Introducing Om 2.0: The Avatar

A few days ago, commenting on one of my posts, a reader inquired about my health, in particular whether or not I was behaving myself. While on the one hand I found it mildly amusing, as it felt like my mom was asking the question — which she does every Sunday — his comment also made me realize how much our little community cares about my well-being.

I’ve been meaning to write about my progress, but I’ve shied away from it because it always felt like I would be imposing on people’s time. And I’m still not ready to share it all.

But in the meantime, I can show off my new icon/avatar for the site. Gone is the old hat-wearing, cigar-chomping, newshound look. Instead, what you have is a simpler, more understated icon whose sparseness reflects my new mantra — less is really more. And doing more with less is really hard. Let’s call this version of me Om 2.0.

Simple food, simple clothes, a simple home and simple, clear writing. Hopefully I can stick to that plan. I have incorporated physical exercise into my daily life, given up smoking, gone almost completely vegetarian and taken to wearing jeans. Life, as they say, is uncomplicated. More importantly, about six months after my heart attack, I have resumed some of my regular activities — including playing tennis on the Wii!

PS: Check out this awesome little illustration Mivui did using the new icon. This is how I am supposed to look like in 10 years. Worthy goal – both from a fitness and a longevity standpoint. 

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