Journal 2.0

I've kept a journal my entire life. Or at least since I was around 11 years old. They make for great reading - "I like so and so, I hope he likes me, school stinks." Hilarious stuff, but also some great stuff. I write about wanting to travel and deep wishes and a lot about God. A dear friend of mine gave me a new journal for my journey to Peru and I plan to use it often. This blog is a place for a few stories I wish to share - I won't dump everything on here and I hope to never succumb to the "first I did this, then this" Xanga-esque writing of my youth. (You remember Xangas, don't you?)

I titled this blog 37 Seconds because I wish to live more in the present, and less in the future and my own daydreams (and because Mr. Magorium is a wise and wonderful character). I have tried for the past few days to mentally stop and focus on exactly what is happening around me for 37 seconds. I focused only on the taste of my first ceviche (a famous Peruvian seafood dish) for 37 seconds, no worrying about finding my way back to my hostel after lunch, or other daily details. I stared at the sunset for 37 seconds. I reveled in the feel of a clean, fluffy hotel pillow for 37 seconds. Of course, the number 37 is a loose concept. If I were actually counting to 37 I wouldn't be able to focus on the delicious spicy and lime ceviche flavor. But it's the thought that really counts, it's the focus that really matters.

I have a million anecdotes from the past 5 days, funny and sad and scary and challenging. Again, I won't dump them all on you but over the next few days I hope to share one or two, along with some newfound loves, newly learned Spanish words and hopefully the same feeling of wonder and relaxed bewilderment that defines my life right now. Here's to my first blog! To lomo soltado and cafe con leche, to mototaxis and to the beautiful Miraflores. Here's to explaining all of that later and here is to my much needed nap.