Peter's Path - Journal

I love snow

hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Sat, 03 Jan 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Today it snowed again, and it stayed on the ground. This does not happen often in the Netherlands any more. I love snow. I always have, and I always will. It brings back memories, such as days free from school because of snow, play in the snow with the whole village, building igloos, bunkers, or a snowman and off course all the snowball fights. I remember the game of who dares to walk first on the ice, ice skating on nature ice, and hot chocolate milk.</p>

Each year I hope for hard frost that lasts a few weeks. Then the children of today can know it too. It is magic.</p>

These days I love it because it makes people slow down and be more deliberated. It covers up a lot of ugliness. It softens sounds and brings more silence. I love it. I love it. It makes me very happy.</p>

Some photos I took today:</p>

</p>

Goals of 2026

hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 17:00:00 +0000

This year I have 3 goals:</p>

Lose weight, 30kg would be ideal</li>
Start dating again</li>
Start a business with friends</li> </ol>
Some side challenges:</p>
- Write blog posts on 100 different days (100DaysToOffload</a>)</li>
- Read at least 52 books</li>
- Hike at least 52 times</li>
- Continue to publish blog post from the past</li> </ul>

Reflecting on the year 2025

hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:00:00 +0000

This year I left my home country (the Netherlands</a>), and travelled to Germany</a> and Belgium</a>. I hiked the full length or parts of two long distance trails. Those trails are the Westerbork trail</a> and the Marskramer trail</a>. I also hiked parts of one local trail called the Utrecht trail</a>.</p>

I visited two parks. I went to the Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park</a> several times. I enjoyed the hills and forests there. I also went to Les Deux Ourthes Natural Park</a> in Belgium. That park has beautiful rivers and woods.</p>

Q1</h2>
Still worked as a Data Engineer but in Q2 I am back as just a Software Engineer. Doing some iOS work and Flutter work. I picked up the pace in hiking the Westerbork trail</a>.</p>

Q2</h2>
Finished the Westerbork trail. Worked on my first big flutter project at work. It was very stressful, the project did not go as expected, stressed a lot, eat a lot, gained the 30kg back I lost in Q3</a> last year.</p>

Q3</h2>
Focused on reading books and the Bible. Also created some automations for this blog, for example creating og images</a> with Shortcuts (the app). Needed to chill for a bit and let the stressful period end, had good talks with work about it.</p>

Q4</h2>
Starting to look forward again. Started walking the Utrecht path</a>. Went on a company trip to the Ardennes</a> which was fun.</p>

Goals of 2025 ↗</a></h2>
I did not buy a house. The housing market in the Netherlands is very hard right now. I did reach many of the side goals. I wrote 100 posts. I took more photos, especially during hikes. I also took posts from old blogs and published them again here.</p>
Numbers</h2>

Books</h3>
This year I read 52</strong> books with a total of 17924</strong> pages.</p>

3</div>
826p</div> Jan: 3 books, 826 pages</span> </div>
Jan</div> </div>

5</div>
1830p</div> Feb: 5 books, 1830 pages</span> </div>
Feb</div> </div>

7</div>
1944p</div> Mar: 7 books, 1944 pages</span> </div>
Mar</div> </div>

5</div>
1190p</div> Apr: 5 books, 1190 pages</span> </div>
Apr</div> </div>

5</div>
1561p</div> May: 5 books, 1561 pages</span> </div>
May</div> </div>

2</div>
1371p</div> Jun: 2 books, 1371 pages</span> </div>
Jun</div> </div>

3</div>
977p</div> Jul: 3 books, 977 pages</span> </div>
Jul</div> </div>

2</div>
777p</div> Aug: 2 books, 777 pages</span> </div>
Aug</div> </div>

3</div>
720p</div> Sep: 3 books, 720 pages</span> </div>
Sep</div> </div>

3</div>
1281p</div> Oct: 3 books, 1281 pages</span> </div>
Oct</div> </div>

6</div>
2339p</div> Nov: 6 books, 2339 pages</span> </div>
Nov</div> </div>

8</div>
3108p</div> Dec: 8 books, 3108 pages</span> </div>
Dec</div> </div> </div> </section>

Hiking</h3>
This year I hiked 41</strong> times with a total of 533.1</strong> kilometres.</p>

1</div>
6.5 km</div> Jan: 1 hikes, 6.5 kilometres</span> </div>
Jan</div> </div>

9</div>
95 km</div> Feb: 9 hikes, 95 kilometres</span> </div>
Feb</div> </div>

7</div>
111.6 km</div> Mar: 7 hikes, 111.6 kilometres</span> </div>
Mar</div> </div>

6</div>
77.6 km</div> Apr: 6 hikes, 77.6 kilometres</span> </div>
Apr</div> </div>

8</div>
106 km</div> May: 8 hikes, 106 kilometres</span> </div>
May</div> </div>

2</div>
18.2 km</div> Jun: 2 hikes, 18.2 kilometres</span> </div>
Jun</div> </div>

0</div>
0 km</div> Jul: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div>
Jul</div> </div>

1</div>
18.9 km</div> Aug: 1 hikes, 18.9 kilometres</span> </div>
Aug</div> </div>

4</div>
61.8 km</div> Sep: 4 hikes, 61.8 kilometres</span> </div>
Sep</div> </div>

3</div>
37.5 km</div> Oct: 3 hikes, 37.5 kilometres</span> </div>
Oct</div> </div>

0</div>
0 km</div> Nov: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div>
Nov</div> </div>

0</div>
0 km</div> Dec: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div>
Dec</div> </div> </div> </section>

Posts</h3>
This year I wrote 233</strong> posts.</p>

9</div> Jan: 9 posts</span> </div>
Jan</div> </div>

25</div> Feb: 25 posts</span> </div>
Feb</div> </div>

25</div> Mar: 25 posts</span> </div>
Mar</div> </div>

19</div> Apr: 19 posts</span> </div>
Apr</div> </div>

22</div> May: 22 posts</span> </div>
May</div> </div>

15</div> Jun: 15 posts</span> </div>
Jun</div> </div>

8</div> Jul: 8 posts</span> </div>
Jul</div> </div>

14</div> Aug: 14 posts</span> </div>
Aug</div> </div>

29</div> Sep: 29 posts</span> </div>
Sep</div> </div>

15</div> Oct: 15 posts</span> </div>
Oct</div> </div>

18</div> Nov: 18 posts</span> </div>
Nov</div> </div>

34</div> Dec: 34 posts</span> </div>
Dec</div> </div> </div> </section>

Distance</h3>
This year I moved 2781.2</strong> kilometres by walking, hiking, biking, swimming, running, etc.</p>

119.3</div> Jan: 119.3 kilometres</span> </div>
Jan</div> </div>

238.3</div> Feb: 238.3 kilometres</span> </div>
Feb</div> </div>

272.4</div> Mar: 272.4 kilometres</span> </div>
Mar</div> </div>

257.9</div> Apr: 257.9 kilometres</span> </div>
Apr</div> </div>

280</div> May: 280 kilometres</span> </div>
May</div> </div>

230.8</div> Jun: 230.8 kilometres</span> </div>
Jun</div> </div>

375.3</div> Jul: 375.3 kilometres</span> </div>
Jul</div> </div>

263.6</div> Aug: 263.6 kilometres</span> </div>
Aug</div> </div>

245.5</div> Sep: 245.5 kilometres</span> </div>
Sep</div> </div>

203</div> Oct: 203 kilometres</span> </div>
Oct</div> </div>

132.6</div> Nov: 132.6 kilometres</span> </div>
Nov</div> </div>

162.5</div> Dec: 162.5 kilometres</span> </div>
Dec</div> </div> </div> </section>

Wedding of a friend

hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Today I went to a wedding of a friend. It was at a beautiful place in the forests of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. The reception was very nice, and I enjoyed it a lot. Beautiful to see that young people still get married and uphold traditional values.</p>

Charlie Kirk's Memorial Service

hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Charlie Kirk's memorial service on September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, emerged as a landmark event in American history, symbolising a turning point for conservatism, faith, and activism.</p>
As Turning Point USA's founder, Kirk's assassination on September 10, 2025, elevated him to martyr status, drawing 80,000-100,000 attendees to the stadium and overflows, plus over 100 million global viewers via streams and broadcasts.</p>
The five hour gathering blended worship, tributes, and political calls to action, featuring the full Trump administration, including President Trump and Vice President JD Vance.</p>
This wasn't just a memorial; it redefined historical turning points through unified defiance and inspiration.</p>
A quote from Elon Musk:</p>

Charlie was a man of ideas. He spoke outwardly. He was a man of peace! Now he’s been murdered in cold blood. He was killed because his words made a difference. He was showing people the light, and he was killed by the dark.</p> </blockquote>
Worship</h2>
The service opened with a series of powerful Christian worship performances reflecting Kirk's deep faith. The worship was lead by Chris Tomlin, Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, Kari Jobe Carnes, and Cody Carnes.</p>

How Great Thou Art</a> by Bethel</li>
Living Hope</a> by Phil Wickham</li>
Graves Into Gardens</a> by Brandon Lake</li>
Firm Foundation</a> by Cody Carnes</li>
Worthy Is The Lamb</a> by Hillsong Worship</li>
What A Beautiful Name</a> by Hillsong Worship</li>
I Speak Jesus</a> by Charity Gayle</li>
Trust In God</a> by Elevation Worship</li>
Battle Belongs</a> by Phil Wickham</li>
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus</a> by Victory Worship</li>
Holy Forever</a> by Chris Tomlin</li>
Run To The Father</a> by Cody Carnes</li>
O Come to the Altar</a> by Elevation Worship</li>
Hymn of Heaven</a> by Phil Wickham</li>
Worthy of It All</a> by Bethel</li>
Gratitude</a> by Brandon Lake</li>
Agnus Dei</a> by Michael W. Smith</li>
It is Well</a> by Bethel</li>
The Blessing</a> by Elevation Worship</li> </ul>
Speakers</h2>
Rob McCoy</h3>
Pastor at Godspeak Calvary Chapel, Kirk's spiritual mentor</em></p>
Pastor Rob McCoy, Kirk's longtime spiritual guide, delivered an opening Gospel centred message focused on salvation and eternal life, urging the audience to honour Kirk by committing to Christ. He shared personal anecdotes from their time together, including a trip to South-Korea supporting persecuted Christians.</p>
McCoy emphasised that Kirk's death was not an end but a transition to heaven, quoting Scripture to highlight themes of confession and redemption: "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." He led a collective prayer and call to faith, framing the service as a revival rather than a mere funeral, and encouraged attendees to live boldly in Kirk's spirit of courage derived from unwavering belief.</p>
Rebecca Dunn</h3>
Early Donor to Turning Point USA</em></p>
Rebecca Dunn, an early philanthropist who provided seed funding for Turning Point USA, recounted meeting a 19 year old Kirk and challenging him to raise $25,000 in two days, a test he passed, kickstarting the organisation.</p>
She spoke of Kirk as a "freedom fighter" and surrogate son, sharing emotional stories of his growth and the tragic irony that he had promised to speak at her late husband Bill's memorial, but now she was at his. Dunn urged the crowd to fight for freedom, family, and faith with optimism, emphasising Kirk's vision for empowering young conservatives.</p>
Larry P. Arnn</h3>
President of Hillsdale College, Kirk's school teacher/mentor</em></p>
Larry Arnn, president of Hillsdale College and Kirk's intellectual mentor, shared a heartfelt story of first interrogating a young Kirk about his ambitions, advising him to study the Bible and classics for true wisdom.</p>
He noted Kirk's dedication, completing 31 Hillsdale courses despite no formal degree, and announced a posthumous honorary doctorate and scholarships for Kirk's children.</p>
Arnn praised Kirk's role in combating campus indoctrination, describing him as a beacon for young people seeking truth. His speech wove themes of education, faith, and conservative principles, urging the audience to honour Kirk by pursuing lifelong learning and defending Western values against modern threats.</p>
Frank Turek</h3>
Apologist and Eyewitness</em></p>
Frank Turek, a Christian apologist who witnessed Kirk's assassination, provided a vivid firsthand account of the shooting at Utah Valley University, describing the chaos, the shooter's actions, and Kirk's instant, painless death.</p>
He framed it as a spiritual victory, saying Kirk transitioned immediately to heaven without suffering, and emphasised Kirk's bravery in debating on hostile campuses. Turek used the moment to evangelise, quoting Bible verses on eternal life and urging attendees to find peace in faith, turning personal tragedy into a broader message of hope and redemption.</p>
Mikey McCoy</h3>
Former Chief of Staff, Turning Point USA</em></p>
Mikey McCoy, Kirk's former chief of staff, reflected on their close friendship, recounting how he met Kirk at 18 and was mentored in faith and leadership. He shared stories of Kirk's influence on his marriage and life, calling Kirk a martyr whose sacrifice would inspire others.</p>
McCoy quoted Kirk's vision:</p>

Get married, have more children than you can afford, build a legacy, pass down your values, pursue the eternal, seek true joy.</p> </blockquote>
He urged the crowd to live purposefully, emphasising family, faith, and continuing TPUSA's work to reach lost youth.</p>
Stacy Sheridan</h3>
Turning Point USA Colleague</em></p>
Stacy Sheridan, a TPUSA colleague, described Kirk as a compassionate "little brother" who supported her during her husband's cancer battle. She highlighted his ability to organize massive events miraculously and his genuine care for people, blending humor with emotion. Sheridan emphasised Kirk's legacy of kindness and urged attendees to emulate his compassion in their activism.</p>
Tyler Bowyer</h3>
Former COO Turning Point USA, Current CEO Turning Point Action</em></p>
Tyler Bowyer, who helped build TPUSA from its early days, shared memories of 24/7 work sessions with Kirk and his vision for large scale events like America Fest. He praised Kirk's entrepreneurial spirit and impact on mobilising conservatives, calling for continued growth in voter turnout and activism to honour his memory.</p>
Justin Strife</h3>
COO Turning Point USA</em></p>
Justin Strife reflected on Kirk's profound 31-year impact, noting his courage in facing opposition. He urged the audience to stand for truth and use their time wisely for the next generation, emphasising Kirk's role in inspiring bold leadership.</p>
Andrew Kolvet</h3>
Head of Communications/Producer, Turning Point USA</em></p>
Andrew Kolvet, who produced The Charlie Kirk Show, thanked the team and portrayed Kirk as a prophet confronting societal lies. He shared production anecdotes and called for sustained faith and communication efforts to counter misinformation.</p>
Benny Johnson</h3>
Podcaster</em></p>
Benny Johnson described Kirk's transformative influence on his life, comparing him to the biblical martyr Stephen. He explained how martyrdom advances God's kingdom and predicted Kirk's death would inspire millions, urging attendees to build an America that produces more "Charlie Kirks" through faith and action.</p>
Johnson emphasised redemption, stating "no one is irredeemable," and focused on Kirk's mission to save lost youth from resentment.</p>
Dr. Ben Carson</h3>
Former HUD Secretary</em></p>
Dr. Ben Carson grieved Kirk's loss while countering claims of ignorance, warning of Marxist influences on campuses. He quoted John 12:24 on sacrifice yielding fruit, stressing that learning often happens outside school and that bravery is essential for freedom. Carson called for a national revival, emphasising faith as the antidote to societal decay.</p>
Anna Paulina Luna</h3>
US Congresswoman (R-FL)</em></p>
Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna credited Kirk with launching her career through TPUSA, describing his patriotism and comparing him to historical figures like Washington, JFK, and MLK who "bent the arc of history" through sacrifice. She urged bold living, declaring "we are all Charlie Kirk," and emphasised continuing his fight for conservative values.</p>
Jack Posobiec</h3>
Influencer</em></p>
Jack Posobiec likened Kirk to Moses, leading conservatives to a "promised land" of victory, and highlighted his sacrifice in confronting opposition. He focused on Kirk's role in shifting political tides and called for sustained activism to fulfil his vision.</p>
Sergio Gor</h3>
White House Personnel Director</em></p>
Sergio Gor, a close friend and TP associate, described Kirk as the embodiment of MAGA, sharing personal anecdotes like hunting trips and daily Bible verses. He emphasised Kirk's joy, faith, and commitment to America, urging the crowd to continue his mission of youth engagement and conservative revival.</p>
Stephen Miller</h3>
White House Deputy Chief of Staff</em></p>
Stephen Miller delivered a fiery, combative speech vowing to defeat "forces of wickedness and evil," framing Kirk's death as immortalising him and awakening a massive army.</p>
He contrasted conservatives as builders of humanity with their enemies as nothing, filled with jealousy and hatred and promised to channel grief into action:</p>

You have no idea the dragon you have awakened... We will prove worthy of your sacrifice.</p> </blockquote>
Miller emphasised defending virtue, civilisation, and the republic, turning the tribute into a rallying cry for the conservative movement.</p>
Susie Wiles</h3>
White House Chief of Staff</em></p>
Susie Wiles honoured Kirk's unyielding conviction and his pivotal role in mobilising young voters for the Trump administration. She urged continuing his work with determination, blessing his family and framing his legacy as a foundation for future victories.</p>
Tucker Carlson</h3>
Conservative Commentator</em></p>
Tucker Carlson portrayed Kirk as a fearless truth-teller, likening him to Jesus for speaking boldly without hate or defensiveness. He emphasised self-reflection on personal sin as the root of fearlessness, stating "any attempt to extinguish the light causes it to burn brighter."</p>
Carlson called for repentance and societal change through Christ, describing the event's atmosphere as filled with the Holy Spirit and urging remembrance of this moment amid coming challenges.</p>
Tulsi Gabbard</h3>
Director of National Intelligence</em></p>
Tulsi Gabbard praised Kirk as a warrior for truth and freedom, highlighting his calm courage in defending free speech. She drew from her experiences to underscore the importance of standing firm, invoking God's strength to inspire continuation of his work against division and hate.</p>
Marco Rubio</h3>
Secretary of State</em></p>
Marco Rubio recalled initial skepticism about Kirk's campus debates, comparing it to starting in communist Cuba, but praised his wisdom and impact on young men. He highlighted Kirk's role in shifting politics rightward through engagement and urged emulating his approach to dialogue.</p>
Pete Hegseth</h3>
Defense Secretary</em></p>
Pete Hegseth listed Kirk's roles as a "warrior for Christ and country," noting the spiritual war he fought and his readiness to die for truth. He urged worthy living in faith, emphasising Kirk's courage on campuses as a model for confronting evil.</p>
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</h3>
Health and Human Services Secretary</em></p>
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. focused on Kirk's devotion to faith and free speech, arguing worse fates than death exist in silence. He shared personal losses and encouraged integrating Kirk's traits of courage and love to heal societal divides.</p>
Donald Trump Jr.</h3>
Conservative Activist</em></p>
Donald Trump Jr. expressed deep grief, likening Kirk to martyrs and highlighting his family and campaign roles. He called for millions to carry his legacy, framing the assassination as inspiring greater resolve in faith and politics.</p>
JD Vance</h3>
Vice President</em></p>
Vice President JD Vance reframed the service as a revival, praising Kirk's kindness, debate skills, and truths about youth, family, and faith. He condemned celebrations of Kirk's death, vowing accountability for violence-fomenting groups, and urged confronting evil boldly:</p>

They tried to silence our dear friend... today, we speak with Charlie louder than ever.</p> </blockquote>
Erika Kirk</h3>
Widow and New CEO of Turning Point USA</em></p>
Erika Kirk, in an emotional 30-minute speech, shared her grief and forgiveness for the assassin, quoting Jesus: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." She described Kirk's passion for saving lost young men like his killer, vowing to expand TPUSA to point youth toward truth and beauty away from sin. Erika outlined a vision for reviving American families through faith, marriage, and values, promising greater campus outreach and calling for a faith choice amid tragedy.</p>
Donald Trump</h3>
President</em></p>
President Trump closed with a lengthy tribute, calling Kirk a "martyr for American freedom" and hero who helped win 2024 by mobilising youth. He announced the Presidential Medal of Freedom for Kirk, mixed politics with praise, criticising opponents, promising crime crackdowns, and noting the massive crowd as a revival. Trump emphasised bringing religion back to America: "We want God back in the USA like never before," and framed the assassination as an attack on all conservatives:</p>

The gun was pointed at Charlie, but the bullet was aimed at all of us.</p> </blockquote>
Attendance and Viewership</h2>
Charlie Kirk's memorial service on September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, drew massive crowds and global attention, reflecting his significant influence in conservative circles.</p>
Attendance</h3>
State Farm Stadium, was filled to capacity with ~80,000 attendees inside the venue.</p>
Once the stadium hit capacity, overflow viewing was directed to nearby venues in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Reports indicate an additional ~20,000 people watched from sites like Desert Diamond Arena (adjacent to State Farm Stadium) and other local overflow areas.</p>
Combined with the stadium, total on site turnout in the Phoenix/Glendale area was estimated at 100,000 to 200,000, making it one of the largest memorials for a private citizen in U.S. history.</p>
Viewership</h3>
The memorial was streamed live across multiple platforms, amassing extraordinary viewership numbers. TPUSA claimed</a> over 100 million views worldwide.</p>

Starting with the Pump Club

hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 16:00:00 +0000

I have joined the Pump Club. It is a newsletter and app from Arnold Schwarzenegger. He shares tips on fitness, nutrition, and health. The goal is to help people build better habits. I like how it keeps things simple and fun.</p>
I took the fitness test right away. Arnold calls it the Arnold Fitness Tests. You can do it at home with no special tools. It checks your strength, balance, and mobility. The tests are push-ups, dumbbell hold for grip strength, one-leg stand, and sit-to-stand. They link to health markers like heart risk and longevity.</p>
Push-Ups and Heart Health</h2>
The push-up test sees how many you can do in a row. It measures upper body strength and heart fitness. A study looked at over 1,100 firefighters. Men who did more than 40 push-ups</strong> had a much lower risk of heart problems over 10 years.</p>
Those who did fewer than 10</strong> had higher risks. This work came from Harvard in 2019. It shows push-ups can hint at heart health better than some other tests.</p>
Study about Push-up capacity</a> linked with lower incidence of future cardiovascular disease events among men.</p>
Grip Strength and Risk of Death</h2>
The dumbbell hold tests grip. You hold weights as long as you can. Grip strength ties to overall health. A big review of studies from 2015 covered 140,000 people in 17 countries. Weak grip linked to higher chances of death from any cause, up to 67 percent more for the weakest group. It also raised risks for heart issues. Experts see grip as a sign of aging and frailty.</p>
Study about Grip Strength</a>, a Powerful Predictor of Mortality and Fall Risk.</p>
One-Leg Stand and Long Life</h2>
The one-leg stand asks you to balance on each leg for 10 seconds. It checks balance and nerve control. A 2022 study followed over 1,700 adults aged 51 to 75. Those who could not do it had almost twice the risk of death from any cause over seven years. Balance drops with age. This test spots early signs of decline.</p>
Mayo Clinic study</a>, what standing on one leg can tell you.</p>
Sit-to-Stand and Aging</h2>
The sit-to-stand test has you rise from the floor without hands. It looks at lower body power and flexibility. A 2025 study found low scores predict higher risks of death from natural or heart causes. Earlier work from 2012 showed people who needed help were five to six times more likely to die soon. It marks how fast you age in function.</p>
Study about Sitting–rising</a>, test scores predict natural and cardiovascular causes of deaths in middle-aged and older men and women.</p>
Join the club</h2>
Join the Pump Club</a> today. Use my referral code XUHLSD</code>. Arnold Schwarzenegger runs this group. It gives you daily tips on fitness, food, and health. The newsletter costs nothing. You get a free workout each week.</p>
Milestone - Weight: sub 100 kg (again) hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Today, my weight is below 100 kg again, at exactly 99.5</strong> kg. You ask why I say again? In April, I weighed 85 kg. Then I started a new project at work, which began in chaos and stressed me a lot. The stress caused me to lose discipline. I stopped eating healthy food and no longer hiked each weekend. I began to eat carbohydrates again, and before I knew it, I weighed 105 kg.</p> It took me four months to find the stress triggers and deal with the causes. In those four months, I gained 20 kilograms bit by bit.</p> I am happy to lose weight again this month. It began with a challenge where two colleagues and I tested how long we could fast. They lasted 72 hours, but I reached the 100 hours mark we set in advance. This did a reset of my body. After that, I ate clean food again, with few carbohydrates and lots of fats and proteins.</p> Now that I know the triggers for stress and losing discipline, I think about ways to build an early warning system. Maybe very simply just the scale.</p>Goals of 2025 hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 17:00:00 +0000 This year, my main goal is to buy an house and make it my home.</p> Some side goals:</p> Write 100 blog posts (100DaysToOffload</a>)</li> Take more photos</li> Walk more</li> Read at least 52 books</li> Publish blog post from the past</li> </ul> Reflecting on the year 2024 hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Tue, 31 Dec 2024 17:00:00 +0000 Q1</h2> The first quarter of the year was quite stressful and I was unhappy with my work environment which was the cause of all the stress. I started talking to my colleagues about this and soon figured out that more people were feeling the same things I did. We send a letter of concern to the management team. We had a few good round the table talks with all staff. We talked things out, dived deep into what was the cause, and made plans how to improve them.</p> Q2</h2> After the letter of concern and the whole process afterwards, it was like a weight was lifted from my shoulders. I was happy at work again.</p> In May I went to South Africa for a week to visit and explore Cape Town. It was an interesting experience to say the least.</p> Q3</h2> Losing 30 kilograms in 3 months was amazing. From 116 kg on the 1st of July to 86 kg on the 29th of September. 90 days, that is 0.33 kg per day, 1 kg every 3 days.</p> Q4</h2> Focus a lot on work. Got a new function as data engineer in a new team the company was building. Half December it was clear they would kill the team, for various reasons. One of the reasons was that the people that managed the team were not full into it. Back to just "I am a Software Engineer", what can I do now. The whole experience of getting into the Data Engineering role was educational and challenging. As a Software Engineer I thought many times.. men this could be done with a shell script on 1 machine, takes hours to write, minutes to run. But no, we choose Azure, days to build, hours to run.</p> Numbers</h2> Books</h3> This year I read 7</strong> books with a total of 2361</strong> pages.</p> 0</div> 0p</div> Jan: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Feb: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 1</div> 480p</div> Mar: 1 books, 480 pages</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 1</div> 192p</div> Apr: 1 books, 192 pages</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> May: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> May</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Jun: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 1</div> 336p</div> Jul: 1 books, 336 pages</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Aug: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Sep: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 3</div> 1001p</div> Oct: 3 books, 1001 pages</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 1</div> 352p</div> Nov: 1 books, 352 pages</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Dec: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Hiking</h3> This year I hiked 16</strong> times with a total of 302.8</strong> kilometres.</p> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jan: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Feb: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 1</div> 13.4 km</div> Mar: 1 hikes, 13.4 kilometres</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Apr: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> May: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> May</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jun: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jul: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 8</div> 145.1 km</div> Aug: 8 hikes, 145.1 kilometres</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 7</div> 144.3 km</div> Sep: 7 hikes, 144.3 kilometres</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Oct: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Nov: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Dec: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Posts</h3> This year I wrote 113</strong> posts.</p> 16</div> Jan: 16 posts</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 11</div> Feb: 11 posts</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 18</div> Mar: 18 posts</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 4</div> Apr: 4 posts</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 13</div> May: 13 posts</span> </div> May</div> </div> 3</div> Jun: 3 posts</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 6</div> Jul: 6 posts</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 13</div> Aug: 13 posts</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 15</div> Sep: 15 posts</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 6</div> Oct: 6 posts</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 3</div> Nov: 3 posts</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 5</div> Dec: 5 posts</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Distance</h3> This year I moved 3661</strong> kilometres by walking, hiking, biking, swimming, running, etc.</p> 277</div> Jan: 277 kilometres</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 258</div> Feb: 258 kilometres</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 290.5</div> Mar: 290.5 kilometres</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 297</div> Apr: 297 kilometres</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 322.5</div> May: 322.5 kilometres</span> </div> May</div> </div> 342</div> Jun: 342 kilometres</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 352.5</div> Jul: 352.5 kilometres</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 348.5</div> Aug: 348.5 kilometres</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 312</div> Sep: 312 kilometres</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 307</div> Oct: 307 kilometres</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 281</div> Nov: 281 kilometres</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 273</div> Dec: 273 kilometres</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Milestone - Weight: sub 90 kg hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 17:00:00 +0000 Today, I reached a significant milestone in my journey. I now weigh less than 90 kg</strong>. The last time I saw this number on the scale was 3 years ago. It is another great milestone</a>, and it is given me a boost of motivation to keep going.</p> Milestone - BMI: No longer obese hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 17:00:00 +0000 Today, I reached another milestone in my journey. My BMI is below 30.0</strong>, so I do no longer fall in the obese category.</p> No longer obese is a great milestone</a>, and it is given me a boost of motivation to keep going. Every step I take brings me closer to a healthier, stronger version of myself. I am excited to continue this journey.</p> Milestone - Weight: sub 100 kg hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 17:00:00 +0000 Today, I reached a significant milestone in my journey. I now weigh less than 100 kg</strong>. The last time I saw this number on the scale was two years ago, so it feels like a meaningful step forward.</p> While I am proud of this achievement, I am aware that the journey is far from over. My goal is to get down to a healthy weight, which is under 70 kg for me. So, there is still a lot of work to be done.</p> This weight loss is just one part of a larger journey. The idea behind it is to challenge myself to cover 384400 km, which is the distance from the Earth to the Moon. But it's not just about the kilometres. It is about improving my health and well-being along the way. Dropping below 100 kg is a great first milestone</a>, and it is given me a boost of motivation to keep going.</p> I am feeling better already, physically and mentally. But I know this is just the beginning. The road ahead is long, but I am committed to reaching my goals, both in terms of weight and overall health.</p> Every step I take brings me closer to a healthier, stronger version of myself. I am excited to continue this journey.</p> Milestone - Weight: sub 110 kg hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:00:00 +0000 Today, I reached a significant milestone in my journey. I now weigh less than 110 kg</strong>. The last time I saw this number on the scale was two years ago, so it feels like a meaningful step forward.</p> This weight loss is just one part of a larger journey. The idea behind it is to challenge myself to cover 384400 km, which is the distance from the Earth to the Moon. But it's not just about the kilometres. It is about improving my health and well-being along the way. Dropping below 100 kg is a great first milestone</a>, and it is given me a boost of motivation to keep going.</p> Every step I take brings me closer to a healthier, stronger version of myself. I am excited to continue this journey.</p> This is the start of an epic journey! hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 17:00:00 +0000 Welcome to my epic journey of moving 384400 kilometres – the exact distance from earth to the moon! This adventure is not just about covering a colossal distance; it is about transforming my life, my health, and my future.</p> I weight 116 kilograms, at 1.75 meters tall that is a BMI of 38, I found myself in the obese category. I begin to notice that my health was deteriorating, lacking of energy, struggled with everyday activities, and felt the impacts of my weight on my physical and mental well-being. It was time for a change – a big change.</p> The decision to move 384400 kilometres is symbolic. It represents a monumental goal, like the landing on to the moon, and serves as a constant reminder of the vast potential within us to reach for the stars, no matter how impossible it might seem. This journey is a testament to human determination and the power of taking one step at a time toward a healthier, happier life.</p> To keep things exciting and diverse, I decided to incorporate various forms of movement into my journey:</p> Walking</li> Hiking</li> Biking</li> Running</li> Rowing</li> Swimming</li> </ul> Using only my own muscles, I am pushing the boundaries of what I thought was possible, continuously challenging myself to keep moving forward.</p> Exercise alone isn't enough. I also needed to change my eating habits, focusing on what I eat, when I eat, and where my food comes from. Here are the steps I took to transform my diet:</p> I removed all the food delivery apps from my phone.</li> I vowed to never eat fast food again.</li> I started going to the supermarket to buy my own food.</li> I committed to buying only non-processed foods like fruits, vegetables, meat, nuts, and other whole foods.</li> </ol> My journey is not about quick fixes or extreme measures. It is about adopting a sustainable, balanced approach to health and fitness. The focus is on long-term wellness, building habits that will support me throughout my life. My target weight is between 64 and 68 kilograms.</p> I would like to invite you to follow me on this incredible journey. Follow my progress, cheer me on, hold me accountable, and maybe even get inspired to start your own journey toward better health. Together, we can overcome obstacles, celebrate victories, and make our way to the moon, one kilometre at a time.</p> Reflecting on the year 2023 hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 17:00:00 +0000 Numbers</h2> Books</h3> This year I read 4</strong> books with a total of 1026</strong> pages.</p> 1</div> 416p</div> Jan: 1 books, 416 pages</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Feb: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Mar: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Apr: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 1</div> 194p</div> May: 1 books, 194 pages</span> </div> May</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Jun: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Jul: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Aug: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Sep: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Oct: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 2</div> 416p</div> Nov: 2 books, 416 pages</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Dec: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Hiking</h3> This year I hiked 2</strong> times with a total of 32.7</strong> kilometres.</p> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jan: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Feb: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Mar: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 1</div> 16.1 km</div> Apr: 1 hikes, 16.1 kilometres</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 1</div> 16.6 km</div> May: 1 hikes, 16.6 kilometres</span> </div> May</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jun: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jul: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Aug: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Sep: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Oct: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Nov: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Dec: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Posts</h3> This year I wrote 91</strong> posts.</p> 13</div> Jan: 13 posts</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 6</div> Feb: 6 posts</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 10</div> Mar: 10 posts</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 10</div> Apr: 10 posts</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 16</div> May: 16 posts</span> </div> May</div> </div> 9</div> Jun: 9 posts</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 4</div> Jul: 4 posts</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 6</div> Aug: 6 posts</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 3</div> Sep: 3 posts</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 5</div> Oct: 5 posts</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 6</div> Nov: 6 posts</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 3</div> Dec: 3 posts</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Distance</h3> This year I moved 3652</strong> kilometres by walking, hiking, biking, swimming, running, etc.</p> 277</div> Jan: 277 kilometres</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 249</div> Feb: 249 kilometres</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 290.5</div> Mar: 290.5 kilometres</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 297</div> Apr: 297 kilometres</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 322.5</div> May: 322.5 kilometres</span> </div> May</div> </div> 342</div> Jun: 342 kilometres</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 352.5</div> Jul: 352.5 kilometres</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 348.5</div> Aug: 348.5 kilometres</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 312</div> Sep: 312 kilometres</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 307</div> Oct: 307 kilometres</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 281</div> Nov: 281 kilometres</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 273</div> Dec: 273 kilometres</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> To Oppenheimer with Cousin S hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 17:00:00 +0000 Cousin S and I went to see the movie Oppenheimer in the Rembrandt Cinema here in Utrecht. For the sound alone it was absolute worth it to see it in the cinema. Afterward we walked around the centre of Utrecht a bit.</p> Wedding of my brother hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Mon, 15 May 2023 17:00:00 +0000 My brother and his now wife got married today. I am very happy for them and wish them all the love and luck in the world.</p> Have an iPhone and Apple Watch again hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Tue, 02 May 2023 17:00:00 +0000 Almost 2 years ago</a> I stopped using my iPhone and Apple Watch.</p> In recent weeks I bought an iPhone because I missed the camera and the Photo app too much. I am very happy to have them back in my life. Tried all kinds of substitute but they are simply not available or good enough. After a while I rediscovered the Health app and the positive effects it has on me. To gain more data and insight made me buy an Apple Watch. Happy with the Ultra, it has almost 3 days of battery with my usage.</p> Goals of 2023 hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 This year’s theme is being more positive. I am pessimistic.</p> Look at the world: technology, people, energy crisis, climate crisis, war in Ukraine, protests in Iran, a generation scarred by two years of lockdowns because of COVID, echo chambers, bubbles, Trump, COVID conspiracy theorists, big companies spying on users, privacy is dead, and so much more.</p> Reflecting on the year 2022 hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Sat, 31 Dec 2022 17:00:00 +0000 Numbers</h2> Books</h3> This year I read 4</strong> books with a total of 1185</strong> pages.</p> 0</div> 0p</div> Jan: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Feb: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Mar: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Apr: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> May: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> May</div> </div> 1</div> 288p</div> Jun: 1 books, 288 pages</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Jul: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 1</div> 288p</div> Aug: 1 books, 288 pages</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Sep: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Oct: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 1</div> 369p</div> Nov: 1 books, 369 pages</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 1</div> 240p</div> Dec: 1 books, 240 pages</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Hiking</h3> This year I hiked 0</strong> times with a total of 0</strong> kilometres.</p> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jan: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Feb: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Mar: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Apr: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> May: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> May</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jun: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jul: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Aug: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Sep: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Oct: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Nov: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Dec: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Posts</h3> This year I wrote 70</strong> posts.</p> 5</div> Jan: 5 posts</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 3</div> Feb: 3 posts</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 5</div> Mar: 5 posts</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 7</div> Apr: 7 posts</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 8</div> May: 8 posts</span> </div> May</div> </div> 8</div> Jun: 8 posts</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 6</div> Jul: 6 posts</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 5</div> Aug: 5 posts</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 5</div> Sep: 5 posts</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 5</div> Oct: 5 posts</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 7</div> Nov: 7 posts</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 6</div> Dec: 6 posts</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Distance</h3> This year I moved 4410</strong> kilometres by walking, hiking, biking, swimming, running, etc.</p> 420.2</div> Jan: 420.2 kilometres</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 379</div> Feb: 379 kilometres</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 433.7</div> Mar: 433.7 kilometres</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 434</div> Apr: 434 kilometres</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 465.7</div> May: 465.7 kilometres</span> </div> May</div> </div> 350.6</div> Jun: 350.6 kilometres</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 361.4</div> Jul: 361.4 kilometres</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 357.4</div> Aug: 357.4 kilometres</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 320.6</div> Sep: 320.6 kilometres</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 315.9</div> Oct: 315.9 kilometres</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 289.6</div> Nov: 289.6 kilometres</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 281.9</div> Dec: 281.9 kilometres</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Reflecting on the year 2021 hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 17:00:00 +0000 Numbers</h2> Books</h3> This year I read 5</strong> books with a total of 1284</strong> pages.</p> 0</div> 0p</div> Jan: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Feb: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Mar: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Apr: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 1</div> 441p</div> May: 1 books, 441 pages</span> </div> May</div> </div> 1</div> 180p</div> Jun: 1 books, 180 pages</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Jul: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 1</div> 288p</div> Aug: 1 books, 288 pages</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Sep: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Oct: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 2</div> 375p</div> Nov: 2 books, 375 pages</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Dec: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Hiking</h3> This year I hiked 0</strong> times with a total of 0</strong> kilometres.</p> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jan: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Feb: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Mar: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Apr: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> May: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> May</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jun: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jul: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Aug: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Sep: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Oct: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Nov: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Dec: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Posts</h3> This year I wrote 54</strong> posts.</p> 6</div> Jan: 6 posts</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 2</div> Feb: 2 posts</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 3</div> Mar: 3 posts</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 5</div> Apr: 5 posts</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 7</div> May: 7 posts</span> </div> May</div> </div> 5</div> Jun: 5 posts</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 4</div> Jul: 4 posts</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 4</div> Aug: 4 posts</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 4</div> Sep: 4 posts</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 5</div> Oct: 5 posts</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 5</div> Nov: 5 posts</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 4</div> Dec: 4 posts</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Distance</h3> This year I moved 4389.4</strong> kilometres by walking, hiking, biking, swimming, running, etc.</p> 328.1</div> Jan: 328.1 kilometres</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 298</div> Feb: 298 kilometres</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 326.1</div> Mar: 326.1 kilometres</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 316.7</div> Apr: 316.7 kilometres</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 358.1</div> May: 358.1 kilometres</span> </div> May</div> </div> 376.7</div> Jun: 376.7 kilometres</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 388.1</div> Jul: 388.1 kilometres</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 388.1</div> Aug: 388.1 kilometres</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 346.7</div> Sep: 346.7 kilometres</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 450.2</div> Oct: 450.2 kilometres</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 418</div> Nov: 418 kilometres</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 394.6</div> Dec: 394.6 kilometres</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> I do not have a smartphone hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 17:00:00 +0000 I sold my iPhone and bought a basic Nokia phone for 35 euros. I also sold my smarthome devices, Apple Watch, and AirPods. Instead of the Apple Watch, I chose a Swiss mechanical watch. Not needing to charge a watch daily feels freeing.</p> Why I Made the Change</h2> I spent too much time on my phone. I wanted more time to read, study, walk, and be with friends and family. The constant pull of apps and notifications stole my focus. A dumbphone helped me break free.</p> Benefits of Going Smartphone-Free</h2> Switching to a basic phone brought clear gains:</p> Improved mental health with less screen time.</li> Ended my smartphone addiction.</li> Saved money, dropping my bill from 40 euros to 7 euros monthly.</li> Reduced data tracking, protecting my privacy.</li> Lessened fear of missing out.</li> Freed from instant reply expectations.</li> Gained time for activities I value.</li> </ul> Challenges</h2> Life without a smartphone has drawbacks:</p> No quick access to a camera.</li> Harder to listen to music or podcasts.</li> No maps app for navigation.</li> </ul> My Experience After 18 Months</h2> I have lived without a smartphone for a year and a half. I still work, stay social, and feel at ease with my thoughts. As Jenna Woginrich wrote in The Guardian, a landline brought more sleep, eye contact with people, and focus on food instead of photos. I avoid distractions while driving. A laptop and basic internet keep me connected enough for work, fun weekends, and travel plans.</p> Using a dumbphone feels familiar, like riding a bike. T9 texting is easier than I recalled.</p> Others Share the Journey</h2> Many have chosen this path:</p> The Irish Times</a>: A story of better mental health without a smartphone.</li> The New York Times</a>: Smartphone addiction’s impact.</li> The Independent</a>: Benefits of going offline.</li> The Guardian</a>: The grip of smartphone addiction.</li> Huck Magazine</a>: Young people choosing dumbphones.</li> Matt McWilliams</a>: Reasons to abandon smartphones.</li> Everyday Mamas</a>: A transformed life without a smartphone.</li> Half The Clothes</a>: Simplifying with a dumbphone.</li> Alvarez.io</a>: Living like it is 1999.</li> </ul> Looking Forward</h2> I will share another update in a year. For now, a dumbphone has brought clarity and focus. Share your thoughts on trying this in the comments!</p> Walk in the snow hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Sun, 07 Feb 2021 17:00:00 +0000 Today it snowed :D and it stayed on the ground. So time for a walk in Utrecht.</p> </p> Reflecting on the year 2020 hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 17:00:00 +0000 Numbers</h2> Books</h3> This year I read 7</strong> books with a total of 3495</strong> pages.</p> 1</div> 336p</div> Jan: 1 books, 336 pages</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Feb: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Mar: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 1</div> 224p</div> Apr: 1 books, 224 pages</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 1</div> 409p</div> May: 1 books, 409 pages</span> </div> May</div> </div> 1</div> 704p</div> Jun: 1 books, 704 pages</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Jul: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 1</div> 754p</div> Aug: 1 books, 754 pages</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Sep: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 1</div> 602p</div> Oct: 1 books, 602 pages</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 1</div> 466p</div> Nov: 1 books, 466 pages</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Dec: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Hiking</h3> This year I hiked 0</strong> times with a total of 0</strong> kilometres.</p> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jan: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Feb: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Mar: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Apr: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> May: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> May</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jun: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jul: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Aug: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Sep: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Oct: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Nov: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Dec: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Posts</h3> This year I wrote 86</strong> posts.</p> 14</div> Jan: 14 posts</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 8</div> Feb: 8 posts</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 8</div> Mar: 8 posts</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 9</div> Apr: 9 posts</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 9</div> May: 9 posts</span> </div> May</div> </div> 4</div> Jun: 4 posts</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 5</div> Jul: 5 posts</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 3</div> Aug: 3 posts</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 6</div> Sep: 6 posts</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 8</div> Oct: 8 posts</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 8</div> Nov: 8 posts</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 4</div> Dec: 4 posts</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Distance</h3> This year I moved 4662</strong> kilometres by walking, hiking, biking, swimming, running, etc.</p> 373</div> Jan: 373 kilometres</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 349</div> Feb: 349 kilometres</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 371</div> Mar: 371 kilometres</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 392.5</div> Apr: 392.5 kilometres</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 403</div> May: 403 kilometres</span> </div> May</div> </div> 392.5</div> Jun: 392.5 kilometres</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 406</div> Jul: 406 kilometres</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 395</div> Aug: 395 kilometres</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 392.5</div> Sep: 392.5 kilometres</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 403</div> Oct: 403 kilometres</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 391.5</div> Nov: 391.5 kilometres</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 393</div> Dec: 393 kilometres</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Reflecting on the year 2019 hello@peterspath.net (Peter) — Tue, 31 Dec 2019 17:00:00 +0000 Numbers</h2> Books</h3> This year I read 3</strong> books with a total of 656</strong> pages.</p> 0</div> 0p</div> Jan: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Feb: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 1</div> 160p</div> Mar: 1 books, 160 pages</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Apr: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> May: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> May</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Jun: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Jul: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Aug: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Sep: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Oct: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 2</div> 496p</div> Nov: 2 books, 496 pages</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 0</div> 0p</div> Dec: 0 books, 0 pages</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Hiking</h3> This year I hiked 0</strong> times with a total of 0</strong> kilometres.</p> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jan: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Feb: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Mar: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Apr: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> May: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> May</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jun: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Jul: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Aug: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Sep: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Oct: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Nov: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 0</div> 0 km</div> Dec: 0 hikes, 0 kilometres</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Posts</h3> This year I wrote 101</strong> posts.</p> 8</div> Jan: 8 posts</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 12</div> Feb: 12 posts</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 11</div> Mar: 11 posts</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 11</div> Apr: 11 posts</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 9</div> May: 9 posts</span> </div> May</div> </div> 8</div> Jun: 8 posts</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 5</div> Jul: 5 posts</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 7</div> Aug: 7 posts</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 10</div> Sep: 10 posts</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 8</div> Oct: 8 posts</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 6</div> Nov: 6 posts</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 6</div> Dec: 6 posts</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section> Distance</h3> This year I moved 4297</strong> kilometres by walking, hiking, biking, swimming, running, etc.</p> 373</div> Jan: 373 kilometres</span> </div> Jan</div> </div> 333</div> Feb: 333 kilometres</span> </div> Feb</div> </div> 371</div> Mar: 371 kilometres</span> </div> Mar</div> </div> 356</div> Apr: 356 kilometres</span> </div> Apr</div> </div> 372</div> May: 372 kilometres</span> </div> May</div> </div> 356</div> Jun: 356 kilometres</span> </div> Jun</div> </div> 375</div> Jul: 375 kilometres</span> </div> Jul</div> </div> 325</div> Aug: 325 kilometres</span> </div> Aug</div> </div> 356</div> Sep: 356 kilometres</span> </div> Sep</div> </div> 372</div> Oct: 372 kilometres</span> </div> Oct</div> </div> 355</div> Nov: 355 kilometres</span> </div> Nov</div> </div> 353</div> Dec: 353 kilometres</span> </div> Dec</div> </div> </div> </section>

Peter's Path - Journal

I love snow

Goals of 2026

Reflecting on the year 2025

Wedding of a friend

Charlie Kirk's Memorial Service

Worship</h2> The service opened with a series of powerful Christian worship performances reflecting Kirk's deep faith. The worship was lead by Chris Tomlin, Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, Kari Jobe Carnes, and Cody Carnes.</p>

Speakers</h2>

Attendance and Viewership</h2> Charlie Kirk's memorial service on September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, drew massive crowds and global attention, reflecting his significant influence in conservative circles.</p>

Viewership</h3> The memorial was streamed live across multiple platforms, amassing extraordinary viewership numbers. TPUSA claimed</a> over 100 million views worldwide.</p>

Starting with the Pump Club

Milestone - Weight: sub 100 kg (again)

Goals of 2025

Reflecting on the year 2024

Q2</h2> After the letter of concern and the whole process afterwards, it was like a weight was lifted from my shoulders. I was happy at work again.</p> In May I went to South Africa for a week to visit and explore Cape Town. It was an interesting experience to say the least.</p>

Q3</h2> Losing 30 kilograms in 3 months was amazing. From 116 kg on the 1st of July to 86 kg on the 29th of September. 90 days, that is 0.33 kg per day, 1 kg every 3 days.</p>

Milestone - Weight: sub 90 kg

Milestone - BMI: No longer obese

Milestone - Weight: sub 100 kg

Milestone - Weight: sub 110 kg

This is the start of an epic journey!

Reflecting on the year 2023

To Oppenheimer with Cousin S

Wedding of my brother

Have an iPhone and Apple Watch again

Goals of 2023

Reflecting on the year 2022

Reflecting on the year 2021

I do not have a smartphone

Why I Made the Change</h2> I spent too much time on my phone. I wanted more time to read, study, walk, and be with friends and family. The constant pull of apps and notifications stole my focus. A dumbphone helped me break free.</p>

Benefits of Going Smartphone-Free</h2> Switching to a basic phone brought clear gains:</p>

Challenges</h2> Life without a smartphone has drawbacks:</p>

Looking Forward</h2> I will share another update in a year. For now, a dumbphone has brought clarity and focus. Share your thoughts on trying this in the comments!</p>

Walk in the snow

Reflecting on the year 2020

Reflecting on the year 2019

Attendance and Viewership</h2>
Charlie Kirk's memorial service on September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, drew massive crowds and global attention, reflecting his significant influence in conservative circles.</p>

Viewership</h3>
The memorial was streamed live across multiple platforms, amassing extraordinary viewership numbers. TPUSA claimed</a> over 100 million views worldwide.</p>

Q2</h2>
After the letter of concern and the whole process afterwards, it was like a weight was lifted from my shoulders. I was happy at work again.</p>
In May I went to South Africa for a week to visit and explore Cape Town. It was an interesting experience to say the least.</p>

Q3</h2>
Losing 30 kilograms in 3 months was amazing. From 116 kg on the 1st of July to 86 kg on the 29th of September. 90 days, that is 0.33 kg per day, 1 kg every 3 days.</p>

Why I Made the Change</h2>
I spent too much time on my phone. I wanted more time to read, study, walk, and be with friends and family. The constant pull of apps and notifications stole my focus. A dumbphone helped me break free.</p>

Looking Forward</h2>
I will share another update in a year. For now, a dumbphone has brought clarity and focus. Share your thoughts on trying this in the comments!</p>