Hot to Turkey-Trot

I am celebrating a major accomplishment. All of my life I have struggled with completion. College, marriage, books, blogs.... lots of stuff. I have just reached one of the first completion milestones of my life! There are pros and cons to this statement. The pros are the sense of accomplishment, pride, and satisfaction. The con is the realization that this accomplishment took less than 31 minutes. I like to focus on the positive and see this as me turning over a new leaf in adulthood.

Last week I reached a goal associated with my new running habit. After many tries, showing up to races and leaving before the gun, running and walking, stopping and starting... I did it: 5K on Thanksgiving morning. It's not a marathon, it's not a triathlon... why do I do that? Why do I stop patting myself in the back only to give myself a lashing for no good reason. I don't suppose I need a trophy simply because I woke up this morning and wasn't a total lazy ass, but where is the fine line between self deprecation and self recognition? How can I be proud of myself and share that pride without being the annoying girl I hate?

OK that will take more than a day for me to answer, but I am tickled. I am so happy that I have reached one goal I only hope it does not deter me from my next. I hope this accomplishment however large or small inspires me to do more rather than grows my fear of failure. Not sure what is next but at least I know now that I CAN finish something!!

He Had A Fast Car

I often remember driving in his car. The speed and the teenaged love intoxicated me. A nylon seat belt created an embrace across my heart, connecting me to the steel of the car. My body heated, clinging to the seat in acceleration, then jerking with each intentional shift. I watched his hands which were usually divided between the steering wheel and the shifter. I watched his legs covered in faded Levi jeans marching with the rhythm of the clutch and gas. It was a Nissan Sentra. There wasn’t a place I didn’t want to go in that car. Freedom. To Blockbuster we went, for the latest in VHS entertainment. We watched movies sitting close with our innocent flesh radiating through clothes purchased for us by our mothers. At my house we had company - siblings and parents depending on the movie choice and time of night. At his house we watched in a private basement. I remember there, being secluded with just the light of the tv and our young love, we often became distracted during movies. The m

"A thing is not necessarily true because a man dies for it." -Oscar Wilde

The night trying too hard almost killed me. The evening started as a success. Thousands of dollars were being spent with each paddle's rise, benefitting a charter school on the island. On the microphone a local, well-liked politician energized the group with his beaming smile and rhythmic descriptions of items up for bid. Wine flowed endlessly, poured by the smiling staff hustling around the tent to ensure glasses remained full. Alcohol is a good fund-raising lubricant. The team of servers kept close watch on our table especially. At our table, their boss, my partner, was keeping close watch on the execution of this important evening. The auction ended and as we all dispersed from our seats to congratulate our table-neighbors on their winnings, my partner approached me quickly. His hand firmly grasped my empty arm (as the other was holding a wine glass) and he told me we were leaving. I was confused at first but as he began to describe the flaws in service he noted during the

#onwardandupward

It was almost 4 months ago now. “The Breakup”. It felt life-shattering, irreversibly damaging, and as bad as any tragedy I had ever experienced. It was dramatic and traumatic. It was something out of a romance turned horror film. It started with a suspicion and ended on vacation. In a blur of nausea, starvation, and sobbing, I spent my last 48 hours in Puerto Vallarta in disbelief, thinking I might die of heartbreak. Four months later while I still feel a sense of loss (mainly of time) I also feel I have gained much more. Maybe it is what I re-gained. The opportunity to be me. The chance to smell roses and meander rather than constantly running. Regaining my self confidence, self control, self worth. Regaining my security. Rediscovering my love for the world and releasing my discontent. As a master of the “all or nothing” method of loving someone, I martyred myself for what I thought was the benefit of my relationship. I blinded myself from any possibility that it would not wor

Un-Balancing Act

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