As Times Go By

I love birthdays.  I've had some epic birthdays full of 'happy birthday' songs being screamed so loud, making me laugh so hard I can hardly breath, meaningful cards from close friends, outings on the town, tattoos, dancing, toasts, hugs etc.  And I never really though birthdays would be the same when I moved to Colorado, at least not for a few years until I made good friends and established myself. It can be nice to be wrong sometimes. Today was wonderful.  Primarily filled with food, but a bit more than that, it was filled with people.  From so many different circles. My day was filled to the brim with well wishes through snapchat, instagram, texts, Facebook, voicemails, video messages, FaceTime calls, decorated office, songs, drinks, cake, fellowship, cards, gifts, and dinosaurs. My last guest just left my apartment and when I shut the door I was just in awe of today. I can't believe I have such kind and wonderful friends here in Colorado that would come over ...

Anyone who has talked with me in the last year or so has probably sat and listened to one of my detailed (and sometimes lengthy) dreams.  Many mornings I wake knowing every detail immediately and am able to scribble them down.  Occasionally it takes a day or two for the dream to come together but is eventually clearly remembered by a remark someone makes or a conversation that's had. Well, this week has been like most in that I wake up with Ingrid batting me in the face and my first waking thought is "What are they putting in that Colorado water?" Tuesday morning I woke up differently than most times.  I was just sad. Like Holly Golightly's "Mean Reds" - where you're sad but what's worse is you don't know what you're sad about.  I had a case of the Mean Reds and I had not idea why.  It took some time throughout the day to figure it out but then in my personnel meting at work my entire dream came flooding back. And here it is: A dear frie...

It's hard to believe it's been a solid month of officially living in Colorado. A solid month of new introductions, organizing my apartment and office, finding new spots to be a 'regular', new commitments, new friends, gal-pal dates and vulnerability. I'm tired. But in the best way possible...rather the most exciting way possible. Yet in the midst of all of these wonderful new things, I've found myself holding on so tightly. I've found so much  good,  and I'm afraid of it getting away. If I can get everything I want in place first then I can let go, but once I have it, I don't want to let go because then I'll lose it. Won't I? But when has that really happened to me to the dramatic extent that I think it would? I can't really come up with a time. So in the midst of all of this mental processing, and sharing thoughts over many coffee dates, I kept hearing certain songs all over the radio, in a store and even my apartment that felt ...

Hello.  It's me. Over here in Colorado sipping on nitro iced coffee on tap - ermergerd. It's been a week since I officially moved to Colorado Springs, though it feels like I've been here much longer. Thank you to all of you who have reached out with encouragement and cheers and who have been so patient with me responding to emails and texts. As promised, here is just a small update of what's been going on: Mama King and I took 4 days to get out to Colorado Springs stopping in Detroit, Indianapolis, and Kansas City along the way, arriving here on Wednesday the 13th.  I got the keys to my apartment, signed some papers, unpacked the car and then we crashed at my Aunt Jody and Uncle Barry's house (THANK YOU) because there was no bed yet in my inn. Thursday mom and I spent the day running around to goodwill/walmart/dollar store etc. getting all the things we needed to set up the apartment. Friday was my first day of work and mom stayed home setting up and unpacki...

Today I met up with one of my favorite ex-Starbucks customers: tall decaf Jody.   She's one of the most stylish ladies I've ever met.  Full of spunk for life!  (If anything should happen to me, Jody gets my scooter, Stella). Anyways, she and I got together very early this morning to catch up on our lives and as we are sharing I was just taken away with how special our friendship is.  I had been serving her and her husband (tall 1/2 caf dark roast, Jake) for a year before I even knew they were married. (They would come in at different times of the day).  It was so fun getting to know them individually over the years and then as a couple, getting dinner together and giving scooter rides and running into each other just about everywhere. I love friendships like this.  I love when different generations bond. And then, wouldn't you know it, but in the middle of our conversation, grande decaf Cheryl comes walking in!  "Who is grande decaf ...

This past weekend I went on a road trip with my best friend from college.   She always finds such fun activities and places to explore, so from the start I knew it would be a blast.  This venture took us to Toronto Canada for the Toronto Urban Roots Festival. A glorious eight hour road trip full of snacks, tunes, stories, plans, laughs and bare feet.  Steph is an incredible travel buddy.  If you ever need one...well, I'm sorry, she's mine! Spontaneous decisions seem to turn out much better than expected with Steph. It feels as though we've been gone for two weeks, but it was really only about four days. Four days of amazing performances by Wilco, Of Monsters and Men, The Avett Brothers, Cake, Passenger and so many more - but NOT Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. No. Just. No. There was a little Harry Potter thrown in there too. So how could it not be amazing? On Sunday, I turned 25.  A birthday that at one point was a thrill of a thought quickly became ...

I'm taking my mom to JFK tomorrow. I drove my dad last week.  I remember a time when it really bothered me when they left, especially through college. That was really challenging. Not to say that I won't miss them or am glad they're gone, but it's just gotten easier.  It's the norm now. And isn't that strange? My family members are so different from each other. We've grown up and all have our own lives, passions, drives etc. but we come together well (insert Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd). It has been such a blessing to have my parents home and see the joy in their faces as they take on two more grandchildren.  I mean, come on! Have you seen those kids? They're adorable. How could you not be elated to spend as much time as possible with them? It's hard to believe I have two nephews and a niece now.   It's hard to believe that almost exactly a year ago I was moving to Bangkok.   It's hard to believe I fell in love and lost.  Th...