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Ryan Haack

@livingonehanded

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Husband, dad, speaker.
Twitter: @livingonehanded
YouTube: LivingOneHanded
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I love the Milwaukee Brewers.

If you know me at all, you know this. You’ve seen the hats, the shirts, probably even my @brewers debit card. 😂

After last night’s win, so many of you messaged me some version of, “You were the first person I thought of!”

And here come the waterworks.

I’ve been learning a lot about myself these past couple years and I’m realizing the Brewers have been more than just my team. They’ve been a constant through what has, in many ways, been a uniquely complicated life.

I was five when Harvey’s Wallbangers went to the World Series in 1982. Yount, Molitor, Coop, Gorman, Rollie, Ueck. I don’t remember it all, but little me was already ALL IN.

And now, 44 years later, we’re going back. It’s surreal.

Looking through old pictures and memorabilia, I’m reminded that every Brewers thing I own tells a story. The McDonald’s glasses from 1982. The program from 1985. The Robin Yount report I wrote when I was SEVEN. The baseball cards. Even one commemorating the no-hitter thrown ON MY BIRTHDAY, signed by both pitchers and numbered 77/99. (I was born 9/11/77. COME ON.)

And then there’s the baseball my dad got Bob Uecker to sign. We lost Dad in 2014 and Ueck last year. I can just imagine them sharing a High Life somewhere, my dad saying, “Can you believe this shit, Ueck? They get back there NOW?”

“Buncha assholes,” Bob replies with a wink as they toast each other.

Sigh.

I've also gotten to share this passion with my own family. Years of games with my in-laws. Watching my kids become fans. Sam calling after last night’s win so we could yell and laugh in disbelief together.

So when someone sees my Brewers gear and asks, “Big fan, huh?” The answer is yes. But behind that yes is an “if you only knew.”

I know it’s just a game. Except, for me, it isn’t.

Of course I want them to win it all. But whatever happens, I’m grateful for the memories, the people, the connection... the ride.

That said...

THAT’S MY CREW. LET'S GO GET A CHAMPIONSHIP! 💪😤😁 by @livingonehanded

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5 hours ago

One month from today the adventure begins.

My friend @kylescheele sent me a text exactly a month ago asking what I’m up to in November. While my response was hilarious, as with most of what we send each other - it will remain solely with the two of us. Forever.

Even with ZERO context, I knew whatever Kyle was about to ask me was going to be awesome. And it was. The short version: “Wanna go to China with me?” 😳

Basically, we’re going to be joining a small group of people in Beijing and going on a ten day adventure via high speed rail all the way down to Hong Kong, making stops in five of “the most charming traditional places left in China. Altogether we’ll cover 3,000 kilometers crossing China top to bottom, visiting places you have never heard of, and witnessing the heart of China centuries away from its futuristic cities.”

In between will be days on trains with intentional conversation, both individually during the day (with others in our group) and in the evening, having dinner together and discussing a different topic at length every night.

I’ll be honest: while my initial response was “this is an opportunity of a lifetime that I can’t pass up!” it took me a bit to deal with the resistance. What about my knee? Will I be able to handle the planes and trains and walking? Kyle graciously let me throw a dozen other worries at him as I processed, which helped me to see the normalcy of it all.

So, one month from today I’ll head to Phoenix to meet up with Kyle, then we’ll head to LAX and then…China. We'll be there for 10 days. “This will be a pioneering, maybe a first attempt for a rail tour in China outside of the cities. All I can guarantee is that you will see a China few people (even in China) have seen.”

This is going to be incredible. And getting to do it with one of my best friends on earth…dude, we’re gonna annoy SO many people. CAN’T WAIT. 🤣☺️ by @livingonehanded

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7 days ago

It's hard to explain how happy this makes me. ☺️

When I created "Different Is Awesome!" eleven years ago, the hardcover was on purpose. I wanted it to be something that would last. A book that kids could read and pull and rip and crinkle...and it would hold up.

And with every subsequent printing (seventh is needed soon!) I've been offered the option to go with a softcover to save on costs. I never have and I don't think I ever will.

It makes me pretty emotional thinking about the hundreds (thousands?!) of kids who have read THIS specific copy that I donated to the @veronalibrary back in 2015. Just incredible. 🥹

As I was leaving @burnbootcampveronawi today @kaymchugh was taping back together the copy I donated to the kids room and, welp, I'm getting choked up just thinking about it again. It's a special place with a lot of people who mean a lot to me, so knowing that I get to be a small part of helping their kiddos be good humans... Means the world to me.

So, if you have a "well loved" copy in your kid's room or your basement or your waiting room or your grandparents' house... Just know that it makes me really, really happy. ☺️ by @livingonehanded

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9 days ago

Day 4! Today our daily theme is “Boundaries.”
We encourage you to reflect on the boundaries that help protect your time, energy, and well-being. Sometimes caring for ourselves means knowing when to say yes and when it’s okay to say no. Boundaries are loving, to you, and to others.
Take this small step toward care, and continue these conversations in your life and community. Follow along here and check us out at 10for10wi.com for resources and more!
#10for10WI #SmallStepsRealCare #MentalHealthMatters #HealthyBoundaries #SelfCare by @livingonehanded

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12 days ago

September is over?!

It was a month of transition. Anna’s back in Chicago, Claire moved into her dorm at UW–Madison, and just like that…we’re officially empty nesters. 😳

I turned 49. I spent most of the month still recovering from knee surgery, but gratefully started making my way back to Burn. It feels SO good to be sore and sweaty again.

Lots of appointments, coffee shops, estate sales and @brewers baseball!

I usually don’t do much for my birthday, but this year it happened to coincide with @phthalo.art's show at @lakesidestcoffee, and it made me ridiculously happy. The perfect ending to a really full, really great day.

Claire turned 19. Anna turned 21. And we got to celebrate both of them, which was so fun.

I also got to experience the Level Up Games as a spectator for the first time. I’ll admit, there was a part of me that felt like I should be doing something “helpful,” but maybe just showing up, cheering loudly, and being there was part of the growth too. 😂 I was so freaking proud of EVERYBODY on that floor.

And, as usual, my favorite memories from the month have less to do with what I did and more to do with who I got to do life with. The people I care about. And the friends who care about me.

I’m still learning how to receive that sometimes. But I’m learning. And I’m incredibly grateful for all of you.

Tomorrow starts the last quarter of the year and holy crap…I’m pretty excited.

There’s one once-in-a-lifetime adventure coming in November in particular that has me like 😳🤣😁

Stay tuned.

Let’s get it. by @livingonehanded

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17 days ago

Best birthday ever?! 🤷‍♂️☺️ What a day. Started at @burnbootcampveronawi with dozens of high fives from so many friends! Snuck into an estate sale and grabbed a couple beautiful pieces of art. Stopped at the Nitty to get my mug, obviously. But the real highlight was attending @phthalo.art's show at @lakesidestcoffee to end the day. The light she brings to her art and to her community is so bright and it was beautiful to see it reflected back to her by so many in attendance tonight. She gave a beautiful little talk and everything was done and organized SO well! So lovely to see her whole family involved in the operation and a pleasure to talk to them, too!

AND I had the winning bid on one of the original paintings from the Forward Madison game where I originally met Kyla! ☺️🥳 Excited to continue following her artistic journey.

Oh, and we ran off to the taqueria, too 🤣

My goal today was to do things that make me happy with people I enjoy.

Mission accomplished.

Here's to forty-NOINE! lol by @livingonehanded

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a month ago

This little guy is full.

I bought this tiny hardcover notebook in May 2019 and in July I decided it would be a “Things That Made Me Smile Today” journal. There were two entries on July 11th. There weren’t anymore. The next entries were in April and August of 2020. Two pages. One was a list of pose ideas for family pictures I was taking of some of my best friends.

Then it sat. For almost six years.

In April of this year I started writing a journal entry in the form of four haikus almost daily. Just for me. Not for content. Not with an eye to publish at some point. Just as a practice of doing something I love consistently. It’s brought me so much joy. I feel it when I don’t write. After my surgery a couple weeks ago, I didn’t write for a week and when I sat down at the table and cracked my notebook, it made such a difference (sharing the entry from 8/13/26).

The sad news is that @leuchtturm1917 discontinued this size notebook in 2024…but I have an idea. 🤔😁

I’m going to keep writing. And I have some ideas for other creative projects that I hope will make it out into the world, but I think this little practice of making something just just for me is going to help me make those things, too.

It’s funny… I bought this notebook seven years ago to keep track of things that made me smile.

And now it’s one of them. by @livingonehanded

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2 months ago

Happy TEN YEAR anniversary to this classic. 😂 And whatever whatever to all those who celebrate or whatever. 🙄🤣 by @livingonehanded

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2 months ago

Happy birthday, babe. I was thinking today that we started going out when you were 23. And while I question your decision-making, I'm forever grateful for it. 🤣☺️ Kind of a random selection of pictures, but I love every one of them because they show... You. An amazing mom, a fun and funny friend, gorgeous eyes with that crinkly nose smile, a laugh that fills the room, literal and figurative fairy wings that bring little kiddos to you... I hope you felt seen and loved today. That's what you do for everyone else. Me included. Love you, sweet cheeks.

(I've never called her that in my life and she's rarely on social media, so she's gonna HATE IT when she sees it. So, kinda happy birthday to me, toooooooo 🤣) by @livingonehanded

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3 months ago

This is why I wrote “Different Is Awesome.”

This is why I do school assemblies.

My daughter texted this real-life situation to me that her friend told her about and I’m just sitting here trying not to explode. It’s so freaking cute and I’m beyond grateful.

For context, Claire and Josie are counselors at a summer camp and one of the campers is a little buddy of mine who has one hand. Well, another camper told Josie that at first he thought my buddy wouldn’t be able to shoot a basketball, but then he remembered a book they read in school that was about how people with limb-differences can do everything he does - including shoot a basketball! “He can play basketball just like anybody else!” he said.

Yeah, forget it…I’m crying. 😭 Worth it. 🤣

The fact that this kid saw another kid with one hand, assumed something, then REMEMBERED MY FREAKING BOOK AND ADJUSTED HIS MINDSET…I’m gonna throw-up I’m so happy.

Parents, teachers, grandparents, @govevers @senmelissaratcliff, family, friends, every single person who has ever read my book to your kids or any kids anywhere… Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. It really, truly makes a difference. In real life. It’s not just a nice idea. It matters. You matter and YOU are making a difference. 🥹❤️

Love you guys.

And yeah, I’m legit crying. I don’t just say that crap for likes. 🤣 by @livingonehanded

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4 months ago

I’ll be honest, I’m not really sure what I’m feeling right now.

It’s Father’s Day and while there are a lot of complicated emotions around that for me, I guess what I’m mostly feeling is…grateful.

I’m grateful for my Sam and Anna and Claire.

Yeah, let’s face it, I’m gonna cry my way through this entire thing… 😂

They’re not my munchkins anymore, and yeah there are times I miss those little goobers climbing into my lap, but I freaking love the incredible people they are now.

Sam, getting himself through school, passing every test with flying colors (see what I did there?) to become a fully certified aircraft mechanic, already with his first job at a charter hangar working on private jets, galavanting with his smart beautiful funny girlfriend and her awesome family, living and dying with the Brewers… A good, kind, funny, smart, handsome young man. I couldn’t be more proud.

Anna, still unaware of how unbelievably talented she is as an artist, my Chicago city girl, finding friends and life and LOVE, the heartbreak she’s overcome, her smile and laugh that flood the room, the sense of humor we share and the sensitive spirit we sometimes don’t know what to do with… A kind, insanely talented, funny, whip smart, beautiful young woman. I couldn’t be more proud.

And Claire…Sigh. What doesn’t she do well?! On student council, president of a club, sang in choir, played basketball and lacrosse, good grades etc etc But what makes me most proud is her character. It’s who she’s friends with and the kind of friend she is. All the memories she made and will continue to make. A brilliant, friendly, social lol, brave, gorgeous young woman. I couldn’t be more proud.

I kind of can’t believe I get to be their dad. They’re so freaking cool.

Sometimes I look back and wish I had done some things differently (and you kids will work through that with your therapists at some point - keep me posted lol), but mostly I’m grateful that I have three amazing kids who have grown into amazing adults and, so far as I am aware, still love me. 🤣

That makes for a pretty great day. ☺️ Love you, Sam Anna and Claire. Always have. Always will. by @livingonehanded

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4 months ago

This hits my little dramatic romantic heart’s sweet spot so hard.

I stopped by an estate sale on Thursday and told myself that if by some miracle this was still there on 50% Saturday, I’d grab it. Miraculously, it’s now mine.

This is an original cabinet card from the 1880’s by DF Barry featuring an iconic portrait of the Hunkpapa Lakota leader Sitting Bull by photographer Orlando Scott Goff. Barry, who moved to Columbus, WI in 1861 apprenticed with Goff, eventually becoming business partners as their friendship grew, traveling the plains together from 1878-1883 amassing what are now considered some of the most important photographs in the historical record of the Native American people.

Where does my brain go with a piece like this? Let me tell you…

First, it’s beautiful. I can’t stop looking at it and noticing something new. And then I think about how it’s almost 150 years old. That’s incredible. Then I think about the interactions between these men. Barry and Sitting Bull. Amazing. (The Lakota people nicknamed Barry “Little Shadow Catcher” which I’ll be thinking about for a week) I think about Barry and Goff and their friendship. The conversations they had about their trade and life while on their travels. I also wonder if Barry wrote the “Sitting Bull” on the back of the card. It seems reasonable to me, but I’m not sure and I’m not sure if or how I’ll find out. I also love that it’s not in perfect condition. That said, the crease across his face is really bumming me out. But again, 150 years old…and how many of these even still exist?!

That gives you a glimpse of the world of thoughts and emotions that open up in my mind and heart when I see something like this. It’s cool, yes, but to me it’s so much more. It’s history. It’s a story. And now, by some miracle, I get to be a part of it. by @livingonehanded

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4 months ago