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I’ve really had the concept of time bouncing around in my head for a while.

I think it started with the end of Daylight Saving Time last weekend. It’s amazing how changing the time by only one hour can make the entire day seem longer. Just about the time that I started to get used to a new time, I went on a weekend trip to Michigan. Changing time zones, and changing ANOTHER hour, really brought my awareness to how fluid the concept of time can be.

Sure, I’m really uptight about time. I’m a very busy person, and it’s my own fault. If I have a free moment, I usually schedule something to fill that slot. I’m almost always late to work at Starbucks, but early to meet my clients. And yet, I still feel like I never have enough energy to get everything accomplished. I know that a large part of that is related to my thyroid hormones and the continuous struggle to get the supplements right. With this in mind, it’s incredible that I was able to spend a blissfully relaxed weekend in Michigan. I didn’t have anything major planned (except a late-night excursion to Kalamazoo to see my friend, Doug, play in a concert), and I was able to just relax and enjoy myself. My watch and my phone showed two different times, and instead of trying to figure out how much time was “left” to “accomplish something,” I just didn’t worry about it. Genius.  I need to do that more!

On a totally unrelated note, I was able to swing by my favorite mural and grab a shot of it, and I was able to eat Friday night dinner with five of my male cousins. I went on my first ATV ride, and got my Chacos muddy for the first time this season. We had a great time! 🙂

Brian and I just got back from a couple days in New London with the Oberstadt clan. Brian’s grandfather, Gib Oberstadt, passed away at the age of 76. While the occasion was obviously under grievous circumstances, it was wonderful to see everyone again: Brian’s father is one of seven siblings. Gib had many children (and in-laws), grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

When we first got to the wake, I overheard someone saying, “You know, I just keep thinking about the amazing reunion in heaven right now.” Gib’s wife passed away years before I met Brian, so I was never able to meet her. That comment helped me see the somber event in a hopeful and positive light.

Gib lived such a full and wonderful life. His obituary could have filled a novel with stories and pictures of friends and family. It’s got me thinking that when I finally go to the grave, I want to know that I filled my life with family and friends, and I want to be able to say that I gave my all.

Right now, that means that “giving my all” is my focus for Lent. It’s not so much of a sacrifice, as a renewed awareness of what I can be and who I can be. You can count on me to be giving my all in running, for sure. It will make for a new and powerful mantra circling in my head during my March 26th marathon in DC. I will also be focusing on giving my all in our photography business.  I’ve been working very hard on new website updates, and making our workflow more efficient. And, of course, I’ll continue my efforts to be a great wife, daughter, and dog-owner.

I hope that when all is said and done, many years from now, my lasting memory will be one of  a passionate, caring, and hard working woman. What more can I ask for?

I will be the first to admit that I am not a very good blogger. Well, technically I’m not a very CONSISTENT blogger.

But if you know me, you know I’ve got a lot to say. I hope to fill this space with all sorts of things that I’m thinking about working hard to be an artist and an athlete for a living: so here is my attempt at a personal blog. Wish me luck! 🙂