Best 5K Ever

Today I jogged the ESPN The Weekend 5K. Yes, you heard me - I jogged the whole 3.1 miles. My time was the same as my perpetually slow wogging (that's walking/jogging) time, but this time I jogged it all, the longest distance I've ever totally jogged in my life. It was a great feeling as I crossed the finish line.

Sure, conditions were ideal and it was a race in a place that I love. But I've participated in many 5Ks here. Why was this one different?

Maybe it was because I had a small snack and drink and Extra-Strength Tylenol before the race. Maybe it was because I did my own obscure form of pre-race stretching. Maybe it was because the weather was perfect and the course was flat. Maybe I had on the perfect combination of shoes and socks and hair clips. But maybe it was just me.

I started off the race with the usual cramps and aches and doubts. I thought maybe I could just jog to Mile 1. When I got to that marker, I thought maybe I would just jog to the stop sign. But when I got there, I decided to jog a little more and was soon at Mile 2. At that point, I decided to go for the whole thing. Another half mile yielded a Disney "hill", but I joggity-jogged up it. After that, it was nothing to keep going until the Harlem Globetrotters and the Miami Dolphin Cheerleaders welcomed me to the finish line.

There's no rhyme or reason for my performance in today's race. There was no personal best time or award for my age group. But I achieved a victory because I kept going.

At 51, it's good to know there are still victories to be had and possibilities to be explored. I just hope I remember how I arranged those hair clips!

Sleeping With Strangers

It all started with a email. Sam wrote asking if we had any space in our room on Friday night. Lynnette's friend Ann was homeless at Disney World. After learning that it was her first trip to the Happiest Place on Earth, what else would I do? Simply slide over and hand her a pillow.

One might wonder what circumstances brings people together. How could a woman, a friend, a husband, a mother, and a Mouse all all converge from across the country for one moment in time? How could a blog post lead to lunch at Yak and Yeti? How could two people who have met perhaps once in this life end up sharing a room?

It's really pretty simple. Tonight I looked up and saw Venus and the moon share the same piece of sky. I realized the same One who designed this beautiful sight is the same one who put two and two together at Disney World. He's the same one who creates circumstances and connections that changes strangers into friends.

You just have to look up and see the possibilities.

Emotional Midol

Note: This blog post is assuming you know what Midol is, and its purpose.
If you don't, Google. Once you're in the know, read on.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm on a cycle of craziness. You know, you're sane for a while, then stuff happens for a while, then you're crazy and out of control for a while, then you get sane again. The frustrating part is when you realize you're in the crazy/out of control days, and you're pretty ticked off that you're back in the crazy place again. You wonder if there is some way to avoid this part of the cycle.

I don't think there is. I think you have to be crazy/out of control sometimes. I'm not sure why, but certainly there's a reason. Maybe it's to shake up your life. Maybe it's to rearrange your priorities. Maybe it's so you can just let loose for awhile. But no matter the reason, I don't think it's always a bad thing, if you take your Emotional Midol.

Fortunately, you get to create your own version of Emotional Midol. For me, it was equal parts of talking to Rebekah, having Bridget knead the knots out of my neck (at least some of them anyway), taking a casual stroll in the neighborhood this morning, and creating a new plan for getting back to saneness. I think it's working, because I'm all packed for two weeks at Disney. And if that hasn't sent me over the edge, I'm back on track.

Weird Packing

Tomorrow I am leaving for a rather longish vacation. I have decided to use it as a chance to catch up on stuff I'm not catching up on here. To that end, I am packing my two ipods and all the Cd's I haven't loaded onto my computer. I am also taking other assorted things so that I will be able to do some things I've been trying to accomplish. I'm taking various notebooks, books, and calendars. Somewhere in the midst of all this, I am also going to pack my clothes.

Many might wonder where the vacation is in all this. For me, it's the chance to write and organize and catch up without the household responsibilities. I can reward myself with a dip in the pool or a trip to see Mickey.

Weird packing, weird vacation, weird person. I can't wait to get started!

I Heart Southwest

I don't like to fly, but when I do, I love Southwest Airlines. For one thing, all their planes are the same, so I know what to expect. I don't have to worry if it's a itty bitty plane or one with propellers.

I can choose my seat, especially if I check in at the first minute I am allowed. If I'm flying with Steve, he gets checked in early automatically, so he can save me a seat.

Southwest has a bunch of flights to Orlando, where I tend to go quite a bit. The more I go, the closer I get to a free ticket. Which means another flight somewhere.

I can check two bags for free. On some flights, I get the whole can of my chosen drink. They have four Sudoku puzzles in their in-flight magazine.

The flight attendants are usually good-natured and funny, and don't look down on me for whatever flying attire and luggage I might bring on board. Sometimes they sing to us.

Once Southwest offered me incentives to get on a later flight, and gave the incentives to me even though I ended up on my original flight.

But my favorite thing about Southwest is Southwest Roulette. This is a game I play whenever I get a terrific Ding! fare or they have special fares. I look at my flight cost, then change or rebook my reservation, saving money. The trick is to get it done before the fare ends or all the cheap fares are taken. The money I save is on file until I use it for another flight, which will probably be to Orlando. Tonight I saved $62. While that might not seem a huge amount to some, it could be a one-way ticket for me, and anything that gets me to the Happiest Place on Earth makes me happy!

I still hate to fly. But at least with Southwest, I feel like I'm traveling with a old friend.