Black Tea

Getting up early isn't always easy. My brain is foggy from being forced out of my dream state, my body wants nothing more than to continue resting, and, often, the sun isn't even up yet. In addition to some light exercise and taking some time for myself before jumping into my current translation project, having a hot cup of black tea helps take the edge (of sleepiness) off. Not only is its warmth incredibly soothing, but its modest amount of caffeine is just right so that later on in the morning when I have a cup of coffee I don't go soaring over the edge.

Thank you tea growers, wherever you may be. Thank you for taking care of these plants so that they may grow properly and healthily. Thank you tea harvesters and preparers. Thank you for gathering the bounty of these plants and getting it in a form that is ready to be placed in my cup with some hot water. And thank you, tea, for helping my day go just a little better.

Music

In this blog, you'll see a few recurring themes. Music is one of them. Since I was kid, I've been playing on a variety of instruments—a habit that has carried on to this day. Music has a way of speaking to my soul like nothing else can. I can express myself when I'm excited, it soothes me when I'm down, and it's the perfect outlet when I'm feeling creative. Music is an integral part of my life and it keeps me sane. Thank you, tiny vibrations through the air. Thank you, musicians, for creating such wonderful combinations of these vibrations, allowing my brain to light up as it puts the pieces together. Thank you, luthiers and other instrument-makers, for crafting the fine instruments I play on and experiment with. Thank you, speakers, big and small, for allowing me to listen to recorded music day or night.

Thank you, music.

My Mind

Thank goodness for this mind. It is amazing. It has capabilities beyond belief. I can already do so much with it, and yet there is so much more should I only put in the time and effort to explore and experiment. The mind is an incredible thing and I am so grateful for it. It allows me to enjoy music, solve puzzles, speak Russian, play chess, learn coding, cook meals, empathize with others, kick a soccer ball, dream, draw, write...absolutely everything.

My mind enables me to actively participate in life and for that, I am forever grateful. Think on.

A New Day

I am grateful for the chance to start over and renew my efforts. Yesterday may have been hard, but each new day is an opportunity to refocus, re-prioritize, and reawaken. Let's do this.

The Ability to Create

Today, I am grateful for the ability to create; to instigate change. At any given moment, I have the will, the consciousness, and the resources to change the course of my life. If a part of my life isn't what I want it to be, I can change it. I can will new habits and acquire to skills. I can even change my perception of the world around me.

Creation is about transmogrifying some resource into something else. Money into a startup. Power into the empowerment of others, building teamwork and leadership. An idea into a song, a product, a novel, a community, a way of living. The possibilities are literally endless (I don't use that word lightly). All it takes is a sense of responsibility to initiate that change and the will to do it.

I am infinitely grateful to wield this power over my life at all times, even if occasionally it doesn't feel like it.

Family (again)

I know I just wrote about my family but it's worth reemphasizing, especially considering that it's the holidays and that I've been spending more time with them. Family is amazing. My family is amazing. Though I may frequently forget it amid the many distractions in my life, they are my rock. Many things change—jobs, interests, home towns, free time, salary...—but family stays constant and they are the ones I always come back to.

I am grateful for my family and the love they show me.

Family

I am grateful for the loving family I have—now twice as big since October! I'm excited to spend time with some of them tomorrow and Christmas day. For my parents and sister, who won't be in the same town, I'm grateful to feel their love over the distance and to send them my own. They make the world a better place.

The Prodigal Son Returns

My, oh my, it's been a long time. I suppose not all that long in the grand scheme of things, but over the span of five—almost six—years, a lot has changed; so much so, in fact, that when I reread my old posts, they seem to have been written in another life.

Since these posts, I'd decided not to pursue medicine and instead got certified to teach English as a foreign language. In that class is where I met Mandy, with whom I subsequently trotted across the globe to teach in South Korea for a year. I went back to school and got my Master's degree in Russian, East European, and Central Asian studies. I spent six months living and studying in Moscow. I've started working as a translator and am currently translating a full-on Russian novel. And finally—and most importantly—Mandy and I got married.

So much has changed: my life, my outlook, my aspirations, my geographical location...but here I am. I've discovered the need to re-explore my daily life and reopen the wonder of things around me. I've discovered the need to actively practice gratitude and to stop taking the things I have for granted. It's easy to get lost in the abstract, the theoretical, and career pursuits and to stop being thankful for what you already have. So that's why I'm here again: to express my gratitude for everything I have in hopes that, bit by bit, my outlook may become more positive again; that I cease being indignant at the things I don't have and reignite the power of simply being happy with what I do.

So here's to a continued journey.

I am so very grateful to begin it once more.