Issue 1 | New Beginnings
and an introduction...
“If I’m going to tell a real story, I’m gonna start with my name.”
-Kendrick Lamar
I have gone by many names. My full name is Anastasiya Petrovna Kondenko. It’s a very Slavic name, which points to my history and is an integral part of my identity. I was born in Soviet Russia to a Ukrainian mother and a father of Kuban Cossack descent in the Krasnodar region in Russia and moved to the US as a toddler. I was raised exclusively by the Ukrainian side of my family, so as one can imagine, the last year and a half have been a source of so so much anguish, but that’s a post for another day.
For most of my life, I went and still go by Nastiya (what my Slavic and Spanish friends and family call me). I acquired the nickname Ana when I was living in the UK, from my British coworkers who thought Anastasiya was too long and taxing. It wasn’t my choice, necessarily, but I ended up loving the simplicity of it. Anastasiya is what I am called everywhere else, but it’s a long name for a very small person.
I’ve lived in Russia, the US, the UK, and Spain. That is also a story for another day. But for now, for today, for simplicity’s sake… I’m Ana from Denver, Colorado.
So… Who is Ana?
I’m a woman navigating my mid-30s and all that comes with it; getting older, career, marriage, long-distance relationships, splitting time between two countries, finding fulfillment, and some days, simply surviving.
You can find me drinking a cup of hot coffee year-round. I love reading fantasy, romance (the smuttier, the better), and self-development books. Some of my favorite activities include spending time with my family, friends, and dog; playing ice hockey, CrossFit, hiking, and traveling (especially to the UK and Spain); eating and cooking good food, and enjoying a good glass (or two) of red wine.
I also have a lifestyle blog, caffeineberry.com, and it’s been a source of enjoyment for me. However, I find it a little too exposed to be able to share more of my intimate thoughts and ideas. My goal with this newsletter is to have a safe space to share my thoughts, dive deeper into topics that interest me, build a community with you, dear reader, and still have space to share frivolous things I enjoy…
So… What’s next?
In an ideal world, I would like to publish this newsletter every Monday, and maybe once more during the week. For now, I’m going to keep the newsletter free, and hope that if a little caffeinated starts growing, I may consider including a paid tier for extra content. In the meantime, subscribe and share if you want to be part of this little project of mine!
Here are 3 things I’m loving this week…
I bought this notebook a few months ago and use it for all my to-do lists at work, and for jotting down notes. I love that it’s dotted, making it super versatile for anything that I need.
My company is celebrating Juneteenth for the first time, and up until a few years ago, I did not know anything about the holiday. It’s sad, but not surprising, that enslaved people were kept in the dark about their newly found freedom for a whole two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It’s also sad that we don’t learn about this in school. Listen to this podcast episode (click here for the Spotify link) to learn more about this holiday’s importance.
Keeping up with the theme of this weekend, I also bought this book (click here if you don’t want to support Amazon) and will spend a portion of my Monday off of work, reading and learning more about the history surrounding Juneteenth.
Also - I made this fun playlist full of songs I love for this newsletter and will continue to update it over time! Let me know in the comments if you use Apple Music and I can make one for that too.
* I use affiliate links and may earn a small commission for some of the links I share. I promise to only use links for things that I actually like or use myself!