What Am I Doing Here?

Vienna edition

I’ve moved to my next European homebase, Vienna, where I’ll stay through New Year’s.

This morning I sat down and asked, What am I doing here?

Here are the answers.

Paying for space and privacy

At $1500/month, this 2-bedroom Airbnb is pricier than my typical digs. But after a long summer of traveling and being hosted, I’m delighted to hunker down and return the favor. I’ve got dance friends, Couchsurfers, and family members coming to visit. And with or without guests, the privacy and stability are great for my creative projects.

Mending a bruised heart

My summer love took a turn for the worse, and now I have an embittered ex in the European fusion dance scene: exactly the situation I wanted to avoid. Fortunately, when things got tough, many friends (old and new) offered wise words. I took the chance to revisit attachment theory and notice that the “avoidant” style of ending a relationship—put up a wall, deny closure, burn it all down—is what I just experienced… and it’s the same approach I once employed to end certain relationships in my twenties and early thirties. Damn, that hurts double.

Interviewing amazing people

I’m doing tons of interviews and exploratory “pre-interviews” for the Dirtbag Rich podcast, and I’m blown away by how each guest expresses a unique combination of financial freedom, time wealth, and meaning-making. I’m banking up episodes so I can continue publishing regularly while taking teens to Greece & Turkey this spring.

Writing super slowly

With so much energy directed toward the podcast, my writing has slowed to a trickle. And that’s okay. This next book feels like a true slow-burn, not to be rushed. Each of my previous books had clear role models, i.e., other books I wanted to emulate in voice, scope, and composition. Dirtbag Rich has no role model. So I’m proceeding like a cautious sculptor, chipping away a bit more of the marble, day by day.

Moving, moving, moving

Winter’s lethargy makes physical movement taste all the sweeter. In the last few weeks I’ve done lots of fusion dance plus a bit of trail running, swimming, bouldering, and contango (contact improv + tango). This weekend I’m diving into Urban Kiz, a new dance style that has entranced me. And I’m cycling all over the city. Happy body, happy mind.

Assessing long-term prospects

Much of what I’m doing, I could be doing anywhere. So why Vienna? Initially it was the architecture, Christmas markets, reasonable costs, and dance opportunities. But now the question is: Is this a place where I can make durable friendships? If so, I might stick around longer. I get to be in Europe through April 2026, and instead of returning to my nomadic ways next summer, maybe I’ll do the thing that’s actually a stretch for me: staying rooted.

That’s what I’m doing here in Vienna. If you’re in the neighborhood, do say hello. And I’ve got a place for you to crash.

Among the Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas Markets)

Fusion friends, enjoying the taco dinner I prepared for 20 hungry dancers

Couchsurfers from Turkey, both firefighters at Istanbul International Airport

(First video: accurate summary of my recent love life. Second video: fun montage of moving from Brussels to Vienna with all my possessions on a bike, originally published on TikTok.)