Mi Casa

It's been a crazy month or so since I last wrote.  Just thought I'd post photos of the house from the listing agent (at the end of the post).  I'm awaiting an exact closing date but should be this week...I have to be out of my apartment by the end of the week.  Part of me will miss the community of the "306," with folks moving in and out of my apartment somewhat regularly, I have met a lot of cool people.  I have had a front-row seat to downtown parades, commuted on my bike and longboard more than ever, and have enjoyed the morning sun flowing through my giant living room window.  The "306" gave me a lot of financial freedom and allowed me to work less, train more, and let's be honest, play and travel more.  I drove to Canada for 2.5 weeks, I became a Spartan Pro and a Leadwoman, I tried running my own business, I was on national television and a few podcasts, and now I'm sort of a "semi-sponsored" athlete as I am transferring to the California National Guard, and as of a few days ago, Café Red Point will be sponsoring me with a free smoothie a day.  So basically my nutrition just got elevated 1,000% overnight and I'll have a great tan next year from traveling to California so much!

I know that hard work matters and most successful people "create" their own luck.  That said, I really can't talk about the things in my life that have gone well without saying how grateful I am.  There is no guarantee that hard work will pay off or that one will have good health, etc.  So I never take that for granted and that might be why I sometimes feel "in such a hurry" to take opportunities and make things happen.  I have a sense of urgency in my life that I don't remember having in my early 20's.  I don't like to say that "everything changed" on my 5-month deployment to Afghanistan but it was an interesting time in my life...without a doubt it changed my perspective on life.  I saw America with fresh eyes when I returned.  You grow up with something and it just seems normal.  You leave and see the world, return, and suddenly your world looks a lot different.

Homes.  Cars.  Infrastructure like roads, bridges, and clean drinking water.  Grocery stores!  Freedom!  Freedom to travel wherever you want in your own country.  Freedom as a woman to have all the rights of a man.  Safety.  With few exceptions, you don't have to worry about bombs or getting shot at from day to day.  Freedom of speech and ideas.  We really do have it good here.

So this is my new home in Manitou Springs.  There is a small deck out front and a yard with a white-picked fence.  Out back there is a brick patio area with a tree and a large storage shed.  Inside it's a 2-bedroom, 1-bath, 552sq ft home.  I need to name this home.  She was built in 1919 and recently flipped so everything is brand new.  Yes it's a SHE.

The décor in the house is staging furniture.  Enjoy the photos...