3. Lines

I'm using an old picture for today's prompt. It is definitely not my best photographic work, but it serves its purpose. My mom and I are gearing up for a fun weeklong adventure back to the Happiest Place on Earth.

I love Disneyland, it is my "home", I feel so much joy and comfort just walking through the esplanade. Someone asked me recently what it is that I find so enjoyable about visiting the park as often as I do. How could I possibly find joy in the throngs of people and long lines? I tend to be fairly awkward in social situations, my mom would disagree, however I have found the older I get the weirder I get about social conventions. However, at Disney it is easy to find a common bond with many visitors. I find this particularly true at Disneyland because it is a "local's park". I feel like the lines and the waiting is a chance to meet new and interesting people who share my love, affection, and appreciation for Walt's park. I tour solo a lot, which opens me up to a lot of time with complete strangers.

Waiting in line for attractions is a fun way to pass time, meet people, or just watch them. Honestly, the lines are as fun as the attractions sometimes. Everything at Disney is about the experience, and the lines are no exception. Take the time to enjoy the 45 minute wait for Star Tours, not only is the queue immaculately themed, but you get to observe and interact with so many wonderful people; Star Wars nuts, Disney Geeks, weekend warriors, harried parents.

Waiting in line is a fact of life, but it can be an enjoyable and shared experience. I made a young French girl's day while waiting in line for an attraction during our visit last May. She asked about a pin I had tacked to my purse. I told her she could have it, it was something I had made and if she wanted it it was hers. Seeing her happy made my visit just that more enjoyable. Its little things like that, I feel, that make Disney Parks a special place.

1. Together

The first prompt for the September Photo a Day is the word together. Although I did not get a picture, I did have a wonderful time of "Together" today. I got a message from the husband of a good friend yesterday asking if we wanted to get together this weekend. We were able to do that today.

Together is a very special word. It means so much to so many people. Though I do not get to be together with my dear husband as much as we'd like, I do have many terrific friends to which I am thankful call, text, message and write to me to come together. Today I got to spend time with an old friend and her family. We had a wonderful time and I appreciate our friendships, and the laughter and joy we share. It is always good to spend time together with people you love. Whether you see them once in a while or all the time, I appreciate being able to have a sense of community and family whether the family is the one to which you are born or the one you create yourself. It helps to hold me together.

Since writing and blogging is something I want to be better at, and I really want to be better at my Photo-A-Day challenge (one of these months I'm going to finish more than a week!), I thought maybe I could try to combine the two. So for the month of Sept I am going to try combining the photo prompt with a post. I really love the photo challenges over on the blog, Fat Mum Slim. Chantelle does a bang up job every month. There are instructions and everything over at her blog if you want to play along too! I usually share my photos to Instagram, as that is my preferred social media platform.

So as with most things in my life I'm starting this a day late, but at least I'm starting! Here's to a happy September.

Commitment

Commitment is a very hard word apparently. I suck at this blogging thing. I suck at sticking to a workout routine. No really, I do. However, I feel I may be able to get better, maybe. Only time will tell. I know these are things I said, thought and felt so many times before, but this time I feel a little differently. I realize with my husband gone so much I need to find an outlet for frustration, for creativity, for motivation and for letting myself know its ok, even when I feel so sad and tired I don't want to do anything.

Over the past few years many things have changed and heaved and rearranged in my life. Jobs changed, both for me and my husband. With those changes now means he will spend significant amounts of time away from home, and I am realizing I am more dependent on the companionship of another human than I would ever like to admit. I've let the depression and apathy monster get the best of me, I've put on way more weight than I'd like to admit. I've started and failed at so many attempts to better myself and become a healthier version of who I am now. I am hoping that just journaling my thoughts through a blog may help with many of those things. So here it goes again.

Today was my new beginning. I ran a comfortable 1.5 miles, I wasn't any of the things I thought my out of shape self would feel. Instead of sore and tired and weak, I felt energized and good for the first time in a while. Here is to commitment to me and making myself what I know I can become.

Sometimes when you fail, you don't

I rode the struggle bus hard this morning on my run, or at least I feel like I did. Map My Run says otherwise. Its funny how it seems when I feel like I'm at my worst, my numbers seem to be better. My speed increased today versus the past couple days. Maybe I pushed myself harder and I just feel like it was harder (I suppose that's how this whole fitness thing works). I did change up my music. I guess a little Mamma Mia did the trick, thanks ABBA!

3 weeks into the Couch to 5K program. I'm still pretty pumped. However I'm more proud of the inspiration I have given to my friends and co-workers. My boss and another friend at work have both started the C25K and we've been more inspired to talk to our patients about health and fitness goals over the past couple weeks. A little accountability goes a long way. This is the first time I've really felt like I can't quit because I will not only disappoint myself, I'll disappoint so many other people. I'm still terrified of the prospect of running a half marathon in 25 weeks. Eek!

In Need of Advice

HELP! I am in desperate need of advice. If you've read a couple posts back about my re-dedication to blogging/running/fitness you will learn I am a terrible fund raiser. I need ideas of how to raise more fundage for my Tinkerbell Half Marathon commitment to Autism Speaks. I have no idea what to do. If anyone out there has been successful and not pushy in their efforts, please share! I know what I am not willing to do to raise money, and I want to make it fun!

Tomorrow is a new day

Tomorrow starts week 2 of my training. So far so good. I still feel pumped, I still am excited. I also received my first donation towards my fundraising goal (thanks dad!). Although, I have been slightly lackadaisical about my food intake this week. Its funny how easy it is to slip back into your junky eating habits. I still love my chips and salty, crunchy snacks. Bad habits are hard to break.

Each day is a chance to make better choices and tomorrow is a new day. I am truly blessed with friends and family who help keep me honest. I have 2 friends who have been checking in with me frequently to see how I'm doing. Its amazing how much that little bit of long distance support can take me. Running is a wonderful solo activity, it allows for a great amount of introspection. But knowing I have a team of friends encouraging me and cheering me on is one of the best feeling ever.