Winter 08 in Review

Well since I find myself taken so much lately by two jobs and the final semester, I thought I would show what I have done the past few months with pictures.

New Year's Eve
Sarah (Bill's Fiance), Paul, Me, and Bill (P's Brother)

The New Kittens Clive and Cassidy

Cassidy getting a ride from P

C& C Music Factory and Mingus

The Group I Lead to Backpack in Oil Creek State Park

Eating Lunch at Oil Creek SP

Hiking Out From Oil Creek

Snowshoeing On My Street During The Blizzard of 08

Horsing Around In The Snow

Moms Came Out to Cheer Me On at the Shamrock 5K

Overdressed at the 5KShowing How Big The Piles of Snow Are At the 5K

Snowshoeing Sunday after the Blizzard

Snowshoeing at the Golf Course

Letting the Mingus and the Neighbor Dog Play in the Snow

So that was January-February-Beginning of March. Hope the pictures were nice.

Winter Hike

Going backpacking for the weekend in the snow.

Yep...excited!

Life and Death

As I have grown up, I became more aware of death. Not the fear of it, per say, no...more understanding it. I have long realized that life is fickle and at any moment we can be swept away to the infinite abyss that is "death". What death means to me is still yet to be decided, agnostic at best, but I do realize that with everyday, I find myself less and less afraid of the significant "D" word.

Why the sudden need to talk about something so dire?

Well for the first time in my life, I witnessed a fit, healthy 20 year old have a heart attack. I have witnessed first-hand what it looks like to give chest compressions and use an AED; and what it looks like to watch someone almost die and come back to life (albeit barely). I do not think it dawned on me until a few days later how once again I am greatly changed by an important, yet small part of life that has had an amazing impact on how I view the world.

I was surprised that I was not more disturbed by the whole occurrence. I felt as I should have been shaken to the core, that I should have shed some tears (as many others did), but I was comfortable, relaxed, on-the-ball during the whole conundrum. I realized a few days later, that the experience did change me but not as some, I felt a surge of who I am. Within this young man's suffering was an emergence of life in me.

Do not get me wrong, it was a horrible scene and very intense, but as I reflect back to the incident, it made me realize that I am built to be a calm in these times. I understand that to "die" or to experience "dying" will be a part of all of our lives---and that does not scare me. I am not sure that those feelings are either good nor bad, but for me it gave me another sense of purpose. That in a moment of urgency or even emergency, that I will be calm and level headed enough to make tough, smart decisions...and that at times all of your efforts will be in vain and other times will end with an amazing miracle, but to feel that is life.

I am no longer afraid of the struggles and complications of life. Sure I will get stressed and even cry on occasions, but in the big scheme of things I thank my lucky stars that life is as challenging as it is. So that I know that I am becoming the best that I can be, and that when I die, I feel I have learned and grown, and that all things are life lessons.

Oh Yeah...

I was on TV Monday (Martin Luther King Day)

I was on Robin Swoboda....climbing for her University of Akron Day.

I am closer to the end of the clip, once you get through the first talking part I am the one with the tan chords, teal chalk bag, and the white helmet....YAY!!!

2008....

And so begins the long arduous task of beginning to work out continuously for the New Year. After injuries and frustrations...too much food and 5 lbs of weight gain (ouch). I am back on track for working out.

This year is a bit different then the last. First of all, I quit soccer.

Sadly, I had to say goodbye to the sport I love, after injuries were adding up and I was constantly "laid" up with one kink or another (After one bad kick would leave a charley horse for days, one bad trip would make the knee swell to the size of a tennis ball). I am getting older and perhaps a bit wiser about my body and that means to actually work out at a constant and steady rate---then soccer had to be put to bed. A decision that was not easy but that my body will thank me for...in more ways then one.

So now for the past two weeks I have put in 4 days a week of running and two days a week of climbing. Swimming and stationary biking will be put into the fold next week.
I already feel better. The run I had this morning in 10 degree weather was the best I have had in months. I felt energetic, realistic, quiet, and happy. Nothing hurt and I felt great. I wore no watch, and I just enjoyed it. I remember this feeling, now just the slow build up of health until I peak once again.


I will now leave you with some more pictures from Christmas...these of Paul and I playing in the water...

Senior-itis

Phew, my last semester has begun with a fury. Being gone over Christmas break did not allow me to get as many things done as I had hoped but I had a blast in Florida over Christmas.

PICS from Florida
Paul and I- Self Pic Pensacola Beach, FL Christmas Day

Paul walking P'cola, FL
Family on the porch at Condo

Over the break I also had the opportunity to finish an eight day wilderness first responder course. So now I am a WFR (as they call it) and ready for any backcountry emergencies thrown my way. Which is very useful when I lead trips that have any type of risk.What can a WFR do? Well it is the ability to act in an emergency when you are too far from local EMS. Example, if someone happened to fracture their femur on a gnarly mountain bike ride- I am legally allowed to pull traction in line on that bone until it pops back with circulation restored and splint it up or if someone were to fall from a cliff, I have the tools to stabilize their head and build a backboard to carry them out in case of a spine injury. It was a very enjoyable class and another tool in my arsenal for job searching.



As for my last semester....I am BURNED out. Not with my teachers (who quite contrary have been nothing but amazing) but with the run around that University of Akron gives you when you need to get things done. For instance, the University College lost my folder...yep, the one with all of my paperwork since I have been there, and they lost my intercollegiate transfer form. What are these things to all of you? Probably not much, it just meant another 45 min wait to get the transfer form filled in again and a smartass university college advisor who tried to make a joke about the missing folder (sorry buddy my life for the last 6 years is not much of a joke to me).

Then he tried to sit me down and open up with a description of what my goals are...reality check, my goals are to graduate and hopefully make enough money so that my hubby and I aren't broke and poor and constantly trying to make ends meet. Plus the fact that I am irritated that you have an empty file of me in front of you. Not the time to be asking me my dreams.

I do have dreams and aspirations but they may not happen. That is life. I am going to school to make a better life for myself and that does not always mean that the perfect job will somehow fall into my lap. I watch my friends graduate and not get jobs; they become overly qualified bartenders and servers and whatever jobs they can get folks. That is the reality we have now and everyone seems to be skirting around what is truly happening to students once they graduate. All I can do is work hard, make connections, and hope. Hope that things will turn out in my favor


Man, I sound cynical. Maybe I am a bit, but things are not all bad. My College of Education adviser has been nothing but amazing, my bosses at the Rec Center have put their necks on the line for me (and in turn I have gained much), my classes at the UAkron have been great (with the exception of a few), and I am four months from graduating...not bad.

Where are you....

Haven't blogged for awhile...
So where I have been???

The past few months have been spent in good faith. I have been back and running for a while now. The only race I have participated in recently is the Home Run for the Homeless in Akron on Thanksgiving morning. This years race brought about 15 close family and friends who also participated. It was a nice run and I always enjoy when the money we pay goes to charity. I wanted to write a long blog on giving thanks but alas the time has passed and my words are short.

The most interesting thing to happen to P and I lately is that we adopted two kittens. Actually, they adopted us . Many of you know that P works for the Summit County Metro Parks and about three weeks ago while he was doing some work at the Bike and Hike trail he came across two kittens that had been dumped and left to fend for themselves. Being that they were only around 6 weeks old; they were scared, dehydrated, starving...you get the picture. He (being the kind soul that he is) took them back to the office and then home to fix them up and find someone to adopt them. Unfortunately, no one we asked wanted kittens and as the weekend passed I became more and more attached to them (and they to us). After a few tears (when Paul mentioned the pound), he gave in and let us keep them, secretly I believe he became fairly attached too. Our family is now a rousing 7 (3 cats, 1 dog, 1 tarantula and P and I).

As for now I finally finished this semester (only one more to go) last week and I am just trying to catch up on all the things that have been put to the wayside (cleaning, organizing, etc). Of course one of my favorite things about Christmas break is being able to read any books of my choosing, I usually can get about three in by the end of the month. Right now I have picked up the Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. It is a "some-what" scientific view of our food industry...answering the question "what are we eating?" To find out, Pollan follows each of the food chains that sustain us—industrial food, organic or alternative food, and food we forage ourselves—from the source to a final meal, and in the process develops a definitive account of the American way of eating. I am excited to read and understand just another view point on what is going on in our food industry.

As for what we are doing for physical fitness: P and I are just starting to get back into the multi-sport bit. We have been rock climbing a lot recently and running, but now we will get back into the pool and stationary bike training as well. My favorite thing about winter and snow was an impromptu 4 mi hike last night in the fresh powder snow, we were the first to put our tracks along the trail and the only ones out actually enjoying this weather. Hiking in the snow with the silence and beauty is just what this girl needs after a few weeks of intense school.

P and I are off to Florida for Christmas to visit my sis and take care of her after foot surgery...hopefully I can take some time to write a bit more, but if not I wish all of you a blessed Holiday Season!