Tag: challenges

fitness and nutrition

Challenge Time

2chicksandapen

At the end of November I decided I would post a fitness picture a day online or a combo of days online to show my activity in December 2022. The main reason for such was to document a month of consistency to me, but then I thought sharing my story may inspire others. That’s how I ended up with this post. It somewhat accents my online photo reel.

As my plan was put in motion, out of the blue a virtual challenge was mentioned in one of my fitness groups. Off I went to conquer my updated goal. For me. To add another layer to my consistency plan for December 2022. A few friends joined in on the virtual challenge. I made my first entry and I was hooked. It was the entry that got me. A light bulb went off of how being active is one thing but tracking it is another.

A national leaderboard holds you somewhat accountable. The logging of an activity holds you accountable. Doing it with friends adds an accountability layer. Much like tracking your nutrition, tracking your exercise is critical to long term success. What gets measured gets done. This added layer will justify those holiday cookies I suppose.

Progress picture one is done at the time of this post. I’ve spent 10 miles on the assault bike already. The first of many I’m sure. Not my favorite piece of equipment but one I will use for this month more than I like. I may even take a hike with a ruck if the rain lets up in my area. Something I wouldn’t normally consider but will entertain due to this challenge of sorts. Off I go.

In addition to the ruck action, I dusted off my Concept 2 bike erg at home. I used to regularly use this back in 2020 pre-corona as my second workout of day but let that go some time ago. Now I’m back in that saddle on the days I can make it outside due to weather or other reasons. 

Six days in and I knocked out some 20,000 meters. Just a mere 79,xxx to go. No big deal. I have a week of travel planned so I must stay on track the half of the month to meet my goal or at least give me a cushion. Look for an update on the coming weeks to see how I fared.

3Splitz Farm

Welcome All or Not?

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Well this Thanksgiving was a bit unusual when I think about the guest list or maybe I should say the uninvited guest list.

Let’s just take a look at this slithering shiny black snake who decided it would be great to join the Thanksgiving festivities at our little mountain cabin. Rustic paradise may be how I refer to the cabin but that doesn’t include snakes of any kind. It you consider the counter height, the kink in the snake in the photo and how it wraps along the baseboard, I’d guess this sucker to be 6 foot or more!

This big, long and creepy-looking thing greeted our guests as soon as they opened the door. Had it have been me, I might have let out a scream that would have sounded as if someone was bludgeoned to death in the valley. This creeper made its way to a cozy spot right behind the coffee maker nestled between the wall and the countertop. A space I didn’t think would hold such a big snake, yet it did. I’m still in disbelief to an extent.

Enter a friend who somehow got voluntold to be a snake wrestler for the day. She was a trooper and I have video to prove it. That snake was not happy we interrupted it’s Thanksgiving field trip inside! He or she was a little nippy. See the below photo. Attempting to nip at the wrestler’s hand on more than one occasion. Although the snake is not venomous, nobody wanted to get bit! Thanksgiving is about feasting not being the feast. I of course added being marked safe from snake to my thankful list this year.

Before the festivities even began, rustic paradise was a little creepy in my mind. I’m glad thanksgiving wasn’t ruined by the uninvited guest. For now this is just a story for our memory book. One I hope never resurfaces again. Hoping my uninvited snake decided my neighbor’s house was warmer this Thanksgiving after being evicted from our cabin!

As I wrap up this post I’ll leave you with this parting goodbye photo. Even with a humane goodbye the snake was staring down the snake wrestler who took him/her out of the warmth of the cabin with determination. A death stare of sorts even when hanging by thread 50 foot in the air.

inspire

Views

2chicksandapen

When I travel I take a lot of pictures. Mostly to capture memories. However, sometimes I stumble upon great shots when the photo reel is reviewed later. For this post I decided to post a few of my favorite or special views from near and far over the past several months along with a few quirky shots I’m tossing in for either humor or flair.

This gem came from a recent RV trip in the Tennessee mountains. The glows at different times of day were nothing short of amazing. The rays between the clouds reflected so nicely off the water. The mountains in layers was a great accent to create the overall beautiful view. From high spots to low spots each area we visited highlighted the water, the mountains and the trees just a little differently but so beautiful.

Coffee art. Oh how I am a fan. I have no clue how to make such art but I really can’t refuse some warm cups full of fancy coffee drinks with artistic flair. This gem was compliments of a local coffee shop owned by a friend.

Two pals just horsing around. No pun intended, right? This photo comes straight from 3Splitz Farm in Blairsville, Georgia. I may be a fan of the owners but there is nothing more beautiful than seeing horses enjoy a play day in the pasture. Whether up close like this or viewing from the deck above, the unique views are always a pleasure.

It’s not your basic to do list. As it it’s not on paper or a whiteboard. It’s permanently tattooed on a person’s inner thigh documenting cool milestones they are celebrating. A reminder of strength, courage and resilience. Red indicating complete. Blank showing what’s on the horizon. In this instance the person took out a thin sharpie to note completion of the 50k race since it’s not time to re-ink the tattoo yet. This is a fun one to think about.

My dinner plate. Grilled salmon, broccoli, zucchini and the little lemon for flavor. Folded up in aluminum foil, this is a quick and easy healthy dish to add into your week. So tasty. So filling. Just so happens to be healthy.

This photo is one for the record book. A tourist visit to Voodoo Donuts in Portland, Oregon to see what all the hype was about. Wasn’t I surprised when I was video chatting with my mom on donut selections only to see a donut called Cock N’ Balls! Design no less than a dick or a penis. And yes I did buy one and traveled home by plane with it to show my friends. Yes, that I did.

I’m a sucker for a sunset. I’m a sucker for reflection photos in water. Every second seems so different. The colors change so quick. This was a favorite from a summer trip out west. A beautiful day with friends and family exploring new destinations.

A view from the summer. The reflection of the clouds. The stillness of the morning while the water was idle. The old boardwalk posts sitting there serving no purpose added to the ambience. The still and calm of this photo keeps it as one of my favorites.

On the streets of New Orleans this spring . My Golden friend was earning money flipping people off. This is real life. This photo brings up so many questions for who thinks of this idea? Who puts money on the bucket? Does this person make a living this way? For now I will just think since the person doesn’t flinch. Rather he just flips off the passers by.  Would you drop a dollar or two in the bucket?

I’m ending this photo reel on a unicorn note. A colorful collection of sticky notes. An accent pen. All together with a miniature unicorn piñata. A cool gift set I received that brings nothing but giggles when I look at it. I don’t so much use the items for their functionality, rather I use it to decorate a fun office space I have. Just because.

I hope these 10 shots brought you some enjoyment. Maybe they made you curious. Possibly they could cause you to take a trip. Whatever you fancy, I’m happy to have shared these few moments I captured and noted as views. My views. 

author moments, awareness, challenges

It’s Been A Week

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This week is one for the record books. 

So much to do in my own day-to-day life. The normal tasks. The one-off tasks. The fitness regimen. The community service. The people time. Travel. Life a-z. Then a boom hits. A real shocker nobody could ever plan for. Indirect connection. Direct connection. Neither matters when the boom is so hard the shock wave spirals for miles and miles. That’s what happen when a child dies that is interwoven in communities near and far due to school, church and sports connections.

My community is mourning the loss of a young girl. The day-to-day life seems insignificant yet life continues for our family. A guilt one should not want to feel. As a coach of young girls, I check in on social media. I text. I watch. I have to keep an eye out. I see so much hurt. I check in with other parents to see how grief is setting in on their home front. I see sadness on faces that normally boast bright smiles. I see prayer groups running non stop. Everyone is trying to get by with a little help from……

God

The community

Family

Friends

Loved ones

Many are holding on to cherished memories. Many are wondering why they didn’t get to say goodbye. Others are thinking why did I not do this or maybe why did I say that. When loss hits without warning so many raw emotions are stirred up. Time has become a thief. Time is no longer an option with that person. The loss of not doing is what is so hard.

Healing has begun for this community in some ways. No one will really ever understand the why behind this incident. None of us will really be exactly the same. Some kids will learn lessons and some will sit in the darkness for many reasons. Life is full of experiences and unfortunately death is one of them. Living through loss is where growth can happen even if it’s extremely hard in the moment. I’m learning how to be a better parent for example. I’m learning how to talk more deeply with other parents on how they are handling this type of grief and/or teaching moments.

I am however not passing judgment on the young girl. I am not passing judgment on the others involved. It’s not my place. It’s also not for me to decide who was in the wrong. My job is to be patient. To learn. To love. To be present. That’s it. Just a support role. A support for whomever needs it. When they need it. Today. Tomorrow. A year from now.

I will think of the color blue a little differently now. The baby blue hue that is a memory of her bright light on the world. A soft color to represent an angel in the distance. May her new journey be one that allows her to soar among the powdery blue skies. 

As one is set to be layed to rest. I pause. I reflect on my choices. My guidance to my kids. This could be me. This could be you. This tragedy can happen in your community. Teens are not invincible despite their beliefs. It’s great to feel invincible but we all know as adults how dangerous feeling invincible can be. For now I’m one of the lucky ones. I get to hug my teen. I get to continue the process of looking at colleges. I get to support my teen during this grief.

My heart goes out to the parents who don’t have that ability any longer. My strength goes out to the families whose children’s lives were spared that night. For they feel a different kind of grief and relief and guilt. My resilience is going out to the family of the one who ultimately has to face the legal system for this unfortunate situation. Another angle of this dilemma many may forget about but one that is equally challenging. Families will hurt for years to come. 

As I close my eyes to drift into a peaceful state I say a quiet prayer for all. Everyone needs something. May peace be granted to all in the ways that each needs for healing. I am also praying for healing of all involved in the other teen incidents that just happened to occur close by in the past few weeks as well.

The teen shot leaving school.

The teen stabbed with a box cutter in the school bathroom.

The football player gunned down at the mall.

Signing off as a lucky mom today. Heartbroken for the kids and families impacted by these tragedies. May this be a reminder that we as parents are not invincible. We can all be faced with that uncertainty one day. Stay humble. Be kind. Do what you can to help others. You may need the support one day.

challenges

Another Day to Build

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I am back at my construction project. That 120 square feet that I am updating for my current needs. The bandaid is on my annoying blister as a cushion.  As a bonus, I will probably have a little scar from that stupid blister. Lucky me. A badge of honor I suppose. The grungy clothes are back on. This time I will be actually wearing my gloves to avoid more bandaids. It took a good week to get rid of the ouch of the blister.

Insulation is wrapping up and the planning of the metal has begun. And maybe begun again more than once. I also scrapped the wood I was going to use and decided to use some accented bead board. A cheap alternative and easy to work with. I’m obviously not building a house thus I can use the more flimsy materials. I am calling this my lipstick renovation, Somewhat of a little puzzle to put together. I have a vision but I have to figure out how to make it look just the way I want it. Piece by piece. Brick by brick or makeshift brick. Sneak peek below.

As a pause button is hit on the faux brick the shift is made to focus on the metal. Cutting. Measuring. Assembling. Aligning the trim to cover rough edges. Let the drum roll begin. A cleaning process. Then the final touch was some sealant to keep the vintage metal from rubbing its age off on passers by. Not sure if it will work, but I guess in time I will find out. A decent stink of aerosol was in my small space just lingering in the air. Thank goodness for window ventilation and air flow. At the end of this session I was definitely happy with the assembly of the recycled metal. About 50 percent more to go. 

A level. A power saw. Screws. Snips. Elbow grease. Patience. Measuring tape. These are the ingredients for today’s progress. Maybe not as much progress as I wanted but it’s forward progress. Another half metal wall to knock out. The top half of each small wall over the metal still needs to be crafted fully but a sneak peek is below. Another puzzle of sorts now that I am on window height. A few tricky spots will be the final stages to conquer.

My next update in this series will hopefully be the final project. Progress not perfection for this project.