At the end of every year, I spend a few days taking inventory — an annual reflection on the people, trips, books, stats, images, and pop culture that shaped my year. It helps slow down time,  but it also lends some wisdom and discernment as I plan for the year ahead.

One of those exercises is simply to ask: what sparked joy?

So here are just a few of my favorite things from 2025, outside of, you know, family and friends and the astonishment of having my own book released into the world.

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The road to Whitney Pocket, the unofficial gateway to the Gold Butte National Monument, is paved all the way from Interstate 15.

There are potholes, gravel bars, and undulations that resemble the final scenes in One Battle After Another, but any vehicle could manage just fine.

We arrived at a circular gravel turnout at dark, a few hours past sunset. No one else around. Temperature: 41 degrees.

Reaching into my pack, I take out and then put on every single piece of clothing I brought. The bitter Michigan cold of my childhood and youth - a chill I once proudly believed made me a tough Michigander - has all but evaporated after twenty-two years living in annual warmth. 41 degrees feels like minus twenty…

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I think it’s safe to say Mason Voehl and I spent the entirety of last weekend repeating the same phrases, all of them orbiting shock, awe, and surprise.

We were camping and walking in Gold Butte National Monument, tucked into the far southeastern corner of Nevada.

I’m still processing everything I carried home from Gold Butte — the notes, thoughts, feelings, and photographs - so this week I’m keeping it simple and sharing a small selection of images from our time there…

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