The 59th Year

I spent last night thinking about this morning.  Reflecting over the past year and what I had and hadn't accomplished.  Isn't that what birthdays are about?  We look back on the past year and look ahead to the upcoming year.  A taking stock, so to speak. 

Last year, I told myself it was time to put myself out there.  Take some chances.   Take some risks and see what happened.   I kinda, sorta did that.

I jumped in with both feet and entered a photography contest in January.

I didn't win a ribbon!



I also agreed to join the Healthy Wage weight loss challenge with some of my fellow writers over at The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans.  I lost ten pounds, but we didn't win any money. 

Are you seeing a pattern here?

I did do some things that were great.  At least they were great in my book. 

I covered the Self Magazine Workout in the Park event in Chicago for Shrinking Jeans.  Dolvett Quince from The Biggest Loser TV show was there.

2013 will be my 40th class reunion.  I have never been to one.  Over the last year, I have been going to some mini reunions.  We have started going out for breakfast or drinks or dinner.  Our last one was over Thanksgiving weekend.  Some get togethers are bigger and some are smaller, but I sure am glad I started going.  I forgot how much I enjoyed these special friends. 

I went on a vacation with one of my very best friends to New York City for ten days.  This is us right before our carriage ride through Central Park.  Notice that we have on matching shirts.  I think that was how we got to be on TV at the Today Show that morning.  Vickie is one of the best people you will ever meet and I can't think of anyone I would have rather had the New York experience with.  We had the most amazing and awesome time and with the exception of a few guilt pangs the night before we left, I didn't feel guilty about leaving my family for that long.  If you know me, that was huge! 

After my ten day adventure in NYC, I met up with Dick in Baltimore and we headed out on our own seven day adventure.  We spent several days in Washington DC.   From there, we went on to spend time in Pennsylvania and Ohio.   It was our first real vacation without kids and it was fantastic.  Not to mention the fact that I had never been away from my kids for 17 days in a row ever.  Let me tell you though, the really hard part was being away from the grandkids for 17 days.

I found the courage to go out on the Sky Deck at Willis Tower in Chicago with three wonderful friends.  Bari, Christy and Melissa,  you guys are the best.

I walked some 5k's and I was proud to be the team captain for Vickie's Chickies at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk.  Our team raised over a $1000.

There were some things that happened that weren't good, but you have to expect that too. 

I think you get the idea.  All in all, I had a pretty good year.

So, as I sit here tonight, I am thinking about my 59th year.  What will I do to make my mark on this year?  Being 58 is something to be celebrated.  How will I celebrate?

The first thing I am going to do is enter that photography contest again in January.  Maybe this will be my year.  Are you with me, Jan? 

The second thing I did was lose my mind!  I have signed myself up to walk the mini marathon in Indianapolis in May.  This is going to take some training, but I can do this.  With or without my mind!  I have two friends who lost their minds with me, so that will help.

So my friends, this is the start of my 59th year.  I know there will be more adventures.  There will be more fun.  There will  be more time with family and friends.  There will be more photography.  There will just be "more"!  I am excited about that.

This 59th year is looking pretty darn good already!