mk am I missing something, when did this become a "discuss" button and "contribute" button? Whoa. Welcome back, Cumol! It's good to see you here again. There's something about being outdoors that's exceedingly human. I think that running, in particular, is one of the most human activities. Other animals sprint, dig, fight, etc., but very few are built for distances the way a person is. And yet it seems like very few people take advantage of that. The relationships question is a big one. I just saw your post and have a question for you, as it's a problem I have as well. What is it that causes you to lose interest after a few weeks? Nope! I've never even (knowingly) heard of Hermann Hesse before. Any recommendations on a good place to start with him?