The Giving of Thanks

As Thanksgiving approaches, everyone gives thanks for what they have in their lives. I am no different. The cliche says that there are so many things to be thankful for. It is true that people should be thankful for what they have. You see it everyday though that people want more and more and are never happy with what they have. The more stuff they have or buy, they happier they think they are. It only makes them want more. Ipads, mini ipad, iphone 5, 6, 7 or whatever number they are on now. Pretty soon there will be an icar, and how many people will be in line for that when it comes out. IHP 

Not too long ago, I was having deep conversation with someone about our lives. I say daily that I am too old, I know I am immature, I don't have much of anything, I am in debt up to my ass, and I probably won't find anyone because of all these reasons. And this person said to me, "all those reasons is what makes you who you are. Age is just a number, you are fun and make others have fun, everyone is in debt, and a girl would be dumb not to take you because you are a great person." I shrugged it off of course like I always do, even though I give others advice to take compliments and roll with them. Hypocrite haha. But it is true, without all that, who the hell would I be? So what I take as flaws in me, others look at it differently.

For me though, I do have thanks to throw out there. I am taking all the good and all the bad this year, and saying thank you. Without all of it, who knows what would have happened or where I would be at. To all the people who have supported me and the path I have chosen for my next move, I will do my best and try not to let you down. To all the doubters and people who have said I am nothing and never will amount to anything, thank you for the motivation.

Come Monday, all the hard work from the last year gets put into play. From the BS I went through at the end of last year to the horrid first boot camp of NPTI to now, I am ready to give all the appreciation to those who deserve it. Nothing has been forgotten.

It's a long road but nothing can stop us

So as you all know, I just finished a crazy race. From Saratoga to Lake Placid. Most people start with a 5k...... however, I decided to go big. Why not right? As Kelly Clarkson says, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Kelly, you go girl. Never running a race before, I had no idea what to expect. So I joined a team, of which I knew 3 people out of 12. Not an issue with me since I grow on people quickly.....I think.

I did my training, which I thought was good enough. Boy was I wrong. I had 3 legs of the race which totalled around 19 miles.

Race time started and it rained and rained and rained......by the end we were wet, tired, sore, (well some of us.....Dan, Jason, and myself), but most of all, excited that we as a team completed something that most people couldn't think possible.

Support came from all the teams, the volunteers, and friends and families. Seeing runner's faces light up as vans beeped their horns as they drove by, made the runs easier. Some of the routes were very lonely and dark, so they needed any pick me up, and they deserved and earned it.

Speaking of a pick me up, there was a moment at around 3 or 4 in the morning where some of us were crashing and just burnt out, and a song came on the radio that just revived us, Gangnam Style!!! Love that song. We got out and blasted it, did the dance and gave us life again.

At the end, watching teams running all together crossing that finish line cold, wet, tired, and laughing and having a great time will always stick in my head. When our team, Got The Runs, finished, I was so happy that I was part of a team that accepted me in without knowing me, and by the end we just ran 193 miles together and crossed the finish line as one.

It was such a great experience that I am ready for the next one. Cape Cod here we come.

I will be adding another challenge in as well, maybe a Spartan Race or something. I know I can push myself to some pretty tough extremes after this race.

To my team, thanks for this chance and the next one will be better. You guys were great and very supportive. Couldn't have asked for a better group of people to do that with for a first race. Can't wait for the Cape.

I will leave you with this: challenge yourself and push yourself to the limit and once you finish that challenge, you can finish anything.

#ragswag

All Summer Long

Well hello again everyone. I hope you all had a wonderful and exciting summer. I know I did here at Silver Bay, like always of course. It was a great summer for me to relax and to just be me. There was nothing holding me back this time from being me. There were some challenges along the way, but overall it was worth it. I got to meet some amazing people, reconnect with old friends, and did a lot of just sitting and thinking. And having that time to just unwind and think made me realize where my head is at this point in life.

But now the summer is over. I have started watching people leave, many more leave today. Some I got really close with and will miss them. But like every year, no matter what, next time you see them, it will pick up right where it left off. It's never good bye, it's see you later.

Summer turns to fall, and you watch change happen right in front of your eyes. The leaves change colors, the lake cools down quickly, squirrels and chipmunks storing their food for the winter, the sounds of camp are gone. It is time to get ready for the next summer. We all cannot wait for that time to see each other again. To get ready for that, Jocey and I rewrote a song to turn it to a Silver Bay song. It is All Summer Long by Kid Rock. Here are the lyrics if you would like to read. Hopefully it can get put to music someday. Enjoy!!

It was 2012, my thoughts were there I was ready

Time to be at a place we all love

The sun was showing and there was a warm wind blowing

It was summertime finally at the bay

Looking at the north star, sitting by a campfire

It’s the simple things in life that make us Emps

Playing softball until we sweat but man I never will forget

The way the moonlight shined upon the lake

And we were trying different things, we were doing crazy things

Jamming out by the lake to our favorite song

Having ice cream at the store, not thinking about tomorrow

Singing sweet home silver bay all summer long

Singing sweet home silver bay all summer long

We were tanning on the ERC

Listening to music at the PERC

It’ll forever hold a spot inside my soul

We’d blister in the sun, we couldn’t wait for work be done

To hit that sand and play some volleyball

And we were trying different things

And we were doing crazy things

Jamming out by the lake to our favorite song

Having ice cream at the store, not thinking about tomorrow

Singing sweet home silver bay all summer long

Singing sweet home silver bay all summer long

Now nothing seems as cool as

A clear lake swimming pool

Or how we thought the summer would never end

Sometimes I hear a song and I start to sing along

And think, man I’d love to see that place again

Man, I’d like to see that place again

And we were trying different things, we were doing crazy things

Jamming out by the lake to our favorite song

Having ice cream at the store, not thinking about tomorrow

Singing sweet home silver bay all summer long

And we were trying different things, we were doing crazy things

Jamming out by the lake to our favorite song

Having ice cream at the store, not thinking about tomorrow

Singing sweet home silver bay all summer long

Singing sweet home silver bay all summer long

Singing sweet home silver bay all summer long

Singing sweet home silver bay all summer long

Singing sweet home silver bay all summer long

Sweet home silver bay yeah

Singing all summer long

Bring it on

I am coming up to my last week of class. We finished our last new material and it is review until next Thursday for the final. As we finished lecture we looked at each other and couldn't believe where the time went. We started as people who were timid and are finishing ready to take on the world and help people look and feel better. Some have already started and others are finding their place to start. We all know we will be there for each other whenever it is needed. It's been a great ride and I would never have changed it for anything.

As for me, I have changed completely and am more driven than ever. Remember that challenge I was talking about? Well I am signed up for the Adirondack Ragnar Relay Race. 198 mile relay race. I am training hard for it and cannot wait. It is definitely something that is a challenge and will test everything I have learned in class. I have a plan for a direction in life and am working hard for it. Everything will fall into place and I cannot wait to see what it brings.

This summer is all about planning, practicing, and training. Have the perfect place for that. And in 6 weeks, life begins for me and lives will be changed all around me. Are you ready, because I know I am.

Joke: why didn't the skeleton cross the road?

Because he didn't have the guts.

What have you done?

So I was speaking with a few people at the Waltham YMCA the other day. We were discussing different activities and challenges we have each been through. As one girl who works in the preschool was telling us everything she has done, which is a long list of things that is just too much to write down but she is pretty bad ass, it made a couple of the people in the group ask a question, "wow what have I done with my life."  I mentioned some of the things I have done, even though no where near close to the extreme things she has done. Sure I have travelled around, been to some amazing countries, and met countless people. Now I am almost finished my personal training class, one month left by the way, and I get challenged daily to push myself to compete and finish crazy workout challenges.

Some of these challenges are just absolutely insane. Before this class, I never would have even thought of doing them, or even finishing them. These challenges have also helped me gain confidence in myself. I watch other classmates, age range from 19-61, guys and gals, grow, push themselves, and gain confidence as well. We see things differently now and think that we can accomplish any task they throw at us. Tonight I was watching American Ninja Warrior, and I found myself thinking, "what can I do to challenge myself even more?" Besides the whole challenge of life and finally starting work in a month, what else can I do physically to challenge me. I have a few ideas, but need some more. So if you have any let me know! Maybe I am going through another mid life crisis ( I think I have been going through one for most of my life haha ).

It never hurts to challenge yourself and see how far you can push your body. I know it has helped me build self esteem and confidence. Maybe a little cockiness as well but that never really hurts haha.

And tonights quote:

My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch.

Keep on Keepin on

So it has been a while again. I guess either nothing is going on or I am not very interesting. Haven't figured out which one yet.

 I have done a lot of thinking lately about things and who I am. I see that I am growing up in some of my thought processes, but I feel more alive and younger than ever. I have more energy and more confidence as well. This class that I have been taking has helped me figure out who I am and given me the confidence to go after what I want. Still haven't figured out what exactly it is I am going to be doing, but that time will come.

There is something missing that I cannot put my finger on however. It confuses me, but I know that at some point it will fall into place. Crazy shit happens when you least expect it. We all have experienced that moment when something or someone pops in and changes your life. It can be positive or negative, but just know that for some reason it happened. Even if you have to let whatever it was go, you move on to bigger and better things. Sometimes you may not want to, and sometimes you just don't have a choice. You just keep on keepin on.....

I have had writer's block recently, but I will leave you with a quote:

Virginity is like a soapbubble, one prick and it is gone.

Truckin....

SO it has been a while since I wrote again, sorry about that. Life happens as you may know. You live and you learn and just keep on truckin. That's all you can do right?

There are many bumps in the road, and boy do I have a road full of them haha. It's like a road road in Boston or in Pennsylvania, I am always swurving around trying to avoid them, even though I know it is inevitable. But every once in a while, you hit that nice straight and quiet patch, and you just sail through. What I did notice is that those are the fastest parts because it is so enjoyable that you get caught up and forget the rest. Then all of a sudden, BAM, pothole....and you wake up and go back to reality. But it takes those nice patches to make you appreciate what the road has to offer. Even though you may not like everything about the road, you have to accept it and keep going down it because the road leads to somewhere and you won't know until you get there.

Some amazing things have come into my life recently, and good things have happened. Do you get to keep it all, no, but at least you have the memories and know that there is good out there. Those things were given to you for a reason and even if you have to move forward without some of them, just accept it and keep going. It is hard not to look back and wonder, but once you pass it, the road has already made up its mind and there is no going back to change directions. I am sure everyone has certain things they wish they could go back and change, I know I do, but we cannot. Just keep truckin......

Quote: Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.