Two Thousand Ten

Did I ever tell you I hung out with a medicine man named Pa when I was in the Cook Islands? Well, I did and it was freaking awesome. Pa told me I've gone through 3 major barriers in my life, but I have 9 left to go. I would know them when I see them because there will be "a lot of colors involved." Then he asked me I had seen his machete. He had misplaced it.

Oh yeah, Pa. Here's your machete. You dropped it in that bush besides the tree where that pig was feeding her baby piglets and you stopped to say hello... Because this is kind of situation I encounter regularly and it's no skin off my nose.

I have no idea what barriers are to come, but I sure as hell have better knocked out 2 or 3 of them this year. You guys have only heard about the good stuff since I've posted much less frequently. But I want to make something very clear right now; this. was. hard. REALLY hard.

I cried at least once a week, sometimes in internet cafes which definitely counts for a double session.
I was almost always the oldest person at the hostel, including the people who were running it. I gained 10 lbs from stress eating full-size Whittakers chocolate bars and potato chips. Potato chips was a surprise to me since I'm normally not a salty girl. I actually heard myself saying to someone, "you know, I'm really getting into potato chips", like it was an f'ing hobby. I was so lonely some nights that I stayed up way past my bedtime to catch my family and friends back home on Facebook when they were waking up for work.

Shit was tough.

Here is my advice to anyone resolving to do whatever in 2011; accept that losing weight, traveling, changing careers, paying off debt, whatever man.. is hard as hell. If you want change on a cellular level like that it is not going to feel like a nap. But the struggle is only temporary. Take it from someone who knows.. you will look back on every single step along the way fondly. At the end, the goal and the work to get there are one in the same.  Try not to hate on it along the way because believe me, you will miss it.

I can say without any reservation that 2010 was the best year of my life. It was worth the tears and potato chips..and I don't even feel bad about the Whittakers because it's f'ing delicious.

Wishing everyone lots of love and courage for 2011. Be a good friend, responsible adult, courteous neighbor..and do whatever the hell you want. Don't hold back.

Your life will be a lot more colorful.
And the potato chips are delicious.