Austin and Everything After

And so it starts. This past weekend, I volunteered for the Austin Half (and Full) Marathon. Inspired does not even begin to describe what I felt. I was at the Mile 11 Marker for the Half Marathon, and I cheered for every single person going through, for 4 hours straight. Watching the runners dig deep and push themselves inspired me to keep going. Saturday morning I went for a 2 mile hike. Before I started working out again, that 2 mile hike would hurt so bad the next day. Now, it feels like I could have doubled the distance. I did not feel winded, I felt fantastic. The runners made me want to join them so bad. The whole time I kept thinking "Why aren't I there?" Of course, my health isn't always a fair game, but I've noticed in the past month of watching what I'm eating combined with a fitness routine, I feel so much better. I still have days where everything hurts and my illness makes me angry, but those days are few and far between compared to what it used t...

This Friday evening I will be attending an event hosted by a local magazine. I've met the creator of said magazine and she is such a sweetheart. My good friend is also selling some of her beautiful homemade clothes at this event. Did I mention she is a seamstress? Throughout the month, I have/will have attended many live music shows in support of my musician friends. And I will have also booked a Mixer for the Austin Latino Film Association. I know these might seem like bragging points, but that's not the case at all. I just feel so lucky to even know these people. To be surrounded by such creative types...I can't even begin to explain it. I have no words. These folks, who live and thrive on using their colorful intelligence, who make the world a beautiful place just by artistically showing their feelings and emotions. If anyone knows me, you know I'm an emotional person. Always have been, always will be. Its through these emotions I've been able to communicate. W...

I don't know how to explain this, but I feel something has woken inside of me. I wish I had the words, who even knew  the words for this feeling.  It all started about a month ago. My workouts have been limited these past couple of years, all contingent to how I feel that particular morning when I wake to greet the day. I can never predict how I will feel, or how my body will react throughout the day. I just know that something, anything, needed to change. I wanted...needed...to feel alive again.  But old habits die very hard. I know the hardest part of any workout routine is getting started. And let me just say how hard it was, physically, to get started. Onward through the pain! What helped me the most are long term goals. If I start today , how will I feel/look 3 months from now? So I started the easy way, on the elliptical. I just had to get my body used to moving again. Fast forward 1 month, I'm running on the treadmill, trails, you name it. I started paying c...

I wonder which one of you guys reads this thing. The mystery behind it all is pretty exciting, to say the least. Anyhoo, that's not what this blog is about, not today. It's about this one article I read while I was feeling sick yesterday. This one man wrote a blog about losing weight. In this blog, he said there are 4 tips to help you lose weight, guaranteed! The first was a no brainer, no beer! I've cut back on my alcohol intake, so this was pretty easy. Second, portion control. This I've worked on as well, and I already know it anyway. Done and done. I'm halfway there! The third tip on losing weight will probably stay with me for a very long time.  Get your heart broken. He goes on to describe being in love with someone. And not the love where you love someone casually, the "forever" kind of love. The kind where you love someone on purpose. The person he loved left him for another man. Now, this truly hit home. I don't like to give details on my love...