Snowbird Chronicles: Would You Sleep in a Giant Potato? (Yes, It’s Real!)

Before we dive in, here’s what’s on the agenda this week:

🏃 Live Longer: The surprising health benefits of walking barefoot.

🌟 Enjoy More: A giant Idaho potato you can sleep in—yes, really.

💰 Stay Informed: Why 4-day workweeks might be the future (and how they impact retirees).

📸 Stay Connected: A simple photo trick to reconnect with old friends.

📝 Power Challenge: Step outside barefoot and feel the earth beneath your feet. 💬 

Gen Z Slang: Impress your grandkids with ‘Huzz’—or at least make them laugh.

Now, let’s get into it!

Welcome to Our New Members! 🎉

If you’re new here, welcome! You just joined a crew of go-getters who believe that life should get more exciting with age, not less. Around here, we talk about how to live longer, explore more, and stay connected. And if you ever have a great story, insight, or just a wild idea—hit reply. I read every message.

🏃 Live Longer: The Secret Health Hack You Probably Did Every Summer as a Kid (If you’re like me)

Remember when we used to run around barefoot as kids? Back when summer meant grass-stained feet, scraped knees, and not a care in the world? Turns out, we were onto something. Life sciences, a health website, found that astronauts age faster in space. Why? They lose connection to Earth’s natural electrical charge. Turns out, that connection is more important than we think. Walking barefoot on the ground—what scientists call ‘Earthing’—reduces stress, lowers inflammation, and helps you sleep better.

🦶 Try this: Kick off your shoes and step outside for 10 minutes a day. Let the ground wake up your senses like it did when you were a kid racing down the block barefoot. If you’re in a colder spot, go ahead—embrace a little resilience and do it anyway. The real challenge? Feeling the earth beneath you without thinking about the cold. Feel the ground under your feet. It might look weird to the neighbors, but hey—science says it works.

Ever given it a shot? Did it make you feel more energized, or just make you realize your lawn needs mowing? Hit reply and tell me. lifesciences

🌟 Enjoy More: The Big Idaho Potato Hotel – A Stay Unlike Any Other 🥔

Think back to the 80s—when everything was bigger, bolder, and borderline outrageous. Shoulder pads? Huge. Boomboxes? Gigantic. Our hair? Defied gravity. Well, now you can sleep inside a giant potato in Idaho. Yes, really. sitting on 400 acres of Idaho farmland, and you can sleep in it. It’s quirky, it’s bizarre, and it’s one heck of a conversation starter.

Things to do while you’re there:

• Take some one-of-a-kind photos (your friends will demand proof).
• Explore Boise’s museums, parks, and local breweries.
• Soak in the quiet—no traffic, no noise, just farmland and fresh air.

Would you stay in a giant spud, or is this just too much starch for one trip? Hit reply and let me know Check out the photos in the listing on Airbnb.

💰 Stay Informed: The 4-Day Workweek – What Would You Have Done With More Time? 🏢⚡

Imagine if, back in the day, your boss walked in and said, "We’re moving to a 4-day workweek." No more Friday commutes, early morning meetings, or scrambling to finish everything before the weekend. Sounds pretty sweet, right? Well, companies around the world are testing 4-day workweeks and the results are in—people get more done in less time, stress levels drop, and employees are happier.

💡 Why it matters: Even if you’re retired, this trend affects your kids and grandkids. Plus, some retirees who work part-time could see shorter weeks with the same pay.

🔎 A fun line to use on your still-working friends: “Did you know a 4-day workweek boosts productivity? Maybe your boss should give it a shot—just for research, of course.” 😉

Would this have made your working years better, or would you have spent Fridays just catching up on house projects? Hit reply and tell me what you would’ve done with that extra day. 4dayweek.io

📸 Connect: The “Send an Old Photo” Trick – Because Nostalgia Never Gets Old

Nothing brings people together faster than nostalgia. Remember when we used to pull out thick photo albums and sit around the kitchen table laughing at old pictures? Now, those memories are just sitting on our phones, waiting to spark conversations. Send them an old photo. It’s the easiest way to start a conversation and bring back a good memory.

📌 Try this: Scroll through your phone (or dig up a photo album), find a great memory, and send it with “Remember this?” That’s it. No long message needed.

When’s the last time you did this? I dare you—dig up a gem, send it off, and let the memories do the rest. Try it today and let me know what happens.

📝 Power Challenge: Test Your Feet!

Every week, I’m throwing out a quick challenge—something simple, but worth doing. It's called the Power Challenge. No prizes, just the reward of trying something new.

This week: Walk barefoot outside for 10 minutes every morning. If you live in a warm climate, enjoy the feeling of the earth beneath your feet. If you're in a colder region, step outside anyway—the real challenge is to feel the ground without focusing on the temperature. Can you do it without immediately pulling your feet back? Feel the ground, breathe in the fresh air, and see if it changes how you feel. Bonus points if you tell me whether it refreshed you or just made you question my sanity.

Quote of the Day: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

💬 Gen Z Slang of the Day: “Huzz” -

Means hype or excitement. Example: “That Idaho potato hotel is pure huzz!” Try it on your grandkids and see if they look impressed or just confused. Either way, it’ll be fun.

Until Next Time…

Life doesn’t slow down unless you let it. Try something new, reconnect with an old friend, and keep looking for ways to make every day a little more interesting. Whether it’s walking barefoot, considering a 4-day workweek (if only retroactively), or staying in a giant potato, the point is to keep moving forward.

If you enjoyed this, share it with a friend. And if you’ve got a great story or insight—hit reply. I love hearing from you.

Stay curious,

Woody & The Snowbird Chronicles Team

🎁 Daily Bonus:

Thanks for reading to the end.