How I'm Doing.

Hello again to my modest viewership. To those who frequent my blog, this is going to be the best place to keep up with how I'm doing and what I'm doing.

Today began as most days do: very hot and with no relief by means of clouds or a breeze. As the afternoon has set in, amicable clouds rolled over camp and we received brief but welcome showers and a drop in the temperature. The extremely sparse plant life on base seems happy for the reprieve from oppressive heat; as am I.

On my wrist I wear a Casio G-Shock digital watch, given to me by my best friend Tony Messer perhaps two years ago. I can't help but consider all of the places it has already seen, and how incredibly durable it has been throughout these experiences; much like the friendship Tony and I possess. Everyone deserves at least one friend that understands them on a deeply spiritual level, so as to bring meaning to all of the experiences life affords us, and for me, Tony is that friend.

Also on my left wrist is the easily recognizable Livestrong bracelet, yellow in color. This was given to me by my new co-worker, Cindy Pruschki, who is the embodiment of living strong. She is closer to 60 than 50 and lives with so much vigor. She's an enduring spirit and works hard every day. She is showing me positive affirmation that we can live with intensity well into life. 

I began wearing the Livestrong bracelet Monday of last week, which is also when I vowed to integrate running into my life not as a habit, but a deep integration to the point where it is as natural as drinking water or getting plenty of rest. This past week I ran six days in a row, with today as my recovery day. I logged 18 miles which is modest, but a good start after considerable hiatus. My right knee has yet to scowl at me for reintroducing it to running. I'm going to attribute this to a rigid adherence to knee rehabilitation consisting of cycling extensively, quad strenghtening through weight training, and performing quad sets all throughout the day -- essentially any time I am standing I do them.

On my right wrist is a set of rosewood mala beads I acquired at Kamakura, Japan near Buddhist temples which I explored with former girlfriend and lifelong friend, Kimlee Davis. For a year and half this bracelet endured sweat, dirt, and showers while maintaining their rosewood smell. It has since languished in the olfactory department but is nonetheless a meaningful possession to me. I wear it daily and covet it as a reminder to return to the present moment and recount my great fortune in this charming life.

Though I am limited in what I can do here in Iraq, I find myself content to not do very much. As I have learned in the past, keeping good habits sustains happiness. Right action and right intention beget a true sense of joy which has staying power. For me it is not all that complicated; if I can read, write and run, I feel great. I have not been incredibly social since arrival to coastal Iraq, but I embrace my introversion and consider it a necessary asset to an aspiring writer.

I finished reading "The Art if Living" by Epictetus and would recommend this book to anyone who seeks meaning in their life and wants to enrich their character. It is a short and fairly noncommittal read, chunked into short, sometimes paragraph-long lessons which serve as sub-chapters. The translation by Sharon Lebell is succinct and without heady concepts. Easily digestible.

Moving on from Epictetus, I began reading a familiar author, one of my favorites. Haruki Murakami's "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" is a bit of a running memoir. One third of the way through this book, it is an easy and endearing read because of just how well Haruki Murakami writes. His style is honest and inviting, as if you feel at ease processing his most intimate thoughts. I first appreciated Haruki Murakami when I read his iconic work "Norwegian Wood" which became so incredibly viral in Japan and world-wide that he had to flee Japan for several decades to escape the hysteria. Murakami is an introvert as well and the attention he received brought on a certain amount of anxiety. In advance I would recommend this book on running if you have or ever had a passion for it. He vocalizes some thoughts which surely many runners have had.

The food here is better than expected, but unfortunately it is highly processed and repetitive at this small base. As a rule I tend to shy away from the meat as there have been several instances of upset stomach on base already in just my first week here. I adhere to a diet plentiful in fruits and vegetables, eating legumes and seeds when available. So far this works well in tandem with my approach to running. I feel very good most of the time, and have noticed this pseudo-vegetarian diet does not induce the same sort of post-lunch lull that I would experience after a heavier lunch.

Facebook has been a contentious subject for me in the past because I have believed that it can bring out the worst in people. People often say things to others on Facebook which they may not say in person. I have since removed many people from my friend list and edited account settings to purge most of the negativity and cattiness. Ever since I have arrived in Iraq, Facebook has become a valuable commodity for staying in touch with people back home. Some good friends have been sending me music suggestions and I'm very happy with what I've been listening to so far. I'd be more than happy to share these newfound musical artists with anyone.

In summation, how I'm doing is good to great. This is silly to say though, because in one day we all experience to many emotions. But the most abundant emotion for me is happiness, thankfulness that I have the opportunity to live such an eventful life. I've met many Iraqi, Nepalese and Ugandan people and they are a joy to talk to. Their appreciation for very basic things is infectious, I must say.

I hope all is well stateside for my friends and family. One thing I have found in being here is that there is not much stress on a daily basis. There is simply nothing here to stress over. In the states we are embattled all the time with stressors from various sources, and it can be hard to manage. I hope to learn a lesson on how to reduce unnecessary stressors with my new setting. Perhaps this is something I can bring back home with me when I am done here.

Namaste.