I host the Dad 2.0 Podcast with the Summit’s co-founder Doug French. It’s fun and at times enlightening because each week, we speak with a creative person from the dad community, an expert, author, or just a kind human willing to give up about 90 minutes of their time to be with us, someone who is at least tangentially related to the parenting world (meaning, they were someone’s child once and/or have a fun-sized human of their own).
For much of the pandemic, we heard a myriad of voices almost begrudgingly admitting that their businesses or personal brand or whatever the case may be has taken off/grown/succeeded in new ways during COVID times. They didn’t want to seem happy but I could tell they were, and that’s okay. Like, it is very much okay. Their modestly was incredibly human, and strikingly lovely, but so is wanting to put food on the table for your kids and keep a non-leaking roof over head. Rise, all, in good times and in bad.
Based on my rough calculations, I too have had a damn fine 2021. And I too don’t say it aloud a lot, or at least not loudly, because that seems the decent thing, ya know.
Not to be a cliche or anything but on the morning of Jan 1 2022, a sleepy, weirdly 50-degree Saturday in my East Village Manhattan apartment, while the love of my life slept in, while a big cinnamon chai candle flickered, I began thinking about my own 2021, the highs and lows and mehs of my personal and professional existence on this here planet that seems to be on fire in an unknowable number of places and yet, and yet, remains so damn beautiful, giving, charming, enchanting, intoxicating, and tender in a way we spiteful bipeds don’t always deserve.
Here’s what I’ve come up with, a line item 2021 recap, and while I know I am surely missing key moments, I’m not stressing over it. Also, welcome back to OWTK. Hi. I’m going to try to be more present here and I hope you’ll join me in an unfiltered conversation about life, family, love, travel and more. I have some things to say and I’d like to get back to saying them here.
Jeff’s 2021 Recap
Fulfilled childhood dream of moving to the Village in NYC.
Signed 1st book deal and had 1st 2 books published.
Made 4 issues + 1 photography special edition of Stanchion.
Wrote for The Washington Post and USA Today.
Wrote many travel stories for Fodor’s that I’m proud of.
Did something new professionally (traveled to, and wrote all the website copy for, a new luxury resort in Mexico)
Safely visited 6 new countries (Costa Rica, Portugal, Croatia, Iceland, U.A.E., The Maldives).
Safely cruised 3 times.
Interviewed many interesting people for the Dad 2.0 Podcast, most notably Jim Curtin (head coach of The Philadelphia Union), Chris Ballew (frontman of The Presidents of the United States of America, Caspar Babypants).
Met amazing new people, like Matt Villano, Shannon Carpenter, Rebecca Toy, James Luxford.
Helped others get writing gigs and travel opportunities.
Discovered a new favorite band (hi there, Nation of Language).
Ran myself into the ground, failed to keep up many old friendships, had a breakdown in Iceland.
Saw puffins in the wild.
Hiked on an active volcano.
Fell in love with Thai food.
Finally (mostly) understand the sport of cricket (and saw my first live match).
Cried a lot.
Laughed a lot.
Felt (and still feel) seen, heard, supported and loved.
One Comment