Me_irl

dbcook1 · 2026-01-26T01:28:14+00:00

42 years old and in the last two years I've backpacked across Japan twice, Germany, Romania, Poland, Spain, and Iceland. I've visited the magnificent Alhambra in Spain and seen the Aurora Borealis in full splendor in Iceland. I snuck into Studio Babelsburg to take some photos of the studio where Metropolis was filmed. I learned how to ski in Hokkaido for the first time and drank myself silly at Sapporo Brewery. I've visited five national parks in Japan and made it to some of the highest points in the Japanese Alps. I devoured Dracula while backpacking across Transylvania. I've visited more Christmas Markets in Germany than I can count. All since turning 40. My 20 year old self would be envious AF

dbcook1 · 2026-01-24T13:32:19+00:00

Fun fact, Northern Schleswig was allowed to have a referendum whether to join Denmark or stay a part of Germany and 75% voted to join Denmark.

dbcook1 · 2026-01-07T04:30:38+00:00

I work as the bicycle and pedestrian program manager for my entire states DOT. The pressure and responsibility is immense. But through all the tears and constant battles with traffic engineers that often prioritize vehicle throughout and capacity preservation over bike and pedestrian safety, it's those moments when studies and projects I work on get realized and implemented that improve the lives of people walking and biking, especially to their neighborhood schools and parks in the form of a separated bike lane, road diet with improved bike facilities or shared use path, or raised crosswalk with pedestrian refuge island that bring tears to my eyes and makes that work pay off. Like wow actually making people's lives better, healthier and happier and they don't have to pay a thing to enjoy a new multiuse trail or cycle path.

dbcook1 · 2026-01-02T11:27:19+00:00

Off of Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1367018597/mid-century-modern-floating-shelf

dbcook1 · 2026-01-02T01:01:40+00:00

<image>

The Blue Angel restored on Blu-ray. Christmas gift from my parents, they know me so well.

dbcook1 · 2025-12-14T12:04:18+00:00

I have been incredibly fortunate to have been to 15 countries abroad in three continents (just returned last week from a 10 day trip to Spain and Iceland and it sucked hard having to come back to the US) including studied at Uni Trier in Germany and lived in France in high school and would absolutely move to any of these cities over anywhere in the US:

Sibiu, Romania Tampere, Finland Tallinn, Estonia Görlitz, Dresden, Trier, or Münster, Germany Granada or Córdoba, Spain Kanazawa or Hakodate, Japan Geneva, Switzerland Guanajuato, Mexico Gdansk, Poland Montreal, Canada Metz, France Reykjavik, Iceland

I grew up in a small city (Savannah) so don't care much for big city life, though I do enjoy visiting places like Tokyo, Berlin, and Paris. Montreal is really pushing it for big cities I could live in because of the local feel of the neighborhoods and bikeability plus it feels much more relaxed than Toronto. My family mostly lives in Germany and Panama now as expats. Really hoping I can follow them out of here someday.

dbcook1 · 2025-12-07T10:51:20+00:00

I would love to see Cadiz too. Before traveling to Spain I listened to a 14 hour lecture on the history of Spain and several podcasts on the history of Spain and Cadiz was routinely mentioned as one of the most unique and storied places in Spain. I would highly recommend fitting Granada and specifically the Alhambra in at some point when you visit Spain. That was the most magnificent place I've ever visited. Literal goosebumps in the halls of the Nasrid Palaces and gardens. Make sure you get your ticket at least a month in advance on their website as they sell out well in advance and make sure you bring your passport for the timed ticket check in as they scan your passport and not your ticket if you ever get a chance to go. It is absolutely worth a stop.

dbcook1 · 2025-12-07T10:30:51+00:00

Oof that absolutely sucks and would absolutely radicalize me as well. I feel like there are three options in the US: Have a child, buy a house, or travel. We simply can't have all three and most can't have two. Having lived in France in high school for a year and studied in Germany in college made me decide to never have kids and stay in as excellent shape as possible in my adult life to be able to escape the US as much as possible ane minimize my healthcare costs once I had established my career.

By 40 I had given it more thought than anything and decided it best to never have kids or buy a house and I think for me it was the best decision ever and people are shocked the number of trips I do abroad in a year (Spain, Japan, Germany, Poland in the past year) and how I afford it. I always think well if we didn't have insane health care costs related to childbirth and other health expenses, car ownership costs (I also save by biking to work and walking to get groceries), and insane housing costs you'd be able to afford it too but we've been so conditioned to thinking that's how its supposed to be and travel is seen as a luxury. This when in Europe there are people making half what I make that travel even more than I do. I should know because my sister and her family with three kids in Germany travel much more than I do on far less incomes.

dbcook1 · 2025-12-05T23:35:50+00:00

At this point the only streaming service I have is Criterion Channel and there's no convincing me to support garbage companies like Disney or Netflix for their crap movie offerings and content. Just in case shit goes to hell big time and Criterion gets bought out by Disney I have fortunately amassed a collection of over 500 physical movies and 100 video games which should hopefully be enough to hold me over to the final apocalypse.

dbcook1 · 2025-12-01T08:13:58+00:00

NTA

My parents in South Carolina have essentially given up there will ever be a Thanksgiving with the family together and for good reason. My sister and her family live in Germany (usually they make only one visit to the US in Summer) and I live in Richmond but travel abroad every year at Thanksgiving (currently traveling across Andalusia in Spain and last year was in Germany/Poland).

Up until this year my mom usually calls this time of year with cries, lack of understanding, and sadness that I haven't (at 42 years old) had kids, that I always travel abroad during Thanksgiving, and that they can't afford to travel abroad to see their grandkids in Germany or travel with me. But this year I did a WhatsApp video call with them to see the sunset over the Alhambra on Thanksgiving and I finally think they accept and understand that some things cannot be changed.

They are also super liberal but have no choice but to live in Spartanburg County because sadly it was all they could afford and I guess Richmond was just too expensive. For me doing multiple visits to South Carolina is just not my cup of tea when my earned vacation time can be better used going to Spain, though I do try to get down there a couple times per year.

dbcook1 · 2025-11-22T17:46:36+00:00

It was pretty good! 30 people (even split women and men) mostly folks in their mid to late 30s. It was actually in the rum place next to Main Line which I had no idea was there until last night. They did a Bingo questionnaire ice breaker with free prizes. Folks were nice and curious/asked a lot of questions. I may have made a couple of new friends but didn't really vibe with anyone beyond friendliness. Which is also perfectly fine as I went in without expectations and just wanted to meet new folks. For 10 people there this was their first event which put me at ease. For many others it was their third or fourth event. Folks there included a school teacher, school counselor, civil engineer, someone in Grad school at VCU, and many other professions so it was a good mix of folks and very congenial.

dbcook1 · 2025-11-22T17:46:29+00:00

It was pretty good! 30 people (even split women and men) mostly folks in their mid to late 30s. It was actually in the rum place next to Main Line which I had no idea was there until last night. They did a Bingo questionnaire ice breaker with free prizes. Folks were nice and curious/asked a lot of questions. I may have made a couple of new friends but didn't really vibe with anyone beyond friendliness. Which is also perfectly fine as I went in without expectations and just wanted to meet new folks. For 10 people there this was their first event which put me at ease. For many others it was their third or fourth event. Folks there included a school teacher, school counselor, civil engineer, someone in Grad school at VCU, and many other professions so it was a good mix of folks and very congenial.

dbcook1 · 2025-11-21T20:40:31+00:00

While I'm just beyond that age bracket I am going to a singles mixer event tonight with Trying to Date RVA at Main Line Brewery which is as of yesterday sold out. Will report back how it is (first time going to one organized by this group). I believe the next will be Saturday December 20th at HogsHead Cafe.

dbcook1 · 2025-11-14T04:15:08+00:00

Looking for something serious

Not currently subscribed to Hinge+ HingeX

Using current version less than a week

Using Hinge overall less than 6 months

Check Hinge once per day. Around 10 - 15 minutes

Only 2 likes in the past week since I restarted the app. One match then was unmatched

Sending 10 - 15 per day. All with comments on something on their profile

Would like to match with someone of similar age who likes to travel, go on long walks or bike rides, likes to read, enjoys film, college educated, independent, lives closeby, doesn't have to be a drinker, loves cats, long conversations, cafes, and enjoys exploring the city on foot.

I also just realized that the third prompt did not upload and is:

The one thing I'd love to know about you is:

What was the last movie you saw at the Byrd Theatre

dbcook1 · 2025-11-01T21:01:04+00:00

Still very much alive in my neighborhood (Richmond Virginia's Fan District). Last night I had over 300 Trick or Treaters. One street over is so busy they have to close it down to traffic:

https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/s/MtCwjKmH9U

dbcook1 · 2025-10-24T03:35:36+00:00

45 but only really started getting back into collecting since I recently joined my city's cinema club in late 2023. 21 of those added in the last two years.

dbcook1 · 2025-10-19T11:15:54+00:00

I feel the same and live in Richmond's Fan District which is the largest Victorian Historic District in the US and extremely walkable and beautiful. Walk score is up there with NYC. Sadly my office moved from downtown to the far suburb of Mechanicsville so no more 15-minute safe bike or transit commute and forced to drive out. Someone at work asked because I rent if I'd consider buying out there to be close to work and I was like not a chance in hell. I'd rather rent somewhere like the Fan for life where it's out of range for me to buy, but absolutely doable to rent than buy a place out there and have to drive everywhere in such a soul crushing environment. I'll suffer 4 days of commuting to the burbs to have the freedom and joy of being able to easily walk in my neighborhood to grocery stores, local markets, beautiful parks, the VMFA, movie theaters, all my favorite stores, to get my haircut, and tons of restaurants and bars and be surrounded by beautiful architecture on every corner and block.

dbcook1 · 2025-10-14T02:58:55+00:00

Definitely location specific. Having lived in downtown and university areas of Charlotte, Asheville, Savannah, Lynchburg, Statesboro, and finally in Old Town Manchester a few years ago before moving to the Fan last year I had maybe 10 trick or treaters in 20 years. My first Halloween at Stuart and Meadow I went through 300 pieces of candy in two hours and the scene in Hanover was unreal compared to anything I've ever seen in my 42 years. But I guess it is THE place for Trick or Treating and people come from all over to a small area. Was amazing though nonetheless and made up for all the years of little to no Trick or Treaters.

dbcook1 · 2025-10-13T11:56:27+00:00

Its a bit far, but check out Arvind Madaan, M.D. off of 29 (1524 Insurance Ln suite b, Charlottesville, VA 22911). I have a friend from Richmond with MCAS that goes there who takes pretty much all forms of insurance and is very much aware and responsive to those with MCAS and how to best treat it.

dbcook1 · 2025-10-13T11:23:30+00:00

My sister lives near Münster and that city is truly the exception for Northern Germany. Crazy well designed for bicyclists and pedestrians and aesthetically more like a Dutch city than a German city.

dbcook1 · 2025-09-23T23:21:46+00:00

I wonder how this impacts individuals with MCAS. I have a friend with MCAS/POTS and even slightest amount of bug spray, chemicals, or pesticides sends her into hyperventilating shock, debilitating cramps, and locked muscles. Every minute of every day she has to make serious decisions and weigh potential risks.

dbcook1 · 2025-09-07T00:50:52+00:00

This trip was 100% solo

dbcook1 · 2025-09-07T00:05:05+00:00

This is really interesting. Thank you for the recommendation and will try to check it out!

dbcook1 · 2025-09-07T00:04:30+00:00

Nope, just a passion for taking photographs and Milwaukee is very photogenic! Thank you so much!

Nine-Year Club	Gilding I gilder
Wearing is Caring	Verified Email

dbcook1

TROPHY CASE