Happy New Year, Bishes - I'm going to bed!

In 2012, I sent myself the above postcard from Japan, as a reminder of my trip, but this one does nothing for me. Luckily, I took a lot of photos. Instead, it's a perfect postcard to reflect on the year that was, 2019, and the year that is to come, 2020 - in about three hours. So, this year was full of ups and downs. I even started a life coaching practice based on the philosophy of waves and surfing - more about impermanence and power of life's events as well as the possibility of risk and opportunity for fun. I definitely got a lot out of developing the business but the year got busy with grad school as my first priority, but I managed to cram quite a bit in with the help of my friends, Nespresso, Tetley, Twinings, and Coke Zero. Here's a recap:

• Practiced and proselytized the Keto Lifestyle 
• Consumed my body weight in brussels sprouts and bacon
• Produced a podcast for my job and a short film for my Public Lands class
• Was diagnosed with sleep apnea
• Experienced a "reduction in force" due to budget cuts - apparently quite common with NGOs
• Enjoyed the precision of the Evening Parade at the Marine Barracks on my birthday  
• Became the proud owner of a 2010 Honda Odyssee and immediately listed it on Turo.com
• Got a Costco membership
• Toured Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada for a class that incorporated geology, ecology, anthropology, and climate change
• Fell in love with a naval officer/sailor
• Standup paddleboarded(?) the Potomac a few times during the sweltering summer 
• Went to Provincetown, MA and made new friends, sang some songs, and ate handcrafted ice cream sandwiches
• Attended my first Barbershop Harmony Society competition in Rochester, NY as a guest 
• Camped in the Dolly Sods Wilderness - left no trace
• I caught up with my best friend, Enwei in NYC and Washington, DC.
• Saw Cher live in concert - her "Here We Go Again Tour"
• Road tripped to and from Georgia a couple of times, once with Charlie & Norma-Jeane
• Started fasting after falling off the Keto wagon during the holidays. 36 hours? No problem
• Finished my master's degree in Environmental Sciences & Policy at Johns Hopkins University!
• Visited the Newseum on its last day before closing its doors on Pennsylvania Avenue forever

Ok, I might have left off a few things, but that's generally the year that flew by in a flash. For 2020, the list of objectives is short and focused:

• Get a job
• Get sleep apnea surgery
• Pay down student loans
• Start pecking at the piano again
• Learn Spanish
• Keto + intermittent fasting + intermittent ice cream + gym
• Dance more (both tap and country two-step)

We all know, it's just the first bullet point that matters. Until then, wishing you all a happy 2020 - may you dance, sing louder, and share the love in the new year.