As I sit here taking a break from reading, I'd like to reflect on the good things in my life right now.

First off, the weather has taken a turn for the great. As you can see from the current background picture for this page, the sun has begun to appear more frequently, the air is warmer, flowers are beginning to bloom across the city, and the light feels more more pure and lasts longer in the evening. It's a habit of mine to spend a lot of time indoors so the weather hasn't affected me as much as it could have, but I'm still trying to encourage myself to think of the weather as a reason for being cheerful and optimistic.

Another nice thing is that the house has filled up: all the rooms are rented out, and the number of people living here has maxed out. It's curious the effect that this has had on the people already here. When there were four of us left after Joongeol returned to Korea, the house seemed empty and people kept their doors closed. Now, there is always somebody pounding the stairs, using the kitchen, playing music in the living room, things that give the appearance that the house is alive. Not only is this a result of the number of people, but when I am aware of the constant presence of other people it makes me feel more social and more willing to leave my door open, pop my head into somebody's room and say hi, and I think it does the same for other people.

These are the things that make the current time special.