First World Journey

Three weeks until the post-op six month mark! I really can't believe that it's almost been 6 months since my surgery. And it's crazy in the context of everything that's been happening in the meantime. With my time spent on love, career, money, social life, health/fitness, etc., I am truly living in the first world...

Sometimes, in this world, small things get me down and discourage me. Sometimes, a part of myself climbs out from the catacombs. She rears her resentful head towards people who have grown up with money and more privilege and more opportunity. (According to the Swiss, "envy is the great enemy of happiness.") I'm disappointed in myself every time I find myself resentful or in envy... because I know I was very lucky to be raised in Anaheim. I was very lucky to go to Oxford. I was very lucky to meet the people I did. There is no reason for me to not take those opportunities and live a life more extraordinary than what could have been. In a different reality, my life could have been a very different struggle...

No matter the struggle, though, I like to believe that I'd always become stronger because of one. Struggle makes you fearful... but at the same time: more courageous.

I may say it's hard. I may complain. I may exaggerate 'I'm dying.'
But if life wasn't this difficult, I'd be bored out of my mind.

And now! Fitness goals I've been working towards in the post-surgery period:

Short term

• 1 mile: 7:00
• 2 mile: 16;00
• Work up to a solid 5km

Long term (1 year from now)

• 1 mile: 6:30
• 12km: 56:00
• Don't die after 11 mile hikes...

I need to work more on sports-specific training..

Past race times

• 12km: 1:01:56 | pace 8:18/mi | B2B 2014, San Francisco #42 age/gender
• 10km: 0:50:50 | pace 8:11/mi | Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 10km 2012
• 10km: 0:50:56 | pace 8:12/mi | Clearwater Bay Chase 2012, Hong Kong
• 400m: 0:01:10 (70'') | HKUST A-Meet 2011

Currently Listening: I Want You to Know (Zedd ft. Selena Gomez), Call You Home (Kelvin Jones - Zwete edit)

Currently Reading: The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World (Eric Weiner)
Recently Watched: Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Vocab Recap: perspicacious