What Are The chances?
I read an article long ago, which I have not been successful in locating again since, that (as I remember it at least) described a few reasons why when we run into people we know, it’s not as statistically improbable…
Small World: 2
We have ‘small world’ experiences all the time, to a degree that seems statistically improbable to our friends, especially for a couple of introverts. Even for us, one weekend in Portland a few years ago was a very concentrated slug of…
6 August 2023
Welcome to the latest issue of the fortnightly GVP Newsletter! “Small world experiences remind us that we are all connected in ways we cannot always see.” – Unknown We just got back home from a trip to Colorado for a…
The Case for Plan B
[Guest post by John Potter] Photos courtesy of Damsel in Distress. All the reputable wilderness checklists include having a contingency plan, and wilderness training generally includes how to use one (e.g., make one, share it with the group, etc.). Everyone…
Small World
Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, also known as Bacon’s Law, is a parlor game that became popular in the 1990s when, in an interview with a magazine, then-prolific actor Kevin Bacon mentioned that he had “worked with everybody in Hollywood or…
Lessons from Derek
Our middle son Derek was born severely disabled in 1987. Seventeen years ago, he died on Mother’s Day in 2007, right before what would have been his 20th birthday. With the recent Mother’s Day, I paused to reflect on the lessons I gained…
Your Unique Abilities
25 years ago I started a backpack gear company, Gossamer Gear. While it literally started in my garage, we now manufacture some of our products overseas. I get emails periodically from manufacturers in China wanted to sew backpacks or tents…
The List
Years ago, inspired by my friend John Mackey, I created what I call The List. When I would meet someone, and find myself thinking, “it would be fun to go backpacking with this person…”, I would add their name to The…
Secret Club: Coffee Roasting
Our lives are enriched by our passions. As we become interested in something, we learn more about it. If it’s a practice, as we do it, we become more skilled. It’s fun to share these with others, and sometimes they also become intrigued. I…
Intentional Community
In a recent post on Instagram, my buddy Dan Buettner breaks down the lessons of Blue Zones into 4 suggestions…