Halloween Wars

Some of the great things about October and Halloween are when television shows embrace this time of year. One of the best examples of this is Halloween Wars on Food Network. This is a competition that pits the best of the best teams in sugar, cake and pumpkin carving against each other while they transform those elements into horrific creations.

Every week teams compete in two challenges: the small scare and the spinetingler. The winner of the small scare gains an extra assistant when they move onto to the larger spinetingler, which is the elimination round. Not only do they have to make a scene based on the parameters of the specific challenge, they also have to make a tasty treat the judges can eat, that will still fit into the scene. One team leaves the competition each week until only two remain for the final battle!

Here are some creations from past seasons:

As a creative person, who loves to bake, make treats...and of course, carve pumpkins, this show is right up my alley. I love to see what each artist can do, how they make a cohesive scene and the creepy factor overall.

I know what I'm doing for the next 4 weeks...

No One Mourns The Wicked

Those are the first words you hear when you watch WICKED. The story of The Wizard of Oz is global. Everyone knows about Dorothy and her journey through Oz with her friends the Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion. They all know that Glinda the Good Witch helps her on her way and that in the end she defeats the Wicked Witch of the West with a bucket of water.

But unless you've read Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West or watched the musical, Wicked, you don't know the half of it! Gregory Maguire took L. Frank Baum's classic story and turned it on it's head to give life to a prequel explaining why the green witch, Elphaba, was the way she was.

Not only does WICKED tell about how Glinda and Elphaba get their start, but also Dorothy's trusted friends: the Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Lion. About the Wizard and his past with Elphaba's family. About Elphaba's sister, Nessarose. This history is detailed and weaves the old and new together is a great way.

Which leads us to the musical.

I had the pleasure of being able to see WICKED today in Albuquerque. I've known the story for over ten years, since the musical began running on Broadway in 2003. The music, written by Stephen Schwartz, is distinctive and melodic. You'll be humming the songs as you leave the theater.

But I digress. Some of the most amazing things about this show aren't just the singing or the story, but the effects. Everything from making monkeys fly, the giant wizard head floating about the throne, a dragon coming to life or the unmistakable green skin of the Wicked Witch of the West, WICKED's special effects are incredible. They seamlessly help to create the world of Oz, along with the sets and costumes, and make this show very unique.

Fun facts:

• It takes about 30 minutes to fully apply Elphaba's makeup before each show
• Elphaba's 2nd act dress weights 30 pounds
• Glinda's bubble dress is EXPENSIVE, worth around $20,000
• The tour travels in 15 trucks (which hold the set and deck, costumes, lighting and sound equipment, etc)
• There are 263 costumes worn in the production
• Elphaba's name comes from the Wizard of Oz author's initials (L. Frank Baum)

It also didn't hurt that I knew someone in the cast who was a delight to see on stage. Etai (seen below) is currently playing Boq in the first national tour (aka Emerald City Tour). I couldn't help but smile when he was onstage. He lights up the theater.

If you haven't seen WICKED, you should see it. The music is great. The homages to the original Wizard of Oz are extremely evident. And while the ending isn't exactly like the book, it's a great twist.

The Dragon-clock is ticking. While I don't anticipate the production to go away anytime soon...you certainly don't want to miss it!

And what kind of Halloween doesn't have witches?!?!?!?!

Halloween Costumes

So today's blog post is about Halloween. Yes, most of these have aspects of Halloween but this one is specifically about Halloween, this year's Halloween to be more specific.

I've already been informed that I will be a scarecrow for Halloween this year. This is per the request of Mel for her birthday (she's an October baby and she's combining the events). She suggested that we all go as scarecrows and have a laid back evening in our 'cute' costumes.

I'm ok with that.

But, I would also like to go Trick-or-Treating with my goddaughter, so I will be walking around as a scarecrow before I go out with the girls. Oddly enough, this will work out as my goddaughter's mother is planning on being a witch.

Our plan is derived from these two things. We are now turning this into a family affair and making it a Wizard of Oz evening. We will have the scarecrow and the witch, of course, along with the cowardly lion (Bailey), tinman (my goddaughter) and  a flying monkey (her father). 

We spent a good amount of time this evening talking over the game-plan and costume designs. I will be working on the makeup for all of us and even taking care of some of the costume pieces. Overall it should be a fun time before I hang out with the girls. 

Here are some of the sketches I did this evening (not a lot of detail and my scarecrow sketch is missing at the moment). 

Don't you just love the Bailey sketch? I do!!!

More pictures and more detailed sketches to come. Stay tuned!

New Television Lineups

Fall means a number of things:

1. Cooler weather
2. Halloween
3. School supplies
4. Orange, yellow and red leaves
5. State Fairs
6. Haunted Houses
7. Apple cider

...I could keep going...

So...what else does it mean? Fall = tv show premieres. Many of us wait all summer for our favorite shows to return so we can pick up right where we left off. Some of us also look forward to all of the new shows that have been added into the lineup.

For me, the shows I picked up last year were Hannibal on NBC and Sleepy Hollow on FOX.

This year, I'm hoping to follow a few more. Every Fall I make up a TV schedule for myself while I figure out what shows to watch. Yes, it sounds a bit sad...like I have nothing else to do but watch tv...and some nights, that is the case. But, I've always done this and it helps me weed out what I actually want to watch and what's just available.

So the nominees are...

FOREVER is an interesting premise. Henry Morgan is a Medical Examiner in New York City. He's also been alive for over 200 years. No, he's not a vampire, he's just cursed and he's trying to find out why. He can be killed, but he comes back...always in water (so, in this case, the Hudson River) and always naked. NICE! ;-) He starts to work with a Detective Martinez to help solve homicides and I really enjoy their banter. Not quite as quirky as in Castle, but more refined in a way. It's a twist on your standard detective drama. I shall be tuning into ABC on Tuesday evenings for this. Ioan Gruffudd isn't bad on the eyes and ears either. 

Next option is SELFIE, also on ABC. It is a modern take on Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. Most people would probably better remember the story as the musical, My Fair Lady. Even the names are the same: Henry, the man who decides to take on the seemly impossible task of molding a young woman, Eliza Dooley, into a better person. Now...this one is a possible. I watched the pilot and was skeptical about the idea. I love My Fair Lady and Pygmalion. I love the actors in the show (John Cho, from Star Trek and Karen Gillan, from Doctor Who) but the characters are missing some depth. It's about the technological age and how people are constantly attached to their phones. I will say that by the end of the episode I had a little tug at my heartstrings. I will give it another go and see how long I stick through it.

This next show intrigued me from the title first, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER. I mean, who doesn't think about this? Oh, you don't? My bad. Here is a brief synopsis that I've found online: A sexy, suspense-driven legal thriller about a group of ambitious law students and their brilliant, mysterious criminal defense professor. They become entangled in a murder plot and will shake the entire university and change the course of their lives. Sounds entertaining to me. Let's give it a go! Plus...if I had Viola Davis teaching me, I'd be a happy camper. She's amazing!

SCORPION is a great show that reminds me a lot of a past CBS show, Numbers. Based on real people, this centers around a team of geniuses that is recruited by Homeland Security to help solve mathematical dilemmas, child abductions, stolen nucs and much more. Elyes Gabel is extremely convincing as genius Walter O'Brien, the leader of the team and I've always enjoyed watching Robert Patrick, who plays Agent Gallo, the man who recruits the team. So far, so good in my opinion. I hope it only gets better.

Of course, I still love my classics, which include ABC's Once Upon A Time and Castle. I can't wait for those to return next Sunday and Monday respectively. Ah, Fall....how I've missed you!

Four Corners Brewery

Today's adventure involved BEER! Local beer from a local brewery. After an early lunch in the Trinity Groves area, we headed over to the Four Corners Brewery Company for samples and a tour of the facility.

The tour began with a history of the company, how it was started by a home brewer and his partners. The company itself is coming up on it's 2nd anniversary and it's doing extremely well. After the history lesson, it was on to the tour, where we heard about each step of the brewing process. Pretty interesting.

Then it was on to the best part of the tour...the sampling! I got a flight of beers so I could try them all. The Local Buzz, Red's Roja, Block Party and El Chingon. The Local Buzz was my favorite, but the others were pretty tasty too.

But to be honest...I think we had more fun stacking the glasses when we were finished. Yes, I will admit. I acted like a child...but we were having fun. I look forward to going back soon and trying some of their seasonal beers!

Please note: no glasses were harmed in the making of this blog post. ;-)

Dopey Deferred

Well...today was the day. The day that I had been waiting for since last April. Today...the Dopey Challenge would go on sale for Walt Disney World's Marathon Weekend in January of 2015.

I had told myself last year when I found out about the races that I would do this in 2015. I had talked about it with friends, co-workers, random strangers (yup, I actually did that)...and I was building myself up for it. I even made sure to run a marathon in the Spring when I said I wouldn't in order to get my Proof of Time placement.

Then April hit.

As registration day grew closer, I started to doubt whether I should actually do the Dopey Challenge this year. I had been struggling with my options for the last few days in particular. My biggest worries were as follows (though not necessarily in this order of importance):

1) Money - Let's face it. Disney races are EXPENSIVE. A half marathon outside of Disney may run you $50-80 depending on when you register. A half marathon at Disney will cost you around $185 if you register right when it becomes available and will only continue to get more costly the longer you wait. AND this doesn't include airfare, hotel or even access to the parks. $$$$$. Dopey is $530 right off the bat. That's a lot of moolah to see fly out the door in one whack.

2) Support - I don't have a husband any more nor do I have a current boyfriend. I don't have someone that can say to me "sure honey, I'll come and watch you run these races" or better yet, "sure honey, I'll come run these races with you." Did I want to do all of the races by myself? Not really. Could I? Absolutely. But would I really want to? Some of my friends had expressed some interest in perhaps participating in a race or two (none of them wanted to join me for the full 4-race challenge) or just tagging along, but I really only got one full confirmation. And as much as I love her, would only one person be enough for me? I know, that sounds egotistical and selfish, but I was hoping for something that screamed camaraderie and honestly, I didn't really get that. And that's fine..I just don't think I realized until this week how much I want it. Disney is the happiest place on Earth and if I'm going to spend almost a week there battering my body, I want people there that I can spend time with and have fun with, even if I'm in pain. I want people there (friends and family) to cheer me on. I didn't think I would have that if I participated in 2015.

3) Health - Those who follow me on FB, Instagram, Twitter or just know me in general know that I'm breaking down. My body isn't what it was and all of my running is catching up to me. Don't get me wrong, I can still run and I still love to do it, but my body, while in better shape than even 2 years ago or even 1 year ago, doesn't bounce back like it used to. I had to wonder if my body would be in good enough shape to take on the challenge this year versus in another year of better prep, etc.

I went back and forth on my decision. I had the money, as I had been saving for it, and my tax return was going to basically replenish the massive hole in my savings from registering for the race. I knew I had at least one friend that was willing to go with me and even run a few of the races. And I knew with preparation and proper care, strength training and doctor visits, I could make it through physically.

But I was still on the ledge. I talked to a few friends about my thoughts and they gave my their opinions.

I watched Dopey go on sale this morning. And I watched as roughly 4 hours later, it was completely sold out.

I didn't register. I pondered, but I didn't flounder. Before the race went on sale, I had made the decision not to register today.

Will I be upset come January when I'm not there? Sure. I have friends who will be there and I won't be getting to see them. However, I knew I wouldn't be hanging out with them or even running with them, so I would have been lucky just to see them in passing. But will I be devastated to not be running this year? No.

Here's why: I'm going to take care of myself this year. I'm taking a few months off of training and will pick back up in July, as I had intended to do anyway for Dopey. I'm going to focus on the other events I have going on this year including 2 family weddings, a birthday trip for someone who is like a sister to me and another marathon in December.

I'm going to actively find my support team for 2016. I'm going to recruit friends and family and have them commit to a trip just like I'll commit to the training.

I'm going to do the Dopey Challenge one year. It won't be in 2015. Hell, it may not even be in 2016. But I know it's not going anywhere, and honestly, neither am I. I will do it one day.

So, I'm deferring Dopey...and I'm ok with that.

Sunday Suckiness

Here are my thoughts for this morning...warning, they are not happy-go-lucky-thoughts.

I'm no fun anymore. Honestly, I don't know if I was ever fun. I guess when I was a child and didn't know any better.

Generally, I don't enjoy going out. Sure, if I get out, I usually have an ok time, but getting me out is hard. I'm a homebody and . It's nice to get invites, but then it just makes me anxious. And when I say 'no', I feel bad. If I say 'yes', it's (most of the time, not always) out of guilt. It's a lose-lose situation. Now I expect to get zero invites out because of this...which of course, makes me a winner (sarcasm).

I feel that people enjoy themselves better when I'm not around.

I'm lonely, but I'm also a loner. The more time I spend at home, the more I realize I don't have someone. Sure, I have friends and that's great, but I tend to go through phases with them.  Then "get out of your house" right? Wrong. That's where the loner part comes in. I'd rather stay in than make the effort. So basically, I get what I get. I will forever be screwed

I say "I don't care" alot. It's become my newest trend. It's not your typical "where should we go eat?" "oh, I don't care" phrase. It's more along the lines of "oh, you really should be doing this" "I just don't care." It's the "I give up" phrase.


I judge people, knowing full well they, in turn, judge me for it. Someone has told me that judging is wrong. Well, I can't help it. It's like telling me to walk around in the dark, because I've had to turn off my 'judging switch' like you would turn off a light. How do I turn off my opinions? I try not to be vocal about it. It's more about observation. I've had to explain that there is good judging and bad judging, you know, like in the Olympics. Everyone gets rated on a scale of 1-10 or 1-100 depending on the sport and the best athletes get the best scores. I think the best people get the best scores and the worst, well, they don't do so well. I judge for

I speak my mind and often get hell for it. Heaven forbid I should actually say what I think, because when I do...I get looks (yup, you all judge me too) and arguments against what I say.

I'm tired of fighting. I fight with others and I fight internally.

I enjoy coaching. I actually LOVE it. However, I get grumpy when people don't put in the effort. If you say you are going to come out and work, then you should actually come out and put your money where your mouth is. Why should I work for you, if you aren't going to come out and give it your all? What's in it for me? I can't say I'm proud of you. I can't see you make forward strides. There are other things I could be doing for me...but I'm out there for you. USE ME or lose me. If you don't want to be there, you aren't worth my time.

Facebook makes me mad. Pinterest makes me happy.

I'm tired of excuses. Hearing them and making them.

I'm not an optomist. I'm a pessamist with a hint of realism. The glass is always half empty and the sun doesn't always come out tomorrow.

I'm probably considered clinically depressed. I've known that for years. I had one doctor tell me this, but I never went on medication for it. It comes and goes in waves and I'm currently in a low spot.

You're in Urinetown!

For those who aren't aware, the alumni of the Episcopal School of Dallas, myself included, put on a production (mainly musicals, but we hope to also expand into straight plays, etc) almost entirely produced, performed and built by former students at ESD.

Last summer, after a brief hiatus, the alumni musical returned to ESD with our production of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE. With two performances, hours of rehearsal,

You can check out one of the reviews here: http://yourplano.dallasnews.com/2013/07/24/more-magical-than-his-foot-esd-alumni-musical-worthy-of-a-standing-ovation/?nclick_check=1

We officially announced yesterday that this summer's alumni musical will be Urinetown. We are actually quite thrilled about this.

We will be holing auditions in April (dates to be announced soon). You can always check out Facebook page (LIKE us @ESD Alumni Production) or on Twitter (follow us @ESDAlumProd).

I Could Write a Book

I know I've said this a number of times, but I mean it. I really could write a book. The experiences in theater are noteworthy, but when you are a Company Manager in said theaters, the experiences are often unbelievable and not always in a good way.

Artists are bizarre, to quote Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George. Oh, I can attest to that.

I've worked in a number of regional theaters, a ballet company, summer stock and even an opera house. I've met an extraordinary number of people at every location I've worked. Each of these places compiled the resume that I now possess. But they also have provided me with stories that you would not believe or could even come up with in your wildest dreams.

I remember explaining some of the things that happened to my mother, who in turn told me, "Lauren, you need to write this down. You could write a book." As always, mom was right. I know other Company Managers across the country will agree...there is never a dull moment and you honestly don't know what will pop up next. (PS...CM's, I will want your stories too. It can be a compilation!)

So during my entire professional career I have kept notes. I've written down little details here and there. Notable interactions were accounted for; some more unbelievable than others. Some tame while others wildly fanciful. Each serving a purpose, unlikely as it may initially seem.

What I find fascinating is that most of these people don't feel that they are being odd, entitled, unheard of, etc. They find that this is natural and normal and everyone else does this as well. I don't have the heart to tell them (to their face) that no, normal people don't typically act this way.

Honestly, I love most of these artists. Yes, they've given me something to write about, but in most instances, they really are sweet and amazing people and after the initial shock of the requests, I'm usually able to take care of it and they become very grateful. There are a few that don't and nothing is ever enough, but I can't help that. I do my best and move on. Plus, most of the experiences leave me wondering...now what?

Would you like a few examples? Now, they won't seem innocuous at all because I'm leaving the context out, but ask me sometime for the full story and I think you would be amused and possibly stunned. Here are a few gems (in no particular order) that I will leave out the names for their protection (for now).

• Juggling women
• Rust stains in a toilet
• Punches in the arm
• No smoking within 100 feet
• Aluminum foil on windows
• Running for salt
• Mailing ashes
• "Someone slept in my bed"
• Accidental stabbings and other injuries

...and SO MUCH MORE...

I'm looking forward to reliving some of these stories at the panel I'm sitting on at this year's USITT in Fort Worth entitled Company Management: Herding Cats (haha, no joke). Stop by and see me!

Now, back on topic, what did I get out of all of this you may ask? A phone full of people's numbers and memories to last a lifetime. I may not always like my job, but I can definitely say that it hasn't been boring.

So look for my bestseller in a bookstore near you. Just don't expect it anytime soon...at least not while most of these people are still alive. ;-)

What Dreams May Come

I tend to have the most vivid, awkward, creative, intense, [enter additional adjectives here] dreams. Sometimes I'm apart of the dreams and other times I'm just an observer. I've had dreams about real people that I know or have heard of as well as fictional characters. I keep thinking, maybe I'll have a dream that I will want to write down and turn into a novel, which will make me rich and famous.

Hell, that's what happened to Stephanie Meyer with Twilight.

But the truth is, I really like my dreams. It's my escape from time to time. Now, I can't honestly say that I remember all of my dreams, but I do remember most of them. The main reason: they are very detailed. Go big or go home, right? Apparently, I usually go all out for my dreams. Also, not all of my dreams are just imagination. Quite a few have a purpose.

When I was in college and grad school, I didn't like staying up late to finish papers or homework. I worked much better in the morning, so once it got past 10 or 11 at night, I'd have to turn in and finish the stuff in the morning. The reason, I couldn't really function late at night. I've never been a night owl, so my brain would just shut down. When I would go to sleep, if I was struggling with a homework problem or how I should finish my paper, I would work through it in my dreams.  I'd wake up, immediately go to the computer just pound out the homework. It was always better than what I was working on the night before and it just worked.

Then, there are the drug induced dreams. Actually, I'd like to say that drugs (like over-the-counter/cold medicine-type drugs) affect my dreams, but I'm not enturely sure they do. I think I would have these dreams anyway. Here are four different dreams that I've had recently and you can be the judge.

Dream #1 (no meds): I had a delightful conversation with my neighbor (who I rarely talk to and don't know a bunch about...but I know enough to have this dream). We chatted about work and his band, yada yada yada. However, for some reason, I changed his accent and made him slightly foreign (totally not the case in real life). We were just sitting around and he came up to talk to me and it evolved from there. He asked me out (which is where I definitely know it was a dream...because that hasn't happened) and it was just a pleasent dream. I woke up wanting it to happen in real life (except the foreign accent...that's not him).

Dream #2 (on cold medicine): I ran into two college friends in the gym. They told me they were planning their weddings (though one is already married in real life and I don't believe the other is engaged). The gym suddenly transforms into a place for bacherlorette parties (I don't know if it was a resort or a casino) and I'm pulled into helping them. Then it became overwhelmingly Disney related. There were characters and themes and just Disney everywhere.

Dream #3 (no meds): I was in an episode of Haven. I took the place of the 'Audrey Parker' character, which I'm not complaining about because it meant I was interacting with the 'Nathan' and 'Duke' characters. It wasn't an episode I had ever scene before (as I was makign it up) but just like an episode, we had to solve a troubled person's affliction and figure out how they could live in society.

Dream #4 (on decongestant...ps, this was just last night): I'd like to say this dream came in two parts. The first part, I was flying in a helicopter to get to my cousin's wedding. Very odd. I'm not sure which cousin (as I have two that are engaged), but I know I was going to one of their weddings. Then, it morphed into a British television and movie extravaganza. Lord. It began with James Bond. Bond and I were dealing with a few of his girls (as they were both bad). First up: Miley Cyrus. Yup, you read that right. She wasn't twerking, but she wasn't behaving. Anyway, we just left her behind on a train as we moved on. Then,  Famke Janssen (from X-Men and Goldeneye) was back. She was a bit of a mix of her Jean Grey character and her Xenia Onatopp (oh, Bond names) character. She was lurring Bond by saying she was cupid and would shoot our friends in the heart if she didn't get him. She led us to a room and there lined up like a firing squad: Sherlock, Doctor Who and Harry Potter characters! What?! She was done. We got her and freed our friends. But we couldn't let themleave because there was a ministry of defence meeting happening out back and apparently they would have to go through the meeting to get out. Then Voldemort appeared and he decided he would go bust up the meeting. I stayed behind while Bond dealt with him. And I began to ponder how I would write this down (yep...still dreaming).

Thus, why I'm writing this blog entry. Ok...maybe the drugs do affect me. ;-)

Go Big or Go Home: Challenge Accepted

So, those who know me, and/or read this blog, know that I had been planning on using 2014 as a training year with very few races, if any at all. This is still the case. But I'm sure many of you don't know why that is or what I'm training for.

For the past two years I've been a busy bee with my races, running twelve in 2012 and seventeen in 2013. I've been coaching for a year and helping others up their game in running and fitness in general. I decided that in 2014 I would focus on training and run fewer races, but I would have a goal in mind. And that goal is the Dopey Challenge at Walt Disney World in Florida. The Dopey Challenge is actually having it's inaugural run this coming weekend in fact, beginning Thursday, which is why I'm writing this post.

I found out about the Dopey Challenge last March when it was announced. I had always thought to do Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge, but never happened. When I saw the Dopey, I knew I had to strive for this and make it a goal for myself. I also knew it wouldn't be possible for the inaugural race in January of 2014. I was disappointed, but money is a necessity to run races and travel for them...especially at Disney, so I would aim for January 2015.

For those who are unfamiliar with these particular Disney challenges, let me break them down for you:

Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge: run the WDW Half Marathon on Saturday and run the WDW Marathon on Sunday. It's a total of 39.3 miles in two days. You receive both your half and full marathon medals plus a special Goofy medal for completing the challenge.

Dopey Challenge: run the WDW 5K on Thursday, the WDW 10K on Friday, the WDW Half Marathon on Saturday and the WDW Marathon on Sunday. This is a total of 48.6 miles in four days. You receive medals for the 5K, 10K, half and full marathons as well as the Goofy medal (since you are technically completing the Goofy Challenge as well) and the Dopey medal.

And those who know me...I'm a sucker for the bling.

Now on a slightly different, yet connected topic, I know an incredible woman. I had the privilege of running with her for a short time back when I lived in Connecticut and got back into running. She kept me going when I was training for my first half marathon and while she wasn't officially one of my couches, I always thought of her as such. This past summer she was diagnosed with breast cancer, but did she let that stop her? NO! After all sorts of surgery and chemotherapy and whatnot, not only has she continued to run races (Chicago Marathon, Disneyland Half, Wine & Dine Half, New York City Marathon and MANY OTHERS) she is tackling the inaugural Dopey Challenge this weekend as well.

This woman is a beast and such a motivation and inspiration for me. She is a powerhouse and she makes me smile when I read her blog or see her posts on Facebook.  You can visit her blog and read all about her journeys through races and life here. I heart you, Kimberly. You are such a strong, amazing person and I'll be thinking about you as you rock out all of those races this weekend!

So, this year is about focus. It's about pushing myself towards a goal that most people wouldn't contemplate let alone do. It's about making sure that not only will I succeed in all of these races, but that I will be comfortable during the process and enjoy it. The training program I am working with will take about half a year to complete, so...I'm going to do it twice. :-) Why not, right? Practice makes perfect, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger...and all that jazz.

I have friends who have agreed to sign up for a few of the races (only one has agreed to go the full Dopey distance with me) and I'm grateful for each of them. It will be an experience that I know they will never forget (since none of them have run a Disney race before) and neither will I.

Good luck to all of those who are beginning this fantastic and magical adventure this week. I look forward to hearing all about it and getting tips from you for next year!

Stay tuned as I live the ups and downs of my intense training year. I'm ridiculously excited for it. :-)

Goodbye 2013; Hello 2014!

2013 is officially over and the year of 2014 has begun.

The year of 2013 was filled with ups and downs, just like any other year. I accomplished a lot. I failed at times. I took emotions twists and turns. I endeavored to have new experiences as well as continue with old ones. As December 31st approached, I was looking at quotes, phrases, ideas, anything that would help me moving forward in the new year and here are some of the ones that I took note of:


"Collect memories, not things."

"Do all things with love."

" A year from now, you'll wish you'd started today."

"I'm too passionate to not be a priority."

"Take time to do the things that make your soul happy."

"Good things take time."

"Start where you are; use what you have; do what you can."

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started."


I'm not saying to take any of these words to heart personally (that is a matter of choice for you), but they connected with me and I believe words are powerful objects that can help you remember, forget, succeed or fail. With the right words, you can achieve what you wish to achieve and believe what you would like to believe. These are some of the words I'm choosing to listen to, remember and hopefully live by in the upcoming year.


Now, in a moment of retrospect, here's a look back at 2013...

Highlights of 2013: (in no particular order)

• Vacationing in London with my parents
• Successfully completing 5 half-marathons (including setting a new PR) and 12 other races
• Surviving being the Interim General Manager at DTC
• Directing the ESD Alumni Musical (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee)
• Spending time with Bailey (just in general)
• Coaching my runners (and getting two of them through their first half-marathons)
• Making new friends
• Strengthening older friendships
• Road trip down to Austin with my girls
• Finishing one full year at DTC
• Navigating my first year being single in a decade

So, I don't enjoy making resolutions. The main reason: I can never stick with them. So, this year, I'm making goals for myself. You may ask, what's the different between a resolution and a goal. Honestly, I have no idea, but the fact that it's a different word has me thinking differently about them. I feel like I can make and hit goals, but resolutions equal failure.


Now, here is a list of goals for 2014...

Goals for 2014: (in no particular order)

• Setting mini-monthly goals (easier to accomplish: i.e. no eating out for a month, etc)
• Push harder as a runner (and train for Dopey in 2015)
• Expect more as a coach
• Say 'YES' more often when it comes to friends and family and 'NO' more often in terms of work (within reason)
• Keep more of an open mind
• Have a more positive attitude (that might be difficult....haha, see what I did (or didn't do) there?!)
• Take more chances on things and people

I may succeed with these, I may fail. The purpose is to at least try and that I shall do. Life passes by quickly, as this year proved. Take the bull by the horns and live.