January | 2017 | Chasing Life and Finding Dreams

I’ve been meaning to do one of Cee’s Share Your World Challenges. And as I looked through my drafts, I found two that I had saved. So here goes a double whammy of shares. Some may be truth. Some may be fiction. Or some may be truth that I wish was fiction, or would it be fiction that I wish was truth. Either way, you can decide.

If you lost a bet and had to dye your hair a color of the rainbow for a week, what color would it be?

Purple, I would definitely love to have purple hair because it is my favorite color. However, the Army seems to frown on that hair color for some picky reason. But, I try to sneak in some purple here and there when I can. You know, like running shoes with some purple in them. Or, a purple FitBit under my uniform sleeve. Or, a purple cellphone case. I have secret purple! So having purple hair could be fun, at least for a week. Perhaps it would be a week I am not wearing my uniform though, lol.

If you could choose one word to focus on for 2017, what would it be?

Passion. I want to live to the fullest every day. I am passionate about my loved ones, my career and my hobbies. I want to love deeper and be more present. I want to learn more about my career and hobbies and fully engage in them with fun and skill. I want to really embrace all that I can and cherish it, really cherish it. You never know when your time is up…so seize the days now!

What was one thing you learned last year that you added to your life?

Lyra. In 2016, I started taking aerial fitness classes: pole fitness, aerial yoga, silks and lyra. I had no clue what lyra was so when I walked into the class and saw a metal hoop dangling from the ceiling I was like….What the heck? Then, I tried it. It was anything but easy, but it just clicked with me. It hurts and I get bruised and calloused. Yet, I find I am still drawn to it. I want to suffer through it to learn more. I think it’s a way of checking off a bucket list item. I always wanted to be a gymnast when I was little. It just never happened though. I wasn’t in the right area. It was expensive…. So here I am in my 40s, learning to do tricks on a hoop. To me, it just seems like dancing gymnastics, but in the air. It feels graceful and powerful and, simply, it makes me happy. So, I will take my bruises and callouses and wear them with pride while I learn to dance in the air.

Here is a video (not of me-I am not this good yet) of what lyra can look like:

But if you look at my Bucket List page, I do have a few still shots of me learning.

If life was ‘just a bowl of cherries’… which fruit other than a cherry would you be..?

I don’t want to be fruit! People eat fruit, and being eaten doesn’t sound fun at all. Nope. Nothing to eat here, just move along.

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The above was for Cee’s Jan 9th Challenge. Yeah, I know. I am slow, but the first step is admitting you have a problem.

Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?

I leave them open generally. I figure if there is a monster, the door will not be the thing that stops him. No, he’s bound to trip on the shoes in there, or the military gear that seems to spill out of its bags. Yeah, he got enough obstacles in there to slow him down. If he gets out of the closet, I want him to have an open door so he can just escape on out of the house for good.

Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel?

Definitely. I use them when I go on military duty. And they make it nice for guests. I mean, when I give them fancy hotel shampoo, they politely ignore the fact that the guest bed is uncomfortable.

What is your usual bedtime?

About 20 minutes ago (as of writing this scheduled post). I just keep squeezing more and more into my life and my sleep seems to suffer.

Do you like to use post-it notes?

Too much. I have notes here and there and everywhere. Post-it to-do lists are the best though!

When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper?

Christmas. I added some personal notes into the Christmas cards. Yes, actual hand-written, physically mailed Christmas cards.

Any phobias?

I have many fears, but I am not sure they count as phobias. The closest would have to be my thoughts on water. I love water, yet, I know it can kill you. So, I respect it but with a sense of near terror.

Let me explain…I have had several dreams of drowning: in cars that went into the water or getting pulled under by currents. Yet, I still go do water stuff to face it: paddle board yoga, white water rafting, kayaking, snorkeling, sailing trips, Hobie cat rides…There are times when I am clutching onto the boat/raft/etc in fear, but yet I am smiling and telling myself…this is fun, this is fun. Most times, it is. So, I guess I like the adrenaline rush of my potential death that is in the back of my mind?

Oh… I just remembered another. I hate small spaces, so claustrophobia. Yeah, I have that. I hate feeling like I am trapped. Whether it is by walls, crowds or clutter, I don’t want it smothering me. Give me space!

How tall are you?

I am a shortie. I am normally 62.5 inches. But, on days where we do our Army fitness test, I am 63 inches. No, I don’t really get taller, but I stand as tall as I possible can. And, when there is a half inch, they round. So making sure I get that half inch counted gives me an official inch of height. And that official extra inch gives me a weight allowance of four more pounds. When your a short girl who likes to eat, you need those four dang grace pounds! Too bad I can’t stretch two more inches cuz all that holiday eating is still around my waist.

Optional Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am grateful for my water pipe busting this week. Stick with me here. No, I am not crazy, but I am looking at the silver lining.

As I was washing some vegetables, the faucet water just stopped. Um…we have a problem here Houston. So I go outside to find the water man turning my stuff off. Hey, sir. I paid my bills.

Yes, but your going to get a bigger bill if I don’t turn your water off….

Long story short, my water pipe was leaking near the company’s line. Apparently, it had been for some time as there was a saturated path going down the ditch and then down the road. Funny thing is, I saw the water on the road a few days ago. It was around the corner so I didn’t think anything of it. I mean, it was around the corner from me and I don’t even live on the corner.

Anyway, apparently I had been watering the ditch and the road. My next bill will tell me how long: days or weeks. But the silver lining is: I met my neighbor finally (who was really nice and fixed the leak); I now know where my water box is; and I learned a couple of things about pipes. Oh, and the fact that the leak was right near the county connection was a huge bonus! There was no damage to the house and the digging was very minimal…or so we hope but I will have to check it again today after military duty.

Next week, I am super excited as I start a new job! I will be doing public affairs for the Army’s competitive shooting teams. In short, I will run around taking pictures, shooting video, managing social media and traveling with the teams. These folks are so good that some of them have even gone to the Olympics! I could get a chance to go if they qualify. And let’s face it, photographing some people in the Olympics is about the only way I am going to get there.

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For Cee’s January 16 Share Your World.