I’m not going to lie. I’ve always hated running. Even when I played soccer, running was simply a necessary evil. Something that had to be done to be good at the game. Even thinking about running made me feel like this…
All that changed a year ago. Tomorrow May 21st is my 1 year Runniversary. How did it happen?Several good friends of mine took up running and raved about it. I kept tabs on them. I was curious, but I couldn’t imagine the appeal. I’d pounded out “grueling” runs on the treadmill and that usually prevented a repeat performance for at least 6 months. Back on the Stair Master I’d go. But they kept talking about it.
It was a beautiful spring day and I decided to go for a walk to get some exercise. I needed to be outside. Then the strangest thing happened, my feet just decided they wanted to run, the way a kid does when they’re in a hurry to go nowhere, but get there very fast. OK-that’s sort of a lie. Yes, I was inspired by the weather and the feeling of the wind in my face. I liked how my lungs stretched–my whole body felt used up–like I’d done something epic. But if I’m going to be honest–I’m just freakin’ competitive sometimes. My friends were doing it. Why couldn’t I?
I ran 3 miles that day and it was hard in a good way. But I think what kept me coming back in the beginning (besides my inner competitive monster) was technology. I could run outside where it was beautiful, with all the feedback of being inside–where it wasn’t. It was the best of both worlds for me. I’m a feedback girl. Using my Nike tracker, I kept a record of my distance and time and logged it into my Nike web page. I also listened to music while I ran and as a dancer–that just worked for me.
During this first year of running, I converted to Vibrams (a minimalist platypus looking shoe) and I LOVE it. I don’t want to run any other way. The shoes are awfully funny looking, but the feel of it makes running any other way feel wrong. Besides, how I look wearing finger shoes doesn’t matter anyway. I’m pretty sure that no matter what is on my feet, to the casual observer I look like this…
But it doesn’t matter because when I run, I feel like this…
And that is a beautiful thing. So while some days running is still a slog, no matter how much I improve. And some days I can’t sneak a run in no matter how much I desperately would love to. The truth is that I won’t be giving this up any time soon.
I’m proud to announce that I ran a grand total of
370.96 miles!!!!!! this year.
Come this fall, all three of my boys will be in school full-time for the first time. Woot!!! Don’t give me the “Bad Mother Glare.” Of course I’ll miss having the littlest one home, but he’s bored and I’m not going to miss my life in 2 and a half hour increments. In fact, I’m pretty excited for what it means for my writing, my laundry, my need for hermit time and of course my running. Did I mention that I’m a little bit competitive? *wink* Of course I’m planning to run more–further and faster. Why? Because I can…
Considering I’m a member of the Apocalypsies (Read ’em like there’s no tomorrow) and my first YA novel TOUCHING THE SURFACE takes places in the afterlife–I got a chuckle out of Jackson Pearce’s vlog for today…
If the world doesn’t end this week and you’re more emotionally connected than a computer…TOUCHING THE SURFACE just might be the book for you.
I was reading the May/June 2011 SCBWI Bulletin this weekend and I realized that I am so proud to be a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. I know that there are a ton of you who feel the very same way, but there are also so many of you who want to know why they should join this organization. I thought we might all ban together to give you the reasons.
The article I was reading starts off by saying…“We in SCBWI are a tribe of storytellers, by word and image. We are in the business of identifying and sharing truths of one kind or another.”
I don’t know about you, but that was enough to give me goose bumps. I have a tribe. But it’s not simply a group of like minded people who gather together–this is more. When I think of the SCBWI, I picture a really hard obstacle course where the only way to make it to the finish line is for the group to stand on each others shoulders. Sometimes you might be the person of strength, pushing someone up and over. Other times you just might need a hand getting on your feet. But no matter what you’re strengths or weaknesses–there is always trust.
This year the Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators is celebrating 40 amazing years. I already have hundreds and hundreds of unforgettable SCBWI moments and get chills just day dreaming about my first LA Conference in August. But I thought I would share a recent amazing moment…
At this year’s NY Winter Conference, I was in attendance to hear Sara Zarr’s keynote speech. I’ll never forget how she talked about her tribe. How proud I was to be a part of something so good. I’ll never forget the energy that filled the room when we all jumped to our feet to give Sara a standing ovation. We were inspired. We were connected.
We are a tribe, we have a history and it is a gift.
Please take a moment to remember what the SCBWI means to you and to convince those lurkers that it’s time to come home…
It’s getting pretty obvious that I’ve been cyber hanging with my Rom-Com (romantic comedy) agency sistahs Tawna Fenske (Debut novel MAKING WAVES coming in August) and Linda Grimes (Debut novel out with Tor in 2012) way too much. Last night my mind was spinning about what today’s blog post would be. (As you can see that whole write your posts on the weekend thing is really working out for me) And the first thing that came to mind was that the plants and trees are having too much nookie. See, those girls are rubbing off (could totally hear them giggling in my mind with that one) influencing me, but I DO have restraint. If I didn’t, I would have titled this blog post something like…IS TOO MUCH NOOKIE A BAD THING? It would have likely driven some extra traffic to my blog, but the spam potential…
Anyway, I digress. Back to nature nookie. It’s allergy season in the Hudson Valley and every year I’m resigned to at least one, if not all three of my kids paying the price of vegetative procreation. After a bleak and bland winter, it usually seems like a fair trade to have warmth and beauty return to the world again but this year–boy oh boy! Let’s just say, shame on you Mother Nature. You need to teach your little ones how to stand in line and take turns. GET YOUR POLLEN UNDER CONTROL!!!! Don’t believe how bad it’s been? I have the miserable kids to prove it.
Alright–maybe these injuries weren’t allergy related, but we feel beat up right now. We’re ready for a little less of a good thing for a while. But when is too much of a good thing–still a good thing???
My guess is when you’re part of a debut authors group. I’m lucky enough to be a member of THE APOCALYPSIES and THE CLASS OF 2k12. Two wonderful groups of debut authors that have banned together to share their expertise, imagination, fears and triumphs. *pinch me* It’s like being a Who down in Whoville. If we all use our voices in synchronicity, then perhaps we will be heard. More to come about these fabulous groups in the future, but in the mean time…
If you want to vote for which debut authors you want first on your to-read list, then stop by Goodreads and pick some new favorites. Of course I put them ALL on my list!!!!
Monday night I finished my first round of revisions and sent them off to my amazing Editor Anica Rissi at Simon Pulse and my wonderful Agent Michelle Wolfson of Wolfson Literary. I’ve been working on the new draft since February and it was due in June. I was determined to leisurely enjoy the revision AND get the manuscript in earlier than expected. Hitting the send button felt something like this…
Now I get a little break–which is a good thing. I’ll have fresh eyes ready for the next round of edits and I’ll get caught up on some things that I’ve been pushing to the way side…
I cleaned out the garden, added new soil and good old worm and cow poop. *grin* Veggies are rocking!
Started working on a section that always ends up with more weeds than anything else. (Before)
A work in progress…digging out the weeds and putting down the weed barrier.
Put some planters together…
And found one I just couldn’t resist. Lots more on my to do list. Mucho work to catch up on for the Apocalypsies and the Class of 2k12. There’s laundry and dust bunnies and domestic nightmares oh, my! I want to do more reading and I also get to dust off my work in progress. Hmmm I’m starting to think that the weeks are going to fly by. LOL! What are you doing in your “free” time?
