Sleep In For the Cure

I mentioned a while back that I signed up to be in the Race for the Cure 5k, which has so stealthly snuck up on me and is this weekend. I know that I'm not going to have the performance I desired, mostly because I have had a nasty chest cold for almost two and a half weeks. I feel much better, but my chest is still congestested and I'm wheezy coughy. So I will be walking rather than jogging. But hey, I'll still be out there. And I won't count this on my list of 101 goals, because I do have the goal to jog a 5k.

However, as I perused the Susan G. Komen website, I noticed there is an option for "Sleeping In For the Cure." Why wasn't I aware of this from the beginning? What a fabulous idea to show support and solidarity! :) Heehee... helping a great cause and sleeping in -- all at the same time! I like it. :)

So, since my wonderful friends are running the race while I wheeze along walking, I am looking for someone to walk with me! Send me an email at my first name (dot) my last name at gmail or leave a message in the comments if you'd like to join. Registration is $25 and can be done online here.

Then, on Sunday, a great medical missions organization called Predisan is hosting a "Walk for Honduras" to help build desperately needed medical facilities in Honduras. It will take place at my dear alma mater, Oklahoma Christian University, and registration includes lunch and a t-shirt. After lunch we'll walk around campus, then it's over! This is a great organizaiton that has done amazing work in the name of Christ, and if you feel called to, go on to the website and register or donate.

So, it'll be a busy weekend. :) Let me know if you want to join me for Race for the Cure!

Life is Good!

To all those who worried because I left a depressing post up for a week, I'd like to say that I was just having a bad day and really, my life is actually pretty darn good right now. In honor of my charmed life, let's have an impromptu Thursday Thanksgiving, which I generally neglect.

I'm thankful for...

• Caedmon's Call's new album, "Overdressed"
  
• Quail Springs Church/my Connections group
  
• Diet Dr. Pepper
• Richard Foster and John Eldridge's books
• Stories that make me laugh til I can't breathe
• Unwaveringly encouraging friends
  
• Unexpected joy

As a minutia update on a little bit of my life, a few weeks ago I was smoking crack* and agreed to take part in the Race for the Cure's 5k race. I have no idea what made me think that was a good idea. Anyway, it seems that since I've done that, the gods** are against me as I train. In the past week I've had several unfortunate mishaps. The most embarrassing was last weekend, when I was out jogging. I knew that my workout pants had been becoming more loose, but I didn't realize the extent of the trouble until suddenly my pants were not around my waist anymore. They didn't make it all the way down to my ankles, but it was enough of a show for anyone around. And did I mention that I happened to be running around the state capitol at the time? Oh my.

Other things have happened this past week to thwart my training schedule, but today was a new one. As I set out on my warm up this morning I noticed that my foot hurt, then remembered that a friend of mine accidentally stepped on it last night. I went on and did my walk/jog anyway, but was hobbling some by the time I made it back. I checked it out and I do indeed have a nice bruise on my foot, but believe it will heal quickly. It made me nervous at first because it's the same area where I broke my toe about this time last year. My poor battered feet. :)

I'll keep you updated on that. By the way, it's another 101 in 1001 goal. I'm really enjoying this goal list.

*I wasn't really smoking crack. It's an expression
**Don't worry, I'm monotheistic. It's also an expression.

Surprised by Joy

Well, in an effort to fulfill yet another of the 101 in 1001 goals, I've been tinkering with the blog. It's going through another name change, because I feel like the season of "Born to Fly" has passed and I'd like something more appropriate. A while back I noticed that one of my friends had this clever quote as his "about me" on Facebook: "Like my friend Clive Staples, I find myself surprised by joy." I thought that was pretty great, and a pretty great summation of how I feel about life right now.

I'm not satisfied with the aesthetics of the blog yet, so bear patiently with me as it might be going through many different variations for a while. If anyone has any great ideas or inspiration feel free to share (i.e., color schemes, photo header, tagline, etc). So there you have it. Surprised by joy. :)

Redhawks Game

Tonight I fulfilled another of the 101 in 1001 goals by attending the Oklahoma Redhawks baseball game. I love baseball games. It was a ton of fun. I'll just post some pictures because there's really not too much to say, except that it was Elvis appreciation night. :)

Lindsey, Amy, Ryan

Pete, me, Tiffany

The King lives

You can take the girl out of Japan, but you can't take Japan out of the girl. :)

Harry Potter Premiere

On Tuesday night I crossed off the first of my 101 in 1001 goals. Actually, it wasn't on the list before I did it, but then I realized it should be. Besides, it's my list and I'll play by my rules. :)

I went to the Harry Potter 5- Order of the Phoenix premiere! Actually, my goal was to go to one of my friend Blake's premiere events. He's big into organizing groups to go and see movies when they come out (i.e., LOTR, Harry Potter, I don't know which others). I've never gone, but always wanted to, so this was my shot.

The truth is that I tried to back out at the last minute. Common sense and prudence threatened to overrule my sense of fun. I wanted to see it, but going to a 12:01am movie and then working the next day sounded like torture. But Blake talked me into going, and in the end I'm very glad I did.

I arrived at 9:30 to get in line (yes, for a midnight showing), and the place was a freak show. :) I don't know how many screens it was playing on, but I'd guess at least 12 and they were all sold out. And by 9:30 the place was pretty full. And, like I said, the crowd was quite colorful. :) I felt like such a muggle. ;) A lot of people dressed up, and there were some hard core geeks there. Of course Blake dressed up. He was going for the older, preppy Gryffindor look. :) Here's a picture of him and Mark:



Overall it was a great night and great movie and I'm glad I went. The audience was involved as the movie played. And I got the chance to catch up with a lot of cool cats I haven't seen in a while. So there ya go. 1 down, 100 to go (if I ever think of 101 goals!).

101 in 1001

In an effort to try to focus myself and set some short and long term goals, I have decided to undertake the 101 in 1001 challenge-- setting 101 goals to meet in 1001 days. The first hurdle is to think of 101 goals. I have 89 so far. You guys need to help me think of some more! I plan on posting my progress on the blog as I accomplish them. Honestly, I'm thinking of this as more of a lifetime list rather than just 1001 days. But I will try to accomplish as many as possible. And also consider this an open invitation to my friends to partake in these events with me! :)

101 in 1001
July 2, 2007-March 29, 2010

1. Take dance lessons
2. Run a 5K (marathon relay in April '08)
   
3. See a professional baseball game (8/16/07-- Redhawks vs. Redbirds)
   
4. See a high school football game
5. See a professional basketball game
6. Sky dive
7. Sing in public
8. Go to a major concert or Broadway show
9. Learn to juggle 4 balls
10. Buy a piece of art from a local artist (bought art from both of our interns)
    
11. Read something by Jane Austen
12. Print and bind my blog entries from Japan
13. Stop drinking cokes
14. Receive a massage from a professional
15. Cultivate a flower bed I can be proud of
16. Reach/maintain ideal weight/BMI (I've lost 25 lbs as of 5/17/08)
    
17. Go back to Brazil
18. Reach conversational fluency in Spanish
19. Begin studying a new language (German, Latin?)
20. See the Grand Canyon
21. Go one month with no fast food
22. Get to know a neighbor
23. Write a poem
24. Scan and document old family photos
25. Go to the zoo
26. Go camping and sleep in a tent
27. Take piano lessons
28. Tutor someone who can benefit from my experience
29. Buy a new car (5/12/08)
    
Visit at least one friend I haven’t seen since I was in Japan (Ian came to OKC, 8/13/07)

30. Visit Amber in Honduras
31. Wake up 30 minutes early for prayer every day for a month
32. Save at least 5% of every paycheck
33. Volunteer to help with a ministry at church that is outside my comfort zone (Volunteered for once a month two year old worship duty at church)
    
34. Submit to Postsecret.com (My secret was actually posted in fall of 2007)
    
35. Tell a trusted friend the secret I send to Postsecret
36. Collect recipes from family members
37. Go ice skating
38. Make my blog more aesthetically pleasing
    
39. Organize reunion with college girlfriends (October 2007)
    
Have a great New Year’s Eve (2007)

40. Frame and display photographs I’ve taken that I like
41. Buy the all seasons of The Office on DVD
42. Re-read the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit
43. Watch a sunrise
44. Watch all AFI Top 100 movies
45. Memorize “The Love Song of J. Alfred Pruffrock”
46. Not shop at Wal-Mart for one month
47. Reconnect with a high school friend I lost touch with (Leighann, Marky)
    
48. Go to a rodeo
49. Perfect my brownie recipe
50. Vote in 2008 election
51. Play bingo in a real parlor
52. Perfect the art of applying eyeliner (maybe not perfect, but much better than I used to be)
    
53. Pick fruit from a tree or bush and eat it (7/31/07-- ate blackberries off the Wynn's bush)
    
54. Compile a comprehensive friend birthday/anniversary/baby’s birthday calendar
55. Read Brother Kazmarov
56. Blog every day for a month
57. Become a calmer driver :)
58. Shop at a farmer’s market
59. Wash my dishes every day (not let them accumulate) for a month
60. Go on a great date (not really all up to me, but hey, it’s a list of goals, right?) :)
61. Participate in 26 things photography challenge http://www.sh1ft.org/26things/
62. Use lotion daily
63. Wear sunscreen on my arms and hands daily
64. Volunteer for blood donation organization (gave blood numerous times, now the Blood Drive Coordinator at church)
    
65. Invite someone over to my house weekly
66. Learn how to play chess
67. Make a pie from scratch
68. Learn the names of local wildflowers and trees
69. Take a scenic drive
70. Become CPR certified
71. Grow my own tomato plant
72. Eliminate (or nearly) simple carbohydrates and sugars from diet
73. Learn how to file my nails well
74. Train myself to make my numbers more legible
75. Throw myself a great birthday party
76. Create a piece of visual art
77. Read John Steinbeck’s entire body of work
78. Contribute to a Wikipedia article
79. Learn to recognize 3 constellations
80. Take a class in some technical field I want to know more about (accounting, web design, medical terminology)
81. Become certified to teach Spanish
82. Find a salad dressing I like (honey mustard)
    
83. Visit my World Vision sponsored child
84. Teach my cat a trick
85. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper
86. Visit 5 new states
87. Go to a farmer’s market
88. Have professional photos taken of myself
89. Watch the Boston Pop's 4th of July celebration
90. Go to a Blakewell movie premiere event (7/11/07-- Harry Potter 5)

Italics indicates in progress
Bold indicates completed