Happy Birthday to Me

Sorry. Today's post is all about me. And pie. Because it's my birthday. And I'm scheduling this to post because I will be sleeping in this morning and really have very little plans to be involved with the internet at all....

So Happy Birthday to Me. Y'all have a piece of Pie in my honor...because it is 3.14 today... Pi day!

monday already?

Sorry about last week. I was almost on my death bed. Okay, not really, but I felt like crap...so much so that I couldn't muster up the energy to find my laptop, open it, and try to type. So lots of big thanks to Gwenny for posting for me!

My 41st birthday was last Sunday (March 14). I remember a time when I thought 30 was old, so imagine my surprise to discover that being 41 isn't old at all! (my rotten kids totally disagree. Their problem, not mine)

Age really is a state of mind. I never believed that until my 40th birthday. I felt better (and looked better) than I had in years. I was happy, healthy, and feeling great. No way was 40 old...and no way would I dread this decade. So I've embraced it. I have fun telling people my age and watching their eyes go wide. I'm doing my best to live this decade (and every decade henceforth) to the fullest.

I wish I had done that a little earlier... so why don't you get started now. It's never too late (or too early) to embrace life.

A Super Happy Funtime Birthday Contest!

It's my 33rd birthday today. YAY ME! I even sat up last night until 12:01, just because. haha

Unfortunately, I woke up this morning to a, um, present left by my dog. *sigh* What's weird is she NEVER does that, so I instantly thought it was a portent of doom. Here's hoping the rest of my day is better. haha

So, what's the worst birthday present YOU ever got?

Leave a comment in this post today (no later than 11:59 PM EST), telling me about the worst birthday present you ever got, for your chance to win a $15 gift card to an online bookstore of your choice (e.g., Amazon, B&N, Borders, etc.)! I'll randomly pick one commenter. Good luck!

a big weekend

I turned 40 on Saturday. I know most people dread that birthday, but honestly, I was excited about it. 40 is a big deal. It's not something to dread, it's something to embrace. And I did. With gusto.

A few months ago I decided that age as all about attitude and if I wanted my 40s to be the best years of my life, then they would be. In order to make that happen, I had to take back control of parts of my life that I had let go. My health, my weight, my attitude.

I found out that the Little Rock Marathon was the day after my 40th birthday so I decided that was fate. That was the universe telling me to get off my fat, lazy bum, and get back to me. The healthy, happy me.

So in October I started training for the half-marathon. God I hated it. Every damn agonizing minute of it. I fell off the wagon a few times. Did the self-sabotage thing I'm so good at. Whined, moaned, groaned and almost quit.

But around Thanksgiving, something in my brain clicked. If I wasn't going to do this now I would never do it. And what kind of example would I set for my kids if I just gave up? So I changed my goal to run the 5K and I started pounding the pavement and training 4-5 days a week. After about four weeks, I realized I was no longer bitching about the gym. I was actually enjoying it.

What the hell had happened?

Well, I was feeling fantastic. Better than I had in years. And I didn't want that to go away.

Yesterday was the big day. I had a goal to run the entire 5K (3.1 miles). I knew it was going to be hard, the furthest I had run so far was 2.25 miles so I was basically adding another full mile to my run. Another 13-14 minutes. I didn't know if I could do it, but I was going to try.

Well, I did it.

I ran the whole way. Averaged a 13.33/minute mile and I finished in the top half of the registered participants.

I felt like a rock star when it was all over. A tired rock star, but a rock star nonetheless.

This just goes to show that no matter your age, size, or limitations, you can do anything you set your mind to. If you had asked me a year ago if I would ever run and enjoy running a 5K I would've hurt myself from laughing.

Now I'm planning to do more.

So set your goals. If I can do this, you can do anything!

Birthday memories, plus WINNERS of books!

Yesterday was my birthday, as Kristen mentioned. I'm now 32. The big 3-2. Yeah, I know it's not technically one of the "hallmark" birthdays, but whatev. LOL.

It's weird to think that one-half of my lifetime ago, I was a mere 16, having no idea where the twists and turns of life would take me. At that point, I still had NO idea what I wanted to do for a career. I was utterly, devastatingly in love with a fellow band member (obviously, that didn't pan out, haha). I also ate and ate and ate and had no clue my metabolism would ever slow down, LOL. *sigh*

When I was a teen, I liked high school, and I think it was a good time for me. I learned about myself during those years (something I neglected for a long time until just a few years ago, when I started to rediscover myself).

I learned about what kind of person I hoped to become (and how to improve the person I already was).

I learned about dealing with my peers, who were also on the brink of becoming adults (different people require different communication methods).

I also learned that adults weren't perfect (and thus, I should learn to accept people for who they are), and that life didn't always go as we wanted...or planned (so I'd better be flexible!).

Honestly, I'm grateful to be 32, carrying a lifetime of memories with me. I'm grateful that I went through so many weird experiences in school, that I REMEMBER what it felt like to be a teenager...because I think it helps me convey those emotions in my writing. And when I forget, I'm sure my 12-year-old daughter's experiences in middle school and high school will remind me. LOL!

So, what about you--do you still use some of the lessons from high school at your current age? What are the most important things you learned that you still carry with you?

Okay, let's also announce the winners from Monday's contest--each winner will receive his/her choice of a Colleen Gleason novel! And the winners are:

--SM2

--LoriT

Congrats to you both!! Please email Mel ASAP at oatmellow@gmail.com with your real names and mailing addresses, plus your choice of one of Colleen's books.