For thousands of years our ancestors gathered around the fire. They shared stories and a deep connection to one another. Together we can wake up beneath the stars.
BRAINSWARM
A blog for the mindful
January 11, 2025
Hello, welcome back to Campfire Wisdom.
I want to acknowledge all the hard work that the firefighters are doing to stop the wildfires raging to the west of me and my family. It’s a brutal job and the winds have not been kind to you. Thanks for all that you do.
ROOTS
As you all know, I love camping. I love road trips, I love being outdoors, I love getting off the grid and I love waking up beneath the stars. When I first started this podcast, my goal was to share my passion for all of these things. I would grab a campsite, set up shop, invite my friends and we would share stories around the campfire. As the years went by, the show has evolved into a conversation about community and connection, pondering the ways that we all choose to live our lives.
Seven years later, I still love camping but things have changed.
I had the privilege of turning 50 years old this year and sometimes these milestones cause one to reflect… introspect and dissect every fucking decision you’ve ever made. The good news is that I’m exactly where I need to be. I got my health, married with two awesome kids and I’m about to start my second career as an educator.
I spend a lot of time teaching kids about the world around them, and I realize more than ever that I need to teach my own kids. I don’t have a curriculum of any kind, I simply want to share my passions with them so they know who I am outside the title of ‘dad. My kids are ready, they’re sponges, they’re the absolute best students… and the most memorable years will soon be here. I need to be ready.
FIND THE WHY
I need to be an example for my kids, show them my creative passions, step back into editing and directing content. Let them know what drives me in a way that they have not seen before.
My ultimate goal here is to start adventuring as a family, documenting those adventures and capturing those memories for all time. To do so, we need to examine our setup, make some plans and set some goals. It’s time for a new direction.
THE EV ADVENTURE
First, we need an adventure vehicle. I was always a fan of Rivian, until I first set my eyes on the CyberTruck. I put down a deposit and pined away until they announced the price at $100K. Lame. The Silverado EV looks like a modern Avalanche. No thank you. The Ford Lightning… can’t do. My dad sold Buicks for years… I got loyalty to GM. I decided to take a second look at Rivian and that was around the time they announced the R2, R3 and R3X. Impressive. Since then, I’ve been doing a deep dive into their company following their progress to profitability. I wasn’t always sure they’d make it, but now it seems inevitable.
Right now, I believe the R1T is the perfect vehicle to teach my kids about adventuring in the great outdoors. It will be big enough for our family with tons of storage space. We can go anywhere and do anything while pioneering the EV movement. The company itself is an American start-up. They have a tremendous commitment to the environment, and their leadership is truly committed to their customers. Plus, I can already tell that the Rivian community is strong. As a World of Warcraft player, community is everything.
We are on the verge of the EV revolutions despite some setbacks and I thinks it’s important that we push this technology forward. We got to vote with out wallets and being on the cusp of this technology will create a great learning opportunity for my kids. I can think of nothing more exciting than planning a trip with my kids around the various camping grounds and charging sites and really exploring the world as EV pioneers. We’ll be doing some deep dives on these vehicles down the line.
ICE OPTIONS?
Being responsible, I looked at some of the truck and SUV options in the traditional realm of internal combustion engines. Toyota Tacoma-too small. Toyota 4Runner-too small. Toyota Tundra-$65K when outfitted for my family. Chevy Silverado Trail Boss-$65K. Like I said earlier, I’m not a fan of Ford… or Ram, for that matter. I do have to say that a good friend of mine gifted me a 2000 Ford Contour when I had not a pot to piss in. That car was an angel and I won’t forget Cersei. Yeah, I named my car after Cersei from GOT. Actually, I’m not sure who named her. Anyways, I also explored the new Land Cruisers but the reviews were brutal. They all say it’s under-powered. I can’t do that. I drive a Prius C. That’s not even the full-size Prius. I need something with some balls… some power. Here’s the other thing about these beasts… coming from a Prius, gas mileage on an ICE truck sucks ass. At best, 25 miles per gallon on the highway. I’m getting over 45 miles per gallon now on my Prius. I can’t go backwards. It’s irresponsible. I truly believe that. It’s time to get an EV.
PLANNING AHEAD
One good thing about starting this process now is that I can talk about our preparations as a family, some of the decisions that we will make about our setup and financial goals around those decisions. Maybe this conversation will spark others to do the same. Who knows? For example, are we looking to invest in a trailer or continue to tent camp? Do we want our tent on the truck or on the ground? Are we open to the EV trailers that are soon to hit the market? There’s so much happening in the EV space right now and it’s really exciting… especially for those looking to get outdoors with their family.
FITNESS
Part of getting all of these plans together is to stay committed to my return to fitness. As I’ve gotten more into parenting and spending time with my kids, I have often sacrificed my gym time to hang with my kids. It used to be so easy when it was only me and my wife. It was our escape, our release. I’m now aiming at one hour of exercise every day… weights, yoga, hiking… and I’ll settle for five. I have been involved in fitness for many years and now as an older dad, I need to stay fit for myself and my family.
MY WIFE
We wouldn’t be a family, if not for my wife. You know, I was never a big fan of the idea of marriage. I looked at life as stages, with people coming and going. I also thought about the bickering that I witnessed between my parents. I didn’t want to sign up for that. Well, I guess I signed up for that. Haha. I’m kidding. My wife is amazing. She’s strong, opinionated and could swing my sword if need be. That’s the reason I wanted her to be my bride. We aren’t perfect, but I think we are growing together more each day. I love her more every day because I think I get a little bit better each day. Like I said, far from perfect… but I am committed to the idea of marriage. Partners in raising a generation of amazing humans.
We started a thing where we share funny stories from the kids. We collaborate on a shared note and then share those experiences so we know what funny things are happening when we are not around. So far, we have recorded a few times and I’d love to share some of those highlights. I hope to eventually get my wife involved periodically in the show, maybe get her input on anything she wants to offer. I think she’ll warm up to the idea.
GEAR AND GADGETS
This would not be an adventure channel if we didn’t have cool gear. I always have a new gadget and I usually have some practical insight on why I had to add it to my toolbox. This go around. I got a new Maglite. This is my old Maglite, notice it’s engraved with my name. My dad did this over 20 years ago and my trusty torch is no longer with us. Sadly, it was a simple thing that ruined her. One of the batteries inside the handle here leaked and corroded the entire inner housing. I tried to fix it to no avail. So, I bought a new Maglite and I decided to go for the LED. 332 lumens to light your way in the darkness. Sold. The old one was only 127, so this new baby is amazing. I still have the old one here because my wife swears that she can fix it. Hopefully she can, and I can pass this beauty to one of my kids. It’s not pink, so it will have to go to my son. That sounds terribly sexist, but it is true. My daughter is obsessed with pink… and it is my son’s favorite color. There, that sounds better.
GAMING
I have always been a fan of MMOs. These worlds fed my passion for adventure and offered me a way to distinguish myself in a community that shared the same values. A while back, my buddy and I created a film about the World of Warcraft. I’ll link it below. Since its launch, I have examined the ways in which I interact with the game and its community. I have learned so much about myself and others while adventuring in Azeroth and I see that its value as a way of connecting people is more important than ever. I can’t play as much as I would like to, but the balance that has been struck serves me well. I can maintain the fun and the friendships while tanking a few dungeons here and there. For the Horde!
…
David Bowie said about turning 50… “Aging is an extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been.”
“The older I get I realize that I like telling stories… I’m a storyteller at heart… I like to take people on a journey.”
I hope you’ll join me… until next time, here’s hoping you get a chance to wake up beneath the stars.
Shot on iPhone
10/14/2024
Rising from the Ashes - The Phoenix Reborn I come to you in the wake of a Covid-induced fever. My equilibrium is off, my body tight from long periods of rest, but my purpose shines through like a beacon. It’s the reason why I sit up at the end of my bed and write this… I was awakened by the light.
It’s been a long time since I picked up the mic and shared my world. Much has changed. I’ve got two kids now, I’m happily married having survived some challenging periods in our relationship. I’m stronger now. We’re stronger now. I couldn’t always say that I was happy, but I’ve found real purpose in family, friendships and my career as an educator. Another key motivator… the passage of time. I’ll be 50 in November and life has a way of inspiring you to harness your passions. One of those passions is the World of Warcraft… that intellectual property that captured my imagination almost 20 years ago. It inspired me then and it inspires me now. Over the next several weeks, I will be catching up with some of my favorite group members to see how their world has evolved around them. Azeroth brought us together then, and continues to bring us together now. I’ve always been an advocate of online games and the connection they provide but I’ve come to realize that I need that connection more than ever.
Recent studies indicate that males needs several nights of camaraderie a week to maintain a healthy mental state. No kidding.
Loneliness is often compared to hunger. It's a lack of emotional sustenance, the physical pleasure of being in the company of someone who cares about you. I was like a computer that had been unplugged from the internet. I needed to reconnect. I needed friends. One of the biggest hurdles to building friendships is time, an increasingly rare commodity. I began to realize that I need to put my time and effort into friendships where both parties make an equal effort. Sometimes, we need to let things go.
Last week, I met up with a group of friends in New Orleans and it was one of the best things to happen to me in a long time. They made the effort, and I honor them for that. We all decided that this will become a routine gathering. More to come on that...
Thankfully, there will be more campfires in my future. We took our kids out in June for one of their first outdoor excursions and I am happy to report that all indications point to more adventures in the near future. It will be great to hear their input at our next gathering.
I dedicate this new format, this re-launch to those in need of connection. As I kick off the rust and get the engine humming along, I hope that you will join me along the way. I can’t tell you where we’re going, but I promise it will make a great story.