Verb Verb Verb, Verb is the Word.

Farewell, Chile! Oh, hey there, Argentina, hi, how are ya? Rumbling over the Andes on a midnight bus, now I am one passport stamp and one surly interaction with an immigration agent richer. It was with a heavy heart that I left Chile, a country which has give me so much over the past month, but more than anything I'm excited for the final phase of this adventure.

I feel like I've been through a thousand emotions during this trip, nay, maybe even every hour of this trip. Especially the times when I was traveling alone. There's something about having that ultimate freedom paired with total vulnerability that really makes you think about what you want out of life.

This brings me to the verb. My soul-mate-with-the-same-name friend alerted me to this interesting blog. To sum it up, this writer has decided that instead of making a new years resolution each year, she's going to pick one verb to focus on for the year. This is a good thing, since verbs are about actions, and what is a resolution, if not a commitment to action. So as I was riding my rental bike around Mendoza in the rain yesterday, I was thinking about this.

So here it is: CREATE. I think this is the perfect verb for 2011, with a threefold meaning.

1. Most importantly (although you'd hardly know based on my free-wheeling behavior the past few weeks), I need to CREATE a thesis. And I do mean create. This is an entity that doesn't exist right now, the math of it as well as the written document. So when I get home, I hit the creation station full speed ahead.

2. CREATE situations that I'm happy to be in. Traveling has reminded me about this one. Where you are and what you're doing is not only totally temporary, but totally in your control. Granted when I get back to work I lose some of that freedom, but it's just good to remember. You create what's around you, by putting yourself where you are.

3. And finally, just CREATE. I feel like I used to be so much more interested in creative pursuits, art especially, and I've let that slip to the wayside. I'm not saying that I want to don a smock and pallet or anything, but I'd just like to be mindful of the creativity that I have, and not forget to tap into it. Incidentally, I think writing this blog helps me to that end.

Today I'm headed out on a tour of the Mendoza region wineries for a little sniff, swirl, see, and sip. Then it's back on the night bus, and off to Cordoba, my final destination.

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