Music. I can play close to a dozen instruments with enough skill that I could sit in as a stand in player for a large variety of genres. I do everything in my power to avoid letting people around me know.

I make music as a way to meditate and relax. I can throw down a synthesizer drone and spend an hour+ noodling on the piano, guitar, cello etc without doing any recording or writing down stuff. I’ve got probably 100 or so short 4-12 bar ideas saved on my computer. I probably will never do anything with them but I like going back and rediscovering where I was musically/emotionally.

The dubstep phase was, in a word, terrible.

I drive for UPS and the pick me up I get from taking a quick cat nap in the back of the truck cannot be overstated.

Two I surprisingly haven’t seen yet:

“I haven’t given a shit about anything in a while”

and

“I’ll just cancel the free trial”

That’s actually pretty interesting. I started with minimalist footwear once I was old enough to start making shoe decisions myself and apparently that was partially causing some of the problems I was experiencing.

Five Fingers were my go to’s (once they came out) for most days and Vivobarefoot’s / Nike Free’s for when the social side of five fingers was in questionable taste.

It’s always fascinating to me how wildly different solutions are the exact remedy needed for different individuals. It’s why I always get a little irritated when you read someone saying “Use this thing AND THIS THING ONLY! everything else is junk and dumb and you will be a worse person for using it.” such a close minded approach to the world.

I’ve been out of the minimal shoe worlds for a bit minute, anything cool to come about recently?

I had this exact stance until I won a pair of $200 running shoes in a raffle. My occasional backpains and joint problems disappeared almost immediately. I started buying the best footwear I could afford and my quality of life went measurable up after that decision.

The BIGGEST changes were going to a reputable podiatrist and getting shoe recommendations based off of my arch shape, weight and gait. They put me on a treadmill with highspead cameras at the sides and rear to record how my stride landed both walking and running. That and custom molded insoles.

Now Shoes are a part of our yearly budget to make sure we have good condition, supportive shoes at all times. Also re-soleing if applicable.

Side note: Dress shoes can die in a fire.

I feel enlightened. When’s your next talk!

I wish I understood more German. I have no idea why you are all suddenly obsessed with sturgeon’s.

Good for them! My union did massively right by me so far and as far as I am aware there have been zero downsides.