No F-ing Way

The other night I did something against my better judgement. I went to a "Panty Party".  Settle down, it's not as risque as it sounds.  Essentially, a bunch of women get together at this local lingerie boutique to drink champagne and try on bras. Okay, maybe it is as risque as it sounds.  But that has nothing to do with why I didn't want to go.

In case you didn't already know this, I'm a bit self-conscious about my body - especially my boobs.  If I had to choose one part of my body that I would never have to look at again there would be a knock-down-drag-out between my boobs and my muffin top. Muffin top would probably win, but boobs would definitely go down fighting.

So, it's no surprise that the thought of trying on bras with other women - women who happen to be younger, thinner and higher/fuller/more appropriately-chested that I am was not high on my list.  So, why in the world would I go?

First, I adore the friend who invited me.  The combination of the Spicy Chicken's travel, the girls' school/sports schedules and my influx of work lately has allowed little room for anything else. I was really craving time with girlfriends.  Secondly, I caught myself saying - aloud in front of M - that I didn't want to go because I "hated" my body. Yep, get out the cuffs because I totally deserve to go to Teen Parenting Jail for that one!  While my girls are not oblivious to my weight, I have always tried to make a point of telling and showing them that I love myself regardless of my size, and that my focus is always on my HEALTH. Oops.  So I had to do a little doubling back to show her that I wasn't afraid of getting naked with all those skinny bitches because damn if I'm not proud of the big 'old boobs that God gave me.  And lastly, I really actually needed some new bras.

I ended up having a really good time and - as a bonus - got to spend some quality time with a few friends I hadn't seen in awhile. While some women were completely okay with trying on bras in front of other people, some were not -  either was totally acceptable.  I kept to one of the back dressing rooms with the curtain closed, of course, but nobody seemed to care - or even notice for that matter.  While I admit it completely threw me off when the saleswoman brought me a 34F to try on, my boobs looked so freakin' awesome in that bra that I bought two of them!

Moral of the story is - sometimes you just have to let go of your insecurities because they are just that - yours.  The people who love and know you don't care what size pants or shirt or bra you wear.  They love you for who you are - and if you spend your life hiding behind your weight you will miss out on a lot of good times.  And that, my friends, is the f-ing truth.

I Heart NYC - I Hate Cancer

Although I have been on a bit of a roll this week with blog posts I will be taking a break for a few days as I head to The Big Apple with my girlfriends. Woo-hoo!

Last year was the first time the four of us took this trip so I guess that makes this our 2nd Annual NYC Weekend - which is awesome.  It's also awesome that while on this trip we get to spend some great quality time with Lynne and Fletch, Chrissy's mom and step-dad, whom we adore.  What is NOT awesome is that Chrissy can't be with us.  Although I know she's watching over us and is always with us in our hearts, it's obviously not the same.  We miss her so, so much.

Cancer sucks, people. It really does.

Remedy

(Photo Courtesy of Virginia Tech Weed ID Guide)

I spent several hours writing a post the other day about the horrible case of poison ivy I've been battling for the past month.  It was was a pretty good article - complete with photos of oozing welts, bloody scrapes, black, green and purple bruises and a list of my suggestions for remedying the situation (complete with a prescription and over-the-counter drug cocktail and my favorite martini recipe). 

While having dinner with friends last night, however, I realized that there was no reason to post that article.  I can't imagine there is one reader out there who really wanted to see or hear about my ailment and I wondered why I felt compelled to write it in the first place.  I came to the conclusion that it was because it was "only poison ivy" I felt like I needed to vindicate myself.  From the day I realized I had come in contact with it until I literally felt like I was losing my mind in the third week I kept thinking "it's only poison ivy".  Didn't I get this all the time when I was a kid and spent my summers traipsing through the woods around Peppertree Pond?  It's "only poison ivy" for Godsake!  How in the world can I be this miserable from "only poison ivy"?  People are going to think I am a freak!

But nobody did. My friends all listened to me whine and complain endlessly about how miserable I was. They oohed and aahed appropriately when I showed them my welts, reassured me it was as bad as I thought it was and actually cheered when I proudly showed off how much better it was getting (though I'm sure they were thinking it was still too disgusting to be flaunting in the middle of Zo-Ca-Lo).  I got concerned texts, e-mails, and phone calls from  my family (possibly prompted by the photos I texted to my known-to-be-squeamish sister).  The Spicy Chicken even offered to come home from his business trip (though I think that was more because after the "roid rage" fit I threw on Monday evening he may have been a little concerned about the well-being of his children...). 

What it comes down to is that it wasn't "only" poison ivy - it was poison ivy and I was  miserable.  However, thanks to the combination of steroids, antihistamines, ibuprofen, a little vodka and the love of my friends and family I am on the mend.  

As I stated on my Facebook page this morning "I am convinced there is no ailment that great friends, food, cocktails and lots of laughter cannot remedy". 

At least until the drugs wear off...

On The Move

They say that moving is one of life's most stressful events. Having done it over 6 times in the past 15 years I consider myself somewhat of an expert on the subject and I, indeed, concur with "them".  Moving sucks.

But now, three weeks later, after having packed, hauled, unpacked, and organized everything (well, almost everything) once again, I have to say I'm elated.

In a matter of three weeks we've managed to have two parties - one big Cinco-de-Derby Party that included a surprise visit from the Spicy Chicken's best-friend-for-life, Andy, as well as an intimate "surf and turf" 40th b-day party - that allowed all of our friends to share in our excitement!

Things have finally started to settle down and we're mostly back to our usually schedules.  There were, of course, a few blips along the way, however.  

For instance, the cat went missing within the first 48 hours we were here.  We found her four days later in an old, abandoned dog house on the property cowering, injured, dehydrated and covered in scratches that indicated that she'd gotten in one heck of fight - and lost.

A trip to the Emergency Vet (we found her at 5pm on a Saturday, of course) and $200 later she was pumped full of fluids, antibiotics and pain killers - on the road to recovery.

Several days later, however, the limping, lethargy and complete freakishness had not dissipated. So, a trip to our regular vet and $200 more she was once again pumped full of fluids, antitiobics and painkillers - on the road to recovery.

Oh, and did I mention that they also sent me home with antibiotic pills to be administered by mouth and instruction to "take her fecal temperature daily" to ensure her fever has gone down? You are all aware of the fact that I am, indeed, an animal lover, but there is not enough love in the world that would motivate me to attempt to put a thermometer in that all-claws-included-cat's butt.  Not even close.

(not actually our cat but a fair representation of her reaction)

But the fun didn't stop there.  

In attempting to ramp my exercise regimen back up again I was happy to find that if I park at Fairview (our swim and tennis club) I can get a good five mile walk/run to the end of the   Meadowcreek Parkway and back.  Regardless of which side of the debate of the Parkway you stand on, the County's section is already there so I figure I might as well use it. I paid for it, after all. Not to mention that the trail along it is great.  It's paved, fairly flat, very pretty and currently being used by very few people.  Scout and I love it.

So after 5 happy miles we returned to my car in the Fairview parking lot ready to head home.  Out of the corner of my eye, however,  I noticed something moving on the tennis courts.  I got out to find a deer trapped inside the fencing around the courts.  I quickly ran down to open the doors and attempt to veer her toward one.  Just as she was finally reaching it (after thrashing and crashing into the fence for five minutes) Scout came out of nowhere. Before I knew it both were gone and I was standing in the middle of the courts looking like an idiot. 

As my friend Ginger said, I was, indeed, the idiot that left the dog in a car with the windows down when I knew there was a deer around.  I guess I deserved this.

At least I now know the infamous green bathtub in our master bath works. And that goofy handle sprayer that I couldn't determine why anyone would ever need? It's perfect for cleaning mud off the dog's ass.

Who's idea was this moving thing anyway?

Oh yeah, mine.

Big Changes

March has been a big month for me.  

The excitement started on March 9 when I celebrated my 39th birthday. You may recall  from last year that I kinda freaked out when I turned 30. Therefore, it would stand to reason that entering into my 40th year would be  traumatic.  Ironically, it's the opposite.  Life is good. I'm happy. And it's only getting better. If this is foresight as to what my 40's are going to be like then bring it on. And yes, I've been wearing that crown the entire month. 

I celebrated my birthday the way most people do - surrounded by friends, hanging out with family, and... buying the house of my dreams.  It's a 1960s fixer-upper, mind you, but it's truly the house that the Spicy Chicken and I have been dreaming of owning some day.  After 6 months of searching, waiting and saying "If one of these houses would just go on the market..." as we drove down Carrsbrook Drive our patience finally paid off.  I'm not sure who is more excited us or Sasha, as she's finally rid of us as clients (she is, however, stuck with us as friends forever).  

And while I wasn't exactly looking for a job (because I was too busy looking for a home) an amazing opportunity presented itself to me in that area this month, too. Earlier this month I started working for Jaggers Communications and MBPR & Marketing, two amazing small PR firms here in town owned by women I love and respect as friends and business women. I'm truly surrounded by greatness (and I'm not just saying that - check it out for yourself here, here, and here ) and feel honored to be a part of these teams.

And then there's the 10-Miler...the one negative in my fabulous month of March. The race itself is not a negative, of course.  Proceeds benefit lung cancer research at UVA Hospital and an anonymous donor has offered to match every single dollar raised by participants so it's obviously a really good thing. For me, however, it's a major stressor. I'm still not even sure if I will be able to cross the Finish Line because of my injuries.  


That being said, I've lined up a few friends to run with, bought a new running skirt that I feel really cute in (yes, Dan Schutte, that is truly part of  my race plan) and I'm just figuring all I can do is do the best I can.  And after the race is finally over I plan to celebrate my last few hours of March on Sunset Beach very with one of my very best friends drinking a few of these...

Yep, life is good.

The Lone Runner

I've made mention before that though I run I do not consider myself a "Runner".  To me  Runner is someone who enjoys running at a much greater level than I do - who can't wait to get out their shoes on and get out on the road - who doesn't whine and cry nearly as much as I do.  You know who you are.  I'd give a shout out of admiration to each and every one of you if I wasn't worried you'd be so inspired that you'd head out on a run before reading the rest of the post (you know the important parts - the stuff about me...).

I used to think that there was a special "Club" of Runners that looked down on people like me who bring up the rear in the 5Ks, are proud of 11 minute miles and do races with the goal of crossing the Finish Line. But during the past few months of training I've found this just isn't true. I've been astounded by the number of friends - even friends of friends - who have offered to help me train.  And trust me, all of these people would be in "The Club" if there was such a thing.

Until this week, however, I've never taken any of them up on it.  Why?  Because I've been scared.  I'm not part of the The Club, remember?  And though people scoff when I say "I'm NOT a good runner", the truth is, I'm not saying it to be a martyr - I'm NOT a good runner.  I run because it's something I can do from the front door of my house - someone else's house - a hotel - or wherever I might be - and all I truly need is a pair of shoes (and we all know I have those!).  I do not run because I'm a Runner. 

This week, however, I finally gave in and met my friend Meghan.  Meghan will tell you she's not a good runner but trust me, this girl is one heck of an amazing athlete.  She rocks everything she does including WINNING the age group for her first ever triathlon! Another one of Meghan's many great qualities is communication.  The girl can talk.  And, as you all know, so can I.  So needless to say it was non-stop conversation the entire run.  And you know what? It was amazing!  Before I knew it we were passing the turn around point and I wasn't even tired! 

I do have to say that I am struggling big time with shin splint pain right now so am having to walk a little so it was easier than usual from that too, but what made the difference for me on Tuesday was undoubtedly Meghan (I forgot to mention she also happens to be the most positive, encouraging person I've ever met). And, if that's not enough, her husband is also a super stud athlete and occasionally blogs about his triathlon experiences at  http://tritoblog.blogspot.com/ - check it out.  I promise you will be inspired!

Moral of the story? Don't be afraid. You don't know what you're missing out on.

Viva Mexico

To say that this today's Athletic Training class was difficult would be an understatement. But slowly, after 5 days of poolside butt-sitting, too much tequila and nachos - so many plates of nachos - my body is starting to come back to life. 

The Spicy Chicken and I were fortunate to spend a few days in Mexico celebrating the 40th birthday of great friend of ours this past week.  If you know anything about the two of us you know that while we definitely work hard, we play even harder.  And after the difficulties of the past few weeks we were more than ready to play.  

While I'd start the day with plates of amazing fresh fruit and made-to-order egg-white omelets, the accompanying mimosas and bloody mary's quickly mitigated any of the earlier healthiness.   I'll be honest and say that my training went dry after I sweated out a few margaritas on the treadmill Day Two (4.0 miles in 45 minutes). However,  I'm fairly certain we worked off at least 1000 calories on the dance floor (we were literally wet from head to toe in sweat!), and though the week was devoid of any crunches, my abs were literally sore from the constant laughter.  Fun doesn't even begin to describe our week. 

So where do I go from here - after hitting it hard for several weeks and then completely plummeting to a lazy alcoholic stupor for several days? As always, I head back to Clay for a kick-ass work out from Hyam.  If there was one thing I needed today it was that and Hyam, of course, delivered.  It'd be easy to continue to let things slide but I actually couldn't wait to get back into things (and Hyam's text "want to see you" text last night didn't hurt either!).  That's the thing about your body (and Hyam!) - they are always ready and waiting for you to take care of it.


The Ten-Miler is going to be here before I know it so I'm pulling my running shoes back on and hitting the pavement tomorrow.  See you on the Rivanna!  

Friendship

Last night I went out to dinner with a bunch of girlfriends last night to celebrate the birthday of my friend Marijean.  Since some of us hadn't met before we decided to go around the table to tell how we knew the Birthday Girl.  When it was my turn it occurred to me that though it wasn't unusal that we had met via a social media seminar - she is, after all, Social Media Queen of Charlottesville (as well as the "First Lady of Pie") - it was surprising that of the women I knew at the table I had met every single one on-line!

Considering my line of work it's not unusual for me to meet people through social media.  What I was surprised by, however, was that these women - whom I may never have met if not for Twitter - are now truly some of my greatest friends!  And, by the way, these are some really amazing, inspiring women! 


This was actually the third in a series of events that transpired this week that had me thinking about the importance of friendships in our lives, as well as how lucky I am to have these relationships.  

The first came earlier in the week in the form of a message from my childhood best friend in Minnesota (yep, that's me rockin' the perm in high school!).  Jen and I became friends during the first weeks of junior high when I unknowingly started "going with" her former boyfriend.  She had words of wisdom for me about him that I took to heart and I have been listening to her ever since.


Her message wasn't anything deep - just a "hey, how are you? Haven't talked to you in awhile" - kind of thing.  But it reminded me of a pact she and I made several years back at a time when both of our lives seem to be moving faster than the speed of light.  We vowed  we'd never apologize - or expect an apology from the other - if what seemed like too much time had passed since we'd last heard from the other.  We realized that this happens not because we don't care, but rather because sometimes life just gets in the way.  You can do this with a true friend and the best part is - when you do get back in touch it feels like no time has passed at all.

The third came on Saturday while hanging out some girlfriends. One of these friends is battling cancer. While she is an extremely strong woman, the cancer is putting up a good fight. Every day I wonder what big thing I could be doing for her. It occurred to me through our laughter that night that even little things can be pretty big if you take time to stop and enjoy them.  

It's easy to get caught up in your own world and let things like friendships fall off.  But without these friendships (and the many that I haven't mentioned here) my life wouldn't be complete.  I cherish every moment I have with these women -  not just because cancer has forced me to recognize that we don't always how many more there will be -  but because I know I am truly blessed to have them.

Friendship Buffet

I saw the term "friendship buffet" on the front of a magazine the other day and decided I was going to adopt it as my theme for the holidays. 

Since so much of the holiday season centers around eating and drinking - two things I am trying to control - I've been a little apprehensive about how I was going to deal with all of it.  A "friendship buffet" seemed like the perfect solution.  Instead of indulging on cookies and cocktails at get-togethers this month I will focus on filling myself up with my friends.  

Sometimes, despite our best intentions, our lives get in the way of the things that are most important to us.  After a difficult week that left me feeling pretty low I was fortunate to be able to spend time with several of my really good friends over the weekend.  Though we've all been extremely busy lately we carved out a little time to share with one another.  It was exactly what I needed - and I ended the week feeling fabulous. 

In class sometimes Hyam talks about the exercise "filling up your tank" rather than depleting it.  I love that analogy, and think it can be transferred over to so many aspects of our lives.  The holidays sometimes become so full of hustle and bustle that they leave us feeling stressed, tired and drained. But that is the antithesis of what it's really supposed to be about - it's supposed to lift us up - make us feel incredible.  So that is what I'm going to focus on.

That is also my challenge to you.  Find a way to fill up your buffet with friendship, love and laughter this holiday season.  Include a few cookies and cocktails along the way, but focus on the blessings that you have - and on being one to those around you.  It will leave you full in a whole new way - and you won't even have to unbutton your pants to enjoy it!

Tears and Laughter

I spent Tuesday night with a few of my girlfriends. It wasn't your ordinary GNO, however. We entitled the evening "Tears and Laughter" because we started the evening at a church service held by The Compassionate Friends for parents whose children had died. Our friends Jennifer and John lost their son Carson a little over a year ago to complications to H1N1 and we were there to support Jennifer.  That was the "tears" part of our evening.

After the service (where there were definitely lots of tears) we all went out for a few cocktails and some laughter. It was a little somber at first, of course, but this is a really fun group of girls and tears of laughter ensued almost immediately. 

It was a very emotional evening for me on several different levels.  First, I was taken by surprise when I arrived at the church to see one of my babysitters standing at the door.  One of her sons had committed suicide several years ago - a story I had heard through the grapevine but she had never shared directly with me.  I smiled, hugged her and moved forward toward the two pews full of my friends.  As I rounded the corner I was completely taken aback when I saw my neighbor and her husband sitting in the last pew. I ignorantly asked, "Do you go to church here?"  I was unprepared to hear her respond with "Jennifer was killed in September."  Jennifer, their daughter, who was about my age, a single mom to 3 teenage daughters, was killed in September.  I had no idea.  I felt horrible for so many reasons.

When we were walking out of the service I stopped to hug and talk to her for a few minutes.  She said she wished her friends had come with her instead of her husband. Not surprisingly losing a child is extremely hard on many marriages - even those that are 30+ years strong.  My heart ached for her. I didn't know what to do or say so I just hugged her and said I'd be there.  I meant it, but I'm not sure how much it helped.

On the opposite end of the emotional spectrum I couldn't help but feel really blessed that night, too.  Don't get me wrong - I have spent hours crying over Carson's death, weeping for my friends' loss and questioning my God as to why this happened.  This night, however, I was also reminded of how fortunate we are.  I sat there surrounded by nine really incredible women that night there supporting their friend. Schedules were juggled, babysitters were called in and husbands came home early from work so that we could be there.  None of us gave it a second thought. There was no place we would've rather been.


Jennifer and John have started a great foundation called The Carson Raymond Foundation in Carson's honor. If you'd like to help bring baseball to kids in our community check out the foundation's website at www.carsonraymondfoundation.org or feel free to give me a call.  GO PLAY! 

Unintended Consequences

The first time I sat down with Hyam it was simply to interview her for a story for SuzySaid.  A friend had tried out one of her classes and thought it would make a good story so I checked it out.  Less than 30 minutes in to our conversation I knew my life was going to change. At the time, however, I believed those changes would be limited to my own personal journey back to health.  I had no clue I'd be blessed with so much more.

December marked the end of my latest 12 week session at Clay.  To celebrate our success, as well as Hyam's (surely you read the Daily Progress article about Clay's upward expansion into the former Bel Rio space?) two of my classmates had us all over for dinner.

On the way to their house I gave the Spicy Chicken a run down on the names of people he hadn't met.  As I started telling him about each individual it dawned on me what an amazing group of people they were and how highly I thought of each person.  

Whether they realize it or not each of them has guided me on my journey in their own way. Sure our workouts consisted of some really intense training, but somewhere between the curling & crunching, skipping & jumping and squatting & lunging there was a whole lot of smiling, supporting, laughing, encouraging and inspiring going on.  

Twelve weeks later I've lost few pounds and added a few new friends.  I'll take those unintended consequences any day.

Strength

I write a lot on here about physical strength, but I think emotional strength and strength of character are extremely important aspects of a person's make up, too.  I was blessed this weekend with the opportunity to honor a very good friend whose strength I admire, and it got me thinking about my own.

We spent Saturday evening at the American Cancer Society Pavilion Ball, where my friend Chrissy was honored for her tremendous strength during her fight against breast cancer this past year.  We were all pretty dumbfounded when we got the news of her diagnosis.  She was only 39 years old, had three young kids and was a strong, active person.  Chrissy is the kind of person who does more in a day than most people do in a week.  This certainly couldn't be true.  But it was.  And within a few days the words mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation became a part of our every day lives.  

True to her self, she took the disease head on and fought it off with extreme toughness and dignity.  She barely slowed down through hundreds of appointments, chemo, radiation, and the regular craziness of running her family's daily life.  We lectured her about taking it easy sometimes, but knew also that keeping busy was something she needed to do for herself.  

When her hair started to fall out she didn't mourn the loss - she threw a head shaving party instead!  In support her husband shaved his too.  (And she kindly requested he not do that ever again).  At a birthday party one night while dancing with friends Chrissy took off her wig because it was getting so hot.  She remained without it the rest of the night.  I remember thinking how gorgeous she looked - and how courageous she was. I couldn't help but wonder if I was in her position, would I be able to be that strong?

Below are a few pics from Saturday night.  As you can see, Chrissy is doing fabulous and looking even more beautiful than ever. We had a fabulous time celebrating her strength, courage and her life!

Completion

So last time I wrote I was whining about how freaked out I was about the Real Girls Run.  I'm happy to report that I not only survived, but I felt pretty darn good about it.  Getting there wasn't easy, but it was worth it.

My stomach continued to churn the entire car ride there - so much so I was a little afraid I'd have to stop at McDonald's to hit the restroom and "accidentally" get swept up by an Egg McMuffin.  I treaded on, however, and was thankful that I did.

Fortunately I ran into a few friends immediately after arriving at the race. I was fine until I realized the iPod I had spent hours creating an amazing playlist on wasn't working.  I knew this was a possibility - it was, after all, a 2nd Generation iPod Shuffle (read: O-L-D) but I couldn't believe it was happening just a few minutes before the race started.  I'd never actually run without music before and was fairly sure it wasn't possible, so ran back to the car to grab my phone.  By the time I got there, however, the old iPod somehow started working (maybe because I stopped beating on it?) and I was saved.

A few minutes later we were off.  I felt surprisingly calm and comfortable at the beginning - a feeling which, miraculously, stayed with me for the entire race.  I did what most novice racers do - let my adrenalin get the best of me came out of the gates a little more quickly than I should have.  I was, however, able to handle the bulk of the race at an average of a 10-minute mile.  It's not a fast pace, but one that worked well for me at this point. 

Ironically, my shins, which have been the biggest hindrance to my running career,  didn't bother me one bit.  Even three days after the race they felt fine.  Thanks again adrenalin. 


I saw Court, the girls and my mom as I rounded the last corner.   When they came into view I attempted to sprint to the finish line.  My legs, however, weren't really on the same page as my brain, so I'm fairly certain I may have slowed down rather than sped up.  It was a pretty pathetic ending, but at least I made it.

My official time was 39:17.  Slow, but complete.  I was happy that I did it and actually felt good enough after to start thinking about signing up for a few more.   First up is the the Cale 5K Fun Run on October 30. M has been participating in the Running Club at school for the past month preparing it, so that's one we won't miss.  And then I think I may have committed to a Turkey Trot or something like that in Minnesota at Thanksgiving with that crazy marathon running friend of  mine. 

Wait....isn't is freakin' cold in Minnesota in November????

With A Little Help From My Friends

I had to post a few pictures taken at the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA Critter Ball this weekend because it was such a great night at CHO (not to mention that I couldn't have even thought about fitting into a vintage dress  back in May!).  Wearing a dress that's shaped like a tent does make it a little easier to hide your flaws though - thank you 1960's fashion designers!

I'm actually not a huge Beatles fan but I've always loved the song "With a Little Help From My Friends". Probably because friends have always been a big part of my life - and right now is no exception. My friends (far & near - new & not-so-new) have been so amazing during "My Journey".  I'd never have been able to make all these changes without their help or through the down times without their support.  And let's face it, it doesn't exactly suck when people notice that you've lost weight (and my friends have been SO kind about mentioning it!).


Though I definitely wasn't on my best behavior this night (who knew losing a few pounds would make me such a lightweight?!?) I've managed to keep on track over the past few weeks.  At one point I hit a brief plateau in both numbers and motivation, but I quickly jumped back on the wagon and am moving forward toward that goal once again. Hyam got incredible new bikes at the studio which allow my shins a break from the running one day a week and, I have to admit, I totally love the change of pace cycling brings. Don't tell Hyam though - I wouldn't want her to think I'm enjoying myself!


Thanks to the fabulous SPCA Critterball Committee, the amazing people at CHO and, of course their fearless leader, my friend Barbara Hutchinson who, on top of being one of Charlottesville's most amazing women, is making incredible strides on her own journey right now.  Oh, and she's a darn good photographer, too! (Thanks, Barbara!) 

The sun was setting when we arrived - what a gorgeous view from CHO!

Can you believe this is an airplane hanger?  It was amazing! 

Outside the hanger was a beautiful cocktail hour 

and fabulous silent auction (that Ginger rocked!)

The Newsplex represented with my buddy Dan Schutte 

(who was a dance contestant last year) 

and the gorgeous Jessica Jaglois

(not to mention some stellar dancing by Travis Koshko later in the evening}

Ginger's dress and Preston's big win stole the show!

Sasha and I were looking and feeling groovy

And we were lucky enough to pick up these two while we were there!

Craziness Has It's Perks

So here's the unforseen perk of letting your weight loss goals and struggles be known to the world - people want you to succeed!  They celebrate your little victories with you, send you e-mails supporting you and - best of all - make an effort to tell you how great you look. Seriously, there's no bigger ego boost to a fat girl on a diet than someone noticing your efforts (especially when you've only lost 10 pounds!).  

Would this be happening if they weren't aware of every little detail about what I'm doing?  Probably not, but I don't think it really matters.  We all love hearing that what we're doing is worthwhile.  Whether it's work - weight loss - school - or whatever you may be working at - we all enjoy having our efforts validated.  (Especially me - thanks everyone!) 

Renewal: Part 2

I had dinner (it was healthy, I promise - the Summer Solstice Salad from Beer Run - spinach, apples, beets and maybe a little goat cheese) the other night with two women I met via the Twitter.  I know it sounds creepy, but it isn't, I promise.

As owner/writer/editor of a website that does it's business almost completely on-line social media - namely Twitter and Facebook - are an integral part of my livelihood.  So much so that I even do a segment on the local news called C'ville Plugged In about it!  So it doesn't surprised me that I am continually meeting people that I "know" on-line but have never truly met in person.  I have, however,  been surprised (and pleased!) by how many of these people have become not only business connections, but true friends.  

For four hours this evening Terry, Bobbi (who had just met both Terry and I in person for the first time that night!) and I slowed our conversation only when our laughter prohibited us from speaking in full sentences. I left the restaurant several hours later than I had anticipated but despite the fact that it was "past my bedtime," I left feeling completely renewed and refreshed.  Ironically, Terry was thinking the same thing - and she wrote a fabulous post on her blog Scribblings of a Soccer Mom about it.  (FYI - she's a fabulous writer - so don't be afraid to scroll down and read what else she has to say). 

Inspiration

Below you will find an e-mail that I received from a friend yesterday.  I've posted it here, with her permission, for several reasons.  I thought it would be inspirational to other people - as so many of us battle with motivation from time to time - or even every day.  I also found it so encouraging to know that through my writing we are inspiring one another along this journey.  Some people think it's crazy that I'm being so open about all of this, but the rewards I've received have surpassed anything I imagined.  In just a few weeks I've been able to touch people from all over the country - and in turn I've got a support system that stretches from California to Virginia and everywhere in between.

I wanted to let you know how inspirational you've been...

I really didn't want to go to the gym today. In fact I was considering working through lunch. Pathetic, no?! However, I thought of you and went to the gym.

I had planned to run today. I got to the gym and didn't have a lot of juice in my IPod. Tried to convince myself to do something a little less intense. Thought of you and got my butt on the treadmill.

10 minutes into my 20 minute interval run I thought, 'I'm just going to stop, I can't run another step.' Instead I slowed the pace, just slightly and kept on running. I then got off the treadmill and did some rockin' abs.

All this because of your journey and all the feelings in me you've tapped into. I want you to know that you're not in this alone and many of us our on our own personal fitness quests because you have been so kind and so brave to share your struggles and triumphs. We are soul sisters through this and I want to let you know that I'm here for you - I'll provide as much long-distance support as I can.

Wow!

I am a little overwhelmed - and SO appreciative - of the amount of support I've received from family and friends upon the start of this journey.  It's not that I didn't think people would support me, of course, but I never imagined the number that one little post on Facebook would provoke so many heartfelt responses.

Admittedly it's a little scary to realize that people are actually reading this - and that I truly can't back down now!  Mostly, however, it's inspiring, amazing and has totally pumped me up!  While I struggled a bit this weekend with fitting in exercise, watching my food intake and limiting my alcohol I did feel like I was taking a step in the right direction (though it was definitely a baby step!).

I guess that's why we call it a "journey"...