Good lord. I realized today that I've had this blog for nearly 9 years. I started it right before going to Paris the first time in 2004. Yikes! To be fair, I've gone MIA for chunks of time here and there. Like for two years during graduate school.

Since we last spoke, I turned 36. For some post-birthday fun, I accompanied my sister to Buffalo to see Mike Birbiglia and to freeze our arses off at Niagra Falls. Molly literally couldn't feel the ends of her fingers for a few minutes there while we were traipsing around outside. But we got some great pictures! The comedy show was hilarious, of course. The city of Buffalo is not. By day, the people are more outgoing and friendly than in Seattle. By night, we saw and heard a lot of shouting matches (and even some unfortunate physical scuffles) around town. There was an angry vibe that was completely foreign to me. I even started to miss Seattle's polite overcoat and passive aggressiveness.

We had a delicious dinner out the night of the show, but otherwise the food was just eh. Coffee was a serious problem. Little cafes misleadingly advertised espresso and cappuccinos on their outside windows, but when you walked inside you were faced with the "cappuccino" machines found in gas stations.Sickening sweetness at the push of a button. We finally tracked down a Starbucks and even that tasted different. Buffalo eateries are also into "breakfast zas." Za this and za that. I don't get it. Did I mention the bitter cold and the nightmare of riding with my sister in the rental car? She is one uptight driver. We had moments.

Shortly after that trip, TBF and I went on a romantic houseboat getaway to the Peninsula. And then, most importantly, we spent a week in Maui! It'd been a few years, and I was super excited to go back and to have TBF experience the island. It was beautiful, warm, sunshiney goodness that chased the Seattle dampness and the Buffalo freeze from my bones. We sat in the sun, played in the ocean, and ate so much delicious food. It was nuts. Whales! We saw tons and tons of whales, as well as dolphins and pretty fish on a snorkel boat trip. And, in what was the most ridiculously romantic sunset-on-the-beach-while-two-whales-swim-by proposal, I said yes to marrying TBF!

The proposal was followed by a ridiculously romantic dinner on the beach at one of the hotel restaurants on Kaanapali beach. It was an amazing time.

So now TBF is no longer The Boyfriend. He is The Fiance...except neither one of us can stand that word. We practice avoidance on that one, which can lead to abrupt awkward halts in conversations. TBF's latest brilliant idea is that we just call each other "f-word" instead. Like, I love you my f-word! Oh, that guy? He's just my f-word. Sometimes when saying f-word seems like too much work, we shorten it up to fword. We're going to have to get married as quickly as possible to eliminate the f-word. Except, I have absolutely zero interest in planning a wedding. So, you know, who knows how that's all going to come together. We'll make something happen, somehow, hopefully this year.

Saying goodbye to Maui at the end of our stay was tough. I have a lot of memories there, lots of good times with my family. I spent a month there after finishing my ugrad degree when so much was changing in my life. A significant relationship had ended, and I was about to start a new life and career. 9/11 happened while I was there.  It's where I met nephew Travis (WHO IS NOW 7!!!) and got to know him as a baby. Maui was a refuge from my Seattle winter blues for many years. I experienced a lot there, from minor lessons to big life changes.

It's hard to believe how much has changed, and once again I feel myself hovering on the brink of another shift. I'm working at my old job as I look for a new one. It's nice in many ways, but I'm increasingly ready for the next step. The F-word and I are interested in moving away from Seattle to better weather and a slower pace of life, at least for a while. I've chosen a path at this point that isn't probably going to lead to big financial gain. If I'm going to poor, I might as well do that in a place with better climate. I'm so ready! Job change. Moving. Marriage.

One thing I don't think I will change is my name. I don't think I'm ready to let that go and probably won't unless the fword and I decide to have kids. I'm still thinking on that one. Friend Em came up with the perfect solution. She suggested that if I'm going to change my last name, the fword should change his to Andeggs. Then I can be Bacon Andeggs! Ah-hahahahaha! Love it. Love her.