Aloha Oe Hawaii!

Well, the time has come. End of the year, end of our time in Hawaii. I am happy, sad, nostalgic---but mostly I am scared of the single digit temperatures that await in Colorado!
On Thursday I said goodbye to my co-workers, on Friday we said goodbye again at happy hour and today we say goodbye to the island life for awhile. We have had an amazing time here. Of course spending hours out in the tropical sun is never bad but we have also used this time to renew our spirits. We have seen 793 rainbows, took 4 interisland trips, trained for and completed a marathon, went camping twice, saw some turtles, fed the fish, took a submarine ride, had 6 sets of visitors (although 2 sets were my sister), Dave turned 50, I turned 30, Dave formatted and published his book, gave talks/book signings at both cancer centers on Oahu, and we started our own company. We also spent two weeks in Colorado to celebrate my sister's graduation and help my mom after hip surgery. I gotta say it's been an amazing year. We are thankful that our friends and family are healthy and happy. We look forward to 2008 and hope our paths cross with each and every one of you soon!

Live the magic of Christmas

This is a sentence I pulled from my friend Chris' blog. In talking about her young nieces and nephews, she stated "they still live the magic of Christmas".
Before I went to her page, I was wondering, has all the magic gone out of Christmas?

I went to work today. I don't know one good reason why people need OT on Christmas Day but at time and a half, I wasn't going to argue. Having Christmas in Hawaii is like, well, basically any other day in Hawaii. It is warm, green, and sunny. No white Christmas here. We went to breakfast before Dave took me to work. I left about an hour early. Nothing too special.

When I got home, we went for a walk along the beach. Just like any other day in Hawaii. I called my family. They were playing cards together. I must admit, but you didn't hear it here, I am a wee bit homesick. Sounded like they were having fun but we will be there soon enough.

This morning as I got ready for work the Peanut's Christmas Song entered my head. You know the one....Christmas Time is Here....Lalalalala. SOmething something, and cheer. At work my friend Karen said she had the same song in her head because the child in us wakes up excited, saying "Christmas is here"!

But now at the end of the day, I am wondering, is it still magical? Was today like any other day? Is it what they all say? Are we too OLD for Christmas?

Then I realized this---you are my magic. Each and every one of you. You help me live the magic of Christmas by your friendship, excitement, and love. Christmas is still magical to me because you all live in me.

Mele Kalikimaka to everyone and thank you for the magic that you all brought to me this Christmas.

Our Christmas Wish

Mele Kalikimaka!

I hope that magic and wonder is finding all of you this holiday season.
Magic and wonder are filling me this evening. Dave and I got word today that our papers of incorporation for our non profit were filed successfully. To all of you that have asked me what Dave has been doing during this time in Hawaii, I have answers for you.

Dave and I basically started dating on Christmas 4 years ago. He invited me to dinner with his family which was being served at his brother's house. The drive was about 1.5 hours. During that time we talked the entire way. It became clear almost immediately that we both felt the same way about life. A common theme in that conversation and many conversations to follow is that we both felt we are here for a larger purpose. We have grown so much since that day. We are moving away from unfulfilling jobs and toward that dream. This non profit org that we are starting will be called A Good Day Inc. We will promote health, happiness and hope to cancer survivors across the country. This is such an important day for us as it leads us into that dream of becoming more. In many ways we are taking chances. It is scary sometimes but exhilirating at the same time. We ask for your support, prayers, and encouragement. Most likely, you will get to be a part of this movement at some point as well. We're gonna be big!
We also would like to thank our friends and family for always supporting our dreams. We will always be there for you in return if and when you need us.

So Merry Christmas and sweet dreams. May happiness find you my friend!

Eat, Pray, Love

The above is the title of one of the better books I have ever read. I thought I would blog on it a little tonight. I actually read it about a month ago. I borrowed a copy from my friend at work and when I returned it, I went on and on about it so much that she bought me my own copy. I am glad to own it because it is something you could go back to over and over.
The book is about a woman who takes a spiritual journey for a year after going through a divorce and an even more tumultuous rebound relationship. She becomes depressed and unhappy. She decides to take a year long trip of self exploration. She spends three months in Italy, three in India, and three in Bali. The woman, Liz Gilbert, is a writer and it is an amazing memoir. At first I thought it was going to be wishy washy but it was quite the opposite as she tells her story while educating and enlightening anyone who reads it. This is on of those books that I feel gets invited into your life at just the right time however it means something different for everyone. For me, I enjoyed getting it at this time in my life as Dave and I have done a lot of studying and meditation (very elementary meditation)on the life altering powers of positive thought and power talking. I found myself nodding many times throughout the book thinking, EXACTLY. That is exactly what I am thinking. I can't believe someone else has had this thought yet put it so eloquently.
In Italy, Liz decides to learn about pleasure. Although she remains celibate, she allows herself to eat anything and everything she wants, sleep in, etc. This book will make you want to go to Italy and have pizza, if nothing else.
She then travels to India where she stays at an Ashram. Here she studies devotion. This is where a lot of her deepness comes in along with defining what she feels God is. It is very spiritual but in a practical sense.
After India she returns to Bali to see an old Medicine man she met before during an interview. Here she learns about balance and finds love. Bali is also a place I feel would be amazing to visit.
If anyone else out there has read it, I would be interested to hear your opinion. If you haven't read it, go get a copy and get crackin'!

The 30th Birthday/Marathon Weekend EXTRAVAGANZA

Let's just get it out of the way....I'm 30. I have officially left the twenties. You know what? If feels pretty good! Many have assured me that 30 is not the new 20 because it's better. I think those wise people are right.
So my actual birthday was this last Wednesday. Not the most exciting of days to have a birthday. I went to work. Dave gave me a lei that morning (get your minds out of the gutter it was the flower kind!) that I wore all day so people knew I was something special. He made me a nice breakfast, showed up for lunch at work with my favorite fast-food indulgence, Arby's, and then took me out to dinner of my choice. I chose a place called Nick's Fishmarket which is sort of expensive but fortunately my mom and dad put money in my bank account for the momentus occasion of my coming of age so to speak so it made the thought of the bill not so horrible. I ordered a medley of seafood. Here is where I learned that no matter how nice a place looks, how much they charge or what their claims are--the food may not be great, or even good. Out of five kinds of seafood, only the scallops were decent. The rest of it was dried up, overcooked, and rubbery. The last thing on the plate I had was a bite of Mahi Mahi. Upon swallowing the bite, my mouth immediately began to itch. I drank some water and didnt think any more of it....I have had no fish allergies in the past and have tried a multitude of fish in my lifetime. Luckily, after complaining (rightfully so) about my meal, they comped it and gave me two free desserts...much better! Yummy desserts (should be called Nick's Dessert Market) and a little extra money for the weekend endeavors from the bank of Mom and Dad.
As I consider this an educational blog in addition to your pure entertainment from my somewhat strange life, I pause for a little lesson. If you eat fish and it makes your mouth itch, it means one of two things: You are allergic to the fish or you just ate old (not yet rotten but going there fast) fish. Apparently the latter was true in my case. I went to sleep that night and woke up next morning with, well, a swollen lip. Benadryls helped it but as my friend Jessica put it, I looked like I just got back from getting Collagen injections. Moral of the story, BEWARE ITCHY FISH! End of educational report, we now return to our regularly scheduled program.

Flash forward to birthday weekend/marathon weekend. My sister flew in to cheer me on and drink adult beverages. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate for most of her trip to this point which included backpacking and camping on Kauai (two things my sis LOVES). But she was a good sport about the whole deal and knowing when to say when on something that just wasn't going to happen. She flew back to Honolulu a day early. We had SUCH a fun weekend! We chilled out on Friday night,watching movies and sleeping. Saturday, Dave made us a wonderful breakfast that included his artistic "Honu" (Turtle) Pancakes. We then had a leisurely morning and wandered down to the shorbird where we met with a few friends at our favorite bar/restaurant The Shorbird. We relaxed on the beach and then headed back to get ready for Marathon Sunday which started at 3 AM. I was so nervous I only slept about 3 hours.
Now, one word about the Honolulu Marathon in general: HUGE. The third largest marathon in the country. Lucky for me it started about a mile from our apartment. Even luckier for me, Dave and Teresa went with me. This marathon is extremely popular amongst the Japanese who make up approximately 85% of the 28,000 people in the run. The whole thing was beautiful. It was dark of course and it was just me, my sister, my husband and the greater metro population of Tokyo. Oh, did I mention the weather? What you say? In Hawaii isn't it always perfect? The answer is a big fat no. The race started a 5 AM and at about 4:50 what can only be described as torrential downpour descended upon us. What makes 26.2 miles more fun? SOGGY shoes and underwear and everything in between. However, by the time they started the fireworks, the rain stopped and we were off!....until about a mile in when cats and dogs descended from the sky again just to give my shoes that extra soggy feeling and add a half pound to each leg. But Teresa was with me and we laughed the whole way....
SO, my race continued on, through Chinatown, Waikiki, up Diamondhead....the first 7 miles were literally elbow to elbow (or maybe elbow to face with the Japanese--I am a giant next to them) and had a cattle herd effect. Luckily, my sister helped me out with the beginning, my friend Karen met up with me for about 6 miles, and then Dave finished the last three, all went well....mile 25 produced more downpour,almost welcomed at this point but it also produced mile 26 and then mile 26.2! That right! Not only was I crazy enough to enter, I actually finished! My time was slower than I wanted but when you consider the rain and the asian invasion, I think I did pretty well.
Today I hurt in places I didn't know I had but we had a fun day of shopping and being on the beach for my sis' last day. I am back to work tomorrow but I can't even complain about that. This whole weekend was AWESOME! SO far, thirty feels great. Thanks to all who helped make it such a wonderful event.Check out details here of my marathon http://results.active.com/pages/oneResult.jsp?pID=30036984&rsID=50629

Mt Vesuvius

In my teaser blog, I said that one thing I would be writing about was the amazingly ginormous boil that erupted on my chin last week. I named her Ida. You will soon find out why.
Now, it is important to know that I have never had great skin. As most of you know, I have battled with acne since about age 12. Unfortunately there is no connection between my acne problems and hygiene/cleanliness like it was as a teenager. Upon doing some digging into why big boyles from deep within well up on my chin(ALWAYS the chin now) for no apparent reason I found out some interesting stuff. I have tried every cleanser, toner, moisturizer, hydroculator, retinol, geritol, antibiotics, creams, gels, powders, pills. Nothing seems to touch it. What is becoming more apparent is that it is somehow hormone related (either too much or not enough of one of them) and the trend is growing for women in their thirties (do I have to be an early bloomer at this )? And to throw a little more crap on the pile of disheartening information, there is not a lot out there they can do for this type of acne. I can scrub my face all day long and it probably won't change.
One huge factor is stress. Bad stress brings 'em out in droves. Overall I have been pretty good at trying to minimize my level of bad stress...you know the kind where you don't eat, sleep, and get to where you obsess about something all the time.
Last week, I had bad stress. As much as I would like to blame someone else, it was my fault. However, I have learned from my mistake and now I can see that it is one big learning experience after another in this crazy world. You know....what NOT to do in the future.
The facility I currently work at here in tropical, carefree Hawaii (or so it seems) hired a new OT and she started at the beginning of November. Now, I will spare the details other than to say she COMPLETELY misrepresented herself and knows so little, it's scary. Supposedly she has been an OT for 30 years but, and I am not even joking, Dave knows more about OT than she does. Anyway, it becomes pretty clear that they want to get rid of her because they thought they had an experienced therapist joining their very small and overall inexperienced team (lets just say that I have been a traveler there for 8 months and I have been there the longest out of the inpatient OT's). The bottom line is they need to get rid of this person because not only did they pay here a 10K bonus, they moved all of her stuff out here too. Plus full benefits from day one. The bad part is that the only people who have any real qualifications to say whether or not she is competent is myself and the other traveler. I worked with her for five minutes and knew! Anyway, to keep it short, they asked me to take a lot of responsibility about whether this woman sinks or swims (and Jessica the other traveler too) and I bit....at first. But when Ida junior hit basketball size proportions on my chin and I was crying to Dave at a bar, I knew it was time to step down. Luckily, I stood up for myself and told them they needed to get someone else to do their dirty work and since then I have had very little to do with it. Ida Jr. went away, mostly, I slept over the holiday weekend and now my skin looks better than it has for a long time.
I don't blame anyone but myself for the stress but luckily I have turned it around and viewed it as a learning situation.
Okay, time for sleeping!

Happy Birthday Risa-Roni!

A day late and a dollar short. Oh, and your present is going to be late. But here is a blog to bring you complete and utter happiness!
Marisa is one of my oldest friends. I don't mean old because she is now a thirty something....and a whopping two and a half weeks older than me--nanny nanny poo poo!
Anyways, Marisa, or Risa, Ris, Risa-Roni and I go way back. I am beginning to feel a wee bit not as young as I used to be when I can say that I have known this fiesty red-head for over 25 years. Her, in addition to my friends Olivia (Liv, Livers) and Melissa (Mel,Melly-belly)are the ones that have known me the longest that aren't family--well, officially. Marisa, Melissa and I all grew up in the same neighborhood---in a Suburban track home hood called Panorama. Now, I lived on Zion Road whereas Mel and Ris lived on Teton Road. This is only important to know because unfortunately for me, all the cool kids lived on Teton. It was the party street for the 5-10 crowd. They got to ride bus 14 while I rode bus 23. But we became friends nonetheles. In my group of girlfriends that formed growing up, we all had special connections between us. My special connection with Marisa was that we were both tall and gangly as kids. We were always the kids in the high water pants that were never EVER long enough because we grew so damn fast, especially in the legs. The other girls could wear these dainty little outfits and Marisa and I would have our pants cut right to our ankles at any given time. We would be the type of girls that when someone would ask us how's the weather up there we would probably "skeech" (GJ word for Gleek) on them and tell them it's raining.
It's interesting that we all are turning 30 this year. What amazes me is that I have stayed in touch with all of my very first friends from Panorama and Wingate Elementary (all in all there are about 6 of us). We all hated it as teenagers but Grand Junction was probably one of the better places to grow up. It wasn't such a small town that you knew everyone and everyone knew you. But it isn't such a large city that it would have been unsafe to go exploring and "get lost" every once in awhile. Those first friends have become family to me. I keep in touch with them like I would a relative. It is not always regular contact but when we do talk either on the phone or in person, we can pick up where we left off and it's like we never missed a beat. Last year at our ten year reunion our group of girls got together before the big event. Amazing that such a variety of individuals was and continues to be friends. We have scattered throughout the country; some are moms, some are married, some go adventuring around the globe. However a pure moment of bliss for me was being with my extended family and knowing that those individuals were laregely responsible for my happy childhood, even during the teen years of torment. And yes, Mom, I said largely....my family gene puddles, I confess played a role as well.
So, happy birthday to my lifelong friend, my sister, my co-conspirator. You may be thirty but I look forward to knowing you for the next 25 years and beyond.
I love you!

Hey There Lonely Blog

Okay, so I guess a few people were still reading this but the fact that nothing has been put up here has probably not helped its popularity. And as I am too dog tired from the last two weeks, you are not getting much of one today other than to say hey and check back soon. Coming attractions are below and will be completed when I can stay awake:
-The 23 mile run with plunge into the ocean (pretty self explanatory, really)
-My friend Marisa--Happy Birthday!
-The reasons behind my mount vesuvius sized zit on my chin.

Until then, I am off to hibernate to make it through one more day before a little vacation! Gobble Gobble!

Ode to My Husband

I have to admit that right now the most annoying thing in my life is the smell of cigarette smoke that is rising from the condo below us. I am on the wonderful island of Maui in one of our great unearthed discoveries. The town we are in is called Honokowai. Out of the super developed areas of other parts of Maui it is mainly 30 year old condos on a little two lane street. However, the condos are perfect as they are direct oceanfront. There is also a grocery store, ABC store, and natural food/farmers market all within walking distance. We could easily (and with about one mil) see ourselves here for indefinite amounts of time. This will be our third night of being rocked to sleep by the sounds of the ocean crashing below. And all for an affordable price if you learn the word Kama'aina and can use it successfully without actually being a Kama'aina. Kama'aina means local and just by knowing the word, you can immediately get almost half off of anything related to tourism. Plus, this is probably the slowest week for tourism in Hawaii. Hence why we got married here two years ago and why I am writing this blog.
Dave and I got married November 1, 2005. It is an unbelievable two years later. We came to Maui not for our anniversary as much as for my mother in law who is visiting from New Orleans but we are celebrating all the same.
Whenever I take inventory of my life, there are lots of ways I can see that other people have done it better or where I could have improved my situation by having done it differently. I could be making X amount more dollars if I had chosen Y or I would look X times amount better if I had bought Y and on and on. What i am truly amazed at is that I am completely successful in love. Those that know me from pre Dave days, myself included, would never have thought this to be my current love reality. There are a lot of things I don't do well. My relationship with Dave isn't one of those things. But after having failed so miserably pre-Dave, sometimes I wonder, how has it worked so well this time?
Dave. Dave is the answer. He looks at me and tells me he loves me in a way I never thought I deserved...until he convinced me I did. He never does things just for himself but how it will benefit us both. Sometimes I wonder if others consider us co-dependent and/or antisocial. My single friends will ask me out to a girl's night. But I don't go most of the time because the bottom line is I would much rather spend time with my husband. That is how we make it. I work to keep him as the single most important part of my life. He does the same for me. Knowing that you are the center of someone's universe is so entirely awesome to me yet there are so many that feel they don't want or deserve this kind of love.
How could this be? And then I realize that they have never experienced it. They think they have, but they haven't. I wish I could inflict this feeling on everyone. When I see a friend or family member struggling to find love or make something work with the wrong person, I want to shout "let it go! It isn't right! It shouldn't be this hard!" I feel inadequate to give advice at times to those who are struggling because I almost feel guilty that I've got it so good....note I said almost.
I have only known Dave almost 4 years. When we look back at what we have done, the timeline is almost dizying. It is still hard to believe I found someone that wants to live the kind of life I lead. Not only does he want to live it but he is trying to find ways to improve it so we can do it more and on a larger scale.
So here is my gift to my husband but it really isn't a stretch. To you, in front of anyone who cares to read this, I want you to know how happy you make me, how much you have changed my life. I love waking up every day excited for where you will take me, what you will say and what you will do. You are my hero and my best friend. I love you times a million billion stars. Thank you for your smile, your heart, and for the two best years of my life. I can hardly wait to see what the next year brings.

The 45-minute Rainbow

So I counted today and we have nine weeks left in Hawaii. We have two trips planned, one to Maui this weekend with Dave's mom who is coming to spend the weekend with us and another to the little island of Lanai during thanksgiving to camp on one of the world's top ranked beaches. It is run by Castle and Cook resorts so it is pretty shi-shi! Actually, I shouldn't say that as Shi-shi in pidgen mean Pee Pee. Everywhere else in the world it means fancy though so I am still gonna use it!
Anyway, I am going to keep it short today. Dave and I went for our long run on Friday morning. This week was a rest week for me on my training schedule (only 10 miles - ha!). We decided to adventure down Ala Moana blvd, the street we live on that if you follow long enough will take you from Waikiki to the airport. We found little back roads that took us from little oceanfront park to little ocean front park. It was so neat....and yes, to continue our study of the homeless in Hawaii, we found someone passed out next to a grocery cart filled with dog carriers at every park. Ah, feels like home.
Anyway, it was a partly cloudy morning in Honolulu which we love because it almost always means RAINBOWS. Usually we see a rainbow that will last from 2-3 minutes. Well, on this morning, the clouds were rolling in, dropping a little rain, or a polynesian blessing as we refer to it and the same rainbow was kept alive for 45 minutes. At times it went all the way across the sky, sometimes it was double, sometimes a partial, but it never disappeared. We felt it was for our eyes alone as the commuter traffic faces the other way. It seemed as if that rainbow was just for us. It was a truly enjoyable part of the run. One of our favorite moments on the islands.
So, no deep thoughts tonight. Just wanted to share our rainbow with you...hope it adds color to your day. Don't forget to look for them in your life! You never know when your 45 minute rainbow might appear.
Good night all!

33101...

That's how many steps my pedometer said I took last Friday on my 19 mile run. In 2.5 months, I have gone from running 4 miles comfortably to running 19, and counting. what's even better is the bald good looking guy who continues to run at my side for most of it. He completed 18 of those miles with me. The human body totally amazes me. The truly amazing part is the control we can have over our bodies versus the control our bodies can have over us. It's all in how you look at it. I think this is demo'd best when we test our bodies to the max. Marathons are gaining in popularity in this country. More and more people are completing them, and not just one. I got asked today again why I chose to do another one. Many of you will remember that after the last one I said no more. But this time I am in a smarter and healthier place. Many believe that marathon training is just running every day but I have taken a more whole-istic approach (nope, not a typo) with weight training, yoga, and yes, even two days of rest a week! I work with several people who ask my why??? Why would you put yourself through it? I don't really choose to answer because those that have to ask it won't get the answer. The answer is because it feels great. To which they would respond how could running 19 miles possibly feel great? What I am too polite to answer but think in my head is "how can sitting on the couch and watching TV be better that mentally and physically pushing your body to be better and more fit?" It is a total high to be able to do something that most feel would be completely impossible for them to do. The irony here is that almost anyone can do this. It is not just for elite athletes anymore. I have followed a formula and training pattern, with the help of my bald sidekick Super Dave. This is not a miracle, it is a result of consistent and committed training, desire, and belief in myself.
A perfect example is the aforementioned sidekick who is now planning to take center stage in his own marathon next year. This is a man who is not only a recent half centaurian but 4 years ago when I met him couldn't run a mile. He was truly dazzling when we finished the Crescent city Classic a year later which is 6.2 miles. Uno, my affectionate name for his one lung was a complete victor then. Now, within a couple of months he can run 3x as far and shows not sign of slowing down.
Together, Dave and I are reading the Success Principles by Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup Guy). He tells the story of a grandmother who was able to lift a car off of her grandson after he became trapped underneath it. When she was later interviewed, she did not want to talk about it, and referred to it as "the event". She was asked one time why she wouldn't talk about it. Was it too traumatizing? No, that's not what it is she replied. I never thought I was strong enough to lift up a car. Imagine what else I haven't been doing in my life because I didn't think I could. This was a turning point for the woman who went to college in her sixties and became a professor of geology. Now, she knows exactly what she can do.
This is a relevant story. Listen to your friends, your family, and most importantly yourself talk. take note whenever you put limits on yourself and say "I can't". Jack Canfield recommends taking the word "can't" completely out of your vocabulary. Pay attention to how many times a day you say it. Not an easy task to remove such a powerful word, but you can do it! Even if it takes 33,101 steps, I know you can do it.

Just blabbing

I usually figure out what I am going to blog about during my long runs. Last friday I ran 17 miles. It took me over 3 hours to do it. And I'll be darned, no real illuminating thoughts came out of that run. I was like Forrest Gump. I just kept running and running. I have my little friend the i-shuffle which is the size of a postage stamp and clips onto my shorts. It holds almost every song I own. I compare this to 4 years ago when I trained for the last marathon. I got one of them brand new MP3 players. It was four times the size of what I have now and held a whopping 12 songs. During a four hour run I could listen to "in da club" by Fifty Cent approximately 52 times. Go Karen, it's your birfday, we gonna party like it's your birfday. Technology is amazing though was my point. And what else is amazing is that I can waste ALL KINDS of time on a BLOG. You can waste time reading it. This is a concept that I never thought of until about two months ago. But I do like to blab (is that what a blog is? A blabbing log?) and make people laugh and wonder.
I plan to be a writer full time. I am not sure if I have ever mentioned that to all of my friends and family before. I want to travel the world, meet a lot of people, and write about it. People are fascinating. I truly believe that everyone has a story. People often hear my story and tell me how amazed they are that I lived through everything. Dave gets the same reaction. The truth is that although I am a truly fascinating person (insert sarcastic tone here) if everyone had the same life and same experiences, the world would be boring. I know we don't want too many of me walking around.
Flip! Change of subject. Jimmy Buffett rules. He is 61 years old and has been performing for over 40 years. What makes him truly an icon is that the man hasn't had a hit in 20years yet you know every one of his songs. He just continues to make millions off of songs from 20-30 years ago. We saw him in concert and it was a lot of fun.
Flip! Dave continues to work hard on his book promotion. He has decided to shift gears a little bit and not just share his story but seek out others who have a positive message and share their stories as well. We want to gain as many positive stories of survival as possible. In speaking with a patient I had for a long time who has cancer, what people really want is encouraging stories. To see how the website has changed and to add your story, visit www.agooddayanyway.com .
Flip! I love this beer. It's called Wailua Wheat and it has passionfruit in it and I will miss it when we leave. I know that until right at this moment, it was not obvious at all that I had been drinking a little!

Okay my friends, if you are out there and reading this, there are all of my thoughts. Surprisingly, it didn't take up as much space as I thought it would.
Until next time......

Believe it and you can be it!

So, the following has come out of my thoughts from my 15 mile run last friday. First, it may sound conceited but isn't it amazing that I did a 15 mile run? I am getting there with my goal of a well run marathon. My training has been strong and this amazing fact dominates this blog.

Lately, I have been able to experience not only my own accomplishments but those of several other people in my life as they step out of their comfort zones and reach for what they believe. I will give you four examples.

One of my dear friends in Honolulu made a decision recently. This friend lost a bunch of weight a couple of years ago however hit a plateau. Now, this plateau included some major life events including evacuating for Katrina, losing her father to cancer, and losing her best friend in a tragic, unnecessary car jacking. This amazing woman came here as a traveler, looking for something different but not knowing what that was. In the process of looking she has found a great guy, a tropical wonderful place to be, and a working environment that she enjoys. But I think something was missing. Well, a couple of weeks ago, this girl took a stand. She probably doesn't even know it, but at some point she said to herself "there is more in me." My friend started running a week ago. I don't think she was too excited about it but she is determined to get the extra weight off of her. A week ago she could barely run for two minutes. Well, yesterday she ran a one mile race and was completely successful. She ran the whole way. Imagine what the future brings for her! She is already planning to run a 5K. This is a true example of an individual that can do anything they put their mind to. "I can't's" have been replaced with "I did's".
Example two: My husband. Wonderful, happy, supportive Dave. When I decided to run the marathon, Dave immediately became my trainer. He has organized and focalized my meals, my workouts, and my runs. He made a calender and has joined me in much of my training. His goal was to be able to run a half marathon (13.1 miles) by December. Well, Dave has to get a new goal because this one is insufficient. Dave ran 13 miles on Friday with me. He is way ahead of his goal. He has been amazed at how much he has been able to do. Let us not forget that Dave has only one lung. Makes you wonder if you could do it too, right?

Example three: I have another friend who recently decided to lose weight. This friend, different from the friend above, has a long past that she has dealt with emotionally and recently became available to deal with physically. This friend has a long hard road ahead of her. She has many lbs to lose but every bone in my body knows that she will be successful. Why do I know this? Because she believes she will be successful. She has gotten all her friends and family on board and has taken some steps that aren't easy to take. I am so proud of her and I know we will all be able to see her at the end when she is thin and fit.

My last example is myself. This is a hard example for me to believe in and others to see as anything but conceited. But one thing I am working on is confidence. I woke up on thursday night nervous. I do this almost every thursday night before my Friday morning runs. How will I do it? That is the thought that enters my brain every time. But guess what? I always do it. In the end, I know it is because I believe I can. Over and over again, I can see where if you believe you can do it, you will be able to do it. I have just started believing in myself. When you believe it, it's as if you place an order that is filled without you having to worry about how. Running those 15 miles was an amazing accomplishment for me. As hard as it is to believe, I loved it. The pain, the fatigue, and the rush. I loved it. Believe it and you can be it. I know this is true.

No matter what you are trying to accomplish....believe it and you can be it.

Oh yeah, that's why!

Okay Kids! Put on your hip waiters and grab a shovel because it's about to get deep in here! You have been forewarned.

Many of our friends and family have wondered in roundabout and in not so roundabout ways what our plan for the future is. Some have even wondered, why hasn't Dave gotten a job? Why is the focus so much on this book?

We have had trouble answering these questions. Sometimes, Dave and I have wondered ourselves what the final outcome would be. This book started out in a simple manner for my husband 11 years ago. His dream has been to share it with others and to encourage and inspire those touched by cancer. Hey, if he could actually survive what he went through, anyone can. Dave and I started planning to actually get this book published almost from the first time we met. I was one of the ones he inspired. It was one thing that drew us together. As two people who have survived so much physically and emotionally, it went unsaid what the reasons were. But how do we tell others? How can we help those closest to us understand. Why are we doing this?

An answer with some degree of clarity came to me yesterday. The Thunderbirds performed an Airshow over Waikiki yesterday. Dave and I were almost exactly in the center, right where they called out what was being done. As an aside to my incredibly deep thought, I have to give a shout out to the women on the team. 2 out of the 6 were women. This was an amazing performance by the Thunderbirds and if you have never seen it, you are missing out. They did stunts and tricks that gave me near heart failure. During this 1/2 hour performance, I started to wonder...who would ever want to do this? You have to risk not only your life but everything you know to get in that plane and do the amazing tricks that they do. That display was the most convincing argument I have for knowing this: these people must believe that this, and only this is what they were born to do.

If you have ever met Dave, you know this is what he was born to do. He was born to impact others, encourage them, help them survive as he did and improve their overall quality of life. Not just anyone can survive the trials he did during his two time cancer treatments which total almost 2 years of his life. I truly feel he was put on this earth to improve the lives of others. Oh yeah, that's why.

I have also been glad to be the one to go to work during the last six months. Giving my husband the gift of time to develop what he knows is his true purpose is a gift to me probably more than it is to him. Oh yeah, that's why.

Others may think it's crazy and they may not understand, but Dave and I both feel this little book of poems is just the beginning of our journey. Our happiest times are when we get to share our story with others and see on their face that they are encouraged that someone else has actually passed the test and come out a better human being on the other side. Oh yeah, that's why.

And when Dave is a world renowned speaker and author touring the country and improving the lives of not just the hundreds that he has now but the millions that he will one day, I know you will say, Oh yeah, that's why!

Enough time?

I was talking with a friend recently, both on the phone and on email. During our talks, it came up that time was "whipping" by us for all that we want to do. I had to stop and wonder, do we have enough time? If I live to be a hundred and I am healthy for those years, will it be enough to accomplish all that I want to get out of life? Am I on par if my life is already a third over? Do other people have these thoughts? I mean, I have traveled extensively in the US (My toes have set foot in 43 states) and even traveled outside the country a little. But I want to go EVERYWHERE! Okay, maybe I could cross off the pleasure tour of Iraq and/or Afghanistan. Humanitarian voyages are on the list, such as building schools in Mexico or working in a clinic in Africa. Of course my fancier tastes could take the QE II around the globe (can If only I had 75K I didn't know what to do with!)

I have worked in 18 different places as an OT in under 6 years. I will never be that person that stays with one company her whole career. Couldn't be if I wanted to. But I wonder, what would that be like? Doing the same job every day my entire adult life. Is it rewarding or mindnumbing? I will never know as I get bored with a place after a couple of months. I also generally have major conflicts with the bureaucratic nightmares I usually walk into. And I am not even sure I know what Bureaucratic means!
Since I went to college, the longest I have lived in one place was a year and two months. Our average length of stay in a place is 6 months. That is over 11 years of moving every few months. Normal people don't do this, yet I find myself wanting to live in other places. I like traveling to a place and actually living there, finding out all of its secret nooks and crannies.
I have run a marathon and am training for another. I thought twice about doing a second one since I have already done one but running is fun for me because I can do it. The loss of vision in my eye limits me from tennis, volleyball, frisbee, basketball, etc. Maybe that is why I try to do so many other things.
Am I bragging here? I don't think so. I have gone through some near death experiences in my life with cancer when I was young and a car accident at age 18. Am I just making up for lost time? Will it ever be enough? Will I hit a level of doing new things where I will just say ENOUGH! and do one thing for the rest of my life? Will one thing come along that I will WANT to do for my remaining days?

At any rate, I am on to the next goals. Dave has written his book of poems and I have helped him with writing a second book about his survival with cancer (due out soon!). Personally, my own books are ready to bust out of me. My latest aspirations are to author a children's book that aims at helping kids cope with a classmate who has cancer and about my experiences with having a facial...how shall we call it...difference. That experience in itself is an experience that I have had for the last twelve years that I didn't ask for but I am not sorry it happened.
I guess life is long enough for us to choose our experiences and for some experiences to choose us. Trust me, eventually they will find you, if they haven't already.

The Waikiki Tour for Early Risers

I ran 12 miles yesterday. Dave ran over 10 of them with me, his personal record for longest distance run. We woke up at 5:15 AM to complete the run. Our tiny little studio overlooks Fort DeRussy Park with Waikiki Beach as a backdrop and Diamond Head in the distance. I can look at Diamond Head from my side of the bed. At 5:15, the stars were still out as the city still slept....well, most of the city. 6 cop cars and an ambulance were present at the hostel next door....always some kind of action there. As we started out, we ran down Kalakaua Avenue which parallels Waikiki Beach and takes us by all of the famous Waikiki resorts. We ran through Kapi'olani Park toward the base of Diamond Head and came back down the Ala Wai Canal. As we turned down the Ala Wai, the sun began to peak out behind the Ko'olau Mountain Range. Our run took us down to Ala Moana Beach Park and Magic Island which has a three mile path that circles the park and yields some of the most majestic ocean views that Waikiki has to offer. We ran by a group of fisherman as well as a group of elderly Japanese doing their morning Tai Chi (no, not drinking Chai Tea). After circling Magic Island, we finished at Fort DeRussy Park. As we ran down Ala Moana Avenue, now 2 hours after we started the run, the city was awake and alive, the sky now brilliantly shining on another beautiful Hawaiian day. We had been able to share a tour of Waikiki before most people had their first cup of coffee. What an amazing gift.
So, you are probably thinking that's great but why???? Why run that long when the bus would take us on a similar tour for $2? Okay, so you have to ignore the homeless guy with his cardboard sign heading toward his daily spot of choice on the bus but still! Well, there are several reasons, actually. First, it feels amazing to be able to complete a run like that and still be able to down pancakes at the Wailana Coffee House (all you can eat!) while you work off your runner's high. However, more importantly, I have decided to run the Honolulu Marathon on December 9th. It is 4 days after my 30th birthday and the stars seemed to align on this one. I can train in the place where the marathon will take place, which also happens to be one of the most beautiful places on the planet. During my last marathon training, 4 1/2 years ago, I was in Colorado (also a beautiful place but is very BRRRRRRRRRR for half the year) waiting for it to warm up to 20 or 30 degrees so I could complete my long run without snot-cicles forming on my face. This time it's a little different! My reasons are personal. The benefits of training are many. Dave has tailored our meals and weight lifting workouts for marathon training and we are even doing yoga. The added (spiritual) experiences as described above are unexpected benefits that add to the whole process. I feel it is important to have a goal for your fitness/life/wellness. I just completed my fourth week of training and already the changes are amazing. I sleep like a log, eat heartily, and work out 5-6 days a week. I have also found that I am someone who needs a certain amount of structure to my workouts. I like following a calender and having it decided for me what my exercise will be for the day. Before I started marathon training, Dave and I still worked out 4-5 times a week but we didn't have focus. If you find you are feeling the same way, I urge you to pick a goal and stick with it. It doesn't have to be a marathon because I know that is not on the top of everyone's list but there are a lot of different events you can train for. To quote W, it's all about benchmarks! =-)
I have started this blog as a journal of my journey through the marathon training process but also about our everyday lives. I feel that Dave and I lead a different life than most and we do a lot of new and interesting things. So, this serves as a journal to keep you all afloat of the latest and greatest in our lives--hopefully that doesn't sound too bold. Our biggest news is that we will now be Honolulu through December 29th. We are truly enjoying our time here and can't seem to pass up the opportunity to extend our time here.
My friend Chris, who was recently here for a visit started a blog (she is a traveling OT as well) and it is almost like crack in that I check it almost daily to see what her new activities and insights are, or just to find out what is going on in her life. She actually dubbed me as having "Vagabond Shoes" when I worked for her in Franklinton, LA. Telling her I had to leave was a very hard day for me because she had become such a good friend but you know what Frank Sintra says, these Vagabond Shoes are longing to stray! So, though we are far away from our friends and family most of the time, I want this to be a way to keep in touch with you all a little bit more.
Until next time!