Turkey Trot 10k Thanksgiving Tradition

"Some memories are unforgettable, remaining ever vivid and heartwarming."--Joseph B. Wirthlin 

It’s that time of year where everyone gobbles until they wobble and tramples each other over sales.. I mean spends time with family and watches football. Thanksgiving is an odd time of year not to mention the historic issues associated with it that no one ever thinks about anymore. Being a group fitness instructor and a relatively healthy person I tend to dislike Thanksgiving only because of the fact that I have no self control with portions and desserts when presented to me in a buffet style. It’s pretty much a free for all going on in my brain and stomach that propels me forward and tells me “ you know you want ALL of this. Get 5 plates and then we’ll see if you’re full. Tomorrow I’m going to guilt trip you and make you spend all day at the gym. Enjoy!”

This year wasn’t like that at all…thank goodness. Yes I ate more than I usually do. Yes I had deliciously scrumptious food that I have zero regrets over. Yes I spent the next day working out slightly more than usual. However, Will and I started a tradition 3 years ago that I’ve really come to love. We run a Turkey Trot 10k in Virginia Beach around Mount Trashmore and the surrounding area in the morning then go to the Thanksgiving festivities later in the day with our families. 

This year we left Greenville, NC (our current home) Wednesday night and drove the 2.5 hours to Knott’s Island to have dinner with his Dad, brother and random friends his brother, Nick, had brought. We ate lots of homemade skillet pizza, which is his Dad’s specialty everyone always requests. It’s never bad. Never. We started our vacation off there so we could leave Atlas with his best furry friends and we would know he was getting worn out and also be extremely happy. It’s the same people from previous blogs who are professional dog sitters and the house is doggy heaven. Obviously he was happy for the few hours we left him gallivanting around the backyard chasing balls and wearing all of the other dogs out. 

We woke up bright and early, had a quick breakfast and drove the 45 minutes up to Mount Trashmore. This location is already a favorite for runners since it makes a loop around a large lake and even has gym equipment along the way,  a skate park, and a children’s play park. It’s a neat place. Race day it boasted inflatable start and finish markers, thousands of runners (some in costumes and lots in turkey hats), bagels, bananas and donuts from Krispy Kreme, not to mention free coffee. They know how to start and finish a race off well. 

We both wanted to improve our PRs and trained much more than usual. The race started off with both of us running together, but I made sure Will ran off and actually ran at his pace since I’m slower than a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter. I’m slow, but I’m in it for the long haul. I never stop and I always pace myself. We both finished and realized we CRUSHED out personal records. Will blasted his by 10 minutes and I knocked off 5 minutes from mine. Killed it!

The rest of the day consisted of lots of driving… not as much eating. We drove back down to Moyock to shower at Will’s Mom’s house. I then drove off to Williamsburg to see my family and had a blast catching up with my family. I only get to see them a few times a year so it’s always nice catching up. After that I drove the 2 hours to Knott’s Island, picked up my pup and drove to Virginia Beach. At this point I had spent more time in the car than I had with family and friends on the holiday that celebrates just that… Plus no one saved me ANY turkey as promised. Slightly upset, BUT we did roast our own 2 days afterward to make up for it and holy crap was it delicious.   Anyway… 

I’m not one for Black Friday. I hate that people are so caught up in buying that one gift everyone else is getting and doing anything possible, even trampling someone, in order to get that specific item. I only go out on Black Friday to browse calmly once my parents head to bed and only if someone is going out and needs to get something. Thanksgiving to me is about being thankful for what really matter and what you already have. That being said I found myself in Target browsing for video games with Will and his brother. It was surprisingly not insane and we had a good time walking off all of the food we ate. 

After the not so much madness we rounded up all of our stuff and made the drive back to Greenville. There’s something to be said about being away from home…even though I hate Greenville… and falling in to bed after a really good time away. 

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings."--Williams Arthur Ward

Greenville Greenway

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better"--Albert Einstein

Greenville, NC is a large town in the middle of nowhere North Carolina. It is the home of the East Carolina Pirates and boasts a lot of school spirit and youthfulness. I attended ECU from 2007-2011 and loved my four years here. As much as I loved it, I never expected to be back, much less find a job here. There’s not much here in the way of jobs unless you’re a teacher, in the medical or criminal justice fields. I’ve discovered lots of new places and revisited old haunts. By far my absolute favorite find was a relatively new addition to the town that hadn’t existed when I lived here. What’s it called? The Greenville Greenway. 

Right now, it’s a series of paths, mostly paved, spanning throughout the town for walkers, bikers, runners, etc. It’s even dog friendly! Most of it runs by the river and, as the name would suggest, is very green and scenic. It’s my favorite part of Greenville, especially due to the fact that most of G-Vegas is either part of the college or consists of chain restaurants or just boring, old business buildings. It’s a patch of oasis in an otherwise concrete jungle. 

What’s so great about it besides the fact that it’s super green? There’s lots of places to put your kayaks or canoes in the water. Dogs and their owners get to walk along it and meet new people. It’s a much healthier, and not to mention prettier way to get around to certain parts of the town. I now bike to the grocery store, post office, and the local library. Why not? I love the exercise and being outside, plus it saves money! There are even places where I can let my dog hop around in the river and throw sticks for him. 

Speaking of dog friendly, there’s a dog park that is super well-maintained and almost everyone in town with a dog goes there to let their dogs have the time of their lives. It’s a great way to meet fellow dog lovers as well!

I love using the Greenway to run. I choose to do a 4 mile loop on the part that is right down the street from my house. There’s also a 2 mile loop for days when I’m a little more rushed. Atlas, my dog, also loves to have daily walkies on the Greenway to strut his stuff, sniff, and meet other dogs and humans. They have lots of benches along the way to look out over the water and several piers for fishing. They even have bins filled with plastic bags to ensure the pathways stay poo free. How cool is that?

For anyone of any age, the Greenville Greenway is the highlight of my time here and is sure to be a hit for anyone who enjoys being outside. I’ve never had any sort of problem on the Greenway and everyone I’ve met is always nice. What’s even better is that it never seems crowded. There’s never mobs of people, but you do see a steady flow of people without feeling like you’re losing your personal space. Most of the time I only see a few other people. It all depends on the weather!

The only downside is hurricane season. Greenville, NC is rarely affected in any major way, but every now and then, as was the case with hurricane Joaquin we suffered major flooding of the lower laying areas. The Greenway was one of those. Nothing was damaged, but it was under a little over a foot of water for about a week. I was so bummed that I couldn’t run my loop and get my daily fix of beautiful ponds, bridges, and river views in before heading to work! 

"We do not see nature with our eyes, but with our understandings and our hearts"--Williams Hazlitt

My First Triathlon!

"If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you"--Unknown

A few years ago I weighed in at almost 160lbs... at 5'3" my tiny frame looked pretty chunky and so did my self esteem. Don't worry this isn't a sob story; it's an I kicked my fat's a$$ and got in the best shape of my life story. In 2010 I weighed the most I've ever weighed in my life and I honestly didn't even know how bad it was until I saw a picture of myself one day and it completely clashed with what I saw in my own brain.

Luckily, I had an amazing support system and my best friend at the time, Laura, was going through the same thing. We launched our fitness goals at the best gym imaginable, ACAC. I started taking Zumba and kickboxing classes and got addicted to how amazing I felt after having my butt whooped, the feeling of sweat dripping, and the exhaustion...but mostly the endorphins.

Long story short....

1. I've lost almost 40lbs and haven't gained any of it back in the 5 years I've dedicated to changing my life

2. I don't eat processed food ALL THE TIME. Don't get me wrong... I LOVE ICE CREAM, but I learned to eat less awful for you desserts and also in moderation. I also learned to love veggies and if I say so myself I make some amazingly delicious healthy food. Don't ever let anyone tell you eating healthy tastes bad, lacks flavor, and is expensive. I'm living proof it's not.

3. I became a Zumba instructor and Body Step instructor and typically teach 4-5 classes a week, run 4-8 miles a week, walk my dog a few miles every day, and bike everywhere possible.

4. I work my butt off. It takes work and I'm fully committed to that. Are you?

5. Has working out made me a bitter, envious of fast food eaters, sweaty all the time person? No. I'm extremely happy and couldn't imagine going back to the way I was.

6. I started running 5ks and 10ks. Turkey Trot 10k before Thanksgiving dinner? Don't mind if I do. Quick 4 mile run while on vacation? Heck yes, let's see more scenery and discover new places. Color me Rad, Neon Vibe, Cosmic Run, and Foam Fest runs? SO MUCH FUN.

7. I started competing in bike races   58 miles to be exact and I did it twice and shaved an hour off my time. I just can't get enough and guess what? I'm the healthiest and happiest I've ever been.

All it takes it motivation and perseverance.

Okay back to the main story, because let's be honest you definitely needed some back story.



I have been wanting to compete in a triathlon for a few months now, but I wanted to do a small one to ease my way in to this whole other realm of fitness that I knew I would either love or hate, but mostly likely love. It just so happened a very small triathlon, Life's A Beach, was coming to Hampton aka 30 minutes from my house. HECK YES! Here was my opportunity and I ran with it...among other things.



Life's A Beach Tri was a 300m swim, 5 mile bike ride, and 2 mile run. All of those distances were easy for me on their own so I didn't think I'd have a problem come race day. I'd prepared, but I could've actually practiced swimming more..oops.

I got up bright and early, kissed my pup and boyfriend goodbye and booked it to the race. I was super excited and ready to start. My heat started at 9 and of course I got there early, but it was worth it. The swimming was up first and after years of SCUBA diving I was mentally prepared and probably a little cocky...which I'm sure is why my wardrobe malfunction occurred.


The heat started promptly at 9am and while I in no way want to insult anyone I'm pretty sure that 90% of the people competing were morbidly overweight and walked most of it. While that is fantastic for those people who are WAY AHEAD of everyone who sat at home on the couch, I had every intention of really competing and going all out. I wanted this race to set the precedent for all races to come so I sprinted down the beach and plunged in to the water.

Great start right? Yes...if by that you mean my super fast start in to the water... no if you meant I kept all my clothes on.. I did the race in board shorts and a sports bra. Super versatile right? Right. Said boy shorts fit snugly on land...said shorts became a circus tent in the water. The second I dove in the water they wafted out from my hips and became a gigantic air filled ballon hovering around my mid thigh. I immediately went vertical in the water, yanked them up...by doing that I'm sure it looked like I farted the fart to end all farts and the air bubbles all came bursting to the surface, and went back to swimming.


Had I actually practiced swimming I would have known that in the years that I've lost weight I also gained a LOT of muscle. Muscle weighs a lot more than buoyant fat. SO as my pants flew off and as I   yanked them back on I sank like a rock to the ocean floor. I spent the entire 300m doing an awkward breast stroke since it was the only stroke I could do while also keeping my shorts on. I also fought gravity and what I thought would be my easiest part of the trip quickly became my most embarrassing and difficult as I dragged my heavy as bricks body through the water. The good news? I passed almost everyone in my heat, came out of the water without flashing the photographers, kids, and onlookers on the beach and I didn't drown. A for effort right?


It blew my mind that I was literally the only one running to the bikes. Almost everyone changed clothes casually, switched out gear, etc. I'm sure I looked insane and there are plenty of blog posts about that really hyper red headed girl who was soaking wet the entire race and how I probably made them feel slow.. oh well. I was doing this to please myself, not everyone else.


I jumped on my bike, unlocked it and pedaled like there was a bear chasing me. I completed the 5 miles in what seemed to me to be a very very quick time, which was fine by me. I didn't have any malfunctions, wardrobe or otherwise so that was a plus. Also, I was still wet so the blazing hot 90 degree heat didn't feel bad at all!


Up last was the 2 mile run with 4 obstacles. Running on the beach is no easy task! I did my 2 laps, my army crawl under a giant net, slid through a plastic tube, and hurdled over some beach chairs. It. was. glorious. Running over that finish line was the best feeling I've had in a long time. I did have a quick moment of terror as I jumped over the beach loungers since I thought I was going to trip, but thankfully I didn't. As I crossed that finish line I felt so happy, accomplished and just proud of myself and all that I had done to get where I was in that moment.

The results were in later that day and I finished the race in a whipping 42 minutes!!!!!! I was top 20 of all racers, and to top it all off I was first in my age group. This NEVER happens to me. I'm usually super slow in running races, but I kicked it up a notch and made sure I never let myself slack off. You know what? It paid off. Now I'm signing up for a longer triathlon for September and can't wait to attack that one head on!

"Will it be easy? Nope. Worth it? Absolutely."--Unknown

My Good Deed For The Day

"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."--Francis of Assisi

 Friday morning I woke up bright and early with every intention of going for a great run. My boyfriend and I are pet and house sitting for his Dad. They have 4 dogs of their own and run a pet sitting business, which we would take over for the weekend. Will had gone down first thing so the dogs could get more play time. I had a few appointments before I headed down and I wanted to work out before we left. There's a neighborhood right down the road that is pretty to run in and it's where I take my dog on walks almost every day. I got there, put on my 80s pop radio station on Pandora and started to run around the 1.6 mile loop.

I was pumped up, loving the music, and actually really enjoying my run. All of that was about to change. As I turned the corner I noticed a dog was running around without an owner. As I got closer it was running in the middle of the street as several parents just watched it while they walked their kids to the bus stop. Apparently I was the only one who thought maybe "I should get that Shih Tzu out of the road before it gets his by a car."  It wasn't very fast so I grabbed him and he instantly started wagging his tail and tried to give me kisses. Obviously he was a very happy dog. I brought him back to the corner and started asking if anyone recognized him and knew who he belonged to. One parent said he would watch him if I wanted to go for my run still. I thought he was going to actually take the dog home and do the good citizen thing by putting up found dog flyers, but he set him down on the grass and proceeded to ignore him.

By this time I was fed up with his inability to even watch the poor, cute, lost dog. I grabbed the dog and walked in to the cup-de-sacs near the street to make sure someone wasn't desperately looking for their dog. After 30 minutes of this I decided to take him to the vet. He didn't have a collar so I had no way of knowing where he lived, plus his fur was a bit matted and seemed like he had been lost at least a day. His recent grooming and flowery smell made it seem like he wasn't gone longer too. I decided on the vet in case he was chipped so I could easily find his home.

I drove the 5 minutes to the nearest vet and it turns out little fluff (that's what I named him) LOVES car rides. He was jumping around my back seat in the doggy hammock, jumping to the front seat and sprawling out in all his glory. Unfortunately, he wasn't chipped so we were back to square one. I asked the vet if they looked after lost dogs at all, but they, as a general vet policy, can't do that so they suggested the SPCA. The SPCA near us is phenomenal. We adopted our border collie from there and their facilities are well-staffed, no kill, all the pets get lots of exercise, there's tons of room for pets, and they are well-funded. I thought that was a great place to drop him off so back in the car we went!

Before everyone thinks I'm a monster for not taking him home with me to take care of him until we found his owners... I'm moving to NC in 3 days and we have a dog and 2 cats and have no idea of this dog's history much less how he does with cats or if he could possibly have gotten some illness that might spread to my dog. Not going to risk it. It wouldn't be fair to little fluff either. The SPCA doesn't take strays for one reason. All strays are supposed to go through the intake process at the Animal Control here so if anyone loses a dog there is only one place for them to go so it's easier for them to find. Makes sense. I would lose my mind if Atlas was lost and would call everyone imaginable, so I'm hoping little fluff's owners are as diligent as I would be.

Of course the Animal Control didn't open until 11am. What time did I show up? 930am... Luckily I ran into an elderly woman who volunteered there. She was walking a tiny dog and I walked up and explained that I had just found this dog. I'm not sure what she thought I said, but she went into a rant about how I was a horrible person for surrendering my dog. There was a super awkward pause and then I had to explain why I was not giving away my dog, but trying to do the right thing and find this dog's owner. She got mad at me then for not taking the dog myself and I had to explain that I was moving to a home that would have 5 pets in ANOTHER STATE. I was pretty grumpy with her for accusing me of hating dogs (for those of you who know me you know that I love my pets, especially my puppy, as if they were my own children so she's just ridiculous). I made her take me inside to find someone who could help me. 10 minutes later little fluff was being led to the back to presumably get a nice bed and await his parents!

I went home and immediately posted his story to Facebook to try and spread the word. If anyone knows this dog please let his owners know he is at the Animal Control at 341 S Birdneck Road. I found him in Courthouse Estates on North Landing Road in Virginia Beach. I hope this guy finds his home! He's insanely sweet and deserves a fantastic home.



Moral of the story> Please, please, please get your dogs chipped. There's nothing sadder than knowing your dog got loose and there's no way for anyone to be able to have a chance to contact you. Dogs are the best things to have ever happened to the human race and they are the only creatures on the planet who love us more than they love themselves. Keep the safe and happy. Make sure they have multiple ways of identification so they can make their way home :)


"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."--Milton Berle

Dirty Girl 5k Mud/Obstacle Run

"Exercise to stimulate, not annihilate. The world wasn't formed in a day, and neither were we. Set small goals and build upon them."--Lee Haney



Lets' be honest here. I'm a fitness freak. I teach Zumba and Body Step classes 4 days a week at my local gym; I lift weights several days a week, walk my dog a few miles, ride my bike, and basically adore anything else active. I hate sitting for hours on end. Moving around gets my brain working and keeps me in shape and happy. I've done quite a few fun runs/mud/obstacle runs with my boyfriend and a few friends, but this time I went with my best friend and former college roommate, Ellie. Ellie does not share my passion for fitness, but I've rubbed off on her and she has set small goals for herself and even takes gym classes a few days a week! Awesome!

She had been talking about wanting to do a 5k so I went on the hunt for a super fun one. I found an all female race benefitting breast cancer foundations. Personally, I don't care if it's all female, but it was the next race coming to the area and it looked like a CRAZY amount of fun. They advertised mud, sweat, obstacles, team work, etc. What sealed the deal? I Living Social deal for a half price entry! Heck yes. I love fitness and I love saving money on fitness, so this was perfect.

We both signed up and started counting down the days. Ellie was more nervous because it was her first race. She didn't train too much, but she did her best and that's all that matters. I wasn't nervous at all I just wanted it to be race day! I had been training non stop in the gym, running with my dog, and lifting weights. I wanted to make sure I was prepared.

Race day had finally arrived! We donned our running clothes that we knew we wouldn't care about getting dirty and drove to the Sportsplex where the race was held. There were lots of vendors set up that we briefly checked out. We dropped out change of clothes and towels off and made sure to get pre-race pictures. We knew we'd look like we'd run thru a very muddy hell and back after the race so we wanted to be able to show the crazy difference.

Ellie set the pace and I told her that we could walk whenever she wanted, but I made sure to challenge her. She almost made it through the whole race without complaining about the running, but that last mile really did her in! There were so many obstacles! I couldn't get enough. I ran right up to each one and went all out no matter what. There were tubes we climbed through, balance beams where people launched large inflatable balls at us, army crawls through mud pits, inflatable slides where you bounced off the bottom into a muddy water pit, rope walls, barriers to climb over, we even went down a fire pole!

Needless to say by the time we could see the finish we were COVERED from head to foot in mud. The last obstacle was right before the finish line. It was a gigantic mud pit. We looked at each other and took off running for it. I tackled her right at the end and we both ended up face down in the mud and had to roll around to get out. Priceless. We ran across the finish line together and were given our finisher's medals, which were HUGE. The goodie bags we received also had shampoo and conditioner. They know how to make us feel good after a race!

After we had finished and had collected our bags we set off for the picture stations! After that we decided it would be best if we used their "shower" area to literally hose ourselves down. It honestly looked like a mud bomb had gone off over there. They should've made it the new obstacle for all the mud that was there. The only downside? The water was FREEZING COLD. We washed our legs off and shoes, but it didn't do much good. After heading home, we both gunned it for the two bathrooms in my house. It took quote a while, but we managed to get the mud out of our ears and off of every surface imaginable on our skin.

All in all, it was one of the most fun races I've ever had the pleasure to take part in. I just wish they had had more photographers! Although, if that's my only complaint then I can't even complain! It was such a fantastic day and we had an insane amount of fun. Ellie ROCKED her first 5k and I got to run around with her on lots of obstacles. If you get a chance don't miss the Dirty Girl 5k. Sorry guys. It's a vagina only event. No wieners allowed.

"The reason I exercise is for the quality of life I enjoy."--Kenneth Cooper

We Have Lift Off!

"Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." --Steve Jobs

2013 has had an unexpectedly remarkable start. Personally I think it started New Years Eve as I FINALLY had a date. Ever since I was little New Years Eve either consisted of going to bed and missing it or being essentially a third wheel. I've had good times with the people I was with, but it's a couples' holiday and I was always dateless. This year however I went to Virginia Beach with my ex/best friend Will. I feel like it was the kick start to a new and exciting year. I never thought anything could top my year abroad, but this year is just as exciting for completely different reasons.

I've decided I'm slightly off my rocker this year with goals, but I'm aiming high and I've made myself a promise to always do that. I guess you could say that's my resolution for this year. Here is a little of what I've been up to and part of the reason why it's taken me FOREVER to post again.

Acting!

I've had auditions for local short films, a local feature, 2 musicals, 1 straight play, and landed a job in 3 of those movies and a job as a production assistant. Needless to say I felt like something was finally happening. I've never been more sure that it's what I want to do with my life and I've been trying to tackle it in every way possible. I'm still searching for an agent, but it's a work in progress! I haven't heard back about a few things, but I'm hopeful that I will get something. If not, then it's on to the next audition. No matter what though I am going to take this industry by storm. You can count on that. I've never been more determined in my life.

Adventure!

You can take the girl out of the adventure, but you can't take the adventure out of the girl. After spending the entirety of my time living abroad and pretty much living my dream life of exploring foreign countries and cultures I get to go on another adventure! Where am I plunking myself down this time? MALTA! For those of you who don't know it's an island in the Mediterranean near Sicily. Its culture is a mix of almost every Mediterranean culture as it has been invaded by most. It is also extremely colorful and has some of the best scuba diving sites in the world. I was accepted into a field school there for Anthropology and I will undertake a project there where I'm combining terrestrial and underwater photography to capture the culture of the island. I'll be spending 3 weeks there and I can't even wait.

(I do not own this photo)

I work at a dive shop called Atlantis Divers and they have planned an adventure scuba trip to Costa Rica. One of my best friends of all time, Ellie, has been scuba certified for 2 years and we haven't had a chance to dive together yet. Now we will in South America :) It is 4 days of diving supplemented with ATV trips in the jungle, a hike in the national forest, zip lining in the jungle, horseback riding, and white water rafting. Needless to say it is the perfect trip for me and I'm so happy Ellie is going to be sharing this adventure with me.

(I do not own this photo)

I've also been slightly obsessed with Ben Fogle's books. Particularly The Accidental Adventurer and The Accidental Naturalist. I know my parents will be horrified at my plans, but he's just inspired me to push myself to new limits and go out there and make a difference in the world. I've particularly developed a secret love for Africa and am dying to head out there on a conservation project of some kind, but that's for later on.

Fitness!

I'm probably one of the most active people I know, which is surprising since I used to be quite chubby and one of the laziest people I knew. I go to the gym every day and am always looking for something active and fun to try. This year I'm challenging myself with marathons. Not the ridiculous 28 mile ones. I'm nowhere near that level since I might be the world's slowest runner. Not even exaggerating. I get bored really easily with running. The memes online like this:

I've taken up a form of racing that people would probably think I'm even more insane for doing. It's obstacle marathon racing. I get extremely bored if I run the same boring routes over and over. Jogging in a straight line just seems boring to me. But throw in pits of doom and rock walls to climb and mud pits to slither through and I'm golden. I will tackle it like there's no tomorrow. SO that's what I'm going to do. That being said I am taking part in a regular ole 10K called the Monument Avenue 10k. I'm super excited and it's for charity. The next one I'm doing is called Color Me Rad, which is a 5k where color balloons are thrown at you every few minutes and you end up coming out of the race looking like Alice's Wonderland threw up on you. I can't wait. Someone clean is going to get a VERY big hug :)  I have also decided to compete in a Rugged Maniac, which is the obstacle course 5k. Training is so much more achievable in my opinion when you have crazy goals ahead of you. I've already started training and I'm loving it.

All in all this year has been ridiculously amazing. It hasn't even been an entire month and I can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of the year. I feel like I've accomplished so much already in such a short time. My career finally seems like it has potential and I've got ideas in the works for how I can take on the world by storm. Watch out people. If you haven't heard of me already for one thing or another, I can promise you that you will soon :)

"Let us be about setting high standards for life, love, creativity, and wisdom. If our expectations in these areas are low, we are not likely to experience wellness. Setting high standards makes every day and every decade worth looking forward to." --Greg Anderson