August 16, 2019

Colorado

I spent the last few weeks in Colorado and I'm already ready to go back. My body is bruised and sore, my neck is still out of alignment - but I had an incredible time that really cleared my head and gave me a clearer glimpse into how I want my life to be.

The official reason for the trip was a Liberty in North Korea intern reunion! I interned for them Jan-Aug 2015 and they provided an intern house - which meant that we all got to know each other very well. We became our own eclectic family. Some of the people I met back then are still amongst my closest friends and the best people I know. So, four years later - with a lot of -and simultaneously no- planning, 11 of us got together in Denver for a few days.

Now, I arrived in Denver a week before the reunion and stayed a week after to really make the most of the trip. I have more friends than I realized in the area and I wanted to go see a national park that's been on my list for years: The Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

(Want to know a secret? I used to daydream that if I ever had a destination wedding, it would be in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. After visiting, I still stand by it. I might get married there one day.)

I spent my first day in Denver with Ayesha - the same Ayesha that the earrings are named after. Me and her have a strange relationship in that we haven't actually spent a lot of time together, but we relate to each other quite a bit. We always end up listening to the same podcasts, watching the same shows, reading the same books. I tell people she's a cooler version of me. We went to the Denver Museum of Art with my friend Sandy and I have never encountered a museum that catered more to my tastes. There was an exhibit on Midcentury Modern Design for crying out loud! That's my jam! I was so happy there. I'm definitely getting in touch with the museum shop to see if they'll carry my jewelry. Wish me luck.

Isamu Noguchi Playscape at the Denver Art Museum

(Me and Sandy on one of Isamu Noguchi's playscapes in the Denver Art Museum. I want one of these in my house y'all. Pic taken by Ayesha)

After that, I headed to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. It's undoubtedly my new favorite canyon. I've been to the Grand Canyon - but this is completely different. The first night, the Milky Way shone high above the campsite, Scorpio sat right on the horizon. In the morning, I hiked down the Gunnison Route and spent time with the raging river. It felt like I was in Jurassic Park. After the brutal hike back up, I went to the North Rim and spent the night there. It definitely wasn't enough time and I plan on going back as soon as I can. Next time though, the plan is to camp by the river - the bathroom there was cleaner than the ones in either campground and that's very important to me. It's the main reason I haven't gone backpacking yet.

(Just look at the Canyon. It's absolutely breathtaking.)

The following few days found me and Kirstin in Will's house. That was its own little slice of tranquility. Seeing the life and environment he and his housemates fabricated for themselves was really inspiring. It helped me realize the amount of control I actually have in my own life and helped me come to one of two major decisions that I got out of this trip.

Denver blog Bear

(This little pupper is named Bear and he's the new love of my life. He belongs to Will's housemate Sarah, but he has my heart)

On Thursday people started trickling in for the reunion. We had found us a big family home in Westminster. Somehow, all of us fit- the one thing we had guaranteed was that it would be bigger than the house we shared in Harbor City. And it was. The reunion was a surreal 4 days. We went hiking everyday, had big family dinners, shared stories and gifts from LiNK HQ. Two of our members - Madison and Ki-Hong recently got married, so we celebrated them with cake and company. We went out to Eldorado State Park and Forsythe Canyon. We meditated pretty much everyday. There's something to be said about spending your time around people who worked for free to help other people. You remember that the world is a kinder place full of good people. I'm still in awe that it happened and super grateful to everyone who put in time and effort to make this happen.

Denver LiNK reunion

(All eleven of us in the Westminster house. Four generations of LiNK Interns represented here <3)
(And apparently I spent the entire trip in one jumpsuit??)

After the reunion, a few of us had rented an AirBnB in Nederland. Nederland itself had a lot of charm - there was a Nepali restaurant that I would go to again, a local legend of a guy frozen in a shed (would not visit). We made friends with and kept running into a hitchhiker named Jesse. However, the cabin was the cherry on the vacation. I adored it. The first night there we were all talking about our five year plans - I think I have to change mine to- "in five years I hope to own a cabin with a studio in the mountains and support myself through wholesaling and consigning with stores and museums around the world. Hopefully that would keep my expenses low and I can invest money in projects and travel." But I digress. Again, we went hiking almost every day. I don't think my body ever got used to the physical exertion. This time we drove up to Brainard Lake Recreational Area and went on a multitude of hikes there. The Blue Lake hike was the last one we did - a bit longer at 6 miles, but it had snow and ice and waterfalls and ended with the gorgeous view you see in the picture at the very top. Worth every bit of the six miles.

From there I flew home and threw myself back into work. My heart already aches for the tranquility of my time in Colorado. Five years till I have a cabin of my own. Let's make it happen.

Hailey and Ada at Long Lake

(Hailey and her pup, Ada, by Long Lake)

The two things I left this trip with-
1) I have to move out as soon as my sister goes off to college
I won't have enough for a cabin anytime soon, so where should I move?
2) Every year I will take a 2 - 4 week sabbatical
Even though I didn't get time to work on new designs, I really benefitted from having time off.

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