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JANUARY 2025
FALLING FORWARD
Growth on the Slopes
bother me much, but in the end, the outfit was significantly deficient in both form and function. I remember anxiously waiting to be sized for boots and skis at the ski rental area. I remember how awkward it was to walk in the boots the very first time. I popped on my skis, shuffled into the line for the main lift, and somehow miraculously made it on the lift without falling. I was not so lucky getting off the lift and made quite a mess on my first exit. My uncle was my “instructor” and helped me get up. With some effort, he got me moving in the right direction and starting to head down the mountain. As you might have guessed, it was a bit of a train wreck. I didn’t know how to turn or slow down, and my uncle’s cries of “Pizza pie!” were not helping. I fell all the time. I fell when I tried to turn. I fell when my skis crossed. I fell when little kids would effortlessly blast past me. And I especially fell when I was going too fast and that was one set of brakes I could control. Sometimes, I would fall down as soon as I got up.
It looks like 2025 will break that pattern, and I think that’s a good thing.
My family is not a ski family.
None of my kids have gone skiing in their lives, and my wife and I haven’t skied since the winter before we were married. I think I would have kept up the once or twice-a-season habit I formed starting my senior year of high school, but a couple of bad falls on my wife’s part killed any and all interest she ever had in it. And her lack of interest and our busy lives have resulted in time continuing to pass without the slopes, lifts, skis, and poles.
Anne and I want the kids to try out skiing at a much younger age than either of us learned it, both to see if they like it and also because learning when you are younger seems a lot easier. Plus, even though they all think they are going to be gracefully skiing the slopes as soon as they clip in, I know from experience that skiing is hard, and I want my kids to learn the lesson of doing hard things and working through it (and build the self-confidence that comes when you finally get it). So, with that in mind, we signed all four of them up for a local after-school program that includes rentals, lift passes, and instruction.
The kids getting ready to ski had me thinking back to the first time I ever went skiing …
My aunt and uncle took me for a weekend trip to Okemo in Vermont. I didn’t have any ski gear, so I packed a mix of jackets, gloves, hats, socks, and pants from my father and brothers to kind of put together a ski outfit. I am a function- over-form guy, so the look usually doesn’t
Dreaming about snow and skiing.
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ROBOTIC RELIEF Astribot Takes Housework by Storm
Some of the “yard sales” were epic, with skis, poles, and clothing all over the mountain. I remember getting up after one especially good tumble and seeing that my uncle was on the ground, too. He was laughing so hard that he lost his balance and fell over. But the truth of the matter is that falling is part of the process, both in skiing and in life. If you want to get better at something, if you want to learn something new, if you want to grow, if you want to achieve something of worth, you have to be willing to fall. I would say even more strongly that it goes beyond a willingness to fall. If the objective is big enough, it requires that you fall along the path. So, I did. I fell and I fell and I fell and I fell. I fell more in an hour than most new skiers probably fell in a day. But with each fall I learned something … how to adjust my stance, how to get my balance, how to control my edges. And by the end of the day, I wasn’t just surviving the slopes … I was skiing. It wasn’t pretty yet, and more falls would come, but because I leaned into the humbling experience of falling, I was able to ski much faster than had I tried to avoid the fall in the first place. This skiing memory reminded me of a truth we hold dear at RCW: Growth often comes from failure. This value, which we call endlessly improving , is at the heart of everything we do. Just like on the slopes, managing rental properties involves moments of trial and error. Challenges with tenants, unexpected maintenance issues, or adapting to new regulations can sometimes feel like falling flat on your face. But each challenge is an opportunity to learn, improve, and grow stronger. At RCW, we approach property management with the mindset that mistakes aren’t failures — they’re stepping stones to becoming better. We continuously refine our processes, whether it’s finding more effective ways to market your property, screening tenants, or maintaining your home. We don’t just strive to avoid falling; we use every experience to move forward, ensuring we’re delivering the best possible results for you. Like skiing, success in property management isn’t about avoiding every challenge — it’s about being willing to tackle them, learn from them, and ultimately glide toward your goals.
Imagine waking up to freshly brewed coffee, folded laundry, and a homemade meal ready to go, all without ever having to lift a finger. Meet Astribot, the new humanoid robot from China that can do all your house chores for you using artificial intelligence. From vacuuming and cooking to reminding you of necessary appointments, this cutting-edge robot could revolutionize how we live our daily lives. Could your chores soon be a thing of the past? With its advanced AI and human-like capabilities, this cutting-edge helper might just be the future of household convenience! Meet the minds behind Astribot. The Astribot S1 was created by Stardust Intelligence, a Chinese startup specializing in data labeling and data strategy services. The company unveiled its robot at the World Robot Conference in Beijing this August, and the demo video they released to the world of its capabilities showcased an impressive piece of technology. Capable of complex and precise physical tasks, its AI is the real star of the show. The Astribot can learn and interact with its environment, mimicking human decision-making. Stardust hopes to commercialize the robot this year, making it available for research and home use. Unleashing Astribot’s versatile skills. The Astribot is on a wheeled base and can move through a space with ease. It’s capable of completing a wide range of human tasks like effortlessly flipping toast in a pan, plugging in wires, and even organizing items by their type. The robot can also adjust its grip and force to hold different objects like a fragile cup or heavy cooking equipment. It’s designed to learn from you, using its interactions with people and the real world to evolve over time. Though simple tasks like connecting wires are easy for humans, robots have historically struggled with tasks like this that depend on spatial awareness. But for the dexterous Astribot, these difficult chores come quickly. As we head into a new era of home automation, Astribot is poised to redefine our daily routines. With an impressive ability to learn and adapt, it’s one of the most human robots we’ve seen thus far.
Here’s to leaning into the falls so we all can grow faster and better.
P.S. Someone famously griped that “skiing is the only sport where you pay an arm and a leg to break an arm and a leg.” Very true, but I really hope that is not in my kids’ future.
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Depending on how you organize your home, your pantry is either a tidy spot for storing snacks or a dungeon-like display of disorganization. If a walk-through of your current space would give Gordon Ramsay a kitchen nightmare, here are three ways to whip it into shape. Purge and Polish Before you do anything else, empty out the contents of your pantry entirely. You heard that right — everything must go! Move all your items to another room, check all expiration dates, and dispose of everything that’s gone bad. Next, check the quality of your pantry shelves and replace any that could pose a safety risk — or create a colossal mess — if they were to collapse. Next, wipe down and disinfect the entire area before filling it up again with the food items you decide to keep. Decrease and Declutter Now that you’ve determined what stays and what goes, look for ways to rearrange your pantry further. For example, cereal boxes are space-killers, so why not pour their contents into containers that will preserve freshness longer and occupy less space? You’ll create extra room for small kitchen appliances that may get in your way. SECRETS TO A SPOTLESS PANTRY Transform Your Food Zone
Repurpose and Revitalize If you need new ways to store items, look around the rest of your house before spending money at the store. Why purchase new containers when the glass jars you’d otherwise recycle would work just as well? After removing the labels, a good wash and rinse is often all it takes to make them as good as new. Do you have baskets or bins in your home you aren’t using to hold much? Empty and repurpose them to store more goodies at less cost. It’s incredible how often we burn through cash on new items when we already have plenty of things that could serve the same purpose. All you need is a little imagination!
One-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
TAKE A BREAK
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
Ingredients
• 4 celery ribs, chopped • 4 medium carrots, chopped • 2 bay leaves • 1 tsp dried thyme • 3 cups uncooked egg noodles (about 8 oz) • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley • 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 1/2 lbs skinless,
bone-in chicken thighs
• 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp pepper • 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 10 cups chicken broth
Directions
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In an 8-quart stockpot over medium- high heat, add oil and chicken and cook until golden brown, 3–4 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. 2. Add onion to drippings; cook over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and bring to a boil. Return chicken to pot. Add celery, carrots, bay leaves, and thyme. Reduce heat and cover; simmer until chicken is tender, 25–30 minutes. 3. Turn off heat. Remove chicken to a plate. Add noodles and let stand, covered, until noodles are tender, 20–22 minutes. 4. Shred chicken meat into bite-size pieces, and return to pot. Stir in parsley and lemon juice, and discard bay leaves.
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INSIDE
1
Falling Forward
2
A New Dawn for Domestic Duties
3
Tips for a Tidy Food Area
One-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
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Creative Ways to Design Around Exposed Brick
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR EXPOSED BRICK WITH THESE DESIGN TIPS Brick by Brick
Whether your home has a rustic brick chimney or a bold brick accent wall, it’s all about balancing brick’s raw, textured charm with your style. Here’s how to make the most of this distinctive feature in your home. Highlight the heritage. Exposed brick can bring your space back in time, adding antique elegance. To amplify this charm, incorporate decor with a vintage flair. Think weathered wood, classic paintings, and ornate rugs that complement the brick’s rustic tones. Mix it with the modern. Who says old and new can’t mingle? Pairing exposed brick with modern elements creates a contrast that catches the eye. Opt for minimalist
designs like sleek black countertops or glossy white surfaces. Focus on the brick. Let your exposed brick wall take center stage by keeping surrounding elements understated. A neutral color scheme with white, soft gray, or earth tones will let the brick’s rich texture and color shine through.
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