• The Undeniable Recap of 2014

    Wow – 2014 was a year for change for me. I never would have predicted that so much would be different in 12 months’ time – mostly for the better. It has been a tumultuous ride but I think it’s allowing to lay the foundation for more good things to come.

    I keep a running document for The Undeniable Recap from the beginning of the year and it’s so fun to look back and remember everything I did in the last year. It’s always hard to come up with the top 5 events for the year but here goes.

    Photo by Julia Kolsrud
    Photo by Julia Kolsrud

    1. We Moved! I’d been living in my parents’ second home since I moved to Phoenix and I decided it was time for Rosie and me to get our own place. After months of searching, I found a condo that I fell in love with at first sight. It’s less than half the size of our old place – just 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, an office, and an open kitchen/dining/living room. It’s the perfect place for a girl and her dog.

    2. The Packing Party. I read about Ryan Nicodemus’ “packing party” in the book Everything That Remains by Joshua Fields Millburn. I’ve been an aspiring minimalist for a few years now and moving gave me a chance to step it up a notch. When I moved, I put everything in boxes and only unpacked what I needed when I needed it. It took 72 days to go through all my boxes and a lot of my stuff is going to charity. It was eye-opening to see how little I need to be comfortable.

    3. Week in Wickenburg. At the recommendation of my therapist, I spent 5 days in Wickenburg last spring at a workshop at The Meadows. It was an intense experience where I got to do a lot of personal development work and look at who I am, what’s important to me, and when I’m in a hand basket. And with no computer or cell phones allowed on the campus, it was a valuable centering experience.

    Post-Brunch Handstand - Photo by Erika Brown
    Post-Brunch Handstand – Photo by Erika Brown

    4. Birthday Stories. I had the most awesome birthday this year. I always take the day off on my birthday to do whatever I want. This year I asked my friends to send me stories about something related to our friendship. Dozens of people responded. I spent a few hours curled up in front of my laptop taking a wonderful trip down memory lane. I’m sorry I haven’t had time to thank each of you who contributed individually but know that your stories were very much appreciated!

    5. Lindsey’s Wedding Weekend. The best trip I took in 2014 was for Lindsey’s wedding in the Bay Area. I’ve known Lindsey since she was probably 7. We were gymnastics teammates and we’ve been friends for decades. It was great to get back to my old stomping ground where I crammed in as many people as I could in a 72-hour period – teammates, coaches, and other friends. And to top it all off, I got to see Lindsey get married. Of course we had a post-wedding handstand contest.

    Photo by Jeff Moriarty
    Photo by Jeff Moriarty

    Firsts in 2014
    Aerial Yoga class
    Polar Plunge
    Encyclopedia Show
    Yelling at a server at Buffalo Wild Wings (not my best moment)
    Performing at the Orpheum
    World’s Largest Pi Fight
    Mass mailing for Carter Law Firm in honor of Captain Kirk’s Future Birthday
    Virtual Presentation at a Conference – ABA TechShow 2014

    Poolside Rosie
    Poolside Rosie

    Batting cages
    Getting crapped on by a bird
    Day trip to Jerome
    10K race that I ran the whole time
    Visit to the big dinosaur in Gila Bend
    Ice Bucket Challenge
    Overnight trip to Sedona w/ Rosie’s first hotel stay
    Buying real furniture for my new place
    Ignite Phoenix After Hours at The Mint
    Driving myself to Prescott
    Hiking the Wind Cave Trail
    Local Events: Arizona Wind Symphony Performance, Art Detour, Scottsdale Arts Festival, Tempe Arts Festival, Heard Museum, and Zoolights

    Hanging with Peter Shankman
    Hanging with Peter Shankman

    Medical Firsts: Cardiac ultrasound, Beta blocker, Anti-depressant, Stress test
    Food Firsts: Pho, Rutabaga, Matzo ball soup, Sugar cookie in a mug,

    Celebrity Sightings
    The Minimalists – Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus
    The Oatmeal – aka Matt Inman
    Chris Guillebeau
    Peter Shankman