The most offline I've felt is playing online bridge with my wife as my partner. Two hours fly by as I'm completely entranced by the bidding and the play of the cards. New Year's resolution; play more bridge.
Online took off during Covid. It’s better because it really is immersive. It’s such a great game. I’m talking about serious bridge, which is duplicate bridge. Our excellent bridge teacher Rob Barrington is now on Substack and I think he Is going to be very big. It can be a wonderful game for couples to play assuming you are both forgiving of bridge mistakes!
I’ve also been extremely online this year, trying to change this from tomorrow. But the most offline I felt was probably when spending time with my niece and nephew in Hungary. They are not allowed any small screen time (phone, tablet) and I don’t want to tempt them and also wanted to be fully present when I was with them 🥰
As the Dutch say, “have a great changing of the years”, everyone!!! 🥂🍾🍀🐖✨🎇
The most offline I've felt was while sitting shiva for my venerated father-in-law in early November, and while running the Berlin and NYC marathons in the fall (and also for most of the training runs that happened in the months leading up to the races). For the former, it felt like there was so much to do and so many people constantly around, and so many emotions at play, that it felt critical to remain as present as possible which meant avoiding the world outside our little family. For the latter, 95% of my runs took place outside on the trails, and were so hot and torturous that I had to really dig inward to will myself to keep making forward progress. Even music and podcasts often felt too much like they were pulling me away from the task at hand, and distance running is such a mental strain that tuning those things out and paying closer attention to my breathing, rhythm, and the sounds of all the nature around me felt necessary. One day, I hope to be able to say I've been terminally offline, but I don't see that happening any time soon.
Most offline I felt in 2025: hiking in Cold Spring in early October, sitting on the bank of the Chicago River and people-watching between work events, visiting a family friend’s farm in rural NH in August, dark yet crowded in movie theaters in NYC
went to paris with the family. we went to the picasso museum, i stared at one of the last self portraits he made before he died (“the young painter”) and cried. looking forward to staring at more art like that. pretty sure i’ve never cried from looking at the internet.
1. Like Kyle, the few days during and after our son was born. It was a scheduled C-section, but those days of recovery and bonding through the wee hours was just life-changing. (and Tash wrote a lot about our journey: https://tashorama.substack.com/profile/posts)
2. We spent January at a friend's place on Waimanalo Beach in Oahu, Hawaii. It has now become one of my favorite places on earth.
On a separate note, I'm surprised Gucci hasn't collaborated with Oura again to make another ring!
The most offline I was this year was when I was finishing the first draft of my novel and being consumed by the flow state, which is my favorite place to be. Also by cycling through the city; there’s nowhere else I feel more connected to my body and my instincts than flying through traffic from Flatbush to Williamsburg.
As a full-time student journalist and college kid, I spend substantial time on my electronics. However, my answer to when I felty the most offline this year were when:
Answer 1: I unexpectedly got broken up with in early October. For about six straight days, I avoided my phone, computer and iPad at all costs. Sure, I had homework to do and essays to write, but my mental health was more important. It felt freeing, though I was only off-the-grid due to unfortunate circumstances.
Answer 2: Skiing. Anytime I was zooming down a snow-blanket mountain.
The most offline I felt this year was in tearoom toka in Kyoto (no phones allowed) where I did a tea pairing course so thoughtful and exquisite I cried afterwards. When I cup my hands I can still feel the warmth of the earthen cup. The second most offline was a few days later in Kumano where my phone straight up stopped working and I relied on a paper map and the advice of my boarding house hosts (they spoke almost no English and my Japanese is wayyy beginner but we made it work) to get around the quiet town and the pilgrimage hikes surrounding it. I feel peaceful just thinking about it :)
I felt most offline eating a chipwhich in Stockbridge Massachusetts and looking at the leaves at the end of the fall when it was just a little too cold to do either
Tenting one night with the kids near the river bank in a remote mountain valley, Hevsdalen, in Norway on two warm summer days. Grazing horses and easy hikes. Freezing river dips and tanning in the camping chair. We came home after two days of no reception and it felt like a week
When my best friend came up to NYC to help me recover from getting my gallbladder out. We chatted and chatted and it was great. But also honestly having a young kid gets me offline because I have to pay attention to her and it’s a joy, even if raising a kid in NYC sure is a lot.
The most offline I've felt is playing online bridge with my wife as my partner. Two hours fly by as I'm completely entranced by the bidding and the play of the cards. New Year's resolution; play more bridge.
How is the experience online vs. IRL?
Online took off during Covid. It’s better because it really is immersive. It’s such a great game. I’m talking about serious bridge, which is duplicate bridge. Our excellent bridge teacher Rob Barrington is now on Substack and I think he Is going to be very big. It can be a wonderful game for couples to play assuming you are both forgiving of bridge mistakes!
Happy New Year to Emily & the Feed Me team!! My birthday is tomorrow so this letter felt a little bit like a gift for my brain
Happy almost birthday Bella!
I’ve also been extremely online this year, trying to change this from tomorrow. But the most offline I felt was probably when spending time with my niece and nephew in Hungary. They are not allowed any small screen time (phone, tablet) and I don’t want to tempt them and also wanted to be fully present when I was with them 🥰
As the Dutch say, “have a great changing of the years”, everyone!!! 🥂🍾🍀🐖✨🎇
Playing video games making video games
what kind of games r u making
3d platformers
The most offline I've felt was while sitting shiva for my venerated father-in-law in early November, and while running the Berlin and NYC marathons in the fall (and also for most of the training runs that happened in the months leading up to the races). For the former, it felt like there was so much to do and so many people constantly around, and so many emotions at play, that it felt critical to remain as present as possible which meant avoiding the world outside our little family. For the latter, 95% of my runs took place outside on the trails, and were so hot and torturous that I had to really dig inward to will myself to keep making forward progress. Even music and podcasts often felt too much like they were pulling me away from the task at hand, and distance running is such a mental strain that tuning those things out and paying closer attention to my breathing, rhythm, and the sounds of all the nature around me felt necessary. One day, I hope to be able to say I've been terminally offline, but I don't see that happening any time soon.
Most offline I felt in 2025: hiking in Cold Spring in early October, sitting on the bank of the Chicago River and people-watching between work events, visiting a family friend’s farm in rural NH in August, dark yet crowded in movie theaters in NYC
went to paris with the family. we went to the picasso museum, i stared at one of the last self portraits he made before he died (“the young painter”) and cried. looking forward to staring at more art like that. pretty sure i’ve never cried from looking at the internet.
The most offline I felt is twofold:
1. Like Kyle, the few days during and after our son was born. It was a scheduled C-section, but those days of recovery and bonding through the wee hours was just life-changing. (and Tash wrote a lot about our journey: https://tashorama.substack.com/profile/posts)
2. We spent January at a friend's place on Waimanalo Beach in Oahu, Hawaii. It has now become one of my favorite places on earth.
On a separate note, I'm surprised Gucci hasn't collaborated with Oura again to make another ring!
The most offline I was this year was when I was finishing the first draft of my novel and being consumed by the flow state, which is my favorite place to be. Also by cycling through the city; there’s nowhere else I feel more connected to my body and my instincts than flying through traffic from Flatbush to Williamsburg.
As a full-time student journalist and college kid, I spend substantial time on my electronics. However, my answer to when I felty the most offline this year were when:
Answer 1: I unexpectedly got broken up with in early October. For about six straight days, I avoided my phone, computer and iPad at all costs. Sure, I had homework to do and essays to write, but my mental health was more important. It felt freeing, though I was only off-the-grid due to unfortunate circumstances.
Answer 2: Skiing. Anytime I was zooming down a snow-blanket mountain.
The most offline I felt this year was in tearoom toka in Kyoto (no phones allowed) where I did a tea pairing course so thoughtful and exquisite I cried afterwards. When I cup my hands I can still feel the warmth of the earthen cup. The second most offline was a few days later in Kumano where my phone straight up stopped working and I relied on a paper map and the advice of my boarding house hosts (they spoke almost no English and my Japanese is wayyy beginner but we made it work) to get around the quiet town and the pilgrimage hikes surrounding it. I feel peaceful just thinking about it :)
Rolling down a grassy hill in the Dolomites with no fear of hitting cow poop
I felt most offline eating a chipwhich in Stockbridge Massachusetts and looking at the leaves at the end of the fall when it was just a little too cold to do either
Tenting one night with the kids near the river bank in a remote mountain valley, Hevsdalen, in Norway on two warm summer days. Grazing horses and easy hikes. Freezing river dips and tanning in the camping chair. We came home after two days of no reception and it felt like a week
When my best friend came up to NYC to help me recover from getting my gallbladder out. We chatted and chatted and it was great. But also honestly having a young kid gets me offline because I have to pay attention to her and it’s a joy, even if raising a kid in NYC sure is a lot.
The most off-line was probably when I was driving around the ring of Kerry in Western Ireland or biking around Copenhagen