Pancreatic Cancer World Awareness Day - November 16

Today, November 16, I stand with hundreds of thousands of others to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer and to demand better for patients and survival!

Race Day at PurpleStride Puget Sound
#Wage Hope #PANCaware

The pancreas is a gland in the abdomen that lies behind the stomach and in front of the spine. Its two main functions are digestion and blood sugar regulation. Pancreatic cancer begins when abnormal cells within the pancreas grow out of control and form a tumor.

The signs for this deadly disease begin with only vague symptoms, including abdominal or mid-back pain, loss of appetite, jaundice, weight loss, nausea, low mood or depression, pain in eating, change in stool and/or a recent onset of diabetes. If you experience one or more of these symptoms, especially without explanation, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network urges you to see your doctor.

Pancreatic Cancer Action

The exact causes of pancreatic cancer are not yet well understood. Research studies have identified risk factors that may increase the likelihood that an individual will develop pancreatic cancer:

• Family history has a large determining factor. Like many other forms of cancer, pancreatic cancer is genetic. Thus, the risk increases if multiple first-degree relatives had the disease, or any were diagnosed under age 50.
• Diet also plays a big part. A diet high in red and processed meats may increase risk. On the other hand, a diet high in fruits and vegetable may decrease risk.
• Weight also plays a role. Obese individuals have a 20% increased risk of developing the disease compared to a person of a normal weight.
• In addition, a long standing diagnoses of diabetes, defined as over five years, could increase the risk.
• Smoking also increases the chances, including second hand smoke.
• Also, those who suffer from intense or reoccuring pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas, are at increased risk.
• Studies conclude there are slightly more men diagnosed with pancreatic cancer than women and the chances of developing it increase with age.

The American Cancer Society states that pancreatic cancer currently has only a 9% five year survival rate. That is the lowest percentage of any major cancer. Pancreatic cancer killed more patients than breast cancer during 2016. The third leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States is pancreatic cancer. It is anticipated to become the second around 2020.

Many have stepped forward to say that these statistics are unacceptable. More than 53,000 Americans will be diagnosed this year. They deserve better than being told to go home and get their affairs in order. They are not statistics - they are our mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, colleagues and friends. Raise awareness for pancreatic cancer by sharing the risk factors and symptoms, which leads to early detection. It could mean saving the life of someone you love.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PANCan) is doing just that, raising awareness. They are also one of the largest sources of funding to provide advanced research opportunities. They push research forward through their nationally acclaimed grants program and clinical initiatives. Their goal is to double the survival rate by 2020. Their Vision of Progress is to rewrite the future of pancreatic cancer.

PANCan does so much more than just raise money for research funds. They also help patients and families by connecting them with the latest treatment options and by providing in-depth disease information.

Furthermore, they are in the community, leading and activating communities across the globe for the cause. They are also advocates for legislative support from Congress to increase federal research funding. PANCan is paving the way in its dedication to fighting the world’s toughest cancer. It is their urgent mission to save lives by attacking pancreatic cancer on all fronts.

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. This year, PANCan encourages us to join them to Demand Better. For Patients. For Survival. You can Sign the Pledge and learn more about how to be #PANCaware.

Matt Wilson, a pancreatic cancer survivor from Portland, OR, says, “Reality set in at my nephew’s first birthday party. We had cake, friends over, and a firetruck. I thought, “This could be my last birthday with him.” Six years later, there’s no sign of disease. I want stories like mine to be the common ones, not the uncommon ones.”

You can read more Survivor Stories and the lives of those this deadly disease has affected. It is a huge step in understanding why so many people have taken action and made the commitment to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer.

This time last year, I knew nothing about pancreatic cancer, or the devastating affect the disease can have on those it touches. My education began when a friend simply asked if I would like to participate in a 5k called PurpleStide with her family. Since I’ve been trying to be more active, I readily accepted thinking about the act of running much more than the cause.

Getting my face painted before the big race.
#PurpleStridePugetSound #WageHope

However, as I began to understand what this event was really about, I became mesmerized by the encouragement and support of everyone involved. I was honored to run with the Love 4 Linda team and Wage Hope at PurpleStride, the walk to end pancreatic cancer.

My friend lost her aunt to pancreatic cancer in 2012. After her passing, her entire family began participating in PurpleStride. They Waged Hope this year as they have for the past four years, and will continue to do until there is a cure. Brenda Wendt, Love 4 Linda Team Captain, said, “This deadly disease has stolen our best and our brightest, but it can’t take away our determination.”

Love 4 Linda Team
#wagehope #bettertogether

PurpleStride Puget Sound, held on October 29, 2017, was a powerful and inspiring day. Thanks to the amazing participants and teams, they met and surpassed their fundraising goal of $325,000 to raise over $413,000. It is a beautiful show of support to give patients a better tomorrow and increase funding for more research, which paves the way for better, life-changing treatments.

Since PurpleStride was founded eight years ago, $87 million dollars has been raised for pancreatic cancer research and patient services. However, the true impact is not the dollar amount, but the progress to finding solutions. The once 6% rate has increased by 3% and is now solidly at 9%.

A 3% increase in the survival rate doesn’t seem like much, but it can make the difference when someone you love is in that small percentage. Moreso, the movement has come to enfold greater than one million people across the country to take action in the fight against pancreatic cancer. PurpleStride reminds us, “Purple ribbons don’t rewrite the future of pancreatic cancer. You do.”

Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers Head Coach, Wages Hope at PurpleStride Charlotte.

Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers Head Coach, Wages Hope with PurpleStride in honor of his brother, Mickey, who passed away in 2015 after just two years battling the disease. “Partnering with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network allows me to not only honor my brother, but to take action against this deadly disease,” Coach Rivera said. “Too many people have lost loved ones to pancreatic cancer and without increased awareness and more people taking action, we cannot take down the disease.” Coach Rivera encourages everyone to take part in their local PurpleStride event, as he rallies in the streets of Charlotte, NC.

Fighting cancer is not only a struggle for the patients, but also for the doctors and researchers trying to find a cure. Funding is a large part of the ability to apply time and resources towards treatment and a cure. Channing Der, PhD, is a pancreatic cancer researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research is focused on finding therapies to “correct” the mutations in the KRAS gene, and is pleased that some of these strategies are now being evaluated in pancreatic cancer clinical trials.

Channing Der, PhD, discusses tough questions concerning pancreatic cancer:

Not only does Dr. Der work behind the scenes as a grant researcher, he is also a member of the Scientific and Medical Advisory Board for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. He devotes much of this life to improve the lives of those living with the disease, which includes participating in PurpleStride.

November 16

World Pancreatic Cancer Day

#WPCD

This is the day set aside each year to come together to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer. People from around the world will unite to Demand Better in the fight against the world’s toughest cancer. Through this combined effort, we are bringing greater attention to pancreatic cancer and better outcomes to patients. On this special day, we can make a world of difference.

Today you can Take Action against pancreatic cancer:

• Spread the word on social media
• Tell your elected officials
• Know your pancreas
• Register for PurpleStride
• Fund the fight

Today I wear purple to share what I have learned about pancreatic cancer and to support the people whose lives are impacted by this deadly disease. #WageHope #PANCaware

Nanowrimo 2017 - Halfway There!

Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

This year me and Nanowrimo have been getting along just fine.

I participate in this writing challenge along with hundreds of thousands of others every year. Our collective goal is to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Yes, it seems crazy to some, but to me it is just pure fun.

So far, I only have a one in four completion rate, but that is all going to change this year. Today marks the halfway point on day, but I am well over half way on my word count. I have already exceeded 30,000 words and I'm still writing over two thousand a day (well, on average at least).

However, with the holidays just around the corner, I have to keep my foot on the petal and keep my momentum going. I am very excited to see some friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, but it always poses a challenge for completing this project. Thankfully, I have some awesome family that understands my life as a writer and hopefully won't mind much when I slip away for an hour or so and enter in my word count.

Enjoying my local coffee shop to add to my word count!
#Nanowrimo #theworldneedsyournovel

I really do love this project and find a joy in creating new content. Especially when I write this intensely for this long, the characters seem to come alive and build a story all of their own. It is one of the most interesting things about writing fiction. I enjoy just stepping back to let the story unfold.

This magic of writing has incited me my entire life. I am never as happy as when I can sit down and just let my thoughts flow onto a page. Some words are for others to read and some are simply for myself.

There is this quote by Angela Carter: "Reading a book is like re-writing it for yourself. you bring to a novel, anything you read, all your experience of the world. You bring your history and you read it in your own terms."

To me, writing is kind of like that too, especially when I can get "in the zone" of a new project. The characters just flow onto the page without me ever really having a clear understanding of how they get there. I bring the parts of myself and mix them with this magical property that we humans use to create. Somewhere along the way a novel is born.

Now I just have to figure out how to edit a document with a length greater than a blog post so others can actually read these creations that has made their way from my head to the page. That is the next step.

Right now, I am focused on Nanowrimo and my goal of 50,000 words before December 1st. I can do it, I know I can.

If you are participating in Nanowrimo as well, then you can do it too! I believe in you, now comes the hard part...believe in yourself.

Happy Writing!

{WW 11/15/17 Linky} Fall is in the Air

Though it is starting to feel more and more like winter, we are still in the middle of autumn and it is beautiful. I love watching the trees change color and enjoying the cool days. Happy Fall!

Join in the Wordless Wednesday Fun and Link Up!

Today's the Day - Nanowrimo 2017 Begins!

I am so excited to begin National November Writing Month (Nanowrimo) today. I've had my novel ideas circulating in my head for weeks now, and it is finally time to start putting pen to paper - or fingers to keyboard as the case may be.

This will be my fifth consecutive year participating in Nanowrimo. I won it once, two years ago. There are all of these tips and tricks out there to help you complete the seemingly overwhelming 50,000 words. But honestly, it all comes down to one question. Do you want it?

I'm serious. Of all the years I have done Nanowrimo, the only year I won was the year I really wanted it. The first year, I had no idea what I was doing, so I didn't really write much. The second and fourth year, I was distracted by activities and social commitments. The third year, the year I won, I really wanted it and wrote constantly, making my writing a priority, until I made it to the end.

From my experience, if you want it, you will do it.

And that's it. Just do it. Write everyday. Write as often as you can. Write as much as you can.

When you hit writer's block, keep writing. Write the descriptions of your characters. Write descriptions of the setting. Write about why you can't figure out what happens next.

I entered in my first Nanowrimo update today. I'm so excited to begin.
Cheers to all who are participating with me! #Nanowrimo2017

One reason I love Nanowrimo is because it creates habit. The trick with writing, as well as other creative aspiration, is the more you do it, the easier it is to keep up the momentum. When life gets in the way, like during summer for example, it takes me a while to get started again. Nanowrimo is a jump start for me to get into the writing mode just in time for those cold winter months. I always want to hibernate during this time of year, so it works out well to be able to spend more time writing and editing my work.

Developing new ideas for novels is one of the easiest and hardest things for me. Usually, a small idea comes from something I read or experience. Then I build on it, continuously adding more details as I go.

I really like creating new content, but tend to have a really hard time editing. Thus, Nanowrimo is one of my favorite times a year.

This year, a series of events led up to my novel's subject matter. I recently helped a friend's grandmother write down her life's story to pass down to future generations. Her family was very comfortable in the outdoors and spent lots of time in the mountains hunting and fishing. In addition, I participated in a benefit run with another friend for pancreatic cancer awareness. These two influences blended together in my mind to come up with my Nanowrimo project.

I wanted to do a story beginning at the trail head of a backpacking journey. I decided to make the protagonist a female because that perspective is what I know. Write what you know, right? I tried to figure out why she would be going on this journey and decided it would be to overcome a loss. I wanted to use the stages of grief and the healing power of nature to lead her into self-discovery. Due to my recent interaction with pancreatic cancer awareness, I decided the trigger would be her mother dying of this deadly disease. It sort of all builds from there. Who she is, where her relationship stands with her family and so on and so forth.

The beauty is that a lot of the little decisions come out during the writing process. As I have discovered when writing previous novel ventures, the characters have a story of their own and they will let you know as you go if you just keep writing.

Today is only the beginning and I'm excited for this year's adventure. This year I really want it again, so I think I will win. I know I will win.

I'd love to hear from other who are participating in Nanowrimo this year! See you in the winner's circle!

{WW:11/1/17} PurpleStride Puget Sound 2017

This past Sunday I ran the PurpleStride Puget Sound 5k. This is me at the pre-race rally. My friend asked me to attend the event in honor of her aunt who died from pancreatic cancer in 2015. I was inspired and amazed by the amount of support and love passed around during this event. The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Wages Hope with this walk to end pancreatic cancer. Read More about my experiences at PurpleStride. #PANCaware

PurpleStride Puget Sound 2017

This last Sunday, I was honored to participate in PurpleStride Puget Sound 2017. It is a 5k run and walk to raise support and awareness for pancreatic cancer. It was an event held in the beautiful Magnuson Park and presented by Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

My friend, Brenda, asked me to take part in the event in memory of her Aunt Linda, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2015. I was thinking it was about time to run a 5k again, so I readily accepted. I registered for the run with the Love for Linda team and anticipated race day.

Finished the race!
Wage Hope against Pancreatic Cancer!
#PANCaware

It wasn't until I got to the event and began to listen to the message presented, that I became aware of the affects of this deadly disease. Pancreatic Cancer has the lowest survival rate of all major cancers at just 9%. That number has increased by 3% since PurpleStride was founded in 2008, still it is unacceptably small to those affected by the disease.

Unfortunately, funding for pancreatic cancer is limited and likely to decrease if the Senate-approved National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passes. The provisions of this Act would weaken the ability for the Department of Defense to allocate high-risk, high-reward research grants through the Peer-Reviewed Cancer Research Program. The purpose of this program is to advance treatment options and improve the lives of patients, very important and much needed objective.

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network has a goal to double the pancreatic cancer survival rate by 2020. Help them do that by taking action on this piece of legislation. Send a letter to your congress representative to prioritize lifesaving cancer research by using this template, sponsored by Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Congress acts when they know people like us care.

PurpleStride Puget Sound 2017 was a powerful and inspiring day. I was moved by the life and the love that surrounded me. I was motivated by survivor's stories, and the dedication of the family and friends who showed encouragement for the ones affected by this disease. Thanks to the amazing participants and teams, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network met and surpassed their fundraising goal of $325,000 to raise $369,000. It is a beautiful show of support that will give patients a better tomorrow and increase funding for more research, which paves the way for better, life-changing treatments.

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. This year the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network's focus is - Demand Better. For Patients. For Survival. I am thankful I accepted the invitation to experience the determination and support to Wage Hope to end pancreatic cancer. I intend to do some more research and continue to raise awareness for this deadly disease.

Time for Reform

Photo by Nine Köpfer on Unsplash

It is interesting how life changes so slowly that sometimes you can hardly see the difference. This happens with good habits, also with bad. After a wake up call that involved me getting really sick for a few days, I finally woke up, realizing it is time to reform.

Last weekend I went out with some friends and had a great time. But I drank a little too much wine, and ate something that didn't agree with me and ended up sick for just over three days. It was a very unpleasant experience, but it also set off an alarm that alerted me of some bad habits I'd been very slowly gaining. This particular bad habit was using alcohol as a crutch to get through the good, the bad, and the mundane.

I've never really been addicted to anything, nor do I believe I was really addicted to alcohol, but now I understand how the dependence happens. It materializes slowly, without you ever really realizing it is a problem.

I do really like wine, beer and spirits. I would drink with my friends and often times with meals as well, just because I could. I slowly began to drink more often and faster, which meant I would have two glasses in the time I once would have one. Then I would not pay attention to my body and have another.

In the moment, it felt good and freeing. I did't really get bad hangovers either, so I didn't even realize anything was wrong. Except, that I started feeling really fatigued and unmotivated. I thought I was just because I was busy. Or that I was having a hard time kick starting myself after the carefree summer months to being being productive again. I'm sure those things contributed to it, but now I realize my habits did not help me either.

It wasn't until I got sick to the point that even the thought of alcohol repelled me that I realized exactly how much I came to covet the substance. Again, I don't believe I was addicted because I could give it up. However, I had to change and I did.

Once I became able to think and function again, I made a pact with myself to stop using alcohol as a crutch. I want to be able to experience life, the good and the bad.

I am thankful that I do not have to quit drinking completely, but I did for a week to let myself recover. Now I can simply moderate my consumption. Having a drink during social situation or while watching a football game is a pleasure. I need to keep it that way, an enjoyable activity, not an everyday indulgence.

This was not a severe case, thankfully it didn't get that far. But this is a serious subject. Simply becoming aware of my situation was enough for me to turn my habit around. I have an accountability partner and write consistently in a journal to help me catch the pattern if it does ever become an issue again.

It was also during this week that I recommitted myself to my writing. I've been writing, but it has been floundering and inconsistent. It was while I felt sick that I started asking myself what I want in life. I want to be a published writer. I want to be able to write with a clear mind. I want to finish these projects I'm working on and then start more. Writing is what I love and who I am. I want to be the best version of myself.

This week, once I could function again, I wrote everyday and made significant progress on one of my projects and created a good foundation for a second. All in only four days. I forgot how much writing means to me, when I find myself in the grind and when I float along feeling inspired. I'm thankful to find that elated feeling once again, one that was muted before.

By confessing this here, I share something very personal to me. However, it is a very significant occurrence for me and I feel a freedom in my heart to be able to write more openly. I'm still embarrassed and frustrated about getting so sick, but I am thankful for the wake up call to turn myself around and choose a new direction.

I want to be healthy, happy and free, just as I want those things for you. I am not proud of my previous actions, but I am pleased to turn it around before I became completely self-destructive. If you or someone you know has trouble letting go of bad habits and need help turning away from them, get it, you and your loved ones with thank you. It is worth the struggle to be free.

Last weekend, I felt confined to the choices I was making, not realizing how they were negatively affecting me. This weekend, I feel free and able to start fresh and see my world in a new light. Finding the good in the bad, I am thankful to be able to turn myself around and begin anew. That has already happened in my heart and now I declared publicly. 

30-Day Meditation Challenge

Photo by Kalen Emsley on Unsplash

Meditation is the action or practice of meditating.

Thank you Merium-Webster for that clarification. There is something about meditation that seems really vague and difficult to grasp. We are always looking for that zen moment where everything is right in the world. I don't know about you, but that just doesn't happen all the time. When we do not receive that moment of clarity while meditating, we assume we are doing something wrong.

We are not.

Meditation is simply a moment of contemplation. It gives you a chance to stop and think about your day and what you are hoping to receive from it. This creates a perfect opportunity to set an intention and deliberate on what to do next to fulfill that purpose. It is a time for reflection and musing and there is no wrong way to meditate.

For me, meditation isn't sitting and visualizing myself as a tree or the ocean. And please don't tell me to completely clear my mind of all thoughts, that is impossible. Focusing on breath does work for me, but partly because I perpetually forget to breathe all the time.

The act of meditating is a chance for me to have a little talk with myself without any judgement. It is when I check in and decide if what I'm doing is really what I want to be doing in this moment and in life. When something is bothering me, meditating helps me block out the distractions to determine what the source is so I can actually do something decisive about it.

The Challenge

I am beginning a self-established 30-day mediation challenge on Instagram. I choose that platform because it would make me determine my words and thoughts carefully since there isn't room for extended commentary for me to ramble on, like I am now. Also, I wanted to add a visual component to the project.

Meditation is a very personal thing. Even when sitting with others, the journey is within you. I want to be able to share some visual stimulation with my thoughts. Some of it is going to get creative because I'm still not even entirely sure what it will become by the end. That's also the fun of it; I enjoy the expedition of creative practices.

21-Day Meditation challenge with Light Watkins, hosted by Wanderlust TV

In the middle of my 30 days of meditation, I am going to join Light Watkins with Wanderlust TV for a 21-day meditation challenge. I am excited to see what these guided meditations will add to my own practice. In the meantime, I want to get started exploring what mediation means to me.

I am really excited about this challenge. It began yesterday on my Instagram account @ladyanda827. I look forward to my commitment for a daily meditation practice and the accountability to follow through on it.

If you find satisfaction in meditation, or would like to, I'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and ideas!

Mesothelioma Awareness Day 2017: September 26

Mesothelioma + Asbestos Awareness Center

Three years ago, a courageous woman named Heather Von St. James contacted me with the intention to raise awareness for Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. I wrote about her story and this vicious form of cancer in an article called Mesothelioma Awareness Day: September 26, 2014.

Just this past week, I was contacted by another Mesothelioma patient named Virgil Anderson, who continues to live with the affects from this disease. He and many others seek to raise awareness for this mostly preventable illness.

Today, September 26, is Mesothelioma Awareness Day, which is nationally recognized by the U.S. government since 2004. The main goals of this campaign are to support those living with Mesothelioma, raise money to research a cure and warn the public of the dangers of asbestos exposure.

Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation

Mesothelioma is a rare, but vicious form of cancer most often caused by asbestos exposure. Asbestos is a fibrous mineral formerly used for making insulation and fireproof materials. The trouble with this textile is that it is made up of small fibers, which can come loose and get into the air. As you breathe in these particles, they get lodged into the tissues of your body, specifically impacting the thin membrane that protects your lungs, heart and abdominal organs.

This aggressive disease is tricky because of the long latency period of up to fifty years between the time of asbestos exposure and when the symptoms begin to appear. Medical science has come a long way to understanding and increasing ways to improve the lives of those diagnosed, but there is still no cure for asbestos illnesses.

Early diagnosis is key in this aggressive cancer. It is very important to be aware of the early signs and seek medical attention. Knowing whether you have come in contact with asbestos at any point in your life, even second-hand, will help medical practitioners reach an accurate diagnosis. Specific tests such as CT scans and collecting tissue samples can help determine Mesothelioma apart from other diseases.

Mesothelioma symptoms vary by type, but common symptoms include fatigue and weight loss. The location of the original tumor determines much of the additional symptoms. For example pleural mesothelioma, which attacks the lining of the lungs, symptoms include difficult breathing and respiratory system breakdown. Whereas peritoneal mesothelioma affect the abdomen and digestion. For more information about specific symptoms for various types of Mesothelioma visit Mesothelioma.net.

Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash

We live in a different world now that we know and understand the ramifications of using asbestos materials. There are strict regulations in place by the federal government to protect from this type of infection; however, the material itself is not banned. Awareness is the key to avoid asbestos exposure by taking proper safety precautions.

Even with prevention in place, it is important for those working in technical fields such as construction workers, plumbers, electricians, mechanics and HVAC technicians. There are precautions, equipment and training that allows work around asbestos to be a safe environment, but you must know about it and follow through completely on the procedures.  Even if you do not handle asbestos directly, you could be exposed by being in the work environment. Always be aware of the materials and safety procedures being used on a job site.

Work in skill trades is rewarding and can provide an brilliant future, but it important to keep yourself safe. If you are working on a job site and question the safety of your environment, do not be afraid to speak out to your boss or contact OSHA to make sure safety regulations are properly met. Though the risks of asbestos exposure is much lower now than ever, being aware of your environment is key to enjoying a long, healthy life.

Mesothelioma Awareness Day

There are many things you can do to raise awareness today: 

• Wear blue in support of those living with this disease 
• Start conversations to bring awareness to the issue. 
• Participate in events to spread awareness 
• Donate money to a mesothelioma research initiative
• Write to your legislators, at the federal and state level, to encourage greater asbestos restrictions or even an outright ban
• Share facts and information online and through social media
• If you are directly affected, share you story

Mesothelioma Awareness Day is a perfect chance to spread awareness about the danger of asbestos exposure and increase awareness for early diagnosis. It is also an opportunity for people to come together in support of those affected by the disease and those looking for a cure. 

Additional Links:
General information
Mesothelioma Awareness Day
Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation
Asbestos Safety Advice for Tech Students

Don't Limit Your Dreams

Photo by Dayne Topkin on Unsplash

When I was in college, I had this dream. I wanted to be a writer or a journalist and live in a city above a storefront. I wanted to be able to write in coffee shops and meet cool people. It was an idle dream because I didn't think it would ever happen; nonetheless, it was my dream and it made me happy just thinking about it.

We lived in Seattle for about two years before I looked up from my day to day scramble and remembered this dream from another lifetime. Here I was living in the heart of Seattle, a pretty big city by anyone's standards, and finally realized this is exactly where I want to be.

I write in coffee shops and know some pretty cool people. We didn't live over a storefront, but we did live in an apartment right across from a park that stretched along the Puget Sound. I didn't even know to wish for that part of it. Additionally, the bar on the corner was a hot spot for locals and had some pretty good pizza to boot.

It makes me think that we spend so much time wishing and hoping for things to happen, and then when they do, we don't appreciate it. Sometimes, we don't even notice.

My dream of living and writing in the city came from a different life than I ended up living. I thought that I would be single and move to New York. Once I met my husband and we settled down to have kids, I put those silly dreams away.

Only to find out, that even when circumstances change, there is something inside of us that still yearns for that simple dream. I had put limits on my dream so I no longer believed it could come true. Instead, it was I was married with a daughter that we moved to Seattle. Turns out, there is no time limit on dreams, nor is there only one way for them to come true.

I was so busy looking at my current dream of publishing a novel that I forgot the dream that got me here. To live and write in the city is a wonderful experience. I am thankful that I finally looked up to appreciate it. Now I will always know that my dreams can come true - because many already have.

You are never to old to dream. You are never to late to start something new. Time keeps moving forward whether you are ready or not. Don't close yourself off to new opportunities or fresh ideas.

Take some time to think about the dreams you have had in the past. Does anything you thought you wanted look familiar around you? Don't stop at the obvious, but the subtle as well.

Think about the dreams you have now. How can you bring those dreams alive around you?

You Can Always Begin Again

It's been a couple years since I've blogged consistently. I have to admit, I really missed it.

I stopped for a myriad of reasons. The biggest one being our move from South Carolina to Seattle. It was a great change for us and we are still here in Washington and loving it. Nonetheless, a lot of things changed during that time including our daily routine and my perceptive on life.

Once I stopped blogging, I had a really hard time getting started again. Even though I really enjoyed the process, I wasn't sure what I wanted to say anymore. The majority of my subject matter changed greatly, and I couldn't really figure out where to go next or what I wanted to say anymore. I started to develop a different style of blog, but it never really got off the ground. I got so frustrated, I just stopped.

I realize now that I put way too much pressure on myself. For something that was supposed to be inspiring and enjoyable, it became stressful and draining. Still, I missed it.

It was time to regroup and focus on why I enjoy writing to begin with. At the end of the day words inspire me. I write to understand and make sense of what is happening around me. No wonder I've felt so our of sync the last year or so.

I decided it is not too late, I can begin again.

The more I think about what I love to do and what I want to say, I realize that all I really want is a conversation. I don't need the intensity of having it all planned out, I just want to be able freely express myself.

I really enjoy learning and studying new ideas. I like to explore my surroundings and try to understand a little bit more about myself, others and the world around me. I want to be able to share thoughts and ideas see where they take me.

I am currently writing a book, piecing together a memoir project with a friend's grandmother, practicing yoga, learning to cook with fresh and seasonal ingredients, continuously crafting and studying all kinds of random elements and still doing that whole wife and mother thing too. Life is busy and crazy all the time. writing in its own way helps me keep what little sanity I have left. It also helps to organize my thoughts and respond to those around me more confidently.

I'm not sure exactly where this new adventure is going to go, but I'm excited to get started.