Saturday, December 30, 2017

Year in Review: 2017

Where did 2017 go? It seemed like it flew by. I had a lot of goals for 2017 that I didn't accomplish. I don't know where I put my list, but here's what I can remember:

1. Read 12 books - I only read 10. I was actually ahead of schedule, until I moved to Hawaii at the end of August and basically stopped reading after that.

2. Pull-ups - I know I had some goal for pull-ups, I think it was maybe 5? When I had a pull-up bar hanging in my doorway and I was practicing for a bit every day, I got to the point where I could do 3 or 4 chin ups. Now I can barely do one. I recently started Crossfit, so maybe that will change.

3. Handstand - For awhile now, I've wanted to be able to do a handstand. I would practice intermittently, get slightly better, then regress. I recently learned how to do a tripod headstand, and I'm able to hold that pose for up to 30 seconds, so it's a start. I need to be more consistent with practicing, but it isn't always easy to find a place to get upside down.

My other goals escape me for now; I may update this if I find my list or remember more.

Life Events 2017

Feb-June - Worked in Lynchburg, VA. It was great because I got to live at home, save money, and hang out with my old friends.

March - My 30th birthday
April - Tristan and G's wedding
June - Katherine and Spencer's wedding.

July-August - Time off in Maine and Virginia

End of August - moved to Hawaii
September - December - Started my job on the Big Island of Hawaii
December 1-15 - Two weeks off to explore Oahu and Kauai

Moving to Hawaii was a scary step for me. I hesitated to move so far away from family and friends. I mean, I did it before when I moved to California, but somehow Hawaii seemed more remote. After all, it's a small group of islands in the middle of the Pacific. There isn't exactly anything else close by.

It's different than I thought it would be. In the towns where I live and work, there are no beaches. I live in the middle northern part of the island in Waimea, so it's a 20 minute drive to the coast. I work in Honokaa, and although it's close to the coast, there are cliffs and no accessible beaches except Waipio Valley, which requires either 4WD or a steep hike. I enjoy living near the mountains with cool breezes and less humidity, but I'm over an hour away from either of the islands bigger cities, Hilo and Kona, so getting to Target or a decent grocery store is a bit of a hassle. I also bought an old beat-up island car, which has been less than reliable.

But, I've been able to see and do a lot of things on the island that I wouldn't have been able to find out about without local guidance. I've done a (free!) night swim with Manta Rays, kayaked with spinner dolphins to the Captain Cook monument, saw the active lava flows at Kalapana (like got within 10 feet of hot lava), jumped off of South Point, went to Green Sands Beach, bought lots of produce from the Hilo farmer's market, and rode a horse at the Paniolo stables.

There are still some hikes I want to do, beaches I want to go to, and places I want to see (including the telescope at Mauna Kea!) so I've extended my contract until March. I am starting to get a little bit of island fever, since some things are just hard to get done on an island (like mailing Christmas packages and getting mail), but I want to explore this island a little more before I leave in March. Then my dad and brother are coming to visit for 10 days in March after my contract ends, so I'm super excited about that!

2017 was a great year that went from being totally in my comfort zone (at home in VA with family and friends) to something totally new and different (new job in Hawaii, where I had never been and knew no one- except Cat who works on a different island). I'm thankful for the opportunity to see so many cool places, but I wonder how long I'll have the desire to keep traveling, because I miss everyone back home a lot when I'm gone. I can't wait to see what 2018 holds, because I have no clue where I'll be or what I'll be doing after March!