---
layout: post
section-type: post
title: Turning 26, as war breaks out in Europe | Report 264
category: report
tags: [ 'startup', 'bengaluru', 'fitness', 'war' ]
---

Welcome to 264!

i turned 26 this Thursday, another round of the sun. i was watching a video about ayahuasca by VSauce, and realized that as i inch closer to 30, i might be reaching close to the halfway point. i should not be scared of trying new things in life. Half of the race has been beautiful, and there's no reason i should be scared to embrace changes in the second half. Didn't celebrate much, except for smiling ear to ear as i read my birthday letter from '21.

At work, i shuttled work between data modeling, information security and everything else. Had to introspect my thought process on a few external-facing calls, and rethink how i can give my best going forward. Was a fairly solitary week at the office, compared to how the coming week is shaping up! 

i realized that i need to spend more time alone with myself, and slow down life to enjoy the moments. Many a time, i'm distracted by music, podcasts, texts or to-do lists, but rarely do i stop and enjoy the rustling leaves in the mornings. Staying alone is very different from being alone. 

The day i turned 26, Putin waged war over Ukraine and i've been following the news cycle since. Reading Stalin's biography last year has helped me understand the psyche of the dictators. The emotion of the war can make one think short-term, but if there's something that history has taught us, it's that conflict has been status quo and peace is interstitial. War makes me feel helpless, and wonder how i would react if my city/country was invaded - would i have the guts to lay my life for the land. Would i have the guts to lay my life for my family. i watched the Madras Sappers train along the Ulsoor lake on Saturday, who knows what the future holds?

The only way to counter helplessness is by controlling the controllable. i put in 2 runs this week, ending February at 49KM, logged 3 gym workouts and a bunch of abs/stretching sessions in the evenings. Had to skip BJJ this weekend as i went out for a long walk with my father along Ulsoor. i discovered Table Tennis at office, and brought out the Rafael Nadal in me as i grunted off. Might be a controversial opinion, but i shall state it anyway: TT feels like tennis for the soft.

Spent a large part of Saturday with Dad, as we talked about all things life - and then got in deep work towards the second half of the day. Sunday was heavy on rest, as i felt like my body needed a breather. Got my Cubbon 10K anyways. Keep hammerin'