No. 7

1. I was greeted at the first shift of my new job yesterday with the director of the gym giving me a huge hug. Why doesn't everyone greet everyone like that always? Especially on their first days of work? Such a contrast to so many jobs I've had, where I've felt more like a human robot than an actual person of any sort of worth.

2. I've had two mornings off this week, and spent them waking up early and going to my favorite coffee shop to read, blog, and, inspired by Andy Meyer, memorize prayers and poetry. Today I saw a fellow regular of The Grind, who, when he came in to collect his morning tea, walked up to me and said "Are you back?! How was Argentina??" I don't even remember telling this guy anything ever in my life, much less that I was going to South America (Chile, but close enough), and it felt good to feel recognized, remembered, even known. I cherish my small unnamed urban communities. I think of the cities I've lived in as just large collections of small towns, and I like recognizing strangers in a city of millions.

3. This was the Photo of the Day on my homepage [National Geographic's Photo of the Day]. It's my favorite I've seen in a long while. Look at all these people! I just love it. The world is so rich with so much to see.