1. I collect 2 euro coins

I know. Nothing major. It’s nowhere near what I would like to be doing if I could have all my wishes granted, but it gives me a bit of joy. I like the design of this coin and I like to see their number grow in a pot.

It’s also an easy way to save some money. I would say it lets me save 500 euro a year extra.

Nothing major. But it gives me a few precious and harmless dopamine hits.

2. I like to make lists of what matters to me in life. Not just lists of my favorite movies or lists of all the books I read. Lists of what kind of people I like. Lists of my values. Lists of my preferences. List of food I find healthy for myself.

3. I enjoy improving my German. I enjoy listening to interviews and audiobooks in German. There is amazing content out there in German. German has a calming effect on me for some reason. French for example tends to annoy me. Though not all the time.

4. When my son takes my finger and drags me to wherever he wants to go. He is so curious. He is so convincing and determined about what he wants.

5. Soaking up language makes my brain and sometimes my soul go: mmmmmmmm.

So I read.

Reading a book is like having a person talk to you. You can’t answer back, but often so much thought, work, energy, knowledge, emotion, dedication, experience went into a book that I find it nourishing. It’s still not the same as a great conversation with someone who simply gets you and can add something to your world and vice versa. Unfortunately those conversations are now so rare that ok, at least there are deeply moving books.