more reminders and dinners

Attracting positive thoughts and reminders of the path I am on.  I keep being drawn to statements like--say what you mean. Find your passion.  Or, be brave.  My favorite, leave the job you hate.  Haha.  Fitting.  It's not even about hating a job.  I look at it as being able to find my voice.  Being happy and not settling.  That is the perspective I choose to look at.
I thought I would go hiking today.  Yesterday was gorgeous.  I waivered between hiking, walking around a lake or writing cards to friends.  Writing cards to friends with beers won.  Today is windy and shitty.  I have no desire to hike as the weather is raging.  The wind is overwhelming or so it seems from inside my apartment.  See yoga in my future and maybe a walk later.  I want to enjoy some sunshine and reflect on life.  Find my passion.
I had dinner with my friend, Troy, last night.  We went to a foodie driven spot.  I think this restaurant has eight tables and four bar seats.  Intimate dining at its best.  They offer a small menu--five appetizers and five entrees.  It is straight forward and executed well.  I knew the server from previous experiences and my job.  And the sous chef spotted me as I walked into the establishment and called out my name and where I was working.  I had no idea that he worked here.  I knew him and his wife from being patrons at my job.  We chit chatted wine and Italy.  Not once did he indicate that he was in the industry. 
I focused on the dining experience and catching up with Troy.  He is a world traveler.  I've known him for ten years.  We share losing people close to us around the same time.  We've bonded over meals, wine and travel.  I see him once every few years.  Twice if I am lucky.  Last August he met Shari and I for dinner.  Their first meeting; although, I have spoken of them to each other on several occasions.  It was lovely.  I feel fortunate that we met last night.  Troy can be kinda flaky at times.  I never know if we will actually have dinner or if we will postpone. 
We have had some incredible meals over the years.  He drove from Monterey to Phoenix to join me for dinner four years ago.  Such a lovely experience.  That time, around, we dined at two new spots in Phoenix which were casual and delicious.  Last night was a mix.  It is a casual restaurant but the food is excellent.  Definitely quality!
Troy drove me to my car to evade receiving a parking ticket.  I got the ticket.  Sucked!  Damn permit parking in certain areas of the city. They are going to have to work on that one.  Really irritated me and left a sour taste in my mouth.  I looked at the time of the ticket and they ticketed me at 9:27.  Super annoying.  Troy goes--just don't pay it.  That doesn't work in Denver.  Suddenly a $25 ticket turns into your car being booted or towed.  Neither option sound remotely fun to me.  So I will pay the ticket  eventually.
I am off to hike.  Still windy but the sun is shining bright.  It's glorious outside.  Meeting Tiffany for drinks later.  Life is grand~

20 things that make me happy....

Coffee...need I say more?  Immediately in the morning.  Must make or find.  And cream is necessary.  Must have creamer.
Yoga.  Daily.  Or nearly, daily. I try to do other activities but am always drawn back to this.
Writing letters.  I love receiving mail.  I am so lame.  It is glorious to write notes to friends.  Reminder--buy more note cards.  I love writing notes.
Talking about travel, stateside.  Easier to do and manageable.
Talking about travel, abroad.  Something I love.
Spending time with friends.  Love this.  Trying to do more of it.
Drinking wine.  Enough said.
Boozy lunch.  I have many friends that support me in this venture.  Super encouraging and helpful.
Meeting friends to celebrate life.
Cuddling, snuggling, being intimate.
Yoga, my teaching style.  Figuring out what works.
Kissing. Yep, said it.  I like kissing.  I think it is more intimate than anything else.  Lovely.
Eating food.  I love talking about food and restaurants.  Tonight, I am meeting a friend who is a foodie and like-minded. 
Read.
Organize my junk drawer.  I throw a bunch of shit into that.
Talk to my sisters.  I talk to Michaela the most.
Shower or bathe.  I enjoy both.
Dream about travel.
See Matinees
Be active and healthy.
Support friends's whims.
I have a good life.  I do.  I typically practice 5 or 6 of these on a daily basis.  I love writing cards to friends.  And, messaging people--seeing how they are.  I love connecting people.  It is a gift.  A gift that I love to share and open.  All I know is in the next three weeks, I will be doing more of my list to project happiness and fully embrace what I want to do.  Happy Thursday.  Celebrate, enjoy and taste life~

currently

Gorgeous day.  Yoga, cleaned house, drank some nebbiolo at lunch, updated accounts and inquired about my phone service while in Vietnam.  This will be the first abroad trip where I take my phone with me.  I wanted to know what I could look forward to in terms of rates.  Apparently, there is no such plan in Vietnam and Laos.  However, Cambodia and Thailand will have service where I am not taxed an arm and a leg to use.  And, I need it.  I will be meeting people and looking into attractions in the area. 
I have some accommodation set up in Hanoi and a possible dinner in Bangkok when we arrive in Southeast Asia.  I have a friend from Denver who will be there on work.  A few other associations could create some interesting experiences.  Shari has no idea what she is in for, haha!
I'm meeting a friend from grade school later.  Looking forward to seeing her and catching up in person.  We semi-caught up on Sunday.  Of course there were distractions.  Her kids, husband, sister, football game.  It was a stilted conversation at best.  Tonight, we should have more opportunity to delve into topics and conversation.  And wine will be involved unlike Sunday.  We both were on our best behavior.  Always overrated.
I feel that I should research the area more.  Just to have more of a sense of where I would like to see as I am uncertain if I will make it back, ever.  I would like to return to South Africa and Buenos Aires.  Those are two places that stick out for me.  I have been to Belize and Costa Rica twice so I know I have the capacity to return to countries to explore more.  
I feel that I will be enticed by the food in Vietnam.  I have heard many great things about the scene.  And, I do watch some of the travel network and shows that deal with travel, food, culture.  I think they are insightful and telling.   I suppose I could watch more or read.  I should find a travel guide for the trip.  Perhaps that will be a task tomorrow. I must stay focused and positive in the meantime.  Otherwise, I might just travel to Santa Fe or Arizona.  I am so transparent in my needs.  If I have free time, I want to escape and travel somewhere.  Go see friends and explore.  Doesn't always seem sensible but I do it.  I'm insistent.  I can't help myself.  I like visiting friends and like to make time for the journey.
So there is that.  Next week a mini trip to Santa Fe might on the books.  I'm still thinking about it.  My friend, Paige, should be delivering soon and Libby recently had a baby.  I could see Melody and Christy.  I know there is an Ojo trip in that group of people.  Or, I could check out a yoga class while in town.  That would be a treat.  Go see old friends and see how their yoga has progressed. 
All of these thoughts are in the infancy stage.  I want to completely weigh the pro's and con's of my want to road trip.  Til then, laundry keeps calling.  Be well~

thoughts of the present and future

A friend posed the question to me earlier today.  What would you do if you knew you had only ten years to live?
It's definitely rocked my reality.  I have a trip planned to Vietnam in three weeks which I am extremely excited about.  Cannot wait to discover that country and travel.  I am still trying to decide the best way to celebrate the 28th this year.  Where exactly we will honor Brian's life.  We will be near Hanoi.  Halong Bay is an option but not dynamic in the food sense.  Not like, say, Hue or central Vietnam.  I think that might be the food mecca.  We could check out Laos at this early part of the trip, too.  Yet, I think, remaining in Vietnam seems more likely. 
Returning to the question at heart....what would I do if I knew I only had ten years to live?  Travel.  Well, duh, obviously. This being my year of travel.  Knowing that it is the right path that I am on.  Making it happen.  Inviting friends to share in the experience with me. 
Letting go of what I think I am supposed to be doing.  Being a priority,
Eat carrot cake (daily, well, probably not daily. But frequently).  Visit my sisters in Oregon and Kansas.  Spend time with friends and create memories.  Work in an environment that is supportive of my desires.  Be happy. 
Yoga, of course, is part of the package.  I see how my practice has grown and expanded.  I feel strong and feel confident that others see it too.  I would like to begin teaching privates and eventually work for a studio.  Keeping at it forces me to commit to my health.  It is essential to make that a priority. 
I would say yes to opportunity.  Stop second guessing what I think I should be doing.  Let go.  Be open to possibility.  Whatever presents itself.
There is a slight possibility of me heading to Santa Fe to visit some friends. I do miss Ojo and some friends.  I could meet Libby's baby girl, Vivvie and see Lawrence.  In addition, Melody is there.  We are long overdue for some wine.  I know that she travels to Denver, frequently, for continuing her education.  I would love to see her and catch up.
I do have a great life.  I am fortunate to have supportive friends and family.  I meet some pretty interesting people along my path as well.  I just need to change how I look at things.  I have the opportunity to be truly at ease in Denver.  Free to do what I please and enjoy abundance.  Basically, I would say yes to what I enjoy doing.
Life is short.  If you haven't experienced loss/grief, consider yourself lucky.  It is horrible and difficult to recover from.  And it sucks.  Be kind.  Love.  Be patient.  Enjoy life and the people in it.  Don't regret taking the time to celebrate life.  Don't settle or remain in comfortable/stagnant relationships.
Yes, say yes.  It feels that good!

Post Key West blues

Detox.  Must start.  Typically in January it is something that I would consider and do.  This year, I was distracted by the Key West trip.  Which did not disappoint in any way.  Maybe enjoyed the spirits a little too much.
Tonight I have plans to meet up with a friend of mine from grade school.  So, the booze cruise will continue.  At least til tomorrow.  I am forcing myself to find another yoga studio to check out.  So far, I have been moderately impressed with aspects of different studios but have yet to find the ideal space.  Either the classes are not capped inviting a mat to mat feel (that I do not prefer).  Or they are super nice/inviting when meeting people but the music is terrible which diminishes the experience for me.  Then there is the sequence itself.  Not challenging or too much like having a trainer inspired class.  I can do that even as it is pushing core limits.  And from continuing the core inspired classes, I was not afraid to attempt a headstand on a paddle boat.  Sara Jo and I opted to do a paddle class in the mangroves.  I think she was more afraid of falling into the water and touching some specimen there.  Neither of us fell into the water thankfully.  Not going to lie the first impression I had of standing up on the board was terrifying.  I did not welcome the idea of falling into the water either.
We paddled out with the current to a secluded area where we anchored and proceeded to do about an hour of yoga.  Child's pose is always an easy posture to set into.  Then we did a few cat/cows and eventually moved into down dog.  It was scary to attempt this posture.  Redundancy helped make everything seem more doable.  Warrior two was no longer terrifying on the paddle board.  I even managed a few chatarangas that flowed, naturally, as opposed to stiff. 
Corpse pose was welcome and lovely.  She finished with a few traditional om's and then I had to ask about head stand.  I asked how often she taught it within a class.  She replied every time.  She offered to add it after the class ended and I wanted to see if I could do it.  I had to push this limit.  What other time would I have the opportunity to do a headstand in the mangroves?
Success.  Did not fall in or crash forward.  Lovely end to the paddle yoga.  I digress.  There are a few other studios in Denver to check out before committing to a permanent home.  I must.  I have a trip in a month and so that provides time to do a trial period with a studio. 
I will meet Jenny and then begin a detox.  Some sort of cleanse to prepare for Vietnam.  Plus, it will be keep me honest with my finances.  I was excessive in Key West.  Sara is an enabler.  The two of us together is dangerous.  Thankfully we are similar in our likes and dislikes.  She is the best!

Happy 2016 and first trip

First trip of 2016...Key West.  Happening this weekend.  I am stoked.  It's been six years since my last visit to this lovely city.  And it will be my third visit.  The first time, I was 20 years old.  I was infatuated with a boy that I met while waitressing.  He visited the restaurant I was working at while on a road trip to Florida.  Young love is all I am saying.
From the experience of meeting this particular boy, I was shown Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and Key West.  We drove to the Keys from Miami which was pretty spectacular.  We spent a day and returned back to Miami.  Horrible trip.  It went sideways the minute we took off.
In 2010, I flew to Key West and spent Christmas there.  Scuba diving, wine and wind sail and excellent Cuban coffee.  I skipped the long drive in favor of a connecting flight to Key West.  Much better trip.  More food options and solo.  I met this lovely couple from Indiana on the wind and wine sail.  We chose to dine together at an Italian restaurant and I am still in contact with this couple.  I appreciate that very much.  Maybe one day I will meet up with them again.
This time, Sara Jo and I were discussing when to run a half marathon.  Neither of us like to run in the heat.  Training for a half marathon in the fall would be perfect.  Sure there would be snow, but, it would be quick and painless.  Or, so we told ourselves.  Key West would be perfect.
Then life got in the way.  Sara's job, the weather, lack of motivation, etc...thankfully, I have been able to cross train and do yoga to keep myself active and busy.  Could we have done more training?  Absolutely.  Should we have run more and focused less on going to brunch?  Maybe.  But what kind of fun is that?  Not to mention, we are not trying to medal.  We just wanted to participate and kick start our running foundation.  I believe that part was accomplished.
There will be other events this year and one that will fit into our schedule.  I am certain of that.  In the meantime, I can continue to run, train and be active.  Healthy, overall.  I am still finding a yoga studio that is suitable to my needs.  Each of the ones I have visited have positives and negatives.  None of them offer good music.  I have not yet found an instructor that I absolutely adore yet either.  It's been an interesting journey thus far.  There are more studios to check out.  I remain hopeful.  If nothing else, I can return to mysore and ashtanga.  Talk about routine and strength building.
Key West will present a wonderful way to kick start my year of travel.  Great food, wine and yes, the half marathon.   Super excited to participate and create yet another memory with Sara Jo.