Happy New Years everyone! It’s been a fantastic 2017, and the year has flown by so quickly, with so much happening. I thought it might be good to jot down all the awesome things that happened last year:

• first and foremost, I got MARRIED! Sarah and I made it official on November 18, 2017. On this truly unforgettable day, we made our vows to each other in the presence of loved ones. And now, we walk together into a bright future of love, discovery, and overcoming the challenges of life together. I couldn’t ask for a better friend to be that partner to the end.
• I got to visit places for the first time, including a grand journey with good friends to northern India. From enjoying delicious egg omelette sandwiches in dusty marketplaces to witnessing the grandeur of the Taj Mahal, to rising elephants in Jodhpur, and participating in a 3 day Indian wedding, it was a truly magical experience. This trip really reminded me about the perspective one can have on the world, and just how differently people live.
• I moved to an oceanfront condo as a year long social project of sorts, where the objectives were not only to enjoy the place, but also see how it impacts the quality of life for our friends and family. This project ends in March 2018, and there will be a new project that Sarah and I embark on.
• Business came with some new challenges that set us back a bit, and the bulk of 2017 was spent dealing with them. With these challenges behind us now, 2018 is steady shaping up to be a BIG year, and we have some huge plans to take things to the next level.
• On a personal level, I’ve learned that I need to let go of a person in my life. I realized far too late that this person had been a mental, emotional, physical, and even financial drain on me for the better part of this past decade. Despite my countless attempts to reason with the guy and help him through his struggles with his ego and his alcoholism, I realized that he had not only my generosity for granted, but that of all those around him. In fact, he has felt entitled to it for far too long. Normally I do the surgical, brutally visceral cutting out of friends like this, but I was reminded by my friend’s late father of his wise words, “If you can avoid it, do not create new enemies.” It is this path I am going with this individual; If the daytime was our friendship, I will quietly go into that dark night. The guy probably won’t even be aware it happened. In 2018, I fully expect to tackle multiple problems, but this is one that I will avoid completely. I realized that it’s not worth my time and effort, and that prolonging our friendship only further enables his destructive path. Good night, old friend, and good luck.
• I decided to rekindle my studies of Japanese. Ever since I was little, I loved watching Japanese anime, and the diverse, zany, deep, cool culture of Japan. I never quite understood it, but was ever intrigued by it. Perhaps in 2018 I’ll learn more 🙂
• I got to experience for the first time in my life what it is to interface with a bipolar person. I learned that I could never possibly know the depths of a bipolar person’s struggle. I took such a person in with great hopes that he could find solace and start over. I was naïve to think that I could help treat a disease that drives a person to not want to help themselves. This was a sore realization for me and a test of my own ethics, patience, and compassion. In the end, the guy moved out and is somewhere in LA. I hope he is doing well and on the road to recovery.

This and so much more happened in 2017. To me, 2017 was a year of transition and change. There was a lot of changing of many statuses quo, and needless to say quite an adjustment from before. But in 2018, I look forward to growth. Growth on physical, spiritual, and financial dimensions. I’ve got some big plans for this year, and new worlds to explore. More to come soon!

I have great gratitude for my friends and family who have been with us so far. Cheers to the many more years to come!