As I watch my friends post on Facebook about 5Ks, 10Ks, half and full marathons, my first reaction is how proud I am of all of them and their dedication to training for these races. It is not easy. My second thought is–better them than me. If there is anything that I am 100% sure of it is that I am not a runner. Nor am I up for any flashy events that I see advertised like the Tough Mudder or anything that ends in the words “boot camp.” It isn’t like I haven’t tried to be someone I’m not. A few years ago, I trained for my first (and last) 5K. I hired a fabulous personal trainer to keep me on track and motivate me every step of the way (so to speak). And I did it. A few months later, I crossed the finish line with her by my side. I’m proud to say that while I didn’t have the fastest time, I wasn’t the last one either. While I remember feeling exhilarated that I completed the race and I consider that 5K to be a great personal accomplishment, I can honestly say that I don’t feel the need to do it ever again. I have no interest in improving my PR (personal record) nor do I want to graduate to longer races. Running is not a passion of mine. Walking on the other hand is much more my speed. I love to walk. I walk 5K races. I walk at my local park. I park my car further away and walk through the parking lot to the store. I walk around my neighborhood and at the gym. I love to walk. Last month, I logged over 300,000 steps as I raised awareness and money for childhood cancer research. I have different walking buddies and I feel just as good – if not better – about myself after a nice workout. I find it much easier to fit in a walk as opposed to a run. I can walk in my work clothes on my lunch hour. I don’t need to map out a route for my walk – I simply walk out the door. I walk at a good pace so as to break a sweat but not worry about injuring myself. Walking has a lot of benefits to both my physical and mental health. It clears my head, boosts my memory and it is a great excuse to catch up with friends. Talk about multi-tasking. So, I will cheer on my friends who go the distance, improve their PR and smile the entire time. I hope they will cheer me on as well.
Life Is Better With A Dog
After being away for a week on vacation, my family couldn’t wait to get home, sleep in our own beds and see our dog, Chloe. But, there was one problem. She was with her foster family a half an hour away and we couldn’t get her until the next morning. We walked into a too quiet house a little sad knowing that our entire family was not together – and wouldn’t be until we brought Chloe home. Before last summer, there were so many reasons why I absolutely never wanted to get a dog. My husband and kids were totally on board with it, but I was the last holdout. I held out for a long time. I had a lot of concerns.
- I never grew up with a dog.
- I didn’t know what to do with a dog.
- I’m allergic to dogs.
- I didn’t want to be the mom who rescued the dog, but had to give it back because of my allergies.
- I didn’t want to be the person who left parties early to go home and let the dog out.
I thought they were all valid reasons, but I knew my husband longed for man’s best friend. My kids practically campaigned monthly for us to get a dog. Every time we visited a home with a furry friend they begged for me to change my mind. So, I finally caved. Maybe it was because I couldn’t take denying the rest of my family their wish. Maybe I wanted something else to take care of now that my kids were getting older. Maybe I wanted to see what I was missing out on. It seemed like the moment I said yes to rescuing a dog, Chloe arrived. My husband wasted no time finding her. To solve the allergy problem, we needed a dog that didn’t shed at all. Chloe is a schnoodle – part schnauzer, part poodle–which was perfect for our family. I had my doubts, but the minute we brought Chloe home – there was no way she was ever going back. When we first got her, I had two hard and fast rules – she can’t lay on my favorite couch or in my bed. Guess where she is sitting as I type this post? Right next to me, of course, on my bed. And the couch—it’s her spot. She loves to lay in the sun and watch the other dogs go by. So much for my rules. She won me over on the first day she came home. After pacing the house and getting used to her new surroundings, I was the one she let pet her first. She followed me around all day long and won my heart. And now a year later, I am a total dog person. Chloe is a part of the family. I have an “I Love My Schnoodle” magnet on my car. She has an Eagles jersey for football season and a Halloween costume. I buy more treats for her than anyone else in the house. My favorite part of the day is when she greets me at the door just happy that I’m home. I have to face it – I’m a dog person.
Help Me Pick My Office Halloween Costume!
It is a little more than 3 weeks before Halloween and I don’t have a costume yet. While I’m well past my trick-or-treating days, I am apparently not too old to dress up in costume for the office. I have a few ideas, but I haven’t quite decided which one I am going with yet. Maybe you can help me out. Choice 1 – My alter ego – As summer changes to fall, my allergies kick in big time. I am constantly sniffling and I have tissues everywhere. I figured that I could go as Sneezy – from Snow White and the 7 dwarfs. I’m planning to skip my weekly allergy shot so my co-workers can experience the full effect of my authentic costume. Choice 2 – My true self – I can go to work in full on writer mode with a t-shirt that reads “I Am Silently Correcting Your Grammar” along with my favorite flannel, leggings, fuzzy slippers and a baseball cap. I’ll even walk around with a thesaurus, a huge cup of coffee and a handful of pens for good measure. Maybe that will be the day I distribute my organization’s updated style guide. Choice 3 – My retro self – I have a 70’s disco queen costume complete with go-go boots and peace signs, but I’m afraid very few people in my office would appreciate the effort since I mostly work with millennials. Choice 4 – The easy way out – Find a “This Is My Halloween Costume” t-shirt. Done. Choice 5 – My brilliant costume – The Invisible Woman – and stay home, but tell everyone I’m really at my desk working. Clearly I need help. Which idea do you like best? Have a better idea? Please share!