Oh my friend loneliness, where have you been?

Oh my friend loneliness, where have you been?

You left to the lure of the lover who left me alone

But now you come crawling back, and I'll let you in

And we'll slip into groove that we cut in ourselves long ago.

- Frank Turner -

The 2014 theme for so many people, and it seems to be continuing into this year.  Except this time we are old pros and know how to manage it.  

Wine anyone?

Actually, I think that we were all wandering around alone, and then found each other in 2014.  So now we help each other.

And finish the wine around a fire.  

Together.  

San Francisco, CA: A long ass bike ride

We've heard of biking around a city, so we tried it out and rented bikes for the day.  

We got a good deal through our hostel, and went off for the day.

... for approx. 23 miles.... 

I had to do a lot of convincing to one of these girls, but we did it, and we biked across the Golden Gate Bridge to Saulcedo.  Then we took a Ferry back, so we didn't have to make it 46 miles.  

San Francisco, CA: Orange Village Hostel

Orange Village Hostel

411 O'Farrell St, San Francisco

http://orangevillagehostel.com/

Yet another Hostel down, and another intro to hostel living for the girls.  This one was not too shabby at all.  We had our own bathroom, which was great, and they gave us free breakfast :)

It wasn't as nice as some of the others though, but adequate enough.  

Community responsibility ya'll

Quick tour:

The was a common area, a kitchen, and lobby.
Plus, breakfast every morning, with Nutella!

San Francisco, CA: Happy New Year!

We made it to San Francisco for the New Years!

Got up early, 3:30am, walked to the Metrolink, took the Metrolink in to Los Angeles Union Station, and then caught the Megabus up to San Francisco.  The ticket for the Metro was around $10/11, and the bus $35.  Not too bad.  

We got in to San Fran around 2:00p, walked a mile to our hostel, and slept until dinner time.  Got dinner, and then just explored and celebrated New Years in San Francisco!

                        

First we headed towards Chinatown.  We walked back and forth for some time, but finally ended up finding a group that was passing out maps to one another.  So we got a map, and ended up going the Sierra Hiking Club on a night hike up to Coit Tower.  They ended up making their way through the city, but we had to part to meet up with a friend who had just made her way in.  Pretty awesome.

We met some awesome people...

We had a rough time figuring out where to stand to see the fireworks, but it all worked out in the end.  Beautiful!

And then we waited for 2014 to end...

The Finale :)

And then took a decade to make it back.  

Given the opportunity...

... And I was... Whenever I party, I am... and these two songs ring true every time.

There is always the trap:

And the aftermath:

The more and more time I spend alone, the more and more I am learning to accept it, and I carry my secrets and my experiences like I carry my bracelets and earrings with me.    As I go further into this state though, the more I am also retreating into my own little world, and am becoming severely independent.  I don't want to be apart of a community, of a church... Actually, at this moment, I am staying away from Christian organizations and the church, although I don't want to stay away from God.  I don't have it in me to fake my way through anything anymore. I would rather just keep my mouth shut.

I am not a pure girl anymore.  I am not innocent.  I am not clean.  I understand what is out there, and I have tasted the world.  I have betrayed my roots, and my foundation, and question my faith and teachings.  It has taken me a long time to come to terms with this, and now I feel like I must make a choice:  I either accept this, stop being hurt, and just live life, Pura Vida, Carpe Diem - Or - I continue trying to be a part of some community somewhere, and continue to live in the hope that it will change.

I think I will embrace my change and life, and stop waiting for others to accept it in some specified community.

“Of course I’ll hurt you. Of course you’ll hurt 

me. Of course we will hurt each other. 

But this is the very condition of existence. 

To become spring, means accepting the risk 

of winter. To become presence, means

 accepting the risk of absence.” 

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 

Manon, Ballerina