The First Steps

"A journey of ten thousand miles begins with a single step." - Chinese proverb

Despite a relentless New England winter and the general chaos involved in a 3-week bathroom renovation (the only bathroom in our house), I'm feeling optimistic about some initial progress toward my goals.

I've run nine miles now...491 to go, in 49 weeks. That means I will need to average ten miles per week, for the rest of the year. It's certainly doable, but only if I'm incredibly persistent in my efforts. An occasional week off would set me back hugely. Consistency is key, so I'll keep at it. For now, though, I'll have to rest for a day or two because of an enormous blister on the sole of my right foot. So far all running has been on a treadmill (snowy streets have been prohibitive), but I can't wait to be running outdoors again. I thrive in the fresh air and changing scenery.

I'm also making great progress in studying Japanese. In just the past week, I've doubled my vocabulary from roughly 15 to 30 words, and grappled with the grammar of basic, simple sentence and question structure. I've learned most of the Hiragana syllabary (48 characters total). I'm giving myself through February to cram as much vocab and basic phrases into my head as possible, then plan to start real conversation practice March 1, through online language exchange sites using Skype. I'm nervous about it, but also excited. I can hardly remember when I began studying Chinese and was incapable of any real communication with it, but I clearly recall the first few times I had genuine interactions in the language, and I'm eagerly looking forward to those breakthroughs with Japanese.

I'm already concerned with my altruistic pursuits. The end of the month is near, and I need to make a Kiva donation. I will get it done this week, but it won't be easy; cash is tight, due to the renovation costs and two tuition bills for this semester. I should rest assured, of course, that the small percentage of a paycheck that I'm donating carries tremendous purchasing power for a motivated entrepreneur who doesn't spend in USD. It could be enough to launch their business, and provide vital services to their local community. They need it more than I.

How has your week been? Can you report on any concrete steps you've taken toward your goals? How about any frustrations; what has prevented you from moving forward?

Please share in comments, and post your own report!