Catching up on the 43 List.....It's been awhile.

My Journey on a Break from Ironman.  Sometimes, life just tells you, you need a break. So this year. After a long year of training in 2016. I’ve given myself permission to not do an Ironman for 2017.  It was a tough decision. Because I think I have been using Ironman training as a way to cope and avoid a lot of other things in my life. I used it as a way to not fully engage in life, and the things that I’ve not allowed myself to think about because I’ve been to scared to admit them to myself.  So this year, is my  “Year of Taking Control of the Basics”. My Health, My Wealth, and my Happiness.




Well, It's been awhile since I've last posted. Seems I've been out working on my 43 list and forgetting to actually document it. Although, I'm sure it's really only for me anyway.  It's been a crazy last 5 months.  This soul searching and digging into my demons has really pushed me to my limits some days. I've been going dark more than I like too. But I think this is exactly what I have to do. I'm never going to push out of this if I don't face my fears, face what scares the hell out of me, grieve for lost chances and try and have no regrets.  It's definitely a roller coaster ride, one that has been crazy difficult. Those dark moments have been a bit harder to pull out of lately. But hopefully it's just me, healing for better things to come.  God I hope so, I'm not sure how much more of this I can take.   I'm getting smacked right in the face by my demons, and it's making me a hot mess.  

On to my 43 List.....


#32   Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, CA.  (7-3-17)  

#4  Visit Museums   (7-5-17)   Glass Beach, well, it does go along with my #32. Who knew Sea Glass could glow???

#8   Go hiking/waterfalls   ( June, July, Aug, Sept)   Like somewhere several times a month?  

#22  Run on the Beach  (June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov., Dec)  

#19  Live on the Ocean for the Summer  ( July to Present)  Well, I did wish I had an assignment on the ocean. And honestly, Fort Bragg fell into my lap. Very last minute, very karma-y in how it happen. I obviously needed to be here, to work on my 43 List and my demons. 

#36   Sea Kayak on the Ocean through caves.  (9-6-17)  SO FREAKING COOL!!!!

#37  Hug a Redwood Tree....or two.   ( 9-10-17  /   11-6-17)  Great trip with my good friends Leslie and Joy coming to visit me. 

#7  Release a Paper Lantern at a Festival.  (10-6-17)     So Breathtaking, beautiful, emotional.  The RISE Festival in Las Vegas. 

#17    Tell someone how you really feel about them.  No Regrets. 

IM WI 2018

Guess My Year Off is starting to come to an end.  

Just Signed up for Ironman Wisconsin 2018 this month.

I'm trying to keep my Ironman craziness calm until January 1st.

I'm getting back into some preseason training.  TRX training, Yoga.

I'm enjoying running again.

I'm enjoying swimming in the pool again.

I don't have my bike with me, so that will wait til then.

Hosted my first thanksgiving for friends.  Nice to not be alone.

Fort Bragg Musings..... #32 on the 43 List- Sea Glass Beach

My Journey on a Break from Ironman.  Sometimes, life just tells you, you need a break. So this year. After a long year of training in 2016. I’ve given myself permission to not do an Ironman for 2017.  It was a tough decision. Because I think I have been using Ironman training as a way to cope and avoid a lot of other things in my life. I used it as a way to not fully engage in life, and the things that I’ve not allowed myself to think about because I’ve been to scared to admit them to myself.  So this year, is my  “Year of Taking Control of the Basics”. My Health, My Wealth, and my Happiness.

Interesting things/factoids/musings about moving to Fort Bragg, CA for the next three months. I imagine that small town living is going to be a bit of a challenge.  I’ve never lived on the ocean before, and I’ve never lived in a town that was 7400 in population, oops, wait the sign was adjusted, it’s now population of 6983.    So, Here are some of my ramblings from the first few days here in Fort Bragg, CA.  

• Before Interviewing, I was told these four things to consider.  

1. You are 3 hours from a major airport
2. The town is 30 miles on a windy road
3. There is no Target
4. There is no Dating Scene.

  To which I replied, Amazon Prime is wonderful, and I’m happily divorced.  Needless to say, I got the interview, and beat out 10 other applicants. I am excited to be working at a tiny little hospital of 25 beds, and being the only OT, I’m going to get an opportunity to add some out patient experience to my resume.  It’s going to be interesting to say the least. But isn’t that the whole point?  So my next challenge, finding housing, in the summer, on the ocean, at peak tourist season.  Shouldn’t be a problem.  

FORT BRAGG MUSINGS…..with pictures of course.

• Driving in to Fort- You know it’s a windy road when you have to pull over due to getting motion sickness. Never has this happen……while I was driving. 

• The speed limit after the 90 degree and sometimes 180 degree turns, was 55 mph for about 1/4 mile, then it was back to 25 mph.  And when cars flew up on you out of no where, they were kind enough to honk twice after you pulled over into the nearest pull out. I choose to take that as a sign of a friendly “thank you for moving your slow vacationing butt out of my way, so real people can drive 55 mph”.  

• Cursing myself for buying the first windshield wiper fluid I could find.  It does not work, especially in humid weather.  Add that to the correct angle of the sun on the windshield. and the darkness of the tall tress, I was pretty much diving with blind for 30 windy miles, or 1:25 hour/min.  Oh, and the cars with 55 mph? I could at least see those zipping up on my butt.  

• Did I mention how many times I had to stop due to motion sickness?
• When the road finally straightened out and I pulled into Fort Bragg. I was greeted with….fog.  Lots of fog. I could smell the ocean, I could hear it, but I couldn’t see it.  

• My Rental choices included a unfurnished rental up on “snob-hill” or the best part of the town, parking was in an alley, and I was encouraged to keep all doors locked.  Or a "quaint" little one story cabin, about 3 miles out of town, in the country, with a shared bathroom, to the outdoors and another building.     

• To get to this country cabin, I was driven by the nice lady, with the dogs in tow out to the rental, then she took me on her own personal guided tour of the area. How to get to the “local” spot to hike the trail on the ocean, due to tourists,  where to get the best Mexican,( ie all I heard was Margaritas),  How to get to Glass Beach tomorrow to explore, cool places to walk the dogs….(ie the cemetery?)  A potential spiritual reading happened, but I was too tired to recognize anything. Then she dropped me off at the rental that I was staying at and said goodbye.  I could sleep on it. 
• My allergies are not liking the cool 70 damp humid weather.  
• I need to buy more sunscreen.
• The foghorn sounds like a bellowing cow.  All. Night. Long. 
• I’m learning all about tide charts. 

• I Made it to Sea Glass Beach, It was amazing how quickly I fell into a relaxing, Meditative State, I easily was there over an hour. 

• I was warned ahead of time, that Sea Glass Beach is nothing like the pictures you see. The glass is very small, and you have to put your camera on the ground to get a shot. Lots of glass has already been illegally taken, so it’s not as cool as the pictures of yesterday's past.  But, because I knew this and was prepared, my photographer side still got some incredible shots, which I loved. I can see a lot more pictures in my future.  And, I found a cool one that was heart shaped in my favorite aquamarine color.  

• This town has speed “humps” not bumps.

• It also has a  “round a bout”   going up my street.  My speed limit is 15 mph. And I live down a back alley...

• Safeway is open 24/7
• The CVS is the biggest one I’ve ever seen, it has two entrances.
• They have a Starbucks 
• You can get lost in a meditative state while searching for the perfect sea glass for pictures. I think I spent over 3 hours here on Fourth of July.  But the pics were worth it.  I can tell it will be a regular habit. 

• I am using my camping/gear as my furniture in the living room. I’m kinda liking trying out my LayBag.  
• I forgot humidity and I don’t mix well for having good hair days. 
• My allergies/migraines are at an all time high by my second day.  
• My first day at work, I walk into HR, and I kinda feel like I just went to Summer Camp...

And the Adventure continues........