FEBRUARY BEGAN on a Sunday and ended on a Saturday. It had exactly four weeks, even, and the days lined up perfectly in the calendar with no spillovers — wasn’t it beautiful?
The month itself was rather uneventful. Except for the day I earned my full professional designation, February was for the most part ordinary.
Fortunately I like ordinary. I like routine and sameness so, all things considered, I very much liked February.
Money
| Tier | Target (% of salary) | Invested (% of salary) |
| Tier A | 30 | – |
| Tier B | 20 | – |
| Tier C | 10 | 1.4 |
I miscalculated my contributions last month, hence the decrease in Invested percentage. Not that any of you care of course. Next!
Fitness
I wanted to honor the “perfection” of February by working out every day. Now that the month is over, I can finally report that that did not happen, lol. I didn’t even make it for seven days straight — but it’s all good. I tried, and that’s what matters.
| Exercise Days | 15 |
| Dance | 1 |
| Lift + Run | 2 |
| Run | 4 |
| Lift | 3 |
| Walk | 5 |
I started walking outdoors again, thanks to a handful of dry days in Feb. I also played Just Dance once — I definitely need to do it more often.
Social
My favorite social activity in Feb was karaoke-ing with friends.
A friend complained about the exorbitant cost of karaoke in Madrid, and another friend said she really missed going out to sing. I haven’t seen either of them since the holidays, so I instigated the hangout.
After a string of polls on which day works best and where to eat and which bar to go to, we ended up meeting for Korean barbecue and karaoke on one of the snowiest nights of the month.
Despite the weather, the karaoke place we picked was still fully booked. The only available spot started at 10:30 pm, so we also had to move dinner to 8:00 pm. It’s been a long-ass time since I’d seen the world outside my house past midnight. My aging body was so tired the following day — so tired, in fact, that I was already in bed by 5pm.
Hobbies
I read Cal Newport’s So Good They Can’t Ignore You, a self-help/career development book that challenges the “do what you love” mindset. Newport argues that skill matters more than passion, so instead of discovering what it is you love, you should instead find what it is you’re good at, or what it is you’re willing to be good at.
I mean, I get it. And if that topic resonates with you, I suggest you read summaries online or listen to podcasts about it. That’s still the easiest (and best!) way to absorb self-help content, imo.
Other than reading, I also exercised (see Fitness), cooked (because bringing my own lunch to work makes me feel more put together), and — what else? I guess I journaled too, but I don’t consider any of these as hobbies tbh.
What are hobbies, anyway? I’ll muse over this in next month’s log, lol.
FAQ: Where did you get the “Anything Goes!” cutout?
Answer: A comic book.
Looking Ahead
I want to do more cardio in March.
I must say though that my motivation to work out is already starting to fizzle out. I need to keep reminding myself that it is discipline I need, not motivation.
Oh, and of course I am looking forward to warmer weather in March.
Man, living an ordinary life is such a privilege, isn’t it?
Elsewhere, missiles fall from the sky like shooting stars, and here I am twiddling my thumbs and standing by for more sunshine and less ice.
If you’re reading this, I hope you are in a state as good as mine. Happy March!
sure. wait. what? 
Leave a comment