What a wild ride

My gosh, so much has happened this year! It's a good thing I'm able to power walk (and working on running) so that I can keep up with myself! My Mama says that if it weren't for my Facebook check-ins she would never know where I am. Half the time I don't even know!

On Wednesday  she gets to come along with me on my latest adventure. Back in November, my Dad and I drove from California to Texas so I could take a breather for a few months. Now, I'm refreshed and recharged and ready to roll, so I'm headed back to California. After living in San Francisco for five years, this time I'm setting my sights on Los Angeles.

I never in a million years thought I would live in LA, but "never say never!"

I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has helped me the last six months to get my health and finances in check. Through donations I was able to pay off my medical bills that were keeping me from leaving San Francisco. With the help of parents and friends, I was able to lay low for a few months and get some much needed rest. Then some opportunities came up, many from left field, and I am ready to get back in the game!

I am healthier and happier than I have been in a very long time. The past three years have been a challenge and a blessing. I can't say enough how much it means to me that I have been surrounded by an amazing support system and I know that I could not have done it without the amazing people who bless me with their presence in my life.

Now that I'm back on my feet I only hope that I can repay each of you for what you have given me. If any of you need anything, please ask and I will do everything I can to show you the kindness you have shown me. And I have a stack of postcards to send Y'all, just as soon as I slow down enough to write on them!

Los Angeles, get ready!


“Welcome, O life! I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience and to forge in the smithy of my soul the uncreated conscience of my race.” - James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Route 66

Two weeks ago I packed everything I own in my car and hit the road. After spending a couple days meeting up with friends and exploring National Parks, I spent a week in LA.

In Sequoia National Park I saw the world's biggest tree.

And the Great Western Divide.

While I was in LA, I caught up with friends and and my cousin who just moved there, worked on a really fun interactive haunted play, and took my friend to get a new tattoo.

Then my Dad flew out and together we drove Route 66 back to Texas.

We went to Sunset Crater Volcano National Park, Wupatki National Monument, and The Grand Canyon. We saw snow and rain and deserts.

And we tried to find Bren-friendly food. This is the best we could do.

I had diarrhea the whole time.

Now we're back in Texas and got to hang with my Mama and niece tonight.

It was a great journey!


"These beautiful days must enrich all my life. They do not exist as mere pictures...but they saturate themselves into every part of the body and live always." -John Muir

On The Road, Again

On November 1st, I packed up my car with everything I own and hit the road. The week before, I said goodbye to The Bay and the people there who I love. Because I travel so much, many people thought I'd already moved. Awkward Really, I haven't "been there" for quite some time, even though that's where I got my mail.

I'm currently in LA, where I'll be for the next week. Then my Dad is flying here from Texas and we're taking Route 66 back.

On the way from SF, I took a route I'd never taken before, through Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. It's been a long, rough, few months, so it was cathartic to spend two days in solitude and silence, surrounded by the biggest trees in the world.

I stayed at a beautiful lodge by a lake, with views of the Sierra Nevadas. For only fifty bucks a night, I had amazing views, sit down meals, WiFi, a nice warm room, and peace. It was perfect!

On the other side of this tunnel is the biggest tree in the world!

This is the ascent to the top of Moro Rock, which I climbed all by myself, athankyou.

Here's the view from the top! You have a 360 degree view of The Great Western Divide and much of Sequoia National Park. It was well worth the climb.

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into the tree." -John Muir

Late Night Ramblings

I was pretty bummed when I woke up Thursday July 19th. I had planned to leave on an epic road trip that night that was going to take me through 27 states in 27 days. If anyone had any doubts that I'm completely insane, this should do it... I originally started planning the trip in 2009 and planned to take it that summer, then I got so sick that traveling to the bathroom was about all I could manage.

Fast forward to this spring, when I thought I was finally well enough to take the trip and started making plans for this summer. Unfortunately, due to some recent blips in my health, and the money I've poured into taking care of those incidents, I'm just not feeling physically or financially stable enough to embark on such a big trip right now. Suck City!

Then I also had a summit meeting with my orthopedist, neurologist, and physical torturist that morning, which always has me in a great mood, beforehand. And by great mood, I mean moody in great quantities. I'm usually nervous, and battling between being hopeful and not getting my hopes up, before these appointments. Those emotions usually display themselves in my being extremely quiet and avoiding all eye contact. (Side note: If you encounter someone, try to talk to them, and they do not turn toward you, do not make eye contact, and give you short answers, STOP talking to them. These are social cues that they don't want to talk; observe them!) On these kind of days, I'm not trying to be rude, and it has nothing to do with you, but I'm a wreck inside, and have a lot on my mind, so I cope by going in my turtle shell. This works for me and it gets me through. Please, don't try to coax me to stick my head out, I may bite your finger.

Those are the days that I really love social media. I can simply write a few sentences about what my morning entails, push a button, and everyone I know can immediately see what's up. Then, they can respond without me having to actually explain or talk to anyone. My family also sends me cute pictures of my niece, which is a blessing beyond measure! I can reach out and make contact, while still staying in my shell. It's genius, really.

Don't get me wrong, I like talking to people, more so at this stage in my life than I ever have before, but I'm also an introvert, so interacting with people is draining for me. When I'm already physically and emotionally drained, regardless of their intentions, most of the time, I just can't handle talking to people. Seeing the comments, and tweets, and texts really helps me and I'm so grateful for the outpouring of support I receive. I am very blessed. As long as you don't try to talk to me.

One of the things decided at that summit meeting with my doctors was that I could FINALLY ditch my cane! As exciting as it sounds, it's really been anticlimactic. After eight months of using mobility devices, I was just so over it, that I didn't make that much of a fuss about it. I'm still using a brace some of the time, and working really hard to rebuild my strength, while not wearing myself out, so even though I'm caneless, I still don't feel that I'm at the pinnacle just yet. (Take note that I do plan to have some sort of ceremonious laying to rest of my collection of braces and canes, at some point! Possibly involving explosives of some kind...)

Speaking of road trips and being social, I ended up going down to LA for ten days to hang out. I did a lot of napping; spent time by the pool, at the beach, and in gardens; snuggled with cats, dogs, and babies; and lounged with friends. The most exciting things I did on the weekend were play Scrabble and watch The Biggest Loser. I practically never actually rest on my vacations so this was a nice change of pace for me. I think the R&R, sun, and good people did wonders for me. (I also spent a night at the circus with my friend who is a clown and slept on the circus train. I'm going again tomorrow with my BFF and will write more on it later!) I'm less bummed about postponing my epic road trip now. At least now I have more time to plan it.

This post is all over the place and I don't know what to title it. Meh, I'm going to bed now...