February is a good month to be born in.
Happy birthday, Maya. Kareem. Ann.
If I were in Poland, I’d also celebrate my name day, the second biggest celebration after birthdays—but that’s not a custom here.
This morning, Ji ate bigos for breakfast. I knew she’d feel sick, but at this moment, I let her eat whatever she wanted. I guess I'll have the afternoon to myself.
A vacation this year? I doubt it.
I miss the mountains.
I miss the patches of snow clinging stubbornly to spring.
The sound of streams rushing over rocks, the crisp air, the way birds call and echo through the trees. I want to drive again through open deserts and high ranges, where the land stretches wide, and freedom isn’t just an idea—it’s something you feel in your chest.
I love this country. I love freedom. But I feel homesick.
I was born in the mountains, and it is there where I belong.
Here, in the city, I feel trapped.
On the trail, people nod and say, “Hello there, how are you doing?” Here? Nobody cares. I hate big cities.
Last night, I watched the Men’s Super G at the Salt Lake City Olympics.
To an outsider, it may not seem like much—there are faster and flashier sports —but if you understand what it means to race downhill at 55 mph, you feel it in your bones.
To me, it's the ultimate challenge.
Imagine this:
Drive your car on an uneven country road at 55 mph.
Now, stick your head out the window.
Take a ski pole and try to jab it into the ground.
At the same time, make 45-degree turns.
If your truck survives the exercise, you’ll have a slim idea of what it takes to ski.
It’s just a person, speed, and gravity. The G in Super G stands for Giant, but to me, it stands for G-force.
Your muscles burn on each turn.
Unlike tires, the razor-sharp edges of your skis carve through snow and ice.
The wrong edge at the wrong angle? You’re gone.
It’s an on-the-edge sport.
Every mistake and every bump can have consequences. You fly 90 feet per second. A misjudged turn by a couple of degrees, and you miss the gate. There’s no room to spare, no millisecond to procrastinate.
I miss skiing. I miss the mountains.
