California was my first step away from home. In all my trips in and out of California, nothing has changed. California has always been the same, but I think I’ve changed. The things that caused me grief have turned into the things that make me feel good. I haven’t lived here in years but the comfort I feel in San Diego makes me feel right at home. Here I learned about myself and let people learn about me. I’ve left a lot of hearts here. Long distance friendships are never easy but when they are with the right people, they are definitely worth it. Thanks for staying the same California. You are quite the cure.

The moments and the memories. The people and the places. No one knows what will happen next, but that’s what is best.

This past weekend was a big one for NYC. The Mets played in the World Series, it was Halloween, and the TCS NYC Marathon was on Sunday. Somehow, I made it to do something for all three things. However, it left for a sleepy Sunday morning and a necessary chocolate earl grey doughnut from DOUGH in Brooklyn. While watching 60,000K people run by, I tracked a friend, caught up with another and I’d say this last weekend was a success.

Hopping fences and facing fears. Celebrating love and life. Being thankful for friends and foes. This weekend I went from east to west to find myself in places I couldn’t even believe. Not just talking about the top of this rocky cliff, but places I’ve never felt before too. Everything is coming together and my team is the best I could ever have.

From high in the sky at 427mph, I’m composing and uploading this post. That’s right, from the airplane. In my life time, there have been advancements that people of the generation before would never have imagined. Sure, we have been able to pay for WiFi in the air for a while now, but now this is FREE. So on a day that rained and rained, making the commute to the airport extra challenging, after a week of sleepless nights and long workdays, free wi-fi was my glimmer of sunshine. (Hey, its the little things). Looking forward to seeing more real sunshine and escaping the east and Tropical Storm Joaquin. #BYEJOAQUIN

Back in college, these cliffs were the closest thing to home in San Diego. Somewhere out there, in that big ocean was Hawaii. This place reminded me of home. The ocean is here, the sunset is here, the swell is here. The city is behind you, and so is everything else.

When you feel seasick on solid ground, you need a place like this.  I needed a place like this. Somewhere to rebalance the scales and clear my mind. However, on this impromptu return to Sunset Cliffs, there was nothing to balance. By chance we caught the sunset and on purpose we stopped to watch it. I wasn’t being reminded of home, I felt right at home. Coming back to a place that made me feel displace, made me feel right.  And that, among other things, is what made this one of the best sunsets yet.

From PV to Silver Lake and the IKEA Carson, last weekend Matt and I played in LA. We went to tea in Beverly Hills and ate ice cream as we walked through shops on Abbot Kinney. We spent hours in cars driving in and around LA and even found ourself in Silver Lake at sunset. We did not get any parking tickets or buy unnecessary things. Everything is always necessary. The weather was hot AF, but we managed. For a minute we thought we were in college again, just doing whatever, whenever because we could! We even went to Ralph’s in Marina Del Rey and ate KC’s Crepes. I didn’t even go to school at LMU, but somehow, all of my friendships made there and in LA, make it feel like home too. Forever grateful.

There are more pictures from this adventure, but for now, just ridiculous photos of us and people vacationing.

Listen to mom, don’t try this at home.

I’m talking about a dime, as in perfect 10, not just worth a few cents. I’m throwing it back on this Thursday to a state I’ve learned to greatly appreciate–California. From top to bottom, east to west, I’ve only really explored a few hot spots of the Golden state. All I have are these memories pictures but I have to say that being here on the East coast has made me long for California more and more. Of course while I was there, I was finding everything wrong with it, and now it seems like there is a lot of right going on with the left side of the USA.

Let’s start from the top, in the Bay. Oakland to be exact. Yes, I always think about what my life would’ve been like if I went to USF and spent four years in the Bay. My guess is my life would be a lot different, but I am so happy with where I’ve been so far. Now with so many ties up north, I can always visit and be guaranteed a good time. One of my first trips after graduating in 2011, we roamed Berkeley and Telegraph Avenue, obviously with the desire to stop at CREAM. Ice cream + chocolate chip cookies–yeah glad I didn’t get those every week or my pants size would be a lot different too. Cookies do rule my world though.

Moving down, how can I ever forget where it all goes down, in  JTOWNNN. Japan Town in Los Angeles. Taken during one of my first trips down to JTown, Japan towns are always so quaint and quiet in wherever they might be. Things are changing, business are moving and I would love to feel like I’m in a little piece of Japan, away from Japan again. Okay fine. I really just want to eat ramen and get mochi.

Last but not least, San Diego. I remember taking this picture during one of my last few months in college. In a part of town that I really only started going to during my last year of college but should have ventured to more often. This is the North Park Post Office. As retro and vintage as it seems, it is. The streets of North Park are filled with stores that take you back to a quieter time. If it wasn’t for that GMC truck and H3 monstrosity behind it, throw this photo in black and white and you might even be fooled about when it was taken.

Leaving San Diego to go to New York was the right thing. The time came for me to close the college chapter of my SD life and change my pace. I could have seen myself living in California longer, maybe in SD, LA, or SF, and I still do. There was only so much I could do in the four years I spent there and so much more I wish to explore. I want to climb more rocks, eat more food, see historic landmarks and make more memories. So far, I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen from top to bottom. So California, thanks for the memories, I’ll be back for more. You better believe it.

With 5 weekends in a row of snow (make it 6 if the white stuff falls tomorrow), a record breaking February (coldest since 1934), and six more weeks of winter (thanks Groundhog), I feel like I’ve hit a new low (body temperature).  My nose hurts when I breath, if breathing is even possible with icy air blowing through my face. I walk with caution, everywhere looking down at every step because I don’t want to slip and fall (did that once already this winter).  I even have to add 10 minutes before I leave to go anywhere to put on those extra layers before wearing my warmest coat. WINTER BLOWS (really cold air). My friends got a new plant though so until spring decides to show up, I’ll just pretend to be in a tropical paradise.

The Christmas rush is well underway. The last few days have been a whirlwind of events. The missing days from the blog are an indication of just how crazy things have been. Major life changes have occurred. I celebrated friends getting married and friends who are moving on. I made new friends and once again, reconnected with old ones. I’ve been in three states in three days. As I write this note, 10,000 feet in the air somewhere above the Pacific Ocean I am anxious and ready to go home for the holidays.

I know once I get there it will be a whole different rush. I am excited to see my family and friends. I have a very loveable and demanding Grandma waiting for me and lots of questions will be asked and answered. We have holiday cookies to bake and family dinners to make. I’ve been running on little sleep. I don’t expect that to change much once this plane touches down on Maui, but I do expect to enjoy every minute of it. I am always crushing on Maui, and I am in love with the idea that I will spend the last days of 2014 here:

Eight months have passed since the last time I re-commited myself to this blog. Now that we are into the last month of 2014, before the end of the year officially comes and goes, I wanted to re-commit  to this again. I would hate to say I have a problem with commitment (because I don’t think I do). Rather than typing my thoughts, I’ve been taking pen to paper and writing them. Sketching. Scratching out. Re-writing, but never really re-reading. What is done is done. I experienced firsts and lasts and learned to embrace all of it.

There has been a lot of change that has happened in 2014. Things are evolving into something I am not sure what will be, yet. Matsumoto Studio is growing and as I celebrated another year of living (quarter century, woo!), life is changing too. There are new responsibilities, new efforts being made, and new challenges to overcome. For what’s left of 2014, I will try my best to recap and reflect for the only way to go from here is forward. Shakas up.