Greeting the New Year

I had such a nice time last week at the coast with the girls (Kerri Anne, Sassy Leo, and Sizzle). We spent two nights in the cutest cottage right on the beach and passed the hours talking, playing cards, and drinking wine. The weather was nasty ! so no surfing, but nothing could keep us from taking a quick midnight dip - and it felt amazing to be in the water at the exact moment it clicked over to a new year. It really was perfect to feel the force of the waves (I mean, before my entire body went numb) and just affirm the connection I have with the ocean - one that has deepened greatly in the past six months.

Several times during the weekend I had a sense of overwhelming gratitude to have friends that I can hang out with for two days at the beach. I'm a pretty private person and a bit of a loner, but I need good conversation and good people in my life to know and be known by. My time in Japan was somewhat lonely and I was pretty isolated in New York as well. I love having so many people I care about here in Portland. I'm very lucky to have more than my share of close friends, and blogging has only helped me develop even more great friendships. I thought about that a lot over the weekend.

I love a fresh start and am grateful to see another year. During the last week I've made lots of resolutions and set many new personal goals, and I'm actually already working on a few. I'm ready for the new year! So I guess the questions is: 2010, are you ready for me?