Waiting….

 I went on the haunted pub crawl while waiting To hear from The Wild Rose Press. Hopefully the news is better than the ghost 

stories…

Focus

 When you don’t feel like writing anymore - Do you just try to power through putting random words on the page or shut the laptop and call it a day.

Today, I switched my projects and went from my short story to a blog…but with 30 minutes left of writing time and guilt beginning to pile up…I need to get back to my story.  

When I don’t know exactly where the story is going I get anxious. I want everything to fit together and I don’t want the characters to suffer.  Instead of placing the characters up a tree and throwing rocks at them…I want to make them happy and remove all the obstacles and stumbling blocks from their path.

This attitude does not serve my goal or write and submit.

Wish me luck at being mean to Clay and Mel.  

The Write Goal

Normally, my goal would be a daily word count, to be published or hit a best seller list.

But for 2023 my goal is to write, submit and repeat. I had a teacher tell me writing is 10% talent and 90% perseverance.

For the first time in over six years I won’t be sleeping with wheels under my bed.

We have rented an apartment in Wilmington for the next 13 months and the view is inspiring.

I thought…

 32 years ago, I thought I would have money when…

I didn’t need to buy formula…then it was diapers…I thought for sure when I no longer had daycare expenses….

And lately, I have been thinking when Covid is over…

First time at a campground in 5 months….

And while we slept, thieves went through vehicles and the only thing they took were weapons and money…luckily we had neither.

But another camper told me they got his loaded pistol, other lost weapons, money, cellphones…

And then we went and got fuel, $4.37 a gallon…2 days later, the same station was $4.99 a gallon.

Creativity?

Today, I failed to trick myself into doing stretching or strengthening, but I did walk 4.5 miles. 😊 I generally walk 10,000 steps a day, but I break the steps up into 3 walks.  Which is very easy to do, but walking all 10,000 steps at once was a little more difficult.  

I did use my creative power to create dinner…I add a can of dice tomatoes into the bullet mixer with can of tomato paste - and after a minute, I had spaghetti sauce. Of course I add ground beef, onions, celery and  angel hair pasta.  And for desert I added a packet of Emergen C to no-fat Greek plain yogurt. 

So, five more days to use my creativity to find ways to trick myself into strengthening and stretching.  On today’s walk I passed by white pelicans, of course it was towards the end of my walk and I was too tired to enjoy the site.

No Surprise…

Today I am starting my class assignment over, partially because I stopped halfway through the week and because I have decided instead of creatively blogging I am going to use my super power ‘creativity’ to improve my life.

I want to lose fifteen pounds, increase my strength and flexibility.

I am in my 60’s, so I know exactly what to do…but knowing and doing are two different things. And I am lazy.

So, I am going to use (notice I didn’t use the word attempt this shows I am fully committed to this idea) I am going to use my creativity to get what I want.  A slightly smaller and stronger version of myself.

Because today is Valentine’s Day and I wanted something sweet, (like dark chocolate hearts) - but instead of buying a bag of candy. I bought a box of Larabars, they are made with dates and nuts and of course the one I choose has chocolate chips and are 250 calories or 8 WW points…not a great creative choice because Dove dark chocolate hearts have 150 calories for 4 hearts or 8 WW points.  

But, then I used my creative power to make a healthy snack. Carrots, celery and belly peppers with drizzled coconut, lime, habanero balsamic vinegar.  

This is where the creativity comes in (habanero’s are hot)…I am going to have to drink a lot of water, which will increase my steps going to the bathroom…downside is we live in a 350 square foot, 5th wheel camper.  No matter where I am sitting in the trailer, I can get to the bathroom in 10 steps.

Non-Birder

 Labels aren’t for lazy people.  I am lazy so I like to generalize.  Below are pictures of birds I have taken at the NWR where I volunteer.  Some people study the birds shape, size and habits in order to label them with their correct or even scientific name.  

Whereas, I too see color, shaper, size and habits, but instead of placing them in a category, wading bird, shore bird-I take the lazy approach.  They are all birds.

Calling a kettle black…

 I am a volunteer and today I answered the phone and a woman said, “There is a manatee dead on the beach.”

I said, “call CROW.”

She said, “The manatee is dead, not injured.”

CROW is a clinic for rehabilitation of wildlife, but she did dial a National Wildlife 

Refuge. Not a National Dead Life Refuge…so, this is a classic example of calling the kettle black.

Day 3 of trying to use my super power ‘Creativity’

There is no creative way to do 7 loads of laundry.  My husband has a severe reaction to poison ivy.  In less than a year he has had to go on steroids, three times.  

So, just in case we have an oil called urushiol on any of the bedding, clothes, dog beds, blanket, or dog.  I washed everything in our trailer.  

To use my super power to solve the problem of living on an island with an abundance of poison ivy, I created a vision board and I checked to see where we were on the waitlist for housing.  

We applied to three places,,,number 30, 27 and still waiting to hear back.  

 

Lazy, but not judgmental

 I am taking a happiness course from  (coursera.org) Presented by Laurie Santos, ‘The Science of Well-Being’

The homework suggest you try and use one of your top 5 strengths everyday.  And they gave the following suggestion for creativity.

‘For example, you might write a blog post that is unique because it is entirely gibberish. That’s not going to be useful, so it would not be considered creative”

So, I am going to use my “Judgment.” And apply the VIA Institute on Characters definition.  “Thinking things through and examining them from all sides; not jumping to conclusions, being able to change one’s mind in light of evidence, weighing all evidence fairly.”

A blog written all gibberish might be useful to someone who wants to blog, but is not confident.  The run across said, ‘gibberish blog’ and think, if someone can publish a blog all in gibberish, maybe I can blog.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion.  The author believes creativity has to benefit self or someone else to be valid.  

I say, that’s gibberish.  If you believe what you are doing adds value to you or someone else, don’t let a stranger be the one to validate your creativity.

Today I used my judgement and my creativity by blogging and creating a tastefully presented breakfast.

Blueberries, banana, pink pineapple and strawberries.  

I am Lazy.

 When I tell people, “I’m lazy.”

They always respond, “No, you’re not.”

Yes. I am lazy and it’s okay.  I am not a slob, unhealthy, or a burden to society.  I am lazy. 

I am taking a happiness course and went to the VIA strength questionnaire and they didn’t list ‘Lazy’ as one of my strengths - but they should have…if you read through my top 5 strengths you will see they support my statement.  I am lazy.

1. Creativity.    I have no problem thinking of novel ways to avoid doing housework and a 40 hour a work week.

2. Love of Learning.  Which is one of my novel ways to avoid doing housework, exercising or any of those things ‘non-lazy’ people do.  So, this is the real reason behind taking a happiness course.

3. Judgment.  I don’t spend energy judging. I am a firm believer in - you do you- as long as your actions don’t leave anyone dead at the end of the day.  

4. Forgiveness.  I am a forgiving person, because I am lazy.  I have no desire to drag around hurt and heavy negative emotions.  It takes a lot less energy to forgive and forget.

5. Humor.   It takes a lot less energy to be with people who are happy and smiling. It’s draining to be with someone who cries all day and can not see the value in a smile.  So, much easier to be with someone you make laugh, then someone you make cry.

Also, it’s a lot easier to be who you are - then to try and be someone you’re not.

So, instead of trying to prove to everyone I am not lazy.  I embrace lazy.

I am lazy and it turns out I am happy.  

Suddenly 62…

 

Suddenly 62. My teeth have grayed. My skin wrinkled. My muscle churned to fat.  

My regret, unfortunately it isn’t that I exercised more, it’s that I no longer write.

On the road again...

Today January 12, 2019.  A number of people were posting look how I aged.  The included their first profile pic and their last on facebook.

So, I will include a pic from my first blog post and my last blog post.  Although the newest pic will be from my other site...RVWife.com

I switched from blogger to wordpress because I had high hopes of writing about my experiences as a full-timer RVer, workamper and volunteer and had heard or read that wordpress was a friendlier format for professionals.

I’m not sure if it was the format of wordpress or my own personal expectations...but I am not having as much fun blogging.  I believe I am 47 or 48.

And this is me at 59 3/4

When I look at the two pictures the first thing I think is...it’s a good thing I can write, because I am not very good at taking photos. 

Before and After

A year ago, we left Waukee IA

with everything we owned
packed in the back of our truck...














 

And now we are packing up our truck once again and leaving Rockaway Beach, OR...It seems we really didn't need everything ... and we donated or sold things along our way...













And of course we also purchased new things...like a 24' camper.

Who's Minutes?

When my son was four, I told him. “Five more minutes.”

“Who’s minutes?” He asked.

As I stood at the kitchen sink, with warm suds dripping from my fingertips, I explained. “Everyone’s minutes are the same. They all have 60 seconds…”

“No,” he muttered. “They are not the same.”

“Time is the same. Everyone has twenty-four hours in a day--”

His head shook his little tow head. “No. They’re not. When you say, ‘five minutes before bed.’ Those are my minutes and they’re fast. And when you say, ‘I’ll be there in five minutes.’ Those are your slow minutes. Who’s minutes mine or yours’s?”

When I look back, I am beginning to think he was right. The only way I could have possible managed to raise two children, work full-time, maintain a house, attend numerous activities and write was I had slow minutes. 

Now I’m 56 and retired,  people say, "what do you do all day?"

"I walk the dog, do up a few dishes, sometimes write."

They look at me like my son did at four.

I shake my head. They don't understand. Now, I have fast minutes and before I get anything done, the day's over. 

Climate and Gravitational Pull

I silently chanted, ears over hips, hips over heels, shoulders down and back as I walked the beach with the sun shinning and the temperatures nearing 50. 

As the sand crunched beneath my hiking boots, my body elongated and I stood taller with each step. 

Which could only mean my poor posture is a result of a colder climate (MN & WI) wind (IA) and lack of sun.

When the temperatures dip below 40 degrees (with or without a wind chill factors) my shoulders hike high enough to keep my earlobes warm.

After 50 plus years of living in Minnesota and trying to acclimate my body to cold/frigid temperatures, my body caved in, literally.  My shoulders, back and neck are rounded. 

This was survival and my body's way to protect my heart from freezing.

I know there are Minnesotans who drive with their convertible tops down year round, wear shorts and sun bath when temperatures rise above freezing. 

But, I was never one of them. I didn’t discard my jacket or turn off my heated front seats until August. 

This is my first winter out of the midwest and I smile and wave at fellow beach walkers who walk past barefoot and wearing shorts. 

There’s hope.

Someday, I too may thaw out, my butt will be warm and I will stand tall without having to chant, ears over hips, hips over heels, shoulders down and back.

As Forgiving As…

As forgiving as a woman in love - is the attitude I have adopted for losing 20 pounds and writing a NYT Best Seller.

A woman in love only sees what she wants to see, which means, I had a very successful week. 

One night instead of microwave popcorn, I made a large bowl of air popped popcorn and used a packet of TrueLime for seasoning. Am I awesome, or what.

Besides demonstrating self control, I showed I am capable of change. I also did two sets of arm exercises with an 8 pound bar. 

Bring out the balloons and the party horns, things are getting better every day. I already forgot about the free samples of candy at Costco,  the two glasses of IPA at the bar, and the Pinot Noir.

Never mind the naysayers. I know this time will be different. I will be in the 20 percent of people who manage to lose weight and keep it off.

And this week I will also add bladder control exercises because when I get to the nursing home, I don’t want to wear absorbent undergarments. 

The following exercises were provided to me from my daughter the Occupational Therapist.

1) Sitting in a chair squeeze pillow/ball between your knees and hold for 5 seconds, repeat 10 times.

2) Still seated in a chair wrap thera-band around legs and spread knees apart. Hold 5 seconds, repeat 10 times.

3) Stand up and complete 10 mini squats

4) Suck in your stomach - hold 5 seconds, complete 10 times.

5) Squeeze your bottom/butt muscles and suck in your stomach - hold 5 seconds, complete 10 times.

6) hold in your muscles like you REALLY have to go to the bathroom & you try holding it in -  hold 5 secs, complete 10 times.

I lost my diet muse..

My fitbit app recorded 109,000 steps, my fitness pal app congratulated me for recording my food intake,  my vision board greeted me every time I opened my refrigerator door, I used positive affirmations, worked on posture with a posture zone app and I gained 4/10 of a pound.  

I am now up 1.4 lbs since January 1, 2016. 

Which would be great, if my goal was to gain weight. 

In the past, PTTF, (prior to turning fifty) dieting and exercise were easy.  All I had to do was eat less and exercise and I'd lose weight. 

PTTF, I had a Diet Muse.  She presided over my spoon and fork stopping my forward progress, 'you're full. You don't crave or want any more to eat  or drink.' 

How I feel looking at the scale.

She'd whisper in my ear in the wee hours of the morning,  'get up so you have time to exercise before work.'

Why, oh why, did my Diet Muse desert me now? 

Maybe this week I will look for an app to find my missing Diet Muse along with an

app to rid myself of the BIM (Bad Influence Muse) who's words are dipped in sugar coating. 'It's only microwave popcorn. Everyone watches TV. One quick look on Facebook won't hurt. It's a light beer. You walked 10,000 steps you don't need to lift weights.’

So, this week I will look less towards external motivation and more towards finding my inner voice of reason.  

5 Nice Things…

When my children were young and fighting I would step in and required them to say 5 nice things about their sibling. 

I decided to apply this same principle to myself. When I start to criticize myself for consuming too many calories, giving in to late night craving, not getting enough exercise or failing to write daily instead of telling myself I lack willpower, motivation, I’m lazy, not driven, etc.,

I am going to force myself to say 5 nice things about myself.

Balance. I’ve been standing on one foot while I brushing my teeth.   this increases balance and engages my core muscles. (The therapists in skilled nursing facilities give balance tests to residents to determine their level of independence - and I plan to ace the test.)

Re-boot, when walking, I’ve been self correcting my posture. When I start to lead with my forehead, I pull my head back and pull my shoulders away from my ear lobs, I tighten my butt and tummy so no longer look like a chubby toddler or a man with a beer belly.

Walk, I average 10,000 steps a day. 

I write, I am re-writing my novel and I have Feb. 14th for my deadline to complete edits.

I am not static. I am meeting new people and learning new skills a painting class at Tillamook Community 

Untitled 1 

A few months ago my adult daughter told me - she hated the ‘5 nice things’ punishment. “You cannot image how difficult is to come up with nice things to say when you’re mad.”

Yes, I can. I am not mad at myself, only mildly disappointed and I find this activity difficult.

I can alway take a page from their book.

"Nice, smart, kind, good at sports (walking), helpful."

No Reason Why

"There is no reason why...You can't be safe," my mom would say to my children as they climbed on tables and the back of the sofa.

So, this year I am saying to myself. There is no reason why.. I can't be fit and healthy.

Of course, I can come up with a lot of excuses for giving into late night cravings:

Hormones - this worked when I was younger, too many hormones and now that I'm older, not enough hormones.

Cravings - I have no willpower.

Metabolism - My metabolism has slowed down. I  don't eat half as much as I use to and I am gaining weight.

Emotional Support - I am bored, tired, anxious, happy, sad, etc.

The good thing is I am in the majority. In 2011-2012  the Center for Disease and Control stated the percentage of overweight adults, including obesity is 69%.

So, the first week of having my vision board has not cured my cravings, increased my willpower or sped up my metabolism.

But, what has changed is I am working on posture, balance and breathing.

I am going to build a good foundation for my fit and healthy body.

My vision for the future does not include me as a rounded old woman who can not hold her head up,  a woman with increased hip, knee and neck pain, or a person at increased risk for falling.

This week I will continue to correct my posture when I walk and incorporate some floor/wall exercises to correct my poor posture.

And of course I will continue to walk because with a Jack Russell and a beach there is no reason why I can't walk 10,000 steps a day.