Amanda

Popular wisdom claims that behind every good man is a good woman. While that may alienate gay men and bachelors, in my case it’s true. I have yet to mention that woman in this blog, but she’ll be journeying with me throughout Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and any other alien land we wander into. Really, this adventure is partly her idea, something we’ve been talking about since we first met. I know she’ll come up in a story soon, so she deserves a proper introduction.

She was born with the tenacity of a New Yorker, but moulded by the gentile country-side, and raised with kindhearted values. Her philanthropy extends beyond anyone’s I have met, genuinely fostering deep empathy for both her friends and for complete strangers. She’s experienced palpable loss and tough situations — those skeletons are hers and I won’t air them here — but her resilient character has emerged through each hardship with ever greater kindness.

She loves and supports my dreams. She encourages, challenges, and believes in me. She won’t feed me any bullshit, but she’s quick to respond when she likes an idea. She’s sharp, kind, and adventurous — who else would run away to chase my wild delusions? She’s my sounding board, my bedrock, and the inspiration to every aspect of my life. Daily, I try to be more like her, in hopes of being a better person myself.

My love for her is mostly for the two of us to share, and I’m sure the previous few paragraphs have already caused some gagging from this blog’s readership, so I’ll stop with this one final and important thought:

Whatever happens over the next year — whatever game I build, story I tell, or experience I undertake — the foundation is her.