Saturday, March 20, 2010

Livin' La Vida Loca

Seattle SIL came over last night and we scrapped. I have been on this determined kick lately to be completely caught up in all things scrapbooking. I jokingly said to the SSIL last night that I'm not sure what I'm going to do once I'm all caught up. Her answer, "Take more photos."

I'm pretty proud of the 2009 Scrapbook and because I am YOU dear reader gets to see it. I heard that groan in the back row...I know you're thinking, "But Jenn you've already showed us your 2009 in review!" and you'd be right. But you've not seen 2009 SCRAPBOOKED. That and I'm apparently a very sick person who has nothing else to do with her time. I didn't take these pages out of the page protectors, because I am that lazy. So ignore the glare.

2010 isn't turning out to be too very exciting so I had to add another cruise to my list of things to do this year. Yes, go back and re-read that sentence. I'm going on another cruise.

You may recall last September me volunteering for the Survivor Brunch and then attending with Blueberry. Blueberry then promptly won a 7 day cruise on Holland America. Prior to Blue winning we jokingly said, "If you win, I go with you." Who knew she'd be stuck taking me?

Being that she and I both have gone on cruises this year, another cruise was going to be financially challenging. Neither her nor I have disposal cash just sitting around waiting for us to use it. If I would win the stupid lotto and be done with it, I could not only go on a cruise, but I could be typing this from Italy. Still, she had 4 choices: Mexico, Caribbean, New England and Alaska. Neither of us were thrilled about Mexico and had both just done the Caribbean. We were really keen on the New England. How fun would that be? But if we did that we'd have to go to NY and spend a weekend - and we knew it would require air fair and thus being more expensive than we could handle in the Great Year of Cruising.

So Alasaka it is. We'll be cruising in August, so I have some time to save cash. It should be a relatively inexpensive cruise in that it leaves from Seattle. We'll be on the Holland America Oosterdam. See those cabins with balconies? Yah we won't have one of those. See one of those cabins above the water line...we will likely have one of those. Which is fine because we'll only be sleeping in the darn room. We'll be leaving Seattle and hitting Victoria, Juno, Sitka, Ketchikan, and Glacier Bay - not necessarily in that order. It should be fun and by the end of it I'll have more photos for scrapbooking.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Flash! ah-ahh! Flash! ah-ahh!

Flash...that's what last week was to me. A flash. It went by so quickly I can barely recall what I did (or didn't in some cases) do. I can, at least, remember the weekend. Barely.

This weekend was a whirlwind of activity for me. I usually use my weekends for sitting around contemplating what I should, or shouldn't do for the day. Then before I know it, the day is done and I've done almost nothing. Some may say that's lazy and useless. And "some" would be correct. But my weekends are mine to blow. And so if by sitting on the couch reading, watching TV, scrapbooking, reading cookbooks, or whatever is my way of decompressing, then so be it. Don't judge!

This, however, can become very habitual and before you know it, when you do have things to do you get annoyed that you have to part from your favorite butt resting place to go *gasp* out and do something social.

Which is an odd place to be for me. I am, after all, Miss Social. Or so I used to be. Not so much these days. My "social" has moved on, got married, had kids, you name it. My network is seriously lacking the "social" part of it. Miss Social is apparently retired.

But back to the weekend.

The Grace Notes Gala for Susan G. Komen was this weekend. I volunteered last year and WAY over dressed. They said "formal" so "formal" I went...uncomfortable all evening. This year I knew more about what to expect so went "comfortable" by nice. I'll spare you the story of getting myself in to a new pair of Spanx. Suffice it to say, I felt like I was in a corset all night - and getting there was albeit humorous - but not a pretty sight I'm sure. You know when you finish a roll of toilet paper you're left with that cardboard tube. Well imagine taking a full blown beach ball and stuffing it into that tube. That's what getting me into these Spanx was like. I think the seam of the Spanx is permanently etched into my abdomen.

I signed up again to be the "volunteer" photographer to shoot the 68 volunteers who were dressed to the nines. This year I borrowed a friends back drop and we had a relatively formal set up. BigBro tagged along as my "assistant" and between us we got some darn nice photos.

Fellow 3Day walker Erin came up to the volunteer room to see Ric and I. While she was there we took some photos.


You can't see it, but Erin has on bright pink high heels. Her feet were killing her. She later commented to me that she'd rather walk 60 miles than spend 2 hours in those shoes.

Erin, is a staffer for the 3 Day and walks in one or two during the season. She is one of my two favorite 3 Day staffers. She is a beautiful person inside and out. She embodies what the 3Day spirit is - She truly is an angel - and shines as a representative of something as important as the search for a cure. Every time I'm around her she just makes me laugh and smile and I'm reminded at how lucky I am to have become part of the 3 Day community. It truly is one of the most welcoming and spirit filled groups of people.

Sunday I got up - after springing forward (yawn)- to meet a set of girlfriends for breakfast. They wouldn't let me take a photo this breakfast outing, but this set of girlfriends really are some fabulous woman. We all met - gosh - 5 years ago now in a class. One of them was the instructor, two of us were in the class and the fourth was friends with the instructor. We all hit it off. And now we use each other as rocks in our difficult times, or sounding boards for career choices or decisions. I'm thankful that I have them in my life. Some day I'll get a photo of these ladies. You've been warned!

Sunday evening, Blueberry and HikerGirl came over for BBQ burgers. HikerGirl was in town this weekend from Montana so whenever that happens (which happens more than I thought it would and I'm so glad. I'm gonna have to road trip to Montana once the snow stops falling) we have to get together for some quality girl chatter. Blueberry, HikerGirl and I can seriously chatter too.

They took off and I sat in a stupor thinking about all the fun I had this weekend. I got to spend my weekend doing things with all sorts of different type of people who all play a significant role in my life. In one way or another, and whether they know it or not, they've each affected me - in a good way. And I'm thankful that I have this network that makes me be "semi" social once in a while.

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

What kind of world do you want?

A couple of weeks ago I attended the ever so thrilling and emotional 3Day Getting Started meetings. Volunteering for these is something I started the year I walked and have continued in the past two years I have not walked. Attending gives me a chance to help answer questions to would be walkers, help give them the encouragement to do it - when they think they can't, and to give them some of the insights of just how amazing the 3Day is. If you've not walked it or been a part of it, as I've said before, it will change your life.

This year, during the meeting I was volunteering with two amazing 3Day - we'll call them characters. I sat and listened to one who's done it for years tell a would be walker the pros for doing the 3day. By the time she was done, I was ready to sign up. If I had $90 in my pocket I would have on the spot. The passion that flowed from her had me tearing up just remembering all the glory and fabulous-ness that is the 3Day. I've never done anything like it before I walked, and won't likely find anything like it ever again.

Following the story from the character, was the video. The damn 3Day video. It gets me every time. I've seen this video about 4 THOUSAND times and I still cry. There's this Indian guy who says, while he's crying, that today is his wife's birthday and she would be 50. She couldn't be there that day. - God even now I tear up - So he had a choice to walk or not, and he was there walking for the ladies of the world. (Click here - watch the first video to about 25 seconds. I promise you you'll tear up.) Again, I was ready to sign on the dotted line.

I was pumped. The passion for this cause came out and I was ready. I was going to walk again. I spent part of the evening planning my fundraising (quick math told me I only needed 38 people to pay me $60 to meet my goal- easy). I knew I could do it...but could I.

I had a doctor appt with the orthopedic specialist scheduled and figured he could tell me what was wrong with my toosies. Why are they numb anyhow?

Turns out he recommended that I do not walk the 3Day. I was crushed. I wanted to do it again this year. So instead, I'll be the stalker for my team again. Fine. I'm good at that. Now I need stalker mates to help me on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Wanna spend a day with me honking and cheering and crying? You know you want to. It'll change your life.

Anyhow, I've been thinking about the 3 day and what it really means. One of the things I remember the most is the community feeling you have with 3000 other walkers, volunteers and staff. Its something you want to take with you everywhere. You want to show everyone just how great life could be if we all carried the 3 Day spirit with us.

Then today, I stumbled onto this blog. I've read her blog many times before, but she summed up what I had been feeling pretty darn well. My favorite lessons below is "Find a Reason to Celebrate...I. Won't. Tear. Up. ... I. Won't. Dammit!

From Finding My Voice:

"The 3-Day is a microcosm in many ways. The three days, the route, the camp, the people, everything and everyone about the event is life on a smaller scale: The three days are a lifetime, the route is your journey, the camp is a community, the walkers and crew and volunteers are your neighbors and friends.

Here are a few lessons that popped into my mind. You will surely think of more. They apply to the 3-Day, but they also apply when the 3-Day is done. They apply to every day, if we remember apply them.

☯ Lesson 1: Be kind to strangers – The beauty of the 3-Day is that you quickly realize that no one is a stranger. Sure, you may not know them yet, but you have something in common with every donor, every walker, every crew member, every volunteer, every police officer who helps you cross an intersection, every driver who offers a honk of encouragement as they drive by, every store owner who displays a sign of support, every resident of every community who decorates the front of their home or sets out their sprinkler, every bouncy little boy and girl who can't wait to high-five you as part of an awe-inspiring pink parade.

It's an emotional journey and the surprises are endless. You might walk by someone, offer a casual "How's it goin'?", strike up a conversation, and end up with a new life-long new friend. Or you might find yourself standing next to someone in tears. Go ahead and hug them. Trust me, they won't mind.But it's not just for those three days. We are all far more alike than we are different. I have a T-shirt that says, "Humankind. Be both." Indeed.

☯ Lesson 2: Be kind to yourself – You are doing something amazing here, something beautiful and bold and brash. There is nothing meek about walking 60 miles, my friend. And that's only part of the journey. Think of all the training, all the fundraising, all the planning and packing. You're not just a walker, you're an ambassador, you're a teacher, you're an activist. You're not willing to accept a world with breast cancer. You're literally changing lives. Including your own.

So, on the 3-Day and every day, be kind to yourself. Take care of the body that carries you through every day. Rest when you need to rest. Give yourself water. Give yourself fuel. Nurture your body. Nurture your soul, whatever that looks like for you.

☯ Lesson 3: Enjoy snacks – Speaking of fuel ... . The 3-Day is affectionately known as the 60-Mile Buffet. You will eat. All. Day. Long. Not non-stop, no, but regularly. Do not deprive yourself. You are asking a lot of your body. Give it fuel. Lunch and dinner are provided, of course, but along the route, at pit stops, you will find an array of treats. Off the top of my head, I remember: bagels, peanut butter, bananas, oranges, pretzels, potato chips, peanuts, animal crackers, baby carrots, string cheese, raisins, chewy granola bars, and the perennial favorite, Smuckers Uncrustables. I might be misremembering the raisins. But you get the idea.
Now, snacking in the real world should probably not be so constant, but that doesn't mean we don't deserve a treat every now and again, either. Celebrate the first warm day with an ice-cream cone. Or buy little bites of dark chocolate for those moments when you need something sweet.

☯ Lesson 4: Find reasons to celebrate – One of my favorite parts of 3-Day happens somewhere around 7 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday nights. That's when the route closes. Of course, somebody has to be the last person on the route, right? That parade of pink has a beginning, a very long middle, and an end. A 3-Day staffer, on a bike, rides behind the last walker, making sure they get to camp.

But here's the really cool part: The last walker (or walkers) to arrive in camp get to raise the camp flag, which is the signal that every walker has made it home for the night. But even before then, even when the last walker is simply nearing camp, people start clapping: staff along the route, walkers setting up their tents, diners in the dining tent, hundreds and hundreds of people start clapping. Whomever's making announcements interrupts themselves to announce that the last walker is making his or her way into camp. More people start clapping. Whomever is running the sound for the evening cues up U2's "Beautiful Day" and more people start clapping. And then they start to gather around the flag pole, into a huge circle, still clapping, keeping time to the music, and the walker raises the flag and the crowd goes crazy. It's awesome. I cry every time. I'm crying right now.

Just think of how much better life would be if we all took a few moments out of every day to cheer for someone. It needn't be such a big production. A pat on the back or a well-timed "Woo hoo!" will do.

☯ Lesson 5: Ask for help – You'll be walking ... and walking ... and walking. And no one can do that for you. But a small army of others will help you make your way. And if you need help, just ask. If you're on the route and you don't feel well, a sweep van will be by to give you a lift to the next pit stop. If something more serious happens, ambulances drive the route, too, and one is never far away. The medical personnel in the pit stops and in camp are amazing.

Somewhere along the line, in life in general, I got it in my head that I should be able to handle anything that came my way. It's not easy for me to ask for help. But I'm getting better at it. Because I finally got it through my thick skull that people – gasp! – want to help. It's what we do. Don't you feel good when someone asks you to help them and you're able to lend a hand? I know I do. So why I used to be loathe to ask that of others is beyond me. It's a win-win, really. And it makes the world go 'round."

It really is that great. And this year, my team better be ware...I'm in the mood to kick some cancer ass!

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Life is a Highway

I know it's March. 3 months into 2010. You've probably all but forgotten 2009 - I know some of us tried. Despite how bad 2009 was ... I still found time to live and have fun.

Officially - my 2009 Scrapbook is done! Woot Woot! Of course it helps to not have a life - that way you can spend your evenings finishing aforementioned scrapbook. In gathering all my photos to commemorate 2009 on paper, I decided to commemorate it in video too.

This was my 2009 in photos!