In a Blink

The Transformative Year

2011-11-17T22:51:00.000-08:00

Today on NPR, I heard a story of a woman who found out her son was terminally ill. At 9 months old he was diagnosed with Tay-Sachs desease. She told of her reaction to the news that her son would surely pass away... She mentioned how she was faced with the realization that her parenting would be so different than other's experiences because immediately she was no longer parenting for a future; she was parenting for a finite life of a child who had barely began to live. This realization hit her hard because, especially in today's society, traditional parenting is so focused on the future and planning for a lifetime right from the start.

She said that first year was the most transformative year of her life, and that through dealing with her son's desease she was able to learn to live in the moment and cherish what she had in front of her. The gifts of every day. Her son, by just living as baby's do, made her look at the world in a different light. When you no longer are making plans for a future, but simply being grateful for living another day with love...

I am thinking of this last line, and how it rings true for me as well... I am thinking about how loosing everything or preparing to loose everything can make your eyes and heart open wider than they ever have before. I am also thinking about how a lot of truly transformative experiences lead to this realization: of just seeing what is in front of you for what it is... and living/loving life with an open heart.

oh me oh my

2011-11-10T11:41:00.000-08:00

So, here I am a birthday girl... ages since I last posted in this blog... I got to thinking it has been a while when a good friend of friend graciously asked me to post again... apparently people actually read this from time to time. I love the idea of journaling, but just like most ideas... most of the time they float away from you without something to stick them down... and although I have plenty of things floating through my head from day to day, none of them have been interesting enough (or impersonal enough) to share with the masses... or I've just been a bit lazy... hmmm :)

So, I have had a lot of the usual questioning of life and love going on in the old noggin for over a year now, but that has been behind the scenes for me most part because this year I have been focusing on living in the moment and simplifying as best as possible. I started reflecting on what this year has been like the other day, and it has been like no other... For one: I have been dreaming fantastic. Yes, somehow I have been bitten by some sort of muse (I know his name, do you?) (with a sly smile) and my dreams have exploded in detail, color, light, imagery, words, feelings... it's truly amazing... and amazing even more, when I did not have this love in my life for nearly two months this fall, my dreams were quiet. Very still. I don't know what to make of it... but I am going to try my damnedest to cultivate the place within myself where these dreams come from... Perhaps the muse is myself? I sure hope so, as it is a lot easier to count on yourself than someone else... (and that is a whole'nother can of worms that could be opened for discussion... I won't go there now though)...

This feeling where my creativity and dream life arises... this feeling of hope and love and security and adventure and unconditional, unwavering goodness... I have been thinking a lot this year about this intangible feeling that just feels so rooted. It's almost akin to faith... or patience. Something like that... whatever it is, it settles me and completely sets me free. A most wonderful balance that has been a catalyst to really great things in my life and the most wonderfully happy and healthy attitude toward existing. I finally have grasped the concept of patience...

Now here I go turning 30 again... (my birthday is like groundhog's day... every year I have a potluck, cook pulled pork for my friends, and from this year on I will keep turning 30 until I completely forget how old I am and laugh at the number).... Oddly enough a large part of my dreams last night dealt with me learning to be more like a Buddha... I know, right! I think it's hilarious... I was in some sort of Buddha training and I was being exposed to all aspects... even how to do my hair like a buddha.... ha! Except the way it said to do my hair was more like a braided Geisha pigtail do... BUT I was also training to learn the subtle mysteries of the Buddha nature and it was snowing heaps in the dream!... pretty good dream to wake up to on your birthday!!

So, this blog may turn into a dream journal... we'll see... It will be nice to start writing again...

Cheers!

When you're lost in the rain in Juarez and it's Easter time too... when gravity fails you and negativity won't pull you through...

2010-03-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

This has been a helluva busy week so far. I am kind of reeling at the pace my life it running lately... last week seems like yesterday, and it's almost as if tomorrow already happened. I feel like I am speeding through some sort of bonus round, collecting golden coins, or pearls of wisdom as I rush along to higher heights... either I'll grow wings and fly to another level, or gravity will fail me and I will have to hit the reset button... y'all know what I am talking about if you grew up with first generation Nintendo, like nearly every American child of the 1980's...

Pearl of wisdom number one... (extract from this what you will)
I was teaching a Vietnam Vet how to ski last week. This was my last lesson of the season with Challenge Alaska. A season filled with littlies wedging their way to the paraolympics someday; brave teenage girls on a snowboard for the first and last time ever; bumps, bruises, smiles, snowballs, raindrops (downpour), tears, powder, slush, sunshine through the snow, and big wide open hearts. It has been a wonderful season. I have received much fulfillment from overcoming obstacles and helping kids and adults with disabilities learn to ski and snowboard. Even in the pouring rain... I loved this job.
Interestingly and sweetly, my last lesson with this Vietnam Vet, Rick, was sunny, warm, and absolutely easy. He was a natural and we just chatted and skied in the sunshine, sharing stories of life adventures. He looked at me at the end of the lesson and said, "I think you must be a gypsy at heart." He knew because he was one too... I told him of my plans (or lack there of) for the summer and how I may meet up with Dom and Ernie. Rick reiterated that he believed I was definitely a damn gypsy; with a smile his spirit touched mine, and I knew we were both grateful for a lovely sunny day and wonderful company.

Pearl of wisdom number two... (extract from this what you will)
One of my good friends received two kidneys and a pancreas on the side during a transplant operation in Seattle last December. Prior to this operation he was a 47 year old man undergoing dialysis 3-4 times a week, as a result of his kidney failure related to chronic diabetes. He was dieing. His kidneys and pancreas were donated from a vibrant 21 year old college student that was hit by a car on a Friday night while she was crossing the street on campus in Seattle last December.

Ted had been very sick all summer and was taken off the transplant list after two near matches that had brought him from Alaska to Seattle and put him on the operating table twice, only to be told that he was not a near enough match for these potential organs... Two weeks before his donor's accident he was healthy enough to be put back on the list. As he laid on the operating table that December evening, over 800 people held candles in the hospital parking lot in memoriam of the girl who had lost her life that evening.
As one plant withers, another stalk grows. No longer diabetic, Ted has sprouted a new lil bud, and 4 months after his transplant he is doing swimmingly. In fact he is swimming, biking, hiking, working, and loving his new lease on life. I couple days ago he came into my massage school clinic and I got a chance to work on him. His energy level was amazing and his body is really responding to the new organs quite well. His Kidney Qi was fairly full and seemed to be harmonizing with the new organs.
He is super stoked for this summer's bike season, and is hoping to do a benefit ride sometime in late summer to raise awareness and money for diabetics and transplant candidates living in Alaska. You see, when someone gets sick up here... and I mean real sick... they have to fly to Seattle (3.5 hrs by plane) for most treatments and major operations. This puts a huge stress on patients and families.
Ted wants to give back and to help others in his situation realize that there is hope. That they can live an active life while still sick, and that their recovery depends not only on the fates that they are given or their lot in life, but also the choices that they make on their path to wellness. To live an active and rich life, and to never stop trying; to never loose hope, and to be grateful for the time you have because you never know how your story will go.

So, dangit if it isn't Easter time... Easter means to me... let's see... I can't help but think of Cadburry eggs and soft bunny ears. Let us not forget the crispy tails of a fresh, shockingly pink marshmallow peep! As I get older, I also add to this list: delicious eggs benedict and mimosas :-P
Also, Easter is a time of new beginnings, of course... (please refer to the brief pearls of wisdom mentioned above), and indeed I am experiencing a bit of renewal myself. (insert great big smile)

Happy Easter!!!!!!!

time to catch up with myself

2010-03-27T11:52:00.001-07:00

September 2009 - I return from India. The next day my life as I knew it changed forever. Pāli: अनिच्चा anicca; Sanskrit: अनित्य anitya; Tibetan: མི་རྟག་པ་ mi rtag pa; English: Impermanence. However you say it, this basic tenant of life was bound to creep up on me sooner or later. My life had been pretty stagnant for the past few years and my scale finally tipped, weighted by many influences that had been piling up on my shoulders. Finally with enough money saved to quazi comfortably make some changes, I quit my job to finish massage school, 7 years after I began the endeavor. Wow.

Blink

I am sitting here watching the snow fall, trying to motivate myself to do a little qi gong and stretch before I hit the mountain for a day of free skiing. My volunteer work with Challenge Alaska is finished and now I get to play for the last couple weeks of the season. It occurred to me last night that I haven't written in this blog for a whole 6 months! I need to catch up with myself. I can't believe it...it's the end of March already?!?!?!

This winter has been the best winter of my life. I have been so busy studying the Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, finishing up massage classes, volunteering with Challenge Alaska, learning to Telemark Ski, learning to play my Fiddle, and planning for my future of flexibility and adventure, with an open heart. I have started my first business, Alaska Cooperative Consulting, and my second business, Gratitude Healing Arts, is in the pipeline. I am setting myself up to be able to travel and lead a life rich in experiences, while still keeping my feet on the ground.

Before I get down to the business end of things, I am going to take some time this summer to travel around the States again. I am picking up my '85 Westfalia camper van and hitting the open road!!! I leave the last week in April for Arizona. I will be journaling most of my trip and right now that trip is pretty open. I will be biking and climbing around the Southwest, then my way up toward Northern California and Oregon. I am looking for some partners for the journey, so if you have the time and inclination, let me know. You are welcome to ride along!

Can I get a Witness?!?!?

2009-09-29T15:59:00.000-07:00

So, finally I have posted pictures from my trip to India... you can take a looksey at my picassa site

There are 5 albums of the individual sections of my trip and a "Best Of" Album with slightly less than 200 photos... hope you can handle it.. I tried my best to break it down, but you all know how I am with photography and I think that the photos, at least in the best of album, are good enough to hold your attention.

Since I got back I have been decompressing and will wrap the process up this weekend in Charlotte for the Allman Brothers and Widespread Panic Shows... yay! I will be reuniting with my dear friends Anna Huffman and Cliff Paulin... sure to be a good time. Details to come..

Enjoy the photos and if you happen to like any in particular, please let me know.. I am trying to get a gallery exhibit up by mid November and need some help choosing what to print.

Much Obliged. Heart of mine...

kiss the ground, hug your dog...

2009-09-14T01:38:00.001-07:00

Can I just tell you how thrilled I am to be back in Alaska... how thrilled I am to hug my sweet soft dog... I am going through pics and will post some new entries along with some choice photos and links to more, if your lookin... soon... likely by the week's end... keep yo'self posted!

The Scramble

2009-09-07T20:05:00.000-07:00

Whoa... I feel like I just woke up out of a haze.. been slightly sick for the past week here in Bhatsu.. I have a number of ideas why, but most of it boils down like the slightly treated water in all of the guest houses I have stayed... this is India..
India has finally caught up with me... now after three days of 'mild' rest at my ashram.. one of which involved a 5 hour hike to a grassy knoll with Lutkas (prayer flags) and glorious views of the snowline on the Himalaya (perfect for napping)...I am itching (both mentally and physically due to various flea bites) to get on the move to see just a few more places before I head out on Thursday evening.

This morning I head to Amritsar to see the Golden Temple... then maybe to visit my fiend Vid in Jaipur then on to Delhi in the afternoon of Thursday to catch my plane that night. Hoohaa! let's pack it all in!! Really I will probably just head from Amritsar to Delhi on Wednesday evening and arrive Thursday morning in Delhi to try to find some trouble to get into there for the afternoon... sounds like a plan. No sleep till Brooklyn... :)

And I really can't wait to get home to decompress and fill this blog with the best pictures from the trip... and hug my dog...
namaste'

Fusion

2009-09-03T08:32:00.001-07:00

My mind is already racing after my first day of cooking class... Pulled Pork stuffed momos with Mango chutney?? This is all I can think about right now.
Today was a good day. I hiked to a waterfall in the dreadful wind and rain (and thunder and lightning) it was awesome.
I had my first Ayruvedic medicine class and cooking class. Tomorrow I hit repeat and do it all over again.. with Somosas and Dal Mahktani and Chapati this time instead of Veggie and chocolate momos...

I think I will start the day with yoga... this morning I started the day telling myself that I was no longer young enough to be afraid of thunder and shadows made by lightning. I haven't experienced a thunder storm like that since I was young enough to be scared of those things. Living through such a storm this morning (for the first time in nearly 15 years) took me back to a feeling that I thought I had lost ages ago. It was exhilarating... I laid in bed and listened to sets of rain falling in waves across the forest canopy, slowly moving over the tin roof I slept under. It was lovely, peaceful, and almost musical. All morning long... all day long... the rain stopped about an hour ago. A nice end to a gloriously lonesome day in the mountains... I am headed out to have a "Bhatsu Cake" which is something like a nanaimo bar or whatever you call those things with butterscotch and chocolate... damn good?

Bhatsunag

2009-09-02T02:45:00.000-07:00

Hello from the forest near Dharamsala in a village called Bhatsunag (or Bhatsu)... also know as the official home of all Isrealis in exile.. I mean Tibetans... no wait.. I mean Isrealis... wait.. I am confused... Am I in Isreal? I thought I went to India, but there are nothing but Isrealis in these backpacker towns and half of the signs are in Hebrew...I met a man this mornign that explained to me that all Isrealis are terrified of being alone and pack together which happens to have the quazi unfortunate effect of turning places they travel to into little Isreali villages... interesting indeed...

I spent the morning reading in a cafe while it poured down rain all around the terrace with some really good Neil Young album drifting from the cafe speakers. then Pink Floyed, then the Chantrelles, then Annie Lenox.. I left after the Chantrelles and started down the lane just in time for the rain to end and the terrible music to begin... perfect timing as usuall.. sun is now shining.. living is easy as I drift like a little leaf today wondering around the vilage and into the woods...

I had a really good stuffed sweet sweet roma tomato today.. stuffed with a delish panner, golden raisins, spices and cashews.. the sauce was I think tomato, cashew based with onions, garlic and turmeric...maybe some pureed chickpeas. I am really putting it down to a focus on the food for the last week of my trip. Tomorrow I start a cooking class and will be making Veggie and chocolate momos among other things... I also will begin 3 day course in Ayurvedic Medicine in the morning. Living is easy.. drinking apple wine in the evenings and hiking and eating the days away... hope the balance isn't tipped too far to the plumpy side by the time I get home ;)

I think I am going to wake up to yoga and maybe a laughing meditation lead by my friend Maitreya (Ashish)... I think his real name is Ashish, but whatever, he is one of the nicest most free people I have ever met and he and his lady Layla are so sweet, so I suppose he can call himself whatever he wants... I am staying with them in the woods outside town... well, I am done with my internet business for the day...

More food stories to come...

sweet sweet baby trek

2009-08-28T03:16:00.000-07:00

So it took me two days to recover from my altitude sickness. I felt the worst I have felt in about six years... it felt like I had a bad case of the flu while riding a really radical carnival ride for about a day and half. I had to leave Vid (my sweet Buddhist Slovenian friend) to his own devices in the Markha Valley and opt for join my German friend, Mierko, on what the locals call the "baby" trek. Likir to Nurla.. however, this was quite a long trek and we didn't have pack animals and although the highest pass was around 4K meters, it was pretty hard in the midday heat.. hottness.... It took us two days and it was lovely and I can't wait to share pictures. It is starting to turn to Autumn here, but it is still super hot during the day.

Now I am back in Ley for a bit. I am actually thinking to maybe leave for Manali/ Vashist tonight... I just feel like getting a move on... time to see something new and I want enough time to do some trekking in Dharamsala and maybe see the Spiti Valley too.

I have 12 days left. Today in the midday sun I missed Alaska. Did I mention that it is really really hot here? I need a swimming hole.

The people that I have met in Ley have been interesting. This is a hippie/ tourist/ trekker town and the different nationalities tend to stay in different areas of town. I found a wonderful guest house in Chanspa, away from the hustle and bustle of people an the hundreds of Kashmiri shop owners that try to get you to buy pashminas.... The owners of the guest house that I have been staying at are darling and their garden and view are both amazing. I was grateful for that the two days that I could not move from the sickness...

Being out of Ley for the past few days has been a great feeling. Being in the small Ladakhi towns is quite nice the people in the villages that we have stayed in and passed through are so welcoming. I slept under the stars last night and hummed myself to sleep under the most starts I have seen since the Blue Range in Arizona.

My trek partner Mierko and I have had some interesting conversations. He is 26 and has been thinking about his future and his life in Germany... what he really wants and needs to be happy... we have had some interesting conversations indeed. It has been nice to trek with someone, as opposed to all by my lonesome...

Maybe tonight I say goodbye to Ley.. maybe tomorrow, but soon for sure.... onward I go.

Busted...

2009-08-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

Tried to leave for my hike today in Markha Valley and got shut down by a mild case of altitude sickness.. I feel awful!!! off to bed with me.. more pics maybe tomorrow when I am resting. :)

what you have been waiting for..

2009-08-23T20:55:00.000-07:00

More to come!! I have to run to grab breakfast then head to the Markha Valley for a 5 day trek... oh, and bad news.. the shutter on my good camera broke :( hopefully it will somehow fix itself... you never know....

The kind of Beautiful that takes your Breath away and brings a Tear to your eyes...

2009-08-22T11:38:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Ley, Ladakh!! yesterday... coincidentally, so did the Dalai Lama... it is good to be in good company. I saw him speak with a couple thousand exiled Tibetans this morning in a field outside town. Truely, truely... this trip has been one pinch of sweet luck after another... The drive from Srinigar/ Sonamarg was what inspired the title to this post. I have had some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world burned into my retinas by the intense rays at 12,000 ft bouncing off of the areas in of the mountainsides that were not covered in drifting cloud shadows. I will post pics just as soon as I can. promise.

On the way to Ley I stopped in Sonamarg, Kashmir... where I was promptly harassed by a man at the dirtiest guest house I had ever been in... I scoffed at his 1000 Rps price ($20) and turned around when he followed with an offer for a 'free' room... I laughed out loud at this one, as I thought he was making a joke... hah ah... he then grabbed my boob and tried to shove his dirty Kashmiri tongue on my face to lick my cheek or something... I am not making this up...

I ended up finding a great place to stay down the road where I was only slightly harassed (we'll call it pampered) with a trip to the Thalegewas Glacier on horseback by the guesthouse manager, then given countless bottles of orange soda and mango juice in an effort for the young manager and his helper to try to catch a glimpse of my in my night clothes... no harm no foul, I guess. I will call it.. frighteningly endearing?

I am so so glad to be out of Muslim Kashmir and into Buddhist Ladakh. It is glorious. Kashmir was beautiful.. caught 5 brown trout and hiked some amazing forests, but was asked if I was married by EVERYONE (men) that I met, as I did not meet any women, despite the fact that I am wearing a fake wedding ring to stave off the crazies (Thank you Dave Griffin for that idea... where would I be without you, I do not know)
I have also concocted an elaborate story regarding my husband... this has been fun... dare to dream, I guess... true love in my mind... I digress.

So, I have made some friends finally as there are actually tourists in Ladakh.. however, my first friend I made here was actually my age... and local.. and promptly propositioned me as well... love those tantric Buddhists... :)

One of my new friends is a rather interesting Slovenian fellow and an equally cute German dude whom I have persuaded to hike Markha Valley with me in 4-5 days. Tour groups do it in 6-10... Alaskans do it all day long and in the dark. (my new bumper sticker... pretty clever... would have been more clever, but I am tired, cut me some slack).

I ate at this guesthouse in Changspa with a couple from Vienna and my new hiking partners tonight.. the owners make food all grown from their garden. Delish!

Everything about this place suits me... I was told yesterday by my tantric Buddhist friend that I must have been from the Himalaya in a past life.. by the way I walk and how I carry myself and my way of thinking... who knows.. it brings a smile to my face to think so though, and it feels good to be home(ish). hmm... writing that last last sentence just now made me think of something I once told someone very close to me... that I could feel at home anywhere in the world with that person... oddly enough... they could be here now, but aren't and it still feels good to be home(ish). great actually. a nice full circle closure to the long evening/ year... to bed with me... with a smile :)

oh, let the sun beat down upon my face.....

2009-08-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

I am in Kashmir after 25 hours of the scariest adventure bus ride of my life... we drove through a torrential thunder storm in the middle of the night near Jammu and I swear I felt the tires break contact with the road under about 2 feet of water .. althought the bus was fairly comfortable, it was abit nerve racking being the only white person on a bus filled with local people goign to a region most of the people in the world think is filled with terrorists...

Kashmir is glorious and the people that I have met on the bus and while I have been in Srinigar have proved to be very sincere and solid... I am going trout fishing in the mountains tomorrow and then heading to Ley... Kashmir is amazing. so so so lovely.... and some of the most beautiful people I have ever seen.
I am staying on a lovely houseboat in Dal Lake.. I stumbled upon this hookup in Delhi and it has proved to be an amazing connection... so serene this little houseboat is with the most amazing family... I sit in thier kitchen and they let me cook with them I am learing a ton about Kashmir and it is most interesting to be in a region that is 'occupied'... if you catch my drift.. Indian soldiers everywhere... everywhere...
the eldest son of the housboat family is my personal tour guide and took me to see bears ad a snow leopard at a wildlife sanctuary and tomorrow he is taking me 2 hours into the mountains to go fishing near some Mogule ruins...

As an aside... I need to get the hell out of Kashmir before I buy the most beautiful silk rug that I have ever seen and ride it straight back to Alaska... I swear to god that rug was made especially for me... everything about it is perfect.. it's truely magic.. I was joking with the organizer of the carpet cooperative that if I buy the damn thing, it should come with a pack unicorn so I can carry it around the rest of India with me... only in my dreams...

going to eat some Kashmiri Lamb. I probably will try to be out of touch for a bit now.. just wanted to let some peoples know that I am safe and settled.

India it's your Birthday!!

2009-08-14T22:07:00.000-07:00

I awoke early this morning to the sound of rain and wet dogs barking in the street, so I headed up to the rooftop terrace to see the day before the dawn. I am apparently a bit jetlagged because that was at 2:30 this morning and I haven't been able to go back to sleep... There were Indian military police everywhere. One on every rooftop watching guard as the VIPs were to arrive in the area within a few hours.

Today is the Indian Indepandence day. This morning I watched the news as the Independence day speach was made about two blocks from where I laid in bed, at the Red Fort. I didn't understand any of the speach because it was in Hindi, but every so often I put it on mute and I could hear muffles of the actual speach through the walls of my room.

I am sitting in the lobby of my hotel waiting for the rain to stop so I can head to the bus terminal to get the heck out of Delhi. I am either headed to Srinagar or Dharamsala. Flip of a coin will determine when I get there, I guess.

A cute little Indian boy is reading this post over my shoulder as I type. He is pretty good at reading English. I just smiled at him and told him so.

Oh Delhi....

2009-08-14T08:36:00.000-07:00

Safe in India... utterly exhausted after having had about 8 hours sleep in the last 40 hours of living... I had a delicious dinner of some vegetarian item that I have not a clue as to what was in it, except for the homade paneer. hmmm... can't wait to get some cooking classes under my belt to help crack that code!

Today is lord Krishna's birthday (Janmashtami) happy birthday Krishna... Krishna, it's your birthday.. (shout out to the late MJ) this has lead to a very festive day of walking around the old city, spice market, an numerous alleys filled with smiling children and many many friendly men.

Delhi smells like either Nag Champa or sour urine, depending on which way the thick wet breeze is shifting at that particular moment.

Highlights of my first day: finding Prickly Heat in a maze of stores in the Chandi Chowk; eating pickled carrots and drinking rose water with the nicest little old man at the pickled things stand... we chapped for about 45 min, he reminded me of my grandpa... really sweet smile, square glasses, and really long earlobes; free breakfast of curried potatoes and fried bread; and Cardamom from the spice market in my bottled water... anyone who really knows me knows that I NEED Cardamom in my water when it is swelteringly hot outside... it just eases my constitution...

I think I saw more kites today from the rooftop of my guest house than I have ever seen collectively throughout my whole life. Today was the day of kites. Tomorrow is the Indian Indepedence Day!! Tomorrow I take a long long long bus to Srinagar, Kashmir. This was not in the original 'plan' but I didn't really have a 'plan' anyway... so whateva. (Cousin Jenny, are you still worrying? I hope not, but if you weren't you probably are now)

I have had pretty rad luck since I started traveling and things have just been falling into place, so with the grace, all will stay on that course.

So, I am really really tired.. going to watch some Indian cooking show that is like a cross between Giada's Everyday Italian and the movie Mama Mia...

Yes, I do like India.

Don't take it personally...

2009-08-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

Here I am blogging from my amazing iphone in the Portland airport before heading out on a plane to Amsterdam then Delhi. There is an Asian woman in front of me with the sweetest My Little Pony backpack on..it's even got real pink pony hair coming out the side. Reminds me a bit of Jenny the second night at the Phish show. :)

This week has been much fun and a little cloudy. It was great to reconnect with some of my Vt peoples. This brought back a ton of nostalgia that I definitely did not anticipate. Twinges if sadness for what was being overwhelmed by gratitude and the good times of the present moment. Knowing these people for 5 or 6 years and coming back together like no time had passed...makes me have faith in my ability to cultivate patience, and brought my favorite cheesy girlscout singalong song into my head..."Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold" :) I know...so cheesy, right? But I love it!

So I am pretty excited about my travels here and there... I will be wondering from the moment I set foot in India with no set plans.it struck me a bit ago about how liberating and terrifying this is.. All at once. It makes me smile. Goodbye comfort zone, goodbye iPhone. Please don't take it personally....(did I mention this will be my mantra until I master the fine art of not taking things personally.. It recently occurred to me that much of the recent drama in my life has been a result of me taking things too personally...done with that for a while...there is 'no self' in India) :) flying away!

Where would I be without the Popsicle Incedent?

2009-08-02T22:32:00.000-07:00

All is fairly well in my world today... went for an amazing hike. I will post pics as soon as google adds my extra storage... are you listening google...big brother??? That may sound a bit like a schizophrenic rant, but anyone who has a gmail account knows that google knows everything about you...
Anywho.. Mary, Holly, Brian, Ben and I hiked lost lake. It was lovely... serotonin replenished and my sunburn came back as well. Yes, much sunshine, many lakes, dogs, mountains, glaciers, marmots... what else...

Lots of unencumbered thinking (16 miles of it). Which leads me to the subject line of this post. Where would I be without the popsicle incedent? The popsicle incedent is the name that I gave to one of the most influential experiences of my childhood.. short story long... just kidding :) ...
So, basically I turned down an opportunity to eat a popsicle and color with the boy that I liked, Grant, who had just had his tonsils out and needed some company... I had such a big crush on him that I said no to eating a popsicle and coloring ( two of my favorite things) just because I was a little dear in headlights and had no idea how to handle the situation. Then I sat in my yard and swang on my swings while he stared over at me from two fences away looking all sad b/c I didn't want to play with him. Well, this made me feel so bad.. not only did I hurt his feelings, I hurt my own... just because I was too afraid to go after what my heart really wanted. I was 6 and this made such an impact on me.. it was my very first life lesson and I vowed to try to never let fear stop me from anything... love, friendship, travel, riding home at 2:00 am past 8 randomly screaming people on the bike path near Sullivan Arena... ok.. maybe I should have let fear stop me from that one... :) but it turned out all right this time...

So, I see people in my life now that have maybe never had a popsicle incedent...and I think to myself, where would I be without mine? Maybe a little less assertive, adventurous, reckless... maybe a little less passionate. Well, these attributes, if anything, help me appreciate what I have in my life. Because I got there by following my heart.

I am getting ready to leave for India.. Thursday I travel to Seattle to visit with some friends and then off to India from there on August 11th... I have a lot on my mind as of late and I am not sure that travel right now is the best thing for me... I felt like this would be bad timing around March when I got my tickets, but I kinda went for it anyway... I am a bit afraid to travel on my own for a month in India, but I think it will be a rewarding experience, and since I at one point did have a travel partner, I feel like they maybe backed out for a reason.. I am probably supposed to do this on my own. Anywho, I am not really fearful at this moment.. I actually kind of feel like I am being carried along on a train with no say in my destination... good feeling I guess when you have no where you have to be for a bit...

So the things on my mind... some of my closest friends have been a bit more distant than usual lately. And I have been a bit more kneedy as of late( I spelled that wrong on purpose) . It's kind of a 'chicken or the egg' situation, but life is always changing and things happen so you can learn from them, so when I get back I am sure life will be on the upswing. I will likely learn more about myself in the next two months than I have in the past 4 years... and more about Indian cooking as well. Hopefully I will come back a bit more settled and a lot less kneedy.
Namaste

Can I borrow some of your serotonin?

2009-07-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

I have had so much fun this summer I think I am spent... does anyone have any serotonin that I could borrow??? seriously... this summer has been amazing, lovely weather... great bike rides, hikes, and sunshine!!! I think I am all cashed because with the gloom and rain of the past week, I am a little under the weather....

Yes, when it rains it pours and it seems little warm drops of rain are coming at me from all directions... It's like walking around in a hailstorm. Going about your daily business with momentary pangs of sadness that sting your cheek or hit you square on the head.

Serotonin please!!!?!?! (with a half joking, but only half, and somewhat cynical smile)

So, I am going through a bit of a rough patch of life at the present moment. I just had to end a very nice relationship to save an even better friendship. Timing timing timing... that is my main lesson for the year... with a side lesson on how to love with my whole heart and then let go. Pretty big ones..heavy...

Well, I am getting ready to leave for the Phish shows at the Gorge and then on to India!! I will likely only post text entries while I am in India and will try to update photos and send out a link to an album during the first few weeks of my return (late September). I will be moseying around Ladakh for about 3 weeks (gone 4 weeks total).

This trip will be alone. I may meet people to travel with, I may not... I am open to whatever. I plan on really focusing on settling my mind and my self on this trip. I hope to kind of come into my own after everything that has happened with me in the past 4 years. I want to do some looking into how I feel about this past, looking into my future, and trying to affirm a solid ground. As one of my old bosses used to love saying, 'terra firma'... A platform to go forward. I hope to come back with some new energy while at the same time I hope to settle into my self and my life. I have at times been a 'grass is greener on the other side' kid of girl... I think I am coming out of that... I can feel it...it feels good. :)

Well, here are some pics from the past month of me being too happy for my own good. Didn't know there was such a thing...

Pictures to come tomorrow. check back... I have to buy more storage :(

Oh!!! and the big news...almost forgot to tell you... I am no longer moving from Alaska... it just didn't feel right at the present moment... I hope I am not screwing myself over because I will very likely have another long.. lonely winter....full of backcountry skiing, skate skiing after work, yoga, good dinners, salsa dancing, and whiskey.... maybe I will try to get a roomate....hmmm....we shall see....

just let go

2009-06-15T22:58:00.000-07:00

So it has been a while again since my last post.. not too terribly long, but I was on a roll there for a bit and now I find myself with life swiftly moving once ag ain... not too much to tell since the last post. Today I saw a red fox and a moose on the golf course while I was at "work" you think about that one and smile for me...

In exactly 32 days I will be on the most intense, lengthy and phenomenal vacation (adventure) of my life...India!! and.... I have decided that I don't want to move from Alaska, but I am going to do it anyway. Because I have to. Because you can't have the good, until you've said goodbye, and although I consider myself a very grateful person... although I have thought every day of my life for the past 6 months how much I love this place, I have to go... for now.

So, yes... my life is good in Alaska. Sun is shining, livin's easy. I love my friends, they are my family... I love my mountains, they are my sanity... yet I am throwing myself into Denver with an open heart... here I come people, traffic, great music, good food, fresh powder... the good with the bad. After 4 years of being in AK I need to leave for n ow... I will be back.

Ok, enough of my sentimental ramble... seems to be a theme with the past two postings; I can only imagine that this will get worse as the big move approaches.

On to some activities.. last weekend was a wash.. I did hit some golf balls, but the weekend before that was superb.

My dear friend Jeff and I went camping in Hope, and I can't really put a finger on it, but it was one of the most relaxing, comfortable, rejuvenating weekends that I have ever had. Here are some pics from the weekend.
Happy the sun is shining and it is like 80 degrees at noon!

Jeff snapping a photo of the valley up Couer de'lain

Namaste'

Nama on Peak 2

it's been a while since I knew you...

2009-06-04T23:09:00.000-07:00

been a bit lazy with the blog posts lately.. trying to get my money's worth out of life and dealing with an upset stomach and a sore throat.... sore throat from my surgery on my vocal chords Monday... upset stomach from the butterflies that have been let loose to flutter by with abandon... in just a few shakes of a little lamb's tail I will be leaving Alaska and I am not too sure how I feel about that... indeed.

The woman that was supposed to buy my condo backed out last week. My friends may rent the place but I am left with the feeling that I should not be leaving.. I can't help it.. I love my life here. Where else can you climb a mountain after work and be in bed with a book by midnight? Where else can you skijore for two hours at lunch? I love my life, I love my friends here, for the first time in my life... I am scared to move. Not completely excited and open to a new start... for the first time, this move is coming with a bit of regret. I have an amazing quality of life in Alaska. A big part of my decision to leave is that I have no one to share this with.. but lately I have been feeling that this fact is pretty alright with me. The excitement of a new place is quickly being replaced with thoughts of regret... I keep telling myself four years is enough to have stayed here for now... four years is a long time and I need a change for sure... but I kinda feel like cutting my hair was enough for right now.. I am super stoked to go to India, but I have no idea what my life is going to be like when I return to the States in October... this insecurity is good for me, as I have always been one to need to know how I will nest. I have always needed a base that feels like home... shaking things up and letting the best fall out can only be good for me right? All good things in all good time. Don't get me wrong...I am excited, but can't shake the feeling that this move may be just another detour that my life may not particularly need right now... What if all I really need is right in front of me? I suppose this confusion is all just a natural response to change. Maybe this is a sign that I am getting more settled in my old age... in that case, I do need to shake my life up! I just hope that I am making the right decision... I suppose that I shall see in good time.

"Y'all two are Lonesome!"

2009-05-20T17:19:00.001-07:00

This is one of my favorite quotes from Connor... it was referenced to a story regarding a certain Chicken Biscuit Indecent... but when I think of this picture sequence below, that is the only phrase that pops into my mind... This is what happens when I take the day off to study.. scary stuff...

Ahhhhk.....KISSES!!!!!

And one more for good measure ;-)

I Wanna Rock Your Gypsy Soul....

2009-05-19T18:29:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was provided with a ticket to see the Dead and the Allman Brothers Band at the Gorge amphitheater in Washington state. Highlights? yes, there were highlights... let's see... musically: Blackhearted Woman with an Other Ones tease was pretty epic from the ABB and the Dead started out a bit sub par, especially from what they had been boasting in San Fran (ehem... Scarlett -> Fire...need I say more?) but they brought out a string of goodness that put a smile on my face... Dire Wolf, Tom Thumb's Blues, and a little Into the Mystic with Warren belting that tune... (loved that one) So, here is a little visual journal of the crazy weekend that took me from bluegrass in AK to the Classics in WA to the hot springs in Idaho... enjoy...

Ladies and Gentleman... Cold Country (with Bryan and Marta dancing in the foreground)

Welcome to hot hot Washington in May!! if it looks hot.. that is because it was smoking! 90 degrees, I felt like I was on a barb~e~que!!!

These cats were the two biggest Doobie Brothers fans in the entire world! Did I mention that they doobies were there? I wasn't too concerned, but these kids rocked the air guitar to every song. Take a gander at the chick's cut-off&roll-up jean shorts! love them!!

Ladies and Gentleman.. the Allman Brothers Band...

Rockin' the concert Tee!!

The Dead

Set break.

Although this is a lovely picture of Eric and Jess, let's be honest... this picture is really about the dude behind them... really? Yes, really.. this is the Dead show after all...

"Bobby" Weir Hot Spring on Weir Creek, Idaho! First time in Idaho! Loved it!!!

Tom, Jess and Eric.. Waiting our turn at the spring... we ended up just getting in with the rest of the peeps.. hey, it wasn't getting any less crowded! The hot spring was awesome, one of the best I have been to and paired with quick runs into the freezing river and some PBR, it turned out to be a great couple hours.

Me, Jess and a bigole Doug fir!

End of the Trip on the way to Bozeman... so lovely!

Strawberries Coltrane (these are a few of my favorite things)... oh yes, I did!

2009-05-13T00:12:00.000-07:00

I just made a new dessert up because I needed some sweetness... It is called Strawberries Coltrane. It's basically just Angelfood Cake with cut up Strawberries in a simple syrup and Chocolate sauce, but it involves putting on John Coltrane and eating the strawberry shortcake~esque dessert while taking a bubble bath... it's pretty good...and yes, it could quite possibly be one of My Favorite Things...

Maybe Spoke too soon...

2009-05-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

So I have good news and bad news... which first... well, I will start with the good news that I am pretty excited about.. Got my India Visa today!!! One step closer to the trip of a lifetime, version 2009...

On the bad news tip... I have to cancel my trip to climb the Granite Tors in FBX and soak up the Hot Springs at Chena at the end of the month because I have to have surgery on my vocal chords! No I am not kidding... I have a polyp on my vocal chords... this does not mean cancer and should not be that big of a deal.. I had a polyp when I was about 4 and was all fine for 25 years after that. The problem now lies with the stupid healthcare system in America... So, right now I have great insurance because I have the golden handcuffs of a corporate job wrapped pretty tightly... 90% coverage, and it's all gravy, right? Except for the fact that I plan on moving to Denver this fall (after a two month leave of absence to road trip and trek around India)and as of right now I do not have an authorized transfer in place.. this means if I am forced to abandon my healthcare coverage, then I MUST pay for Cobra, as any lapse in healthcare would throw this condition (along with any others that I have) into an uncovered pre-existing condition... brother! It's enough to make you want to move to Germany! And that is just what I may do someday!! hmph!

Well, this is the first 'knocked out completely' surgery that I will have had in 25 years (the last one was the last time this happened) and only the second ever! I am a little scared as I have to go to a real hospital this time and that is going to suck! I hope I don't get swine flu... time for some more BBQ to build that immunity up!

In a Dream...

2009-05-09T22:19:00.001-07:00

The waves on Eklutna Lake are currently frozen in time... I was at a one year old's birthday bash at the lake today and upon walking down to the shore I saw the most amazing sight. The snow has melted off what is left of the ice on the lake and it has formed the most amazing phenomenon... waves frozen in time, azure ruffles frosted in white capps. I felt like I was in some sort of sci-fi dream world. It was gorgeous. I want to burn it into my retinas so I can see it forever. The next time I am in a swelteringly hot tropical country this is where I will go to find my mental happy place.

In order to be "too good to be true" it has to be "too good" first, right?

2009-05-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about this statement for about half a year now... in a way I have found comfort in the fact that when I find a flaw in something, by this logic above, it is real and true...nothing is perfect, and if something seems "too good", then you probably just don't know it well enough yet. Very pragmatic of me... if I do say so myself. In a strange way I am comforted by imperfections. As imperfect as the world is, finding and dealing with issues, loss, and emotions is a necessary part of life, and I have come to realize over the past 4 years that handling these imperfections has made me gain a certain clarity about my relationship with the world and others. I am stronger and more solid and so are many of these relationships. My heart has opened and I have become more free...

Enough waxing for today...

I got the results of my diagnostics back yesterday and there is apparently nothing wrong with my digestion or really anything that would be causing my weight loss... as I had hoped, I am merely just pretty healthy I guess... yay! I have thought about this a bit and am kind of cynical about the situation... after the bouts of depression that I have felt over the past 4 years.. all the loss of people dear to me, frustration in personal relationships.. I could go on... anywho, after all this strife, I finally start to feel happy and healthy and smile and... gasp! silence.... something must be wrong!!!!

All I can do is laugh at this.. I am quite silly with myself sometimes. I look and feel great (for the most part) and I swear something must be wrong with me... but to be too good to be true, it has to be too good first, right? Good thing I still have a little loss and frustration to keep me in the true.

Bird Ridge

2009-05-07T00:34:00.001-07:00

Monday Namah and I took up Bird Ridge to achieve some clarity... Namah almost ate a marmot... I did get a bit of clarity, so success all around! Here are a few pics...

The gray dirty looking stuff on the snow is volcanic ash deposites...mmm...

Evening Fog on the Turnagain Arm

Me kissing a rock... yes, really.

Moonrise.. it is itty bitty.. can you see it?

Clarity

This picture doesn't do it justice, but the drive home was magic! Pure turquoise water in the Arm and a pumpkin orange sunset over Sleeping Lady.. my favorite colors together at the end of a lovely day...

The Office...

2009-05-07T00:25:00.000-07:00

Lisa wants to see more pics of my new hair... this one is of me at the Office... I woke up this morning after a heavy sound sleep (a bit late off the alarm) and realized, to my amazement, that my hair looked super cute! I didn't even have to wet it down... just shook it around and day it is! This evening after 40+ hours and one sound sleep in the middle, it still looks pretty cute! I am slightly amazed... this makes me happy. I like low maintenance anything.

check out the sweet whale pic behind me...It's a southern hemisphere Humpback!

Cinco de Mayo was on Tuesday!

2009-05-07T00:17:00.000-07:00

Megan, Mary, and I at Megan's going away party/ Cinco de Mayo!! I am very sad that Megan is moving... now I have no single lady friends to hang out with in Anchorage... I am currently interviewing people to back fill this position. It requires being available for breakfast some Saturdays and Sundays, but not all... and being available to hike, run, bike, climb, go to yoga, have dinner, and drink libations at a moments notice...

Two things...

2009-05-03T23:42:00.000-07:00

Just to let y'all know... sporty haircuts and Puma wristbands definitely make you better at playing soccer... my first game with the new doobie (that is street slang for hairdo)!

Oh the Ponies!!!!

2009-05-03T13:54:00.000-07:00

So, have I mentioned that this spring has been the most wonderful, lovely spring in Alaska?!?! Seriously... there has not been a cloud in the sky for the past week and temps have consistently been in the high 60's and yes... low 70's. It has been a dream... There is still a bit of snow on the North Faces of the mountains... but all South aspects are free and clear! Needless to say this has proved to be quite an impediment to my studies... I am crossing my fingies that I pass this LEED exam in a couple weeks... I am forcing myself to study today (lovely, warm, sunny Sunday) as there is not change in this weather for the foreseeable future and I have a big week ahead of sweet thangs to do... Also, there is a down side to the lovely weather... my sinuses are totally messed with all kinds of dust and volcanic ash that has been blowing around Los Anchorage... I have been riding my bike everywhere for the past week... only hopped in the car last night to take the pup to a bbQ... my throat hurts! but at least my buns are getting nice and firm...(snicker)

Ok, so... about the ponies..this weekend was the Derby!!! and I hope that y'all had some luck with the Ponies! Steph, I was sending you good vibes this morning!!
The picture below is me after accepting a dare on Friday night to ride the Pony wheel that was set up downtown... needless to say I got the big one... and yes, I have no shame.. it was actually pretty hilarious... Check out the super cute lil girl riding the lil pony behind me....

Here's to Sweet Tea Vodka and Mint Juleps!

Hello, Karma... please send me some love...

2009-05-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

My hair is now shockingly short... This morning I donated all my hair to Locks of Love... yep. I did it. No tears as of yet... I think I was ready for a change. With the way my mop grows, I should be back to long and lovely by the time I settle into Denver in October, anyway... It feels pretty good.

"I'd have cut it myself, if I knew men could climb hair" - Sara Barielles

Pobres Cerditos!

2009-05-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

This story broke my heart...
What is Egypt thinking!?!?!?! Meanwhile.. I am operating with business as usual and am using my friend Chris's approach to building my immunity (he's from South Carolina)... Eat more BBQ! (see post from yesterday) Wow.. two posts in one day for me! I must be real busy at work or something... :)

Oppression...

2009-05-01T10:59:00.000-07:00

I came across this story today on CNN... Women in Lahore are trying to stand up to the Taliban... even through thought that the Taliban may just go ahead and bomb them if they organize!! The situation of oppression in this area of the world really grips me. Last year I remember hearing of the assassination of a female police officer right in her own yard.. with her teenage son looking on... She was the leader in the Kandahar police force and overcame all odds to rise to a high level in her career.. and the Taliban took her away just because she was a woman, just because she fought for what she thought was right and true. I cannot fathom how some people can harbor and harvest so much hate. I hope that the women and people of Lahore stay strong and stand up for what they believe in... the people of this area of the world do have a common thread... their passion... whether it be passion for oppression or freedom... most of them are willing to die for what they believe in.

Come and get your lonesome...

2009-04-30T18:18:00.001-07:00

So tonight I took the night off and went to drink Whiskey with my good friend Jeff at the Snowgoose... It was a much needed relaxation, and although I missed my first Capoiera class it was just too sunny and warm to pass up the snowgoose!

After Snowgoose we went to dinner at Gumbo House to have Roberto fix us up some tasty Pulled Pork Po Boys, Jambalaya, and Bud Light...

Oh... and to sneak a little excitement in... as if the pulled pork po boy wasn't enough... I Sold my house this week!!! Yes I got the earnest money check in the mail today and at age 28 I have officially bought, loved, and sold my very own house... without the help of a realtor... all by my lonesome!

this is a little thing I saw on the side of the road today... I think it is like 10 square feet! Only in Alaska...and maybe Appalachia...

I am so glad to be free of my condo! yay!!! I close on the 30th of May and then I will be homeless... it actually feels pretty dang good... This was the good news I alluded to back about a week or so ago... nothing was final and I didn't want to jinx myself... but all is good and well and on its way!

Now after my first week of warm season in AK, I am a bit of a tired pup and am going to bed in a blink. I am hitting the pillow with abandon... waiting for my warm sunny weekend...

Here Comes the Sun

2009-04-28T22:19:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here listening to Allison Krauss sing Can't Find My Way Home... worked! (It is not as good as The Smile on Your Face, love that song)... I just got back from climbing a bit above my level on Goats Head Soup with Lee. Ok, so now that it has officially reached 60 degrees!!! (yes, can you believe it!! is already warmer than it ever was last summer!!!) Ok, so now that it is warm, sunny and daylight nearly all night long, I think I am going to have to start getting up at like 5:30 so I can bike to work, play frisbee or go to yoga at lunch, and still get out of work by 3:00 to climb mountains, hike and hit up the miles and miles of new single track in bicentenial. Ha!! I am starting to sound like Kristin ;-) gonna give you a run for your money, sweet pea! You just wait till I get to Denver! I will have you moved to the Rockies in no time and out and about with me everyday!

And thanks to everyone that has contacted me to check in recently... I will keep y'all posted on any happenings with my health... Who knows... I am at the mercy... hope this gets cleared up before I disappear (and potentially loose my insurance in a few months) ....I have been eating bacon at every chance I can get!

One year has passed...

2009-04-27T20:10:00.000-07:00

On April 27th, one year ago, my Sweet Gram passed away from pancreatic cancer. I awoke that morning from a dream of rebirth...my eyes gradually opening to see the golden light of morning shine through the baby spring green leaves of the oak tree outside her bedroom window. Gilded.
I remember smiling, despite the emotion of the past week, having watched my loving grandmother fade away, moment by moment, in hospice. I thought to myself, what a lovely golden spring morning as I watched the light dance through the leaves. Two minutes later, as I laid in bed staring out the window, Hospice called to say that her light had just faded completely away.

It feels like ages ago, but I remember every detail of that morning like it was yesterday. Every detail of that week really... like a photograph I can recall every minute in my minds eye. She left such an impression on everyone she met.
Her simplicity was a guide,
Her kindness was an inspiration,
Her strength is my standard,
Her smile is my light.

She raised me from scratch and never gave me anything less than absolute unconditional love. I will always miss her so much... Namaste' my Sweet Gram.

Tired Pup!

2009-04-26T21:42:00.000-07:00

Today is Namah's birthday!! We went hiking with Mary and Amos, Megan and Jill from McHugh Creek to Rainbow on the Turnagain Arm trail. Right now Namah is sleeping on the couch snoring, squealing and barking in his sleep... love that dog... So the old hound is seven! I find it hard to believe that I have had him seven years already... sweet lil'thang.

Gratitude

2009-04-25T20:00:00.001-07:00

For one of the most lovely sunsets that I have seen in Alaska. Friday night 4/24/09. Followed by a shot of Knob Creek. Neat. Gotta say it was a good day...

I know better...

2009-04-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

So, today I had to have an outpatient minor surgery thingy to help diagnose some abdominal pain that I have been having recently... It was definitely like being in a hopsital and I was a little nervous and scared, to be honest... The nurses kept putting warm blankets on me and that was nice... I think they thought I was cold because I have been loosing so much weight lately and I am just a little thing... Hopefully what comes out of this diagnostic will tell me if I have any significant issues that may be causing my weight loss too... I could just be really healthy, I suppose (hope) but I have lost about 8 lbs since I went to Thailand and really I didn't have the weight to loose... If I lose 5 more lbs I will be below healthy for my height... So hopefully there is nothing substantially wrong with me...fingers crossed.

It was truely humbling to have an iV in my arm and to be wheeled around on a hospital bed this morning... The thing about humility is that when you experience this feeling, it hits you like a brick wall. I don't think there is anything gradual about it... humility must make an impact in order to get the full benefits of the concept. And a strong dose of humility is good for everyone once in a while... Most of us just go about our daily days and adventures until something comes along and slaps you in the face, serving to remind you that you may not be as indestructible, omniscient, or as wonderful as you may sometimes think you are...

I will be home from work today to recover... the tasty mix of mild sedatives has caused me to be a bit lucid here and there... I am currently working on my first Waltz, so it will be nice to get some mid week home time to finish my song. The picture above is of my shadow on the way up Rainbow peak on Tuesday. The tundra looks a bit like fall actually. Like it was frozen in time, under the deep snows of winter. I love fall....It was the loveliest day of the warm season thus far, almost 60 degrees! I have decided to stop calling "summer" in Alaska by it's real name... I will now refer to it as only "warm season" I figure sounds better than "mud season" although sometimes the warm season here feels like the mud season in VT... I think the vallum and demorral are making me ramble...

So the title of my waltz is "I know better..." maybe when it is finished I will share.

I never said I was a victim of circumstance....

2009-04-20T19:51:00.000-07:00

Ooh lalalala....This morning I heard "my life" on the radio on the way to work... great song. Billy Joel will always be classic... So, I got to work and my co-worker, Steven (he's Australian = very cheeky), had finished editing my resume, as I am getting ready to send it to the Denver office... Anywho... in the area where I have my "skills and interests" he put, 'men with brown beards and blue eyes' hahaaa!!! I got a big kick out of this and laughed for like 5 minutes... we are just cube mates, but he knows me so well... I guess I do spend 40 hours a week with him... and maybe it was the picture of Kyle and I on our hike up Ship Creek that has been on my desk all winter... who knows... well, it is spring now for sure, as evident by the outrageously warm and sunny day we just had!! AND I have some really good news to tell, but it will have to wait because nothing is final just yet...I don't want to jinx myself, but let's just say I may be free of a certain substantial obligation! Stay tuned...

Secret Forest Sauna.... shhh!

2009-04-17T12:00:00.001-07:00

So, last night turned into a pretty fantastic Thursday evening... I was all set to head out to yoga after work when a friend called and invited me to go ski out to Portage glacier... I rushed home packed the dog and some snacks and we headed off... a lovely sunny afternoon in Anchorage... warm and sweet. We got to Portage lake and it was snricing! For those of you who have never heard this word (snrice) before, don't worry... I made it up. It is the delightful form of precipitation that comes in spring and fall, a mix of snow/rain/ice... Anywho... Steve forgot his rain coat, so we bagged skiing out to the glacier and headed a little closer to Anchorage to check out this secret forest sauna that I had heard of once apon a time...

I had a little map drawn in teal marker in my Gazetteer that Moksha had drawn up nearly a year ago. It consisted of a straight line, a couple squiggles, some dots, the work 'log' and an 'X' that marked the "spot"

"Who knows if this thing even exists," I thought to myself. But it seemed like a plan. A bundle of wood and a sixer later, Steve and I were headed off on the trail. The log was in the exact location it was supposed to be, so I knew we were on the right track. The dots turned out to me the most lovely grove of white spruce with Spanish moss hanging down... and across a couple creeks (squiggles) later, we were there! This little shack was snug into the side of a mountain, almost entirely cloaked in snow, moss, and the rest of the immediate surroundings that blended so seamlessly into the small structure.

We lit a fire in the make~shift stove and started to heat the lil place up! We both thought that it was going to be a bust, but all of the sudden heat started to radiate inside and the rocks on top of the small rusted caged barrel started to get hot to the touch... success! It was a surprisingly warm, surprisingly funny adventure to the lil hippie sweat lodge in the wood. Next time we decided we would bring two bundles of wood instead of one, a case instead of a sixer, a stove and some dinner, and a gold pan for activities while the place is heating up. Next time...

April brings the Blues

2009-04-11T20:06:00.001-07:00

So, I know I mentioned the other day that it was so lovely that you actually think to yourself, "how could I ever leave this place." Well, this week has shouted loud and clear... go! go! go! Alaska is pretty gloom in April. The ice, ash, and dirt better go away with a quickness...I was supposed to go to Moose Pass this weekend, but we bagged that idea due to a really bad snowpack and rain!

Yes this time of year has me feeling like the cat in the picture above... just hanging out until some sweet distraction comes along to perk my attention. I am using this time to study hard for my upcoming LEED AP exam. Hopefully this will open up some opportunities for some part time work in Denver.

Yea, studying feels kinda weird after being away from exams for the past 4 years... and it feels super weird doing it on a weekend... wish me luck!

Relative to the Squeezable Recipe Below...

2009-04-08T18:49:00.000-07:00

So, I discovered that these Enchiladas below are really really good cold, sliced, as hors d'ourves... I am taking them to a Naked Lady party tonight...

Also, I found a great quote in this book that I am reading right now... It's called "The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry" by Kathleen Flynn.. it is about her adventures at French Culinary school during a transition point in her life. She was just fired from her job in London as a Marketing Exec and her love, Mike is in Seattle on his way to come live with her in Paris... The title refers to cutting an onion... if you cut with a dull knife, you rupture the cells of the onion and release the oils that make you tear up... good to know.

Anywho, this excerpt is about love and puff pastry... I liked it a lot, as I am a bit scared of puff pastry...

"I open the fridge and eat the last wedge of quiche as I draw a hot bath. In the tub, I read Ecsoffier's instructions on puff pastry. One day, I'll get it right. I sink into the water and consider Chef Bertrand's comment that pastry is like people.

You can't hurry love, and you can't rush puff pastry either. You can knead too much, and you can be too needy. Always, warmth is what brings pastry to rise. Chemistry creates something amazing; coupled with care and heat, it works some kind of magic to create this satisfying, welcoming, and nourishing thing that is the base of life."

...Words to bake by.

Come on, come on, come on... You got to treat me right all the time, squeeze me like a Key Lime....

2009-04-07T20:49:00.000-07:00

Ok... so for those friends that follow my random status messages on gmail and Facebook, you have maybe thought one of two things..a) Nicole is off her rocker and needs to get back in the groove, or b) Nicole has a crush on Grace Potter... if you guessed b) I may have a crush on Grace Potter, but I LOVE YOU!!

Yes, the soulful Grace Potter has captured my wondering heart and her music has been exactly on my level since this past weekend when her album This is Somewhere replaced Richie Haven's Resume as my favorite album of the moment as I was riding my heart out at Alyeska. Richie held the spot for two months, so this was quite a feat...

The title of this entry is lyric from "Treat Me Right" off the album Nothing but the Water...The No Quarter~esque key arrangement just does something to me. Whenever I hear it I want to go right into a sexy version of the "bus driver on a muddy road," one of my signature dances... I have had this groove in my head for two days and today while sitting in front of my computer at work today.. it started to make me hungry... I know, random... right?

Well, this is what I came up with...

Green Chili, Cashew, Avocado, and Key Lime Enchiladas.... (brilliant)

4 Avocados
1 cup Brown rice (cooked)
1/2 block of extra sharp White Cheddar cheese (cup in small pieces)
1 lb. roasted cashews, crushed in pieces (if you have a Trader Joe near, get the Green Chili and Lime Cashews, they are wonderful)
1 can of diced Green Chillies
1 bunch of Key Limes (or if you live in Alaska where key limes don't exist, just 4 regular limes will do)
1 bunch of Cilantro (chopped)
Salt and Pepper
1 tsp cumin
2 tbs Green Chili powder (Hatch will do)
Whole wheat tortillas

Set oven at 375 degrees, bake for 35 min covered, last 10 min uncovered and keep an eye!

Get a big ole bowl to mix this stuff. Cut Avocados up in big pieces, drench with lime juice. Add crushed Cashews, brown rice, half the can of diced Green Chilis, chopped Cilantro (save a bit to top), White Cheddar (save a bit to top), cumin, a Lao pinch of salt, and pepper to taste. Roll into 8 whole wheat tortillas, and slide into a baking pan.

Sauce

Put the rest of the diced green chilis into a bowl with about a half cup water, the rest of the Cilantro, a pinch of salt, and the green chili powder and mix. If it is too runny, add more chili powder, if it is too thick, add more water. Spoon over enchiladas and top with the rest of the Cheddar.

Mmm!

"I will give you all the love I got, if you just entertain the thought"

The kind of day that makes you feel like you could never leave this place....

2009-04-05T10:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of the most lovely days I've seen in a long, long time...Alaska Bluebird days are something to cherish, for sure. It was like a spa day on the mountain... much needed therapy to relieve my soul...As I listened to Grace Potter and the Nocturnals' album "This is Somewhere" and skipped down runs at Alyeska (must have done nearly 20 runs with me way my abs feel today) I released a lot of built up energy and reconnected with the ground I have been hovering over for the past couple months... literally...something just clicked. Sitting here today, I feel like I felt last October/ November... only a little older... little wiser... a little more free...it's gratifying to look back on a period of time and feel like you have made substantial progress forward. After being so stagnant the past three or so years, life feels like it if now picking up the pace and seemingly racing forward with abandon, speed ever increasing with the lack of resistance. Like my freshly waxed snowboard on the creamy groomers that keep heating up as the sunniest day of spring does it's work...

This was a testament to how warm it was yesterday! I would have taken my clothes off too, but I usually don't do that till about late May/ early June when we do our annual ski of Manitoba!

Travel Partner Found!

2009-04-03T23:40:00.001-07:00

As if I hadn't just got back from a month in Asia... I am already planning to go back! Surprised? I'm not... I have been waiting quazi patiently for years to get back out into the world... next major excursion: Ladakh, India by way of Athens, Greece!! How does this happen? very long, but relatively cheap flights, of course. let's see how another two days in airplanes treats me... why so I do this to myself... who knows.. but be end justifies the means. Now to reveal my mysterious travel partner..drumroll... my dear cousin Christy! This should be interesting, indeed! We will be trekking in the Ladakh range from Mid August till about mid September when I hope to meet up with Kyle and Charlie somewhere out there...
now alls I need is for someone to buy my house!

The Cows in Laos

2009-03-08T22:46:00.000-07:00

I am not sure where to begin with this post...So I will begin with a picture of cows crossing the road in Laos. It was a true exodus that lasted about 20 minutes... Anywho, I just spent the past 4 weeks following my heart around Southeast Asia and cannot wait to go back! I left the first week of February (almost a whole week before I was scheduled to leave) to avoid getting trapped by a Volcano on the Alaska Peninsula that never did erupt... love that volcano...

So, I arrived in Thailand and immediately boarded a night train to Chiang Mai. I spent the weekend exploring the city, meeting new friends (hi Shireen and Yens!), seeing good funky reggae, and climbing around on some pretty nice granite. A much needed decompression from the hustle bustle work life that I had been living. I also needed this time to try and get on the same page as my sweetness, Kyle, who has been kicking it since early October when he first invited me to come meet him in Thailand before his epic bicycle journey accross Asia. Chill down mission accomplished in the high heat of northern Thailand; I was off to meet Kyle and Charlie in Bangkok for a little big city life and prep for thier bike trip.

Bangkok was a big dirty city and I am a country girl at heart, so it didn't feel much like home, but I did find a few things to fall in love with.. at the top of the list was this delish pumpkin and scrampled egg dish that we found at a street vendor in Pakret, near Spencer and Breckan's place. Spence, Breck, Charlie, and Kyle are all biking together, so Kyle and I gratiously accepted thier invite to stay for free at their place for a couple days while we worked out some kinks in the city...My time in BKK was filled with great street food, ordered up by Spencer and his mastery of Isan Thai, racing around in Tuk tuks and motorcycle taxis, Kyle eating a Tuna pie at McDonalds, Moan (that is an inside joke, sorry!), getting bombarded by a small herd of thai schoolgirls for an "interview" about Mexico (below), cheap massages, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and a visit with my good friend Gabe Schickle from college. The visit with Gabe and the pumpkin thing were definately the best! I decided that I didn't much like BKK, but in hindsight I realize that it is what it is, and it is a very cheap and interesting city to bum around in a for a couple of days.. I would return for a bit, but for a max of 3 consecutive days at a time...

As soon as we could, Kyle and I hopped on a night train down south to begin our most wonderful vacation at the beach! We went to Ton Sai in a long tail boat from Krabi, and stayed in a lil bungalo near the beach. Ton Sai is on the Andaman coast of the Isthmus of Kra (See below). That shot was taken by myself high on the limestone after my last and hardest climb of the day... We spent our days swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, laying on the beach, eating chicken from the chicken lady, and yes... climbing...Ton Sai is a Mecca for climbers and you can climb on limestone formations right on the beach. It was beautiful!! and a great way to begin our adventure together. I really needed some quality time at the beach and with Kyle... once again, mission accomplished.. on to the next chapter of the story... the Gulf side...

We traveled to the Gulf Coast of Thailand to an Island call Koh Pha Ngon (various spellings of this place). KPN is known for its full moon parties which I believe are quite crazy...i.e. if you can imagine it it probably happens there.. we his the spot smack dab in the middle of the moon cycle so it was a bit more mellow than usual. Kyle and I were both glad for that.. as it was crazy enough; we each nearly got nailed by fireballs walking to the bar on the beach...We rented a motorbike one day and explored the island... hiked to waterfalls, swam in one of the most lovely beaches I have ever seen, ate a great curry lunch on the beach, and tried to push the limits of the skooter we rented to a secluded beach down a very long, winding, and steep road. We lasted about 15 min before we decided to abort the mission and head back to our bungalo, just in time to catch a killer sunset on the way home.

The next day we went to Hat Khuat, or Bottle Beach, on the north coast of the island. This beach was SO so lovely and beautiful, nestled into a little palm filled valley with rock formations on either side of the cove, we stayed in a little bungalo right on the beach! The place was so small that it felt like our own private island, but had a couple establishments that added to the ambience and comfort. There were three decent restaurants and a great little swimming pool that we poached one night. Kyle introduced me to spaghetti sandwiches on "cheese toes" (toast, but the locals call it toes) and I got an amazing chicken satay with mashed potatoes! mmm... I am hungry just thinking about it... We loved it so much that we stayed another night and pushed back our plans to go to BKK and Laos. Our second day there was the best day of our vacation thus far.. but truthfully, each day kept getting better... we hiked to a lookout point and chilled out for about an hour. Saw a local dude kill a cobra in the jungle, stumbled upon baby pineapple trees, skirted the coast and scrumpled on rocks till we found our own private swimming cove (shares the title of the loveliest place I have ever been with Havasu Falls), and swung on a giant swing and watched the sunset. Later that evening we swam under the stars in this great little grotto. Very romantic... yep, good day all around...

Back in BKK we wore ourselves out running errands all day long, but got to stay in this awesome hotel in the heart of China town. We ended the evening at a middle eastern cafe, drank a bottle of wine, and chatted the night away. A comfy bed was much appreciated, and the hotel, Shanghai Mansion, was probably the cutest hotel I have ever stayed. We woke up to Kyle's birthday and the excitement of finally leaving for Laos!! We had planned to go to Laos first, but Kyle had to leave his passport in BKK to get a visa for his bike trip, so we were itching to get there! We arrived in Luang Prabang and hiked around town looking for a cheap guest house. This being a UNESCO world heritage site, it is quite popular with the retired crown and many many tour groups seem to keep the prices for guest houses quite high. We finally found one to settle on and went out to dinner to celebrate Kyle turning 26!!! I was quite happy about this, as I am a bit older than him and he always pokes me for that fact... ;)

We fell in love with Luang Prabang... it was so chill... we wish we would have had more time to spend there, we kept saying "next time" a lot when presented with all the things that we wanted to do, but just did not have enough hours in the day to do them... we went full throttle though and gave it our best shot.. we rented bikes and peddled all around town for two days. Went on an elephant ride, did a Laotian cooking class, and explored a gorgeous waterfall!! not to mention ate much great street food, prepared a Laotian BBQ dinner, and made up our own art hop, that turned out not to work so well, as the power kept going out (lesson learned, view art during the day while in developing countries)...

The cooking class was the highlight for me on this trip.. as I love love love to cook! The class included a tour of the local market (which was not in any guidebooks we read) and there I found what could be the cutest baby ever born... it made me want to adopt a Laotian child... hey, I was Angelina Jolie for Halloween...hahah.. seriously...

The cooking class was put on by Tamarind and was awesome! The tour of the market was full of strange and amazing fruits, vegetables, meat things, spice, and of course, lovely people... Kyle and I had a great time during the whole experience and shared some good conversation and great food with the other "campers"... the class was hosted my a Laotian man at his personal farm where he grows herbs, veggies, and fruit organically to prepare meals for the class and his restaurant. We made a Laotian salsa, Kyle made a delish roasted eggplant spread, sort of like Babaganoush, we prepared a marinade and steamed fish in bamboo leaves, stuffed lemongrass with a chicken concoction and fried and grilled it... this opened up a whole new world for me... if you can stuff lemongrass, I ask... What can't you stuff? It was more than amazing!! such a great time.

After the cooking class we booked it to the famous waterfall nearby. We arrived a half hour before close, just in time to have most of the place to ourselves... we hiked up to the top of the falls and back down the other side, stopping at an azure pool along the way. The travertine terraces created a false horizon swimming pool and we floated around for a bit... most lovely..

The next day, we reluctantly left this wonderful village and hopped a bus to Vang Vien... we stayed in a sweet lil bungalo at Maylin's and ate as many banana and chocolate pancakes as we could get our hands on... the picture below is of Kyle putting banana and chocolate pancake on his breakfast sandwich.. with eggs and bacon... that's my man... :)

In Vang Vien we once again rented bikes and took to the dirt roads in search of caves and smiling faces.. we also ended up finding many, many, cows... as referenced above... while we were riding I realized how at home I felt in this place... riding a bike through the villages felt so peaceful to me... we visited a cave, swam in a blue lagoon, and met many little villagers as they passed us with Kyle's broken down bike, eager to lend a hand. The kids are so dang cute in Laos, and always smiling! The simple lives they lead and the buddhist philosophies that the culture follows really show in their smiles. As Kyle and I rode by a school, the boys lined up on the side of the road to give us high fives.

I loved Laos!! We both kept taking note of what we would do the next time we visited this lovely country... next time...

From Laos we traveled to Singapore to meet Charlie so he and Kyle to take off for their epic bike journey. Singapore was a blur of city life, running errands, a small scavenger hunt, eating Great Indian food in Little India, taking pictures of many many lovely orchids, and meeting some really cool people. Kyle left way too soon. Although the start of his trip was delayed by Charlie's bike getting stuck in customs... I still wasn't ready for them to leave just yet... I don't know if I ever would have been ready for Kyle to leave on such a long trip, but que sera, sera... I hope he has the time of his life and I will miss him dearly...

My last days in Singapore were filled with bumming around the city and hanging out with my new city friends, Eko (from Sumatra), Yihmay (from Malaysia/ Singapore) and Jimmy (from Holland). They were great company and I couch surfed with Yihmay and Jimmy, that is how we met. It was a great experience and I will hopefully see all of them again one day on future travels.

Well, that pretty much sums it up. Kyle and I both agreed that this was the best vacation that we have ever had. I feel so grateful to have shared these experiences with someone so dear to me... with the grace, this will be the first of many wonderful vacations together... Laa Kawn! (that means goodbye in Thai)

For a complete album of all of our photos you can go to my Picasa site

http://picasaweb.google.com/nicolerachelle532

The photos from our trip are in the Albums, Southeast Asia '09, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and Singapore National Orchid Garden

Can You Mash Potato?

2009-02-01T23:32:00.000-08:00

So, it has always been a dream of mine to have a cookbook full of mashed potato recipes... I absolutely love mashed potatoes!! I am leaving for Thailand in two days... if I can bump my ticket up, that is... You see there is this pesky volcano that keeps rumbling about a hundred miles away... if it blows I may be stuck in Anchorage... and I don't even want to think about that, so I am getting out while I can...hope I make it. Anywho... am trying to use up all my awesome veggie treats that came in my Full Circle CSA box last week and I got a ton of potatoes... here are two mashed tater ideas that I just threw together...

Roasted Red Pepper Chunky Cheesy~ness

Ingredients:
4 cups Mashed taters
Roasted Red Pepper chopped in chunks
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 tsp Mexican Oregano (crushed)
1/3 tsp Cumin
1/3 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
and 1 tsp white wine vinegar

Make mashed taters: add butter and milk/ sour cream and mash till they are nice and creamy, but still slightly chunky....Roast Red Peppers by putting them under the broiler on high, turning when the sides get black. When they are all black spotted and pretty well roasted take 'em out and put them immediately into ice cold water for a bout a minute then put them in the freezer till they are cool to touch and the skin has gotten wrinkly. Peel skin and toss. Chop pepper, add to taters, add shredded cheddar cheese, Mexican Oregano, Cumin, Cayenne, and Vinegar and mix well....

Spicy Sauerkraut Mashed Taters

4 Cups Mashed Taters
1 cup of drained Sauerkraut (I like Bubbies brand)
1 tbs creamy extra spicy horseradish
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp Hungarian paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
and 1/2 cup shredded extra sharp white cheddar (Seriously Sharp Hunters by Cabbot= best)

Mix all the stuff into the taters ;-P This is one of my favorite mashed tater recipes... great at Oktoberfest parties...

Kyle and I are going to take a cooking class in Thailand, so maybe I will come back with some Thai fusion tater recipes... most definitely!

Tomorrow I am making a Moose Goulash!!! This may have to go over the Spicy Sauerkraut taters... just maybe....

My next post will likely be from SE Asia, or after I get back... safe and happy travels to me!

It's a long walk to DC, but I got my walking shoes on!

2009-01-19T20:17:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow morning we will have a new president... good thing, because I was about to move to Austria with my friend Carrie.... now I get to move to Denver instead! Austria would have been sweet... still may move there, in good time. At least now I don't feel rushed... So, this evening started with a great segment on NPR, an interview with Mavis Staples... love me some Mavis! Just what I needed, as this turned out to be a somewhat lonesome Monday.

Yesterday I woke up to Kyle on the phone (at 6:30 on a Sunday morning) and a "good morning, sweet pea" from the airport in Atlanta... on his way to Asia... Although early, it was a lovely way to wake up... That is how my Gram used to wake me up when I was lil... Me'mories... Needless to say Monday morning was not as fulfilling.

Anywho, during this Mavis Staples interview, she mentioned how Ray Charles used to absolutely loVe her mother's Sweet Potato Pie... She said how her momma used to put coconut in her sweet potato pie and that made it special... I got to thinking... Why wouldn't you put coconut in Sweet Potato Pie?!?!?!?... So, I stopped at the Asian market on the way home and got me some coconut!

What better way to kick the blues than with some comfort food!! Lonesome no more, I got to cooking.

I had some just now... and it was expectedly divine. I will never make normal sweet potato pie again! I never really make normal anything though... this recipe will definitely go in my cookbook... Tomorrow is going to be a really good day!!!!

This is the recipe that I adapted from my very first cookbook, Better Homes and Gardens, given to me by my sweet Gram...

Sweet Potato Coconut Pie with Gingersnap Crust

Crust

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups finely crushed Annie's Ginger Thins

Crush 1/2 sleeve ginger thins in a food processor. Melt butter in sauce pan; stir in sugar. Add crushed ginger thins, mix together well. Spread in the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan and smoosh against the edges. Let sit for approx 1 hour to harden.

Filling

3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 lb), or one 10-once can of sweet potatoes
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground corriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pimpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 slightly beaten eggs
1/4 teaspoon natural organic maple flavoring or 1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 cup coconut milk

cool whip or coconut ice cream on the side!

Scrub sweet potatoes and bake them at 450 for 50 min. Remove from oven, let cool, cut in half, and scoop out mooshy insides into a big mixing bowl. Mash up the taters so they are super mooshy, but still have some chunks. Add all dry ingredients to taters and stir together. Combine maple and eggs. Add slowly to tater spice mix. Beat slightly to combine or stir in well. Slowly add coconut milk. Beat together on low till combined. Pour over gingersnap crust and reduce heat to 375. Cook for 50- 60 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool for 30 min. Chill in fridge or serve warm with cool whip or cocunut ice cream!!

My sweet things...

2009-01-15T21:37:00.000-08:00

So I think just now this lazy lil hound dog of mine (Namah) took the prize as the cutest thing that I have seen since I left Denver from my Holiday... I swear I did not stage this photo... he actually climbed up on the couch to snuggle with his golden bear... Love that dog. Regarding the Denver Holiday mentioned before.... t'was a blast! (understatement) I met so many wonderfully down new friends. I fell in love again with Colorado and I will definitely be moving there in the near future. Namah's gonna love it...

So, my holiday adventures really started with the Christmas Jam in Asheville, NC. Which could have possibly been one of the funnest times I have ever had. For 1) the music was stellar. Heavy on the Zep, just how I like it...Pictures, and 2) the whole trip was so solid. From the chill time at Kyle's parent's place to the BBQ buffet in the back hills of South Carolina, to the kick ass house on a hill in Asheville... and so it began...

Denver too was solid at its core. My first Widespread Panic experience with Jimmy Herring proved to be outstanding. I met up with Cliff Paulin the night before the shows and he warned me that Jimmy would bring the heat. Highlights for me were acoustic Vacation and Arlene on NYE as well as Climb to Safety, Wonderin, and Pigeons the night before... I tried to play devils advocate and give Yonder a lil Love since all Kyle's friends were hating on them so hard, but by the end of the first night my patience was waning and after the shows I had to give it up... they really had no business at the Pepsi Center those two nights... I would have much preferred more Panic. I am looking forward to the next show... whenever that will be... Alaska has taken me out of the loop and 5 years is far to long to go without one of my favs... can't wait to make it back down to civilization. I digress... all I need is a bit of patience in this situation...

So now I am back in AK waiting for my next adventure... I will be visiting my sweetness, Kyle, in Thailand to travel around SE Asia for nearly a month. I have always dreamed of this adventure... I was reluctant to go it alone... being a lady and all... I have done some crazy things by myself in the States, but the uncertainty principle skyrockets overseas and I could never really find the right travel partner... someone with the means and the same love for adventures with an open heart and open mind... Finally it all came together and I will be actually living one of the dreams... one of the many... I knocked out a bit of Europe earlier this year with my trip to Germany with Moni pictures and it was all over from there... now it is in my system and I have a feeling it will be for a while. On the list after Thailand/ Laos... well, there is Nepal/ India, Packrafting in Croatia, beaches of Cyprus, a revisit to Hawaii, and the big one... South Africa for the world cup and Namibia, Egypt, and Morrocco for my 30th birthday... quite ambitious... let me know if you know anyone that would like to share in the journey... and keep checking in because now that the blog is up, I will keep you posted...

What will come of this?

2009-01-14T09:50:00.000-08:00

So, I have always though this would be an interesting experiment. I wonder how I will take to blogging? I suppose we shall see... I think this will turn into me posting delicious things that I ate for breakfast/ dinner and possibly some crazy tales of adventure... I currently live in Alaska, but my condition is in transition and this year will hopefully bring some much overdue goodness to my life! This blog could get quite saucy and a bit spicy... I guess it depends on what I cook for dinner...
Namaste!