A year ago today, I had no idea what the future held, but I’m pretty sure I pictured turning 27 in a much different context. Not necessarily better, but definitely different. A lot can happen in a year. A month ago, I was dreading turning 27 because I felt like I haven’t accomplished all the things that I thought I would’ve done by now.

I’m starting to realize at 27, when people ask the million-dollar question, “What do you want to do in life?”, they actually start expecting serious answers. No longer do you get the chuckle and the response, “Oh, but you still have so much time,” when you say you don’t know. That doesn’t really fly anymore.

But since today is a joyous occasion, I’m going to list all of the things that I have done in with my life thus far. And because lists are fun.

• Graduated college (five years ago!!)
• Moved to Taiwan just because
• Lived in said foreign country for two years, and living like a diva no less
• Moved to Hawaii just because
• Traveled all around the island and fell hard in love with it
• Got a real job and got started on a path to a potential career
• Stayed in touch with my close friends from high school and college
• Made lots of new friends all over the world
• Traveled to Europe
• Traveled to Japan
• Traveled back to Hawaii multiple times since I’ve left
• Eaten my way around the world
• And yet, still managed to drop 2 pant sizes (this is recent, and I’m really proud of this one!)

Today, I turn 27 in a new city that I’m starting to fall in love with, living with the best roommates, surrounded with the love of family and friends that have stood with me through all the turbulence and nomadic decisions, and most importantly, I turn 27 with renewed feelings of ambition, humility, gratefulness, and faith for the future. It’s going to be a good year.

It’s cold enough to make you want to stay in bed, trying to keep the heat in. I don’t think our heater works. That doesn’t help.

On this chilly Sunday, I’m in a poetic kind of mood. I saw Skyfall yesterday, and it was as great as everyone says it is. When was the last time a movie quoted poetry? Anyways, I went a-hunting and found the entire thing. It’s a good one, and I’ve been in need of inspiration lately. Inspiration to keep moving, to stay active, to pursue passions, to carve my place here in this new city.

Alfred,Lord Tennyson : Ulysses

It little profits that an idle king1, By this still hearth, among these barren crags, Matched with an agèd wife, I mete and dole Unequal laws unto a savage race, That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me. I cannot rest from travel: I will drink Life to the lees: all times I have enjoyed Greatly, have suffered greatly, both with those That loved me, and alone; on shore, and when Through scudding drifts the rainy Hyades2 Vexed the dim sea: I am become a name; For always roaming with a hungry heart Much have I seen and known; cities of men And manners, climates, councils, governments, Myself not least, but honoured of them all; And drunk delight of battle with my peers, Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy3. I am a part of all that I have met; Yet all experience is an arch wherethrough Gleams that untravelled world, whose margin fades For ever and for ever when I move. How dull it is to pause, to make an end, To rust unburnished, not to shine in use! As though to breathe were life. Life piled on life Were all too little, and of one to me Little remains: but every hour is saved From that eternal silence, something more, A bringer of new things; and vile it were For some three suns to store and hoard myself, And this grey spirit yearning in desire To follow knowledge like a sinking star, Beyond the utmost bound of human thought. This my son, mine own Telemachus, To whom I leave the sceptre and the isle— Well-loved of me, discerning to fulfil This labour, by slow prudence to make mild A rugged people, and through soft degrees Subdue them to the useful and the good. Most blameless is he, centred in the sphere Of common duties, decent not to fail In offices of tenderness, and pay Meet adoration to my household gods, When I am gone. He works his work, I mine. There lies the port; the vessel puffs her sail: There gloom the dark broad seas. My mariners, Souls that have toiled, and wrought, and thought with me— That ever with a frolic welcome took The thunder and the sunshine, and opposed Free hearts, free foreheads—you and I are old; Old age hath yet his honour and his toil; Death closes all: but something ere the end, Some work of noble note, may yet be done, Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods. The lights begin to twinkle from the rocks: The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs: the deep Moans round with many voices. Come, my friends, 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world. Push off, and sitting well in order smite The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths Of all the western stars, until I die. It may be that the gulfs will wash us down: It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles4, And see the great Achilles5, whom we knew Though much is taken, much abides; and though We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

WILIWILINUI RIDGE TRAIL: AN INTRODUCTORY HAWAII RIDGE HIKE

But this is the story behind the swing.

And if you do look under the swing, there would be a map with X marking the spots of the other swings around the island that we put up. Unfortunately, according to the most recent Yelp posts, it seems like this swing is no longer there. We do know that the first swing at Diamond Head beach was taken shortly after we put it up, but there is one more on the North Shore, which I’m hoping is still there. At the very least, I hope our swing is decorating someone’s living room mantle at the moment, even though we had meant to share this little piece of ourselves with all those who ventured down the same path.

I’m really lucky to have a group of girlfriends that will visit me no matter what city/country/continent I’m in. My college roommates from Vandy, after one very short year of living together, are one of the best things that have ever happened to me.

They visited me while I was living in Taiwan (making pit stops during honeymoons and family vacations!), and this past weekend, they flew to San Francisco for another amazing reunion. We spent the entire weekend catching up, eating, exploring SF, eating, sleepovers, eating, biking, oh and did I mention eating?

Let me tell (and show) you how much four tiny Asian girls can eat.

Friday night -

• Dinner at Akiko’s – amazing sushi
• Muka, a dessert lounge – pitcher of sangria and four desserts

We rented bikes for $36 apiece a day. (Side note: I went again the next weekend with a female co-worker, rented from the same company and for the same amount of time, and was only charged $14 each. Just girls definitely has its perks.)

But I digress. We biked from the Ferry building along the northern coast to the Golden Gate Bridge (which was covered in fog so we could barely see it!), over the bridge and into Sausalito, where it was really 10 degrees warmer. It was about an 8-mile bike ride with lots of stops to catch the scenery and to walk the bikes up the hills.

In Sausalito, we saw a boy catch a stingray by the side of the road and ate yummy burgers at the Napa Valley Burger Co., then we took a ferry back into San Francisco to return the bikes.

It’s always nice to hang out with the little brother, especially now that he’s a working man and picks up the check now!