Sunday, September 26, 2010

Fighting the fight

Dear Blog,

HOW I MISS YOU!!

And how I fear that's the only thing I'll manage to write, whenever I can scrimp a minute, hunched over my computer, already past my hour to get a full night's sleep, which is no way to start a week (and I don't want to hear it from any medical residents!). Not sure what to do with the feeling that my best may not be good enough. Obviously, it is, and it's (shocker) all I can do. And yet....

On a happier note, I will say Fight Gone Bad on Saturday was AWESOME! Much greatness. A workout to nearly kill you, then many hours of screaming and cheering for others going through the same pain. And great to remember those we're doing it for -- all those who are fighting much harder battles than that one....

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Wave crashes, wave recedes

And there goes another wave of a week, curling back from the shore, regathering itself to reform again. It's just the cycle of life, but I don't know when I'll stop being surprised by how quickly it passes.

The update from the last post is that this fundraising business, which is quite hard for me, has gone beyond-wonderous-imaginings wonderful. I am so fortunate to have so many compassionate and splendid beings in my orbit. I definitely surpassed my goal of $250, am now up to $470. So wonderful.

Suce is purring next to me on the couch, I have candlelight and Deep Forest playing, and some tasty tofettes , now devoured. Yep, it's past bedtime; you didn't expect anything different.

One more update update -- Friday was my inaugural work from home day! It went quite well, altho I was fairly anxious about it -- worried I wouldn't be able to access what I needed to get my large pile of work done. But, work it did, so that will be continued, pretty great.

All my other bouncing thoughts will have to be funneled through the week, however I can manage....

Monday, September 6, 2010

Doing hard things for good causes

I have a dilemma.

I'm doing a fundraiser to, well, raise funds for 3 really good causes. And I hate asking people for money!

So, in my case, the hard thing is fundraising, not the fundraiser itself, although it's a killer workout. My goal is to raise $250, so if most folks I know gave even a few dollars (and, let me be clear -- zero shame in that, I'd be psyched), it would add up quick. Sure, it would take more than 200 folks pitching in $1 (I'm pitching in here, too!), but at $5 each, it would take 45 folks -- doable! Or, the wild spenders at $10 each, only 22.5 of those, or so. So, I'm just going to put it out here, and figure out how to non-obnoxiously proceed.

The fundraiser:
A CrossFit workout called Fight Gone Bad. You spend one minute at each of five stations, resulting in a a five-minute round, after which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. This event calls for three rounds. The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. On call of "rotate," the athletes must move to the next station immediately. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower, where each calorie is one point.

The stations are:

  1. Wall-ball, 10 ft target (Reps)
  2. Sumo deadlift high-pull (Reps)
  3. Box jump (Reps)
  4. Push-press (Reps)
  5. Row (Calories)

The four divisions are:

  1. Class A: Standard Men = 75lb push-press and sumo deadlift high pull, 20lb wall- ball and 20 inch box jump
  2. Class B: Modified Men/Standard Women = 55lb push-press and sumo deadlift high pull, 14lb wall-ball and 20 inch box Jump
  3. Class C: Intermediate = 35lb push-press and sumo deadlift high pull, 8lb wall-ball and 20 inch box Jump (step ups are okay)
  4. Class D: Beginner/Kids = 15lb push-press and sumo deadlift high pull, 4lb wall-ball (can be lowered to 8 foot target) and 10 inch box jumps

The causes:

Lance Armstrong Foundation identifies and acts on the issues faced by cancer survivors in order to comprehensively improve quality of life for members of the global cancer community.

Wounded Warrior Project believes the greatest casualty is being forgotten. WWP provides unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of severely injured service members.

CrossFit Foundation provides support and assistance to the CrossFit community, the men and women of the military, law enforcement and first responder communities and their families in times of need.

The donation place:

https://rapidgiving.com/fundraising/page/3306/shanas-fight-gone-bad-for-the-greater-good

What I do all day

So, one of the things I'm way past due to report is what-all I spend my days doing. Some of you have professed great mystery as to these doings. And it's true, it is deep, dark and mysterious. Can't blame you for wondering.

Y'all know I'm a writer and an editor, naturally. So, to buy the kitty food these days, I'm doing marketing writing and promotions for a healthcare company.

My specific group mainly targets high-level hospital executives with a variety of informational products -- a magazine, a news website, newsletters and e-letters, live seminars/events and webcasts, stuff like that. The volume of products and promotions the company puts out is impressive, so I'm mostly spending my time scurrying around to write copy for the new stuff and get email and direct mail promotions and banners and web pages out the door for existing stuff, so that involves a little writing, some editing, lots of checking, proofing, and mostly, just systems and codes and things that make my head spin.

The actual work work of it is pretty clearcut and cool. The systems around all that ... ay yi yi. But, incrementally, I'm learning.

I do still hold the freelance dream, would love to return to that and be able to support myself, and I think it's doable, I just don't quite know how yet. But I'm keeping a little, little going on the side, so that feels like something.

And now the deep, dark mystery is solved, and you can sleep at night.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Fall came visiting

Today, it was fall. A gorgeous day, sunny, brilliantly blue skies and fluffy white clouds, but crispness in the air and a cooler wind blowing all day. Fans off all day, jeans on, even a long-sleeve shirt when the sun hid.

I had dreams and goals and aims of productivity today. I did. And I made same little rivulet inroads, just not quite what I had planned. But I have tomorrow! Nothing like a deadline, is there?

Four days off has been sheer, pure heaven. Time to just be, and to live. Kicking the cold, bonding with the furballs. I belatedly discovered Willa started a hunger strike :( so I've been bribing her to eat again with tuna. Oh, gatos.

Part of what waylaid my productivity today was starting Run by Ann Patchett. Loving it. Been so long since I read a good book I could just fall into. And in fact, that's what's tugging me away, this very moment....

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Summer's good-bye?

Today, languid with heat, 90-something, humid, maybe the fifth day like this? Tonight, tomorrow promises a break -- potentially a hurricane break.

I am taking tomorrow OFF. Off.

Which means I have a four-day weekend. Four days. I hardly know what to do with myself. Except, I know exactly what to do with myself -- get my life/act together! All that crap that's been sitting around, hanging on me, gathering dust in my brain, creating bad lurking consequences. Time to get that stuff done. And kick this cold. Day 3, sore throat is impressive, no matter how much tea and water I drink.

So, this is me, Labor Day weekend.

And today, I found out my boss is leaving the company. Hm. Surprises to come.

This weekend, there will be an exciting post on precisely what is is I do all day, since I somehow seemingly haven't told y'all! Thought I had....

Now, for some more Cold Care P.M. tea.