Making The Everyday Journey Matter

Issue No. 26 : Checking in on the first six months of 2025

Locals coming together every evening to watch the sunset in Encinitas, California. Photo: Per Håkansson.

It’s time for a quick check-in as we are approaching the halfway mark of the year 2025. I know, time flies but by living our purpose time is never wasted.

This year I set out for another No Shopping Year except for upgrades and replacements, and six months in I’ve just bought:

• A pair of Patagonia sweatpants (bought and resold with a gift certificate)

• A pair of Rainbow sandals (paid for in full with a Patagonia gift certificate)

• An Outerknown terry cloth shirt (on 60 percent sale, paid for in cash)

• An Outerknown sun shirt (paid for with a gift certificate and some cash)

• A pair of Outerknown sweatpants (paid for in gift certificates)

Total cash outlay about $50 dollars. Hurray for the circular economy!

In addition I’ve had my Patagonia wetsuit repaired for the third time (for free) and received a warranted replacement for my Cotopaxi laundry bag (which I use for everything from grocery shopping to swim practices) that had a broken clasp.

Only brands offering reselling and lifetime warranty

Needless to say but I’ll say it anyway, I will never ever buy anything from a brand that doesn’t offer lifetime warranty and reselling. Knowing that my used apparel goes back into the system to be used a second, third, and fourth time feels great.

It’s how I feel I can create everyday change in a system that is very broken. I don’t spend money, I carefully and deliberately invest in good labor practices, sustainable materials, products that lasts longer, and a better future for everyone.

My next big purchases will be a used surfboard, a pair of jeans, and a winter parka, and I’ll invest whatever time and energy it will take to find the right products from the right brands that can support my lifestyle and life goals.

Behind on the reading

In the beginning of the year I also decided to read 100 books in 2025 and on that intention I’m way behind. So far I’ve only read 20* out of 50 books. This is mainly because I’ve chosen really challenging books, like the 900-page biography of Kissinger by the British Harvard professor Niall Ferguson.

It’s a fantastic read, covering Kissinger’s roughly first fifty years (he lived until hundred), but it’s very dense and detailed, covering the origins of post-WWII US foreign policy from President Truman to President Nixon.

[I asked Gemini to list the key successes and failures under each president since Truman and it makes for a very interesting read. Note that Kissinger has been influencing US foreign policy since the early 50s until his death in 2023.]

But I’m pretty optimistic that I’ll catch up. It takes me two days to knock out a crime or spy thriller and since we are still in the beginning of summer with plenty new releases and lots of free time, I’m staying optimistic.

You might ask why I’m so focused on reading a lot and there are mainly three reasons: it calms my neurodiverse mind and helps me focus, it improves my quality of thinking, and it expands my vocabulary – all good for longevity.

Workouts are now part of everyday routine

Fitness-wise I’m stoked. Swim practice is going well despite a minor tendon injury from a gym workout which forced me to take a 2-month pause from weight training, which I’ll restart this week with kettlebell sessions at the beach.

I’ve been staying away from supplements except for protein shakes but have been recommended to try electrolyte powder for hydration and supplemental sodium, magnesium, and potassium. The water tastes better and I drink more.

My writing is also improving, or at least my consistency, and for the first time ever, I think, I’ve delivered at least one newsletter per week, fairly on time.

I’ve also cleaned out my storage except for a box filled with photo slides from the 80s and 90s – pre-digital cameras. It’s the last blast from the past and I can feel the freedom from leaving history in the dust and fully embracing the present.