We all tend to get a little egoic at times and feel sorry for ourselves, no matter how spiritual and self aware we are.  I am just as guilty of that as the next and although I have admittedly seen a hard last year, I truly have so much to be grateful for.  I’ve tried to keep track of it all but I don’t think I’ve really thanked all the people that were there for me in one way or another.  So this is a very special gratitude list today and will just be the people that I am grateful for at this moment in time that have one way or another contributed something very valuable to my life in the last year, mostly love, in a way that reminds me that I’m NEVER alone.  Ever.  Even in fleeting moments, I have gained so much in the way of love, perspective, strength, and most importantly a feeling of importance and a reason to get up in the morning!

These people have been there for me in so many ways.  They laughed with me, cried with me, held me close, gave me food, gave me shelter, taught me lessons about life and myself, gave me perspective and contrast even in the most difficult moments, freed me from attachments, listened to and forgave me for my darkest confessions.  They’ve embraced who I was, but most importantly, who I am NOW.  They’ve planned with me and helped me to dream.  In some cases they simply let me go so I could try to fly on my own.  They are far more important than any of the THINGS that I could be grateful for in life.  Some are my family, some are my friends, teachers, the ones that make up my forbidden sanctuary, my partners in business and creativity and so much more.  So in no order in particular… here it is and to make sure it was completely fair and no one would feel more or less important than anyone else, I’ve used this randomizer for the list.

• Michael Mucciolo
• Linda Swearingen
• Terry Clarke
• Fruzsina Varga
• Everyone from Ananda House
• Alison Notsaying
• Caid Rhymes
• Matt Wall
• Beverly Collins
• Alex Mistretta
• Kyle Eckmeier
• Weleeba Kenneth
• Everyone from the Viscera Organization
• Alicia Aldridge
• Evangelos Stathoulopoulos
• Char Hardin
• John Apt
• Otto Broberg
• Ivy Pemberton
• Lauren Haha
• Jonathan Pinones
• Kerry Cooper
• Sandy Huyett
• Jason Sullivan
• Kathy Harrelson (R.I.P.)
• Mike Dooley
• Jerry Montano
• Liz Vickers
• Phyllis Matsubura
• Rush Kistler
• Bob Halley
• Larry Stroupe
• Doris Trampaneau
• Angelica Perman
• Zachariah Kerns
• Jeff Galyan
• Carol Mallier
• Abbie Howells
• Kathy Borroughs
• Everyone from MUFON LA
• Martin Nemeth
• Heinz Roempke
• Jas Spires
• Pappy
• Kyle Leger
• Raven Hernandez
• Gina Schwalbe
• Steve Murillo
• Felice Giorgetti
• Journey Brown
• Paul Fetler
• Kelby Wood
• Carilyn Davidson
• Karen Lam
• Sonia Muller
• Sharon Steinhauser
• Bryan Mendieta
• Tina Destefano
• Jack Newberry
• Darrel Simms
• Marc Baptiste
• Dharmadevi Romano
• Bruce Hart
• Arlen Farmer
• Jasmine Birlew
• Nadine Spencer
• Sunny Kim
• Denise Allen
• Karoline Delaney
• Marieke Nihot
• Ashley Dawson
• Katerina Goode
• Kelley Ozane
• Treva Eley
• Alf Fuentes
• Heidi Martinuzzi
• Pam Winterbottom
• Reggie Betts
• Anastasia Padis
• Aurora Carlson
• Mercurio Osterman
• Rene Erkstrand
• Unity Koontz
• Christina Vickers
• Lacie Leger
• Ryan McSwain
• Jay Platt
• Ralph ‘Wolf’ McCarron
• Susan Bell
• Everyone from Burbank LOA
• Shannon Lark
• Olivia White
• Jim Kunz
• Turiya Nada
• Ramona Mucciolo
• Domiziano Archangeli
• Eugene Price
• Kristen Hendrix
• Adam Sears
• Naoyuki Ikeda
• Kathy Hobson (R.I.P.)
• Jen Hollars
• Scott Hartley
• Amanda Erkstrand
• Ali Harris
• Jill Leuthi
• Barbara Brown
• Justin Hall
• Sean “Thumper” Kingaard (R.I.P.)
• Christine Eaton
• Chaile Wall
• Steve Parr
• Mike Levy
• Ilya Nabutovskiy
• Micah Eckert
• Liam (R.I.P.)
• Nikki Russo
• Destiny Rodriguez
• George Robello
• Everyone from MBE
• Pray Harper
• Starseed Davina
• Ford Austin
• Kelly Delaney
• Yesenia Rodriguez
• Tara Lynn Foxx
• Jim Poulson
• Eric Baumgartner
• John Morris
• Amanda Duchow
• Daniel Kozul
• Kirstin Leger
• Jennifer Dillard
• Guy Jackson
• Jessica Gallant
• Melissa Sullivan
• Rheana Angel Powers
• Jake Levy
• Freda Goode
• Connie Fuentes
• Dave Reda
• Charisse Woodall
• Eddie Conner
• Nikhil Prakash
• Kute Blackson
• Todd Olster
• Waylon Lewis
• Brad Eley
• Elvis Winterbottom
• Denise Mullens
• Andrew Di Lorenzo
• Allen Brown
• Justin Stark
• Mia Jones
• David Defino
• Jordan Berk
• Stacy Pippi Hammon
• Jeff Dylan Graham
• Neil Gaur
• Shersy Benson
• Everyone from Lovestock 2012
• Julie Perkins
• Nancy Denton
• Selena Nash
• Richie Bauer
• Mickey River
• Katrina Amato
• Jen Giragos
• Kathleen Scruggs
• Bruce Austin
• Dana McLaughlin
• Simon Savory
• Wendy Outlaw
• Charlie Gibson
• Dianthe Taylor
• Torrey Loomis
• Michael Perlin
• Hazem AlBustani
• Teri Groves
• Robin Larsen Blaydes
• Joline Harrington
• Emma La Rue
• Melissa Caldwell
• Robert Aldridge
• Vijay Singla
• Charlie Vaughn
• Cammy Cobain
• Anna Manalo
• Peter Flynn
• Briony Kidd
• Dianna Scruggs
• Mitchell Boone
• Paula Fielder
• Franck Priot
• Cesar Franco
• Jillie Renner
• Karman Krushke
• Elle Newlands
• Vernon Smith
• Davina White
• Whitney Kenyon-Weiss

If there’s anyone I left out, I’m sorry.  This is 200 people.  I have been so fortunate to have been given love, support, laughter, lessons, strength, ideas, praise, acknowledgement, recognition, guidance, conversation, perspective, inspiration, and so much more from the people on this list and can you believe, in just the last year or so, I’ve had the honor of actually being in the presence of 92% of this list?  That’s a lot of people and I’m so so so so grateful for every soul that has shared space with mine.  And now all I can really say is: