lofty goals and muddy shoes
It's been quite awhile since I've written anything of a therapeutic nature. At the very least, something unrelated to album reviews or independent music. Clearly, I'm experiencing some work-life balance issues. For the last month, I've been officially gainfully employed (full-time, in an office, which is hectic but good in its own twisted way) combining my graphics, marketing and project management skills into one big ball of crazy. It will simmer down, but this is a particularly busy time of year at said office job and I'm mostly just saying this out loud to remind myself that it will all get done and all will be well.
Beyond that, I had set a very public goal on this blog to hike 100 miles this summer by the end of September. I failed quite spectacularly, but felt like I should report the final tally. I officially hauled myself down 72.7 miles of trails during my first foray into hiking this summer. Although it's way off the mark of the rather lofty goal I set for myself, it's hard to be disappointed in the effort. And I've discovered that I really love it. Even on the days when I was traversing a steep incline and could barely catch my breath, or held onto a tree branch for dear life as I slid ass-first into a massive pile of mud…I found that I was proud of myself for pushing through my discomfort and unbelievable klutziness deep in the gorgeous Washington forests. all you can do is laugh and put one foot in front of the other, and know you'll make it back out at some point.
What's funny is I've always been drawn to the outdoors, and grew up running around in fields, playing in the creek that ran through a local park, and actually thrived when pushing myself physically. Somewhere in the midst of becoming a grown-up, I lost that. So I didn't hike one hundred miles. But now I enjoy playing in creeks again, and feel satisfied when I come home from a morning hike covered in mud up to my knees. And I have new goals. Which seem big for a girl from the Midwest. They involve Mt Rainier, the Olympic Peninsula and Mt Hood. And I'll make it to all three. Maybe not as soon as I'd like, but I find myself working toward things that weren't even on my radar a year ago.
And it's precisely this type of thinking that makes it crystal clear to me that I've made the right decisions for myself lately. Now, who wants to play hooky and go for a hike?
Beyond that, I had set a very public goal on this blog to hike 100 miles this summer by the end of September. I failed quite spectacularly, but felt like I should report the final tally. I officially hauled myself down 72.7 miles of trails during my first foray into hiking this summer. Although it's way off the mark of the rather lofty goal I set for myself, it's hard to be disappointed in the effort. And I've discovered that I really love it. Even on the days when I was traversing a steep incline and could barely catch my breath, or held onto a tree branch for dear life as I slid ass-first into a massive pile of mud…I found that I was proud of myself for pushing through my discomfort and unbelievable klutziness deep in the gorgeous Washington forests. all you can do is laugh and put one foot in front of the other, and know you'll make it back out at some point.
What's funny is I've always been drawn to the outdoors, and grew up running around in fields, playing in the creek that ran through a local park, and actually thrived when pushing myself physically. Somewhere in the midst of becoming a grown-up, I lost that. So I didn't hike one hundred miles. But now I enjoy playing in creeks again, and feel satisfied when I come home from a morning hike covered in mud up to my knees. And I have new goals. Which seem big for a girl from the Midwest. They involve Mt Rainier, the Olympic Peninsula and Mt Hood. And I'll make it to all three. Maybe not as soon as I'd like, but I find myself working toward things that weren't even on my radar a year ago.
And it's precisely this type of thinking that makes it crystal clear to me that I've made the right decisions for myself lately. Now, who wants to play hooky and go for a hike?
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