Having more things means losing more things

I’ve been doing this thing for a while - stashing multiple quantities of things I need or want to have handy at different times and in different locations - and I am happy to report that it’s not only wasteful, but it also doesn’t work. It sorta works for things like power bricks that are semi-permanently attached to a place (e.g.: you sit on a couch and there is a power cord for your laptop there.) But it doesn’t work for things like eye glasses, notebooks and headphones. They either slowly all end up in the same place or just get lost one by one - having more things means losing more things.

I remember a tale I’ve heard as a child. It was about an ancient ruler who decorated his worrier’s swards and shields with precious stones so they wouldn’t lose them and leave them behind fleeing a battle field. And that’s similar to the new approach I’m testing - acquiring the best pair of eye glasses money can buy and hanging tight to them. This, I noticed, creates a deeper emotional attachment to a thing so I end up carrying it around and caring about it more. And I hope it leads to a less cluttered life - the proverbial “less is more.”

Is rock climbing bad for you?

Nah! It’s awesome for you! Climb on!

There's no privacy, there's no freedom and there's no spoon...

Well, maybe the spoon does exist. But the privacy and freedom - the lack of which people so love to whine about - are neither the state, nor the right. They are both relative conditions proportionate to the amount of fight we put up. We fight harder if we want more and we lose them if we stop paying attention.

Leaving

Leaving is never easy. Be it leaving your parents’ house to go to college, or leaving a city your grew up in. It’s not easy to leave a girlfriend of 1 year or a spouse of 11. And it’s not easy to move to another country on the opposite side of the globe, with the different language, customs and culture. Leaving is hard and it hurts.

Sometimes it’s bittersweet - it’s the end of something good, but also the beginning of something better. Though regardless of whether it was good or bad, it takes time to adjust to your new life. Time heals all wounds, they say - I suppose it’s true to a degree. But it always takes work to truly move on. If you’re lucky, all you need is a good song - “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” helped me get over a break up with my girlfriend in college. “Life goes on, bra,” I reminded myself, when my spirits took a steep dive. Other times you will go through a painful withdrawal - crying feats and everything.

It doesn’t matter if the thing you are moving away from was bad and leaving feels more like escape - emigrating from a poor country or divorcing an abusive husband - what you often leave behind and have to mourn for properly is a dream that will never become a reality. Not in that country or with that person, anyway. You might have spent years working on your dream and now it’s time to move on.

But the new life presents its own challenges. You might find yourself trying to fit your old square ways in your new round life. Keeping an open mind is crucial.

And if you’re depressed and can’t see the obvious? Ask for help. A friend who would listen or a professional therapist - if you think you need help, ask for it - that’s what friends are for.

Buckwheat pancakes

Buckwheat Pancakes

This is my favorite recipe for pancakes. I made it a dozen times in the last few months. Please note that ratios are given by weight, not volume. Invest in kitchen scale if you’re serious about cooking, they make getting consistent results so much easier.

Buckwheat pancakes are best enjoyed with honey and hot tea.

Ingredients (by weight)

• 1 part organic buckwheat flour
• 1 part whole wheat flour
• 2 parts 1% low fat milk
• 1 part eggs
• 1/2 part extra virgin olive oil
• salt and cinnamon to taste

Directions

Separate egg whites from yokes. Mix yokes with flour, milk, olive oil, salt and cinnamon - don’t overdo it. At this point you should get a pretty thick batter - don’t worry about it. Next, beat the egg whites until you get the nice stiff peaks - this is a very important step, do not skip it. Then gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Make sure you do not to lose too many air bubbles, they are what is going to make your pancakes fluffy and light. Pour 1/4 cup of batter on a lightly oiled pan and cook until ready on medium high heat.

Yield

If you start with one egg and go from there, you should end up with 4-6 pancakes depending on the size of the egg.