There is a shortage of eggs and toilet paper right now. Who knew eggs had so much fiber in them?
One of my favorite things to do is grow my own spicy peppers, dehydrate them and then muddle them down to a homemade spice. Seeds included. Those are the personality of a pepper.
By inserting extra inflammatories into my body it adds unnecessary stress to my digestion of food. But life is too short to not add extra spice and extra guac. Plus, the heat makes me feel superior to my northern friends who have less hair on their arms.
I'm definitely not a gut-healthologist but simply by experience, I feel like I have a strong gullet. The science behind my ability to consume trivial vittles are mainly opinions but I've narrowed it down to 2 things: 1. Generations of good family breeding 2. I consume probiotics on a somewhat consistent basis. Through practice, I've made my gut accepting of most food products.
Contrarily, as I've settled into my 3rd decade, I've lessened the type and amounts of humans in my social circle which I believe is a natural evolution over the span of a life.
We start off on a volunteer basis accepting applications from all walks of life to determine what kind of personalities we jive with the best. From what I've observed, this evaluation period generally lasts from grade school age through our mid-twenties. Then through a combination of busyness, nesting, and social bandwidth, we come to the realization that you only need a handful of genuine friendships to emotionally navigate this earth. My mother says "You only need one good friend". Wise words madre.
In our 30s, I've noticed that it's harder to make new friends. Mainly from our own accord, you just have less of a need and energy to exert what it takes to blossom a new healthy friendship. We save that energy for romantical endeavors and for our ride or die posse.
Not saying it's impossible to build great friendships in your mid-life, but at that age generally, people have a quick sense when meeting someone new. We have a gut feeling quicker than our teenage self would have. This speedy evaluation frees up our brain to then worry about other adult things which is enjoyably efficient.
No specific call-to-action here. Simply words of observation. Be a kind human and love on people. Yep.
New in my life: I have a Corona-free garden growing and a freezer full of organic grass-fed venison to endure this chapter. If you need a place to rent in Nashville, I'll go camping. I don't make bat houses often.
Keep smilin'
Joe
Saturday, March 14, 2020
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Your Socks Don't have to Match
The outline of your hand on a paper plate made into a turkey is the first symbolism that we have of celebrating Thanksgiving in our youth. The pilgrims would be honored. But that is a great 'learning is fun' intro to history for a youngin' at that age.
As little kids, everything is an adventure. Trying to grasp the complexity of this world day by day, we learn how life works at an incredible rate for a short period of time. I remember coming home telling my parents about how I saw a frog and picked up pinecones for hours. That was a pretty big day.
But then there comes a point where we become routine with our habits and surroundings and when mom would ask "What did you learn at school today?", we'd simply respond with a shoulder shrug and a somber "nothing".
Later down the road as the pace of life quickens and we're paying our own bills, we build chronic activities and our brain forms habits to save energy. With those habits come normality and consistency so when we find ourselves catching up with an old friend they'll ask what we've been up to, it's easy to say "not too much".
The inner adventurer in me is self-conscious when my answer in that situation isn't grandiose enough. In a big way, I think that it is healthy to keep yourself striving to have interesting current events and have all the stories at the dinner party. In other ways, it's healthy to have habits and be routine. Not every day has to be exciting, but every day can be productive. And that's an okay thing. Normal isn't a dirty word.
I'm arguing both sides here. Don't let routine be an excuse for becoming boring, but also allow yourself to form normal healthy schedules in your life. Just because your bones stop growing shouldn't stop you from planning your next adventure. Get out there. Yep.
New in my life: I have 3 beds. Compartmentalizing is great for Tupperware leftovers and work life. My favorite inner persona is biologically abrasive to the opposite sex.
Keep smilin'
Later down the road as the pace of life quickens and we're paying our own bills, we build chronic activities and our brain forms habits to save energy. With those habits come normality and consistency so when we find ourselves catching up with an old friend they'll ask what we've been up to, it's easy to say "not too much".
The inner adventurer in me is self-conscious when my answer in that situation isn't grandiose enough. In a big way, I think that it is healthy to keep yourself striving to have interesting current events and have all the stories at the dinner party. In other ways, it's healthy to have habits and be routine. Not every day has to be exciting, but every day can be productive. And that's an okay thing. Normal isn't a dirty word.
I'm arguing both sides here. Don't let routine be an excuse for becoming boring, but also allow yourself to form normal healthy schedules in your life. Just because your bones stop growing shouldn't stop you from planning your next adventure. Get out there. Yep.
New in my life: I have 3 beds. Compartmentalizing is great for Tupperware leftovers and work life. My favorite inner persona is biologically abrasive to the opposite sex.
Keep smilin'
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Trees Give us Structure
Pirates and soldiers of the past often times walked with a limp. My eye kind of pulsates from looking at a screen all day. Would I consider myself a modern-day pirate? Probably.
I often come home from work, take off my boots, throw on some comfy pants and wool socks. The American dream amiright? I've heard of people who even go so far as to take a shower as soon as they get home from their occupation just to mentally compartmentalize their day.
"How to live a stress-free life" is a catchy title and good clickbait for self-help resources, but in reality, even if you sat on a large cushion and had people feeding you grapes all day, you'd still have stressors. It's just how our neurons fire.
If you ask me how I define maturity, I'd say the biggest indicator is how someone handles themselves in times of stress. If you're the type of person that is big into dramatics, I probably don't drink beers with you on a regular basis. Approaching the situation, I prefer to think nothing is either good or bad, it's just a thing to figure out. Whether that's true or not, it helps me remain even keel.
Self-management in relation to stress is what I've been pondering a lot these days hence the surfacing of a blog. Having coffee this morning, I'm sitting here watching the leaves fall through the sunshine in the cold silence. It's peaceful and it separates me from the areas of life that add stress.
It's not necessarily the processing of issues or stress that I focus on, but more so, the detachment from them. I seek out opportunities and situations that separate my mental space from the responsibilities of being an adult.
Something my father taught me growing up is about trees. I don't think he is an arborist or tree enthusiast himself, but he knew enough to get me hooked and instill an appreciation for the individuals that make up the forest. Now I find myself looking up as I walk amongst trees to identify species, look for acorns and evaluate the soil quality based on these variables. Another thing in relation to trees that I learned as a chico is about the pruning technique.
Pruning is a simple, but fascinating concept. The gist of it is, if you trim the lower branches of a tree, the plant will allocate resources to the top, therefore, promoting height growth and a straighter middle of the arbol.
We as humans do the same pruning on an annual basis. Every year we set fresh goals and trim our lower branches in hopes of bettering ourselves. It's one of my favorite habits of humanity. Self-improvement.
This year I'm planning on getting even more in sync with the earth. Whether you're fueled by the outdoors or not, there is something innate in us that recharges when our lungs fill with mother nature's oxygen.
Even if you have chosen to spend a majority of your time in a concrete enviroment, make time and effort to find some green leaves to remind yourself of nature and pruning. Go look at a tree and give your eyes a break. Yep.
New in my life: Transmissions are better than car payments. My yard being a destination for deer is a 2020 stretch goal. "Young and Dumb" is getting harder to justify. Yellowstone or bust.
Keep smilin'
Joe
I often come home from work, take off my boots, throw on some comfy pants and wool socks. The American dream amiright? I've heard of people who even go so far as to take a shower as soon as they get home from their occupation just to mentally compartmentalize their day.
"How to live a stress-free life" is a catchy title and good clickbait for self-help resources, but in reality, even if you sat on a large cushion and had people feeding you grapes all day, you'd still have stressors. It's just how our neurons fire.
If you ask me how I define maturity, I'd say the biggest indicator is how someone handles themselves in times of stress. If you're the type of person that is big into dramatics, I probably don't drink beers with you on a regular basis. Approaching the situation, I prefer to think nothing is either good or bad, it's just a thing to figure out. Whether that's true or not, it helps me remain even keel.
Self-management in relation to stress is what I've been pondering a lot these days hence the surfacing of a blog. Having coffee this morning, I'm sitting here watching the leaves fall through the sunshine in the cold silence. It's peaceful and it separates me from the areas of life that add stress.
It's not necessarily the processing of issues or stress that I focus on, but more so, the detachment from them. I seek out opportunities and situations that separate my mental space from the responsibilities of being an adult.
Something my father taught me growing up is about trees. I don't think he is an arborist or tree enthusiast himself, but he knew enough to get me hooked and instill an appreciation for the individuals that make up the forest. Now I find myself looking up as I walk amongst trees to identify species, look for acorns and evaluate the soil quality based on these variables. Another thing in relation to trees that I learned as a chico is about the pruning technique.
Pruning is a simple, but fascinating concept. The gist of it is, if you trim the lower branches of a tree, the plant will allocate resources to the top, therefore, promoting height growth and a straighter middle of the arbol.
We as humans do the same pruning on an annual basis. Every year we set fresh goals and trim our lower branches in hopes of bettering ourselves. It's one of my favorite habits of humanity. Self-improvement.
This year I'm planning on getting even more in sync with the earth. Whether you're fueled by the outdoors or not, there is something innate in us that recharges when our lungs fill with mother nature's oxygen.
Even if you have chosen to spend a majority of your time in a concrete enviroment, make time and effort to find some green leaves to remind yourself of nature and pruning. Go look at a tree and give your eyes a break. Yep.
New in my life: Transmissions are better than car payments. My yard being a destination for deer is a 2020 stretch goal. "Young and Dumb" is getting harder to justify. Yellowstone or bust.
Keep smilin'
Joe
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Thy Cup Runneth Over
If I had to describe life right now with one word it would be “overwhelming.” Casting aside several layers of personal and professional angst that are weighing me down, it’s not too difficult to get overloaded with information, news, opinions and everything else that comes with living a life online.
Step one has been to whittle away my online presence. Facebook went out the door about 6
years ago; Twitter followed about 6 months ago (although, that admittedly hung on for way longer than it should have); Instagram and Snapchat are next on the chopping block.
Each voluntary culling of my online personality has brought with it a temporary panic of FOMO, followed by a lingering curiosity of what may be getting posted, to the point where I forget that this random site on the interweb held so much of attention, unnecessarily so.
But even if I slowly shed my social media baggage, the internet has a way of continuing to bombard you with content, even without an InstaTwittergramBook profile.
I have and will likely always be a politically junky. So, my current interest in the civic discourse of our great country has certainly piqued my interest. Without twitter to spoon-feed me the headline of the moment, I still find myself checking my cadre of news sources on repeat throughout the day, waiting for the next big headline to come through. This is probably more of a personal problem than one that others can relate to. But I feel like living a life online has created a sense that the next headline is right around the corner and you better not miss it.
Similarly to my good friend Mr. Mosley, I enjoy me some well-spent time in the outdoors. But domiciling in a big city like Denver, even with the Rockies at my doorstep, rarely lends itself to time disconnecting fully and completely. However, I was able to spend my Labor Day weekend with only myself, what I could pack on my back and a bow and arrow, chasing backcountry elk with a hunting buddy.
While three days doesn’t seem like a lot, the opportunity to be completely off the grid was a welcomed break from everything life and the world at large was throwing at me. I went to bed at night not worried about checking news headlines; I spent my days listening for distant bugles rather than political dog whistles. I forgot that most of the things I checked and rechecked every day, even existed. By the time I got home, I was certainly interested in catching up on some of what I missed.
But I also regretted not having done this in a larger capacity. I get why people decide to sell all their belongings and go off the grid somewhere far from civilization. Being blissfully ignorant about the last season of Game of Thrones, or what your uncle’s opinions on Elizabeth Warren in meme form are, certainly has its appeal.
Ultimately, though, we have to face the reality that this is our lives and we have jobs to work and families to raise and problems to solve just like everyone else. The modern world isn’t so bad, but I’ve found that taking time to remove yourself from it – even if just for fleeting moments – is not only helpful, but necessary.
I’m slowly working on finding opportunities to clear my head of the onslaught of life and integrating that into my weekly and daily routine.
New in my life: freezer is full, always make sure you’re properly hydrated, I’m 15 lbs from Joe having to give me all my college t-shirts back.
Way Out West,
Dr. Tarp
Travis Arp is a chronic creative writer, lover of craft beer and Doctorate of Meat Sciences dwelling in Denver. He spends his time pursuing the outdoors, renovating furniture and catching a band play with his lady.
Step one has been to whittle away my online presence. Facebook went out the door about 6
years ago; Twitter followed about 6 months ago (although, that admittedly hung on for way longer than it should have); Instagram and Snapchat are next on the chopping block.
Each voluntary culling of my online personality has brought with it a temporary panic of FOMO, followed by a lingering curiosity of what may be getting posted, to the point where I forget that this random site on the interweb held so much of attention, unnecessarily so.
But even if I slowly shed my social media baggage, the internet has a way of continuing to bombard you with content, even without an InstaTwittergramBook profile.
I have and will likely always be a politically junky. So, my current interest in the civic discourse of our great country has certainly piqued my interest. Without twitter to spoon-feed me the headline of the moment, I still find myself checking my cadre of news sources on repeat throughout the day, waiting for the next big headline to come through. This is probably more of a personal problem than one that others can relate to. But I feel like living a life online has created a sense that the next headline is right around the corner and you better not miss it.
Similarly to my good friend Mr. Mosley, I enjoy me some well-spent time in the outdoors. But domiciling in a big city like Denver, even with the Rockies at my doorstep, rarely lends itself to time disconnecting fully and completely. However, I was able to spend my Labor Day weekend with only myself, what I could pack on my back and a bow and arrow, chasing backcountry elk with a hunting buddy.
While three days doesn’t seem like a lot, the opportunity to be completely off the grid was a welcomed break from everything life and the world at large was throwing at me. I went to bed at night not worried about checking news headlines; I spent my days listening for distant bugles rather than political dog whistles. I forgot that most of the things I checked and rechecked every day, even existed. By the time I got home, I was certainly interested in catching up on some of what I missed.
But I also regretted not having done this in a larger capacity. I get why people decide to sell all their belongings and go off the grid somewhere far from civilization. Being blissfully ignorant about the last season of Game of Thrones, or what your uncle’s opinions on Elizabeth Warren in meme form are, certainly has its appeal.
Ultimately, though, we have to face the reality that this is our lives and we have jobs to work and families to raise and problems to solve just like everyone else. The modern world isn’t so bad, but I’ve found that taking time to remove yourself from it – even if just for fleeting moments – is not only helpful, but necessary.
I’m slowly working on finding opportunities to clear my head of the onslaught of life and integrating that into my weekly and daily routine.
New in my life: freezer is full, always make sure you’re properly hydrated, I’m 15 lbs from Joe having to give me all my college t-shirts back.
Way Out West,
Dr. Tarp
Travis Arp is a chronic creative writer, lover of craft beer and Doctorate of Meat Sciences dwelling in Denver. He spends his time pursuing the outdoors, renovating furniture and catching a band play with his lady.
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Stronger Wood has More Rings
I buy almond milk now, but almonds don't lactate so it's a mental conundrum for me. My stomach is more at ease though with my new found purchasing habits.
Milk is a vital thing for us mammals. It's one of the growing foundations for our body amidst a very vulnerable time of life. Distrust is a strong word, but I think adults that drink milk are wasting their time, efforts and money. I'd rather have a beer. If you know that movie, I like you. Like more than a friend.
Along with other benefits, milk strengthens bones. When this obvious fact comes up, there is always someone that says "I don't drink milk and I've never broken a bone!" followed by someone else saying "Dude, you better knock on wood." Very original thoughts there Debbie.
Back to the strengthing of bones though, once your skeleton has fully matured, you're generally good to go to frolic around this big blue rock.
I semi-recently bought a home and it was built in 1961. It was a good year for the grapes. A lady name Paulette lived here at one point. She bought some shoes in 1976 for $7.64. I found her processed check in the attic. Seems like a nice lady.
The fun part about owning an older home is the projects that come with it. I'm not being sarcastic here. You get to challenge your brain on all sorts of new tasks. How do you repair drywall? Hanging a floating shelf? I've never done these before.
With all these small renovations though, the reason it's a great little cottage is that it has good bones. So even as the aesthetics become dated and functioning parts wear out, the core of the establishment still stands strong.
People often make the same comparison with cars. "She's not pretty, but the engine runs great."
As evolved primates, we should be aware of the body to mind relationship in the same way. As we become more veteran, there may be more creaks and pops when we stand up, but if you've put in the time and work, that shouldn't have any influence on the basis of who you are.
Wrinkles, balding, greyness and decreased driving skills happen. It's a natural fact of life, but your positivity, perspective, attitude and emotional intelligence don't have to follow suit. Those are just a few aspects of what I deem as someone's foundational being, but you may and should have your own versions.
Whatever traits you define your personality by, take the time to invest in those. Read more books. Listen to podcasts. Mentally decide each day to form the habit of being positive. To name a few.
Wrapping up here, just because your body deteriorates, doesn't mean the moral bones of who you are, have to as well. Be intentional about mental upkeep. Yep.
Keep smilin'
JM
New in my life: Fantastically and unexpectedly, I'm looking to festoon in Wyoming as a personal goal. Parenting isn't limited to creating offspring. In a calculated effort, I'm outsourcing my interior design.
Milk is a vital thing for us mammals. It's one of the growing foundations for our body amidst a very vulnerable time of life. Distrust is a strong word, but I think adults that drink milk are wasting their time, efforts and money. I'd rather have a beer. If you know that movie, I like you. Like more than a friend.
Along with other benefits, milk strengthens bones. When this obvious fact comes up, there is always someone that says "I don't drink milk and I've never broken a bone!" followed by someone else saying "Dude, you better knock on wood." Very original thoughts there Debbie.
Back to the strengthing of bones though, once your skeleton has fully matured, you're generally good to go to frolic around this big blue rock.
I semi-recently bought a home and it was built in 1961. It was a good year for the grapes. A lady name Paulette lived here at one point. She bought some shoes in 1976 for $7.64. I found her processed check in the attic. Seems like a nice lady.
The fun part about owning an older home is the projects that come with it. I'm not being sarcastic here. You get to challenge your brain on all sorts of new tasks. How do you repair drywall? Hanging a floating shelf? I've never done these before.
With all these small renovations though, the reason it's a great little cottage is that it has good bones. So even as the aesthetics become dated and functioning parts wear out, the core of the establishment still stands strong.
People often make the same comparison with cars. "She's not pretty, but the engine runs great."
As evolved primates, we should be aware of the body to mind relationship in the same way. As we become more veteran, there may be more creaks and pops when we stand up, but if you've put in the time and work, that shouldn't have any influence on the basis of who you are.
Wrinkles, balding, greyness and decreased driving skills happen. It's a natural fact of life, but your positivity, perspective, attitude and emotional intelligence don't have to follow suit. Those are just a few aspects of what I deem as someone's foundational being, but you may and should have your own versions.
Whatever traits you define your personality by, take the time to invest in those. Read more books. Listen to podcasts. Mentally decide each day to form the habit of being positive. To name a few.
Wrapping up here, just because your body deteriorates, doesn't mean the moral bones of who you are, have to as well. Be intentional about mental upkeep. Yep.
Keep smilin'
JM
New in my life: Fantastically and unexpectedly, I'm looking to festoon in Wyoming as a personal goal. Parenting isn't limited to creating offspring. In a calculated effort, I'm outsourcing my interior design.
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