Little Brother
Over Spring Break, I spent some time with my little brother. It was wonderful. I am truly blessed to have a family I love very much, and a family that I enjoy hanging out with. Look at that handsome guy!
I heart CARPOOL
Disclaimer: If you have never heard me talk about CARPOOL, these videos will explain to you what it is and how it is fabulous. Also, I linked to CP about a million times, because I wanted you to be tempted to click on it and learn about how it is truly awesome.
The CARPOOL GALA was last weekend in College Station. This year it was in The Zone at Kyle Field, it is an amazing venue. Going back every year to celebrate CARPOOL always makes me feel very grateful to have been a part of the organization. It is still one of the best things I have ever personally been apart of.
Last year, CARPOOL ran out of money. The staff had to stop operations for the first few weeks of the Spring semester. The organization got so much support from the Aggie community and was able to raise $115,000 in the Spring alone. It never ceases to amaze me what a determined group of people can do. The current staff, of which I no longer know a soul, is working to create a buffer of funds. They hope to have enough money to pay for two years out, instead of just the next couple of weeks.
The vice-chair (Ryan Mieras) gave a speech about how CARPOOL has impacted him. While CP has impacted thousands and thousands of people (the website currently states they have given 183,658 rides home), it also profoundly impacts the people who chose be members and pursue a leadership role. At the age of 20, I had a group of 25 people to lead. At the age of 21-22, I was in charge of fundraising efforts and led operational nights. We organized who would drive, who would go out to bars, we organized calls, and what to do if something went wrong. I planned a 5k and wrote grants (I raised lots of dough – still proud). JMO built a caller record/ride sort program and built the website. We were running a business, and not really a small one. CARPOOL is expensive to run, we maintained donor relations, obtained sponsors, and begged for money. CP was an amazing learning experience, I grew tremendously as a person. The experiences I had will never be forgotten, and I am proud of the person CP help mold me into.
So, basically CARPOOL rocks.
GALA helps make money for CARPOOL, and it is fun… here are a few pictures from the evening….
Mrs. Oswalt and her fabulous new bench.
JMO and his fabulous mother.
JMO and his fabulous girlfriend.
P.S. CARPOOL ROCKS. If you watch this video, you can see me for all of 2 seconds on a computer, and JMO for all of 2 seconds on the phone, we are much younger. Plus awesome quotes from Jeff, the founder, at the end.
Happiness Project Progress (February)
Complete February Goals = FAILED
The beauty of doing goals monthly is that I can fail one month, and start fresh the next. The beauty of designing your own rules is no one can call me a cheater.
February was all around a tough month. Bootcamp ended, and I fell off the work out wagon pretty quickly. I got wrapped up in over preparing for my writing lessons because I was scared to death of my first TAKS test as a teacher. I got wrapped up in my personal life. I got wrapped up in the feeling that I couldn’t do everything and keep everyone happy. Overall, February was very mean to to me. I did manage to stay in my budget, I made no extravagant purchases or buy anything that I didn’t need. For me, those are great strides, but I definitely have a long way to go in the financial departments. So that goal will have to be readdressed. Although I did not work out 4 times a week like I originally planned, I did complete a 10K. I worked out HARD on the weekends because I just couldn’t manage anything on the weekdays this month. Next month shall be better, but I’ll get to that.
So, there were some successes for the month. I did get to have my friend night, it was hosted by Christine. Tranee also helped me with my mini adventure, and it was a good one! Taking time out to go out of town with Tranee was such a treat, and it was a treat I needed. Most mini adventures will be smaller, but this was a good one.
March is going to be better. I’m looking forward to March. On my original time line of my project, I planned to focus on good eating. Now, because this is my project and I will do what I want, I’m going to focus on relationships. The good people in my life are key contributors to my happiness. In February, I found myself retreating from those I love, so this month I want to make room to strengthen my relationships. I want to work on building up some of my newer friendships and spending quality time with people I haven’t seen much of. Secretly, I am doing this, because I need to win at March after February’s failure. My mom is coming up next weekend, and I’m spending part of Spring break with my brother. This afternoon I’m going to the CARPOOL Gala, and Leah has already set a friend night date. Relationships are good for me, and it is an area I will be able to feel successful.
I’m keeping working out on the calendar. I’m not quite ready to move on from tracking it (clearly). Work out requirements are being decreased from 4 times a week to 3 times a week. Hopefully I will be motivated to achieve the goal of 3 and go for the 4th work out on a few of the weeks.
Good riddance February.
Hello March.
Meg Pickert, Rodeo Runner
Today I did something. I completed the Rodeo Run 10K. It was a pretty terrible showing, but I did it.
This morning I was an anxious mess, it seemed like a pretty big mistake to sign up for this run. Although I had planned on doing a lot of training, it didn’t really happen. My longest consistent run before today was a little over 3 miles. Leah told me, that someone in a bar told her, that you get caught up win the excitement and you can do more than you think.
We did get caught up in the excitement, but we did a pretty steady combination of walk/run/ and then some walk even more. We finished, albeit we were no where near running the entire 10K. When we first got there, we came upon the costume contest. Obviously, we had to stop and watch the whole thing go down. There were an entire crew of people from an insurance office (that I didn’t catch the name of) that dressed as Alice and Wonderland folk. The Mad Hatter there, in the back left hand side of this picture won.
After taking in the contest, we made our way to the starting line. There were 13,000 participants, and below you can see the ones that were ahead of me. There were a lot. The people in the front were clearly in shape. We were asked to try to find our way nearest to the sign that most accurately described our mile time. Leah and I took our place past the 10:00 minute mile sign.
The start was scary, most people seemed like regulars, and I felt pretty confused. While we waited, Leah and I made a list on my phone of running gear that we would need when we become regulars.
My favorite part of the whole thing was all the people at the sides of the course. They had noisemakers and signs and screamed, “You can do it!” The thing is, they have no idea if I can do it or not, but it felt really good to hear. Strangers screaming for me was oddly motivating. Those people motivated me to finish. Leah’s boyfriend was also our ride, and he was at the finish (another motivating factor). I really needed motivation. Usually, my runs are on gravel, and I my knees were not into the concrete. I got tired quick, and starting thinking of lunch pretty early in. We did discuss many lunch options while making our way through the course. Lunch, the cheering spectators, the fabulous water tables, and the car at the end are the things that helped me do it.
There I am, in all my sweaty, tired, whiny glory. I did it. I completed a 10K. I may have been passed up by small children, grandparents, and pregnant ladies, but LEAH AND I DID IT!!
Thank you Leah for pushing me.
Cooking Class
This year for Christmas, JMO got us cooking classes. Both of us could stand to learn a thing or two about making our own food. I’ve really enjoyed taking time out in the middle of the week (Wednesday nights) to spend time together and acquire a skill.
JMO coated a steak in peppercorn and I made him show it off before he was allowed to cook it.
My steak was not so pretty, but pretty tasty.
We also stuffed a chicken, roasted it, and then someone else cut it up and it arranged it on this plate.
I made Calvin (our teacher) take a cheesy picture with us. Calvin shared lots of neat tips, all kinds of things that had never occurred to me. I only took pictures the last night, but we made stew, steaks, sauces, homemade spaghetti sauce, and several other things that have slipped my mind. I am pretty much an amazing cook now. We took our classes at the Sur La Table at the City Centre, Calvin was our teacher, and it was overall a great experience that I would highly recommend!
Although this was not on my Life List, or a part of my Happiness To Do list, learning new things is a key element to happiness. I learned something new with the boy I love, there is definite happiness value there!
Fredericksburg, TX!
I have always heard that Fredericksburg is an adorable little town, but I never made it out there. My mom has made a few day trips, and I always seem to be not around when she does. Michael and Tranee went for the day once, I again, was somewhere else. So, I put it on my life list, and it has been sitting there waiting.
Tranee was kind enough to plan us a little girl trip. I went last Friday to San Antonio and spent a little time with the family. Then, Saturday morning we got up nice and early (like 8am!) and drove a little over an hour. The town is absolutely precious. Tranee booked a “Girlfriends Package” which included wine in our room and a massage. I had never had a massage, and I now I think I waited to long to experience one! We went to Fredericksburg Massage, an adorable little place owned by a lady named Marla. I liked Marla. She was adorable, spunky and had great life advice. Like I said, we chatted.
We had yummy food, we walked around, and we had great talks. Tranee is the only friend I have kept from high school, and I am very very glad I did. She is a phenomenal person, a wonderful mommy, and she has great insight on life. I am lucky to have her in my life and I am truly grateful that I got to spend a weekend with her.
Good friends, happy adventures, and doing activities that I have waited to do seem to be essential elements to my Happiness Project. I can check off a life list item AND my February mini adventure!