Getting down Acatenango was challenging at times. There are some very steep and slippery spots. But if you have hiking poles, which I definitely recommend having (you can rent them from Ox), you will be ok. The way down took under 3 hours. We ran the last mile or so because it was easier than sliding through the dirt.

Once you’re back down you’ll wait for the bus to take you back to Antigua.

Overall Thoughts on Acatenango

It was an amazing experience that far surpassed my expectations. I’ve been to different places around the world to hike and summit mountains, and this experience was up there with the best of them. It is challenging, but I think if you have some experience, and a real desire to get to the top, you can make it. And I can say that Ox was very accommodating and supportive in trying to get everyone to the top. 

Antigua

Our two friends we were traveling with stayed in Antigua for a couple of nights after the hike before going to Lake Atitlan. If you’ve been researching things to do in Guatemala, surely Lake Atitlan has shown up. It is the one place that every local we met said we should visit. Still, my fiancé and I chose not to.

Depending on where you’re staying around the lake (there are a number of different small towns to choose from), it’s a 2.5 - 3 hour trip there from Antigua (drive + boat ride). My fiancé and I just didn’t feel like making that journey. We wanted to relax and explore every corner, café, restaurant, and ruin we possibly could in Antigua. Our friend’s pictures from Lake Atitlan looked amazing. But still, we’re happy we spent 5 nights after the hike in Antigua. We got to really know the city and try a lot of local places. We’ll visit Lake Atitlan on our next trip.

El Convento Boutique Hotel

For our time after the hike we stayed at El Convento. A small boutique hotel in the northeast corner of the city. As the name suggests it’s an old convent, like a lot of hotels in Antigua are, that was converted into a hotel. Our room, room 13, was a beautiful king suite. We booked this room for the outdoor soaking tub, but never actually got to use it. For one, we were out too much (we walked ~10 miles per day). Two, we couldn’t figure out how to fill it. Three, the one time we did ask the hotel to come and prepare it, as a sign posted above the tub suggests you do, they never showed up. Luckily the bathroom has a beautiful bath tub and so we just used that. It worked out just fine. Point is: maybe you don’t need the room with the soaking tub. All the rooms were beautiful.

We loved this hotel. My fiancé didn’t want to leave. We’re planning on getting married in Antigua next year and she wants to stay there again. It’s just a beautiful, comfortable, well decorated, and historic place to spend your nights. The breakfast wasn’t great, but with so many places to eat breakfast in Antigua I didn’t quite care. Even if it was good, I would’ve still wanted to go out and explore. And explore the food and coffee scene we did!

Restaurants/Cafés 

It seems like there is a cool or historic restaurant or café around every corner of Antigua. We spent 5 nights in Antigua and every day we found a new place we wanted to go to. We left Antigua with over 40 places saved on our maps. We did our best to get to as many of them as possible, but we still missed some. But we’re planning on getting to them when we get married there next year.

Thursday - Day 1

• Breakfast - Courtyard Guatemala City - Buffet style. Typical hotel breakfast.

• Coffee Break - Amor Cafe: We loved it here. Located near the historic district we enjoyed talking to the owner, as well as an Americano and a delicious green smoothie.

• Lunch - Café Portalito: A great little spot around the corner from the Courtyard Guatemala City. The food was great, the owners were friendly and accommodating.

• Dinner - Laurel Bistro: Not my favorite meal. It was just very basic in a city filled with flavors. Skip it.

Friday - Day 2

Pre-hike breakfast at Rainbow Café

• Breakfast - Rainbow Cafe (with Ox Expeditions): Solid spot. Good coffee, and desayunos tipicos.

• Lunch - Hiking

• Dinner - Hiking

Jalapeño and Banana Chicken at Sobremesa

Saturday - Day 3

• Breakfast - Hiking

• Lunch - Café Boheme: We can hear straight from Ox Expeditions offices after returning from the hike. We all go something different, and everyone enjoys their meals. We would have come back if there weren’t so many good options in this city.

• Coffee Break - Bru’d: Ok coffee. I got a cortado and was pretty underwhelmed by it. I never came back despite passing it multiple times during my stay. Skip it.

• Dinner - Sobremesa: Good food. Kind of an Italian and Guatemalan fusion. I had an interesting dish called Jalapeño Chicken. If you want something that’s not exactly Guatemalan, give this place a try.

Sunday - Day 4

Empanadas at Chermol

• Breakfast - El Covento Hotel Breakfast: Breakfast at our hotel was completely mediocre. We ate here twice (first morning, last morning) because it was convenient and included, but it was pretty disappointing. They do give you a choice of oatmeal or yogurt, a choice of an egg dish, and a choice of a juice, plus coffee. A good amount of food/drink for breakfast, it just wasn’t very good.

• Lunch - Chermol Empanadas: One of the best Jason y queso empanadas I’ve ever had. Our friends ended up eating 6 empanadas here. I would have had more if we weren’t planning on going to get street food after.

• Lunch - Parque La Merced Street Food: In Parque La Merced is a food and shopping market. During the week there are not many vendors, but on the weekend it is filled. I highly recommend getting some food here. We go tacos and tostadas, and came back here a few times to eat.

• Dinner - 27 Adentro: This restaurant is rated 4.9 out of 5 on Google. A friend we were with was skeptical about the rating until we actually ate there. We shared an avocado salad, shrimp ceviche, and their shredded beef tostadas. I had the Chicken Pepian. The best chicken dish I’ve ever had in my life.

Monday - Day 5

Tacos from a vendor at Parque La Merced

• Breakfast - Café Sol: The service here was rather slow, but the food was extremely delicious. I wanted to come back here but we just ran out of time. My fiance and I split oat pancakes which were insane. And we each got a smoothie. Our friends had egg dishes that they really enjoyed. Just be patient with the service.

• Lunch - Y Tu Piña Tambien: This was one of our favorite meals. The food was awesome, I got the typical egg, plantain, beans, and tortilla dish. But the restaurant itself is worth going into because everything from the seats, tables, doors, and door frames, are all antiques and just gorgeous. We also experienced great service.

• Coffee break - Del Otro Lado: This was a random stop for a coffee and I really enjoyed my Americano (cafe negro) from here. They also sell packaged foods, chocolates, and other things of that nature. They try to promote local. Definitely stop in here.

• Dinner - Ta’Cool Taco Shop: We ended up at Tacool after not being able to get into Por Que No (see below). We were really hungry and just settled on this restaurant that we had seen busy ever since arriving in Antigua. We split 8 tacos (you have to order 4 of the same type) and nachos. The food really wasn’t bad, neither was the price. It just didn’t feel like the authentic taco experience we were looking for. Good spot if you’re in a pinch.

Tuesday - Day 6

Cocoa Bowl at Amanecer Juice Bar

• Breakfast - Amanecer Juice Bar: Unbelievably delicious smoothies and smoothie bowls. The presentation of the smoothie bowls is also remarkable. We ended up coming back here the next day for lunch, and I got the same thing. It was that good. A small little spot. Totally worth the bit of wait for them to freshly prepare your food.

• Lunch - Parque La Merced Street Food

• Coffee Break - A Ver Quien Soy Cafe: A nice cafe negro doble. Cool little spot a little bit off the beaten path. I really enjoyed my coffee here.

• Dinner - ¿Por Que No?:  One of our favorite meals. Not just because of the food but also because of the decoration and ambience of the restaurant itself. It’s a very small place (probably less than 10 tables) and fills up quickly. The dishes are unique, the kitchen is small, and everything feels like it’s cooked with love. Definitely go here. The suggest making a reservation which you can do from their social media page.

Wednesday - Day 7

The Duck Muffin from Caoba Farms

• Breakfast - Caoba Farms: A small organic farm just outside of the city. From El Convento Hotel where we stayed it was an easy 20 minute walk. They have a farm, a full restaurant, and a great little store with a lot of unique and local products. I bought coffee and freshly made chocolate they were making in the back room. At the restaurant I had duck muffin. A duck sausage patty with an over easy egg, cheese, pickles, on a homemade brioche bun. My fiance had eggs Benedict and said it was the best hollandaise sauce she’s ever tasted. It comes with a bright side salad fresh from their garden.

• Lunch - Amanecer Juice Bar

• Lunch - Cactus Antigua: After the juice bar we were still a little peckish so we split 4 tacos here. I don’t recommend. They were fine, but they were just very cheesy and very saucy, and therefore very heavy.

• Coffee Break - Café Condensa: Decent cafe negro double in the main square.

• Dinner - 27 Adentro: The food here was so good that we had to come back for our last dinner. I got the beef stew the second time, but I wish I got the chicken pepian again, because as good as the beef stew was, the chicken was just next level.

Other places of note:

• Fat Cat Coffee: Really good coffee. A very familiar cafe experience.

• Fernando’s Kaffee: A great little spot off the beaten path. 

• Café La Parada: Cheaper coffee right near the food market. I really liked my cafe negro here and brought my fiance and friends later in the day. They didn’t like it as much as me. 🤷‍♀️ 

Overall Opinion of Guatemala

We loved our time in Guatemala, and specifically in Antigua. We found the food and coffee to be delicious, the people to be insanely friendly and helpful, the prices perfectly reasonable, and the whole city to just be magical. So much so that we will be back next year to get married. Don’t miss the chance to experience this historic and majestic city surrounded by volcanos, and filled with culture.

Unraveling Universal Healthcare II

When I was working one of the main reasons people said insurance companies didn’t focus on preventative care was because they were unlikely to benefit from it. That by the time a person was at the age when they would develop a preventable disease, they would be covered by a different insurance carrier, and that carrier would be the one benefitting. Because most people get their health insurance through their job, whenever they switch employers, they also switch insurance. It turns out this happens on average every 6 or so years.

I understood the logic then as I do now, but I have never agreed with it. My view was always if all the insurance carriers provided preventative care, then it wouldn’t matter which patients they were covering. Everyone in the pool, in theory, would be equal. But obviously getting every insurer to agree and comply with this idea would be a gargantuan task, and one that no one wants to take on. It is though one of the reasons that Accountable Care Organizations were born, as well as incentives for achieving certain quality metrics. Unfortunately it hasn’t been enough to change the trajectory of health in America.

But I never thought of it as a reason for universal healthcare. Not until I read TR Reid’s The Healing of America. Because under universal healthcare, and more specifically a single payer system, the government has all of the incentive in the world to keep people from getting sick. The more disease they prevent, the less money they have to spend on treating those preventable diseases, the more money that’s in the system to treat other people with acute and non-preventable illnesses.

TR Reid makes this argument in chapter 11, An Apple a Day, and it was the first time I ever realized that it could help solve this problem.

“In a nation with a unified health system that covers everybody - which is to say, all the industrialized democracies of the world except the USA - it clearly benefits both the population and the system to invest in public health. But in a fragmented, multifaceted-system nation like the United States, the economic incentive for preventative care are dissipated.”

In this excerpt from the book he calls U.S. healthcare a “system.” But in a previous chapter he more accurately defines it.

“American healthcare is not really a system at all. It’s a market. In a market, people with money can buy what they want, and many people are left out. So we thought, no, we don’t want market-driven healthcare. We want a real system, something that covers everybody and doesn’t depend on how much money you have.”

He’s quoting a Taiwanese businessman who helped set up the universal healthcare system in Taiwan in the 90s. When thinking about what they wanted their system to look like, they first turned to the US, but then realized it wasn’t a model to copy.

Healthcare as a market, as a commodity, is also not something that I ever put together even though it should have been obvious to me. The rich get good healthcare, the poor don’t. It’s not something I was ever ok with, but it’s something that I dismissed as just the way it was. The same way I thought the ability for insurers to decide which claims to deny was normal. That is until I read this book and my eyes were opened. That is until he framed healthcare as a commodity in the U.S. and it clicked for me.

Our country is so focused on making money. Everything we do as a nation is based on this. And that’s ok. That’s a good thing in most cases. Economic incentives, the ability to create a better life for yourself and your family is one of the reasons that Americas is viewed so favorably around the word. I meet people all the time in my travels who dream of coming to America, working hard, and having a better life. I meet people who have immigrated here and are so happy they have the opportunity to improve their situation. And I don’t think we should ever change that.

But I think it’s time that we grow up as a nation. That we realize as a nation that we have more than enough resources to give everyone that lives here a comfortable and secure basic level of living. That certain things like healthcare, food, shelter, and clean water, are not commodities that should be distributed based on income.

And I think providing a real healthcare system for everyone, and turning our public health efforts towards helping prevent disease, is a great place to start. And I think that while healthcare could be step number one, revamping the market around food and turning it too into a system that benefits everyone, is a very close number two. 

Easy Peasy Eggy Breakfast

For awhile I had been off the egg game. Years ago I did a food intolerance test and they told me I was allergic to eggs. Specifically the egg white! So, I got it in my head that I shouldn’t eat them. Since that time I’ve heard of how inaccurate those tests can be and since I loveeee eggs, I’ve been incorporating them back into my diet. Everything in moderation right?

My favorite way to eat an egg is pan fried over easy so the yolk runs out all over the dish.

I’ve also recently been indulging in my cheese cravings.

• Easy Peasy Eggsy Breakfast

  • Two eggs fried over easy in butter

  • Melted sharp cheddar cheese

  • Slice avocado

  • Sriracha sauce

Unraveling Universal Healthcare, and a Good Place to Start

I started reading TR Reid’s The Healing of America in which he analyzes the main components of universal healthcare systems in developed countries around the world, and then compares them to each other, and to the U.S.’s system.

I’ve gotten as far as France, Germany, Japan, and the UK. Each one is slightly different in whether insurance is private or government funded. How much citizens have to pay (if anything at all). How much providers, physicians and hospitals make. How they maintain patient records (France maintains all patient records on a card similar to a credit card. When you visit the doctor or a hospital they simply swipe your card and all of your information pops up, and the provider can update your chart. Imagine never having to complete a new patient intake form again!).

There are a lot of small differences.

But the one thing thus far that is universal to them all is that no insurance, whether it’s private or government run, can deny a claim. If a physician, hospital, or provider, submits a claim for a procedure, test, or medication, insurance must approve it, pay it, and the patient must get the service.

The one slight caveat to this is in the UK, where a government run organization called the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, NICE for short, conducts research and studies to decide what gets approved. The difference though between NICE and insurers in America is that NICE publicizes its decisions. While private insurers in the U.S. make their decisions in private.

Another difference is that NICE only has a set amount of money to fund healthcare for the whole country, so they need to be strategic. But denying a service doesn’t result in extra profits in the UK like it does in the U.S. Rather, rationing some services, like experimental treatments, means that someone else can receive the care they need.

It’s been shocking to learn because it is so contrary to the way we provide healthcare in America.

In America the insurance carrier decides what procedures, tests, and medications are approved. Not the doctor. In America, the clinic’s office staff frequently has to fight with the insurer to get approval and payment. They have to go through a lengthy appeals process, and very often the doctors themselves have to take time out of their day to get on the phone with the insurer!

It’s so engrained in us that I had a hard time accepting it. My American brain, programmed from spending 10 years working in the American healthcare system, kept saying “That doesn’t make sense. Of course they should be able to deny claims.”

I told my brother, who’s an operating room nurse manager in the largest hospital network in the northeast, about it, and he too was confused. His response was, “wow, really?”

Corollary to that thought, my next one was, “Their claims, testing, and procedures, must be through the roof. And costs as a result.”

But that’s not really the case. It is true that in most of those countries utilization rates are higher when compared to the U.S., but still the overall cost of healthcare is cheaper. One of the main ways they manage that is by having a drastically lower fee schedule when compared to the U.S.

A $200+ office consult in America might cost $20-$30, while a $1,500 MRI might be $105.

And the evidence actually says the inability to deny claims makes it cheaper by putting less strain on the system. Providers in those countries aren’t required to employ additional administrative staff to bill claims, file appeals, and fight denied claims. A huge expense, and huge time suck. I know because it’s one of the main responsibilities I had at my company.

Which made me think, “Why do we allow insurers to deny claims here?”

The answer. It’s just what we do.

I was talking to a gentleman at the airport who works for Firestone Agriculture as a farm consultant. He was a big heavy set Texas man with a handle bar mustache.

I asked him what he does in his role. He said he tries to save farmers money by implementing more efficient practices. He said the main thing he does was advise them on what tire pressure to maintain on their tractors. The correct pressure can save 1 percent on annual fuel bill of $250,000. That’s $2,500. A lot of money for farmers who typically run at a loss.

But he said despite telling them that, he often meets resistance. They don’t want to check their tire pressure and most farmers keep their tires at around 24 psi. The correct pressure is 12 psi.

When he asks farmers why they chose 24 psi, they respond by saying, “Because that’s why I’ve always done.”

It seems to me that we have a long road ahead if we’re ever going to get to a real universal healthcare system in this country. But maybe a smart approach is to start tackling it piece by piece.

It seems like, especially given recent events around healthcare and its executives, that a good place to start might be outlawing the practice of denying claims. If we can’t yet wrap our heads around universal coverage, maybe we can accept that anyone with coverage needs to be covered.

Why CVS and Senators Lie

I saw a CVS Health commercial today. It was a promotion patting themselves on the back for eliminating tobacco products from their stores 10 years ago. Bravo.

The problem though, is that’s not the only addictive carcinogen they sell. Alcohol and ultra processed foods that are laced with chemicals and added sugar, line their shelves and are just as deadly and addictive as cigarettes. This self-congratulating as a show of their “commitment to health” is so nefarious.

It reminds me of this clip where Senator Chris Murphy is standing in front of the closed USAID building with a group of people in protest. He says:

“The people get to decide how we defend the United States of America. The people get to decide how their tax payer money gets spent. Elon Musk does not get to decide”

Do we though? I don’t recall deciding, or agreeing for that matter, to send my tax dollars to fund a war and a genocide. There are many other places I and my fellow Americans would rather spend their money.

But that’s what these companies and politicians do. They tell you what you want to hear while omitting the truth. They play to our emotions. CVS is making us feel like, “Wow, the was a bold move. They must be really committed to health.” While ignoring all of the other harmful products they sell in their stores.

Murray is getting us angry at “Elon Musk who isn’t elected and doesn’t get to decide where our tax dollars go!” Leaving out the part that he and his colleagues decide, not us or Elon Musk, and their decisions are increasingly less aligned with the will of the people.

I just finished reading The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell. Here’s an excerpt that stuck out on the topic.

“Teenage smoking is one of the great, baffling phenomena of modern life… To address that problem, then, we’ve restricted and policed cigarette advertising, so its a lot harder for tobacco companies to lie. We’ve raised the price of cigarettes and enforced the law against selling tobacco to minors, to try to make it much harder for teens to buy cigarettes. And we’ve run extensive public health campaigns on television and radio and in magazines to try and educate teens about the dangers of smoking.”

If we can do it for cigarettes. If we could demonize them, restrict them, and tax them, then why can’t we do it for alcohol and ultra processed poisonous foods that we know are killing us? Why can’t we make it just as difficult to drink or eat your way into an early death as we did for smoking?

If Chris Murphy and his colleagues can stand outside of the USAID building in protest, surely they can stand outside of Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Wendy’s, Starbucks, Kelloggs, Kraft, Pepsi, and voice their concern over the increasing amounts of processed foods in American’s diets, the deleterious impact they hav on our health, and demand change!

He might say something like, “Big Food, Big Ag, and Big Beverage don’t get to decide what food we grow, how we grow it, and what ends up on our shelves, the people get to decide!”

But of course he would never do that.

Murray is no more interested in doing something so “controversial” as restricting alcohol or processed foods as he is telling us the truth about where our taxes go and who decides. It could mean career suicide. It would mean having integrity, doing what’s right, telling the truth, and helping the people you were elected to serve, even when it might cost you.

CVS doesn’t want you to know that there are other things in their stores that are just as dangerous as cigarettes. They just want you to think they care, and to think about them when you think about your health. They’re just looking for another way to convince you to walk through their doors, instead of Walgreens. Even though they all sell the same poison.

The only thing they are really interested in is filling your prescription(s) and having you buy something addictive to keep you coming back for more. Nobody is looking out for your health. It’s on you to do it for yourself.

Electrolytes are trending, but they are just sugar delivery systems

I think it’s criminal the way companies load a product with sugar and then promote it as a health supplement. That’s been the new trend with electrolyte powders. The claim is that they’ll balance your nutrient level. The truth is that they are just another way to deliver sugar and get people addicted to their product.

One of the leading electrolyte brands is Liquid IV. My friends in Los Angeles all used them. I’ve heard Joe Rogan promote them. But for whatever reason I was never inclined to try them. I was in REI a few weeks ago and thought about buying a packet. Luckily I checked the ingredients list and nutrition facts first.

Liquid IV contains 11 grams of added sugar.

In my hotel room this past week was free samples of Mortal Hydration. Their tagline is “Formulated to Fight Death.” Sounds critical. In one packet is 8 grams of added sugar. The first ingredient is organic cane sugar, the last ingredient is Stevia (just in case the sugar didn’t hook you). They recommend mixing this packet with 22 oz of water.

The other night my fiancé and I went to the Backcountry Film festival. I took a free sample of DripDrop Electrolytes. Their label states it was formulated using Oral Rehydration Solutions Science (ORS Science), and developed by a doctor. Science, doctor, it must be good for you. One packet contains 7 grams of added sugar. They recommend mixing it in 8 oz of water.

DripDrop goes on to say that the doctor made it for people in developing countries to fight dehydration. They claims that there’s a special formula that helps accelerate hydration. But here’s the thing. If you live in a developing country where dehydration and lack of calories are real threats to life, then Liquid IV, DripDrop, and Mortal Hydration could all make a difference. That is a good use case for them.

However, if you live in the developed world, or a country like the U.S.A., where it’s very likely that you’re already consuming too many calories and sugar, then the last thing you need is an extra shot of sugar and calories in liquid form. There are very few people suffering from dehydration in America. Especially anyone who can afford packets of electrolyte powder. 

Don’t get me wrong, sodium, magnesium, and potassium are critical to optimizing performance and health. But you don’t need them delivered on a sugar train. And the people who need the sugar are people who are exercising enough to burn that sugar. Endurance athletes, CrossFitters. If you’re training for an hour a day or less, then a packet of sugar and calories is the last thing you want.

Buy an electrolyte mix without sugar, without artificial sweeteners and flavor. That’s what will turn a good thing into a bad habit.

DripDrop contains 35 calories, Mortal Hydration 40 calories, and Liquid IV has 50 calories per serving.

I did an intense one hour workout the other day. I burned 220 calories. That means 10 minutes of work burned 40 calories. That might not seem like a terrible tradeoff, but the only way to lose weight is to be in a calorie deficit. And most of us are already in caloric surpluses. Why make the work harder?

But the problem isn’t just the unnecessary calories and sugar. Chances are if you drink sugar water you’re going to crave sweets and sugars throughout other times in your day. It’s an addictive substance. That’s why it’s in so many ultra-processed foods and drinks.

If you think you need electrolytes, choose the versions with no sugar and no artificial sweeteners. That means it will have to be unflavored. Or do what I do and buy the main ingredients in bulk from BulkNutrition.com and mix your own. I used 1/8 of a tsp of the magnesium malate, 1/8 tsp of potassium chloride, and 1/4 tsp of table salt per 32 oz of water. I might mix a couple of those a days depending on how active I am. LMNT also makes a good unflavored version.

But don’t fall for the hype and just ASSUME that it’s good for you because everyone is talking about electrolyte or because a doctor is promoting it. Always check the nutrition facts and ingredient list. If it has added sugar, put it back. You don’t need it. 

Which Egg Do You Want To Eat?

Left: Store brand “free range” and Right: Vital Farms organic pasture raised

The eggs I typically buy are Vital Farms brand, organic and pasture raised. If the store has regeneratively raised then I’ll go for those, but right now most stores don’t carry them. My sense is that for that extra $1 - $2 per carton, people aren’t buying them. There is more education to do on the benefits of regenerative farming.

But with the egg shortage recently due to the bird flu, Vital Farms eggs have not been on the shelves. In some grocery stores, they haven’t had eggs at all. So when I saw eggs on a recent food shopping trip, I decided to grab a dozen.

The best and most expensive eggs available were store brand “free range” eggs for $4.99 per dozen. Vital Farms organic pasture raised by comparison can be $10, regenerative eggs are even more.

So I didn’t have any grand expectations for the eggs I bought. I know how most chickens are raised in this country. I know that cage free, free range, non-GMO, no antibiotics, is really all horse shit when compared to a chicken that is actually raised on pasture. But I was shocked when I cracked these two eggs next to each other.

I was preparing to make chicken cutlets and I had one Vital Farm egg left, so I used it along with the new dozen I bought. The difference in color almost made me throw the egg away. I couldn’t believe how dead the egg on the left looked in comparison to the egg on the right.

The egg on the right looks like it’s full of life and nutrients. Thick and creamy. While the egg on the left looks like it came from a chicken who struggled to survive.

Most food we eat doesn’t have such a contrast when put side by side. Meats, vegetables, and fruits, have a better appearance when raised regeneratively or organically, when compared to conventionally raised. They have a better taste too. But out of the box (out of the shell), I don’t think the juxtaposition is nearly as drastic this.

When I see the difference in these yolks it is no wonder to me that bird flu spreads so quickly and easily through the factory chicken farms that house hundreds of thousands of birds all crammed on top of each other, living in their own filth and excrements. These birds are clearly very unhealthy and their immune systems are therefore incapable of fighting off a virus. The same way that many people with co-morbidities were unable to fight off COVID in this country.

And it’s not wonder. If most people are eating eggs that look like the one on the left, or worse, then how could we expect to be healthy. If what were putting into our bodies is dead, then how could we expect to live.

The first key to turning around our health is putting healthy food in front of us. And that happens when we force the food system to change, and start growing food that serves us and not the corporations that own the system.

To achieve success, visualize success

Chase Hughes spoke about rehearsing before a big fight, or a big event in your life, whatever it might be. He spoke about the importance of visualizing everything. Of seeing it through to the end, visualizing success, and then doing it over. Repeating it again, and again, and again, in your mind. Visualizing and anticipating, so that when you do step into the ring, the office, onto the stage to give a presentation, you are prepared for whatever comes your way. And the more you rehearse, the higher your chances are of succeeding.

It’s something that Charles Duhigg also spoke about in The Power of Habit. He used Michael Phelps as the example. 

Michael Phelps had a very specific routine that he followed every day during training. This was intentional. So that when we woke up on race day, he was able to get right to action without having to think. There was not hesitation. Part of his routine during training was visualizing his race. His launch off the board. His stroke. His breathing. His turn. Visualizing each piece of the race.

He become such a master of visualizing his races, that during one race when his goggles started filling with water, preventing him from being able to see, he didn’t panic. He knew exactly what to do. He had visualized this race so many times beforehand, that he didn’t need his sight. It was already programmed in him, and he won, despite not being able to see.

That’s the power of rehearsing.

But I think perhaps the more important thing that Chase Hughes said was that every time you envision your event, race, fight, or presentation, and that vision is filed with fear, anxiety, things going wrong, and insecurities, that also counts as a rehearsal. A bad rehearsal, but a rehearsal nonetheless. And each time you rehearse in this way, you engrain the opposite outcome in your brain. You begin to engrain failure, because that’s what you see.

It was a very interesting perspective because it is true, and I had never thought about it that way before. It would be the equivalent of repeating the wrong lines or the wrong scene while rehearsing for a movie, or play. If that were to happen, chances are the performance would be shitty.

It’s also interesting to me, because that is what I did in preparing for my trip to the cabin a couple of weeks ago. I thought about all the things that could go wrong. I thought about all the things that were making me nervous. I had planned on going out a week earlier to run reconnaissance  and see what the trail was like. Get an idea of how difficult it might be. Even knowing about the parking situation, and permitting. But I never did it. 

I went in blind, suppressing my fear and anxieties, instead of acknowledging them. So, it should be no surprise that when disaster struck, when I feel in a snow well and was stuck chest deep (aka, my goggles filled with water), I immediately decided to turn back. I had never visualized successfully getting to the cabin. I didn’t know what to expect. I hadn’t planned. So it didn’t take much to throw me off.

Don’t that negative rehearsal a place in your mind. Shut it down. It doesn’t serve you. Worrying and giving yourself anxiety over something you have to do or want to do, is not going to help you be prepared. It’s just going to hamper performance.

Instead take the time to visualize success, from beginning to the end. Anticipate where things might go wrong, what questions might be asked, and then figure out the answers. Step out into the field before your trip, or onto the stage before your presentation. See what it feels like. Get comfortable in the uncomfortable environment.

Take the time to go through the motions. Stay positive and smile. Give yourself the best chance to succeed by visualizing yourself on the other side of success. 

The path to health is littered with temptation

In this world, if you want to be healthy, then you need to follow a game plan. You need to have some rules. You need to have parameters set up that you’re going to stay within.

You need to have some tricks to help you stay on the path. You need all of those things to help you build healthy habits. And once you’ve developed healthy habits, it will make sticking to your plan, maintaining your goal, easier.

But it will still require work. Because we live in an unhealthy environment. We do not live in an environment that promotes health. We live in one that advances the opposite.

So it’s on you to be proactive and vigilant. The temptations are all around us. The temptations are intentionally the most affordable, and the most accessible. So, if you’re not being vigilant, it’s very easy to get sucked into the system and slip up.

The food system is set up in such a way to keep us just alive enough to keep us coming back for more. But the food system in no way supports making us thrive.

The food is grown in a toxic and lifeless environment. It’s then mixed with toxic chemicals. Addictive substances are added. And sold everywhere.

Achieving health in today’s society requires hyper vigilance and hyper focus. It’s the only way.

Tuna Salad and Brussels

My fiancé left some tuna in the fridge. Not enough to make a meal, to I opened a new can and mixed them together. I figured it was a good way to make the most of leftovers and add some extra protein to my meal.

I’ve also been back into eating nice salads for lunch. We’ve been getting these great greens from our local supermarket. Gotham Greens, a Brooklyn based company, grows all of their greens in greenhouses. The specific variety we’ve been buying, Rocky Mountain Crunch, is grown in Colorado. And since we like to support anything local, we’ve been buying this.

A nice little lunch filled with protein, fiber, clean carbs, and healthy fat.

• Tuna Salad

  • Canned albacore tuna

  • Organic mayo

  • Dijon mustard

  • Soy sauce

  • Salt

  • Tomatoes

• Green Salad

  • Rocky Mountain Crunch

  • Cherry tomatoes

  • Opal apple

  • Organic red kidney beans

  • Raw chipped yellow onion

  • Avocado

  • Ground flax

  • Olive oil, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar

  • Salt and pepper

• Sauteed crispy brussels

  • Brussels, stemmed and halved

  • Cooked on medium-high heat with olive oil and salt

  • Uncovered for 5 minutes, covered for 5 minutes (or until tender enough to pierce with a fork)

Disconnect and Make Better Decisions

I recently realized how easy it is to be manipulated. What all of the advertising, marketing, and celebrity sponsorships is all about. Because for the first time in my life, I was the unknowing victim.

I love the UFC. I think it’s the greatest American sport. I also love Dana White. He is a sports marketing genius. There is no one, in my opinion, better than him at promotion. He’s no bullshit, and I enjoy the brand of entertainment he’s created.

I don’t love Donald Trump. I don’t hate him like most people, half the country, do. But then again, it takes a lot to make me hate you. It takes an equal amount to make me like you. But I’d say I’m at best neutral on him, in that I don’t think he’s any better or any worse than any of the other options. I didn’t want him to be president the first time he won, or the second time. But I also didn’t want Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden to be president. Maybe I’m just tough to please.

But the first time I saw Donald Trump sitting ringside at the UFC chatting it up with Dana White I immediately thought, “Maybe he’s not so bad. Maybe I got it all wrong.” I quickly became aware of what was happening and snapped myself out of it. But, it happened. For a moment, I was convinced he was an ok guy, and not a word had been spoken.

But that hasn’t happened with Mark Zuckerberg, who has become as frequent a sight at UFC events. The more I see him sitting ringside, the less and less I like him. But I digress.

But it’s an amazing thing really, to be influenced just by association with something or someone you like. And it’s scary because that’s happening to us all day.

It’s part of what Chase Hughes spoke about on the Joe Rogan Experience. The openness and suggestibility of certain people, and how easy it is to manipulate them as a result. It’s what he’s built his whole career on. It’s part of what I’m reading about in The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell.

In The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell points to a study that showed how Peter Jennings’ facial expressions alone when discussing Ronald Reagan were enough to sway his viewers to vote for Reagan in far greater numbers than viewers of CBS or NBC. Despite all three stations producing programming that was unfavorable to Reagan. According to the study, Peter Jennings’ face lit up when talking about Ronald Regan versus Walter Mondale.

When participants were asked to score his facial expressions on a scale of 0 - 21, with the lowest being “extremely negative” and the highest being “extremely positive,”  he scored 13.38 for Mondale, and 17.44 for Reagan. The other anchors, Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather, scored fairly evenly for both candidates (~11.00).

The result? On average viewers of Peter Jennings voted for Ronald Reagan 70 - 75 percent of the time, compared to 50 - 60 percent of the time for viewers of CBS or NBC. We are way more susceptible to manipulation than we think. 

If facial expressions are enough to unknowingly tilt someone’s decision, then what would we estimate the impact of social media, the 24 hour news cycle, and reporting that focuses on biases and curated narratives instead of facts? How much could that be influencing our choices and opinions? All day screens are hurling suggestions at us, trying to convince us to take a certain side, and meanwhile we think that we’re voting for Reagan because he’s the better candidate.

I see it as an advantage that I don’t have social media and I don’t watch the news. Everything that’s important in the world still makes it in front of me anyway, but only 1 percent of what isn’t important does. I see the elimination of social media and news as being as advantageous as eliminating processed foods, drugs, alcohol, toxic relationships, or an unfulfilling job. As advantageous as sleeping 8 hours per night.

If you’re looking for a path out of the rabbit hole, disconnect from the noise, and pay attention to see if you start making different, better, decisions. Decisions that benefit you, not someone else.

I can guarantee you will. 

Look to Food

Think about the current state of eating in America. It used to be that most meals were made at home, or made down the street by someone you knew. Then came the invention of the microwave dinner, the first major processed food. Suddenly, you didn’t have to cook. You could go out and buy pre-made meals and store them in the freezer.

Then fast food and drive-thrus entered the scene. Now you could sit in your car to order food, and sit in your car to eat. Alone. Around the same time came the explosion of ultra-processed foods (“manufactured calories”). “Food,”manufactured calories, became cheap and abundant everywhere. You could eat anywhere, anytime.

And now present day someone delivers your food straight to your door. Without having to talk to anyone or see anyone. 

We keep looking for complex answers to the complex questions: Why are we so divided and why are we so unhealthy? But the answer is simple, and it’s the same for both questions.

Food.

When we broke bread as a family, we were killing two birds with one stone. We were coming together, and we were nourishing our bodies. Now, most of us accomplish neither each day. Most of us are happy to tap a few buttons and have food magically appear before our eyes, and think nothing of it. We’ve made eating into a habit instead of the spiritual practice it used to be.

But food is so much more than a habit or just a means to get calories. It’s so much more important. Food is nature, and when grow our own food, when we cook our own meals, it’s an opportunity to connect with nature and the bounty it provides. Our body gets more than calories and nutrients. It’s nourished by the earth, grounded by the process.

When we gather around the kitchen to cook we connect with our family and our community. When we cook for someone else, when we feed someone else, we’re connecting on the human need to be nourished. To take care of someone else. Whatever our differences might be, they melt in the presence of a meal together. They melt in the offering of a home cooked meal.

When I see food delivery drivers drop a bag of food off and run back to their car before anyone comes to the door, I cringe. It gives me anxiety. Because there is no better evidence of just how disconnected we are.

We don’t see where the ingredients for our food comes from. We don’t see how it’s being prepared. We don’t smell the amazing aromas that fill a kitchen. We don’t know who’s cooking for us. We don’t hear the sizzling or clanging of pans. We don’t know who’s preparing the dish. And we don’t even see who’s serving us anymore. We are 100% removed from the process, and just left with one job.

To eat.

But that’s not the purpose of food, and it never was.

How snow shoeing kicked my ass.

Every sport has its own cadence, technique, strength, and endurance requirements. And while cross over between sports exists, the only way to really excel at a sport is to train for the specifications demanded of that sport. Despite knowing that, I am amazed time and time again at how my fitness in one area, could be exposed as inconsequential in another.

Over the last few months I’ve been exercising 5 - 6 days per week. A combination of running, skiing, hiking, strength training, and kettlebell work. And I’ve been feeling strong and fit. However last week I attempted to snow shoe through deep powder with an overnight pack on my back and got my ass kicked.

My intended destination was a remote and primitive cabin ~5 miles and 2,000 ft from the trailhead. But I never made it. Which is perhaps not all that surprising considering the serious doubts I was having leading up to the trip.

I turned around at 3.5 miles, to total 7 miles on the day. By this point in my trip I had been breaking trail for 1.5 miles, and I was way more fatigued than I had expected to be. I also was starting to feel nervous about being deep in the woods alone. So, at around 1 pm I told myself I’d keep going until 2 pm, and then reevaluate the situation. At 1:30 pm I thought about taking a break for a drink and a bite to eat when I suddenly sank into a snow well that nearly buried me chest deep.

I was able to get out after a few minutes of struggle (if you’ve never been caught in a snow well, getting out is like fighting quick sand, you just make the situation worse), but it was enough of a sign to convince me to head back. The combination of the exhaustion I was feeling and the very real danger I had just experienced, decided my fate.

But I couldn’t believe how fatigued 3.5 miles of snow shoeing got me. I felt drained in a way that I haven’t felt in a very long time. To be sure, there were other factors at play other than just my fitness. Elevation had to have played a role. The trailhead starts at 9,000 feet and ascends to over 11,000. Hydration played a role. I planned on stopping every 1 mile for a proper break to drink and eat, but I kept blowing it off. With deep snow covering everything around me, I didn’t feel like I could rest anywhere, so I pushed on with dreams of relaxing once I hit the cabin. Lastly, breaking trail in knee deep snow with a 30 - 40 pound back on is not easy. It’s something I’ve never done before. And it’s definitely not something I was training for in the gym.

In the end it took me 5+ hours to travel 7 miles. A snails pace I’d never experienced before.

But that’s all kind of the point. Snow shoeing to a cabin at the top of an 11,000 foot mountain requires specific training, specific planning, and a specific mindset. It requires a comfortability with being out in the woods with no visible trail. None of which I had been preparing for this winter. And so, I got chewed up and spit out.

For sure my training in other disciplines helped me get as far as I did, and back to my car safely. As did the mindset I developed training for long distance endurance races. That’s the cross over. But the only way I was going to make it to that cabin was if I had someone with me to ease the uncertainty of being alone, and if I had been training for snow shoeing.

I like when I get humbled. With so much fitness experience under my belt I like to think I can jump in and do anything on the fly. Sometimes it works, other times it does not. And the older I get the more it seems to fall into the latter. Regardless, I’ve committed to myself that I will get back on this trail in the near future and conquer my fear and my fatigue.

What does an expiration date on food actually mean?

I got these yogurts, with a “Jan 29 2025” expiration date, from a food drive I participated in on February 7th.

“Expired” Yogurt

They were left over at the end of the drive, and given their “Jan 29th Expiration Date,” I took a case of 18 home with me for fear that at some point, some misguided government rule or regulation would force these perfectly good yogurts to be thrown away. As I write this on February 21st, I’m still eating them. In fact, I had one not long ago for breakfast.

This was the second food drive I had been a part of in as many weeks, and at each one there was a full palate of yogurts being given away. Everything we give out at our markets is food that was recovered through partnerships with grocery stores, retail stores, restaurants, and bakeries. All of the food we recover and distribute would have otherwise been thrown away. For reasons like “past due.”

A palate of recovered yogurt being distributed at our market

The customers who attend our markets are a mix of locals and migrants, young and old, families and singles, who all share a common struggle: food insecurity.

Luckily for our community, and our planet, organizations now exist who intercept “food waste” and divert it from the landfill and into peoples homes. Over 50 million people in the U.S. experience food insecurity every day (many of them are children), and many millions more struggle with nutrition insecurity (not getting the nutrition they need). And decomposing food in landfills is one of the leading causes of climate change. It emits a gas called methane, which is arguably more deleterious to our environment than carbon dioxide.

Recovering food and distributing it for free at our markets kills two birds with one stone.

But so when we think about expired food, or food past its “Best Buy” date, what does that actually mean? Does it mean we should avoid it at the grocery store, or throw it out if it’s in our refrigerator or pantry? Usually the answer is no. Expiration dates typically indicate food quality, not safety.

Here are a few definitions that I learned from the non-profit I volunteer with, that can help guide your decision making. 

• Sell by date: How long the store can display the product.

• Use by date: The last date that the product is at peak quality.

• Best before date: The best date for flavor and quality
  

I still have a few Jan 29th yogurts, and a few Feb 3rd yogurts from a different batch, in my refrigerator, and I fully intend on eating all of them. Each morning when I pop one open I give it the sensory test, which is the best way to determine if food is safe to eat.

Does it look ok? ✅ 

Does it smell ok? ✅ 

Does it taste ok? ✅ 

If everything checks out, then I’m good to enjoy my food, that was previously destined for the dumpster.

Some learn from history, others want to repeat it.

So often I worry if what I’m about to say is going to offend people. Then I read an article like this, “If Indians and Pakistanis Can Relocate, Why Can’t Gazans?” and I think, “I’m way too kind.”

But I think that’s the problem. The worry I feel, and other good people feel, about hurting others. Because when you’re an innately good person, hurting people is the opposite of what you do. Rather, you consistently try to shield others from harm. And you don’t discriminate. It doesn’t matter who they are. What they believe. If they are good or bad. Or whether they agree with you or not. But that’s not how the other side plays it.

The side of evil doesn’t hesitate. They don’t worry. They go straight for what they want, and they take it by any means necessary.

I do wonder how all the people who write and talk about oppressing and displacing whole populations of people would feel if the script was flipped. If they were the ones on the losing end. If their possessions, their houses, their cars, were confiscated or destroyed and they were told to never return. Go start over somewhere else. I wonder if they would say “well it happened to the Indians, the Pakistanis, the Germans, guess it’s my turn.” Or if they’d fight back. History says, they’d fight back.

But the thing that’s so curious to me about invoking such events as the Partition of India, the swap of Greek Orthodox Christians and Muslims, or the expulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union, to justify the displacing of people from Gaza, is that these aren’t examples to follow. These aren’t examples of a time when things turned out okay.

Rather, these are examples of what not to do. They are, or should be, reminders of atrocities invoked on innocent people that should never be repeated.

By the author’s own words he says that the Partition of India “led to some two million deaths and uprooted 18 million people.” Not ok. He goes on to say that “both India and Pakistan worked hard to integrate the new arrivals.” Insinuating that everything was peaceful from that moment forward.

He leaves out the genocide, supported by Nixon and Kissinger, that took place against the people of East Pakistan (modern day Bangladesh) just a couple of decades later, in part due to left over hostilities from the Partition. And he omits the India - Pakistan war that occurred soon after in response to the genocide, in which an estimated 2 million East Pakistanis were killed and 10 million refugees that fled to India to save their lives.

Netflix has a show out called Black Warrant (I highly recommend it). The show is based on the real life experiences of Sunil Gupta, who was a jailer in India’s Tihar prison in the 1980s. In one of the scenes a fellow jailer describes Partition and how it impacted his family.

“My dad used to say, before the Partition, we had huge, huge farms. We had to leave everything behind overnight and come to this side. So, one thing is clear to me since I was a child. The common man, Hindu, Muslim, they’re not our enemies. They suffered the same as us. You know who the real enemy is? The assholes who play these political games.” [emphasis mine]

I wonder what could drive someone to advocate for forcing people to leave everything behind, suffer, and start over. I wonder how someone could be so brazen to suggest that this as a good option, when it’s not something they would ever voluntary for themselves or their family. I can only assume that unless you’ve ever been displaced before, you have no idea what it must be like. But then again, I’ve never been displaced, and yet I know it’s not something I want to push on anyone else.

I think it requires a weak, fragile, scared, and insecure type of person to be able to overlook the devastation, loss of life, injury, and trauma being displaced causes. A desire to sacrifice others because it makes them feel safe. I think that’s the only way you could sit in a comfortable desk chair, in a temperature controlled room, typing away, and think, “Yes, this makes sense.”

Try It and Then Decide

Try it is something that I’ve been telling myself a lot lately. When I’m being resistant to doing something, especially when it’s something I should be doing that I’m not, or something I’m doing that I shouldn’t, I’ve been able to get over the hump by saying, “just try it.” If it doesn’t work, go back to what you were doing.

A few months ago I started a writing routine called morning pages, which was developed by Julia Cameron and shared in the book The Artists Way. I was inspired by Brian Koppelman in Tools of Titans to begin. He said “Of the 100 people I’ve given it [The Artists Way] to, maybe ten of them have actually opened the book and done the exercises [specifically morning pages]. Of those ten, seven have had books, movies, TV shows, and made out succesful.” 

Morning pages is a tactic for wannabe (like me) or struggling (also like me) creatives to help them get their juices flowing. The premise is simple. Wake up and write three pages of longhand before doing anything else (I typically walk my dog and make coffee first). It should all be stream of conscious. Spelling doesn’t matter. Logic doesn’t matter. Grammar doesn’t matter. Just explode onto the page with whatever comes to mind.

Since starting this routine my writing has drastically improved as has my mood and the overall joy I get from each day.

But in the last week my morning pages routine has extended past three pages and turned into 1 - 2 additional hours each morning in front of the computer. Doing things like typing notes, thoughts, and ideas from the day before. Checking my finances. Responding to email. Sitting down to write has morphed into working first thing in the morning and it’s been dragging on the rest of my day, and affecting my mood, my creativity, and my productivity.

I knew I needed to stop after three pages and go do something different, like exercise, instead of sitting at my computer. But I was reluctant to change. Even though it was negatively impacting the rest of the day, I enjoyed that time revising my essays, tweaking my website, and checking in on the markets. It felt productive and I didn’t want to give that up. But I needed to break the routine.

So, I convinced myself by saying try it. “Tomorrow, after you’re done with your morning pages, get up and workout. And if you don’t feel better, then tomorrow you can go back to your routine.”

I tried it, and I felt better. Today I got up, wrote my morning pages, ate, worked out, and then around mid-day jumped on the computer.

Part of why we’re all so reluctant to change is because we see it as permanent. And we don’t know how we’re going to feel if this new diet is the way we eat for the rest of our lives. Or this high intensity exercise class is how we’re going to stay active long term. When we project out this way, the change becomes intimidating and takes on a life of it’s own. 

In recent years I learned about a common saying in Alcoholics Anonymous. “I didn’t drink today.”

Don’t worry about tomorrow or the next day. Just think about today and what you know you need to do. Try it. And if it doesn’t work out, you can always go back or try something new.

Mediterranean Lentil Soup

It’s colddddd in Colorado, so I decided to make some soup. Last year it felt like I was making a batch of soup a week, but so far this year that hasn’t been the case. Mostly because we’ve been moving around so much, had family visiting. Just a lot going on. But the other day I remembered I had some dry lentils sitting in my pantry and thought they would be a nice change.

The original plan was to just cook them and add them to different dishes. Or just eat them on their own with a little olive oil and salt (my favorite way to have them). But then I thought, how about soup? A couple of days before I had made a nice vegetable/bone broth and I figured I could use that for my soup.

My fiancé found this awesome recipe, Mediterranean Lentil Soup, and voila, away we went.

This recipe is a nice alternative to the normal run of the mill soup I had been making. It’s nice because it has all the ingredients you would expect, like carrots, onion, and celery, but also spices like cumin, oregano, basil, and thyme, that I had never put in my soup before. And I’m not sure what exactly it does, but the lemon juice finishing touch adds a nice punch to the mix.

If you are looking for something a little more flavorful, than give this one a try.

Something I like to do is turn my vegetable soup into chicken soup by simply shredding some already cooked chicken and layering it over the top. My favorite way to cook chicken these days is in the slow cooker. With a pot full of soup and a container of chicken, chicken soup is as easy as one, two, three.

Permission and Knowing What’s Possible Can Change Lives

Permission and possibilities are two things that everyone needs to have if they want to be succesful. Permission to try something new, do it in a different way, or do something out of the ordinary. They also need to know that it’s possible, regardless of their situation or their beliefs. 

I’m re-reading The Power of Habit for the first time in 7 years, and the chapter Starbucks and the Habit of Success reignited this idea for me.

I found this quote from Howard Schulz to be particularly powerful.

“And I really, genuinely believe that if you tell people that they have what it takes to succeed, they’ll prove you right.”

Starbucks’ success has hinged on this belief, and has been a huge influence on the way they train their employees. They grant their employees permission to succeed, and they give them the knowledge to make it possible.

They don’t just tell their employees what to do, how to make a cup of coffee, or how to treat customers. They give them the tools to do so. They’ve developed a full curriculum around it. The LATTEE method is one example. It’s used to address angry customers.

Listen

Acknowledge

Take action

Thank them

Explain why the problem occurred

They also teach their employees how to properly give colleagues criticism, and a system for handling orders when the store gets very busy. One of their mottos is: They don’t serve coffee, they serve people.

They set their employees up for success by giving them permission to be great, and showing them how it’s possible.

The book outlines the example of one employee. A young man born to drug addicted parents. Before going to Starbucks he was unable to hold down a job. Because he grew up in a chaotic home where stolen cars would often be parked in the driveway, and he and his siblings didn’t know if today was the day they’d have to save their parents from another overdose, he struggled to control his emotions, and would frequently lash out at customers and colleagues.

No one ever gave him permission to be anything other than the son of drug addicts. And no one ever showed him it was possible to get out. Until he starting working at Starbucks and started to acquire tools necessary to be succesful in the world, and how to interact with other people.

People need to know that it’s possible to change, and they need to be shown how. I think that’s a key component for anyone growing up. Without permission, and without knowing what’s possible, people are left stuck with no hope of improving, and nothing to aspire to.

Kids need this knowledge to reach their full potential.

Great, Good, and Bad Employees

Every time I lay down for a massage, like I did today, I immediately ask myself “why don’t I do this more often?” As my body melts into the heated table, and my face settles into the support of the headrest, I begin to regret all those days that I convinced myself not to book one (usually because of the cost). And as the masseuse commences her work with gentle rubs, softening me up for an hour of much needed therapy, I tell myself “from now on I’m going to make this a regular thing.”

But almost as soon as I make that promise, it’s contradicted by the erratic and thoughtless work of the masseuse, who has ignored everything I told her, and reminds me why I always hesitate to commit to such a high ticket service. My expectations are almost never met. Nine out of ten times my experience doesn’t match the price I pay. And it’s for that reason that I put off such extravagance. 

In every profession there are three types of workers. Great ones, good ones, and bad ones. The great ones empathize with their clients. They know what they need without being told. The good ones listen to what their clients tell them they need, and get to work on addressing it. The bad ones have no ability to feel their clients, they’re not interested in hearing their clients, and they are only there to get a job done.

A great masseuse can sense what you need by touch. A good ones works on the problem areas you discussed beforehand. A bad masseuse is just there to follow their routine.

It’s not lost on me that complaining about a massage is a privilege. But I just think there is a lesson to be learned here. Not everyone can be great, but anyone can be good by just listening and being attentive. If you’re starting out in a career and you’re looking to move up the chain, stay focused on the needs of your clients. Hear what they are telling you, and check in regularly to make sure that you are addressing their concerns. Most times clients aren’t going to stop and tell you what you’re doing wrong.

Especially if they are anything like me. At the end of my massage I said thank you, and left a nice tip representative of her time and effort. But I will never book another service with them. It’s on you to make sure you’re doing a good job.