3 Day or Bust

RIP Wolfgang

2009-07-16T19:16:00.003-04:00

My sweet kitty of 15 years, Wolfgang, passed away today.

He was suffering from kidney failure. He went downhill so fast and was in obvious discomfort. Letting him go was such a difficult decision for me, but I knew that it would be selfish of me to expect him to stick around just to keep me from being sad.

His last hour at home was spent curled up with me in the sunshine. My other cat (Boris), who had been picking on Wolfgang during his illness, came over and started washing Wolfie's face. Then he rested his head on Wolfgang's shoulder for a few minutes. He was saying his good byes.

After that I drove him to the vet, where he was sent on his way to the Rainbow Bridge.

The tears will not stop falling. I know that it was the right decision, but that doesn't stop it from hurting.

RIP Wolfgang. Thank you for the 15 years of unconditional love. Mommy misses you.

How Time Flies...aka: Catching Up With Me!

2009-07-10T10:18:00.006-04:00

Well folks, I know that it's been a LONG time since I've last posted. And a WHOLE lot has happened since then!!!

Let's see.....we have a new President. Michael Jackson is now moonwalking "on the other side". I have managed to maintain a relationship for longer than 4 months. All monumental occasions!

I can't remember if I even mentioned the new guy in previous posts. I'm guessing that if I did, it was very briefly. We only got together a few days before the 2008 Breast Cancer 3 Day (which henceforth will be known as BC3D).

Or maybe it wasn't briefly (since I am not exactly frugal with words). In any case......here is the run down.

He's a guy who I went to school with from 3rd grade to 6th grade. After my family moved away, I lost all contact with anyone from that time. The weekend before the '08 BC3D, I had been getting in touch with people from high school. On a whim, I also decided to see if I could find any familiar names from the 3rd-6th grade years.

Sure enough.......I did! My old Spelling Bee Nemesis, Neil. Who happens to live 4 miles from my apt. He remembered me as well, so we made a "phone date". And talked for hours. So then we went to dinner. And talked for hours. And have basically been inseparable ever since (going on 9 months now).

We have a lot of things in common. And he has this way of getting me to laugh when I'm in a really, REALLY down mood. It really does feel as though we've stayed connected over the past 25yrs.

That's not to say that there haven't been some growing pains along the way. I often set myself up for disappointment by expecting too much from people. This time was no different. He has a relatively impenetrable wall built up around his emotions b/c of past relationship disasters. And I do have trust issues b/c of MY past relationship disasters. I thought that our history and instant chemistry would eliminate such roadblocks. It didn't. But the difference between this relationship and past ones (for me at least) is the fact that we both care enough to talk through the issues.

Granted, there are still times when I want a bit more than he is able to give. But I've also learned that if it's going to happen, it has to happen on his time schedule, not mine. So, for the moment, I've left the ball in his court and am just sitting back and waiting to see what happens.

He's a dork (and proud of it). He can be a pain in the ass. But I love him and wouldn't have him any other way. Well.....maybe I'd get rid of the snoring.

Other news: My "baby" sister finished her freshman year of college. My "baby" brother got his own apartment. One cousin got engaged and another is getting ready to start graduate school (I used to baby sit all of these "kids"). My god-daughter is going to China as part of a Student Ambassador program. My niece finished 1st grade. My nephew will be turning 3 in Aug. Damn.....time flies.

I signed back up for the '09 BC3D. This time as a Crew Member. That means I won't have to spend countless hours training and fund-raising. I only need $300 instead of $2000+. And it will give me a chance to experience the event from a completely difference perspective. The Crew members night not be walking 60 miles, but we don't exactly sit on our butts either! We are up at 3:00 am and don't get to bed until close to midnight. Every minute of the day is occupied. I am looking forward to it.

I regained 20 of the 40lbs that I lost between the 07 and 08 BC3Ds. The BF bought a Wii system, with the Wii Fit option. We've been using it to burn calories. And we've been eating a lot more salads. This past week hasn't been the best for us (kind of fell off the bandwagon over July 4th weekend). But I think we'll get back on track....STARTING TONIGHT!!!!

WOW!!! That's a lot of stuff for one post. I have a bit more to share, but I will save that for another day.

TAKE CARE!!!

I DID IT....AGAIN!!!!

2008-10-24T18:45:00.004-04:00

Just a quick TOUCH BASE to let everyone know that I completed my 2nd Breast Cancer 3 day Walk. I walked all 60 miles and had NO PROBLEMS with my feet or legs at all. A teeny blister that isn't worth mentioning and a wee bit of soreness (which ibuprofen and heat packs took care of quickly).

I did get laid up with an ass-kicking upper respiratory thing for a few days, but I'm all better now.

I will post more info and pix of the walk when I have some free time.

I do have a few personal update stories though!

A) Leopards don't change their spots and JACKASSES will be jackasses until they die. The guy that I dated many years ago, who left, but came back....? He left again. Without even a courtesy call. I was beating myself up over it for a few months but then realized that HE was the one who should be embarrassed, not me. So, I got over it and moved forward.

B) FACEBOOK IS COOL. I was looking up old high school people and, on a whim, looked up people who may have graduated from a school that I went to from 3rd-6th grade. And I found a name I recognized. In fact, he was one of my friends (and an old arch nemesis when it came to tests and spelling bees. CREPE!!!). After my family moved away, I never kept in touch with anyone at all, so I was pleasantly surprised when responded back and knew exactly who I was. We started chatting.....for hours....until 4:00 am. Turns out that he and I have some things in common.

Such as: going to school for scientific stuff. I got a chemisty degree and work for a pharmaceutical company. He got his degree in pharmacy. And, even though we grew up hours away from Phila, we both settled in the SAMN DAMN TOWN (seriously....4 miles apart from each other). Our personalities seem similar as well.....sense of humor, sarcasm (although mine is not quite as fine-tuned and cutting as his. I'M WORKING ON IT!!!).

I won't deny that it's freaking me the fuck out BUT I'm also having a blast playing "connect the dots" between 6th grade and present day. It doesn't seem like 25yrs have passed at all.

(Oh..... he made me a mean chicken noodle soup when I was sick. I don't think I've ever had a guy cook for me. EVER. Unless you count microwave popcorn).

Anyway, I guess that's all for now.

IT'S HERE!!!

2008-10-16T09:01:00.003-04:00

In less than 24hrs I will be doing my 2nd Breast Cancer 3 day Walk.

I'M SO EXCITED!

I just hope that I survive. I did a hell of a lot of training, but this week I am tempting fate by making myself sleep deprived.

I am reconnecting with an old friend.....and playing catch up from the past 25yrs involves lots of late night phone calls (and very little sleep). As much as I enjoy playing "connect the dots" from 6th grade until present time, I have a feeling it's going to kick my ass this weekend.

Packing DONE!!!

2008-10-13T05:37:00.003-04:00

I am not sure how I managed it, given the total LACK of energy I had all weekend, but my duffel bag is packed and ready to go.

I am very, very, VERY excited about meeting up with my teammates in 4 MORE DAYS!!!!

On a good note.....I seemed to have harnessed in the upper respiratory thing I was dealing with relatively early. FINGERS CROSSED it stays that way!

no. no. no. OH HELL NO!!!!

2008-10-11T18:53:00.004-04:00

Woke up this morning with a stuffy nose and a scratchy throat.

NONONONO. I am not getting sick. After all of the damn work I have done to raise the money and train for this walk, there is NO WAY I AM MISSING IT!!!!

I don't care if I have to have my teammates pull me in a wagon every single mile of the way!!!

I am taking all kinds of supplements and drinking a butt-load of green tea.

BECAUSE I CANNOT BE SICK!!! I WILL NOT BE SICK!!!!

2008-10-10T07:23:00.001-04:00

O N E M O R E W E E K ! ! ! !

National Depression Screening Day

2008-10-10T06:59:00.005-04:00

I heard on the news that today is National Depression Screening Day.

And with the economy crumbling around us, I'm thinking a lot of people will fall into the DEPRESSED category.

Depression is a serious thing. For so many years, it was just written off as a MIND OVER MATTER thing. More and more studies show that it has a physical foundation, which leads to the emotional/mental effects.

Even with all of the scientific data supporting the physical side of depression, many people still still brush it off as "moodiness", "laziness", etc.

I was diagnosed with clinical depression a few years ago. For a very long time, I went through life feeling like I had 100 lb lead weights tied to me...like I was in a huge pit and couldn't climb out. I would miss days of work, simply b/c I didn't have the energy to get out of bed. I'd go for 2-3 days without showering. And my apartment looked more like a public dump than a place of residence. Once I began treatment, I was like an entirely different person.

I spent years suffering in silence....in the lack of knowledge and understanding of what my body was doing to me. And now I'm going to have to spend the next few years repairing the damage.

Damage to my body: when I was depressed, I tried to fix those feelings with food. Lots of food. Fattening food! As a result, I am close to 200 lbs and it will take some time to get back down to my healthy weight.

Damage to my finances: All of that food? CHARGE CARDS!!!! I attempted to figure it out and I think I was spending close to $400/month (probably more) on take-out, fast-food, and junk food. Over a 3yr period, that adds up!

Damage to my reputation: At work, I am considered a slacker. Not because I can't do my job or don't do it well. It's b/c when the depression had me in its grip, I just DIDN'T CARE! I'd show up at 10:00 and leave at 3:00. I'd go nap in my car 2-3 times a day. I am working very hard to change people's perception of me, but unfortunately, it takes a long time for the positives to wipe out the negatives.

If you feel that you have symptoms of depression, call a local doctor or hospital to find out about a depression screening.

PREDICTION

2008-10-09T21:03:00.009-04:00

I predict that the A-Hole will get back together with his whore of an ex by Christmas.

Love isn't blind....

IT'S F-ING RETARDED !!!!!

10 days and $200 to go!!!

2008-10-07T22:31:00.005-04:00

TECHNICALLY, only $163 left!!!

I had a surprise donation from a family friend today. That donation put me over the $2000 mark....a hurdle that I had been trying to clear for over a month now!!!

THANKS GEORGE!!!

You know, 2 weeks ago, I was sure that I wouldn't be able to raise the money in time. That I'd have to make up the difference from my own savings account (which I would do, b/c there is NO WAY I'm sitting out!!!).

But I am continuously amazed at the generosity of the people in my life. One coworker, who faithfully buys my baked items each Friday, handed me a $50 bill a few weeks back. Another girl slipped me a $20. My grandmother, who I know is dealing with her own bills and a new mortgage payment, bought me a $30 duffel bag as well as gave me $20.

I have no doubts that I will be able to raise the remaining money needed for this year's walk. Hopefully I will even raise a little extra and be able to help my teammates reach their goal as well.

BROWNIES FOR BOOBIES!!!

2008-10-06T18:57:00.006-04:00

I have been baking goodies at home and selling them at work to raise money for my Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk. And I've been pretty successful, with the exception of the few times that someone brought in other goodies (donuts, bagels) on my Bake Sale Days.

Last week, I was busy baking all week. And then on Thursday, I was warned that there would be bagels and such the next day. I was freaking out. I didn't want to throw the stuff away, but I just didn't think it would be fresh enough to sell on the following week.

Then I remembered that my hair dresser (Rosie) had asked me about bringing some items into the salon for her to sell in the break room. So I put in a panicked call to her and explained the situation. She told me to bring it on in.

And....

IT ALL SOLD!!! Not only did I sell out, but she told me that she had requests for me to bring in MORE items this week! So for the next few weeks, I'm on double duty in the kitchen. I should be able to make a good sized dent in the money I have left to raise!!!

I LOVE OCTOBER!!!

2008-10-06T18:44:00.005-04:00

Actually, I just love the fall. Cooler temps, combined with the crisp autumn air and changing leaves, never fails to recharge my batteries.

This weekend I got up bright and early each day to walk. On Saturday, I spent the ENTIRE DAY in Philadelphia. In the morning I walked along Kelly Drive, which led me to an unexpected (and pleasant) surprise....the annual Dragon Boat Festival. It's a Chinese tradition but everyone is free to put their oar in the water. I took in a few races. It was very interesting.

After I finished up my first 10 miles, I decided to take a break along the Ben Franklin Parkway. There was an Obama rally going on. While I'm not overly political, I do think he's a better candidate than McCain. And Bruce Springsteen was putting on a free show. Which means that I would have been there no matter who the benefit was for.....even if it meant wearing a sticker saying "I LOVE GEORGE W !!" (thankfully, it DIDN'T....I didn't have to be a hypocrite for the entertainment).

After the show, I put in another 5 miles.

Sunday was nothing interesting....walking 10 miles and doing some last minute shopping for my walk.

SAX APPEAL!!!

2008-09-29T10:37:00.004-04:00

This is a bit belated, b/c I've been busy.

My sister is an amazingly talented artist. And yes, I am a bit prejudiced. But obviously others feel a bit the same way because whenever she enters anything into a competition...SHE WINS!!!

This year she entered an acrylic painting (the photo above) of a saxophone into a local art show. It got her a first place in the category as well as a BEST IN SHOW. This is a repeat performance of last year when she got BEST IN SHOW for another painting she did.

MI HERMANA IS MUY AWESOME!!!!

THINGS THAT IRRITATE THE CRAP OUT OF ME!!!

2008-09-17T16:32:00.012-04:00

WARNING...this post is full of anger, ranting, and swearing!!!!

It's PMS FROM HELL week, so I figured that I'd make a list of things that would irritate me normally but this week, make me want to rip people's heads off and shove them up their asses!!!!

-- People who don't knock before jiggling the door handle on a public restroom. Also, people who are using the restroom but don't yell out when I give a courtesy knock before trying the handle.

-- People who, at a 4 way intersection, either go when it's not their turn (which I guess is kind of an obvious one). ALSO....people at the same intersection who tell you to go when it's actually THEIR turn (which is probably less obvious....but no less irritating to me).

-- People who order the most expensive thing on the menu at a group lunch. Then divide the check up by the total number of people there. And then act like I'M the one being unreasonable when I refuse to pay $15 for my $4 lunch special.

-- People who blare their horns at you as you are sitting in the exit of a parking lot.....even though you are not moving forward or blocking lanes, therefore not causing any potential traffic accidents. And, of course, they are always on their cell phones. Meaning that they didn't see me sitting there the entire time b/c they were focused on their call rather than the road, so when they finally DID see me, their reaction was "what the fuck is she doing?!?!?!" even though I hadn't moved in at least 2 min. If you're going to talk on the phone while driving, at least take the responsibility for your own stupidity!!!

-- People who borrow money for sodas, snacks from the vending machine, or lunch on a regular basis......yet the ONE TIME you do it, they make fun of you....for the next 2-3 months.

-- People who routinely check out EBAY and Craig's List while at work, but make fun of you for checking your personal email during your lunch break.

-- People who move to the US from another country, open a business, and can't speak a word of English. No, I'm not a total bigotted bitch. The US is basically a land of immigrants. I am all for people coming here and having a better life than they could have had in their motherland. I don't care about people continuing to embrace their culture once they are here. I don't even care if they don't choose to learn English (after all, it's their own neck on the line if they need help but don't know how to ask for it). But if you are going to open a business where you deal with customers.....shouldn't you be able to at least communicate with them? As a consumer, do I not have the right to HAVE YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

-- People who move here from another country and then CONTINUOUSLY BITCH ABOUT THE UNITED STATES!!! If you hate it so much, then GO THE FUCK BACK HOME!!!!

-- People who constantly interrupt me. This is ironic , since I am notorious for doing it myself. But, to give myself credit, I realize it's annoying and am trying to cut back on doing it (and I apologize when I catch myself doing it).

Midnight Sun

2008-09-12T14:51:00.004-04:00

Midnight Sun is a phenomenon occurring in latitudes north and nearby to the south of the Arctic Circle and south and nearby to the north of the Antarctic Circle where the sun remains visible at the local midnight. Given fair weather, the sun is visible for a continuous 24 hours, mostly north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle.

It's also the working title of a book by author, Stephanie Meyer. For those who do not know, she is the author of the Twilight series of books about Bella (a mortal) who falls in love with Edward (a vampire. A nice vampire. A very, very, VERY nice vampire!).

Basically, the Twilight series is written from Bella's perspective. Ms Meyer thought that it would be great to have a book from Edward's perspective. And from what we could see (she gave as an "appetizer" by allowing us to read the first chapter on her website), she was right. I was very excited for the book to be published.

Then, some idiot decided WHAT FUN it would be to post a copy of the draft on the internet. Ms Meyer got all kinds of pissed off and decided that there was no point to finish the book.

Hello...WHAT?!?!?!?!

I understand that someone betrayed her trust. I understand her going after that person like a vampire goes after blood (well, the UN-nice vampires anyway). But how does punishing her fans right the wrong?

I'm sure there were plenty of people who looked at the leaked draft. I'm sure that there were many MORE (such as myself) who did NOT.

To be fair, Ms Meyer did post a copy of the draft on her website so that her fans could read it and get a bit of insight into Edward's mind. As much as I appreciate that, I still am feeling a bit disappointed. My books are like friends, and I like to visit them over and over again. My Twilight collection will simply not feel complete until Midnight Sun is on the shelf.

So, Ms Meyer....have your pity party. You are entitled to it. But then, think of your fans and keep the production and release of Midnight Sun moving forward.

9-11, always remember

2008-09-11T09:44:00.005-04:00

Today is the 7 yr anniversary of 9-11.

A moment to remember those who perished. A lifetime to honor those who willingly risk their lives to keep us safe.

When Life Hands You Lemons....

2008-09-09T10:44:00.007-04:00

This post was originally starting out as a bitch fest, but then it ended up turning into something positive.

The bitch fest was because I was upset. Several months ago, people at work got raises. I didn't. I will not go into the details, other than to say that it was a bogus deal and total BS. Finally, yesterday, I find out that my raise got approved. And then, this morning, I receive a notice from my apartment mgmt that my rent is going up $75/month AND they are now adding a $25/month pet fee (which I haven't paid in the previous 9yrs of living there and the pets have been there the ENTIRE TIME). So I was feeling all kinds of negative about the fact that I will be able to use NONE of my raise towards actually paying off my debt.

I went online to do a Google Images search about lemons (Original theme to this post: when life hands you lemons....you throw them at idiots who piss you off). And I came across this picture of Alex....a little girl who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 4 back in 2000. She decided to open a lemonade stand to raise money for research into childhood cancer. Her goal was to raise a million dollars....a goal which was achieved not long before her death in 2004.

Alex's determination and "make lemonade" attitude has spawned a national movement. In 2005, the owners of Kentucky Derby hopeful, Afleet Alex, not only donated a percentage of his winnings to this cause, but brought national attention to it as well. TastyKake created an Alex's Lemonade krimpet, which will raise additional money for the cause.

Since her first lemonade stand in 2000, Alex's Lemonade Stand has raised over 20 MILLION DOLLARS!

So I'm done with my pity party. Instead of looking at the rent increase as something that has negated my raise, I will look at my raise as coming at JUST THE RIGHT TIME to negate my rent increase.

Thank you, Alex, for helping me to put my priorities in order. Now I'm going to go enjoy a nice, cold glass of lemonade!!!

Rainy Day Blues

2008-09-08T19:31:00.004-04:00

Less than 6 weeks until the Breast Cancer 3 Day walk.

I didn't do any walking this past weekend. On Saturday, I was depressed and mopey and wanted to spend the day bathing in my mopiness.

Woke up. Stayed in bed reading. Took a nap at noon. Woke up at 2. Moved to the couch to read some more!

On a good note, I actually finished the third book of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I've had the books since I was in high school (mid 80s) and have started the trilogy countless times, but have yet to finish it. Book one flies by. Book two moves a bit more slowly, but intrigues me enough to finish it. Book 3.....I don't think I've ever gotten more than halfway through it. My problem is, once I pick up a book, I can't set it down. And once I do, I'm done with it. and with the LOTR Trilogy, I feel like I need to read THEM ALL at once......which is the equivalent to having a big breakfast on Thanksgiving morning (Book One), going to a Thanksgiving dinner at lunchtime (Book Two), and then having to go to yet another Thanksgiving dinner in the evening (Book Three).

The only time I actually wasn't in bed or on the couch was the hour I spent hiding from a possible tornado in my bathroom. Tropical Storm Hannah was making it way up the east coast and we had tornado warnings in my neighborhood. To be honest, I can never remember if it's a "watch" or a "warning" that means one actually has been sighted, but when the local cable company broke into ALL of the channels saying "get yer ass to shelter, right quick", I did so (after shoving my cats into their carrier and getting them and the guinea pig situated. Gotta take care of the kids first!!!). Turned out to be nothing but better safe than sorry. I have no interest in playing Dorothy.

On Sunday, I allowed myself another sleep-in and then spent the day in a mad apartment cleaning frenzy. My housekeeping is very lax on a good day, but with all of my training, I really have let it get out of hand.

Random funny story.....my BABY sister is away at her freshman year of college. I mailed her WalMart gift card figuring that she could use it for snacks, supplies, cds...whatever. I get a text from her today, thanking me for the card. "Now I can go buy BRAS!!!" was her response. Of course, I had to ask what happened to the bras she currently owns and received the answer "I'm too lazy to do laundry and I don't have any more clean ones". AHHHH COLLEGE!!!!!

I am up to $1600 raised, which means $600 to go (in less than 6 weeks). GULP!!!

Kids are AWESOME

2008-08-26T07:43:00.005-04:00

In this day and age, kids seem to get a reputation for being a bit more outspoken and rude than I ever remember being allowed to be. But in reality, there are a lot of amazingly generous children out there and I have two stories to share.

The first is my teammate's daughter, Storm. She came with her mom to the yard sale this weekend and spent every single second finding ways to help us. From putting up the canopy to lugging boxes. I was doing facepainting, so when she saw someone with children, she directed them to my table. She made free sno-cones to hand out to people on the last (and hottest) day. And when she got "bored" with that, she started pulling in customers!!! She made up some signs on posterboard and held them up so the cars passing by would know what this was a breast cancer fundraiser. Several people stopped to make a donation. All on her own, she raised $50 for her mom's goal. STORM IS AN AWESOME KID!!!!

The second story was about the neighbor's children. Late Sunday afternoon, they set up a little lemonade stand. We figured that they were hoping to grab some of our customers....a trickle down effect of sorts. We felt badly for them b/c it was very slow. We had actually started to pack up. After and hour, they packed up as well....

.....and then walked down the street to give us the $11 they had raised!!!

How amazing is that?!?!?!

Last year on the walk, we walked past an elementary school. Along the entire fenced in schoolyard were dozens of young children, wearing pink, and holding up signs to cheer us on.

KIDS ARE SUPER COOL!!!!

Pink Penguin Extravaganza!!!!

2008-08-25T13:38:00.005-04:00

Hello all. Yet another TIRED Monday after a busy, busy, CRAZY BUSY weekend (and hellishly long week beforehand).

No walking this time.....instead the focus was on fundraising. My team captain, Samantha, held a yardsale at her place in North NJ. She invited the rest of us Pink Penguins along to try and raise money for our individual efforts....we called the event the PINK PENGUIN EXTRAVAGANZA.

I spent the ENTIRE WEEK baking like a madwoman. I made 6-7 cakes. I made 4-5 batches of brownies. I made several batches of cookies.

Keep in mind, this is on top of working: 13hrs (mon), 11 hrs (tues), 10 hrs (wed/thurs). And even though I told my boss I only wanted to work 4hrs on Fri, I ended up working 6.5 (on 4hrs of sleep since I was up until 1am icing cakes the night before). I didn't get to bed before midnight all week AND I had to wake up at 4:30 am on Saturday.

I made $130 and I was happy with that. Not all of that was from the baked goods. I also had some magnetic car ribbons and other items with the pink ribbon on it. I did free face painting for the kids and some parents donated $ for that.

Samantha actually had a write up in the paper of the event...she put it in a few days ahead of time. As a result, she received many donations of items to sell. And by many....I mean MANY MANY MANY MANY!!! And people dropped by with checks already made out to the cause. She made $850 in the first day alone!!! Insane!!! And she has 2 people lined up to come take the leftovers to yard sales at their houses and donate a portion of the proceeds back to us.

I need to take a page from her book when doing my fundraising events next year. It's been a bit more difficult to have a HUGE yardsale b/c I don't have my own place. I'm hoping that will change within the next 6 months (as I have plans to take advantage of the real estate market and buy a house).

It was a great weekend. Not only did I get to subtract money from the WHAT I NEED TO GET TO MY $2200 GOAL column, but I got to hang out with my 2 crazy teamates and friends. It was a lot of fun!!!

Between the money I raised this weekend and the money I still have to add to my account from the August bake sale @ work, I should be around $1450 raised. So if anyone should happen to see a $750 bill lying on the ground, keep me in mind!!!

My Feet Rule!!!

2008-08-18T18:49:00.005-04:00

I have been very impressed with my feet lately. I was very mean to them last year. I did the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk (60 miles in 3 days). I slacked off on my training in the 6-8 weeks before the event, which made the 3 Day Walk even more tough than it needed to be.

But my feet still love me!!! They haven't punished me once. I made it through last year without any huge blisters or losing any toenails. Sure, they scolded me a bit for 48hrs after I did the 3 Day, but it was a loving "hey.....we took care of you, so you better take good care of us next year" kind of thing. A little reminder to remember those lessons I learned.

This year, they have been awesome! I didn't start training until July. And I didn't start off easy. Hell no....I went out and walked 25 miles my first week! And each weekend after, I kept increasing the miles. 15 miles one weekend.....22 the next. This past weekend I did 27 miles.

I'm so proud of my feet. I love them as much as they love me! After I do this crazy walk YET AGAIN, they are going to get a major spa treatment!!!

9 Weeks!!

2008-08-15T16:34:00.004-04:00

It's been shamefully long since I've posted. Not that anyone reads it all that much anyway...but still.

I got a late start but now I'm training like a mad woman. For the past few months, I didn't do any walking at all. Then, one day I looked at the calendar and said HOLY CRAP!!!! And that weekend I did 16miles (8 on Sat and 8 on Sun). AND NO SIDE EFFECTS!

I've been increasing it bit by bit each weekend. Last weekend I did 15miles on Sat and 8 on Sun. I was very tired, but still felt great. Tomorrow I will be doing 17miles.

Being a Training Walk Leader has really helped keep me going. If I submit an official walk, I have to show up. Even if nobody signs up for it, I still show up JUST IN CASE! So far I only had one long walk where nobody came out to walk and I managed to do the entire distance on my own. YAY ME!!!

Fundraising is a bit scary. I need $2200. I've raised $1169. The fundraising letters I've sent out really haven't yielded much. With a little more than 2 months left, I do feel moments of panic. During those moments, I try my best to "give it up to God" and trust that He will find a way to make it happen.

I've also been doing Fundraising Fridays at work....bringing in baked good to sell. Most weeks I sell out. First 2 months I made $75 each time. July was only $60, but that was b/c I only did it for 2 Fridays. This month, I'm already up to $100!!!!

Next weekend, my team leader is having a yard sale at her house. So I am going to set up a face painting and bake sale table in the hopes of grabbing additional donations. Even if I don't make money on it, I'll get to hang out with Miss Sammy Penguin!!!

Well, I guess that's all. Look for more updates in the NEAR future!!!

RIP Eight Belles

2008-05-04T10:14:00.003-04:00

This Saturday was the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby.

I love horses and never cease to be amazed when I see them running. I followed Smarty Jones' career (as his home track was 10min from my house, he was quite the local celebrity). I rooted for Afleet Alex. I sobbed when Barbaro broke down at the Preakness (and again when he was put down after a valient fight for survival).

The tears are flowing again, this time for Eight Belles, the only filly (that's a GIRL horse for those who don't speak the language) in the race. In the 134 years of the Derby, only 38 fillies have competed and only 3 gals have ever run. It really is a boy's club!!

Eight Belles fought hard and came in 2nd....a very impressive feat. Then, only a moment later, she collapsed onto the track with 2 broken ankles. This is a very serious injury to horses and she had to be euthanized immediately.

RIP sweet girl. And say hi to Secretariat and Barbaro for us!!!

Which came first??!!??!!

2008-04-23T13:15:00.005-04:00

I actually have no interest in this particular question since I am of the God Created All Creatures belief.

What I am curious about is this... WHO decided that it would be a tasty idea to crack open and cook up something that comes out of a chicken's back-end??!!??!?!

I'm not complaining! I love me some eggs. Fried, scrambled, poached, hard boiled. There's really no bad way to eat them. But seriously....who was the first person to make a fried egg? Did someone crack it open thinking that they'd find a baby chick and then decided to get imaginative with the snotty substance they found inside? Did someone inadvertantly drop an egg on a sunny surface, which caused it send out appetizing aromas while it was cooking? Or perhaps, because eggs give forth new life, someone thought it would be good to eat as a symbolic gesture (although that doesn't really explain how the cooking got involved)?

I WANT TO KNOW!!!!!!

Relay For Life

2008-04-17T19:01:00.005-04:00

I just signed up to do a Relay For Life event. Basically it means that I (along with a few hundred other people) will be walking for 24hrs straight in order to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

The event is May 17th and 18th at my alma mater, Southern Columbia High School. I have set a goal to raise $100, so any help would be appreciated.

I figure it will be a great way to really spur my 3 Day Walk training!

I'm on my best friend's team. My sister and some of her marching band buddies will be involved as well. It should be a good time, for a wonderful cause!!!

To donate: CLICK HERE!!!

I'ts Been One Of Those Weeks!!!!

2008-04-16T11:14:00.005-04:00

I have had a rough week.

The upper respiratory thing I picked up has been KICKING MY BUTT all over town. There were many days where I had no strength and spent the majority of the time either in bed or being a vegetable on the couch. Fevers, stuffy head, chest congestion...you name it, I had it.

Now, 10 days later, I am starting to feel somewhat human again!

Then there's my budget. The company I work for has postponed our raises YET AGAIN! At this point, a full 2 years will have passed since our last raise cycle. What's really funny is that, the owner of the company always posts these memos talking about how "great the raises will be compared to the rest of the industry", which is laughable, b/c we are at the LOW END of the salary scale and in the 8yrs I've been here, we have never EVER had an annual raise. It's usually 15-18months in between.....24-30 during a rough year.

And b/c of not getting my raise (and having overtime cut), I am unable to do the auto maintainance I need. My car needs tires and is leaking coolant. So I basically am crossing my fingers each time I get behind the wheel, praying and hoping that I don't blow a tire or my motor.

My guinea pig, Phantom, died on Sunday. Apparently she had not been eating for awhile but I never noticed! When I weighed her, she had lost 1lb (1/3 of her body weight. NOT GOOD). I feel like such a BAD MOMMY and the guilt is making my mourning all that much worse. If I had noticed this a week ago, I may have been able to get her to the vet and get her on some meds as well as have them show me how to feed her by hand. I am sick to my stomach about it.

And last, but certainly not least, the BOYFRIEND. He never calls. When I break down and call him, he will chat with me without any problems, but he certainly doesn't act like he misses me at all. I am so sick and tired of being taken for granted. I am sick and tired of him taking his issues with his ex out on ME. I have been waiting patiently (ok...not so patiently) for him to move past his past but it doesn't seem to be in the damn cards. I guess I should start shopping around for a new one, but really, my heart just isn't ready for that.

On a good note...I received another donation for my 3 Day Walk today. I signed up to do a Relay For Life event with my best friend and her daughter in May. I have scheduled a training walk for this Friday evening. That should snap me out of my funk a little bit. Let's hope that the weekend brings better things!!!

First Training Walk!!!

2008-04-09T11:07:00.004-04:00

Not only did I sign up for the 2008 3 Day Walk immediately after completing the 2007 event....I also signed up to be a Training Walk Leader. I had gone on some training walks last year and found that the tidbits of information I received from the leaders I met were invaluable in helping me to prepare. I wanted to ne able to extend that knowledge to others.

This past Sunday, I held my FIRST OFFICIAL TRAINING WALK!!!!

I held it at Neshaminy State Park. I chose this location for multiple reasons. A) close to my house. B) combination of paved and "off road" surfaces. C) path goes in a "loop", which means that I simply repeat the path multiple times to reach the desired mileage (and people can drop out after completing one circuit if they don't feel up to going the full distance).

The weather was generous this weekend. I was fortunate to have dry weather for both my trip to NYC on Saturday as well as my walk. There was a bit of chill in the air, enhanced by the wind. But once we got moving, our bodies warmed up nicely.

I met 3 ladies on this walk: Mickey, Pam, and Sam. All of them are 3 Day "virgins", so I was excited to be able to pass along some of my enthusiasm for the event to them. They peppered me with lots of questions and I feel relatively confident that I was able to provide sensible and informative answers. We all had similar personalities, so there were no awkward moments along the walk.

Pam and Sam are sisters. Since I am not great at putting names to faces, I told them that I would simply combine their names and refer to them as the SPAM Sisters! They loved it so much that they are considering making it their official team name!!!

We logged in 3.2 miles, which brings my total of walking for the weekend to something around 6.5 miles. It was a great experience, which simply cemented my decision to become a Training Walk Leader.

The only downfall is that I woke up Monday with a killer upper respiratory infection and it is putting a crimp in my workout plans this week. As much as I want to get to the gym for some cross training, I know from personal experience that if I force myself to go, I will make myself sicker (and end up missing an additional week). So it's lots of green tea, oj, echinacea, and sleep for me this week.

The Big Apple!!!

2008-04-06T18:32:00.009-04:00

Yesterday I spent the day in New York City. My sister (a senior in high school) was going there on a class trip. My mother was going as well as my best friend and her daughter. I decided to take the train and meet them up with them. I was up at 4:30 am in order to get my things together and pick up the 6:30 am train. By 9:00, I was in the Big Apple.

I walked the 25 blocks or so to join them at Carnegie Hall. What a stunning building!!! It was built in 1891 and I learned that Tchaikovsky headlined on opening night. I also learned that the building was very progressive in the fact that it was run by electricity instead of gaslights as most theaters and music halls were, as a means to prevent destruction by fire. The acoustics were absolutely amazing!!! An oboist was warming up on stage and whether we were sitting in the front row or the "nosebleeds", the sound carried to us perfectly (no amplification needed).

After the tour, we headed to Times Square for lunch and then to The Schubert Theater to see Spamalot. I have to admit that I went with some reservations. I had seen The Holy Grail when I was in high school, but wasn't exactly enthralled. However, I had a great time and laughed so hard that I had concerns about "soiling my armor". Clay Aiken starred as Sir Robin and I really love his singing......that added to the experience for me!

Next was a visit to Madam Tussaud's Wax Museum. It was an experience that was a creepy as it was fun. The figures are set up in such a way that you can get right up close and personal. You can pose with them....you can touch them. And even though you know that it's not a real person, you are expecting them to reach out and grab you. In fact, as I was walking into the exhibit, I tried to hand my ticket to the woman with an outstretched arm.....until I realized it was actually a figure of Whoopie Goldberg! They had a figure of Jon Bon Jovi (quite possibly the sexiest man on the entire planet). I posed for a picture of my giving him a kiss.....the closest I'll ever get to planting on on the hunk!!!

Dinner was at Planet Hollywood (cheeseburger and fries hit the spot after a hectic day) and then I headed back to the train. Ended up missing the train that would get me home by midnight, so I ended up not hitting the hay until 2:00 am or so Sunday morning.

I logged about 3.2-3.3 miles of walking towards my 3 Day Walk training!

RIP Faithful Friend!

2008-04-01T14:55:00.006-04:00

Black Jack was put to sleep yesterday, at the age of 17. Although he was the "family dog", he really belonged to my younger brother. Devin was 3 yrs old when Black Jack was born, so they basically grew up together.

When my sister was much younger, Black Jack would follow her down to the creek behind our house, keeping an eye on her.

One time he got caught in some animal traps for many days. Every single day, multiple times each day, we would walk through the forest calling his name. We passed the spot where Black Jack was trapped many times but could not see him through the brush. I wondered why the dog didn't bark....my dad theorizes that he didn't think he needed to. He heard us coming and patiently, faith never wavering, awaiting his rescue.

Black Jack had been fading for the past few months......the end coming more rapidly in the past 2 weeks. It was a hard decision to make, especially for my brother. He told me, "He seems as though he's fighting to survive. I hate the idea of forcing him to die". I explained to Devin that I had been through it before and while difficult, it was a better option than letting things drag on and having Black Jack's suffering prolonged (he already wasn't able to walk more than a few steps at at time and was losing weight rapidly).

The next morning I received a text: "We are taking him to the vet now. Last night, he began to shudder while breathing, as though in pain"

I feel that Black Jack sensed Devin's struggle with this decision and "told" him that it was indeed the right time to let him go. It was Black Jack's final gift to his owner.

Devin sat in the vet's room, petting Black Jack until the dog started dozing off before allowing the needle to make that sleep permanent. Devin buried him under a tree right outside of his bedroom window, and in the ground he placed a playing card.......a black jack.

First Donation of 2008!!!

2008-03-27T16:56:00.003-04:00

I already had $125 in the record books for the this year's 3 Day Walk, but that was actually some of the leftover checks and donations from my 2007 donors (those who donated after I did the walk told me to go ahead and get a head start on this year's fundraising).

Today, completely unexpectedly, I received my first donation in 2008!!!!! YIPPPEEEEE!!!!!!

Thanks to Tom and Connie from church. God Bless You!!!

Happy Easter!!!!

2008-03-23T13:32:00.003-04:00

I hope that everyone had a great Easter Holiday!

Mine was jam packed. Took Friday off from work...."slept in" until 7:00 (been waking up at 5:00, so it really was sleeping in!). Went to the gym, WW, and ran errands. Came home and took a 2hr nap!

Got in the car around 8:00 pm to head up to my parents'...only to turn around 45min later b/c I though I forgot something at home (turns out I didn't. what can I say...blonde moment!). Went to bed at midnight and got BACK UP at 4:00am and left (for real this time) at 6:00am.

Picked up my niece and we spent the day together. We had breakfast, had a "play date" with my BFs kids, and went to Grandma's house to jump on the trampoline. After I dropped her back home, I went and visited another friend of mine. Then grabbed a quick bite to eat before heading out to visit with my Aunt Tina. THEN I met up with my friend, my sister, and sister's BF for a late night snack. FINALLY got to bed around 1:00am.

Here it is, Easter Morning. After I update my blog, I have to get Easter Dinner started for the family. Then will visit my BF. Then will head back home.

Aren't holidays (and long weekends) supposed to be RELAXING?!?!?!?!

Happy Spring!!!!

2008-03-20T14:06:00.004-04:00

Spring is a time of fresh starts.......clean slates.......rebirth. It's also a time for "cleaning house"......tossing out those old things that just clutter up your life, while brushing the dust of off some older (let valuable) treasures.

This year, I plan on doing some serious Spring Cleaning. I'm not talking about my closets; I'm talking about me. My mind, body, and spirit.

Obviously, with the body, I have already taken the first step(s). Eating better, going to the gym. I'm only about 30% of the way to where I want to be with my weight loss, but that's quite an accomplishment.

Mind and Spirit are a bit more difficult to tackle. I know that I am tired of carrying around resentment, mistrust, and insecurities (baggage from past relationships). I know that I need to stop over-analyzing EVERY SINGLE THING and driving myself INSANE. I know that I want to be able to ENJOY the relationship I'm in, rather than waiting for that next shoe to fall (more baggage!!!!).

I'm not really sure where to start with any of the above things. Guess I'll have to take it Day By Day!!!

Happy St Patty's day

2008-03-18T13:24:00.006-04:00

Yes, I know.....a day late. Better a day late than never, right?

It's been shamefully long since I've had a post. I've been very busy since November.

I'm registered for the 2008 Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk. I will be walking at the Philadelphia event, October 17-19. I am also going to be a training walk leader. I'm hoping in doing that, I will be a little more steadfast in my own training schedule. I had spurts of motivation last year, filled in with periods of stagnation. I made it through the walk with the help of my wonderful teammate Kimm, but it was a lot harder than it should have been b/c of my slacking off in the training.

I joined Weight Watchers right after the walk have lost slightly over 30lbs to date. I recently started going to the gym for some cardio and strength training. I have been incorporating some running and inclines into my treadmill routine, as well as using the elliptical machine as part of my 3 Day training. One thing I learned last year as that the cross training (of which I did NONE) is crucial. As soon as the weather gets warmer, I will take to roller blading and bike riding on the weekends in addition to my walking.

Still seeing my "old-new" boyfriend and it's been decent. Not to say that there haven't been some "hiccups" along the way, but what relationship doesn't have them?!?!?! I'm just not sure if his anger issues with his ex are surmountable or not. Guess time will tell.

I guess that's all for now. TTY Soon!!

Time for Giving Thanks!

2007-11-26T09:15:00.001-05:00

I have just come off of an absolutely WONDERFUL Thanksgiving weekend!!!

First of all, I had a "date type thing" with my ex. We had spent the last week, on the phone constantly. The spark and emotions where still there, at least while on the phone, so we decided to see how that carried over to a face-to-face meeting.

We had a good time. Some of the connection is still there. Where will it lead? No idea......but I'm willing to find out.

I got to meet his kids, who are absolutely adorable. They took to me pretty easily and I am proud to say that I did well with them. I was a bit nervous about spending time with a 2 and 4 yr old, but things went very smoothly. I even played Martha Stewart on Sunday by making waffles for breakfast.

He is such a great Daddy that my heart melts when I see him with his children. I didn't think it was possible, but I actually respect him. And not to toot my own horn, but I didn't do half-bad while playing "house" this weekend. "Mommy-Skills", that I didn't even know existed, kicked in.

This Thursday is my birthday and Chuck is supposed to be coming down to help me celebrate. I'm not sure what we'll do. Maybe rent a Dane Cook dvd or head down to South Street. Maybe check out the Phila Zoo. Whatever it is, it will be fun!!!

I also got to spend time with my family (adorable niece and nephew) as well as my friend Christine. My sister, friend, and god-daughter went to see Disney's Enchanted on Fri (great movie!!!) and then Christine and I went dancing Friday night.

All iin all, it was a wonderful holiday weekend and I am very thankful for every minute!

Time to play "ketchup"!!!

2007-11-14T11:51:00.002-05:00

It has been way too long since I've posted, so this is a Catch Up Post!

I am fully recuperated from the walk. My feet still look all jacked up from the peeling (dead skin from the calluses is coming off) but I am still amazed at how well they held up for 60+ brutal miles.

Because of the constant reminders about Early Detection, I decided start doing my self-breast checks at home. And I found a lump. So I had my first official mammogram. You know what, it was not bad at all. I'm not saying I would do one every week....but the fear and anticipation was SO much worse than the actual procedure. The dr says that it is 99% likely that the lump is just a benign cyst, but I am having it removed and biopsied anyway. BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!!!

I also joined WW (the week after the walk). I weighed in around (maybe even a little above) 240 lbs. This past weigh in, I had lost a total of 11 lbs (been on the program for 5 weeks). I know that it's going to be a long road, but I know I can do it. If I can walk 60 miles in the piss-poor shape that I am in, I can manage lose 100 lbs.

I had my first date in almost 3 years. My 3 Day training buddy, Marie, set me up. It wasn't a BAD date (and I know that there are some horror stories about the Blind date), it was just.......ok. The guy is very "vanilla" and I prefer some "chocolate chip mint". Since he was calling me just about every day in the week leading up to the date, and I haven't heard from him since (2 weeks ago), I'm guessing he also felt the LACK of connection. It wasn't the most successful First Date I've ever had, but it was nice to get back in the saddle. I guess that means I need to sit down and update my Match and Cupid profiles!!! I have't had much success with the online dating thing....guys just seem to back away from meeting the "big girls". But maybe this time will be the charm!!!

I received a bit of news that envoked many different emotions in me. I found out that my ex had separated from his wife (she basically picked up and left). Initially, I was dancing for glee. This was the woman who he was involved with before we got together and who he went back to after we broke up. I know his reasons for doing what he did, but the catty part of me was still happy to hear that she proved to be the "not so nice word" I pegged her to be. My 2nd emotion was sadness and concern for him. There are some people in this world that will, no matter how much time passes, always have a place in your heart. This guy is one of those. Even though I now realize that we were not meant to be together romantically, I still care for him. And I know enough about his history to know that he would take all of the responsibility for the split upon himself (and punish himself unecessarily for it). Then, a week or so after I heard about the separation, when I heard that he was being treated for suicidal thoughts, I felt very real fear. We did speak on the phone and it seems that he is doing better now.

I also got to reconnect with another face from my past. I had dated a guy some years ago who had a son. Even after we broke up, I still set aside time to visit with Leon. Then Leon's dad got into a serious relationship with somebody, so my time was cut back. I understood why it had to happen but it was still a difficult transition. This past Monday, Leon was off from school for Veteran's day. So his dad brought him to me and we spent a wonderful few hours together. We went to Chucky Cheese (spent $40 in tickets, in order to go home with $3.00 worth of prizes. The person who came up with that idea is a genius!!!!) and then the park.

It's been a busy but fulfilling time since my 3 Day experience!!!

Arrrgh!!!!

2007-10-12T19:20:00.001-04:00

There be (cross dressing) pirates about!!!

There's realy not much else I can say!!!!

BooBoo Bear

2007-10-12T19:18:00.000-04:00

This is Sam's BooBoo Bear. He came with us. We all resent him b/c he sort of cheated....riding in Sam's backpack rather than getting his fuzzy footsies dirty.

That's OK. We love him anyway!

The Penguins!

2007-10-12T19:13:00.000-04:00

This is a pic of my teamates and I....minus Barb (who was on Crew) at Closing Ceremonies. Team Leader, Sam, is in the middle. I'm the one with the pink cap. Kimm is on the left.

You guys are AWESOME!!!!!!

Lisa...Yellow Car Girl

2007-10-12T19:01:00.000-04:00

The one in the middle (not wearing a pink hat) is Lisa. She drove around the route, beeping and cheering, telling us we looked DAMN GOOD!

Turns out that her partner, Carolyn, is a breast cancer survivor. These are Lisa's words from the message boards:

"First and foremost, I am deeply touched to have had the honor of being a part of the Philly 3 day journey with each and every one of you.I was absolutely amazed by the intense displays of strength, faith, and just plain determination.Throughout the walk several of you asked me about my story, so here goes:I walked with the love of my life for several years and am committed to the event. A few years back while going through fertility treatment, we decided that she would walk alone, but I went along and "did my thing". Over the years I've tought of going back to walking - but if I did, who would drive the car and cheer like a crazy woman?"

Lisa, as much as I'm sure your friends would love to have you walk with them, I really would miss you and your amazing attitude.

Day Three!!!!!

2007-10-12T17:34:00.000-04:00

The last morning of the 3 Day was a bit rough. I didn't sleep well the night before due to throbbing feet and the sounds of the city (gun shots, police helicopter, etc). And we had to get up extra early in order to pack the bags and take down the tent. I also knew I'd need to take a bit longer getting my feet ready as I had a few blisters in spots where I wasn't expecting them.

We managed to get on the trail by 7:45, tired but pepped with the knowledge that this was the LAST DAY!! And a "short" one.... only 16 miles !!! It actually got a lot easier along the road b/c we saw a STARBUCKS! Kimm and I headed in for some Frappuccinos. While in line, we were answering questions about the walk. When we went to pay, we discovered that the woman in front of us had already paid for our drinks. It was such a small gesture, but one that meant so much. Between the caffeine and the kindness, I was ready to go.

Much of the day is a blur but I do remember walking in Narbeth and Ardmore. At one of those places, I got some "puppy love" from an English Bulldog and got to go "awwwwww" at a 2 month old girl, wrapped up in a pink feather boa and wearing a pink "do-rag".

My feet were so much worse today than the other days. The bandages I had out on to protect my blisters were actually aggrevating them. I was icing and putting "goop" on my feet at every pit stop but I was bound and determined to make it every step. There were 2 points where I almost gave up and took a sweep van.

The first was after one of the pit stops (I believe it was number 3). Kimm and I headed out and were talking a bit as we walked. We came to an intersection with a bike-guide at the corner. She waved us on and we kept on going straight. After a bit, we noticed that there were no more arrows tellins us where to go (or that we were on the correct path). We called the phone number provided to us for such things, only to find out that we were supposed to TURN at the intersection with the biker. Needless to say we were frustrated. At ourselves for not paying attention but even more so at the woman whose job it was to make sure we were on the right path. The woman who was so involved in her conversation that she didn't even blink an eye as we walked off track. All in all, I'd say we went 5-6 blocks out of our way (and then had to come BACK). At the end of that road, we were met by the "caboose"....the woman who rides behind the walkers and gathers up those who are straggling. We were told that "there was no way we could make the next pit stop in time. We would have to wait for a sweep van". It was about 1.5 miles to go and we had about 30 min to get there. I told Kimm, "it's your call". She was walking in honor of her mom, who was a survivor. I knew that she was determined to do every single step and I was not about to make the decision to skip some of the route for her. One of the walkers who was waiting for the van told us "I've been here for 45 min waiting". At that moment, Kimm and I were waving BYE BYE and we started pushing our legs. I cannot even begin to tell you how we did it, but we made it to the pitstop with time to spare.

The next time I wanted to hitch a ride was in Delaware County. We make a left hand turn and in front of us was a BIG HILL. When I saw how steep it was, I literally started to cry. I knew that I would not be able to climb it. My feet and legs were already tired when I started the day. Now they were totally shot b/c of the push to get to the previous pit stop. Another walker pointed out that they were only going about halfway up and then turning to the left. I figured "I can manage half of this hill". So I kept on moving. When I got to the turn off, I cried again. Why? Because the route DIDN'T actually turn off of the hill. We just went from walking on the road to walking on the sidewalk. And we were going to be walking....all the way....to the top. Do you remember my mentioning in the Day 1 recap how cruel and twisted the route designers were? At that moment, I wanted to shoot them all. No, I wanted to hang them up by their thumbs and beat them. THEN I'd shoot them. But I also got PISSED OFF. I hadn't come this far to have my walk be cut short b/c of some idiot, driving along thinking "wouldn't it be a real MINDF--K to throw in a HUGE hill at the END of the 3 Day?!?!". So I dug in and climbing. I had to stop repeatedly to stretch and get my breath. I had to guzzle water and gatorade so as not to pass out in the relentless sun (and upper 80 degree temps). I kept on moving forward. And I made it. God put some angels at the top of that hill.....an older couple who set up some sprinklers and hoses in their front yards. If I wasn't sweaty and smelly, I may have hugged them both.

The hills did not end there, but at least none were as steep (or as disheartening) as that one.

Along the last mile of the road was a cheering station. Some people were out with signs and we were serenaded by The King himself! And Elvis impersonator was standing alongside a pink cadillac and singing for us. We could get a pic with him, but we'd have to walk up stairs to do that. I passed!!!

Finally we made it to the end. I didn't quite realize it was actually over until I saw the Hotties For Hooters (a father/son team who were there to cheer us on every morning and night). It wasn't until I saw "Moose" that the magnitude of what I just did sunk in and I started to tear up. By this point, Sam had joined Kimm and I and we JUMPED over the finish line (immediately groaning when our feet hit the ground). As we walked forward, who should I see but Lisa (Yellow car Girl), telling us that we looked DAMN GOOD (her mantra for the event). All walkers and crew members were kept in a "holding area" while we made sure that everyone was gathered up. Anyone left on the road would be picked up by a van in order not to miss the ceremonies. Then the time came to walk into the staging area.

The ceremonies were simple enough. People thanking us and talking about the money we raised (little over 6 billion for Philadelphia alone!). Those walkers who were also breast cancer survivors came in to a standing ovation and "one shoe salute' (we held our sneaker up in the air). They reminded us that, starting Monday, nobody would cheer when we crossed a street or offer to fill our water bottles for us. Nobody would pat us on the back or high five us. Nobody would tell us how amazing we were...but that we were. Interestingly enough, I was standing next to Charles, the man I first saw on the Day One shuttle from the hotel (and the winner of the 3 Day Idol contest). He had just as much energy as every other time (seriously....that's not normal).

Afterwards, I found my friend Marie and we went out to dinner with her family. Then I came home and soaked my feet in some ice water. Then I went to bed. The next day was a definite let-down. While I didn't mind not having to pound the pavement, I was missing the adrenaline rush.

On Tueday I went back to work. Nobody cheered for me but I did receive at least 2 high fives.

Now, on this Friday afternoon, I have assimilated myself back into the "the daily grind". Missing my 2500+ friends and anxiously awaiting next year (I registered for 2008 less than 48 hrs after finishing the 2007 walk!!!!).

DAY TWO!!!!

2007-10-10T16:47:00.000-04:00

Please note...this photo was not taken by me. I "borrowed" it from some who posted the pics elsewhere.

Day 2 started out with a "full" night's sleep (from 10:30 til about 5:30.....2-3 hrs short of what I normally need to function). Got dressed in the dark and then headed over for breakfast. I also put bandages on the areas of my feet that I felt were prone to blisters.

Within a mile or 2, we were walking through a beautiful park near the Belmont Plateau. There, a group of girls (guessing early to mid 20s in age) started celebrating when they saw a sign. I guess someone put it up to cheer their team on. I offered take a photo of them all standing around the sign and found out that they were all walking in memory of their friend, Carolyn. She died from breast cancer a few years back, at the age of 26. It's hard to imagine someone so young being taken out by this disease.

We walked past the Philadelphia Zoo and into University City (near University of Pennsylvania and Drexel). We walked along "Greek Row", where the frat and sorority houses stood. I was extremely surprised to see many of the brothers and sisters cheering us on (whoduthunkit? College kids awake before 10:00 on a Saturday?!?!).

Our first cheering station was in a shopping center in the Gray's Ferry section of the city. There, Kimm and I met ZIM, an absolutely gorgeous pit bull who gave lots of wags and kisses. PUPPY LOVE!!!!

We walked into South Philadelphia, past the famous cheesesteak stands of Pat's and Geno's. I really wanted to stop for a mushroom whiz steak, wit' (meaning, with peppers and onions) but figured that woudn't sit so well in my belly while walking. We walked along South Street, where we came across our 2nd cheering station. We had actual cheerleaders standing on the side walk, complete with pom-poms!!!

We walked into the Historic District, past the Liberty Bell. I got to kiss a few of the carraige horses. The drivers all told us that they "weren't allowed to let us cheat' by giving us rides. One tour guide was nice enough to point out that we had missed an arrow and were walking in the opposite direction of everyone else (I was too busy kissing ponies to notice!).

Towards the end of the day, our final pit stop was at the foot of the Art Museum stairs. I was tempted to go up and get a pic of me at the top of the stairs but Kimm was in no mood to walk up with me or even stop to take my picture. I decided that I would go back another time, when my legs weren't already ready to shoot me.

After the pit stop, we walked down West River Drive and back to camp. At camp, they were wrapping up their "3 Day Idol" contest. A young man, by the name of Charles, took home the prize. I had met Charles on the shuttle from the hotel to opening ceremonies. He was by himself and had traveled from Brooklyn to do the walk. I was impressed with him on so many levels. First of all, he was an opening and warm spirit. Secondly, he was a man.....a definite minority in this event. Thirdly, after a full day of walking, he still had enough energy to get up on stage and sing "I Feel Good" as well as DANCE to the song. He needs to bottle some of that and sell it. I'd be first in line!!!

After dinner, Kimm and I checked for mail at the Post Office (friends and family can mail cards and letters a few weeks before the event). I received a nice card from some friends from church as well as many letters of support from team captain Sammy (who ended up back at camp early b/c of her previous leg problems). Kimm got an amazing letter from her mom, a 5yr survivor. After that, we treated ourselves to the foot massage machines and then hit the showers.

Sleep was not high on the list this night. My ankles were throbbing despite the ibuprofen I took. I woke up a few times to pee. And in the distance, despite having earplugs in, I could hear the lovely sounds of Philadelphia at night (gun shots, sirens, people racing in their japanese motorcycles, police or news helicoptors flying overhead).

Day 2 is probably the absolute WORST. Day 1 is long, but you are full of adrenaline and have lots of bystanders cheering you on. On Day 3, you are tired, but you know that the end is near. But on Day 2, your feet want to strangle you because of Day 1 AND you know that you still have another day of walking ahead of you. Mentally, physically.....it is a struggle. I lost track of how many people were taking sweep vans or riding the bus back to camp. Thankfully, I had my "little engine that could", Kimm, walking with me (and of course, YELLOW CAR GIRL, Lisa, cheering us on), or else I may have been one of those who did not finish out the day.

Tomorrow...Day 3!!!

Day One!!!

2007-10-09T14:39:00.000-04:00

I got to the hotel at 7:00 or so on Thursday. Met my teamates for the first time. We've been talking back and forth thru email, but I'd never actually had the time for a face-to-face. We then went out to grab a quick bite to eat. We finally fell asleep between 12:30 and 1:00 am.

Woke up at 4:30 am, grabbed the last shuttle bus, and got to Opening Ceremonies (held at Willow Grove mall) a little bit late. We were able to see the Survivors walking in, which to me was the most important part, so I was OK with that. Because we got there so late, we were one of the last groups to get on the road (this will be a recurring theme with us throughout the entire event!).

I can't remember all of the towns we walked through. I know that Jenkintown and Abington were in there. Also, Cheltenham. The reason I remember that town was because EVERY SINGLE police officer was absolutely GORGEOUS! There was one in particular, who was obviously the favorite of the walkers. Each time I saw him, he had acquired another pink lei or set of beads. At some point we were in a section of the city known as Chestnut Hill. I'd never been there before but it was an absolutely BEAUTIFUL place.

Every 3 or so miles we had a "pit stop", where we could top off our fluids and grab a snack, use the bathrooms, and get medical attention if necessary. Each pit stop had a different theme. The first one of the day was an Island Paradise theme. I received my Gatorade from a man wearing a grass skirt and a coconut bra. Another one of the pit stops had a Pirates of the Carribean Theme. Food included: bananas, chips, pretzels, bagels/cream cheese. On a few select pit stops were these PBJ on graham cracker sandwiches. They were a huge hit! I was especially estatic to see that some of the later pit stops offered grape gatorade instead of the lime or orange.

Along the way, we received a lot of cheers. Cars honked their horns while driving by. People came out of their home to wave and cheer us on. At one point we passed an elementary school and the kids were lined up by the fence, clapping and yelling for us. Most of the girls were dressed in pink. One little girl, with blonde curls, reminded me so much of my niece that I teared up for a minute.

I need to introduce you all to Lisa, aka Yellow Car Girl. Lisa is a woman whose partner does the walk. Lisa isn't allowed to do the walk b/c she is hearing impaired. So Lisa drives around in her little yellow car and bascially "stalks" us. When you think you can't make it another step, you will see her off in the distance waving and giving you a thumbs up. Or hear her yelling "You Ladies Look Damn Good" through her megaphone! Lisa is an absolute MUST for getting though the day!!! Not only is she full of positive energy and love, but when you see her, you know that the potties are right around the bend. She doesn't lie about that!

OK, now it's time to explain what a "3 Day Mile" is. As we walk, they have arrows marking the route. At some point, you will see an arrow that says "Pit Stop, 1 mile" (or Lunch, 1 mile....or Camp, 1 mile). I don't know one single person who actually believes that we actually only walk a mile after these signs. And the term "just around the corner" really means that you need to walk about 5 blocks (and most likely up an incline of some sort). Unless Lisa says it. If she says a pit stop is "just around the corner", you know that it will be!

Along the way, we lost our team leader Sam. She had some major tendon pain and we basically told her to TAKE A SWEEP VAN. We'd rather her keep healthy and be able to finish the event with us than end up in the hospital. Kimm and I were moving a bit slowly as well. At one point, we were told that if we did not make the next pit stop by a certain time, we would be forced to take the sweep van. I do not know HOW we did it, but we managed to go the 1.5 miles in slightly less than 30 minutes.

The final leg of our route took us through a beautiful park (part of the Fairmount Park system) and then down Main Street in Manayunk. They had set up a cheering station there, which was a real pick-me-up. This was around the 18mile mark and my feet were in so much pain. We had about 1.5 miles until a Pit Stop and then another 2.5 until camp. We walk out of Manayunk and make a left hand turn, only to see......a hill. A big hill. With a steep incline. That we had to walk up. There are sadistic people designing this route...remember that later!!!

I was convinced that I would not make it. Keep in mind that I am overweight (over 200 lbs) and even though I did train for this event, I did not get as many miles in as they recommened. And I did MINIMAL hill training!! But I was so PISSED OFF that they would but a MOUNTAIN at the end of the route...I used my anger to keep me going.

After the hill, we hit our final Pit Stop. Then we left, only to see another hill. Not as big as the last one, but still very disheartening. Once again, we dug in and kept on walking. Thankfully, that was the last one. The very last mile of Day One was along a nice road, in the shade, surrounded by gorgeous mansions. The sight of the tents at camp made out legs feel lighter and we picked up the pace a bit.

I should add that once we get back to camp, we are not done laboring. We had to get our duffel bags from the luggage truck (weight= 30-35 lbs) and carry it to the campsite. Then we have to set up our own tent! After that, we got to eat dinner (spaghetti with meat sauce and yummy eclairs for dessert) and grab a shower.

We were at the tail end of the pack all day but we were NOT the last ones to camp!

Needless to say, we slept quite well that night, despite the throbbing feet.

Tune in tomorrow for DAY TWO!!!

I DID IT!!!!

2007-10-08T13:21:00.000-04:00

Well folks, I did it. I completed the Philadelphia Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk. I walked ALL 60 miles and my feet are still in good shape. A bit sore and a few blisters, but nothing major. Over the next few days, I will recount my experiences on one of the most amazing things I have ever done.

Right now I am spending the day, chillin' and pampering my feet. They are alternating between ice cold water and heat packs. I took the day off of work so I could sleep in and take it easy (in fact, I will be heading for a nap after I post this!). In order to make sure I stay hydrated, I am drinking lots of water and a little bit of Gatorade. I am not allowed to drink alcohol for a day or two after the event, but I am serving up my fluids in a nice champaign glass.......makes it a little more ceremonial!

Allow me to "introduce" my teamates. I was on the team PINK PENGUINS. My team leader was Samantha. She was an absolute sweetie. She bought all of us gifts (toiletry bag STUFFED with goodies, pins, TShirst, sun visors. You name it, she thought of it!). Another teamate was Barbara. I unfortunately didn't get to spend a lot of time with her on the event. She was on the Crew, and those guys are BUSY! The last teamate was Kimm. Her mom is a 5yr survivor and if it wasn't for her, I would not have been able to complete the entire walk. Equal parts of determination, strength, and downright ornery-ness are what got us through the days!!!

Each day we started out to the cheers of the crew. As we walked, there were many people along the way to encourage us. It's amazing what little things can make your day. Some people set up hoses and sprinklers for us to walk through. Some handed out candy. Others brought out their dogs. If you are not an animal lover, this will make NO sense to you but when I felt like I could not take another step, getting a sloppy kiss from a dog got me moving again. Between Kimm and I, whoever saw a dog first would yell "PUPPY LOVE" and then we'd rush over to the wagging tail(s).

Each night we came back to camp for dinner and shower. The food was decent. The showers were amazing. Teeny little stalls in the back of a semi.....felt like a luxury spa after a day on the road!!!! They provided entertainment ("american idol" type contest as well as dance music). We had a foot massage station. We had a Post Office....where mail from friends and family was waiting for us. Then, at 9:00, it was LIGHTS OUT and time for bed!

Tomorrow I will talk about Day One!!!!

LESS THAN 24 HOURS TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-10-04T14:27:00.001-04:00

3 Day....here I come!!!

My duffel bag has been packed since last weekend. I met my fundraising goal awhile ago. I ramped up my training walks. I'm as ready as I can be.

I will admit to being a bit leery about the weather. Temps around 87 degrees and humidity. I suppose it's better than rain but I wouldn't mind SEASONAL temperatures (low-mid 70s!). I have to make sure I drink, drink, drink!!!! And keep using sunscreen. And not get too surprised when I get a case of road rash.

I'm going to take a nap. Then I'm going to take a nice bubble bath before I head over to the hotel to meet my teamates.

Adios Amigos!! Until Monday!

Hand....meet Boob.

2007-10-03T11:31:00.000-04:00

Ladies, this is a very important thing. Whether you're 20, 30, or 60...

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!

Get them checked by a professional at least once a year. Do it yourself EVERY MONTH!! For women who are pre-menopausal, the best time is after your period ends (less water retention and tenderness). If you are post-menopausal, then do it on the 1st of each month.

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!!

By checking your breasts on a regular basis, you will be familiar enough with them that any difference will be noticed immediately. My OB explained it like this: "Think of your breasts as a can of peas. There will some texture there...some bumps and lumps. Think of a possible tumor like a teeny pebble among the peas." Simply stated, if you FEEL YOUR BOOBIES every month, you will soon learn what is normal for YOU and therefore will realize very quickly if something is abnormal. NOTE: Don't just check the immediate breast area. Check underneath, in between, and all the way to your arm pits (lymph nodes can be problem areas too).

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!

It may be awkward for you to do this. It may be even more awkward to go to a doctor to have them do it. It doesn't matter. Early detection SAVES LIVES!!! Don't let your fear rule your life.....it very well could be the END of it!

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!

No breast cancer in your immediate family? Doesn't matter. You're 20 years old? Doesn't matter. If you are a woman, you are at risk.

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!

There is not much more to say. CLICK HERE for a "tutorial" on giving yourself a breast exam at home.

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2007-10-01T17:32:00.000-04:00

Obviously this is a subject that I have gotten to know something about while training for this walk. I have met many people who have been touched by the disease in some way and their strength and courage never cease to amaze me.

My goal for this month, in addition to actually COMPLETING the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk, is to have a variety of posts dedicated to the topic. Importance about early detection, statistics, survivor stories....I am open to all ideas!

I came across this great file about Breast Cancer Stats for 2007-2008, by the American cancer Society.

1) In 2007, an estimated 178,480 new cases of invasive
breast cancer will be diagnosed among women. The expected number of new
breast cancers in 2007 is markedly lower than the estimate for 2005.

2) In 2007, approximately 40,460 women are expected to die from breast cancer. Only lung cancer accounts for more cancer deaths in women

3)In 2007, about 2,030 cases of breast cancer are expected to occur among men, accounting for about 1% of all breast cancers. Approximately 450 men will die from breast cancer.

RA....keep us dry!

2007-10-01T11:45:00.000-04:00

The photo is of a painting that my sister did for a school project. She then entered it in an art contest and won 1st place for the category as well as Best Of Show for the division. The subject is RA, the ancient egyptian god of sun.

GO SOMBRA!!!!

At the moment (with 4 days to go), the long term forecast is calling for SUNNY SKIES! Let's hope that RA keeps the sun shining and the rain away!!!

6 Days To Go And Life Is FAIR!!!

2007-09-30T11:02:00.001-04:00

This Saturday marked the last day of the Bloomsburg State Fair. My family and I go every year. Even though I live away from the area, I always come home for The Fair. One year I missed it and the feeling of sadness was so great that I will never (willingly) do it again! For the past 2 years, I had scheduled my vacation for the Fair Week. This year, 3 Day stuff took over my life so I only made it home for the last day.

The fair has the usual assortments of rides, games, and food. Funnel cake, pierogies, gyros, fresh apple cider, hot sausage, candy apples......just to name a few. There is a great stand that sells 3/$1.00 hot dogs and another one that sells 35 cent cans of soda. Those stands are where we eat for the majority of the week. Then on the last day we go hog-wild! Last year I had a pumpkin flavored funnel cake and some homemade bean soup. MMMMM. This year I got a hot sausage, caramel apple, and potato pancakes. MMMMMMMMMM.

There are also animals. 4H-ers enter their livestock for judging and for sale. Sheep, cattle, pigs, goats. There is also a poultry exhibit, a rabbit exhibit, a horse show. During the week there are horse races (pacer/trotter, not thoroughbred). On the last weekend, there are pulling contests. Draft horses and ponies are hooked up to a sled that carries steel beams.

Other entertainment includes a demolition derby and a tractor pull. Various musical acts come to the Grandstand on each night. I have seen Charlie Daniels, Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Gary Allen, Joe Nichols, and Montgomery Gentry over the years.

The locals can submit samples of their personal handiwork for judging. There is a wide variety of categories to chose from! Every year it is a tradition to see who has the Biggest Pumpkin (this year it was 840 lbs!) in the Agricultural Building.

My mom enters some of her photography, baked goods, canned goods, etc. She doesn't always get the prize she deserves but it's extremely rare that she doesn't get at least one ribbon for her entries. 2 years ago I started entering my own items. I can't say it was the first time I entered anything because when I was 12 or so, my Aunt Tina helped me bake some items for The Fair (I won a 2nd and a 3rd place then), but it was the first time I did it without assistance! I entered canned items (tomato sauces, salsa, jams). Each year I took home a few prizes.

My younger sister is a talented artist and has been entering drawings for years. She already has a few ribbons under her belt but this time she had a milestone. Her painting of RA (egyptian sun god) not only got a 1st place in her class but she also won a best in show. I am so proud of her!

OK....now back to walking stuff. I had to get my truck inspected this weekend, so while I was waiting for them to do the work, I decided to walk around Bloomsburg. My original goal was to walk up and down streets until I got to 10 miles. I ended up only doing about 6 miles but I made a point of walking up and down the streets that were on a hill. Since I have had no real hill training up to this point, I figured that the extra effort would make up for the lack in miles. And of course, later that night, I walked around the Fair with my sister (probably added another 1.5 miles or so).

With only 6 days until the event, I am taking it easy. One day of walking midweek according to the schedule. My duffel bag is PACKED and decorated to make it easy to find. I am going to start drinking extra water and a little bit of gatorade to "pre-hydrate" and I am going to make it a point to stretch a little extra this week.

11 Days left!!!!

2007-09-24T17:21:00.000-04:00

The picture has absolutely NOTHING to do with the post, but I thought it looked really cool!!!

My friend, Marie, and I got quite a bit of walking in this weekend.

16 miles on Saturday! We took the train into University City (part of Phila near Drexel and University of Pennsylvania). From there we walked to Manayunk, which is well known for its shops, dining, and fun nightlife. We took a scenic route, known as the Schuylkill River Trail. I'm not sure exactly where it stops or ends, but it runs for quite some distance!!! The stretch that we walked on took us past the Art Museum, along Kelly Drive, and to Main Street in Manayunk. I've heard that it extends all the way into Valley Forge (what a training walk THAT would be!!!).
Since Manayunk was the halfway point, we stopped to grab lunch at a great little place called The Couch Tomato. I had a Tomato/Mozzarella salad, made with fresh plum tomatoes, homemade buffalo mozzarella cheese, and grilled chicken. It was topped with the absolute BEST vinaigrette I have ever had in my life!!!

9 miles on Sunday!! We started out near the Art Museum and basically weaved our way through Philadelphia. We walked along Rittenhouse Row (passing Rittenhouse Square Park), circled through Franklin Square, and headed past the Historic District. Afterwards we made our way down to South Street, where we stopped for lunch at Cosi (the yummiest sandwiches or pizzas, made with their flatbread). My sandwich contained: fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, grilled chicken, and the SECOND best vinaigrette I have ever had (does anyone see a theme here?! I love me some mozzarella cheese).

Finally, we drug our tired behinds (not to mention feet) back to the car. On the way home, we treated ourselves to some Rita's Water Ice.

It was a very busy weekend. On one level, I am feeling stronger with each walk. On another level, I cannot even begin to imagine how I will survive for 3 days of walking. I am SO totally wiped out at the end of each of these training walks that the thought of doing a full 20 miles on ONE day freaks me out. Let alone 3 days in a row! Where I don't get to come home and crash on the couch....rather, I get to put up a tent and then unpack my duffel bag each night (as well as take everything down and pack it away each morning)!!!

Excuse me while I say: AAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

18 Days to go......and I'm sick of OJ!

2007-09-17T15:42:00.000-04:00

No, I don't mean the drink. I mean the got-away-with-murder, beat-up-his-wife, ex football player by the name of OJ Simpson. Apparently he got arrested over the weekend. I couldn't tell you what the charges were, b/c every time I saw his face on TV, I changed channels.

ENOUGH ALREADY PEOPLE! The football legend is long gone so let's focus on more important issues!!!

OK, venting done!

With a little over 3 weeks until the 3 Day Walk, I have been ramping up my training and learned some lessons.

I walked 11 miles on Saturday. At one point it started pouring. Lesson? Bring a damn poncho!!!! I ended up having to run into KMart to buy dry clothes!!! Also, dress in LAYERS! I'ts easy enough to take them off if you get too hot, but if you don't start out dressed warm enough for the current conditions, you will be shivering and shaking in your New Balances!

Lesson 2....STRETCH MORE! I am notoriously BAD at doing this. I tend to do it only when I can feel that something is cramping up. It's a reactive stretch rather than a preventative one. I read somewhere that you not only need to stretch for 5 min every hour while walking, but that you should be stretching when you wake up and when you go to bed if you want to make sure your muscles are in good shape for the long events. It's a habit I desparately need to acquire!

On Sunday, I walked for 7 miles. And I learned 2 more things (not really lessons....just useful information). First, my "camelback" (backpack integrated with a water bag and drinking tube) is definitely the way to go. I had been training with a fanny pack that could hold 2 medium bottles of gatorade as well as a storage compartment for other items. It was not the most comfortable thing but I felt like I had adjusted to it. After using the backpack, I realized how awkward the fanny pack really was. And with the weight of the water bottles riding on my lower back, I was actually straining myself more than necessary. Another benefit of the backpack is that it holds MORE STUFF!!! I combine the backpack with a much smaller fanny pack (that is big enough to hold my cell phone, keys, and credit cards....not much more) and I can bring everything with me that I need while hoofing it!

The second thing I learned is HOW MUCH I LOVE MY WALKING SANDALS!!! I had picked up a pair with the intention of wearing them every so often along the 3 Day route to give my feet a "breather" from the sneakers. I wore them on Sunday and my feet were SO much more comfortable that I plan on using them as much as I can during the actual walk! They have an amazing amount of arch support and that is something that I can't find in even the top of the line sneakers (you know, the ones that cost between $90 and $120?!?! When the sandals cost $25!!!!).

I can feel my excitement growing as the 3 Day gets closer!!!!

Tired Footsies!

2007-09-10T14:50:00.001-04:00

I walked the most this weekend that I ever have at one time. 17 miles!!!! In one day!!!

My feet were SO tired at the end. I felt very crampy in my arches for the last 2-3 miles (felt like 10).

I have these super thick Thorlo brand socks (called the HERO Distance Walkers). I was planning on wearing them for the 3 Day Walk but then read that due to the thickness, there may be blister problems due to overly sweaty feet. Then I decided to start the day in the thick socks and as my feet got more sweaty and more swollen, switch to thinner socks.

I followed that plan on the 17 mile training walk and noticed that I definitely was NOT getting the right amount of supoprt or cushioning with the thinner socks. Next big walk I am going to reverse it. I'll start out with thinner socks and get thicker as my feet get more tired.

I will also bring an extra pair or 2 of the thicker socks JUST IN CASE my plan backfires and I decide I need to use them for the entire time. That means I will be having 5 pairs of "extras" during my next training walk but now is the time to fine tune my routine. Don't want to be experimenting on the actual walk (although on that walk, I can always use a sweep van if need be).

I took an ibuprofen before I went to bed to help with some of the swelling. I slept for 12 hrs! I did wake up every few hours to pee. While walking, I was putting away a lot of liquid but b/c it was 90 deg AND humid, I sweat most of it out. When I got home, I kept drinking (upon recomendation of my training walk leader). I am hoping that if I stick with the fluid intake, my bladder will adjust before the actual event!

Today (Monday), I am still feeling it a bit in my calves but overall, I am doing well. A lot better than I had expected, given the fact that I wasn't quite following the official training schedule as closely as I'd have liked.

I think I may actually be able to do this thing!

A month to go!!!

2007-09-07T11:26:00.000-04:00

OMG....the Philadelphia Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk is in 4 weeks!!!!!!!!!!

After many weeks of slacking (and an unplanned chest infection which sidelined me last week and weekend), I have been stepping up (literally) my training. This week, I have walked 3 days in a row (first time I've done that). This Saturday I will be going on my first LONG DISTANCE walk....15 miles through the City of Brotherly Love. I am meeting up with a group of other 3 Dayers and we will be hitting the historic district as well as University City. Sunday will be a day of rest for tired leg muscles and aching feet.

Next weekend will be a 10 mile (Sat) and an 8 mile (Sun) walk. The weekend after that will be a 15mile/18mile back-to-back. The weekend before the event will be an "easy" one (another 10/8 mile...which will seem much easier after the 15/18 weekend!!!).

My sleeping bag and duffel bag arrived last week. Last night I got more shorts/shirts and 2 pairs of longer pants. Tonight I will be going to buy another pair of sneakers. I still need to find some kind of windbreaker and some "just in case" rain gear ($1.00 store poncho sounds good to me). If I took the time to sit and total up all of the money I have spent, I would probably have a heart attack (which is exactly why I am NOT going to do that!!). I think I may actually dip into some of my fund raising money to cover part of the expense.

ONWARD AND FORWARD!!!

Mixed Emotions

2007-08-24T11:41:00.000-04:00

With 6 weeks to go, I am having so many conflicting feelings about the upcoming 3 Day Walk.

I am thrilled that I have met my fundraising goal of $2200 (had a few nervous moments b/c the WalMart check took awhile to post, but it did and now I'm ALL CLEAR).

I am a bit nervous b/c I have not been doing nearly as much training as I should. I have so many things packed into my weekends that everything ends up getting cut short. I really need to focus on GETTING UP EARLIER. Maybe 5:30-6:00 each day so that I can make time to get it ALL DONE! My problem is that I love sleep and I hate mornings. And walking at midnight is not a safe option.

I am starting to organize and order the remaining things that I need for the walk. Camping gear, extra socks, clothing. That causes it's own concern b/c it is really adding up. I was so busy focusing on the $2200 I needed to raise that I never looked at the close to $500 that I'd need to spend on myself. Good thing is, other than the sneakers, I will be able to use most items again next year.

Despite my variety of emotions, I am really looking forward to it. I saw a photo of 2 people walking in Chicago who wore pins saying "I met my fiancee on the 3 Day Walk". Now wouldn't THAT be cool, if I could meet a man while walking and sweaty...hair pulled back and no makeup. I'd know for sure he liked me for who I am and not what's on the outside.

The Clock is Ticking!!!

2007-08-18T12:12:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it. As of yesterday (Friday, Aug 17) I have only 7 WEEKS UNTIL THE 3 DAY!

I have done so much already but have so much more to do!

I have done my fundraising. I am still doing it somewhat. Any additional donations to my 3 Day Headquarters will be more money to a worthy cause. Any other cash donations (from collection jars and upcoming events) will be put in the bank for 2008's walk.

I have started buying the items I need for the walk. Socks, sports bras, toiletries (sp??), sneakers, etc. I have a fanny pack with water bottles. I have lots of sunscreen.

I've been walking! Not as much as I'd like but I'm getting more in each week.

I am SO EXCITED!!!!!!!

Jumping for Joy!!!

2007-07-28T18:47:00.001-04:00

I received a check from WalMart today, which matched the funds I raised in a bake sale I had there about 6 weeks ago.

Once this check gets mailed and posts to my 3 Day HQ, I will officially have reached my $2200 goal.

YIPPEEEEE!!!!

I love JK Rowling!

2007-07-23T16:31:00.000-04:00

How can I not have a special place in my heart for the woman who brought us the Harry Potter books? This Friday, I stood in line for a few hours in order to purchase the 7th (and final) book in the series.

As I sat down to start reading, I was filled with a variety of emotions. Excitement to find out what would be happening. Dread that one of my favorite characters would die. Sadness that, no matter who survived and who didn't, this would be the last book.

I must say that JK did not disappoint. My heart was racing within the first 100 pages (and there were over 600 to go!!!). During the final few chapters, the emotional content was cranked up. I went from crying to laughing to cheering....and back again.

JK obviously poured her heart and soul into this last book. This was easily the best book in the series (which is saying something, since I haven't found a bad book in the lot!). JK did an amazing job of bringing together all of the various storyline threads, wrapping them up neatly. and tying off any loose ends from previous books. I actually felt a sense of closure when I was finished. The ever-growing feeling of sadness that I had been carrying with me for weeks was no longer present.

Bravo JK......I am giving you a standing ovation!!!!

Beauty and Beast

2007-07-16T17:45:00.000-04:00

This past weekend my sister and I went to see Beauty and the Beast on Broadway. It was an absolutely amazing show and I would urge everyone to go see it, except that it's leaving Broadway on July 29th and I doubt there are any tickets left.

I urge you to at least ATTEMPT to see it!

Afterwards we ate dinner at The Jekyll and Hyde Club, a restaurant that is really too cool for words. It's basically like eating in a cross between a haunted house and a horror movie set from the 1930s. The price isn't too bad considering that it's in NYC ($30-$40 per person if you don't drink alcohol or get appetizers) but be warned......CASH OR AMERICAN EXPRESS ONLY! No Visa, no Mastercard.

Dating at Large

2007-06-28T11:30:00.000-04:00

or XXL!!!

I am at a crossroads in my life. For the past several years, I have tried the dating thing on and off. Most times, I would meet up with (online, not in person) some guys who appeared to be decent. Then the weight issue would come up. I did not want to downplay it because at 220 lbs, it is obvious that I am overweight. However, I did not want to out it out there in huge neon lights because I am SO MUCH MORE than a number on a scale. If I was asked how much I weigh (and I WAS asked, every single time), I would say "a little over 200". That was it. No rambling trying to justify why I am heavy or claim that I was in the process of losing weight.

100% of the guys never talked to me again after that conversation. Not one. Ever.

As a result, I would lose my motivation and self confidence. I'd drop out of the online dating game. However, since I am an eternal optimist, I would go back and repost my personals profile after a few months.

Here is where I am torn. One one hand: I know I am better off without those who disappear when they find out that I'm fat. And since I have had repetitive UNsuccessful online dating attempts, I think that I should just give it up for good. On the other hand: I have seen people WAY fatter...and uglier (fat OR skinny)...and plain old bitchier...in what appear to be loving relationships. So why should I give up on the chance to have that for myself? Why should I put my life on hold "until I am a size 8 again"?

Don't get me wrong. I don't sit around staring at walls. I meet up with friends for movies and shopping. I travel with my sister to NYC to catch Broadway shows. Even with all of that, there are times when I quite simply MISS having a special guy to call my own.

What are your thoughts on this matter?

What a crazy week it's been

2007-06-19T11:27:00.000-04:00

Let's start with the most traumatic incident. I had to have a tooth pulled. Needless to day, my tooth was NOT as happy as the one pictured above!!!! I have inherited my father's teeth, which are prone to decay and breaking (despite the 3-4 times a day of brushing, using Listerine wash, fluoride wash, flossing, etc). He had NO MORE TEETH left by the time he was in his mid-40s. I am hoping and praying that I do NOT end up following his lead.

I also found out that my driver's license, which had been lost, made its way to West Virginia. So far there is nothing that indicates that it has been used for fradulant purposes, but I will probably need to wait a few weeks to be sure.

This past weekend I had some fundraising events. On Saturday I had a bake sale/raffle at my local WalMart. Got lots of donated goodies and drinks to sell. I also made up gift baskets (again, ussing mostly donated items) to raffle off. My sister did facepainting. I made about $250 and WalMart should match it. On Sunday, I set up at the mom-n-pop store near my parents' house and sold the remaining baked goods as well as a few more raffle tickets for some smaller prizes. I made an additional $30 there. On Sunday night I handed out vouchers to a local restaurant (they donated 10% of the sales from those who turned in vouches) and I just found out that I made about $100 from that.

I can say with all confidence that I will be able to meet my $2200 mark within a month. And I have set up several training walks this week, so I will be back on schedule with the physical preparation for the 3Day.

YAY ME!!!

Things Keep Moving Forward!

2007-06-11T13:12:00.000-04:00

The picture has nothing to do with the post. I just thought it was ultra cool!

It's been a very productive few days for me.

I'm back walking every other day. I'm not too far off of the official training schedule set up by the 3 Day people, so that's a relief!

I received my check from the Texas Roadhouse fundraiser. Turns out that they were more generous than I expected. My actual fundraiser yielded me $87. They upped it to $150. When I got the check, it was for .....$250! YeeHaw!!! I raised $225 from my Friendly's fundraiser. That means my total money raised is $1500 (although all of that is not reflected on my 3 Day Headquarters).

I also picked up some more gift cards ($50 from Wegman's food store and $25 from Rose Marie's, an italian eatery in Bloomsburg, PA). This coming weekend I am holding 2 fundraisers. One is a bake sale & raffle at the WalMart in Bloomsburg (Saturday, June 16th). My sister is going to be doing face-painting. Then on Father's Day (June 17th), Quaker Steak and Lube restaurant in Bloomsburg will donate 10% of the proceeds from anyone coming in with a voucher. I'm hoping to net at least $50.

Things seem to be going along nicely!!!

There Will ALWAYS Be Sun!!!

2007-06-03T23:47:00.000-04:00

It's been a rough few weeks for me mentally.

When I first signed up for the 3 Day Walk, I had lots of motivation and was walking several times a week. However, I hadn't done any fundraising. Then I started putting my efforts into fundraising (successfully) but during that time, I didn't do any walking. Now the fundraising seems to be hitting a plateau and I'm not quite at my half-way point yet.

I was also in a bit of a downer (ok...MORE than a bit) because I discovered that the one of the businesses at which I was keeping a collection jar had taken them down. It was doubly frustrating to me because not only was this my MOST PROFITABLE collection jar (averaging $20-30 per week) but nobody called me to tell me that they had removed them. I came back from the Memorial Day Weekend with the expectation of having a nice chunk of change....only to find out that all of my boxes were empty and had been sitting in the office. I honestly don't know what bothered me more.....not being able to count on that money anymore or the complete lack of a courtesy call.

I decided to put the fundraising on a back burner for a bit and start walking again. After all, even if I don't make another DIME in fundraising, I can put the money up myself (and I know that I will continue to have money come in, even if it is a bit more slowly than I would like). However, I only have 4 months of training time left. I cannot afford to take anymore time off from that or else it is a sure bet that I won't get through 30 miles, let alone 60!!!

Good news (so that this is not ALL bitching and moaning). I did get out and walk for an hour on Thursday as well as 2 hrs on Saturday. I plan on meeting up with another 3Day-er on Monday and Thursday of this week (and possibly more people over the weekend). I am expecting my check from the Texas Roadhouse fundraiser in the next week. The manager of the TR also gace me 2 guest coupons (worth $30 each) which I can offer up as a raffle prize. I have a fundraiser at Friendly's this week (Bensalem Friendly's, Street Road, June 7, from 5-8pm). I will get 10% of ALL sales in this time frame. In another 2 weeks, I have the same deal at another Friendly's in a neighboring town (Feasterville Friendly's, June 18/19, 5p-8p). Between these 3 nights, I should be able to add at least another $100 to my fundraising total. I'm sure that total would be a lot more if I was out there putting flyers up in businesses and beneath windshields, but to be honest, I just don't have the energy to even think about it. I am basically giving it up to God at this point!!!

The one thing that I have to remember, especially when I am feeling frustrated, is that the sun is always there. I might not be able to see it. There may be clouds in the sky or a what seems like the tallest mountain in the world blocking out it's rays. But is there neverless. As long as I keep remembering that, I will be fine.

In Memory...Thank You

2007-05-29T10:04:00.001-04:00

I just wanted to do a short post, in honor and in memory of those who serve(d) our country. It's not an easy job, but I am thankful that there are so many who do it.

God Bless America!

ChaChing!!!!

2007-05-23T19:23:00.000-04:00

My fundraiser at Texas Roadhouse was a HUGE success!

I brought in about $870 in sales, which will result in an $87 donation to my 3 Day fund. But b/c the manager of the restaurant was impressed with the fact that Lil Ol' Me brought in that many customers, all by my lil ol' self, he increased the donation to $150! Thanks Bill!!!

Of course, I DIDN'T do it all by myself. Yes, I printed out 300 flyers and shoved them under windshields of cars at shopping centers as well as hang them up anywhere I was allowed (and some where I wasn't allowed!!!). But without the support of my fellow 3 Day-ers who spread the word and the generosity of those who came and "ate for the cure", I wouldn't have raised a dime.

This brings my official total to $870 (although the $150 won't show up for another week or 2). I actually think I am above $1000 once I figure in all of the money from the collection jars that I have scattered around.

Now it's time to step back and take a break froom fundraising....time to get back to WALKING!

Where's the Beef?!?!?

2007-05-17T16:28:00.000-04:00

It's at Texas Roadhouse in Bensalem, PA!

When? May 21 &22 (Monday and Tuesday).
Where? 1545 Street Road in Bensalem (215-639-7427)
Why? To raise money for my Breast cancer 3 Day Walk!
How? come and eat. Print out this page and present the portion with the ribbon (that says "Breast Cancer 3 Day, HeatherLee") and then the restaurant will donate 10% of the dining bill to the cause.

Dine-in OR take-out!

Very simple!!!

T. G. I......Monday??!!??!

2007-05-14T11:20:00.000-04:00

I never thought I'd be so happy to see Monday arrive! But this past weekend was so hectic that I am glad that it's over!

Unfortunately, I did not get any walking in as hoped. I really need to get back on track with the training schedule. Today I hope to walk and tomorrow I hope to get to the gym.

So, what did I do instead of walking?

I printed out about 150 flyers advertising for a fundraising dinner I'm doing. On May 21 and 22, Texas Roadhouse in Bensalem will donate 10% of the dinner bill from those who bring in a flyer(stating my name, Heather Lee, and The 3 Day Walk as the fundraiser). I put those flyers up at many grocery stores as well peppered various vehicles with them at the mall. My goal is to get 50-100 flyers out there each day this week (apartment complexes, shopping centers, churches, community centers, etc). Please note, this will included dining in as well as take out!!!!

I stamped, addresses, and stuffed 30 letters which went out to local businesses asking for their support. I want to try to sent out 60/month (get paid biweekly, so I'll do 30 each time I get paid). The first 30 went out to businesses in my area. the next 30 will go out to businesses in the area where I grew up.

I drove around to the businesses in which I had placed my collection jars. In the past 3-4 weeks, I have collected a total of $120-$130. It's been very successful so far and I hope that the generosity continues!

I drove to a few stores and picked up donations of gift cards. With some of the gift cards, I purchased items which will go into gift baskets (which I will then raffle off). The other gift cards will either be raffled off individually or be incorporated into the baskets.

Hope you have a great week!

To donate, click HERE.

Snowballs are AWESOME!

2007-05-04T22:53:00.000-04:00

I've been registered for the 3 Day since March. Unfortunately, my fundraising has been slower than I had hoped over these past 2 montsh. On a whim, last night and this afternoon, I sent out random emails to various people I work with as well as some members of my church. I also have been doing my best to get some traffic for this blog and my fundraising efforts by posting on other blogs, sending out links on MySpace, etc.

Somehow, somewhere, a connection was made. What started out as a few flurries turned into full-sized snowballs. This morning, I was at $110. By the time I came home this afternoon, I was at $515!!! Some of the donations were from coworkers. Ironically, the ones who were the most generous were the ones I least expected a response from!!! There were even a few from people I had never even heard of! Perhaps someone to whom I sent a letter passed it on. Perhaps someone from one of the blogs I post on (or someone who reads this blog) decided to help me. It doesn't matter how or where my name came into play. I am simply greatful that it did.

Allow me to state my thanks to my recent donors.

Coworkers: Steph Roldan, Peggy Cadwallader, Chaly Carson.

Fellow 3 Day-er (walking in San Diego): Debbie Anderson. I had placed a white TShirt on EBay and allowed people to bid on the chance to add a dedication to it. I would then wear it on my walk. I allowed room for 10 names....Debbie was the only taker. I will attempt to sell the other 9 spaces between now and the Phila Walk.

Random People (who I don't know but helped me just the same): Konstantinos Apostolou, Joan Fruman, Beth Kreuger.

God Bless you all!!!

To Donate, click HERE.

Any Dream Will Do

2007-04-30T20:17:00.000-04:00

This past weekend I had the pleasure of watching my sister perform in her high school's musical. They did Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. It was a wonderful show! The central theme was "trust in your dreams". There are moments when I have my doubts about being able to do the 3 Day Walk...being able to raise the $2200....but I will still persist in following my vision.

It's been awhile since my last post. I felt it necessary to honor those affected by the VA Tech shooting by observing some time of silence. I know of one person who goes to school there. Fortunately they were not involved with the shooting but they, along with everyone else in that community, definitely were feeling a roller coaster of emotions.

It's been a busy few weeks. I've been slowly ramping up my training. 2 weekends ago I was babysitting for my best friend. I went for quite a bit of walking, accompanied by her dog (Buddy) and her son (AJ). Last week, I went back down to the Kelly Drive area and logged 5 miles (the most in one consecutive walk). Afterwards I headed to Trader Joe's and picked up some indian and mexican fare.

Fundraising for the 3 Day continues to be slow. I have been hoofing it to local businesses asking for donations, but to no avail. Most of them are allowing me to put out a collection jar at the checkout counter, so I am thankful for that at least. The first jar, which I placed at a local mom-n-pop general store, actually yielded $21 & change in the first week. I'm hopeful that the rest of them will "bear some fruit" as well.

I've actually gotten quite creative with decorating the containers so that they catch the eye. It's amazing what one can achieve with a little construction paper, glue, and fabric paint (which works on paper too).

I have also looked into setting up a bake sale at a local retailer over Memorial Day Weekend. I did some cost analysis and even if I end up BUYING everything (sodas, juice boxes, snacks), there will still be a decent profit margin. My sister has agreed to do some face painting at the event, which I'm sure will bring in good money. And I think I may actually have a lead on some gift cards from local restaurants and businesses. I will sell raffle tickets and have 3-4 prizes (1st being 50% of the money from the ticket sales, the other 2-3 being the gift cards).

Guess that is all for now. Have a great week. To donate, click HERE.

Rest In Peace, 4-16-07

2007-04-18T18:20:00.000-04:00

For anyone who was directly affected by the shootings. For anyone who knew someone who went to school there. For anyone whose heart breaks for those killed. May you all find comfort.

Forget Regret, Or Life Is Yours To Miss!

2007-04-15T13:48:00.000-04:00

A line from Rent, one of my favorite Broadway shows! Granted, I've only seen 2 Broadway shows (and technically, Phantom was seen on tour while in Philly) but even so....

This phrase is one that can apply to so much of life. A breakup, a bad day at work, feeling like a slug b/c of being out of shape. You can either sit around and brood about it or you can brush it off and makethe next day better. "Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes", a quote from one of my favorite childhood books, Anne of Green Gables.

It has been a dead week training-wise. PMS always wipes me out. All I want to do is eat and sleep. I didn't even attempt to do any form of exercise until Saturday.

I went to NYC because I had tickets to see "Anne of Green Gables" in an off-Broadway production. I have read the books and seen the videos countless times. The show was in a small theater (Lucille Lortel) but it was very well done. I really enjoyed it. While I was in The Big Apple, I decided to make a whole day out of it. I walked along Times Square and around the Theater District. I had dinner at a wonderful restaurant called Broadway Joe Steakhouse (located on 315 W. 46th Street, between 8th and 9th Ave). I had a NY Strip Steak (cooked to perfection), a Cosmopolitan, and NY Cheesecake (heavenly).....see a theme here? I checked out the Toys R Us in Times Square. They have a ferris wheel in the middle of the store. They also have a realistic looking, mechanical TRex from Jurrasic park and the Empire State Building made out of Legos (complete with a Lego King Kong). And, on a whim, I picked up a ticket to the evening showing of Rent. I had seen it last summer and once I was back in NYC, I decided that I wanted to see it again. It was just as fun as the first time. Perhaps a bit MORE fun b/c the actor who plays Angel (Justin Johnston) really brought a lot more silliness to the character than when first saw him. I checked on Google Maps Pedometer and found that I actually walked over 5 miles. No wonder I'm tired!

The weather was rainy and dreary on Sunday. I felt a bit worn out from my busy day in NYC so I took it easy. Watched some movies, caught up on my emails, napped.

Monday marks the start of the official 3Day 24 week training schedule, which means that my lazy week is OVER. DONE. Hasta la vista baby!!!

To Donate, click HERE.

PMS SUCKS!

2007-04-06T09:50:00.000-04:00

Water retention. Mood swings. Non-stop cravings for sweets, fried foods, and salt. Knowing that even though I made it to the gym twice this week and walked 4 miles yesterday, I will still show a gain when I go into Weight Watchers tomorrow morning. Spending all day fighting the constant urge to sleep only to go to bed at night and find myself tossing and turning well over an hour before FINALLY falling into a fitful (completely UNrestful) semi-sleep.

What else can I say?!?!

If anyone wants to cheer me up by donating to my 3 day fund, click HERE.

Got My First Donation...HOOT HOOT!

2007-04-02T17:39:00.000-04:00

I am so excited!!! I clicked onto my donation page and saw that my "amount raised" was not at $0.00 anymore. Many many thanks to my friend (and fellow "hooter"), Kristen.....my first official donor.

Who are the Hooters? About 2 yrs ago, my friend Christine invited me to join an online message group affiliated with Self magazine. Some of us formed our own little group and have kept in touch through e-mail. It started out as a support group for fitness and weight loss. Over time, we became a support group for many other difficulties that life likes to toss into the mix. We share the good times too. It's amazing how close we have all become and yet, to the best of my knowledge, none of us has ever met in person.

How did we become the Hooter Girls? It started when my mom rescued a screech owl (fellow in the picture). I can't remember all of the details now, but I shared the story with my online pals. Somehow, the topic arose that we needed a mascot....and settled on the owl. We picked a name....Sir Humphrey. So we are Sir Humphrey's Hooters.

I think it is interestingly ironic and fitting that my first donation for a BREAST cancer walk came from someone who "hangs" with a group of HOOTERS. If you would like to make a donation, please click HERE.

Start slow.....End strong!

2007-03-30T09:54:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday I made a wonderful discovery in the heart of NE Philly... Pennypack Park. A coworker recommended it and I am glad he did! Acres of forest, miles of paths (both paved and natural terrain), flats and hills. A training utopia!!! The path that I took, which ran along a stream, was very scenic and relaxing. I have no doubt that I will become a frequent visitor here, especially in the hot summer months (plenty of shade).

I had 2 goals this week. The first was to integrate some cross training into my routine, which basically means participating in a variety of activities besides walking. Not only does this break up the monotony of doing the same thing over and over, but it also helps to broaden the range of muscles which I work. This is a benefit because it will help increase my strength and stamina for the 3 Day as well as reduce the risk of injury due to overuse of the same muscle groups. I was successful in this goal because I made it to the gym twice this week to do some strength training and use the elliptical machine. It wasn't easy for me to do this. For one, I have not set foot in the gym in at least 6 months (probably longer). I also had to wake up at 5:30 in the morning in order to get my workout in before work. I am NOT a morning person....at.....all. Given the choice, I would sleep until 10am every single day. But I also know myself well enough to realize that waiting until the afternoon to go to the gym would result in many skipped sessions ( I cannot tolerate being there when it is crowded). So I consider waking up way before any normal person should the lesser of 2 evils. It's only 2x/week....I'll survive.

My second goal was to increase my my walking. I wanted to try for a total of 12 miles total. On Wednesday I did 2 miles on my lunch break and another 2 miles at the park after work. And that is ALL that I did. I had taken an unplanned day off Monday to recover from Saturday's walk. And as tired (and sore) as I was this morning, I cancelled my plans to walk today. I was beating myself up for "wimping out" but then I realized that was silly. Even though I walked less than I wanted, it wasn't because I was slacking off. I had added 2 days of weight lifting into the mix. It's better for me to listen to my body telling me it needs a bit of a rest rather than to force myself to stick to a possibly unrealistic schedule and then "burn out". I also have to remember that a) I only started training 2 weeks ago and b) the 3Day is 6 months away. I have time to gradually build up the intensity of my workouts...I don't need to be at 10 miles/day in the next week or 2. I have to be patient....be consistent....be smart.

To quote activist Marian Wright Edelman: "You're not obligated to win. You're obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day"

If you would like to make a donation, click HERE.

My Aching Legs!

2007-03-26T11:02:00.000-04:00

I've had a productive few days. My original plan was to skip any walking over the weekend and focus instead on other aspects of preparing for the 3DayWalk. I went to the 3Day website to register (to make a donation, click HERE). I sent out emails requesting donations to several friends and family members. I went to the store and bought some additional workout clothes.

Friday night I drove to my parents' house in upstate PA. Saturday morning I woke up and on a whim, decided to take the dog for a walk. For those of you who don't know the family, that may seem like a simple enough statement, so please allow me to explain something about the dog. Jack is a beautiful black lab, full grown in size but a puppy mentally (not sure of exact age but I think it's slightly less than a year old). If anyone has ever read the book, Marley and Me, that explains Jack perfectly. Boundless energy. Chews, jumps on, & chases EVERYTHING. And although I'm not sure that it's officially recognized in animals, he is has all the symptoms of ADHD! Don't get me wrong, he's a wonderful dog. Great temperment, and very affectionate. But he needs to walk 3-5 miles a day (maybe even twice a day) in order not to drive the family insane. The walk was 2 1/2 - 3 miles long. It felt like 10. It was a toss up if I spent more time dragging Jack away from something of interest (such as, every other corn stalk in the field through which we walked.) or struggling to keep him from dragging ME towards the next item that caught his attention. And I mustn't forget some tense moments where he attempted to pull my arm off in order to go over to the dogs at a house across the street. The dogs were standing guard at the edge of their property, fur raised and growling.....Jack somehow interpreted that as "oh look, they want to play!". Sure, if your definition of play is "chew you up and spit out the pieces"!!! When it was all said and done, I considered it a successful walk. Not only did I log in unplanned miles but by doing so with Jack, my arms got a bit of a workout too. And the walk tired Jack out enough that he actually slept for a little bit.

My legs are still feeling it this morning!!! I am definitely waiting until tomorrow to do any more training!

Spring Has Sprung!!!

2007-03-22T19:59:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the first day of spring. I celebrated by heading down to South Street and treating myself to a Rita's Water Ice (tried the raspberry...pretty good!). I walked in a big square...from South Street to Market Street, over several blocks, and back to South(1 1/2 hrs total). I came across 2 very interesting sites. The first was the Pennsylvania Hospital (800 Spruce Street)....the very first hospital in the US according to the sign out front. The second was The Magic Garden...a mosaic taking up an entire city lot and the adjoining buildings, created by the artist Isaiah Zagar. It isn't open to tourists until the weekend but it certainly looks interesting. After I completed my "square", I headed into the Italian Market to do some shopping. There's a great little spice store that I love to check out whenever I'm nearby!

Also, to commemorate the first day of spring, Dunkin Donuts was giving away free iced coffee. So I got one. And then went to another store and got another. And then went to a third store and got another. I love my iced coffee! Brought one back to work and put the other 2 in the fridge. Now I've got my caffeine fix for the next few days!!!

Today I parked along the same spot off of South Street, but instead walked into the heart of the Historic District. I saw the Liberty Bell...something I haven't done in the entire time I've lived here! Another 1 1/2 hrs for today. I am a bit worn out. I think I need to address the issue of nutrition. With all of the walking I have been doing (and all that I need to do to get ready for the 3Day), I have to start doing some research on what I should be eating to optimize my strength and energy!

TGTF (Thank Goodness Tomorrow's Friday!). No walking planned for the weekend b/c I have family functions to attend. I will be hitting a dance club with my friend, which always gives a good cardio workout!

To make a donation, click HERE.

All's Well That Ends Well

2007-03-21T11:05:00.000-04:00

It's been quite hectic since my last post. My brother had surgery. My car window got stuck...in the down position....the day before a ice/sleet/snow storm was about to come through. In the mad dash to leave town to visit my brother and get my window fixed, my cell phone disappeared at the Wawa where I stopped to get gas and my carrier was most UNHELPFUL despite the fact that I have insurance (well, to be more specific...the service people in the store were unhelpful. I actually got some results when I was on the phone).

I reached a point where I just sat in my car and screamed, at the top of my lungs, for a full minute (my voice is still paying the price). Thankfully all is well now. My brother is home and recovering. My father was able to get the window fixed (thanks dad!). My new cell phone arrived on Monday.

Now that I've vented, let me get back to the purpose of posting. On Thursday, I was able to leave work a bit early and head back to the Art Museum area. I walked for about 2 1/2 miles (round trip) down Kelly Drive. The path runs along the Schuylkill River, which makes for a peaceful excursion (water always seems to calm me). I discovered that there are many statues and monuments along this path. As I came back to the Art Museum, I had the same issue as the previous day.....full bladder w/ no place to go (it's times like this that I wish I was a guy). So II snuck into the Art Museum! Before you yell at me, let me clarify. I went in to use the bathroom and came right back out. I did not take advantage of the fact that I got in for free to look around. On Sundays you can "pay what you want" all day long (even if it's just a dollar), so there was no need for me to "steal" a peek.

After my pit stop, I headed back to my truck so that I could move it to another parking spot (2 hrs limit....no desire to fund the parking authority with a fine). Once I did that, I walked another 1/2 mile to the Trader Joe's (2121 Market Street). What a great store. Many health and environmentally friendly foods at reasonable prices. I picked up some protein bars, samosas (Indian snack), and enchiladas for dinner. On the way back to my truck, stepped into the Whole Foods Market (2001 Pennsylvania Ave) to grab some falafel (for me) and oat grass (for my cats).

All told, I spent 4 hours on foot. Granted, not all of that was at a brisk pace, but my legs sure felt it the next day! Between the weather, visiting family, and meetings, I have not been out for walk since. I plan on correcting that today.

To make a donation, click HERE

Allow Me To Introduce Myself....And My Brother

2007-03-15T11:36:00.000-04:00

I never really introduced myself. My name is Heather. I am in my mid 30s. I was born on another planet (actually it was Neptune...New Jersey. Close enough!). My parents moved to rural PA when I was a wee lassie (getting my Irish on w/ St Patty's day around the corner). I spent the first half of my life in the country and the second half around Philadelphia. As a result, I am kind of a hybrid.

The country girl loves the outdoors. Hiking, camping, horseback riding. I prefer a Monster Truck Rally or NASCAR race over the opera. Backyard BBQ over a 5 star restaurant. When I feel my batteries dying, all it takes is a trip to the mountains (what Philadelphians call anything more than an hour north of the city) to rejuvenate my soul.

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It took awhile for her to come out, but the city girl is here too. I love going to the Art Museum or a play. I love trying out new foods from one of the many ethnic restaurants in the city. I can now brag that I am able to drive in and around Center City or find parking around South Street without breaking out in hives (a fact that was not true until a little over a year ago.....after I had been here for 13 years!!!!).

As a result, I thought that I would spend my first week of 3Day Training in the City of Brotherly Love. I'll introduce you to this city that used to scare me to death, but have now come to love.

Philadelphia is a city of historical significance and symbolism. It is also a city that has only relatively recently started to LOOK like a city. Until 1987, no buildings were allowed to be taller than the Ben Franklin monument atop City Hall.

I can identify with Philly for this reason. I am not exactly resistant to change. After all, I drive a car to work, not a horse and buggy. My primary means of communication are text messages, emails, and IMs. But change can be intimidating as well. There are many people who believe that the reason Philadelphia has not had a professional sports championship since the 1980s is b/c building taller buildings piss Billy Penn off enough that he has cursed us. Silly? Sure. Just as silly as the fact that I know I am fat, know how to lose weight, but am still fat. Am I really that powerless over my own body? Or am I just using my weight as an excuse for the other things going wrong in my life (example...complete inability to meet a sane, faithful, non-psychotic man).

Yesterday, I began the physical and mental journey towards the 3Day and a thinner/healthier body. I thought it fitting to start at one of the city's more symbolic sites. The Philadelphia Museum of Art ( http://www.philamuseum.org/ ). I parked my car along the Ben Franklin Parkway, walked past Boathouse Row ( http://www.boathouserow.org/ ), then came back to finish my walk at the top of the Art Museum's steps......just like Rocky did! Rocky, even though a fictional character, is a symbolism of the underdog overcoming the odds. And at 200+ lbs, I figure I am an underdog of sorts when it comes to successfully completing a 20mile/day challenge.

One inspirational thing I saw as I was walking was an elderly man, setting up shop from his mini van. He was selling bottled water, fruit, granola, soda, and candy bars for a buck each, right outside of the museum. And he was busy!! Many of the joggers or bikers greeted him by name and he knew them as well. It might not seem that inspiring at first, but seeing him made me think of my grandmother. She is 77, retired, and sits around all day imagining all of the horrific things that could possibly happen to her. Seeing this man taking such a simple concept and making a success out of it was very motivational for me.

My walk was a bit shorter than planned for 2 reasons. One, the sky darkened considerably. While I am not opposed to getting wet, I cannot say the same for my cell phone. Two, my bladder was protesting due to the overly zealous amount of water I had been drinking (note to self: find out where public restrooms are along chosen walking paths!). I still got in an hour and was happy. In addition to finding good potty break sites, I learned that I need to: invest in a pedometer (no idea how to convert city blocks into miles), put my cell phone in a Ziploc bag for weatherproofing, and purchase some workout pants that have pockets!!

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Welcome One, Welcome All!

2007-03-14T14:55:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone and thanks for checking in. This is my first time ever doing a blog, so bear with me. The purpose of this blog is to log my endeavors on the road to doing the 3 Day Walk for Breast Cancer in Philadelphia this year (2007). At the moment, I have no idea when the walk is scheduled b/c I cannot access the 3day website at work (damn firewalls). I'll get that info tonight at the library.

Website for those of you who might be interested is: www.The3Day.org

My road to this 60 mile walk should be an interesting one. For starters, I am not exactly in the best shape of my life. I am currently at 230 lbs! It was my own issue with weight that got me thinking about breast cancer. Being overweight puts you at increased risk for breast cancer (among many other health issues). It also makes it more difficult to detect lumps. So as much as I enjoy the fact that I actually HAVE breasts now that I'm fat, I have made a decision that they need to go (not them exactly, but the fat that fills out my bustline!).

I stumbled across information about this 3 Day Walk while web-surfing and thought "what a wonderful idea". I dislike pretty much all forms of exercise except for walking. Most weekends, I will head into Center City, park my car along South Street, and then walk for hours. Granted, most of it is a leisurely pace. Obviously I will have to step it up a bit in order to survive the 3Day. I will use this blog as a way to document my progress and challenges in meeting my goal of completing my first ever 3 Day Walk.

I hope you will take this journey with me.

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