An Update on Happenings in my Life

I found this listed as a draft from 3/2011 and never did publish it.  Well here ya go:

The last couple of weeks have been crazy busy. On March 12th, my friend Brian and I went to photograph the Sandhill Cranes in Hall County, NE. I grew up in the area of Grand Island but had only experienced the crane migration via dirt road wanderings during daylight hours. We had reserved a spot in on of the blinds at Nebraska Nature and Visitor Center for the evening. I was so excited to get out there since it had been a couple of years since my last trip to the area during migration. AND I was excited to be able to share this with someone whom had never been so I could experience their reaction to the immenseness of the number of birds.

We spent most of our day driving the dirt roads to photograph the cranes in the fields. During our drive, we stopped at Mormon Island to see the massive flock of Snow and Canada geese that had decided to make the lake there home for a little while.

We then went to the Nature Center for the blind in the late afternoon. We were seated and ready at the blind at 6:30 with the knowledge that the cranes usually do not come into the river until after sunset. I have to say that if you just want to experience the immenseness of the cranes, aka not photograph, the evening blind is the way to do it. The cranes fly from field to field in stages before coming in to roost (?). It looks like a massive swarm moving from one area to the next. And the sound...the wonderful calls of the birds...is deafening. There were times that I had goosebumps from the pure excitement. As darkness settled in and obscured the birds from our sight, I just closed my eyes and listened. Call me crazy, but that is one of the best experiences of my life. I had a smile on my face that was impossible to wipe off.

On March 14th, I flew out to San Francisco on business and spent 4 days. It was great to be out of the office for a while. I had a room on the 9th floor of the Embassy Suites in So. San Francisco and had a great view of the San Bruno Hills.

Oh my how life has changed

On May 21st, 2010, I started a journey of weight loss in an attempt to resolve some female issues and stave off a hysterectomy. Well, the hysterectomy proved to be necessary but I continued on my weight loss. This photo shows almost a year comparison: 5/21/2010 to 5/6/2011. Crazy stuff, I tell you. In May, I walked a half marathon. In June, I ran a 3k. This Sunday, I ride in a 25 mile bike race. On Tuesdays, I ride 20+ miles to Eagle for the Nacho Ride. Life is different and boy am I making the most of it!!!

Has it really been that long?

I just realized how long it has been since I last posted something here. I feel bad that I neglected my blog this long. Well, it is time that I rectified that!

So many things have happened. Some good some bad but many. I will highlight a few of those things.

First off, the weight loss has slowed as I have increased my training for the half marathon. MRC placed me on a new diet and I hope to see some good numbers this week at weigh in. I now eat 6 times a day to keep my metabolism going. I am kick boxing twice a week, yoga once a week, and riding my recumbent bike (since it is too cold to walk or bike outside) 4 times a week. I am averaging about 390 minutes of scheduled activity per week. I cannot wait until the weather is nice and I can put in some long hikes on the weekends.

Second thing, my mom was in the hospital mid-January. Well, actually it goes more like this: my sister texts me at work asking if I had talked to mom recently, I say not in a week or so, she says she has been trying to get in touch with her for a couple days but gets no answer, we start making calls to family and neighbors. Maybe this is where I should add that mom is 72 with a pacemaker and lives on the family farm with the closest town about 10 miles away. Okay, back to the story. It had snowed overnight, a neighbor drives over to check, car is not there and no new tracks, I decide to call the small county hospital, SHE IS THERE. And has been for TWO DAYS! Did she call anyone to tell them - no!!! My sister and I went the next day and picked her up and brought her back to Lincoln. I will be taking her back home this weekend.

That is it for now. I will try to be better on the posting. Be prepared for being overloaded as training continues.

So Far So Good

I have been doing well so far this year. I have been able to focus on me. It is a totally new concept. Me? Putting myself before others? What? I am enjoying myself. Imagine that!

Some friends at work have challenged me to join then in walking half the Lincoln Marathon. I initially thought there was no way I could be ready for that by May 1st. But the more I think about it, the more I feel that this is something I need to do. The symbolism I can apply to a seemingly unattainable feat (at least to me) and overcoming it...HUGE!! It is like the path I am on now. Last year, I decided enough was enough and began a weight loss program at Metabolic Research Center. I debated on whether or not to tackle the effects on my life from the abuse. In July, I started that journey. Neither of these will be tasks that I can complete. They are life long journeys. But this marathon is something that I can complete. It is something that I can check off my list. I really need that right now.

2011 - Reflections and Resolutions

2011. Can you believe it? I certainly am shocked of where I am today as compared to where I was on this date one year ago. As of 12/30, I have lost 70.5lbs this year. Much of my success can be attributed to a great structured weight loss program, Metabolic Research Center, and to my therapist, Bridget, whom has helped me to deal with my problems instead of internalizing them.

Now for some resolutions:
1) To not live to work but to work to live.
I have used my work to hide from things since 2005. It is time for me to quit hiding. Unfortunately, my employers have come to expect my 'dedication'. It is time to bend those expectations and decrease the amount of extra time I spend devoted to work.
2) To finish my weight loss journey and dedicate that energy into maintaining the loss.
3) To continue to allow myself to feel emotions instead of hiding from them.
I am venturing into a whole new world with this. I imagine that with it will come great joy but also great pain. I finally feel that I am ready to increase my range of emotional intensity. Thirty-six years ago, I shut myself down from feeling. In July 2010, I started opening that back up. It has been a roller coaster but I think I am getting there. I will need to watch for and control the urge to close up again.
4) Now for the fun one: I want one day that I will make into 'Sandy's Musical'. A co-worker and I are continuously playing of each other's conversations and breaking into song or doing little dances. It is time to expand that into a full day. Who knows, next year I may resolve for more days of the same. :)

Happy New Year to all!! I hope it is a year of happiness, great surprises, and overwhelming love.

2010 - It is almost over

I don't like being this way but I am just ready for this year to close. I am wiping the slate clean and 2011 is the start of a new outlook on life.

I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day quietly at home. Plans to pick up y mother did not work out because of icy conditions. I baked and watched movies. It was a nice relaxing couple of days.

Sunday was Christmas get together with family at my niece's house. It was good to see everyone plus I was able to get my pinochle fix.

So that is about it for Christmas. And in a couple of days, we can say good-bye to 2010. Thank you and good to see you go.

What did I do? Let me tell you

After almost a year of laying low, I have been attempting to do a few things that I love each week. This last week I actually put out a few decorations. I hope this will help me be less of a Scrooge. I have been baking. I made my first traditional German Stollen a couple of weeks ago. I gave one of the loaves to my sister and brother-in -law. They said it was the best they've ever had so I gave them the other loaf too. This last weekend I made another couple of loaves but this time I modified the recipe to include a marzipan center. We will see how this one turns out. I also just got done tonight making peppermint chocolate chip mini cheesecakes. Too bad I won't be eating any of this stuff.

Now on to the good news. As of this last Friday, I have lost 70lbs. I really am proud of myself. I hope to lose a couple more this week and finish up the year with 75. Crossing my fingers.

I have been learning to laugh at myself. Last night I needed to run to the grocery store to pick up a couple of things. I had on my fun socks in the photo and did not want to dirty another pair just for a quick trip so I put on my Mary Janes and headed out the door. If you got 'em, flaunt 'em!