“I won’t feel sorry for myself and blame God.  I’ll just live a different life than the one I dreamt of.”

For outsiders looking into my life I would dare say that they think that I enjoy running.  I am so not one of those people.  Yes I run at least three times a week and last night I even ran six miles, but that doesn’t mean that I find joy in the sport.  I run because I want the body of a runner, it eliminates stress and it is something that I can do safely in the comfort of my own home.  Since I have been running for over seven years now it is a safe bet that I will never find my happy place while running, however since I don’t hate it I will continue to do it.

I have found a love of road biking the last couple of years.  It was a hard transition for me because I have been mountain biking since high school and completely love the thrill of the sport.  However once I came to the understanding that they were different beasts completely and I got over my thought that it would be a betrayal to my mountain bike, I found a new passion.  This is something that I can jump onto and completely lose myself in and before I know it biked 20 or 30 miles (and this is only because my butt starts letting me know it is a tad bit uncomfortable).  The down side to biking is that I feel like I need someone else to go with me.  It is a safety thing that my sweet dad beat into my already overactive imagination.

On Monday since it was a holiday and I didn’t have to find my way into work, I instead found my way up a mountain.  Hiking is another activity that I totally enjoy but don’t feel comfortable doing by myself for safety reasons.  So with a friend in tow we headed up Millcreek Canyon to find our way to the top of Grandeur Peak.  I was so incredibly proud of myself because I only had to stop once to let my lungs reopen.  I believe that is a record for me.  I was so ecstatic that I was planning to hike Mount Olympus this season on the way down.  Let me know if you want to join me as this chicken-little won’t do it by myself.

Oh and don’t be jealous but in five days I am flying out to California to go to Disneyland.  It isn’t a long trip actually not even lasting 48-hours, but long enough to celebrate a couple of birthdays and home again and back to work.  Why?  Because I can . . . frequent flyer miles = free flights is one of my favorite treats.  Fun little mini vacations that take me away from the reality of life.

Bigger vacations are looming closer.  I have to remind myself from time to time that it isn’t close enough to begin packing yet.  However it is close enough that I have already started looking at my next destination.  Fiji anyone?  That is where I am really thinking that I will be heading next year.  I need to do some serious scuba diving and that seems just like the perfect destination.  Plus I haven’t been there and there is a temple located there as an added bonus.  I do travel by myself, but not out of the country so someone will need to join me on this adventure.  I am ready for more stamps in my passport.