What is the Director of Recreation on Mars? Why is the Director of Recreation of Mars?

I’m Annie and I’ll be your guide as we kvell over the glaciers of Mount Tahoma, schvitz in the heat of an Eastern Washington summer, and schlepp our packs (or skis!) over every hill, forest nook, and alpine the PNW can offer! No recreation plan is complete without art, food, and social awareness, so we’ll throw in some of that too. Chaos and entertainment guaranteed.

Just a general PSA. So…when I first heard the phrase, “living to recreate'“, in regards to how some PNW-ers choose to build their lives, it shifted something in me.

As a recovering perfectionist, “gifted” child (oy!) whose worth was dependent on her job, the idea that we work to play in the mountains was a game changer. Adventures can fall into my lap now, and part of it has been finding my version of flexibility. Type A flexibility? Selective flexibility?

Either way, let’s muse on how us neurodivergent, anxious babes can find ways to make our worlds larger and our range of experiences more diverse.

I was fortunate to grow up in a Big Ten college town with access to nerdy academics, brilliant artists, exceptional athletes, and most importantly, DECENT ASS PEOPLE.

Having thoroughly penetrated two of the whitest and most elitist niches of society - golf and opera - I’d like to share some observations! Let’s ruffle some feathers and shake the fragility tree together! Plus I’ll include a video of my golf swing and an opera aria for funsies and to show my proverbial dick is big enough.