A Likely Story!

Accountabilibuddies

There's a saying out there about 'a journey starts with a single step'...or something like that, but I'm too tired to look it up.

Today was a day. A good day, a long day, a second-to-last-day before vacay day. Was pretty tired when I left work...mentally more than physically. And I wanted to go home in the worst way, but I've acquired two accountabilibuddies....buddies that I am accountable to for my actions. Instead of going straight home and collapsing, I went to the gym.

You see, I joined a gym on Saturday. I needed to do something, anything to get active and stay active. In addition to joining a gym, I asked my two roomies if they could hold me accountable to actually going to the gym. My goal is to go 5 days a week. For every day I DON'T go?? I owe each of them $5. So my potential fine for NOT going to the gym is $100 a week. That's steep! That's also good :-)

I wanted to raise the ante so to speak, and my roomies jumped at the chance to possibly profit from a weak moment I might have.

It's a start. And a step in the right direction. And to their absolute credit, they are not trying to tempt me to stay home and not work out - talk about great roomies!

My limited membership is from now until Nov 28, so here's to accountabilibuddies, getting & staying active & healthy, and (hopefully?) not giving my roommates any extra $ other than rent.

 

It's Been Awhile...

My blog is always in the back of my mind. Not forgotten, just dormant.

Between my Facebook account (which is private) and my Twitter account (even privater -new word!) my blog seems to be the last place I venture for updates from Kathyland.

My system for sharing my life is an inverted pyramid.

At the bottom, is Twitter. That's my most private account, where I follow people I've actually met IRL (In Real Life) or want to! Twitter is my main go-to for anything and (almost) everything that happens in Kathyland.

Next, Facebook. Again, private. Updated fairly regularly with news near & dear to my heart. Great for sharing pix and seeing what's going on with my family, friends, and friends of friends. I've been able to establish relationships with family members I've never met IRL and continue to bond with the rest of my family and extended relatives and friends. For that reason alone, I will never give up Facebook. (Thanks Tricia for that reminder!!)

Which brings me to my blog. Open to everyone. Read by my friend Chaya (Shalom Chayale) and several other friends & relatives  both here (JA!) and there (Betsy! Bill!).

Tweets can be done in a second (140 characters doesn't require a whole lot of thought) and Facebook posts might take a couple seconds longer to update. Posting on my blog requires thought; what to post, why am I posting and do I have time to verbally portray exactly what I'm feeling?

Unless the time is right, I don't blog.

Do I want to end my blog and say adios to Typepad? Nope, not really. Will I return to blogging every day? Nope, not really.

Lots of what I experience on a day-to-day basis 5 days a week can't be blogged about anyway.  When I'm not at work? Sleeping, vegging, catching up on day-to-day stuff and the routine parts of life take precedence. Not exactly blog fodder :-)

I've also stopped sharing so much of my life publically. Many of my friends overlap on Twitter and Facebook. And sometimes - a lot of times really - I don't have anything newsworthy to say.

Still?

It's good to update every now and then. It's good to have something to look back on. Thanks for the reminder, Chayale.

Stay tuned!

 

 

 

Not Dead Yet

Just busy.

Be back soon!

xo -

Kath

Thursday...

A day of rest, relaxation, househunting in Erie, meeting with trusted medical advisors, new adventures with new friends, paddleboating in City Park, catching up with long-time friends, CO sunsets & realizing that moving to CO was one of the BEST decisions I've ever made.

Thursday was one for the books :-)

Freedom

Free yourself from that which needs freeing. Especially this weekend. What's holding you back? You?

Pretty much feel the same way today as I did this time last year

Happy 4th. Happy Freedom.

Know It. Fight It. End it.

Everyone needs a hero.

In the case of my friend Kirk, his dad Steve is his hero.

A lifetime resident of Colorado, Steve  has lived an active life as an entrepreneur, volunteer firefighter, award-winning jeweler, stained glass artisan,  adoring father, loving husband and proud grandfather. Nothing's ever stopped Steve from living life to the fullest. Not prostate cancer. Nor a broken back. 

Steve and his awesome wife Bonnie are legend in the town of Cripple Creek, Colorado. Their business, originally started by Steve's parents, has been a part of the Cripple Creek economy for over 108 years.

Life was good for Steve and Bonnie.

The night before they were scheduled to leave on a cruise to Italy, Steve was hospitalized. The diagnosis? Pancreatic cancer.

According to Wikipedia :

Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer typically have a poor prognosis partly because the cancer usually causes no symptoms early on, leading to locally advanced or metastatic disease at time of diagnosis. Median survival from diagnosis is around 3 to 6 months; 5-year survival is less than 5%.^[52] With 37,170 cases diagnosed in the United States in 2007, and 33,700 deaths, pancreatic cancer has one of the highest fatality rates of all cancers and is the fourth highest cancer killer in the United States among both men and women. Although it accounts for only 2.5% of new cases, pancreatic cancer is responsible for 6% of cancer deaths each year.

5-year survival is less than 5%. Five percent.

You don't see Pancreatic cancer coming.There's no vaccincation you can take for Pancreatic Cancer. It doesn't announce itself until it's almost too late. And often when it is too late. It's ugly, swift and merciless. And usually fatal. 

When Steve received his diagnosis, he vowed to fight the disease with everything he had. He endured chemo, surgeries, more chemo and all the horrible side-effects involved with battling this particularly gruesome type of cancer. He's fought hard and strong and so far he's winning his fight. It's been an uphill battle all the way.

So why I am writing about Steve's story? And why am I sharing it with you?

For two reasons.

#1 - Steve is a hero. An honest-to-goodness American hero. He's not backing down even when the odds are against him. I wanted to put a face to the name of this hero and a face to the legion of Pancreatic cancer fighters...and survivors.

#2 - You can help Steve and everyone that battles Pancreatic Cancer. It's simple. It's easy. It won't cost money. It will only take several minutes of your time.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010 is the Fourth Annual Pancreatic Cancer Call-In Day. 

What is the National Call-In? 
The National Call-in is an opportunity for all Pancreatic Cancer Action Network supporters across the country to join together and with one voice to tell Congress that while you can't attend Advocacy Day in person, you believe that the time has come for Congress to take action on pancreatic cancer! 

How does it work? 
On Monday, June 21st, 2010, you will receive an email with instructions on how to place the calls to your Representative and your two Senators. The email will include their office phone numbers, and what we'd like for you to say. The calls should take less than 10 minutes of your time, but they will significantly impact our efforts to make the pancreatic cancer community heard. make sure that you receive an email for the National Call-In, please enter your email address here. The information will also be available atwww.pancan.org on June 22nd. 

Why do we call in?

"Pancreatic cancer gets by far the LEAST research funding from the National Cancer Institute among the five most lethal malignancies" (source)

Since 95% of Pancreatic Cancer patients don't survive, there aren't many patients left to advocate.

This week, Steve and Bonnie are doing just that. They're in Washington, D.C. for the Pancreatic Cancer Network Advocacy Day to make their voices heard. Steve had round 21 of chemo right before he left for Washington. 

For all Steve's gone through...for all his family has gone through...for what other families are going through right now.

The cure starts with a call. 

Please take a moment to Facebook/Blog/Tweet or email your family and friends. Get this message out to everyone that has a phone.

You have the power to help. You have the power to be a hero.

Please be a hero.

My New Crush!!

Ahhh...my new crush!  It's only been 3 days since this crush developed, but oh, what a 3 days it's been!

It started innocently enough. We met at the Starbucks upstairs near my place of employment. What started as a lark soon turned into a full-on 'must-have-every-day-in-my-life' kinda thing.

My new crush isn't a person (yeah, like I'd talk about anything THAT personal online) but rather a food I'd never really liked and wasn't that enamored with.

Yogurt. Yep, Starbucks Strawberry & Blueberry Yogurt Parfait.  I've NEVER liked yogurt. It never filled me up, always tasted like fruit-filled air, and never really floated my boat. Oh, I'd TRIED to like yogurt. The whole 'eat it cause it's good for you' reason is why I used to buy it only to have it sit in my fridge and go bad cause I hated it in the first place.

But this Starbucks Parfait Yogurt?? OMG!!! Delish like I can't describe (without the granola tho. Granola = YUCK in my book).

Maiden tasting voyage was Tuesday morning. I'd gone upstairs to get a Venti glass of ice (Vitamin Water tastes so much better drowning in ice) and altho the Raspberry Swirl Pound Cake looked good, my gut instinct told me to go for the yogurt. I was all  "WTF gut instinct???", but obeyed the feeling.

OMG - Couldn't believe how good it tasted. Wound up sharing my opinion of my newfound love in the breakroom with my coworkers who I'm sure thought I was nuts. But I couldn't stop talking about how good it was. Had it again Weds. Then once more on Thursday.

Two downsides that I can see - #1 -price - $4.73 (w/ tax) a pop #2 I can't be going to Starbucks every time I want one of these yummy treats.

Late last night on my way home from Ignite Boulder Speaker Practice I swung by King Soopers to stalk the yogurt aisle. Sadly, none of the labels touted 'Tastes Just Like Starbucks Yogurt Parfait" so after reading a ton of labels I went with Stonyfield Yogurt. 

It was ok, not as good as Starbucks but not bad.

So I'm reaching out to you guys!  What is your favorite yogurt that you can't live without? That tastes good & is good for you? Preferably organic, if it's not too much to ask? And not too spendy either!

Crushes are a good thing so please send a new crush my way, ok?

New Look

..for now.

My blog needs an overhaul, not really sure what I want, tho.

In the meantime, Happy Friday :-)

xoxo

Wish?

If you could wish for one material thing with the guarantee that your wish would be granted, what would you wish for?

My wish? For a house of my own. A sanctuary filled with sunlight, rejuvenating & relaxing colors, spotlessly clean, newer than old. A view of the Flatirons which also means a view of our stunning Colorado sunsets. Surrounded by leafy trees filled with twittering birds.

Ideally 3 bedrooms with a Master Bedroom far removed from the rest of the house. A sanctuary within a sanctuary. Walk in closet big enough to hold my dresser and clothes. A bathroom with waist high counters, pull-out drawers, lots of light yet lots of privacy too, a window that opens (I love ventilation!), separate shower and tub, recessed lighting.

I'd like a drywalled & painted two car garage that's located just off the kitchen. The kitchen doesn't have to have granite altho it does look nice. I sorta like the stained concrete look...but that's just me :-) Appliances don't need to be stainless altho the fridge must have a built-in ice maker. Side-by-side would be awesome! I particularly like a kitchen that looks into the family room/great room...not so much of a formal dining room type. Having a kitchen & great room adjacent to a covered deck would be extremely cool!

While I have nothing against carpet (Berber is really cool!) I'm partial to wood floors. Visited my buddies Tom and Dale the other night and their new hardwood floors were yummy enough to eat...they were GORGEOUS!!

Which is keeping with the rest of their gorgeous house :-)

Having a home is on my mind all the time these days. It's the first thing I think of when I wake up and the last thought that enters my mind as I fall asleep. I'm even considering a second job to save extra money for a downpayment. I want a house in the worst way, yet am determined not to get in over my head with my next real estate purchase.

So in the meantime, I think/dream/imagine what my next house will hold for me.

Some of the other 'nice-to-have's" are :

* HE Washer/Dryer

* South-facing driveway/front of the house (still hate ice!)

* Central heat & air and ceiling fans

* Safe / Clean / Well-built

* Solar would be wicked cool!!

* Nice non-nosy neighbors (I've had an excellent track record with this wish!)

* Great location

* Cross ventilation (there I go again - me and my ventilation demands)

* Finished walkout basement would be nice

Most of all, I want it to be the place that's meant for me to call home. I don't know where you are, future house, but I can't wait to meet you!

That Was Then...

This is now!

Wow, what a difference a couple of weeks makes. I've been busier than busy with work & dog-sitting & training & life. The new place in Thornton?? LOVE IT!  My new housemates? LOVE THEM! The kitties I thought I would be deathly allergic to? Hardly at all!

Life in Thornton is AWESOME!

My housemates are really and truly amazing. I feel so comfortable here not to mention welcome! I won't go into detail out of respect for their privacy, and I wish I could tell you more about them, but for now I'll say they are kind, considerate, loving, hilarious and T is a great cook :-) 

My room is almost double the size of the last room I rented, my bathroom has a huge soaking tub  (last place had no tub), internet connection is blazing fast (not one dropped connection so far!!) and B & I both prefer cooler over hotter.

Also?? HE Washer & Dryer are PHENOMENAL!!  Yay for technology!

I'm off work for the next 3 days and need to put the finishing touches on my room.  Yeah, there will be pix!  And more blogging!

My goal for this summer will be to settle down, slow down, and live each day deliberately and fully.

Happy beginning of Summer 2010 :-)

Goodbye Superior :-(

Last night in Superior :-(

Tomorrow I move to Thornton for a week of house/dog watching. The following week I'll move into the townhome I'll be sharing with a co-worker and his partner.

What I will miss :

Proximity to work, my 2 minute commute, proximity to Boulder and seeing the Flatiron Mountain range up close and personal every morning as I leave the complex. I'll also miss spending $80 a month for gas.

What I won't miss :

The crappier-than-crappy internet (I've been kicked offline 12 times in the last 2 hours), the uneven floors & doors, the single pane windows, freezing in the Winter, sun glaring thru my window every morning at 6 am, dogs that shed massively, fluorescent lighting, mail that never arrives even tho it's addressed correctly.

Other than raising my rent with no warning, I've had a good roommate. It woulda made for a better quality of life if he'd spent more time away from the place, but that was out of my control.

I'll be moving to Thornton until Jan, at which time I'll have to move again. Certainly hope THAT move will be into a house of my own, but I'm open to that not happening.

Moving sucks. Still, I'm remaining hopeful that this move will work out ok, even with cats. Two cats.

NNSD from Superior for the last time. Lots to do, little to pack.

Let's get this party started. In the morning.

:-)

Testing

About a year ago Typepad rolled out a 'new & improved' way to blog. Tried it once, wasn't impressed, never went back.

Now they tell me I 'have' to move over to the new platform. So I'm trying it out. Still not a fan, but since I loathe Blogger & despise Wordpress (not a fan, even tho most of you are huge fans) don't know of any other choices.

Maybe this is a sign it's time to stop blogging?

I'm Really Not Brave

No, not at all. 

Not when it comes to listening to the last gift you gave me.

You were never one for gifts...it just wasn't 'you'. It wasn't a bad thing and I never held it against you. Yeah, it woulda been nice to be surprised every once and then, but it wasn't your style so I pretty much accepted it and never thought anything of it.

About a month before the end came crashing down, you surprised me out of the blue with a CD of one of my fave 80's groups . You knew I'd been looking for it for years and it was nowhere to be found. But you tracked it down and found it and gave it to me and I SCREAMED and cried and hugged you so hard you almost passed out. 

I played it for 2 weeks straight from sun-up to sun-down.

Then two weeks after that we had the conversation that changed our lives forever. I moved out 2 weeks later.

I didn't play the CD for another 4 years. Even tho I'd healed and moved on and was fine, it was that one little remembrance  that took me totally & completely off-guard.

I'm playing it now as I type this post. It's raining and the wind's blowing pretty hard. Much like the weather we had that January back in college when I heard the album for the first time.

Time & Time Again

Mike Rutherford "SmallCreep's Day"

It's been so many years since i saw your face,
But now i'm home again back in my old place
And though you're not quite sure you think you see me by the door
I'll be there.

When the winter comes knocking on the door
And you've the firelight dancing on the floor
In the dead of night when every star is burning bright
I'll be there

Time and time again
I am always there to see you through the night
Time and time again
Rest your tired head and it will be alright
And after all is said, is said and done
Oh god you'll never know
Just how lonely life can be for me.

So let me tell you now what it's like to be
The one whose memories are scattered on the sea
When the wind goes down you'll see them lying all around.

On a cloudy day, high up in the sky
There's a lonely bird who's sailing round and round
Looking for a place to land down on the ground, for a while
Over and over again
Please give your love to me
Throw it in the wind and i'll be there.

Deep within the darkness i'm the shadow next to yours
I'll be there.

Time and time again
I am always there to see you through the night
Time and time again
Rest your tired head and it will be alright
And after all is said, is said and done
Please give your love to me
Throw it in the wind and i'll be there.

Moving Day Approacheth...Again.

Seems like yesterday that I moved from my house out in KS to the rental across the street from my perfect job. More like 7 months really, but it SEEMS like yesterday.

And now I'm getting ready to move again.

Current roomie's rent was increased and since I wasn't keen on paying an extra $300 a month to stay (and signing a year lease) or (per his suggestion) move into a 3 bed, find another roomie and sign a year lease, it was time to start looking.

Search accomplished!

Am moving in with a work buddy & his partner...and their cute little dog and equally cute 2 kitties. Yes, I know. Kitties. I'm allergic to kitties. Wish I wasn't, but I am. I'm not allergic to trust & friendship, and trust & friendship is what won out in this equation.  My new housemates keep their place really clean and will deep-clean before I move in. I'm getting a hepa-filter. Will keep my bedroom door closed at all times.  Flonase & Claritan will be on hand. I'll make this work.

I'm moving to Thornton, which is roughly 25 minutes east of my perfect job. There may be opportunities to carpool (several co-workers live minutes away) and it's 2 blocks away from Ella, the canine cutie I dog-sit for every now and then.

Moving mid-May and I'll be there until January 2011, at which time their lease ends and I'll (hopefully??) be ready for my next house. And if not, I'll find another place to rent.

Since I'll be on the move for the next year plus, I got a Post Office Box yesterday. The mail at my current location has been a nightmare so figured a PO Box was a wise move.

I'd hoped to be ready to move into a house of my own by now, but since getting debt-free I really don't want to buy unless I have close to 50% for a downpayment.  Rather be safe than sorry.

I'll be sending out a group email with my new address next week.

In the meantime, I need to start packing :-)

Dollars, Decisions, Destiny

I'm debt-free. Totally debt-free. Don't owe a cent to anyone or anything.

Got debt-free on March 23 at 9:23 pm. I'd been carrying a too-large balance on my VISA (bad Kath) and had a Nordstrom card with a $505 balance. Also had a nice amount set aside for my next house...not talking about millions, but enough to make a nice downpayment.

I'd started reading Dave Ramsey along with Suze Orman back in the day when I was married and in huge debt - upwards of $76,000 (not including our mortgage). Took 4 1/2 years to get debt-free. Hard work! Had a mantra of 'Is it a want or a need'? for the entire time. Lived on $20/week fun money, $20/week gas money & $100/month grocery money. Piled the rest onto our debt. Lived on a cash basis with strict accountability. Got a second job. Then a third job.

That was then, this is now.

I 'almost' learned my lesson, but not quite. Post-divorce I'd accumulated some debt. Paid it off. Accumulated more. Paid it off. Then realized that I truly honestly HATE debt and do not ever want to have it in my life. So I raided my house fund and paid everything off. Paid off and CANCELLED my Nordstrom card. I'm not a 'shoppy' type of chick, but I love me some Merrell's (comfiest shoes EVER!) and Nordy's has an excellent selection of the comfiest shoes EVER! Paid off and performed plastic surgery on my only remaining credit card...then took a picture of it and have it as my cell screen saver.

(notice it's a library book??) Why buy a book when you can read it for free? :-)

Can't believe it took so long for the 'ah-ha' moment to hit. I shoulda done this right when I sold my house, but I didn't really stop to do the math. Once I did, it made sense. And now that I am debt-free? I'm reevaluating everything in my life. My purchases. Why I spend what I spend...and what I spend it on.

Had decided to keep renting my room a little longer and postpone buying my house. My new goal is to put 50% cash down on my next house, get a 15 year mortgage and a house mate, and pay it off in 7 years.

Monday afternoon my roomie advised me that he needed to raise my rent by close to 50%. His lease is up and he needs to do what he needs to do. Understandable, but I'm not comfortable paying 50% more. 

Did I freak out when I heard the news? YES!! Hell yes!!  You might recall that I live ACROSS THE STREET from my perfect job. I <3 my 2 minute commute. And I'd finally changed over all my records to this address. I am comfortable. Settled. Life is good!

But you know, change is good too! And as much as I HATE the saying 'things happen for a reason'....things really DO happen for a reason.

So I'm no longer freaking. Instead, am choosing to see this as an ADVENTURE, with moving and packing thrown in for good measure. At the very least, another excuse to further declutter my belongings.

And know what?? Being debt free when life yanks the rug out from under you is a good thing..a very good thing.

So boys and girls, I'm looking for a new place. Have several options in play and hoping to hear good news by Monday. Am open to where the Universe wants me to land. And I'm excited for this change! Yeah, even tho it means changing my addresses all over again.

While I may not have control over the changes that are driving my move, I'm always in control when it comes to driving my destiny.

Going with my gut by getting (and staying) debt-free, being open to change, facing the change with happiness and a positive attitude, and being excited about the changes to come is making Kathyland a really interesting place as of late.

Thanks for sharing the ride :-)

Time Flies aka Happy Blogiversary To Me

6 years ago last week - March 23rd, to be exact - I started a blog. The one and same blog you're reading right this second.

Back then I was in 'starting-over' mode. Fresh from a divorce, in the first house I'd ever bought on my own, living in Boca Raton, FL,  I'd recently discovered blogging and figured I would give political blogging a try. That lasted two days once I figured out political analysis was not my forte. Not Even!

Figured I should focus on Life in Kathyland instead which has worked out pretty well.

If I knew then what I know now? (Typing that just gave me goosebumps)

I love my life and I definitely love all of you that have made my life so enjoyable.

Blogging has led me to all of you...all the amazingly awesome people I can't imagine NOT having in my life.

Honestly, starting my blog is one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Thanks for commenting, sharing and being a part of my life.

xoxo

It's Never Too Late To...

It's never too late to.... 

Apologize 

Say I ♥ you 

Laugh 

See instead of look

Take that chance you've always wanted to take 

Give it all away with no chance of getting it back 

So....whatcha waiting for? 

xoxo 

Restless

I'm ready for a change. Not exactly sure what type of change. Maybe Spring? Can't hurt. Maybe a new place to live? Possibly.  A new lifestyle? New friends (not dumping the old ones, no way, no how)? New routine? Probably.

Normally when I get restless, I clean or organize while I ruminate. The act of going autopilot whilst I clean really clears my brain. Helps me process what needs processing. And hey, I have a cleaner surrounding to show at the end of the night.

Seeing as I don't have a kitchen, living room, or garage of my own to clean and call my own, I've changed my blog template. Actually, this is the 4th template change in less than a week.

Nothing's really grabbing me, so I guess I'll keep changing until I find something I like...or until I figure out what needs changing.

In the meantime?  If you have something that needs organizing, give me a shout!

Friday Love List

Remember those?

It's been ages. Too long, really. Life's been busy and interesting and sorta kinda stressful but still fun.

Ok, enough about me. Let's talk about LOVE.  As in Friday Love List :-)

Things That I Love In No Particular Order

* Ignite Boulder  (and all my planner buddies / our volunteers / our presenters)

* Sleeping in late

* I have a new library. And a new library card. Yay for free books!

* Ambient lightning that gives off a warm, comfy glow

* When traveling friends return to CO

* Imminent arrival of Spring (I heard birds tweeting the other day & almost lost it)

* More than two sunny days in a row also make me lose it. In a good way.

* Extra love it that more of my family have crossed over into the Valley of Darkness (aka Facebook)

* Exceptional health care coverage

* <3 my job so very much

* Ridiculously close proximity to the job I <3 so very much

* Have started bussing it to Denver. RTD + Me = BFF's

* Yoga (yep. me. yoga. go figure. love it. yay!)

* You. Yes you! Really!! YOU :-)

I told you mine, so tell me yours.

What are YOU lovin' these days?

Happy Friday :-) xo

2 Years

What I've learned in the last two years...

Two years ago today, my lovely, wonderful incredibly strong sister-in-law died.

Michele had battled MS for over 15 years, but MS isn't what killed her. She had a medical procedure for something unrelated to MS and as the Dr. was finishing up, Michele's  heart stopped. Sadly, no crash cart was in the room. It took them over 20 minutes to call a code. And Michele died.

Her death was a mistake. The result? Catastrophic. My brother and their three sons were...and still are...heartbroken. Her extended family, crushed. It was the worst nightmare possible. 

Michele was incredibly strong in the face of a disease that tried its best to stop her. She never complained thru the days of pain so intense she could only sleep for one, maybe two hours tops. When she could no longer walk without assistance. When her migraines from experimental medicine raged for days on end. You never heard her bitch or moan. She would go out of her way to ask about you...how you were, what was new in your life,   any new gossip you cared to share, any jokes you had to tell.

Michele LOVED bunnies. And by love I mean ADORED bunnies.

She had collections of bunnies all over her house. No one was ever at a loss when it came to her birthday, a bunny would do just fine.

Michele was married to my brother Brian for just under 30 years. High school sweethearts. My brother told me shortly after his first date with Michele that he was going to marry her. He wanted to have kids with her right away...he was hoping for three boys...so they could grow up together and they could all experience life as a close-knit family.

They had three boys...Tom, Matt & Jeff. Then three dogs over the years...Raisin (aka Mrs. Raisin Puppy), Razor & Blade.

And that was their little tight-knit family. Incredibly close. Wonderfully loving. Over the years both my brother & Michele experienced medical problems...MS for Michele and work-related  issues for my brother that eventually ended in medical retirement for both of them. Physical pain was a part of their daily lives on an hourly basis. They helped each other and loved each other.

What I've learned since Michele died is that life really IS short (as trite as that may sound). It's so precious. Don't waste an opportunity to be kind, be loving, say yes, have an adventure, try something new. Don't take people  for granted. Don't take anything for granted.

The last conversation I had with Michele was 3-4 weeks before she died. I was excited about the new job I'd taken (my current job) and she loved hearing about the multitude of bunnies that I'd encounter walking into  work. She was SO into bunnies! And right before we hung up she said  "everytime you see a bunny, think of me".

So that's what I do. Every little bunny I see, I say 'Hi Michele.' And 'I miss you Michele.' 'I love you Michele.'

We all miss you very much. Not a day goes by that we don't remember your spirit, your laugh,  your fierce love of family, friends, doggies...and bunnies. Another 20 minutes, 20 days, 20 years would have been so much better than what we were handed.

The Moon & The Sun & What Equals Contentment

Did you see the moon last night?  It was amazing!!  An amazing end to an amazing day that started out with the sun.

In my new space, when the sky is clear of clouds and I get the chance to sleep late, the sun wakes me up. Which is one of the best ways to start your day from a Kathyland perspective. Not a fan of alarms, noise, commotion. Give me the sun any day.

Yesterday was a day of friends and appointments and things-to-do that needed doing. Friday being my first day off for the week, I sorta kinda eased into it by waking up by sunlight at a fairly early hour, but not actually getting up until much later. A modified version of sleeping in until noon, as I used to do. With more productivity thrown in. (Gotta love laptops!)

Met my buddy & newly 'adopted' sister Cali for lunch which was the perfect "first item on my agenda'. If you don't know or follow Cali, you really should. She is a delight and a lovebug and all sorts of amazing & funny. And she LOVES Orange. Which I used to hate until I fell in love with Orange also. (It's a Fruit thing). We had lots to catch up on and we sat for close to 30 minutes before ordering. Seriously, I could sit and talk with Cali all day :-)  (Hi Cali!!)

Headed over to Boulder Sports Medicine for one of my follow-up appointments from my ER visit.

While it would be very 'outdoorsy & Coloradoish' to say I was there for a sports related injury, nope, not the case. That's just where my Pulmonologist happened to be. We did some tests that involved walking and running up stairs (no problem) and walking downstairs (EEK- fear of heights!!) with a Pulse Oximeter attached to my finger and guess what?? Fear of heights and prolonged standing at the very top of a staircase can make a person hyperventilate. And really dizzy! No shit! My Doctor got a chuckle out of the episode...me, not so much.

Good news overall. O2 levels have levelled out and were ok. One more test is scheduled 'just to make sure' but for the most part, no lung damage as originally thought. YAY!

Big yay, actually. I'd been concerned about the 'potential lung damage' ever since my ER Dr mentioned it last Sunday morning. I've never smoked anything in my life - no cigarettes, weed, pipes, nothing. The only smoke I was subjected to was second-hand smoke which I made a habit of bitching about to my parents from as early as I can recall (before first grade) all the way up to when I moved out to get married. Being exposed to cigarette smoke has always hurt..physically hurt...to be around. And for lots of reasons, I'm glad second-hand smoke is no longer a potential cause for something worse.

With the appointment finished and out of the way I did something I haven't done in awhile. I meandered. Drove around the area near Boulder Community Hospital. Checked out the houses. Little side streets. The sun on the Flatirons. People watched. And overall took in the beauty and energy that is Boulder on a Friday afternoon of a Wolf Moon.

Visited The Cup  (my first visit - had heard so much about The Cup I had to see what was up with that!) and killed time while waiting to meet up with my awesome buddy Benjamin who I have a love of Fruit in common with :-)

Catching-up was overdue and most definitely worth the wait. Benjamin is one of my work friends that no longer works at my location, so it was great to finally sit down together IRL.

Eventually Benjamin had to leave for a prior engagement, but in parting he walked me 3 doors down to meet our buddy Andrew who was passing time at another place I'd heard tons about but hadn't visited - Atlas Purveyors. VERY. COOL. PLACE. I loved the vibe! The colors! Floating shelves - of which I am a sucker for! And chandeliers. And the quiet. Quiet is good and conducive to quiet conversations. 

Spending time with Andrew is always an adventure in the "oh-wow-no-way-how-cool-is-that!!"  I was intrigued to hear of Andrew's experience with his Crossfit/Paleo way of life and am thinking of joining the Crossfit/Paleo way of living. Figure try it for a week and see what happens. Right? Right!  That which doesn't kill you even tho it might make you feel like it had. So I'm checking it out.

Spending time at Atlas made me think of...and miss very much...my house. I won't lie, the transition from my last house to my current space has not been without a small amount of wistfullness that every now and then has hovered into regret. I miss my privacy. I miss how I had control over my privacy. Cleanliness. The killer sunset views. Having a garage. The quiet. I really miss the quiet. And the sun. I got lots of sunlight in my house. Here? Only in the morning.

Yes, my current commute is much less. And I save tons of $$ in gas. And I am much closer to work/Boulder/the great majority of my friends. But more and more I realize my current space is nothing more than a temporary space. Initally I'd figured on staying here until I was ready to buy my next place. Now? Not sure about that plan. I need sun. I need a little more room that might give me a little more privacy. I'm in the process of figuring just what is a need and what is a want in Kathyland. Making a list and checking it tons of times.

So what is important to you in your living space? What is a NEED and not just a want? Where in this area has given you contentment? What did you think you needed to have as part of your living situation that you wound up not really needing? And what did you realize you MUST have to get thru each day?

Wound up my night by giving Andrew a ride home. The moonlight on the Flatirons was ethereal, ghostly and wicked cool. Tried to take a picture with my iPhone to share with you guys, but it didn't come out. No matter...hope you were lucky enough to see it for yourself. And to share it with some awesome friends :-)

The last thing I did once back home was browse some of my favorite Design & Decor blogs where I stumbled across this test. Which made me smile. Looks like I'm on the right track!

True Confessions : Why I Almost Didn't Go To Boulder Podcamp 2

...but I did and I'm glad I did and here's why!

To recap, Boulder PodCamp 2 was held last weekend. It kicked off Friday night and continued all day Saturday.

And I almost missed it. Why?

(huge transparency disclaimer) I was afraid. Yep, totally afraid. Afraid I wouldn't be 'geek' enough or 'techie' enough to get it. And by getting it I mean bringing something of value to the collective table.

(additional disclaimer) I have TONS of friends that are techie & geek. They are also incredibly brilliant, intelligent, kind, hilarious and best of all, welcoming! Never ever have I been laughed at in any tech / geek meetup, Tweetup, anything that I've attended. At least not here in CO.  So why was I afraid? When I compare my own paltry tech level to everyone else's, I feel I don't measure up. And I guess that bothers me. Which is why I was afraid. Ok, we've come full circle.

But I went anyway. Told myself I had promised Jeremy (aka Penguin) (Hi Jeremy!!) and I keep my promises so I went.

GOOD THING!

Sometimes I don't readily grasp the obvious. At least not right away. With the obvious being that no matter how techie/geeky/brilliant-like-all-get-out my friends are, they are still (wait for it)...my friends. And I have nothing to fear from friends. And by not going I would have missed out on a stellar opportunity to hang out, learn from, laugh with....my friends. And to meet new friends.

While I might not have the highest tech cred based on my knowledge of all things tech, I did figure out a way to contribute ie - bring something of value to the table. 

Bacon. From The Original Pancake House. And who introduced me to TOPH?  None other than Jeremy.

More full circle-ness.

So. If you're ever hesitant to attend anything tech-based, Boulder-based, Denver-based, geek-based? Don't be. There's nothing to be afraid of. Go even if you don't know a soul. Cause I will pretty much guarantee that by the time you leave, you'll have met at least one, if not lots, of wonderful new friends.

Jeremy, thanks for all the love & attention you put into BPC2. Sorry I couldn't stay til' the end and help clean up...I owe you for next time, ok?

xoxo,

Your low-tech bacon-lovin'-buddy Kath :-)

Putting The Whee In Weekend :-)

Had the best intentions of writing all about the fabulousness that was Boulder PodCamp 2 and all the amazing, fascinating, wonderfully authentic & genuine people that I knew, got to meet for the first time, and those I got to know a little better, (much to my delight!) that were a part of BPC2.

It was an awesome weekend that totally deserves a special post. And that it will get in the very near future.

But instead of telling you about these guys...

And this darling sweetheart...

I wound up with an ET finger...

And checked out the next evening with a souvenir sippy cup...

And got to leave the heart monitor cables & hanging bag o' drugs behind...

Long story short, I left BCP2 in a huge amount of pain, convinced I was having a heart attack, GERD attack and maybe both. Drove home (and luckily made it without passing out which in retrospect was really dumb but oh well!) and by the time I got home felt like I was dying. Stomach pain + migraine + chills + severe dizziness. I'm not the type to want to bother anyone, so thought about sleeping it off. Then my gut feeling spoke up and told me to get myself to the ER, NOW!

So I did. Called into work to let them know what was going on (in case I couldn't call in later) and had my roomie take me to the nearest hospital, which happened to be Avista Adventist Hospital

I have to say it's one of the NICEST hospitals I've ever visited!  No one was in the ER (when does that EVER happen?) and I was seen in less than a minute.

I promised long story short and won't go into all the deets, but they didn't waste time with pain management. When the Fentanyl didn't work, they tried Dilaudid, then threw something even more powerful than that at me...which finally did the trick. While I talked on the phone to several family members, my BFF HDW (who is my go-to peep in times of family go-between) and one of my Mgrs, I have no idea what I said...or how I said it. So I apologize to those that I got overly mushy with...cause Kath on drugs is pretty much like Kath on 7+ Jagerbombs. 'Nuf said.

My ER Dr decided to admit me after the X-ray, Ultrasound and 2 CT's revealed reasons to keep me overnight. Got to my room close to 3 am and once they finished taking one more history, I fell asleep. For about 2 hours :-)  My Dad was worried and called my room at 6 am. Which I think was incredibly sweet :-)  It was also incredibly sweet how SO MANY OF YOU called and DM'd and emailed and so much more. Seriously, the kindness brought me to tears so many times that night and the next day. 

You are all so wonderful and each and every one of you made a huge difference in helping me get thru everything.

Where was I?  Oh yea...crying :-)

Got home around 6p Sunday night. Called into work and was told by 3 of my Mgrs to STAY HOME TODAY. So I listened...pretty rare, if you ask them...and wound up getting 12 1/2 hours of sleep and managed to get in to see my Primary Care Dr who helped me with several referral appts.

Prefer not to talk about what's going on in this public venue so all I'll say here is all the appts I needed to make were made today and I'm taking this whole experience very seriously.

What I will say is that procrastination, while never great, is definitely not good when it comes to your health. So please...if your Dr. tells you to get a test, or do something to create a healthier you, DO IT!  NOW!!

Not saying what happened could have been prevented...but it might have made finding some things out easier. Cryptic enough?  It'll have to be for now :-)

Thanks again to all of you for expressing concern & love & best wishes. You all rock, you really do.

And tomorrow?  Please come back to read all about Boulder PodCamp 2 :-)

1 Down...

16.76 to go.

The first '21 Days to Make/Break a Habit' is over. How did I do?  Am quite proud to say I PASSED!!  My goal was to forego Coke (as in soda) before noon for 21 days straight. It was hard at first, really hard. I love Coke! By starting the day with an icy cold Coke, my stomach was soothed and helped get my day off to a happy (albeit totally unhealthy) start.

It was hard making the transition once I started back to work after a 4 day vacay. I'd become so ingrained in stopping by Starbucks for my Venti glass of ice, dumping a brought-from-home Coke into the ice and getting my day off to a caffeinated start. Each day I told myself 'just do it for this one day'. Then I said it again and again until I stopped thinking about what not to have (a ha moment right there) and thought about what I COULD have.

Lately, I'd been waiting longer and longer to have my one Coke of the day and realized that there were days when I went without Coke...sorta forgot all about it, if you can believe that. I still can't!

As soon as I woke up Wednesday morning, I had the feeling I was close to my goal. Sure was....close as in THERE!  I was finished. And it felt pretty good to know that I'd played mindgames with myself (for the good of my health) and won!  Yay me!

So what is the end result? Do I feel healthier? Yeah, I guess. Wound up drinking lots more juice, milk and water than I was used to. Switched from full-size Coke cans to the mini-100 calorie cans. And best of all, didn't get ONE single migraine from foregoing Coke. Maybe cause I stayed super-hydrated? It's a possibility.

The only downside...if you want to call it that...way more frequent bathroom breaks. For me, drinking water or juice is like drinking beer...you don't drink it...you rent it! That took some getting used to.

All in all, I'm glad I did it. What did you do for your 21 Day Habit? I'm all ears!

Finally, I've picked out my 2nd Habit. This one's a Make.

To track my finances diligently, work up a financial plan, and in general clean up my financial foundation over the next 21 days. Splurged on a Financial Tracker tonite (it's functional AND stylish - double win!) and I can't wait to write in it and get that very important part of my life to a more controlled place.

Any tips, links, habits you've developed that you've found helpful, please do share!

And as always, check back in 21 days for the results!

Be Careful What You Wish For...

...for it just might change the way you view the world.

Back in July I'd reached out to some friends in search of new reading material. I'd asked people to list their top 3 favorite reads and my friend Larkin responded with the suggestion to read Three Cups of Tea

So I bought the book, along with several other books that were suggested by various friends... and then the book sat, collecting dust, until this last weekend when I added it to my backpack to read on my flight to and from California.

Once seated on my Southwest flight I cracked open the book  and quickly became engrossed in a true story of the most inspiring, fascinating and spellbinding 'man with a mission' I'd ever encountered.

Greg Mortenson delivered on a promise to build a school for Pakistani children in the village of Korphe and by doing so, singlehandly went on to enrich the lives of thousands of children - especially girls - throughout Pakistan.

His story is one of passion, hope, immense personal sacrifice and a razor-sharp focus to create a foundation of education.

While reading this book, I was oblivious to noise, turbulance, flight attendants and just about everything else associated with airline travel. I finished the book just minutes ago and couldn't wait to blog about it and beseech you to READ THE BOOK!

It's awesome, amazing and one you won't easily forget.

Thanks Larkin for the 411 on this wondefully delightful book!