Well Hello Stranger

I have gotten out of the habit of blogging.  I could say I had some great excuses. Listed below: 

Finishing 4 graduate school courses. 

Completing Wildflower Olympic Distance Triathlon for the third time. Man was it a tough course! 

Bringing in new year! Here's to 2014. 

Spent more time with my family and friends. 

Visited Disney California Adventure park.

In general I would say I am striving to appreciate what I have and think about where else I would like to go. Depending on time I might try to fill in some of the great adventures I have had along the way.

Life is a fantastic ride.

Good Bye 2012 Hello 2013

Well 2012 was quite a year. I reached 25. I got to go abroad for fun! Italy was incredible I hope I get to go back someday.  

A few highlights for 2012-

• Visited Japan more than once
• Visited the United States Capital saw the White House
• Admitted to Graduate school
• Wrote my first over 10 page paper
• Visited home for Thanksgiving for the first time since I started work
• Got a white Christmas in Colorado
• Got to Massachusetts and Connecticut (2 new states to cross of my list) 
• Tried out tutoring which I really enjoyed
• Got into baking from scratch
• Got to surf in Hawaii
• Went paddle boarding 
• Made my annual trip to Disneyland

I am thankful for this year. I hope 2013 is just as rewarding. 

SLO weekend

Last weekend, I went back to San Luis Obispo for a mini reunion to see some of my friends from college.  We had an excellent time. Wined and dinned, or I should say 'champanged' ourselves at several places.  The Cliffs in Pismo Beach for a great sunset.  Novo Restaurant and Lounge on Higuera in SLO for a dinner on the patio. It has such a great vibe. Some of my best college memories are from that place. The back fence and tree are wrapped with white lights. Finally, Seaside Cafe & Bakery in Pismo Beach for brunch.  They have bomb pumpkin bread and huge omelettes.  

It was so good to see many of my college friends, again.  There is a quote somewhere the older you are the more you need the people who knew you when you were young. I completely agree. Reflecting on the weekend, it was a small fantasy. Same place as school except we have all slowly moved on towards what we might one day call our careers. 

Well the bottles minus the clear wine bottle and blue one are what remains from this happy weekend. The good news is they make good apartment decorations.

Where have I been?

Well I was training for Wildflower among other things. It was my first triathlon and with only a month of training I think I did fairly well. I'll be back to normal posts soon. I feel like I have so much to catch up on!

Officially a College Graduate!

Well today as I am wandering around a train park in Phoenix, I get a phone call from my school number. It was the degree evaluator. He said in a few more words -"Congratulations, I just posted your degree." 

And the world did not end! 

Random tangent: It's too bad magic does not exist in this world because how cool would that phone call have been if a cake or card or something had popped out of thin air. I know my paper diploma would have been an awesome addition. But I guess that would make it more like a birthday celebration. 

If you have been reading hopefully my writing skills have not been too terrible but it is probably obvious I did not graduate with Bachelor's of Arts in English or any other language.

LAST Day of College

Well today is my last day of class in my college career.... 

As long as I don't end up failing anything. I realize it is a irrational fear of mine but it is still a fear that three weeks down the road when my degree should be complete I will get a letter in the mail saying- you have one more class to take.

I realize this fear is tiny relative to all the other fears people experience. As I look back I feel incredibly privileged to be so close to completing a college education! So many people in the world do not have my educational opportunity. 

Prior to college I did not even live in California and I now have fallen in love with California and San Luis Obispo. I have learn so much in the classroom and outside it. I have made some incredible friends and learned some powerful life lessons!

I leave you with a candid photo from my freshman year.

 

I can't believe it was so long ago.