Today I am at peace. I've come to terms with some things in my life and I guess it makes me a smarter, wiser person. Somethings will change whether I drive the change or not and just taking the time to enjoy the ride is important. When I become consumed with a future that doesn't yet exist it serves only to spoil the present.

I struggle with this concept daily. Today I made peace with myself that while there are plenty of things I want to be doing, I need to recognize what I am doing. Work is taking off for me and I am actually getting onto the career path I want to be on. This should result in me getting much more satisfaction out of my day job. With the new job came a nice little raise, so my reliance upon the bar will slowly start to wane. I am starting a new bar this weekend and I am excited about learning new and complex drinks and being challenged.

I've been hitting the gym on a semi-regular basis the past few weeks and it has done wonders to my mood and self-esteem. I am making myself a promise that once I am back in shape and back to where I was lifting before that I am going to join a crossfit gym and make it fit into my schedule. Half the reason I moved to where I am is because there is a crossfit gym within walking distance. I could start right now if I wanted to, but I don't want to embarrass myself just yet. I will probably still embarrass myself, but if possible, I want to limit that embarrassment.

I've also been coordinating my company's participation in the special olympics. This is the first real project that I am truly managing and getting it from start to finish on my own at my pace. I am actually incredibly happy that this will be the project that I complete as I leave my department. I participated in the special olympics last year, rather unwillingly, and ended up having one of the most amazing times of my life. I am so excited to be more involved in the program this year and to be working with some of the most sincere and dedicated people I have had the privilege to work with. I'll write more on that as the olympics as they get closer.

The other major thing that happened was that I repaired a severely damaged relationship with Krysten, my ex. I didn't want to write about her and after this I won't, but to be fair it is more about me than her. I told her that we could catch up and check in with one another since we had dated for as long as we did and I was fairly nervous about the entire thing. Our relationship ended rather poorly and with a lot left unresolved so I wasn't exactly eager to see her. I had no idea how I would feel, if I would feel anything for her, how I now viewed her: There were just so many unknowns.

We met at a bar we used to go to and at first things were awkward, but once we got to talking I realized that I was completely over her as I sat talking to her. We talked as friends, not as jilted lovers and it felt really good. One of the things I always loved about her was her personality, it was what I fell for in the first place. Knowing that I could now appreciate her as a friend and not a potential relationship was a major stepping stone for me and my psyche. I left feeling happy for her, but more importantly, happy for myself. It proved to me that in the year and half since we broke up I have still been growing. And I couldn't be more happy about the possibilities that come with that feeling.

So I decided that I needed to go to an ATM. Carrying $400 in cash is dumb, especially when riding the light rail. My trip to the ATM!

City Symbol of Phoenix

View from my garage

Just down the street on the corner

Sidewalks in downtown

Old downtown High School, now college campus

Statue Garden

Some of my favorite buildings

Why I like these buildings

Other views

Found the ATM