Monday, February 27, 2012

Crash

One of the best things about living a healthy lifestyle is being able to read your body when you are unhealthy.

Seems like an odd statement, right?

Yesterday, I posted about how my body was dragging a bit... busy few months, etc. And between that post and now, I went from dragging a bit to being fully dragged down! I have a major cold. The aches, the sore throat, the constant runny nose. Trying to avoid strep, a sinus infection.

When I fall, I fall hard!

I usually spend the first few hours of being sick in full denial. I tossed and turned all night. I woke up early, convinced myself to take a shower for work. Decided work wasn't going to happen. Took a nap so I could make a lunch meeting. Decided that wasn't going to happen, either.

I probably should go ahead and cancel my evening plans, huh?

I got auto-immune hepatitis when I was a teenager, the product of taking a daily medication that my body didn't like very much. Since then, I've been very conscious of what goes into my body. My mom can tell you how hard it is to get me to take Advil sometimes!

I like learning how my body ticks; what makes me feel good, what doesn't. Learning what the warning signs are, preventing sickness- or taking the right steps to get better. I like to do most of this naturally, without medicine. I'm not against it- and everyone's body is different. I just like to take a more organic approach, if I can.

So for today, I'm letting the responsibilities fall away. I'm about to take my second nap of the day. I'm going to stay warm- soups, teas, steamy showers, comfy blankets. Let nature take it's course, listen to my body, and let myself crash for a day.

But if tomorrow- my birthday, of all days!- rolls around and the mound of Kleenex keeps growing... I'm going straight to the doctor and leaving with a prescription!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Sunday Musings

I keep saying it, week after week....

...but I'll say it again: 2012 is off to the craziest start!

Friday night, I participated in a charity singles auction and celebrated my birthday with family & friends. I'll post more about that this week, once I get all of the pictures together! But boy, was that a fun night.

The weather has been absolutely beautiful here- and I can't believe March begins this week! (After my real birthday on Tuesday, of course. Not trying to skip too far ahead here.)

I can feel my body dragging just a little bit. Since January 1, I have been going going going, non-stop. And as I continue to check things off the "master list" of events this year, I find I need a little more sleep... a little more down time, just to stay sane and healthy.

So, today I will spend some uninterrupted quiet time buried in my devotional. My run won't be rushed. I'll enjoy the weather, and enjoy this sweet girl:



Hope you have a wonderful Sunday on tap!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

New Season, New Storyline

Driving to work early this week, I've noticed something that immediately lifts my coffee-deprived spirits:

The sun is starting to come up earlier!

Just in the last week, the sky has started to lighten up at the tips around 6am. There's a glow on the Eastern horizon. And since I drive east to work... I get to bask in the glory of a blue-tinged sky for a few minutes before starting my work day.

I know we are just a couple of weeks away from "Spring Forward" and then it will be light plenty early- and I am ready. So, so ready.

I used to be such a "winter" girl. Cold, cloudy, rainy, wintry. Maybe my years of working the night shift turned me into a dark-lover! 

And over the past few years, that's changed. I still love a cold day- and give me storms any day.

But I want to see the sun in the morning, and sit on my back patio in the late evening, with the sun just beginning to set. I'm already craving those 6am runs because it's too hot by 7am. 

OK, maybe not that extreme. 

I am ready for warm and sunny. I'm ready for my first lake house trip of the year in a couple of weeks. I'm ready for our camping trip, set for early May. I'm ready to hit the ground running- literally- and take advantage of every inch of Spring and Summer. Swim, bike, run. Let's do it.

Every season is glorious in it's own way. I love Fall for its warm coffee, red leaves & scent of fireplaces firing up for the first time in months. Winter's crisp air, lots of blankets on the bed. Spring for the rain, the newness & freshness. And summer- what's more vibrant than summer? You're fully awake in the summer.

But the transition from season to season- that's really something amazing. 

I'm doing a 10 week devotional right now by Jan Silvious- "Same Life, New Story." She talks a lot about looking at things from a new perspective. Embracing change, embracing the way God can change the storyline of our life. 

Change is hard for me- but just like the seasons, it happens whether we like it or not. So why not bask in it? Allow God to shift our focus, or perspective? Allow Him to change the seasons- and change our hearts?

Lent begins today- and I don't have anything in mind to give up. But I can guarantee that 40 days from now we will be fully immersed in a new season. So I commit to embracing this transition- from season to season, and from one storyline to the next one God has written for me.


Saturday, February 18, 2012

UP

The weeks have been getting away from me lately! Just when I think it's about to slow down... the pace picks up again, double time!

I seem to have a million projects going on in 2012- from my full-time gig at Auction Network to my True Blue freelance project (Tulsans, have you seen our commercials on KJRH?) to life in general. I know you all hear me on that last one. Life itself takes up so much time; who knew?!

This busy time is at times trying and stressful, but also extremely rewarding. Opportunities are opening up like never before. Finding time to break away for a swim or a girls' night is difficult- but I am fully embracing the fact that this is my life right now- and I wouldn't have it any other way. At 28 27 years old (28 next week!) I am loving the fast pace, the long days, the selfish Saturdays, and- dare I say it?- the change.

And in the midst of this crazy year, we have this:


Oh yes, folks! It's Single in the City in Tulsa, Oklahoma.


And there's yours truly in the top left corner. Smiling. Because auction is fun! Auction is what I do for a living!

Auctioning yourself for a date... for charity... is terrifying.

The event is this Friday night, for anyone with an inkling to attend. It benefits Make A Wish Foundation. Drinks, music. And a date auction! What more could you ask for?

My family will be there. My friends will be there. And afterwards, we'll drink champagne and eat cake- because next week is my birthday, after all.

Whether you're UP to your ears in joy, UP all night with a new baby, sucking UP to a new boss or yes, UP for auction- let's all agree to embrace the season of life we're in.

If there's cake and champagne in the mix? Even better.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Cupid & Cops

I knew the second the cop pulled behind me I was going to get pulled over. On Valentine's Day!  Broken tail light? Nope. Artwork gone awry? Never! Expired tags? Ding ding ding.

10 hours earlier, I drove to work in a misty-romantic? spooky? foreboding?- fog. I worked a long day. We lost power for two hours at work, missing multiple auction broadcasts; people in the broadcasting world know that losing airtime is never good. I got a mysterious eye infection. Put a fork in me; I was done.

 And as I headed home, I decided to go pick up a birthday present for a friend.

You always think about that when you get pulled over. If I had left 5 minutes earlier.....

Yes, my tags were expired. Yes, I knew it- but I kept forgetting to get it taken care of. Yes, I moved, and the notice to remind me to get my tags renewed never made it to my new address.

The officer kindly tells me he could- he should- tow my car. Expired tags are serious, folks.

But he didn't- which I am truly thankful for- and then said, "Is someone at home going to be mad you didn't get this taken care of?"

I informed him I was a single gal, thankyouverymuch, and that it slipped off my radar.

Single girls love explaining their single-minded slip-ups on Valentine's Day, in case you wondered.

Also today, I stumbled across a Bible verse in my devotional for the second time in two weeks. A verse I love to the core. I got a surprise Starbucks gift card. I ran three glorious miles. And I enjoyed- ahem, am enjoying- a rare, celebratory glass of week-night wine.

At the end of the day, it's simply another day. Break-ups happen. Break downs occur. Patience runs low and tags expire. But the fog always clears to a sunny day- and every day is a good day to say I love you.

....Although next year, I'll opt for Cupid instead of the cops.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Battle of Balance

I think the rule goes...

If you have one dirty martini Friday night, you will only need one cup of "recovery coffee" Saturday morning.

I had two dirty martinis Friday night, so I'm currently brewing my second cup of recovery coffee- a rare treat for me! I'm a strict one-cup-gal. Most days.

These two cups of coffee are actually just what I need this morning. A little caffeine, a little indulgence, a little TLC.

My life revolves in cycles. The last two weeks out of every month, we are broadcasting "Live from the Lawn"- the show I produce for Auction Network.

The hours are early, long and late. I wake up when it's dark, spend lunch at my desk, hurry home to beat the setting sun for a run, crawl into bed by 9pm. It's rewarding to produce this show. It's exhausting to produce this show.

So I spend the first two weeks- "non-auction weeks"- of every month playing catch-up on life. Coffee meetings before work, lunch dates, happy hour, dinner with girlfriends.  Weekends where I go, go, go- errands, shopping, meetings, and the list goes on.

And then those two weeks pass in a blur of activity- nearly as busy as the "auction weeks"- and I never really catch up.

Everyone has these battles. Whether you're a single working adult trying to advance your career... a new mom trying to figure out that precious balance... a newly married couple navigating the waters of work and life or a seasoned married couple whose kids are all out of the house... everyone struggles with the age-old battle of balance.

This weekend is the transition weekend- between "non-auction" and "auction." I tried to cram it all in the past two weeks, and now I'm looking down the barrel of a long two weeks to come.

I need to remember to go easy on myself. It's OK to say no. Budget my time just like my money; spend it wisely. Step outside more often, put life in perspective.

Reward myself from time to time. I'd say that second martini- and subsequent second cup of coffee- is well deserved today. :)

What's your current balance battle? How do you overcome it?

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Sprinting

As much as I love the hustle and bustle that comes with my week- meetings, emails, dinner & drinks with friends- it's the routine that I always love the most.

Through the craziness of the past month, there were several routines that kept me pushing onward, that kept me sane- one of those things being a looming sprint triathlon to train for.

Squeezing in training sessions on top of long days isn't always easy. There was one excruciatingly long day in there that almost sent me over the edge, one night before the True Blue premiere. I worked a 10 hour day that started at 6am. I did a 2 hour rehearsal for the premiere immediately after work. And then, I went to swim my laps, my triathlon just days away.

The weariness was more palpable than the chlorine, my arms like lead. But I kept pushing- and with each lap, my stress melted away. I re-centered.

I've written before about swimming. I like high-impact sports, like running. I enjoy the muscle tone I get from biking. But swimming allows me to relax and release stress on a different level- because it's so fundamental.

Lifting your arms, kicking your legs, taking deep gulps of air.

The day of the sprint triathlon, I felt rested and ready. I was proud of myself for continuing my training, despite the long days and stress leading up to it. And I beat my personal best on the swim time- giving me confidence to push into a decent bike time and a strong run time.

There are times we need rest- so important. And there are times we need to keep pushing- because the reward gives you the strength you need to keep moving.

I am quickly becoming a huge fan of triathlons- because I love the variety, the challenge, the pace. Any surprise? It seems to be how I live my life, too... sprinting from one thing to the next.

I've already signed up for the next one- a big one in May.

But the biggest thing I learned? No matter how busy you are, how much is on your plate... make time for the things that center you.

The premiere and triathlon were just days apart; but because I kept my priorities in check, I loved every second of each of those events. I'd do it all again this week.

Who's with me?!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

True Blue: A Pilot Debut


This print hanging in my kitchen describes to a tee what I'm doing at the moment! Enjoying a lazy Saturday morning (what are those?!) drinking coffee, and reading blogs.

The Best.

As I mentioned the other day, the past few weeks have been SO busy- thanks in part to a number of things I committed to back in August when January seemed far, far away.

(Mom, thanks for that gene!)

One of the biggest things? The premiere of a 30 minute TV show pilot I've been working on the past year called "True Blue."

True Blue is a tile & stone company in Tulsa that does beautiful work nationwide. A year ago, I was approached by the owner, David Ashmore, to make a dream of his come true: create a TV show about his job, his life.

So we shot footage for a year. We interviewed top designers in the industry, True Blue clients. We braved snow and tornadoes to get the content we needed.

And three weeks ago, we sent out invitations to our closest friends, family & colleagues. And really, everyone.

Last Thursday night, we watched nearly 200 people flood through the doors of Baker Street Pub & Grill, grab a plate of food and a drink, and sit down to watch the premiere of our show.

It was SO thrilling, so satisfying, and so very nerve-wracking.

I emceed the evening, which included making announcements pre-show, introducing the show, and finally- introducing my client, David Ashmore.

Tip? Always emcee with a mic in one hand and a glass of wine in the other.

But despite the anxiety of emceeing the evening, greeting guests, making sure everyone had food and drink, there was one thing that gave me jolts in the middle of the night for weeks leading up to the premiere.

 The moment when the lights went down and the show got underway.

Would they stay engaged? Would they laugh at the right parts? Would they find it interesting?

So from a dark corner of the room, I watched.

I had seen the pilot dozens of times- I knew it was good. But this time, I watched faces, reactions.

They stayed engaged. They laughed. They found it interesting.

A year of work complete, a pilot- the first of a series of shows- in the can, as they say.

But now the hard work begins!

We have big dreams. As in, HGTV dreams.

So we will start the long journey to pitching a show to a network or two, see who bites.

This has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my career certainly, but in my personal life as well.

I got to debut a TV show I wrote, I produced. What an amazing thing.

But I also got to spend an evening with everyone I love. Family, friends, co-workers. From different worlds, but all together.

Such an evening of celebration- one I'll never forget.

As for the pilot, you'll see it soon- and I'll shout from the rooftops when it finds a TV home!

But for now- Tulsans, watch for our commercials on KJRH Channel 2.

Dreaming big includes a lot of risks- and the occasional midnight jolt. But no matter where this project takes us, where it ends up- I already feel like this is one of my biggest personal victories yet. I give all the glory where it's due- and I thank all of you for your love & support!

"God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and sound mind."  2 Timothy 1:7

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Coping With Stress 101

I'm back!

It's been nearly two weeks since my last post- and what a two weeks it's been.

I signed up for all of it- well, most all of it.

That's how it goes, right? You say yes to things months in advance... and then the month arrives and you're frozen with a to-do list longer than hours in the day.

I hit that point around mid-January- with a pilot premiere drawing closer, a triathlon to compete in, a magazine release with my photo in it and major changes at work.

Am I getting sympathy points yet?!

Now that I'm on the other side of the mountain- I want to climb it all over again.

Crazy, I know! But in the midst of the worry and stress came great moments of victory, satisfaction and support that brings tears to my eyes.

In short: the month I dreaded turned into a month I want to live all over again.

I want to go into detail about each stressful, intimidating, wonderful event of the past month. But for tonight, I want to share my thoughts on coping with stressful times.
Take it one day at a time.  In fact, focus on 24 hours at a time.

Always make time for what you need to stay sane- no matter how busy you are. Run. Pray. Laugh.

It's OK to waste a few mind-numbing hours minutes on Facebook, Twitter or Sudoku.

Instead of letting your fears ruminate, talk them out- or write them down.

Cry in the bathtub.

Don't drink; it never makes you feel better.

Love on your friends & family. They stick by you through your worst.

Say goodbye to guilt; you're doing the best you can.

Eat frozen yogurt.

Cuddle with your cat on the couch.

Say thank-you to everyone. The check-out girl's day matters just as much as yours.

Enjoy it- because when it's over, it's over.

Let's hear it; how do you get through stressful times?
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