Some Bitter Some Sweet

As I sit here reflecting on my week in Minnesota I realize that I always come back to Oregon with the same feeling. It's always bittersweet and contemplative. Back to the job I love and the friends I miss but, with a heavy heart as I miss the family and friends I leave behind. Though I always know I will come back soon it doesn't change the fact that I am far away from them again.

The week was fun, interesting, mesmerizing, surprising and overall just what I needed to re-charge my batteries...

Minnesota..I miss you already.

Thought of the Day

Really LOVE this one!


“You can spend minutes, hours, days, weeks, or even months overanalyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could've, would've happened...or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move on.” ~Tupac

Thought for the Day

What's truly meant for you, you won't have to grasp too tightly. True love makes your heart sing, not cling.

"Love Shrinks"

I just finished an amazing book that touched me in many ways. The book "Love Shrinks" is a profoundly moving account of a marriage counselors unraveling of her own marriage. In the book she chronicles all the reasons she decided to stay in her marriage for as long as she did even though deep down she was deeply unhappy.

The book is divided into separate sections in which she headlines "Why I stayed in my marriage" and lists memories and wonderful times that kept her from getting a divorce while other chapters focus on her daily struggles of living the life of her and her husband being more like roommates than lovers.

Her writing is simple yet emotionally charged. It's truly a love story of freedom and the ending will bring tears to your eyes. I haven't read a book I loved so much in a very long time :)

How true is it that we stay in relationships for too long for all the wrong reasons? Perhaps you are comfortable or hoping things will get better or maybe you stay for those good times which become scarcer as time goes on. Whatever the reason this book will open your mind and your heart.

Here is a review of the book
"A relentlessy honest portrayal of what a marriage looks like that should end but doesn't, where the couple should hate each other but don't. With wit, charm and intelligence, Sharyn Wolf examines the reasons she stayed stuck; the old wounds and unmet needs that kept her attached when she should have let go. Love Shrinks is for anyone who has stayed in a relationship too long for all the wrong and yes, sometimes, right reasons. You'll cheer when Wolf finally breaks out. And just maybe it will remind you of someone you know."—Susan Richards, author of Chosen by A Horse

Rhody Fest!

Can you spell Rhodedendron?

The annual Rhody Festival in Florence, Oregon celebrates this beautiful flower and brings the town together.

Here is what a website I found has to say about it:

The Rhododendron festival celebrates the wild rhododendrons that thrive along the Oregon Coast and officially begins on Friday evening with the Rhody Pageant to crown "Queen Rhododendra." The festival includes a wide variety of fun and events throughout the weekend include parades, flower show spotlighting specimen rhododendrons grown by coastal inhabitants. car show, arts and craft fair, 5K run, carnival and much, much more.

Katie and I headed out bright and early Saturday morning for the festivities and I had no idea what to expect. I never expected to have such a blast! The Rhody Parade brought out tons of the colorful flowers along with floats and tons of performances. Here are some pictures from the event:

The sunshine came out shortly after this picture was taken right in time for the parade!



Florence has a ton of antique stores and Katie snapped this shot of me being totally silly. What a great time! My new friend "Mr. Zebra"

Zumba!

It's sweeping the county and the world and I gotta say that I too have jumped on the Zumba bandwagon! I LOVE the workout! The music is great and it's like one big dance party. Honestly, if you LOVE to dance and want to get in shape, then Zumba is the thing for you. Right now my gym, Eugene Swim and Tennis only offers in on Wednesdays but I try never to miss it! It's a blast...have any of you tried it?
I am really trying to get in shape and so far this is my workout schedule

Mondays: Step class
Tuesdays: Yoga or treadmill workout
Wednesdays: ZUMBA
Thursday: Treadmill workout
Friday: Rest day or Treadmill

It feels great to be getting in shape!

I'm Back

A couple of months ago I decided to stop blogging. I am not sure if it was the fact that I thought nobody was reading, or that I just felt like I was putting myself out there too much or what but I simply stopped.

I didn't think too much of it until I got a tweet from a viewer who asked me why I wasn't blogging anymore. It gave me pause. I honestly didn't think anyone was really reading it. He went on to say that everyone he knows reads it. Wow. Of course this could consist of just a couple of people but I have to remember why I started in the first place which was to find a way to share my life with others.

I suppose being a public figure I feel at times I am bordering on "too personal" when it comes to what I write about but then again when I think about it, the things I share come straight from my heart and I have received positive feedback from many of my inspirational blog entries. I think I will keep it up for now and see what happens.

Happy Reading and I am back.