In my first year

I need to look up the exact date, but basically I've been in California for a year now. It has been an amazing, but not exactly smooth, year. Every once in a while I look back at some of the things that have happened and remind myself of my favorite old adage - "watch what you wish for, because you might just get it." I left Richmond a year ago essentially because I was bored, and needed some adventure. And for better or worse, the past year has definitely not been boring. Here are some of the things that have happened:

- Fallen in love with a town (Sausalito)

- Fallen into and then out of love with a man

- Went through one roommate in a whirlwind two months

- Popped quite a few corks - socially and professionally

- Made my cat endure what turned out to be a 13-hour cross country flight

- Watched the company I moved here for go out of business

- Made some truly great friends

- Signed two leases, broken one of them

- Barely traveled at all - boo

- Lost money

- Taken several leaps of faith

- Hosted a few visitors

- Loved and felt inspired by a job

- Hated a job

- Looked for a job (twice)

- All but given up on high heels

- Listened to way more Gypsy Kings than anyone should (mandatory salsa music at the hated job)

- Gone to the opera

- Sailed on the Bay

- Hiked through mountains and vineyards

- Taken a helicopter ride

- Eaten abalone

- Taken about a dozen + books out of the library

- Learned to make jam

- Been more stressed out than I ever have been in my life on several occasions

- Re-ignited a relationship with yoga

- Eaten a lot of really good food

- Cried

- Laughed

- Taken several deep breaths

- Learned my way around Napa

- Leaned on people more than I ever have before

- Gotten to the point where I can't not have coffee in the morning

- Fulfilled the dream of living in a place with wonderful window seats

Whew. Can't wait to see what the second year brings!