2023

Bring on a new year!  Super thankful for this cold day which motivated me to finally sit down and write.  I could not distract myself with meeting girlfriends for lunch or treating myself to sushi.  (I did that yesterday and it was delicious.  Thank you Okinawa).  I do not know why it has taken me so long to return to reflecting.  I am not trying to avoid anything.  I am hoping to create new habits that are productive.  

2022 ended in a good way.  Upon reflection, I recognized that I had a terrific year.  I feel that I am still recovering from the years of the pandemic and how it was affecting every aspect of life.  I was fortunate in that I am near a park where I was able to walk daily.  I had a small group of friends that I would see on a regular basis.  Still, the pandemic affected all of us in some way or another.  I think people are still recovering from those two years of lockdown, uncertainty and the pivot.  

Travel returned.  I had not flown since March 2020 when I flew back from Barcelona.  Instead of flying to Florida, I opted to drive to St. Petersburg to see Sara Jo, Shari and her sisters, Brie and Melody.  The trip last February provided the opportunity to see Hailey/Cory and Melanie's family in Dallas, a brief stopover in NOLA and a return night in Pensacola and seeing my family in Kansas.  Returning to NOLA to explore the food scene and check out a Mardi gras parade unintentionally.  It was wonderful.  I had lunch at Cochon Butcher, Seaworthy for happy hour and a local spot near the Airbnb for dinner.  Waking up at 3:45 to make it to Florida by the afternoon was rough.

St. Petersburg was fun.  In hindsight, I wish I would have spent more time exploring Florida and the beach. It was a whirlwind of a trip.  The mix of conversations, yoga and drinking wine was epic.  My favorite meal was the Portuguese spot.  It was one of spots that I had researched.  Sara suggested it our first lunch and it did not disappoint.  We tried the "best Greek spot" in Largo.  We walked in and knew that we were anticipating a different sort of great.  The retsina tasted like pine sol.  Watching Sara Jo gulp it since it was in a champagne flute was comical.  Thankfully, the nearby village that boasts of greek food was wonderful.  It was my departure lunch before heading north.

Many trips to Santa Fe.  Again, road trips which seemed manageable.  I could dictate the majority of the experience.  Either choose to surround myself with a bunch of people or choose more solitude.  Plus, I love Santa Fe and wanted to expand some of the yoga business.  It all started with the idea to do yoga pop ups in Santa Fe and seeing where that would lead.  I would love to see that aspect flourish and grow.  There is something about building community in multiple places.  

That sort of evolved.  Started with a yoga focus and changed.  I sat down on a bar seat at the Sage and realized that I knew the gentleman sitting next to me.  We had met, years before, through a mutual friend.  Because I am who I am, of course, I struck up a conversation with him.  I wanted to get caught up on his life and talk about our mutual connections--friends, food scene, similarities.  He asked me for my number, and I believed it all to be platonic.  I had no issue exchanging numbers.  Before I returned to Denver, he asked me if I was available to meet him for a beverage or an appetizer.  Since then, we have been talking daily. 

Eventually, I felt more comfortable flying.  There were less qualifications regarding testing and flying.  I didn't want to have to take another test to determine if I could fly or not.  It was my own issues to deal with.  My college friend, Jean, invited me to celebrate her 60th birthday with her in Washington state.  I couldn't resist the opportunity to celebrate with Jean.  I am grateful that I made it happen.  A wonderful weekend of great food, conversation and wine.

In October, I was invited to a client's wedding in Santa Barbara.  I felt honored that I was included and thankful that I chose to make it happen.  I would have regretted not attending their beautiful wedding.

This year will be different.  I feel more capable taking on more challenges.  I want to live bigger.  Dream bigger.  Accomplish more and challenge myself.  It is time to move out of the haze of the pandemic years.  I see a relocation or travel in my future.  More writing and cooking at home.  It will be a splendid year!

Here is to an abundant 2023.  Make the best of it!!!