vgriff

Good to great stuff that happened this year:

• Did the Polar Bear plunge for the sixth time (I think)
• Read 74 books, will hopefully get to my goal of 75 before the ball comes down
• Enjoyed the last 7 months of what turned out to be an 18 month sabbatical post-Amazon
• Did some amazing hikes (Crescent Lake, Deception Pass (x3), Ruby Beach)
• Went snowshoeing with Krystn
• Went sledding with the Parkers
• Spent my birthday in New Jersey with my family
• Went out partying with my college roommates at the best bar in the World (Blackjack Mulligans)
• Walked 75 miles of the Camino de Santiago in wonderful Spain
• Saw my sister graduate with a BS in Nursing
• Went to 4 US National Parks, 3 for the first time (Tetons, Shenandoah, Lassen)
• Saw the Aurora Borealis
• Camped on Ruby Beach with Krystn
• Went on a crazy Alaskan cruise with my family
• Rode bikes down a mountain with Keith
• Got a job at the Gates Foundation
• Went to Africa three times (!), visiting four countries for the first time (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda)
• Put my feet in the Indian Ocean
• Kissed a giraffe
• Kayaked some great spots (the Yakima River with my love, the Nile with my teammates)
• Went on some nice bike rides (Mercer Island, happy hour at Maggies Bluff, Bend)
• Went on a road trip with Krystn to California again for the Gourmet Century bike ride
• Spent a great Thanksgiving in Ohio 
• Fed horses carrots and apples
• Went on a safari in Kenya
• Had an unbelievable time in Jinja, Uganda with my teammates
• Visited amazing Arts District and Justine in LA with Keith
• Went to an amazing tribute to Leonard Cohen and discovered a bunch of wonderful local artists
• Spent another fun Christmas Eve at the Wedgewood Broiler with good friends
• Drove through a magical snowstorm in eastern Washington after visiting Larisa and Sarah
• Got pretty good at feeding hummingbirds
• Attended and hosted some great Art Nights with Lola
• Kept up a sketchbook exchange with Daphne for the fourth year. Started new ones with Justine and Kristina.

Shit things that happened this year:

• Keith and I had a very hard beginning of the year.
• The run-up to the election was never-ending and full of hate. Then that idiot got elected.
• End of year, Keith was diagnosed with cancer.

​This is how I will get through this. I remember to balance all of the good with the shit. And I will keep moving.