paletasI’m a fan of the Mexican popsicles called paletas. My friend Summer lives in North Carolina and owns Locopops, where she makes and sells the best paletas on the planet. I’m not biased. I AM sad that I don’t live within 15 minutes of one of her stores!

Alas, I do not; but I DO live within 30 minutes of wonderful Las Paletas, a great paleteria in Nashville, and every so often I’ll stop in and grab a dozen couple.

The sun came out today, and I decided it was time for a visit. So I swung by after work, practically whistling as I pulled into their parking. I skipped up to the door, pulled it open…

And there were two women lifting weights in a very large open space where the counter and chalkboard used to be. Exercise equipment. Mats. Advertisements for spinning classes. And yoga… I caught my breath and just rushed out a quiet “noooo…!”

And that’s how my week has been. I keep opening doors and finding… not quite what I expected to find on the other side. In some cases the difference felt Earth-shattering; in others, I’ve just been mildly, and usually pleasantly, surprised. 2009 was an excellent year, but it was kind of like that too. Really getting the business rolling and branching into many different areas was a bit of a roller coaster, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Doing what you love, and not being afraid to open doors… that’s living. And I can already tell that 2010 is going to be more alive than 2009 was, and it’s only March!

My friend Stephanie Pierce recently posted a great quote: “We don’t know how this is all going to turn out. But the risky thing is to do nothing, to keep on going the way we’ve been going. No matter how dark the times, it’s still worthwhile to do good work.” ~Wes Jackson via TheYearnling

Standing in the doorway of this fitness center, gym, spa… thinking, “wait… this is like the OPPOSITE of yummy desserts…” I’m certain the blood had drained from my face.

But one of the women smiled and said, “They’re up around the corner in that brown building. Just go up to the sidewalk and it’s the 6th door on the left. They moved a few months ago.”