2010 Review Part I

The year is almost over, and it's time to have a look at what just happened.  I'm grateful for the moments that made up this year and for the place of power to which it has brought me.  To begin, some memories:

New Year’s Eve in Tahoe with Gab - snow, boots, a moonlight meditation at midnight.  A final bit of time with pops in the Carmichael home, a couple more paintings put together, then an interview with vFlyer in downtown San Francisco, and a rapid acceleration of my life.  A new apartment by the beach with three gentlemen who came together to create a little brotherhood.  Learning the city from the locals, group dinners and games of Scrabble.  Endless kitchen collaborations, redefining the salad with homemade dressing, learning to love mushrooms.  Meeting a new crew of bros, playing soccer.  Starting work, wearing a tie Monday through Thursday, showing up early for the first few weeks, my new colleagues.  Learning about the spam folder in my Gmail account, learning how to use vFyer.com, talking to my first user on the phone and giving them assistance.  Learning what a blog really was.  Following Chris Brogan, reading his posts for a week, then unfollowing him.  Working downtown, riding the N-Judah every morning and every night, getting up early, sprinting to catch the train, packing my lunch and my life revolving around food.  Living with Lucy for a month, cooking great meals and hanging out in the kitchen.  Spraining my ankle, recovering, hurting my knee playing mojo kickball, getting treated at Lucy’s clinic, recovering.  Riding William’s bike to work for the first time, finding my bike on Craigslist, missing the boat, but finding the same bike on Craigslist a few days later and getting it.  Riding my new bike, crashing on Market street, being rescued by Mom, x-rayed, fitted with a brace, returning with a sprained wrist, recovering.  Saturday morning support work on my computer at Java beach - ordering a blueberry muffin and a small coffee every time.  Hosting parties at our apartment, playing beer pong with the boys, getting TV, getting internet, ordering clothes from lands’ end.  Perfecting my Chinese accent.  Visiting Gabrielle and her visiting me.  Walks on the beach, watching dogs, sunsets on the beach with growlers from the chalet, walking the five blocks down to the water and the five blocks back up.  Doing laundry around the corner, buying tomatoes and oranges from arm and a leg.  Hosting people through Air B&B in our teeny tiny little room.  Making videos for vFlyer, learning to do my job well, getting excited about the internet and blogging more, becoming a “social media guru” and getting more than 500 followers.  Being commissioned to make paintings, dealing with matters of the heart.  Living near Lucy, visiting her in the Haight, watching the season finale of the Bachelor, watching the season finale of the Bachelorette.  Dancing at Maye’s on Polk Street, late night guitar-playing and freestyling in the living room, waking up early on Saturday mornings and walking the still crisp streets of the outer sunset.  World cup fever and games on ESPN 3, rooting for Spain and Holland, watching the Netherlands at 4:30am in a crowded bar, rocking my orange vest for Holland, watching the final with the soccer team and being the only one truly happy for Spain.  A roadtrip with my girl, arriving just in time to see Ross and Renee be wed, a taste of what friends’ weddings will be like, staying in a hotel and feeling like a big shot.  Moving offices, celebrating my birthday in the inner sunset with pizza and drinks and silliness.  Watching the playoffs and rooting against the Lakers.  Playing soccer again, spraining both of my ankles in one game, recovering, doing less.  Getting lost in the city.  Always finding parking, learning how to curb my wheels and get right up on the curb.  Discovering new neighborhoods, imagining moving out with Lucy and then making it happen.  An epic 2 person move - a massive Uhaul, perfect parking, getting honked at, sweating and aching from lifting and carrying, the first night in the new place with a mattress on the floor, getting set up and living in the Castro.  Jumping on the Giants bandwagon, going to a ballgame, watching them win it all at Civic center, seeing lifelong fans rejoice.  Jack Johnson's new album, Ray Lamontagne at the Greek, Jackie Greene at Hardly Strictly, slow-dancing to Norah Jones.  Living with Mom, reconnecting with my brother and planning big things, organizing my photos.  Cramming for the election, voting.  Getting sick and rediscovering movies.  Reading another Hemmingway book.  cooking and hosting my first Thanksgiving dinner.  Taking guitar lessons, signing up for night school, living life, seeing people all around me ready for a perfect world.