So instead of copying an excerpt from a philosophical treatise or bit of critical theory, or offering some sort of intellectual analysis of a strange grouping of ideas, I am going to make a list of things that make me happy. Because there is more to life than the deeply theoretical, and also because I am feeling a bit sad - and I have little tolerance for sad-feelings, so this is to cheer myself up.

Good things, in no particular order:

1) Tea. I love tea. I drank some black chai and instantly felt better. Any kind of tea is great, but yerba mate, green tea, mint tea, good chai blends, and English breakfast tea (I was raised on English breakfast tea) are my favs.

2) Sunrises. I wish I could convince myself to wake up early more often to watch the sunrise. My window faces west, so I’d have to walk outside to catch it…but I will, it’s worth it.

3) The way people smile when they’re truly happy and not just being polite. The way their noses crinkle.

4) Dogs and cats. Animals that evolved alongside humans to be their companions. Dogs and cats pick up on human emotions and are, I find, often more expressive and sympathetic than other people.

5) Good red wine; there is nothing more to be said on this.

6) Stargazing and identifying constellations. There is a whole universe out there!

7) Bonfires and campfires. I like fire a lot, in general.

8) ‘Cellos. Part of me is really happy that I don’t play the cello; I can enjoy the sounds of a cello more this way. Cello music is reverent and poignant. Nick Drake’s Cello Song should be required listening for all humans. And on that note…

9) Folk music. Sometimes I tell myself that I don’t like folk music; I’m not really sure why, because it’s a reliable source of comfort and a reminder of human grace.

10) Other people. In reality I can be a bit shy, but I love people, I like to hear laughter - as I am hearing outside my window now, familiar voices laughing and talking. I like living in a dorm for this reason; the din of others comforts and delights me, something that perhaps not everyone can relate to. Having found myself in a variety of different living situations in the last eighteen months, the value of being very close to other people really stands out. Humans are meant to be close together.

Well, there’s ten. I would also like to PUBLICLY make some resolutions: I aim to drink less coffee, be a bit more friendly, drive my car less often, and generally realize that life is pretty okay, there’s a world outside of the analytical, and cellos exist.

Spring is a time for joy and renewal. Generally my internet-offerings are a bit more strange or cynical than this, but at the end of the day, this is a lot closer to the person I am, really.

love,

e