J. H. Authors

One Woman. Three Names. Many Books.

Fitness

Tick Tock Tick Tock

by

Sunday was T – 6 months. 6 months before my birthday. A birthday that ends in a “0”.

6 months used to feel like a long time. Now it flies, FLIES by. So it is time to get the ducks lined up.

What do I want to be different in 6 months? And what am I going to do about it?

I want to get back in shape. Three years ago this fall I ran a half marathon. Two years ago this summer I did spring triathlons. Last year, nothing. I need goals–am thinking about signing up for a couple of 5Ks to get moving. Am not going to talk about losing x pounds or y inches. Just want to be in fierce shape.

Balance. Still trying, still losing. But reframing, realizing that I can’t have traditional 9-5 balance in my life. Need to figure it out, and steal time where I can.

Writing. I am revising my first novel again–getting rid of a character completely, shuffling a couple of scenes. Then back to #2 and continue shopping for an agent.

Reading. Less for work. More for pleasure. Much, much more.

Gratitude. I have a wonderful life. I am grateful for it, and want to keep being more conscious of how blessed I am. No matter what happens, I am blessed.

 

Resolutions

by

I think I do this same blog post every few weeks. But here goes. I’ve either got to write this blog, or not. And New Years is a great time to take stock.

Been wavering, but then read a blog by a friend (who blogs every day, and has a book hidden in her posts). She posted this TED talk.

Brene Brown TED talk

And I realized this blog is that for me. Vulnerability. On my work blog, I am in work mode. On my writing blog with NHWN, I am part of a tribe. But this is me, hanging out there. So how about this–this blog is about my journey this year on accepting who I am (“I am enough”) but keeping it interesting. Challenging.

The last few days have been about cleaning, organizing. Regrouping. Last year, though fab, was incredibly challenging. And I feel like I was treading water a lot of the time. This year, got to get the systems back in place, and find new ones that work.

So, been going through piles, and getting rid of stuff. I have a lot of stuff. I could never buy a pen again and not run out. I have books upon books upon books. Half filled notebooks. Reams of paper from my thesis that I am saving for drafts. I have gotten off the exercise routine, even though I know it would help. A lot.  I have also gotten away from writing. I keep writing, talking about balance, and then I can’t find it. And then I beat myself up.

So in 2012, here are the goals:

  • Get a handle on the systems. Start today, and don’t look back.
  • Exercise.
  • Write. And the rest of that world choice (query, edit, submit and write).
  • Give up on the balance thing. Your life is nuts, but you like it. Hours blur. Work blurs. Stop trying to make your life 9 to 5 cause it isn’t possible, so make it what you need it to be. You’ve got 24 hours a day, sleep at least 7 of those hours and then figure out the rest.
  • Do the best you can, and don’t beat yourself up.
  • Sunday blogs to keep up.

Happy New Year folks.

 

Surfing over the Bucket

by

I have professional goals for my role as ED of a non-profit, and as a teacher. And writing goals, both for content and publication. And I have blogging goals (like doing it regularly).

And I have my bucket list. Now the bucket list are both goals unto themselves, and they require many steps that are goals unto themselves. For example, there’s surfing.

My BFF from high school had this on her bucket list, and I’ve added it to mine. We both have August birthdays, and thought it would be a good time frame for crossing this goal off the list. But the steps leading up to it include:

  • Getting in really good shape. One is because core work is necessary. Two, because there will be photos of me in a wet suit.
  • Figure out the best way to do this. TLS had found Surf Diva camps, and that seems to work.
  • Practice the jumping up part. You know the look–from stomach paddling to jumping up and standing. Right now I would need help with that, as I am not very nimble. Yoga will help, right?

Nine months away. TLS and I–Surfing USA. Should make for some interesting posts…
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Grj7sjQ0_p4]

Summer Lies

by

One challenge of this blog is not to repeat my writing advice (doled out at NHWN blog). Nor is it to discuss theater (my day job), which I do occasionally on the StageSource blog and also on my class blog for Emerson.  Another challenge is to write with more frequency. Goal–Monday postings from now on.

Subject? Varies. This week is on the lies of summer.

Now don’t get me wrong. I adore summer. I love being warm (not hot, but warm). I LOVE baseball. I love going to the beach. I love grilled food (though I don’t love grilling). I love not having to layer my clothes.

But I’ve caught summer out on a couple of lies, especially of late. They include:

  • Exercise. That summer is a good time for it. Now as someone who trained for the past two summers, I can say there are positives to being able to go outside and do all sorts of sports. But not mentioned is the difficulty in actually doing this. Heat is tiring. Energy gets zapped. Sleeping is challenging at times, which doesn’t help.
  • Looking good. Since tanning is out, the sunkissed glow doesn’t happen automatically. That’s one challenge. The other challenge is that you look pressed and fresh for the five minutes before you leave your house, and then it all goes to hell. Sweating. Clothes sticking to you. Being surrounded by sweating people. Running makeup isn’t a good thing.
  • Feet. This may be me, but my dogs don’t like the heat. At all. They get swollen, and sore. I walk, a lot. (Boston is a walking city, I take public transportation most of the time and I do like to get the exercise). So even if I pull of good looking from the ankles up, my shoe choices are dictated by comfort, not style. Sneakers of late.
  • Weight. Magazines exclaim over the opportunities for fresh fruits and vegetables. True enough. But there are also side salads, lots more get togethers and vacations. Never mind s’mores. And the extra exercise makes you extra hungry.

I still love the season. Just saying the love isn’t without some challenges.

Prioritizing

by

And so it begins. I work in academia, but year round. I spend the summer getting ready for the beginning of the school year. And yet. Nothing gets me ready. I am keeping a running list of what I didn’t get done. It’s a long list.

And that’s work. Personally I got things done, but not everything. I should have my query packet ready to rock. Not yet. Cancelled plans for the weekend, and going to try and get that part of my life on track.

And then’s there’s the physical me. Summer time early gym appointments and tri training aren’t easy, but they are doable. Now it is more challenging. No more tris, but a couple of “races” this fall. I am grateful for those goals, and for the long term contract I signed at the gym. Really grateful. Because I would let it slip otherwise.

And I’m considering taking French lessons.

So what this means is that I have to prioritize. I need to create space for my life in my life. Create space for blogging, and writing, and querying, and working. And running. And getting better at swimming. And even French. But there are seven days a week. Twenty four hours a day.

I’ll figure it out. And let you know how it goes.

Cranberry Sprint Tri–Race Report

by

Well, I did it. Here’s the race report–warts and all.

On Saturday August 28 I did the Cranberry Sprint Triathlon. I started, and I finished. As this was my first tri, that was as far as my goals went, though I did want to try and come in under 2.5 hours. Still not sure of my time. (UPDATE, I finished in 2:16).

Like everything that pushes you past your comfort zone, I learned a great deal about myself during this process, and especially on Saturday. My biggest “a ha”? I feel like a fraud as an athlete. It has only been a little over a year since I decided to seriously try to push myself athletically. This summer I have been stregnth training, and tri training. I haven’t lost a pound, but I have lost inches and gained muscle. I have a ways to go, but I am on a path. All of that said, as I stood waiting to be in the last wave of the swim (!), doubts crept in. I have a lot more work to do on my mental game.

SWIM
The swim was ½ mile. And it sucked. I swam for a bit, sighted the buoy, saw how far it was and I started to hyperventilate. So I went to my back. Since I was in the last wave, there weren’t a lot of swimmers around. Towards the end, there were just three of us. I won’t lie—I almost quit, but I didn’t. There was a surfboard guy who stuck by me, and literally talked me through it. Made a huge difference. I was the last one out of the water. I was met by a weeping friend, who said “I’m so proud of you.” Can’t even say what that meant.

BIKE
On my way back to the transition area I decided to just finish the race. even though I was last. I didn’t have to wrestle with anyone else to get out, so I just focused, went through my routine and took the bike off the rack. A BostonFit friend found me, and reminded me to breathe use the bike to relax. Easier said than done, but I tried. I wore my camelback, thankfully (the bottle thing
while riding still isn’t happening). I didn’t refuel in transition, and that was a mistake. The ride wasn’t bad—it was a two loop course, and I didn’t see anyone on my second loop. I got more zen about being last.

RUN
I am always a slow runner, and I was tired, but I had come so far. Though when I saw the one mile marker I screamed—probably aloud. Damn that first mile sucks. The next two weren’t much better, but I did them, with two one minute walk breaks.

As I was running the rest of the course alone people were driving by, on their way home. Most of them opened their windows to cheer me on. Every cop, every volunteer, everyone just kept encouraging me. So even though I was the only person running that final bit, I felt good. And I saw my entire BostonFit posse cheering me on. And then my family, and my BFF David were waiting at the finish line.

Will I do it again. Yes. Next season. After I train my body and mind this winter.