Reentry into the real world

I thought the real world would be too much to take, and then my reentry was delayed by a really horrible case of the flu. Feeling awful, and not being able to return to work was so difficult. I wanted to get back to my life. I missed a friend's birthday, a retirement lunch, and just the chance to start to reclaim my life.

Now I'm feeling fine, actually great because when you feel better it's so lovely. I think my body decided the only way to make it was to force me to stop. So I did. Now I've spent the last couple days spending time with favorite friends that I had missed so much. It is good to be back and see everyone who means so much.

I spent quality time with my family. My mom took care of me when I was sick. So nice. And now I can catch up with my friends, and just remember why I love living here. Okay all I need is a beach!

Tomorrow I head to Washington, DC for a conference for the new federal grant received by The Eagle River Youth Coalition. I look forward to meeting new people, and visiting the national's capital. I have only been there once since the summer of 1996 when I interned there. It will be good to be back.

Where to begin?

I just got back from an experience of a lifetime. I went on a Group Study Exchange to Australia thanks to Rotary International. This trip was inspiring, exhausting, and definitely worth it. There were moments when I didn't feel that way, but then I just pushed through it and embraced what was offered so freely.

I have never had so many strangers now friends open their homes, their hearts, and more to me. It made me appreciate the kindness of Rotarians, but also made me reexamine things and change my perspective. I feel a shift has occurred or is occurring. I feel more alive, more passionate, and less prone to overreaction.

I guess with this trip adults and kids reminded me of the precious humanity that exists that sometimes we forget on a day-to-day basis. It made me stop and listen to what's important to me and to strive for those things.

There were so many moments to savor, which I will share soon.

Six days later

So it's been six days since my last post and declaration. I did buy a book. It was 40% off at The Bookworm. Since I often set meetings there it's a temptation, however, I got two more books for free, by turning in books that I've already read at Book Grove in Glenwood. So three books for $9. Not too bad, really.

Also, I have to confess that I bought a pink cardigan (I needed it for the GSE trip) and a pair of khaki pants that can be worn three ways, cuffed, capris, and straight leg. These purchases were made for my trip. This may be more difficult than it looks. So bear with me as I figure this out. I did resist buying shoes that weren't practical. So maybe I am making some progress!

The biggest progress made on my level of consumption is that I am becoming aware of what I'm purchasing. Today I focused on getting more organized at home, which feels much better. I can start the week with a clean space.

Another important note: I walked on Friday, Sunday and Monday for a total of approximately eight miles. So I'm working on making walking a daily priority. Saturday I relaxed, slept in, and read a book in bed. Heaven, really. I didn't even feel guilty! It was needed after a very busy August.

I'll keep you posted on the rest of the week. Make it a good one, don't you just love the three-day weekends?

A Month of Focus

So it's a month away from when I will be leaving for Australia, on my six-week adventure. In this month I have a lot to accomplish. No one seems to feel sorry for me. Regardless, I'm also starting a new phase in that I don't want to buy anything new this month. I want to focus on getting ready for the trip. Wrapping up work as much as possible, throwing Kendra's baby shower, and continuing to work on my new venture.

The exceptions to what I can buy? Food and the necessary items such as shampoo and other tolietries. No clothes, no shoes, and no books. Though I can trade books in at the secondhand bookshop in Glenwood Springs. Trading is acceptable. So far so good in the first two days of the month. I'll keep you posted.

Part of this is about saving for my trip, and the other part is about getting really clear about where my money goes. I don't always pay enough attention, and it shows. So I'm going to turn that around. And as my roommate said today, everyone deserves a second chance. So instead of berating all the choices I've made that haven't been great I'm going to move forward starting today and this month.

Wish me luck. Bonne Chance!

A good book

A good book is like a fine glass of wine to be savored. Amy recently let me borrow "Loving Frank". This book is a fictionalized account of a true love affair. The book is about a modern woman living in the 19th century, though you may not identify with all the choices she makes you can identify with her belief in being authentic to yourself. Read it. I couldn't put it down. It kept me up nights. Enjoy!

A trip away

So right now I'm sitting in my friend Ruth's kitchen. I just caught up on a month of blog entries on her wonderful blog site www.ruththemom.com. She inspires me to want to write on my blog on a more regular basis, and she makes me laugh on her blog and in general. Spending time with friends is truly a blessing.

Soon we are heading to Sonoma to wine country, which is one of my favorite activities. Truly, having to taste wines, how will we survive? I have finally made it to Sacramento to see where she lives. Getting a chance to hang out with someone in their natural habitat gives you a much better sense of their life, and then you can talk about your common frame of reference.

I noticed on my last blog entry (last month) that I was talking about suffering from allergies. I'm happy to report that after the misery I am feeling much better. It turns out it wasn't just allergies, it was also anemia and some thyroid issues. I went to a Naturopath, because the traditional medicine route just wasn't helping.

It turns out that my inability to wake up had a medical reason. I just put too much expectation on myself. Even with this blog I feel like once a month is not enough. It does make the bar manageable. If I can get to twice per month then I've made a major advance!

Which brings me back to spending time with friends, and how wonderful it is for creating the best life. Last weekend Mary Beth came to Denver and Boulder and we spent some great hours people watching...priceless. And this weekend I get to spend some quality time with Ruth. So life is good. I will keep you posted, maybe twice or more this month!

One blog per month I can do better than that

So the past couple months have posed some difficulties with a truly tough allergy season. I haven't felt like myself, run down. I've woke up extremely congested, and I've had many contact issues with several days of wearing just one contact. Who knew that vision was so important?

I know that one option is signing up for years of shots, and I hope to bypass it. So instead I started going to a naturopath doctor, and guess what? I'm feeling much better. I am hoping that this foray into alternative medicine will put me back on the path to feeling like myself again. I want to feel great when I head to Australia in October.

The realization and awareness that I'm having is showing me that sometimes we need help. This was one of those times for me, and often I want to figure it out on my own. But instead I just need to find the right help.

I'm really good at seeking at help for professional growth, however, I'm not as good at getting the assistance I need for self-care. One day I wasn't sure I could even wear one contact. I made it home, barely, however, that may have been the time to ask someone to drive me home. It's just so darn hard to admit when you can't do it on your own.

Reminds me of this song...'miss independent, miss self-sufficientm, miss keep your distance, mmmm.' Time to bloom. I think so!