Closing the Los Angeles Chapter on My 33rd Birthday
Today happens to be my 33rd birthday. Every year on my birthday I try to find some time to reflect on the past year and think about what lies ahead. (I guess I skipped my 32nd birthday blog post but check out what I wrote on my 30th birthday for the 30 Things I Would Tell My 20-Year-Old Self). Needless to say, these last 12months have been quite unpredictable and so much has changed. Last year, my 32nd birthday party ended up being the last big group get-together with all of our friends before we went into lockdown.
Today also ironically marks the day that we finished packing what remains of our unsold belongings into a 5ft x7ft pod that gets shipped to Colorado and when I closed the door on our pod it was very bittersweet. It finally hit me that we were closing up a chapter of our lives from the last 9yrs in LA and at the same time opening the next chapter into the unknown.
As I sit here at Gjusta eating a bagel with lox, drinking my coffee & famous LA green juice, I keep reflecting back on the last 9yrs that I have spent in LA and how grateful I am for my time here. I have had so many amazing opportunities, have been privileged to experience so much of California and its many adventures, and meet some of the most amazing people both professionally and personally that will remain in contact long after I leave. I can’t begin to put into our words how lucky I feel for my time here and Venice/Marina del Rey will always have a special place in my heart.
Reflecting On The Past Year
As I reflect on the past year instead of focusing on its many challenges and obstacles, I want to focus on all of the positive things that I learned and the things that I am grateful for.
- Getting to spend much more time with my (now) wife especially now that she has graduated with her MBA and is working remotely.
- Getting married during a pandemic and working together to overcome some challenging obstacles together. If we can get through this then we can get through anything.
- Forming a “quaranteam” and being able to spend a lot more time with our closest friends.
- Getting to focus on mental and physical health. Without traveling or going to an office or any in-person meetings, my morning routine allowed me to work out and meditate almost every day.
- Getting off my phone and computer and spending a lot of time outside in national parks & exploring new places
- Saving money. With virtually nothing to do and all of our plans canceled, I saved a lot more money and chose to spend money on the things that I truly enjoyed.
- Cooking and discovering new recipes. I really enjoy cooking and while all the restaurants were closed, I got to test out a ton of delicious recipes that I was able to add to my repertoire.
What Lies Ahead?
The next 6–9 months for Jillian and I are virtually unplanned. As of now, I am heading to Indiana for a month and Jillian will head to Florida (our first time apart as a married couple). In mid-April, we head to Costa Rica where we currently have an Airbnb for a month but will probably end up spending some more time there. Other than that, we are keeping open minds and really trying to go with the flow. Fortunately, both of our jobs allow us to work remotely anywhere that has reliable wifi. Ultimately, we are planning to end up in Colorado sometime around September to be closer to Jillian’s entire family that just moved there. We are excited for what is ahead and to kick off the next chapter of our lives together.
