So Long, Shawn

Since we met in middle school, Shawn has always held a special place in my heart. She's fun, outgoing, smart, ambitious, and generous. None of that has changed, but since I arrived in Denver, I can see a lot of other differences in Shawn.

Having just graduated from law school last spring, her quarter-life crisis stage is hitting her later than those of us who got our master's degrees from the school of hard knocks. (Valedictorian, what what?.) But instead of wallowing in the "what am I doing with my life?" depression that sunk the best of us, Shawn has spent the effort to pin-point the specific areas of her life that needed a makeover in order to be successful long-term.

Most outwardly noticeable, she has worked hard to totally change her outlook toward eating healthy and exercising. I'm so proud of how hard she has worked to learn a new way of living, one that will be sustainable in the long term. There is nothing is worse than watching someone on a diet you know will fail (unless it's your arch nemesis), but this was the opposite. It was inspiring!

So much emphasis is placed on physical health, but I think emotional health is just as important. Shawn has worked on setting boundaries with relationships, realizing when other people's opinions overtake her own (something most of us could use to work on).

I'm just so proud of my Shawny Shawn. Change ain't easy, but she makes it look like it is.

It makes me sad to leave her - I've had so much fun with her as my roommate. I'll miss our yoga classes, our bad reality TV show watching, our coco dusted roasted almond eating (seriously delicious), and watching the cats do silly things.

Thanks for letting me be vagabond squatter! It was cray....zy.

Also I stole one of the cats. I'll let you figure out which one.