3 Day Thursdays - Finding the Right Walking Shoe

This past weekend my walking team 'Angels for the Cure' were invited to a shoe clinic at Luke's Locker to get fitted for walking shoes for the 3 Day. For those of you that think 'I already have walking/running shoes for the 3 Day and I don't need to get a new pair', read on!

If this is your first year walking in the 3 Day, YOU WILL WANT TO GET FITTED FOR APPROPRIATE WALKING SHOES!!! Seriously, think about it...you'll be walking 60 miles and that's not even counting all of the miles you'll walk during training (you will be doing training walks, right?). I cannot stress the importance of finding appropriate shoes (and socks) for you to wear.

The benefit of going to a running store vs. a mall athletic store is that a running store specializes with assisting people who run or walk endurance events. The people that work in running stores are usually runners or walkers themselves and they can provide a lot of valuable information (about shoes, clothing, what to eat, etc.) as you prepare for the 3 Day.

In addition to their personal experiences they are able to accurately fit you with a pair of shoes. (Case in point - I am a Nike girl to heart...Nike Shox are all that I wear. But not for the 3 Day.) They will watch you walk and then bring out various shoes that they believe will work best for you. You are then able to try on the shoes in the store to see how they feel. (Luke's Locker actually has a treadmill and a walking path to try out potential shoes).

You're probably thinking that the shoes are expensive, right? Of course you can pay just about any price for a pair of shoes. But the great thing is that the sales associates are not out to make the biggest sale. They want to help you AND your feet. The shoes that I have worn cost in the neighborhod of $110 a pair. Believe me, a small investment for comfort and not getting blisters!

On the day of a foot clinic the hosting store will usually offer an additional discount if you purchase shoes (or other items) at that time. I also recommend taking in a pair of your current walking shoes for the shoe specialist to look at the current tread pattern on your shoes.

One last thing to think about is that you should have 2 pairs of shoes to rotate during your training walks and for the actual 3 Day event. The sooner that you are able to find the shoes that you will walk in the sooner you will know how your shoes and feet will respond in case you need to make a change.

The Bachelor

One of my guilty pleasures is the ABC reality TV show The Bachelor (and of course The Bachelorette!). I started watching the reality series because I was intrigued with the concept of a person finding love from a pool of 25 potential members of the opposite sex that had been hand chosen for that person. Being a single female I thought the concept was a great way to narrow the playing field to find true love.

I honestly have to admit that the first few series I watched of The Bachelor that I honestly believed in it. I really cheered for the women and felt my heart melt once The Bachelor gave his final rose and true love was found (and did I mention an engagement ring too?).

But then somewhere along the line I guess the reality set in for me. How could I not see that this show was just an opportunity for someone to date 25 women (or men) at one time? The lucky Bachelor gets to go on fabulous one-on-one dates, two-on-one dates, and sometimes even group dates. It is amazing that somehow he kisses woman after woman and none of women seem to have a problem with it. And as the playing field narrows down to a few select candidates that he 'thinks he is really falling for' there is always the option to spend the night in a fantasy suite (Hmmm...I don't think it takes too much thought about what really goes on in the fantasy suite!).

This past week one of the contestants had to choose between staying on the show and her career. (It's important to point out that this same scenario happened on the last series so it is time for the producers to come up with a new angle...yawn). Although she was a top pick of mine, I really couldn't believe how much time was spent agonizing over her choice. Ok, I am a true romantic at heart, but...if it came down to me continuing on a reality TV show or my career, I think the choice would be fairly easy. (Certainly I know that things happen, but wouldn't she of made certain she had off all the time that she needed to be on the show? Oh that's right! This is reality TV!)

As much as The Bachelor has made me think twice about women finding true love on the series, I'll still be tuned in next week to see what happens!

Did I Miss the Baby Gene?

A friend of mine got married several months ago. Soon after the wedding took place we spoke about how she and her husband were looking forward to becoming parents and were hopeful to become pregnant within the next year. I remember how happy and excited she was looking forward to their new life together.

Then today she shared with me that she experienced a miscarriage at the nine and a half week point in her pregnancy.

When she told me the news my heart immediately broke for her. I know that she will make an AWESOME mother once she is blessed with children. I am thankful that she is in a very good place with what occurred and knows that God has bigger things in store for her and her husband. To top it all off, her doctor is very optimistic that she should be able to conceive again.

Since I began blogging I have encountered many blogs by women who have documented their experiences with infertility and miscarriages. I can't read the blogs for long because I find myself saddened. I don't know if my sadness is for them or if it is for me...I have never had the desire to have children. I sometimes wonder 'Did I miss the baby gene when I was born?' because I don't understand the deep desire that many women have to have children.

From the time that I was a young girl I knew that I didn't want to have children. Even once I married my thoughts never swayed about that (very fortunate for me since my marriage ended before it really ever began). Interesting fact is that I really love children and people often comment how good I am with them. I have a wonderful 8 year old goddaughter who means the world to me and there isn't anything that I wouldn't do to protect her or for her well being.

Until about a year and a half ago I had been suffering for 5 years with a medical condition that had made my life so intolerable and unpredictable, and me, incredibly miserable and unhappy in the process. Since I was in my early thirties at the onset of my medical problems, my physician wanted me to wait until I was older to make a final decision about having a hysterectomy. When my medical condition finally got to the point that I had no other medical alternatives I proceeded with the operation.

Leading up to the surgery I wondered how would I really feel once the choice was no longer mine about not having children? What if I met someone and they really wanted us to have children together? I can honestly say that I have never had a moment of regret about my decision.

So, to answer my original question: Yes, I think I did miss the baby gene, but I also believe that someone more deserving than I received it instead.

Magnolia Bakery Cafe

Last year when I was on assignment in Pasadena, TX I found a wonderful lunch spot called Magnolia Café and Bakery. They have wonderful sandwiches, salads, soups, and I would be remiss if I left out their desserts…FABULOUS! So yesterday as I was driving around between appointments I decided to stop at the location in Lewisville, TX.

For the past week or so I have been in hot pursuit of a ham salad sandwich. And believe it or not, you can’t find ham salad sandwiches everywhere. There are TONS of varieties of chicken salad (and anyone who knows me knows that I do not eat chicken!) and tuna salad in grocery stores, but ham salad seems to be a rarity. So when I saw the sign for Magnolia Café and Bakery I knew my craving would be satisfied.

I had some great ham salad on whole wheat bread along with kettle chips and a side of sliced carrots. But the ultimate ending to my lunch was the homemade Coca Cola Cake that they make. The cake sits on the dessert counter in a pan that looks like it came from my grandmother’s kitchen. The cake is about 2 ½ inches thick and is covered with some type of fudgy, chocolate icing…yummy!

If you are ever in the Houston or Dallas areas you won’t be disappointed (or hungry!) if you find Magnolia Café and Bakery!

Barnes and Noble Nook

After many weeks of waiting my Barnes and Noble Nook finally arrived!

Last Fall I was contemplating purchasing an Amazon Kindle 2. Believe me, this was a big decision since I am definitely old school when it comes to books: I like to touch books, feel the pages between my fingers, and you can’t beat that new book smell. But after I had a chance to play around with a friend’s Kindle, I was like I love it!

Well, right about that time Barnes and Noble announced that they would be introducing their own eReader, Nook. And being the diehard B&N fan that I am, I had to wait until the Nook made its debut to make my final decision.

Some of the pros that I liked about the Nook are:

1. It has a color, touch screen.

2. When you are in a B&N store you can download a book to your Nook to read just like you would pick up a regular book from the shelf to read.

3.You can lend your eBooks to other people.

(To be honest, there are a lot of similarities between the Nook and the Kindle; for me the choice just came down to a brand that I was familiar with.)

Now the downside to obtaining the Nook was the waiting! I did have to wait about a month until my Nook shipped. I also picked out a cute cover for my Nook but it is still on backorder. So hopefully it will be here one day soon.

Stay tuned for more updates on my Nook! If any of my readers has a Nook, pleae let me know what you think about it too.

When In Doubt Don't Bounce!

The other day while I was out trying to enjoy a quick lunch, I found it quickly interrupted.

A couple of tables away from me there were two ladies and a toddler. Knowing that toddlers will be toddlers, I specifically choose a table a little bit away from them. But I found it wasn’t the toddler that I had to be worried about.

I soon realized that it was the little boy’s first birthday (Yay! Happy Birthday!) and that his mother and her friend had brought him out to have a cupcake on his actual birthday. From the conversation I overheard, his birthday party was taking place in a couple of days.

The little boy’s mother then left the table to go order something else to eat. It was quickly apparent that the friend didn’t quite know what to do with the little boy. (To me he seemed very content sitting there and smiling at the ladies that he could make eye contact with.) So she decided to pull out a toy. This toy was a conglomerate of plastic things on a bouncy string. She then began bouncing the plastic things on the table.

Everyone close by figured out pretty quickly that it wasn’t the little boy bouncing the items due to the rhythmic sound the plastic was making as it struck the plastic table top. Just when I thought I was the only person annoyed by the noise, another customer next to me looked up and had a similar expression of disbelief on her face.

The little boy finally turned around and looked at the toy, but then he did something interesting…he pulled it from her hands and he dropped it on the ground. YAY! But that wasn’t the end of it. She then proceeded to pick up the toy and started bouncing it again. Once again the little boy took it from her and guess what? He dropped it on the ground!

Now, I am not a baby expert, but….I am thinking that if he really wanted to play with the toy, he wouldn’t keep dropping it on the floor. Well, obviously she thought she was a baby expert so she picked up the toy yet AGAIN and began to bounce it on the table!

Fortunately the little boy’s mom returned and the bouncing stopped. Maybe she heard it from the counter and decided to put us all out of our misery and return to the table. Thank goodness for small favors!

3-Day Thursdays

In honor of me officially signing up for the 2010 Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure breast cancer walks in Chicago and Dallas, I have decided to make Thursdays '3-Day Thursdays' on Shannon's World!

I also have more exciting news...I submitted an application to become a 3-Day Ambassador and it was accepted! Since I only became an Ambassador earlier this morning, I don't fully know what my responsibilities will be. I'm not interested in doing any TV or radio interviews, but I am interested in being a social media ambassador and write about my 3-Day experiences on my blog.

I am hopeful that the PR firm handling this will provide me with information about informing other 3-Day walkers about my blog. Hopefully my readers (hint, hint) will share my blog with other people who might be interested in walking for the first time, those that are already signed up to walk, or anyone who might be interested in my 3-Day activities. Also, if any of you have any questions please be certain to email or post the question within the comments.

Is It Just a Car?

One day last week the 'Service Engine Soon' light illuminated in my car. I was a bit perplexed since I had been out of town and hadn't driven my car in about 3 weeks. (Funny how those things just pop on, right?)

Being the independent woman that I am, I proceeded to pull out the owner's manual to troubleshoot the problem myself. Since the light wasn't flashing (which meant if it was I should take it to a dealership ASAP and not drive over 45 m.p.h. - whew!) and was a solid light, it appeared the problem could be less severe. The manual suggested to check the gas cap to insure it was on correctly and tightly. Certainly that must be the problem since I had gotten gas the night before. Well...

That didn't appear to be the problem. After 'driving several trips' the light did not go off as the owner's manual suggested it might. So off I was to contact the dealership service department and probably get taken for a real ride.

Now is probably a good time to point out that my car is 10 years old with 140,000 miles. For the past 5 years I have driven it less due to my current job, but let's face it, the first 5 years were probably pretty tough on it. I take good care of my car - I wash it, take it in for scheduled maintenance and when it's sick (like now) take it to the dealership service department.

Since I am celebrating the Big 4-0 this year (that's another story!) purchasing a new car has been on my mind as a presant to myself. BUT, I want to purchase a new car when I am ready to purchase a new car. NOT because I am faced with a high auto repair bill and I will make a rash decision to 'fix' the problem. So I began to do my research...

I found out what the Kelly Blue Book trade in value and private sale value of my car would be. Then I came up with a make it or break figure for the car repair:

1. If the car repair was over X dollars, I wouldn't get it fixed and would negotiate with the dealership for a trade in towards a new vehicle or

2. If the car repair was under X dollars, I would get the car repaired but begin working on selling the car myself.

Fortunately the repair was under my break figure (whew!). I really didn't want to make a rash decision about purchasing a car and I have been without a car payment for soooo long that I am really not that excited about having one again.

The real thing that I realized through all of this is what my car means to me...this car is the first brand new car that I purchased all by myself. I purchased the car while I was married (in my name only) and I was able to afford the payments after the divorce and without anyone's assistance. I have been able to pay for the maintenance and repairs. For me this car represents my independence and what I can do on my own. I'm not so certain that I am ready to trade that in to someone else just yet.

But if someone showed up with this and a red ribbon tied on it, I think my new love affair would begin:

An Afternoon With My Goddaughter

The other day my 8 year old goddaughter and I had an outing to a local mosaic studio Smashing Times. The first time we went was a couple of years ago and she absolutely loved it! She is sooo creative and it amazes me how quickly she can come up with an idea and then BANG! she has created something!

Me on the other hand...I want for whatever I am going to make to be perfect. (Well, as close to perfect as I can get it.) I want to pick the right project, the right color tiles, and the right placement of the tiles. While I was sitting there contemplating life, my goddaughter was a third of the way finished with her project. Needless to say, I didn't do a project on this outing!

After we were finished we stopped by Sonic because it was Happy Hour! And if you don't have a Sonic in your area...Happy Hour means that all drinks and slushes are half price everyday from 2 pm - 4 pm. (Certainly you didn't think I would take an 8 year old to a real happy hour, did you?) Her drink of choice was a Green Apple Slushie and mine was a Strawberry Lime Aid Slushie - yum!

On our way back to her house she said 'Auntie, I used to think that you were my fairy godmother and not my godmother.' (Yes, I do remember her telling people that but honestly I thought she knew what the difference was)

She went on to say 'I used to think that you could fly places.' (Yes, I do remember her asking me about flying. Just when I thought we were joking about flying, I guess she was serious!)

The more I spend time with my goddaughter she reminds me of things that are important in life: laughing, having fun and believing in oneself. Sometimes I get so caught up in the busyness of the day and forget about the things that should be important, not the things that I have no control over or cannot change that I let dictate my life.

February NaBloPoMo

For those new to blogging you are probably wondering ‘What does ‘NaBloPoMo stand for?’ Yes, I too asked the same question at one point when I was a newbie to the world of blogging.

NaBloPoMo stands for National Blog Posting Month. The idea is to post a blog every day for 30 days (or in this case 28 days since February is a short month!) to set the habit for posting regularly. Each month there is a theme, and the theme for this month is ‘TIES’. (I am just going to be hopeful that I can get through 28 days of posting and not worry so much about the theme my first go around.)

Over the past several months I have wanted to take my blog to the next level (whatever that might be!) I am hopeful that participating in NaBloPoMo will help me develop my blogging voice, pick up new followers, and tie me closer to the wonderful world of blogging!

2010 3-Day for the Cure

Yes, I am back walking the 2010 Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure…in The Windy City AND The Big D! Crazy, right? Not at all if you followed my 3-Day journey last year. I learned a lot about myself, met some AWESOME people along the way, and I made a difference.

But you might be wondering what motivates me to walk not only one, but TWO, 3-day, 60 mile walks this year. (Although my math is not always the best, I do realize this means a total of 6 days and 120 miles)

First, the selfish reasons:

1) I love Chicago! (And who doesn’t?! Garrett Popcorn Shops, The Magnificent Mile, Giordano’s…the list goes on and on)

2) After family and friends cheered me on at the 2009 Dallas 3-Day, I thought if I walk in Chicago (only 2 hours from my hometown) that even more family and friends would come out to support me! (Who doesn’t like people clapping and cheering them on every 3 feet making them feeling like a rock star?)

3) My team, Angels for the Cure, in Dallas. They have become some of my biggest supporters AND friends. (Walking 60 miles is always more fun with a friend or two!)

Now, the real reasons:

1) When I began my last mile to Closing Ceremonies last year in Dallas .
I knew that was only the beginning of my continued support of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure

2) Breast cancer education, research and finding a cure has always been a personal passion of mine.

3) Breast cancer has personally affected my family and some very great friends. And THEY ARE ALL SURVIVORS!!!

How can I not walk again?

As much as I am excited about walking this year (I have already updated both of my personal 3-Day web pages and blogs, updated my status on Facebook, and updated this blog) I am nervous about the commitment I have made to raise a minimum of $4,300. That’s a lot of money!

I have to admit that raising $2,300 last year was easier than I thought. The big thing I learned was to just talk about the 3-Day journey I was on. (As much as it might seem that I am ‘All about me’, when it comes down to it, it is very difficult for me to talk about me.) And whenever I would someone would ask ‘Do you accept donations for the walk?’ Many times I received donations from people that I had no idea who were personally affected by breast cancer. So I quickly realized that I was doing millions of women and men affected by breast cancer a disservice by not asking for donations.

So this year will be different…I am going to tell everyone that I encounter about what I am doing AND ask for their support. Hopefully by time November rolls around I will still have family and friends that haven’t tired of hearing about my journey!


And since you are reading this (someone is reading this, right?) please check out my 3-Day websites and consider making a donation:

www.the3day.org/goto/ShannonWalksChicago
www.the3day.org/goto/ShannonWalksDallas

Blogger Extraordinaire?

Whew…I can hardly believe that I actually completed ICLW this month! YAY!!! And in the process I even gained a few more followers – double YAY!!! (For those that are wondering 'What the heck is ICLW?' please check out this blog Stirrup Queens.

I feel these accomplishments are just the push I need to take my blogging to the next level. I have always loved to write…whether it is a letter, keeping a journal, or even making a list, I love to write. And for those that know me pretty well, my life seems full of stories to share with my family and friends (I think I might even be eligible for a reality show, but I'll focus on blogging for now). I'll admit that they probably don't always want to hear my stories and that sometimes the stories can border on TMI (too much information), but certainly they don't want me to keep all of that inside!

I contacted someone a few weeks ago to help me revamp my blog. Unfortunately she is a little backed up, but hopefully within the next couple of months you will see a new and improved Shannon's World. In the meantime get prepared for more random thoughts from me!

How People Lose Track of Cash

According to USA Today Snapshots the following is the percentage of adults who lose track of cash spending when doing the following:


Grocery Shopping - 34%

Leisure Shopping - 32%

Enjoying Night Out - 31%

Dining Out - 26%

Buying Snacks - 25%

Daily Lunch - 22%


Looking at the list I can see that I have been guilty of losing track of spending in all of those categories. Although I find that if I have actual cash in my hand I am a bit more selective about my purchases. And it is true that the daily mindless little purchases (snacks from a vending machine, Starbucks coffee, etc.) are the purchases that add up to large amounts over time.

A few years ago after reviewing my bank statement I realized that a Starbucks debit was just about every few line items. Once I totaled up how much I was spending there, I was floored!!! So I decided to get a part time job at Starbucks.

After going through the extensive training (learning more about coffee than I ever wanted to know), making all types of drink concoctions, and working at a very busy location, I had a new found appreciation for Baristas! One of the major perks was that I could drink all the Starbucks I wanted while working which quickly added money back to my checking account.

What are some ways that you have tracked your spending and then done something positive about it?

The Fresh Market

While on a work assignment in Virginia Beach, Virginia I had the pleasure of being introduced to The Fresh Market speciality food store. When I heard the phrase 'They have an entire row dedicated to trail mixes!' I knew that I had to check it out!

True to my friend's word, The Fresh Market has at least 20 different types of trail mixes (Sweet Carolina is one of my personal favs) in addition to about another 20 speciality mixes. And if a store has good, fresh banana chips, it definitely ups their ranking with me!

Just when I thought I had already died and gone to heaven, I found the most wonderful snack: purple sweet potato chips! I love, love, LOVE sweet potatoes (I have a baked one about 5 times a week!) so when I saw the purple sweet potato chips, I knew I had to try them. I'll admit that the $9.99 per pound price scared me (well, not really) but I had to taste them. And it was love at first bite!
In addition to the wonderful mixes The Fresh Market has, they also have a fabulous prepared food section (really great for people like me that don't always find time to cook, but like to have a healthier food option available).

I also love fresh flowers and you can get an awesome bouquet of flowers for less then 10 bucks!

Bond No. 9

Bond No. 9 is the name of a fragrance collection, as well as the address of its headquarters boutique at 9 Bond Street, in NoHo. The collection was launched as homage to a great city and each fragrance represents a specific downtown, midtown, or uptown locale or a city-wide sensibility.

While in NYC a couple of years ago, I had the chance to smell the Bond No. 9 fragrance collection. I was in the city for a Girl’s Weekend and we were purchasing the fragrance as a surprise birthday gift for a friend on the trip.

About a year or so later I decided to splurge on me and purchased The Scent of Peace fragrance and The Scent of Peace Body Silk. I don’t often use the word ‘splurge’ and ‘me’ in the same sentence because I think I am worth it. But, let’s be honest… spending over $250 on perfume and lotion is a bit much, even for me. (NOTE: the funding for the splurge came from my $750 bingo winnings while on vacation)

Although I really love the fragrance (and let’s be honest, the bottle too!) I have to say that the customer service from Bond No. 9 is first class. Once I made a purchase with them I was given VIP status, which includes:

1) Being the very first to receive free samples of their newest scents, even before they officially debut and

2) Receiving surprise scents on a regular basis!

Now, you might think these free samples and surprise scents are the garden variety type that you receive in Macy’s when you request a fragrance sample. No, no, no! These samples are cute little Bon Bon’s that are a complete .25 FL OZ! Perfect for traveling with and mixing up my daily fragrance choices.

After doing some checking on the Bond No. 9 website their Bon Bon’s cost about $15 each (if you could purchase them individually). To date I cannot tell you how many Bon Bon’s I have received. And you know what? Since my first purchase almost two and a half years ago, I have never purchased anything else from Bond No. 9.

My last kudos to Bond No. 9 is that they also acknowledge that we are in a recession. Throughout the past year they have specials were if you purchase a fragrance and bring in an empty Bond No. 9 bottle (and who wouldn’t save their beautiful empty bottle?) you can have it refilled for free. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Up in the Air

I recently had the opportunity to see the newly released holiday movie Up In the Air starring George Clooney. I'll be honest, George Clooney is pretty easy on the eye but he wasn't the reason for me wanting to see this movie. When I first saw the previews I thought 'This movie kinda sort of sounds like my life!'.

George Clooney's character, Ryan Bingham, is a corporate downsizer and business traveler. Ryan is constantly on the road traveling from city to city, living out of a suitcase and racking up frequent traveler points from various travel reward programs (airlines, rental car companies, hotels, etc.).

I work for a large insurance company in a department that handles catastrophic weather related events for my company. Like Ryan, I travel a LOT for my company...I am on the road about 8 - 9 months out of the year, travel from city to city, and spend most of my time living out of a suitcase. Fortunately I am not threatening other people's livelihoods due to corporate downsizing, but hopefully I am assisting to get their lives back on track after the damage they have sustained.

The following are some similarities between Ryan Bingham and I:

1) Travel Rewards - Although Ryan is a member of just about every travel program out there, his main goal was to reach 10,000,000 frequent flier miles with American Airlines.

Although I fly commercially I don't think (and hope!) that I will ever reach 10,000,000 frequent flier miles! On the other hand I am a member of many travel reward programs. My big one is Marriott Rewards. Friends and family never have to worry about paying for a hotel stay since I have more points than I'll ever use.

2) Family - Ryan is viewed as an outsider by his family. His younger sister is getting married and has chosen her future husband's uncle to walk her down the aisle.

Sometimes I feel like an outsider to my family. This past Christmas was the first time I had been home to see them in a year. Many will think 'What's the big deal?'. The big deal is that me and my family are very close and it just isn't acceptable to only see them once a year.

3) Nomads - Ryan loves (and mean LOVES!) being on the road. When his job is threatened by technology I could tell that he was really pained about returning to a 'normal' life that didn't involve travel. At one point I believe he said that he was more comfortable on the road than he was at home - never mind that home for Ryan is a sparsely furnished one bedroom apartment.

I too love the sense of adventure with traveling to a new city and seeing parts of the country that I would never have any reason to go to - like Bismark, North Dakota for example. When I first took my current position my life was in a bit of flux...someone that I loved more than life itself had died and I found myself losing my way. This job allowed me to hide and not face the realities that I needed to face.

4) Love - During the course of the movie, Ryan meets a woman (of course there has to be a love story in there!). She is just like him in regards to traveling. But for the first time, I believe Ryan really begins to open his heart and his life to let someone else in.

For so long I have used my job as a shield to hide behind from the realities of life. I have a feeling that there are some wonderful possibilities out there for me to find balance in my life. I might just be ready to hang up my travel wings too! Well, maybe...

Christmas Q & A

I found this on Don't Scare Easy via ICLW.

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Just copy this entire post. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then post this on your blog.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift bags...I hate, hate, hate to wrap gifts! So if anyone ever receives a wrapped gift from me they should know they are pretty darn special!

2. Real tree or Artificial? If I only had a tree....but, in my pretend world it would be a big, full, beautiful real tree.

3. When do you put up the tree? See the answer to Question #2.

4. When do you take the tree down? It's down already! See the answer to Questions 2 & 3.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yummy! And especially if it has something 'adult' in it!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Hmmm...I can remember getting a Merlin electronic game that seemed pretty cool. But now I believe that I have dated myself.

7. Hardest person to buy for? Everyone...I don't have any idea what to get anyone. Thank goodness for my sister who does all of the shopping. With the exception of her gift!

8. Easiest person to buy for? Me! I am always willing and ready to give someone a list of possible gift ideas.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? I don't have a Christmas tree. Do you really think I have a nativity scene?

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I actually mailed a couple of Christmas cards this year. Finally, a step in the right direction!

11. Worst Christmas ever? Christmas 2008 in regards to the travel. My connecting flight was cancelled and in turn my luggage showed up a day or so later. Then when I was ready to leave there was an ice storm that delayed me most of the day.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie(s)? Seriously??? I'm not a fan of Christmas movies.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? If I have to, about 2 days before. No wonder I am always so stressed!

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Certainly!

15 .Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Anything home cooked. Although my family typically does a non-traditional meal (crab legs and steak) so I miss the good stuff from Thanksgiving.

16. Lights on the tree? If I had a tree (see Question #2) it would have lots and lots of white lights.

17. Favorite Christmas song? I don't care for Christmas music. At. All. But 'Let It Snow' would probably be it because I hate the snow.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? I am typically traveling to see my family in Michigan. Since I have been an adult, I have never spent Christmas where I live. Sad, but true.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Nope!

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Both. My parents are divorced, hence I spend Christmas Eve with one parent and Christmas Day with the other parent.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Everything!

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I don't have a tree, let alone a theme.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? It would be ham, macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, greens, and peach cobbler for dessert. But since we have a non-traditional meal I can only dream.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Absolutely nothing.

Now it's your turn. If you play, please leave me the link so I can read your answers.

Thanksgiving Is What You Make It

This year I spent Thanksgiving away from from my family due to my current work assignment. I am uncertain what made this year different as I haven't always spent Thanksgiving with my family. But for a reason that I cannot put my finger one, I really wanted to share this Thanksgiving with my family.

Maybe it was knowing that my office wasn't going to do anything special to recognize the holiday. I mean when it is less than 24 hours to the holiday and talks are just beginning about 'What should we do for the office?', anything that was going to be organized for 125 people should have happened well before then.

A few good friends that I know were on this assignment with me. For some of us it had been awhile since we had last seen one another. The next thing I knew a plan was in place to go to Ruby Tuesday for lunch. Ruby Tuesday was having a holiday meal - roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and sugar snap peas. So off we went. And you know what? The meal was really good! But what I think was even better was the company.

We talked about our job and how it take us away from the people we love in addition to making us desensitized to the fact of there even being a holiday to celebrate. How everyday is just another day unless we are at home and able to celebrate with our families. But on the flip side, here we were celebrating the holiday together as friends who were reunited on this assignment and making the best of it. We shared some laughs and funny holiday stories. We even left there with our bellies full (minus the sweet potato and pecan pie!).

Later two of us decided to see a movie after work. Although it wasn't the movie I would have picked (more about the movie in another post), it was still good to continue the day with someone else and not just return to my hotel room. It reminded me of last year when I did spend Thanksgiving with my family and we went to see a movie Thanksgiving evening.

As my friend and I parted ways for the evening, I found myself commenting that the day had been far better than I expected it to be. I had the chance to fellowship with good friends throughout the day. Most importantly, I didn't feel alone. Although I didn't spend the my family, I spent the day with my adopted family of friends who I chose to spend the day with. Things didn't turn out so bad after all!

The Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk - Day 3

Day 3 of the walk started with a short bus ride further into Dallas. The air was a bit chilly but definitely the start of what would be a beautiful day. My teammates that I had been walking with decided that we would take Day 3 leisurely and just enjoy the walk and the day since we knew that we didn't have to be to the Closing Ceremony until 3:30 p.m.

Soon after the walk started I saw Barbara and Nancy. As usual they were walking at a pretty fast pace. I really wish that we had taken a minute to get a picture together since that would be the last time that I would see them during The 3-Day event.

We walked through some beautiful neighborhoods that I had never seen before. I loved seeing the older homes that were being restored into more modern homes. We walked past one home that had a stunning pumpkin patch on the corner of its lot. The pumpkins were so big and the mums really made it feel like Fall. Although I am certain the pumpkins were not there for us to sit on and take pictures, we couldn't help ourselves:

By lunchtime time we were all starting to get pretty tired. Also, happy that we were finally in downtown Dallas and closer to our goal. We started walking through Turtle Creek and I just took in the Fall day. The sun was shinning, the weather was not too warm, and I noticed the leaves had changed colors and were starting to fall. It was finally Fall in Dallas!

We walked to the American Airlines Center (home of the Dallas Mavericks) and the it was on The West End. Here is where we would have our last official cheering station. When we entered The West End, spectators were already lined up. But when we turned the corner, I don't think any of us were prepared for all of the people that we out there! I got the chance to see my family and Tanya again. Although my family had been a pretty quiet cheering group, they were finally really getting into the spirit of things. (I have a feeling that if they had been at a Notre Dame football game, it would have been a lot different!).

We continued walking past the Grassy Knoll, Deep Ellum and finally to Pioneer Park. Pioneer Park was the very last pit stop for the 3-day walk. We knew that from here we only had about 3 miles to the end.

I believe that it was during the last miles of the walk that I finally realized what I had done...I had really walked 60 miles! I kept saying to myself 'I can't believe I just walked 60 miles! I can't believe I just walked 60 miles!'. And then I began to think about what a statement myself and all of the other 3-Day Walkers were making...we were willing to take a stand for something that we believed in.

One of my biggest surprises came as I was walking into Fair Park, our final destination. I ended up meeting Team California. Team California is a wife and her husband who walk all (and yes, I mean ALL, each and every one) of the 3-Day events each year. She started walking when she was 60 years old, and she told me the Dallas 3-Day was her 110th walk! UNBELIEVABLE!!!

When I rounded the corner and I could actually see the end in site, I was moved beyond words. We each grabbed hands and began our victory walk in. Some of the Angels that had made it in before us were standing there cheering us on. It was at that moment that I could no longer hold back my emotions and I began to cry. I began to cry for so many reasons, reasons that I cannot even articulate here. I couldn't believe that I had been a part of something so much bigger than myself.

I saw a quote that said 'A perfect day is when you do something for someone else, and that they will never know you or what you did for them.' And that is what the 3-Day Walk was for me: committing to do something important to me but that would benefit someone that I will never know.

During the walk spectators constantly thanked us for walking. I felt so humbled because I was honored to be able to walk. To be able to participate in the walk had been a goal of mine for such a long, long time. What started out as something very personal for me has changed me in ways that I may never be able to tell others. The only thing that matters is that we are one step closer to finding a cure for breast cancer.

The Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk - Day 2

Day 2 of the walk started started nice and early under overcast skies. The temperature was forecasted to be in the mid to upper 70's, which would be a beautiful November day in Dallas if you're not planning to walk 20 miles!

Once we started the walk I was feeling pretty good...I had slept well (OK, well enough for being in a small two person tent where I couldn't really stretch out) and I had minimal aches and pains. But sometime during the first 8 miles, things began to fall a part for myself and for my teammates that I was walking with. Between the first and second pit stops (at 3 miles and 6 miles respectively) we started to experience varying problems:

1) I began to feel upset to my stomach. (I knew I should be drinking more water, but I wasn't thirsty. I also knew that even though it was overcast outside, it was a lot warmer than the day before!) I also started to feel some hot spots on my feet that could possibly turn into blisters.

2) One of my teammates had always experienced problems with her feet blistering and today her feet were in worse condition than ever before. To be honest I applaud her because if I had half (OK, a quarter!) of the blister problems that she experienced, I don't think I ever would have done the walk.

3) Another teammate began to experience a problem with leg cramps, which in turn caused her to aggravate an old knee injury.

We decided to stop at the 6 mile pit stop to really address our problems. After spending more time there than we intended to we kept on going.

By lunch, mentally I was really starting to second guess myself and began to wonder if I would be able to finish walking the next day and a half. Although I wasn't hungry, I did eat most of my lunch, drank a lot of fluids, and nursed my feet. The rest did my body some good, but I still wasn't sure how I was going to get through the afternoon.

Since Day 2 of the walk was a Saturday, there were many more spectators out than the day before. In addition to my family being out to cheer me on, a good friend had driven 3 hours to be there, and another friend that lived in the city came out too. It did so much for me to see all of the people cheering us on...they gave us beads, candy, cookies, stickers, and even hugs! For me, it was the spectators that helped me through Day 2.

By time I was down to the last 5 miles for the day, my feet were hurting unlike anything I had ever experienced before! With each step, the pain was there. But when I stopped walking, my feet would just throb, so I had to keep walking. With each step that I took, I was feeling so defeated...I had NO idea how I could walk another 20 miles tomorrow! The spectators were still out thanking us for what we were doing and telling us we didn't have much further to go, but even with their words of encouragement, I wanted to cry. I felt like I was going to let down not only myself, but all of the people who supported me with my fundraising, and not to mention all of the people who would like to walk but couldn't.

By time I got to camp I was so tired and in so much pain. I called my good friend and put her on standby to 'spring me out of jail' as I put it because I didn't think I would be able sleep in the tent again and not have a comfortable place to sleep.

Fortunately a teammate had extra baggies with Epsom salt. I took two bags and went to go soak my feet. I sat there for about 20 minutes just letting my feet rest and soak. And something magical happened...the tenderness and soreness in my feet went away! It was like I had brand new feet and my spirits were lifted!

To make the night even better I had the opportunity to take a 'private' shower! I mentioned before that the showers were not private with the exception for the breast cancer survivor showers. There were 5 private showers that had a door, a small dressing area and shower. Since I had waited so long to shower that evening, everyone else had already taken their shower for the night. So I had 30 minutes of peace and PRIVACY!

I felt like a new woman and began to anxiously await Day 3 of the walk...

The Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk - Day 1

I can't believe that it has been almost 2 weeks since I finished the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk and I am just now blogging about it! (Please don't think that my delay in posting diminishes The Walk for me, it's just that I was deployed to a new work assignment 5 days later, changed a time zone and have been in two different states since then!) So here goes my attempt to put my story in words...

I arrived at the Plano Convention Centre during the wee hours the morning of November 6th. I was there early for two reasons: 1) I had to secure a weekend long term parking space , and 2) I was so excited that The Walk was finally here!

Soon after I arrived more and more people began to arrive. Many people had friends and family there to drop them off. Soon I found members of my team, and we began to get in line (the first of many lines that I would stand in over the weekend!) for the Opening Ceremony. Standing there in the dark, I could just feel the excitement mounting. I met ladies from all over the country, and each one had a story to share about why they were there.

After the emotional Opening Ceremony, we were finally released to begin The Walk! Not long after leaving the convention center, there were already people on the side of the road to cheer us on, along with car honking their horns at us. This is one of the first signs that I saw that made me smile:

Little did I know what a journey I would be on for the next 59.5 miles!

Walking that day I felt like such a celebrity! There were so many people out to cheer us on! And since it was a Friday, I was really surprised at the number of people that were out. One of the great things was that we walked past a lot of schools and the children were outside to cheer us on. Although I don't know if they really understood what we were doing and why, seeing them gave me so much encouragement. Me and my teammates wore angel wings (our team is Angels for the Cure, and yes, I wore the wings most of the weekend) and the kids really liked that. More than once I heard someone say 'I just touched an angel!'

During the walk, there were flags available that we could carry. The flags represented a person to honor (mother, daughter, best friend, aunt, etc.) or a word of encouragement (hope, commitment, cure, etc.). If I had one goal for the weekend, I secretly had hoped that I would have the honor of walking with the Grandmother flag. During the first 3 miles I was able to get that flag! It was nice to walk with it so early on because I felt like my Grandmother (who was a breast cancer survivor) was there with me during this journey.

Speaking of family, my family made it in town just in time to see me at the last cheering station for Day 1, and this really made my day more than they know!

I believe Day 1 of the walk I was fueled by all of the anticipation that had been leading up to this weekend. But by the end of the day, I was so happy to finally see our camp insight. Even though it meant I would be sleeping under the stars!

My tent mate and I put up our tent (OK, we did have help from some other teammates!) and settled into our new home for the next two nights. After that it was off to the mobile showers. The mobile showers were quite the experience because you couldn't find privacy if you want to. And to be honest, at that post I just wanted to feel some hot water on my body and change into something less smelly.

As I walked around camp after dinner, I ran into Barbara and Nancy sitting in the cafe reading! I was so excited to see them since I didn't know if we would get the opportunity to spend any time together during the weekend. Being the fast walkers they are, they had been at camp since early in the afternoon. Nancy had taken a bit of a spill and scrapped up one of her knees pretty bad. But it was so great to catch up with the two of them!

By time lights out came at 9 p.m., I was ready to hit the sack (or the air mattress) and call it a night. Little did I know what Day 2 would bring...

Restroom Cell Phone Talking

Have you ever walked into a restroom to hear someone having a conversation but obviously there is no one else in the restroom other than you two? Then you quickly realize that you have a 'cell phone restroom talker' on your hands!

I first ran into this problem a few years ago with a family member. We were out to lunch when they excused them self to use the restroom. After some time passed (enough time for them to use the restroom in my opinion) I had to use the restroom myself. As I entered the restroom, I could hear my family member talking. I proceed to handle my business and leave the restroom. When they finally returned to the table I inquired about what I had witnessed in the restroom.

They proceeded to tell me that their cell phone rang as they were entering the restroom. (Me thinking: 'Um, why couldn't you let it go to voicemail?'). They decided to answer the call and proceed on with their business at hand. I think that after some strong words I succeeded with the world having one less cell phone restroom talker.

Now, there now seems to be an epidemic with talking on a cell phone while in the restroom. I was at work the other day, and a co-worker was inside the stall talking on their cell phone. It was obviously a personal call ('How are my doggies doing?) and not something life changing ('You have just won $1,000,000!).

I left the restroom to vent my frustrations to another co-worker. I soon realized that maybe I am the only person that has a problem with people talking on a cell phone while in the rest room!

Me: Can you believe that someone was just in the restroom talking on their cellphone?!

Co-Worker: (laughing) What's wrong with that? What are they supposed to do?

Me: (thinking - are you serious?!?!) They have two choices. If they are on the phone prior to entering the restroom, they can end the call ('May I call you back in a few moments?') OR wait until the call is finished and then enter the restroom.

Co-Worker: But what if the phone rang as they were walking in?

Me: (thinking again - are you really serious?!?!) They have the option of not answering the call and letting it go to voicemail, answer the call and tell the person you will call them back in a few minutes, or take the call and once you are finished proceed to enter the restroom.

Co-Worker: What is your problem with talking on a cell phone in the restroom?

Me: (thinking - SERIOUSLY???) It is an invasion of my privacy! I am in there for legitimate reasons. Now I feel like I have to be quiet (IE - not flush the toilet) because someone else is having a conversation. And heaven forbid that I have a really serious bathroom problem that produces a bit more sound!

Me: And let's not even go there about their hands touching the cell phone and then trying to wipe themselves. Are they disinfecting the cell phone once they leave the restroom? (Note to self: don't EVER even think about using someones cell phone again!)

After a few minutes, I realized that I was not getting anywhere with my rant. Then I began to wonder, am I the only person who has a problem with people talking on their cell phone in the restroom?

Kid Sized Grocery Carts

I would really like to know who thought up the 'great idea' to create kid sized grocery carts?

I have to believe that the person who thought of this idea is a parent. A parent that probably thought 'This will give little Suzy something to do while we are in the grocery store. Suzy will feel like a big girl because she helped Mommy with the grocery shopping'. And in a perfect world of teaching responsibility to children, this would have been a great idea.

Problem? Someone forgot to create 'The Rules' for the kid sized grocery cart! And this is where I step in...

Rule #1 - Kid sized grocery carts can only be used Tuesday through Thursday between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm. (Sorry if Suzy has school. An education is far more important than pushing a grocery cart.)

Rule #2 - Only one kid sized grocery cart per family. (Yes, I have seen a family of 5 in the grocery store and all three of the kids were pushing a kid sized grocery cart. Why not use Dad to his fullest potential and give him a cart since he tagged along?)

Rule #3 - The kid sized grocery cart shall remain within 3 feet of the adult sized grocery cart at all times. (Why does Suzy need to be alone half way down the aisle with her kid sized grocery cart?)

Rule #4 - There must at least 5 items from the grocery store in the kid sized grocery cart. (Did you really only give Suzy a kid sized cart just to push her doll in in? Seriously?)

Now, if every parent will just follow the rules everyone like me (childless and in a hurry) will have a much better grocery store experience.

Bed Wetting

Once upon a time I was dating a man who spent the night at my apartment. At some point during the wee hours of the night I was awakened by him:

Him: 'Wake up, the bed is wet.'

Me: 'Huh?'

Since I was awakened from a deep sleep I was a little confused about why the bed would be wet. As I went to get out of the bed I realized that the back of my sweatpants and the back of the t-shirt I was wearing were soaking wet! Thoughts began to race through my mind:

'Did I pee on myself?', and if so, 'How the he@@ did that happen?!'

'Did the bladder from my water bed bust?' (yes, I still a water bed from the 90's)

'Did my lovable Shih Tzu decide to pee in the bed?'

About that time I looked at my Shih Tzu who was at the foot of the bed curled into a ball, also looking like he had been awaken from a deep sleep. He raised his little head and looked at me like 'Oh no, don't blame THAT on me! I've been down here at the foot of the bed ALL night.'

So then I began to think "Well if I didn't do it and my dog didn't do it...it must be my overnight guest!'. As I slowly looked over at my overnight guest, I quickly realized who's bladder contents were on me, my sheets and my bed.

I tried to handle the situation as best I could and not make him feel any worse than he should about the 'accident'. He retreated to the living room like a child with his head hung low. I began to clean up the bed - where to even start? This was my first time (and hopefully last time!) with this experience.

I soon realized that even though I had removed the sheets, the mattress cover was SOAKED!

Me: 'Geez, how long had it been since he last urinated prior to this? How much liquid can one person's bladder hold?!'

I retrieved my cleaning products from under the kitchen sink and began dousing the mattress cover with all types of chemicals with the hope that I wouldn't have an even bigger problem later. Once I had satisfactorily cleaned the mattress cover, I then laid many towels on the cover to absorb the water (at least I was hoping water was the only wetness left!).

I then went to get my guest. As I walked to the living room I began to wonder what do I say to a grown man (age 40) who has peed in the bed for no apparent reason? Sure we had went to dinner earlier in the evening, but I didn't remember him having any alcohol, so it couldn't be blamed on drunkenness. What could be the reason for it?

It wouldn't be until sometime later that I finally realized the reason for the bed wetting episode...my overnight guest was a lying, cheating, manipulative person that was overly tired from his travels attempting to be Casanova to several women that lived in different cities. That particular night I think he was just so tired from his double life that he peed on himself (oh that's right, and me!). Once that was discovered, a group of innocent women had the last laugh together over a man who was weak in more ways than one!

Korres Lip Butter and Full Color Gloss

While on a work assignment in a VERY dry part of the country I found myself in dire need of a new lip product to hydrate and moisturize my lips. (When your lips are so dry that you start licking them and then begin to see the start of chapping around your lips, you know they are way too dry and that it is time for an intervention!)

I took this unfortunate situation as an opportunity to visit one of my favorite one stop beauty stores...Sephora! When I was in a Sephora store earlier this year I remembered a friend tried a product that she said felt like heaven on her lips. So I beelined my way right to...

Korres Lip Butter! Even though the label says 'a buttery lip balm that melts on the lips', I had NO idea what I was in store for. When I first touched my lips with the lip butter, I think my lips let out a sign of relief and began clapping. And when the labels says the lip butter melts on the lips, this is not an understatement...it literally did melt on my lips!

I purchased the Guava Lip Butter and not a tinted variety (But I will be back to purchase some of the tinted lip butter!). I thought the Guava would be great to wear to bed and also as a base under my other lip glosses and lip sticks (The website says the guava color is clear, but it is not. It turned my lips a pale shade of white). Within days I witnessed a transformation of my lips back to the smooth, kissable lips that I remembered and missed.

While I was falling in love with the lip butter, a salesperson came over and suggested the Korres Full Color Gloss. He raved about the gloss because it doesn't have the tacky feel that many lip glosses/lip glasses have. My hesitation was that the product is made with cherry oil. And I don''t like cherry flavored anything! But with his insistence I tried the gloss. And guess what? I fell in love for the second time that night!

The Full Color Gloss goes on soooooo smooth and there is no sticky feeling (especially great if you have longer hair and it is a windy day!). To be honest I think I was just being hypersensitive about the cherry flavor...either I have gotten used to the flavor or I now like cherries.

Although I am a loyal fan of another cosmetic line that carries lip glosses/lip glasses, I will be adding the Korres line to my make up bag. At this time the only thing stopping me from letting the Korres line become number one is the limited number of colors.

Item of Note: Upon doing a little more research on http://www.sephora.com/, I realized that the tinted lip butter can also be used on the cheeks to give a natural, healthy glow.

Why Can't The Past Stay In The Past?

According to Wikipedia, 'the past is a portion of time that has already occurred; it is the opposite of the future; it is regarded as the conglomerate of events that happened in a certain point in time'.

As hard as I try to keep the past in the past, it always seems like the past wants to find a way to come to the present. Certainly my present is much better than my past. Could it be better because the past is not a part of my present? Honestly, I can see why the past would like to become a part of my world.

But, if the past stopped to think about why it is in the past, wouldn't it realize that it was never meant to be in my future? Hence the reason it is in the past where it rightfully belongs.

18/15 - The Big Training Walk Weekend

This past weekend was the 18 mile/15 mile training walk weekend. The idea is to simulate the 3-day walk by doing two, long back-to-back training walks to see how your body will respond.

I have admit that I was a little afraid to complete these training walks. It had been several weeks since I had completed a long training walk (13 miles), and I didn't know how my body would respond. Had my body forgotten everything I had worked so hard for up to this point?

I was pleasantly surprised that I did great! I finished the first 9 miles like a champ. By time we were done with the next 9 miles, I decided to add on a bonus 2 miles! I actually walked 20 miles and I was feeling good! So good that I went to lunch with a few of the walkers. During lunch I started to fade quickly. Maybe it was the Perfect Margarita or the 20 miles. All I know is that once I got home and showered, it didn't take long before I crashed for the evening.

The next day was another story...I awoke to the sound of rain outside. Nonetheless, I had my rain parka and proceeded to meet the group. The first 5 miles were fine. As I started the next 5 miles, things began to fall apart for me...it was a little cold outside, there was a steady drizzle and my feet and legs decided they had enough. Up to this point, I thought I would be a repeat 3-Day Walker next year, but all of a sudden I wasn't so certain about that anymore! I pulled myself together (barely!) and I completed the training walk. No Perfect Margaritas today, I was defeated.

Although I know I can walk 20 miles in one day, I found out a few important things:

1) Hydration is important! Since the weather was colder and I wasn't thirsty, I didn't drink nearly as much water as I should have. I will have to be better prepared for the walk and start drinking more water now so it will become second nature to me.

2) Just because I can walk 20 miles one day without any problems, doesn't mean that Day 2 and Day 3 will be that easy.

3) I can do anything that I put my mind to. I haven't come this far to fail. And completing the 3-Day Walk will be no exception!

My Inner Voice

I would like to say that I give people the benefit of the doubt. But I don't.

I would like to say that I trust people until they give me a reason not to trust them. But I don't.

I would like to say that I can forgive and forget. But I don't.

I can admit that I am one of the most difficult and complicated people that I know. To be honest, if I wasn't me I don't know know if I would like me.

One of the greatest gifts I have been given is my inner voice. It speaks to me on a daily basis, but many days I choose not to hear it. It is the voice of caution and reason that protects me from so many things that I am unaware of. Many times I don't understand the reason I am so guarded with my thoughts and feelings, but my inner voice does.

I want to believe that one day I can be a trusting and forgiving person, but my inner voice constantly tells me, and then shows me that this can never be.

And with this, I am fine.

Taking My Training On the Road

Since I started training with my team back in July, I have had the fear that I would get deployed to an assignment. About a week ago, my fears came true. I was deployed to El Paso, TX. At least I am still in the same state, but I am 10 hours from Dallas. So no way to continue my weekend training walks. Or at least I thought.

I finally got smart and decided to use the tools that the 3-Day website provides. I searched for other 3-Day participants in the El Paso area. I sent an email to two people that live in El Paso and are registered for the Dallas/Ft. Worth 3-Day Walk.

Fortunately, one of the two people responded to me. At first I thought that my work schedule would prevent me from meeting her, so I didn't respond. Then as the stars lined up, she called me! Little did she know that call was just what I needed.

So this morning I met Barbara and her sister Nancy and we walked 13 miles! Not only did I get a chance to do a longer walk, but I also met two wonderful women, got to see the mountains as I walked, and saw 2 hotair ballons float along in the sky.

Life is good!

Training in the Rain

When I first signed up for the 3-Day walk, a fleeting thought crossed my mind that it could possibly rain the weekend of the walk. But I talked myself out of that happening by saying 'How could it possibly rain that weekend when we are walking to find a cure for breast cancer?'. (We'll have to wait and see what happens the weekend of November 6th!)

Well, I don't think I ever really thought about it raining the day of a training walk. And guess what? It happened not only once, but TWICE in one weekend!

When I awoke on Saturday morning I checked to see if it was raining outside. There was a light drizzle and the forecast was indicating pretty high percentages for rain during the hours of the training walk. And since I didn't have any rain gear, I thought it might be best not to walk. (I was also nursing a small foot injury so I really took this as a sign that I should stay in - smile!)

So along comes Sunday morning. And guess what? It wasn't drizzling like yesterday, it was really raining! Since I had only walked one other day this week, I felt bad (and I really missed training!) and decided that I was going to train in the rain today. So I packed my rain parka (yes, I purchased one yesterday in anticipation of the rain) and left for my training walk.

When I arrived there were other dedicated walkers waiting. As always, Debby (my team captain) was there with everything anyone needed that they might have forgotten to walk in the rain. She even met me at my car with an umbrella for me to sign in!

We started off the walk and things really weren't too bad. Everyone was in good spirits and we determined that this would be good experience and preparation in case it does rain during the 3-Day weekend.

A repeat walker from last year pointed out that last year they never trained in the rain and it didn't rain on the 3-Day either. I hope (and pray!) that this rainy training weekend is not a sign of things to come!

Nonetheless, I have come too far to let a little bit of rain stop me now!!!

Did I Really Want to Know?

Do you ever find yourself asking someone a question that 1) you already know the answer to or 2) don't really care what their answer will be?

Although I believe that I am a very self aware person, I feel it is important to solicit feedback from other people from time to time. I found myself faced with this age old question yesterday while 'speaking' with a friend online. To be honest, I didn't know if this friend would be honest with me or not. So I took a chance and threw a question out there to see what would happen.

I think he jumped at the chance to tell me what I could do differently in romantic relationships. (Note: He is a work in progress and I have a much longer list for him if he ever wants to know how he can improve...but that is another topic for another time!) He came up with two things: stop being so (actually he typed 'sooooooooooooo') defensive and be a little more understanding.

Since I didn't know what he meant about being defensive, I asked for an example. Although he provided an example I didn't think it was a very good one. But, since I had asked the question (or maybe I was beginning to pick option #2 from my original question to you) I decided this wasn't the time for me to critique his example. I later determined that his example was accurate (see option #1) but 'defensive' was the incorrect noun to use.

Once we finished IM'ing I did take time to think about what he shared. And guess what? I was already aware of the things he shared with me so it wasn't any type of big revelation. But it did kind of hurt to know that someone else views these things as shortcomings of mine. Now the question is 'Do I really want to change?'.

Walker Stalkers

Walker Stalker: A person who supports and follows Breast Cancer 3-Day Walkers while they are on training walks and during the actual 3-Day event.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to meet another one of my team's Walker Stalkers, Ronni. Ronni showed up during one of the breaks on our training walk. I thought she just stopped by to say 'Hi' but little did I know there was much more in store!

Once we started walking again, Ronni rode down the street and tooted her car horn and waved at us. (Of course this caused other driver's to join in on the fun!) Then on one of the side streets she pulled over and had banana's and smalls bags of chips for us! (Remember, we have to keep our energy up) And just after I finished eating my banana and was wondering what I was going to do with the peel, Ronni showed up AGAIN and took our trash!

I later learned that Ronni and her 2 children will be Walker Stalkers during the 3-Day for my team. Ronni was so apologetic that she hadn't been out to see us during the training walks due to her work schedule. And get this...this was her first Saturday off in months and she decided to spend a portion of it raising our spirits during the training walk! She also shared that last year she put 300 miles on her car being a Walker Stalker and traveling along the route with the team.

When we were almost at the end of the training walk, Ronni showed up again...this time with popsicles! And no, I did not have one. I have heard the the 3-Day is a 'walking buffett' and I am trying not to eat my way through the training walks or the 3-Day.

Our other 2 Walker Stalkers, Cheryl and Cheryl have been at all of the training walks walking right along with us. I have had the chance to 'walk and talk' with both of them and they shared wonderful information about what to expect along with helpful hints.

I am so appreciative of the Walker Stalkers for my team. Thank you Cheryl, Cheryl and Ronni for making us feel special and giving so much of your time - we couldn't do this without you!!!

Double Digit Training Walk Weekend

I knew that one weekend it would happen and this was the weekend: back to back double digit Breast Cancer 3-Day training walks!

Throughout my training for the 3-Day I believe that I have been discounting how far I walk. When family and friends ask me 'How miles did you walk today?' my usual response is 'I only walked X miles today'. The 'only' part comes in because typically my answer is 1 or 2 miles more than I walked the previous weekend. So in my mind I only walked 1 or 2 miles more than I did the previous week.

Being the visual person that I am, I had to figure out what these training miles really look like. This morning as I drove from my house to the training walk I calculated the mileage on the odometer in my car. It was 15 miles. The training walk yesterday was 14 miles. And at that moment I had a visual of what the miles really look like...a far distance!!!

Under normal circumstances I wouldn't even think about walking 14 miles for something. And believe me, there are lots of 'somethings' out there that I would like to have (a new car, jewelry, a Sprinkles cupcake), but the thought of walking 14 miles for it would keep it on the the 'Nice To Have One Day' list. But once I started training for the 3-Day, I never stopped to think about the training miles. I only thought about doing something for a cause that I have always supported, and that participating in this walk is the least that I can do to help find a cure for breast cancer.

Back to the double digits...today's training walk was 10 miles to make a grand total of 24 miles walked this weekend. Yep, that is a lot of miles. Next time someone asks me about my training miles I will leave the 'only' part out!

Reached My Fundraising Goal!!!

A big 'Thank You' to everyone for donating to assist me to reach the $2300 fundraising goal in order to participate in the 3-Day walk!!! You have not only helped me to achieve a personal goal but to also help find a cure for breast cancer.

Now all I have to do is concentrate on training and getting getting mentally prepared for the 3-Day Walk!

Although I have met the minimum fundraising goal, you can still continue to make donations for me or to my team mates that are below their fundraising goal. Again, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all of your donations!!!

Skincare Junkie

I love, love, LOVE skincare products! And my friends that have spent hours with me in Sephora can second that. Last night when I was out with friends, one asked if I had anything she could use for her lips. Well, of course I did! My two new favorite lip products are Estee Lauder's Nutritious Vita-Mineral Lip Treatment and Sugar Lip Treatment with SPF 15.

The Estee Lauder product just feels like heaven when you place it on your lips...it goes on smooth and you can just feel it hydrating your lips. The great thing is that it has lots of nutrients (hence the name!) which really help my very dry lips. I use this product all by itself, under matte lipsticks, or on top of lipsticks to give an extra glossy shine. (My friend liked it too, especially once people started asking her what type of lip gloss did she have on and that her lips looked wonderful)

The Sugar Lip Treatment is just as great for a different reason. Due to the cost, I only use this product in the morning before I go walking (since it has SPF) and at night before I go to bed. This product really penetrates the skin and it is also a great exfoliater.

So if you are looking for 2 great lip products I personally endorse these! They can be found at any major department store that carries Estee Lauder and Fresh skincare products.

Neighborhood Watch Member or Nosey Neighbors?

Yesterday evening as a proceeded to move my garbage and recycling cans to the curb, I ran into my neighbors (I'll call them Bob and Betty) that live two doors down. Mind you this was probably not the time for me to meet my neighbors (yes, I have lived here for two years and no, I had not met them before) since I had not showered for the day and had a scarf on my head. The only neighbors that I have met live on the other side of me. And since our conversations are always about something crazy they have done (their dog jumping the fence into my back yard, their guests parking in front of my driveway, and the list goes on) I'm certain they wish that they hadn't met me. Any who, back to Bob and Betty.

Bob and Betty jump right in to tell me that they thought I had moved since they hadn't seen me in a while (don't forget that I've NEVER seen them!). They also tell me about the family that lives in between us and that they 'think' the family might have moved since Bob and Betty saw a moving truck. This leads into them explaining that the family was renting the house and that they wanted to move closer to their daughter's school. Also the owner of the house actually lives in California so maybe now the owner is going to move here.

(At this point I am having a flash back to the people that used to own that house...prior to their leaving they gave me the low down on ALL of the neighbors. And if I remember correctly, I believe that possibly Bob and Betty aren't married but have children together. Ok, I guess that's neither here nor there, but it does set a trend for nosey neighbors!)

Being the good neighbors Bob and Betty are, they had threw away the flyer's that were left on my door (now this I had noticed since when I arrived home from my last assignment there weren't any flyer's on the door). About this time, I am beginning to think 'Hmmm, Bob and Betty are a little too observant of my comings and goings' and then they mention they are members of the Neighborhood Watch Program (and not vouyers).

So now I wonder if being a member of the Neighborhood Watch Program is just an avenue to legitimately be a nosey neighbor and have reason to know all of the neighborhood happenings? Or are Bob and Betty just really nice neighbors (they did offer to check my mail when I am out of town and that their daughter does house sitting) that are interested in keeping the neighborhood a safe place (and possibly make my life easier)? I don't know. But I do know that I will be keeping an eye on Bob and Betty!

Welcome Home Shannon!

I am FINALLY back at home! After almost 6 months of being gone on assignment, I was finally paroled over the weekend. Let's hope that this release is a long one!

I arrived home to find everything intact...tons of mail to go through, dust bunnies in their place and food that was long past its expiration date. I really wish that I could find someone that would come to my house a day or two before I arrive and they would make certain that I had fresh flowers on my kitchen table, my favorite food in the fridge, and not a dust bunny in site. But that sounds a lot like a cleaning service (costs money) or a special someone (then they wouldn't want to leave!), so I guess I'll make nice with the bunnies!

The Doghouse

A male friend that has discriminating taste shared this video clip with me. I figured that since men need all of the assistance that they can get, I had to do my part and share the knowledge. Hell, some won't even get it with this video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F2md4uGmMU

All Roads Lead To...

Ohio!

I can hardly believe that I am back in Ohio once again! Actually I have been here for the past two months on assignment for Hurricane Ike, so I should be over the disbelief by now. Who would ever think that a hurricane would pass through Ohio???

I have always heard the saying 'Never say NEVER' and now I truly buy into it. After being in a relationship with a Buckeye (I'll spare names so I don't have to go back to therapy) I said that I would 'never, ever, ever move to Ohio'! Then about 4 years ago, I moved to Cincinnati when I decided to make a career change. As soon as I could (18 months later) I left Cincinnati as quickly as I arrived and relocated to Dallas, TX. And now, as my luck would have it, I am back in Ohio again...I just can't seem to shake this place!

In light of my travels bringing me back to Ohio, I am beginning to wonder if I am really meant to be in Ohio for some unknown reason. I'll go on record and say that I'm not sold, and I'll be glad when this assignment is over!

Back Again...

Where has the time gone! Yes, have been back to work since July 21st (and yes, I am feeling great!). And things have been busy as ever!

For a short while I was in Bismark, North Dakota. No, not someplace that I would have gone on my own, but glad to say that I had an opportunity to go there. A couple of things that I found amazing is that there is about zero humidity there (awesome for my hair!) and that it stays daylight for what seems like FOREVER! The sun would rise by 6 am, and I swear it wouldn't be dusk until 9:30 pm! All good things had to come to end, and I went to the other side of the spectrum...

When I returned to Dallas, I was greated at the airport by 100 degree plus weather! You know it's hot when you're at the airport at 9:30 at night, and it is still 95 degrees outside! Needless to say, what was good for my hair was no more! Last summer was very rainy in Dallas, and this summer was hot (probably more typical for Dallas)...guess I'll have to wait and see what next summer feels like!

Now the wind has blown me to Montgomery, AL. Hmmm, what to say? I have seen the entire state from Huntsville and Florence, to Birmingham and Mobile! I find that southern hospitality is nice, but I will be glad to get back to Texas! And maybe that chance may come sooner than later with Hurricane Ike swirling out in The Gulf. Stay tuned...

Not Keeping Up My End of the Deal!

When I created this blog site a couple of months ago, I really hoped that I would be able to place a weekly blog out here for all of you to keep up with me. But what do they say about the best laid plans? And besides, is my life even that interesting that any of you would want to read about it on a weekly basis? I'm living it, and the answer is probably not! :-)

Since I posted my last blog, a lot has been going on. Let's see...my last work assignment in Augusta, GA was completed the end of April. While I was there I did get a chance to go to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. Way cool, and I highly recommended it if anyone is ever in the Atlanta area.

Once I returned from my assignment, things (medically speaking) began to take a turn for the worse. Fortunately, I was able to remain at home and not be redeployed to a new assignment to take care of everything. This is definitely not the forum to go into any details, but I had surgery last week and I am currently at home resting comfortably. And yes, really resting! My Mom was here all of last week (thank God for Mom's!) and my sister is here this week (even though little sisters can be pesky, mine is stepping up to the plate!). Both have been adamant about me resting and not overdoing anything. I will be at home until the end of July, so at least all of you will know where to catch me if you would really like to catch up on things!

Prior to my surgery I did have the opportunity to go to Cancun for a few days (I guess I wasn't really near death) with a couple of girlfriends. The weather wasn't the best (honestly, it SUCKED!!!), but as always the company was great! We were doing some preplanning for April 2010.....when I will be revisiting becoming 35 again. I am thinking about doing a fantastic birthday destination trip and inviting family and friends to join me to celebrate. So, begin to save your pennies, nickels, and dimes and get your visa (as in to leave the country AND the plastic kind too!) ready.

Hopefully now that I have some downtime I will be able to keep up with my blog site. If not, I PROMISE to do better after July 21st!!!

Another Year Older...

As many of you should know, I recently celebrated another birthday! Now, I won't go into detail about which birthday this was, but 35 sure feels good again! And for those of you who didn't send presents, it's never too late!

I had the pleasure of sharing my birthday with my family (Dad, Cindy, and Sharon) and friends in Dallas. I'll stress 'in Dallas' because I have been on assignment for work continuously since the first of the year. So needless to say, this sistah was ready for a break!!!

The week started with Sharon arriving first. We did the sisterly bonding thing - meeting some of my friends (Lavonya and Diane at the Grand Lux Cafe - yum!) and getting our hair did. My sister still doesn't understand that getting one's hair did is a process (sometimes a looong process) but well worth the end result. And I have to say that she went home with some cool looking hi lights! Watchoutnow!

Dad and Cindy arrived, and let's just say the eating REALLY began! We hit some of my favorite spots (Blue Mesa Grill, Dickie's Bar B Que, Pappadaeux's) and a new favorite, Del Frisco's. An AWESOME steak house, and I'll go on record to say that I am glad it was MY birthday and that someone else was picking up the tab! In between all of the eating, we did check out a few sites: a Texas Rangers game, the Dallas Arboretum, and First Monday's in McKinney. But most of all, we had a great time just being together.

And I cannot forget the presents...one of the best things about a birthday! Some of my presents traveled far to be with me: a special friend sent me two dozen beautiful red roses, I received a GPS system (great for traveling to all of my exotic locales!), a Tassimo coffee/cappuccino/any kind of drink you want maker (great for guests who want java in the morning), a Target gift card (that's MY spot!), and a tons of birthday phone calls and emails.

Over all, I had an AWESOME birthday...I wish that everyday could provide the same great feeling that I get from my birthday being my special day. Even if things go wrong, you can count on something great happening within a few minutes!

Until next year....

Organ Donation

In the wee hours of the morning today, my aunt underwent a successful heart transplant surgery. She had been placed on the national waiting list on Good Friday, and yesterday received the call that a match had been found.

I am extremely grateful and thankful for the second chance at life that my aunt has been given. At the same time, I also wonder about the person who's heart she received and their family.

In my quest for answers, I found myself at http://www.organdonor.gov/. Did you know that as of April 7, 2008, there were 98,718 candidates on the national waiting list for organ donations? And that each day about 77 people receive organ transplants? These figures leave me speechless and humbled as I think about my aunt and realize how blessed my family truly is.

Probably like most of you, I didn't totally realize the importance and need for organ donors and the impact that organ donation has on others. It is so unfortunate that many times we don't think about the concerns of others until these concerns impact us personally to become our concerns.

Deciding to be an organ donor is an extremely personal choice. But what a wonderful gift to give to someone else! Although my family may never know where my aunt's new heart came from, from the bottom of my heart I thank the person who decided to have the forethought for giving the gift of life.

An Hour to Live, An Hour to Love: The True Story of the Best Gift Ever Given

Yesterday as I was wondering aimlessly through Target, I came across a book entitled, 'An Hour to Live, An Hour to Love'. The book is co-authored by Richard and Kristine Carlson (the man who wrote all of the 'Don't Sweat the Small Stuff' books).

I have to admit that the title alone caught my attention - many of you know that I am a hopeless romantic! The book is a wonderful, true story about Richard's love for his wife and what he would do if he only had an hour to live. What is ironic about the story is that it was written on Richard's 18th wedding anniversary as a gift to his wife, and 3 years before he suddenly died on a business trip.

For the past few weeks, I have been re-evaluating my life and trying to find more balance in it - balance between my job and the relationships in my life that are important to me. I am sad to say that I have allowed some of my personal relationships to suffer due to my career choices. This book helped to reaffirm for me that I need to actively pursue getting the balance back in my life.

If I knew that I only had an hour left to live, I wouldn't want to spend that hour trying to make telephone calls to my family and friends to let them know how I feel. I want them to always know how I feel about them, and starting today I am going to start doing a better job of that!