Showing Posts for: What John’s Up To
John’s Must-Reads: Summer 2023 Edition

John’s Must-Reads: Summer 2023 Edition

Although I’m an avid reader all year long, there’s something about reading in the summer that is so enjoyable. Personally, I tend to travel more, so I often find myself able to read more on the go and in new and exciting places. Whether it’s an audiobook during a road...

Appalachian Trail Notes

Appalachian Trail Notes

Long-distance hiking is a great passion of mine. I love being able to disconnect and enjoy the beautiful nature around me. Although I have enjoyed hiking for the majority of my adult life, I developed my passion for long-distance, ultralight hiking after thru-hiking...

John’s Must-Reads: Appalachian Trail Edition

John’s Must-Reads: Appalachian Trail Edition

I am an avid reader, typically reading or listening to three to six books at a time. And guess what - this doesn’t change while I’m out on the trail! During my recent 200-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail, I read several very interesting and engaging books that I...

John’s Advice for an Aspiring Long-Distance Hiker

John’s Advice for an Aspiring Long-Distance Hiker

While packing for my recent hike on the Appalachian Trail, I started thinking about things I wish I knew before getting into long-distance hiking. I had a lot of experienced friends who helped me early on, but I also learned a lot of lessons from my own trial and...

John’s Five All-Time Favorite Movies

John’s Five All-Time Favorite Movies

In addition to being an avid reader, I also love movies, television, podcasts, and listening to music. I have always believed that consuming these forms of entertainment can teach us so much about life, ourselves, and the world. Everyone loves a good story, and there...

Why I Always Root for the Underdog

Why I Always Root for the Underdog

I am a great believer in the underdog.  I think this stems from when I was a little kid. I was always a bit young for my grade and was physically smaller than the majority of my classmates. Being a little different isn’t always the easiest - I was the “smart kid”...

John’s Book Review: The Three Languages of Politics

John’s Book Review: The Three Languages of Politics

I recently finished reading The Three Languages of Politics: Talking Across the Political Divides by Arnold Kling. This is a short book at only 155 pages, but very much worth reading.  Kling’s analysis shows that the three primary political philosophies in...

Alpe Adria Trail Notes

Alpe Adria Trail Notes

Long-distance hiking is a passion of mine. I love being able to disconnect and enjoy nature. I decided to do a 10-day hiking trip in Slovenia in September 2021. Put Slovenia in your future travel plans, because this is an incredibly beautiful country with wonderfully...

John’s Must-Reads: Alpe Adria Trail 2022 Edition

John’s Must-Reads: Alpe Adria Trail 2022 Edition

Those who know me well know that I am an avid reader. I typically read three to six books at a time from a variety of genres and this held true during my recent 41-day hike on the Alpe Adria Trail. My favorites were: The Lord of Chaos, A Crown of Swords, and The Path...