Snowshoeing 101

This week we have been venturing out into our snowy wilderness and snowshoeing. I enjoy it because it is like hiking but with a lot of layers on. I am starting to learn that how you dress is very important. You might be freezing to death starting out, but within about 5 minutes of chugging through the snow, you really wish you had left that big heavy parka and scarf back at the truck. Wearing light weight, breathable clothes is what appears to work best. I'm learning...

Random Things

On Facebook, I was tagged to write 16 Random Things about myself. I thought I would go ahead and post them here as well:

1. I am a very physical person. I use my body to express my creativity, my desire, my competitiveness, and my joy. I always look to push my body in ways I haven't before.

2. I am a Gemini with a Scorpio moon and also Scorpio is rising. I have many typical Gemini traits and also many Scorpio traits. I sometimes feel like two totally different people (free spirited and intense, practical and romantic, emotional and rational) Yeah, spend a day in my head!

3. I really love my feet massaged with lotion.

4. I usually sleep with socks on, it has to be very hot for me not to.

5. I have hypothyroidism.

6. I love to take photos, and have since I was a child with my first Brownie camera.

7. I suffer from the typical female disease of pleasing others first. I have only started to realize that this thinking hurts not only myself but also those that I want to please by not letting them know who I really am.

8. I am working on a second Masters Degree and can honestly say I could probably do another, a Ph.D, or a law degree. I am just one of those people that likes to learn and constantly reinvent myself.

9. I love to bake and cook. I have no fear of trying a new a recipie on a guest I am having over for dinner.

10. I love the outdoors. My goal is to be an "experienced" backpacker and go regularly throughout the summer. I just love the beauty and the quiet, and of course, the physical aspect as well.

11. I am doing my first triathlon this summer.

12. As as speech pathologist I hope to help people of all ages and challenges, from newborn babies to the aged. I also want to work abroad, both as a volunteer and employed.

13. Traveling and the experiences from travel is a huge part of my life. Whether it is a 20 minute drive up to the mountains or roaming the back country of Australia, these experiences make up a huge part of who I am.

14. I hope to be a mother someday in some capacity.

15. I have remodeled a house, and have more experience with power tools and saws than I ever thought I would have felt comfortable with.

16. I am very passionate. I will fight and defend what I believe in. Call it being opinionated or stubborn, but I will not back down if I am defending that which I believe in.

Many Blogger Returns

No, I did not disappear to some unknown universe, become stuck underneath a wagon wheel, or find myself duct taped and thrown into a closet. I am here, alive and well, breathing and eating, and managing life as best I can. Since Christmas, my life has been topsy turvy and confusing. In the past, I have written many entries about my awareness of upcoming changes in my life. However, this one took me by surprise and landed in my lap when I wasn't looking. I am changing like I never have, and in ways I never thought possible. It is exciting and frightening at the same time. In times like these, writing is my usual outlet, but lately I have found myself fearing what might stream out of my thoughts. I withheld writing and kept things inside. I now find myself able and ready to write again, so that I might try and better understand the insanity that is floating around inside of me.

Since I last wrote:

• Christmas came and went

• I celebrated my 18th wedding anniversary

• I went to Disneyland for New Years Eve. It was disappointing with the craziness (what were we thinking?), and with the fog that rolled in which made it impossible to actually see any fireworks going off. A trip we won't repeat.

• My husband submitted his application to the Army to go back to being a full-time officer.

• We were told that if/when he gets orders, he will most likely be sent to Hawaii.

• I decided that if he goes to Hawaii, I will stay here. There are many reasons for this decision, most of which I will discuss when I know more.

• I started back in my classes.....one I love, one I already hate.

• I have applied for acceptance into a professional organization and am looking forward to all the possibilities and opportunities that might be available there.

• I have narrowed down my school choices for my Masters work to an online program at California State, Northridge. They offer what I want and appear to have a great M.S. program. Now it is just the "getting in" part I have to work on. Very competitive.

• The inversion rolled in last week, which makes me want to hide from the world. I hate it and it makes my lungs burn and my nose crack.

• I joined the rec center so I can train for my first sprint triathlon. I am freaking out because I am worried I won't be ready by May.

• I am starting to look for work, just part-time, but something. Not surprising, it is proving to be hard in this economy.

• I am filled with hope with our new President, and I love that he wants me to be a better American. Yesterday was a day of pure excitement for me. I feel lucky to be living in this time.

That is all I can come up with for now. I feel like I have a lot going on in my life right now, and trying to get a hold on it all without letting it get a hold on me is proving a challenge. I can see that I have a problem with time management and letting things get away from me. This is obviously something I need to work on and work on quickly.

So life is changing once again, and there is a lot of uncertainty ahead of me. I wish sometimes that wasn't the case, but then I guess life wouldn't be life without it.