The End

Brian posted a video that basically says goodbye to Team Adventure. I have to admit I haven’t even watched it all the way through. I can’t without balling like a baby. Even thinking about it gets me all teary eyed. I know it sounds stupid but we did SO many things while we were together. More than most people do in their entire lifetime. It’s hard to think about that being over. I know it’s not. I can go do whatever I want whenever I want, but still, those are a LOT of memories. We visited 23 countries and saw so many things I can’t even begin to count. And Antartica doesn’t even count in that list.

It’s actually quite mind blowing to think about all the things we did. Plus our road trip across the US. While I love traveling, but it’s just not as fun without someone there to experience it with you. But this is my new normal. I know I’ll embrace it or invite friends to come with me. Maybe they will catch the travel bug too. 😉

I climbed mountains, biked 100 miles, ran a half marathon and skied places I had only dreamed about. There is ZERO reason to be sad about those things. I am proud of those things. I suppose in many ways we pushed each other to go further, faster, and outside each other’s comfort zones. I’m a better person because of it. I’ll never forget the experiences I had and I know I’ll have new ones. I’ll continue to grow and be the person I know and love. Africa and New Zealand in 2019. Adventure still awaits.

 

 

Wow Dallas. Wow!

So this past weekend I found myself going to Texas. Again. I seem to go there at least once every 6 weeks. Usually it’s to go visit my kitties and their temporary cat parents, but this time, it was to visit another friend who moved to Dallas. Why is everyone moving to Texas? No mountains = NO FUN. Actually, it’s plenty fun, but it’s different fun. And the amount of fun one has is directly correlated to who you’re hanging with and what you’re doing. So really, anything can be fun. I digress.

Saturday

Saturday we went to the Lego Exhibit at The Perot Museum of Nature and Science. Yes, that’s right, Texas has Nature and Science museums. Try not to pass out from shock.

The exhibit was incredible. So many legos. Such amazing designs. I highly recommend you check it out if you find yourself in Dallas.

They also have a really interesting exhibit on sports training where I got to race a T-Rex. Sadly I lost, but luckily I’m still here because dinosaurs are extinct.

Yours truly losing badly to a T-Rex

It was also May 4th, so Star Wars abound throughout the museum, which was fun.

After having all the fun at the museum we went to the local theater to see a play, “Real Women Have Curves”. Really amazing acting and the theater is adorable.

Fun fact: Jose Andres has a restaurant in Frisco, TX and you really should go if you’re in the area. It’s really, really, REALLY good and affordable. Two things that usually don’t go by a name like Jose Andres. I’ve been to the mini bar in DC and it was the most amazing dining experience I’ve ever had, but it’s also $250/pp. Zaytinya is Mediterranean fusion and it’s the best hummus I’ve ever had. And I’ve been to Greece people! Super good. Please go.

Sunday

Sunday funday. Seriously. Avengers Endgame was and is a wonderfully fun movie. It’s made $2 billion dollars in less than 2 weeks. Need I say more?

We made our way back to the hotel/car and got to see some local artwork. Sometimes I think Dallas is trying to be Portland. Weird, but awesome. Random Eye Sculpture. Yay!

We were about to figure out lunch when George texted and said he was in Dallas. So we decided to drive over to the airport to see him for 30 minutes. Haven’t done something like that in a long time. So fun! I even got to play out the notebook scene and jump into George’s arms. YAY! Life is short people. Anytime you have someone who can take you jumping on them, do it! It’s exhilarating!

After fun times in the Dallas airport, it was off to dinner and then Rainbow Vomit. How exactly does someone explain Rainbow Vomit? Hmmm. Interactive photo booth of colors, clouds, rainbows, and crazy.

And to end my amazing weekend, a lovely vegan chai milkshake. I’m not really sure there are words to explain how much fun was had in Dallas. It was amazeballs. I highly recommend the activities I found if you find yourself there. And if I haven’t mentioned it, I love my friends. To pieces. It’s moments like the ones I had this past weekend that make life so beautiful.

Life is short. So much shorter than we realize.

There was a horrible accident on I 70 Eastbound this past week where a semi truck driver lost control and plowed into 28 cars/trucks, killing 4 people (may they rest in peace). I take 70 part of the way home every day and it got me thinking how you really never know when your time on this planet is up.

I’ve been close to death at least twice, but the one time I distinctly remember was falling off a cliff in Bear Valley. I went out for one last run by myself after my friend decided to head to the bar. I thought I knew where I was going. Laughable. I ended up on top of cliff and I couldn’t side step my way out of the situation. With every attempted step up, the snow started slipping. Funny things run through your head when you think it might be the end. I remember thinking how mad my mom was going to be and how Erica would probably never go skiing again. Then I closed my eyes and said something like I hope I live, but it’s really not in my hands anymore and fell off the cliff.

I’m clearly still here. I messed up my shoulder pretty good and my tailbone. I’m lucky and I know that. No more cliff attempts for me. Ever. But I learned something that day. You really don’t know when life as you know it is going to end and that is a gift. Why? Because I now live my life like I could be gone tomorrow. It’s true. I have a list of things I want to do, but I am crossing things off that list and at a high rate of speed I might add.

Every person has to decide what they want out of life. It’s different for everyone. Some people want to have a family, some people want to work all the time, some people want to live the van life. Whatever it is for you, AWESOME, but you really should spend time figuring out what you want to do with the little time you have.

For me it’s traveling. It’s seeing the world, experiencing new things, being a part of a different culture, meeting new people. The world is so beautiful. It never ceases to amaze me. I’ve been a lot of places, but I still have a lot of places left to see.

I don’t live to work. Don’t get me wrong, I like my job, but it’s a means to an end. I want to do an amazing job, but I also know I don’t want “Kari was a fantastic admin” written on any tombstone (not that I’m being buried, but you get it). I want to leave a different mark on this world. I want to bring the people around me joy and happiness because it brings me joy and happiness. When I leave this plane of existence, I want people to remember how I made them feel (hopefully good).

I spend time with my friends, my family, and I travel to a new country every year because why wait? Lots of people say, oh, I’ll do that when I retire. Why??? You’re going to be older then! I want to go hiking and do all these things that require strength and stamina. There are no guarantees that I’ll still be able to do that when I’m 65. And besides, I could die tomorrow. Today is better than tomorrow. Hesitation leads to devastation.

Life is short. You don’t know when you’re going to take your last breathe. For me this means experiencing life and all of its good and bad now. Not tomorrow. Not when I get a break from work. Not when I retire. Now. I’m planning a trip to Africa and New Zealand in the next year and I could not be more excited. New Zealand looks amazing and I’ll get to hike, bike, kayak, and whatever the heck else my heart desires.

It’s like that quote from When Harry Met Sally, “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible”. Only for me, it’s not a person, it’s life. I want to experience everything life has to offer. I want to see it all. I want to take it all in. I know that these experiences change me. They make me a better human being and I’m so grateful for that.

I hope that you grab life by the horns (so to speak) and get as much as you can out of it every day. Find your joy. Find your happiness and live beautifully.