Turning Right on Red: January 2017

It's been awhile since my last update and with school returning technically tomorrow (teacher work day) I figure I'd do a life check-in, working backwards from Fall Break back and beyond since November. With New Years just passing I'm also posting a video from Maya's friend Priya and her mid-town apartment party so I can actually remember where I was and what I did for New Years - it was difficult counting back with Maya to think back on where we were and what we did for only the 4 New Years we've been together. Need to start remembering to remember better, although my one and only resolution this year was to get more sleep before the baby is born when I know that's over.

Speaking of baby, Maya is blowing up and most people think she must be ready to give birth any idea. Two and a half months approximately more to go though. The special treatment we (and mostly her) get is kind of fun but sometimes annoying. It's been fun feeling the kicks and getting excited about this thing that I have no idea how to do. I keep feeling like I should probably read a book or something, but it seems like everywhere I go these days I'm talking to new (and older) parents about it and getting advice anyways. The main relief is that we have a daycare set up and a good 5 months collectively where one of us will be home with the baby.

Another reoccurring theme with these discussions is marriage and parenthood and how marriage changes once you have a kid. I am a bit nervous about that too and how everyone say's your life just becomes about your kid and it becomes harder to connect with your partner. I think this must be true when you are exhausted all the time, especially earlier on. I guess it's just another one of life's stages and like entering the working world or getting married I'll figure it out when I get there. Both Maya and I are pretty cool with not going out as much anymore and leaving the bar scene behind, it's not like we go there that much now anyways. Having a baby will be hard but I imagine rewarding and life changing.

We spent the last few weeks in CA on a really fun trip with our friend's Dave and Eric Leiberman and their girlfriends. We only did a day and a half in L.A., our arrival and departure port, but it was actually pretty fun and it helped having a car which really is necessary and I have not had in years past. One thing that was funny though was how very few people around seemed to know about the amazing nature right in their backyards. We hiked Topanga Canyon, a gorgeous mountain area right inside L.A. with beautiful pacific and canyon views everywhere. A few locals we asked commented, "oh yeah, I think I've heard of that, it's near the 101 right?" Because that's how everyone refers to things there, which highway or mall something is near. That fact and how spread out L.A. is previously turned me off from the city but there are some cool neighborhoods and unique features of the city. I can see why some people love it in the same way people love NYC.

We also spent 4 days on a travel writing story to Morro Bay and the Highway 1 Discovery Route (link to be added here when it comes out). That was a ton of fun and we really got the hook up with this one. Ate amazing and fresh seafood the whole time while jumping around from whale watching (still not fun and still no whales :( ), e-biking (very fun), kayaking in an nature preserve and estuary, wine tours (I have a new appreciation even if I still don't love wine), elephant seals and sunsets, Hearst Castle, mineral hot springing, and more. We spent Christmas in Joshua Tree, a national park that's long been near the top of my list to visit. Like Acadia and other places I've been, it was incredibly distinct and beautiful and I wished I had at least a week to explore it. I'll have to come back in the warmer months to camp there at some point. Maybe with a family next time.

This trip felt like one of my international adventures and whenever I do really cool stuff like this in the U.S. I do feel some pride in my own country. And I remember that there's so much more to explore right here at home.

Other events include the disastrous 2016 election, legitimate Shabbat with conservative Orthodox Jews in Dunwoody (a very interesting and different experience), trip to Boston for the ACTFL language conference (which was a lot of fun), Thanksgiving with the whole family for the first time in probably over a decade (it was a huge group!), 1st time curling experience, candle making, and many holiday parties, which circling back to the beginning of this update, I'll probably forget about in due time.