We each have a specific role to play in life – all necessary and of equal importance. I impart this life philosophy to my children and friends using Voltron, the cartoon robot made of lions (or vehicles), as an example. Of course, it only works if I can form the head.
This is the part where the lions come together to form Voltron – if you haven’t seen it, please watch this video so you get the last line of the mini-saga. If you want to know more about the origin of Voltron, check out this video: https://youtu.be/3HgWCp79nzI
Tre from acorneredgurl shared this writing challenge to write a 50-word story comparing or linking my life to a my favorite animated cartoon. I couldn’t pass it up! Cartoons were my life back in the day. My brother and I had our after-school staples: He-Man, She-Ra, GI Joe, Thundercats and of course, Voltron. We would watch and then re-enact the shows. I think my brother even got the actual Voltron robot that separated into the five lions as a Christmas gift one year.
I do actually believe that we all have a specific role to play in life and that our goal is to figure out what this is and to do it to the best of our ability. At home, my kids have chores and if they don’t complete their chore, I make sure to point out how that affects the rest of the family. We each have a part to play in our family to help our household run smoothly. In the rest of life, we have a part to play as well and figuring out that part is – who we are meant to be and what we were meant to do – is what leads to having a happy and meaningful life.
Of course, my part is to be in charge (hence the “I’ll form the head” reference). At least that’s my role as a mom. But it’s changing as my children get older. Soon, I know, they will each have to be the “head” of their own robot hero and save the universe in their own way.
Light has always been the remedy of darkness, it’s heat keeping the cold at bay. My one resolution this year is to be a better candle. How can we be better candles this year?
Ian Dooley- Unsplash ( For the visually challenged reader, the image shows a sky full of hot air balloons in various colors. The nearest one shows a couple in the basket with an operator)
I loved this image of hot air balloons rising. We have a hot air balloon company near us who take off from the local airport. My kids have loved seeing them float over our house. One time they got close enough that when we waved, the people in the basket waved back.
Hot air ballooning has always intrigued me. But it has also terrified me – flying high in the sky in a small basket, subject to the whims of wind. There are only two choices – sit at the bottom of the basket and try not to hyperventilate with fear, or stand up, turn your face to the wind and enjoy the scenery.
With the pandemic still going strong and the upcoming election, I’ve struggled with this choice. But the blue skies have been beckoning me…enjoy the ride and let my hope ride….
February 2020 has come to an end with the bonus “Leap Year” day this past Saturday. Having an “extra” day made me think I had “extra” time to catch up on chores and start our spring cleaning project, maybe run an extra mile or two or 10, however that was not case. But actually, not being able to do those things didn’t stop February from being a Fabulous Month! Thank you to Kate from Aroused by Arête for the “fabulous” prompt for this week!
Forgive me Brooks for I have sinned….
I runfess…I am so so so very very very proud that I was able to complete the Taji 100 this year! I ended up with 103 miles for the month (I was going to do more, but this week was just too busy to get extra miles in). I never would have finished these miles without the support of and group runs with She RUNS this Town/Moms RUN this Town! My running tribe is so totally awesome and truly FABULOUS!
A special THANK YOU goes out to Kristi who started the Taji with me by running 8 miles on the first day. FYI – Kristi only re-started running last fall and had only run 4-5 miles before this inaugural 8-miler. We were doing great this entire month, finishing miles ahead of schedule until Kristi got injured the week before we were to finish our miles. In a true testament to her perseverance and intestinal fortitude, Kristi dug deep and took a lot of advil and we were able to finish the final 2 miles of the Taji 100 together last Sunday.
Shout out to Katie in CA who first introduced me to the Taji 100. She finished her 100 miles just today despite dealing with all sorts of distractions between family, work, house projects, and illness. I never doubted that she wouldn’t get it done!
I runfess…our SRTT/MRTT Cupid Shuffle Step Challenge has also ended. Our team, “Shot Steppers” were in 1st place the first two weeks, but we dropped down to 2nd place last week. Our fearless leader is in Hawaii this week so I’m still waiting to get our grand total for this week. Hopefully we regained our 1st place standing! Not that I’m competitive or anything..oh wait, I runfessed to that last month, didn’t I? Ok, fine – I hope we win because that would be just FABULOUS!!!
I runfess…now, I’m feeling a bit bereft without having a fitness goal for this month. Any suggestions? Drop me a comment!
I runfess…I am going to buy new running shoes. The ones I have can probably last a few more months, but the weather is starting to get warmer and I need new running shoes! (I know that wasn’t really logical, but do I really need an excuse to buy some new running shoes?) Right now, I’m wearing the Brooks Ghost 11 (my 2nd pair). I’ve been happy with this brand and style however I do like checking out the competition! Plus, I have a coupon! All the signs point to the running store this week…
I runfess…as the weather is getting warmer and I’m thinking of doing more running outside, I am actually really glad that we moved to this part of the country. Spring may not smell too good (ask the Amish farmers why) but there is nothing like running on trails and noticing buds on the trees and sprouts coming up from the ground. This time of year is holds so much promise!
Well, this might have been the most FABULOUS February that I have had in a long time! Will it be Marvelous March, next?
UPDATE:
My team “Shot Steppers” won our SRTT Step Challenge!! Woohoo!! February Fabulousness has been Finalized!!!
One “fabulous fail” though, I missed the link up to Marcia’s Healthy Slice with the other Runfessions. <sigh> Oh well, one can’t be too perfect! Keeping grounded and more aware of the date for March…
I “borrowed” this picture from my friend, Loriann B‘s FB page. I’m not sure if she took it or if it was from someone else. If this is your image, please let me know do I can give you proper attribution. Thank you!
This poem was written in a one sentence story style suggested by Amaya/Gospel Isoceles for her D’Verse MTB Challenge. It doesn’t truly meet the challenge because it doesn’t meet the parameter of the story to be odd/whimsical and true however I do think it describes an event that can be considered “the end of the world as we know it”. Alas, I missed the link up, however this was defiantly a challenge that I will try again.
I also missed Patrick’s prompt #218-Tiny for last week but am “early” for his deadline on prompt #219- Dig for this week. I am totally on a streak for Patrick’s Pic and a Word Challenge – I hope this one still counts! I really loved Patrick’s poem for “tiny” – he is truly a glorious writer and photographer!
I did not get to do any celebrating for Valentine’s Day unless you include being able to sleep without a sick child on your chest a celebration. Having all your kids sick on the same week is really hard! And they all had something different! Thank goodness for my parents who stayed to help me this week. Today, everyone was up and about so hoping we have seen the last of whatever nastiness invaded our home.
I was able to get a much needed 10 mile run in today! Not that I needed 10 miles, but I needed to get out of house and be with (healthy) adults. The ladies I was with from my She Runs this Town/Moms Run this Town chapter were totally cool and chill, like “Yeah, we’ll just run this trail back and forth a couple of times and yeah, we did 9, let’s round it out to 10!” Seriously – we just chatted and did our intervals and next thing you know…BOOM! 10 miles done!
Check out our strong legs and cute sneakers!
This brings me to 69 miles for the Taji100! And we are just starting week 3! Between being sleep deprived and covered in throw up and feverish kids, and having this awesome run and keeping up with my miles – this week actually wasn’t the “end of the world.”
Sometimes, I cannot look at you
Because your adoring eyes
See what I cannot
I’d rather gaze upon a light
That – though bright – cannot see
The real me
That only brightens with a flick
Of my finger
And not when I enter the room
Sometimes, I cannot look at you
Because your eyes might hold anger
Or worse – disappointment, disgust
I cannot swipe left to get rid of
How that would make me feel
There is no X-out
Or control-alt-delete
There is only “I’m sorry”
Which doesn’t erase the memory cache
Sometimes, I cannot look at you
So I train my gaze on
What I feel I can control
This poem came to me as I glanced at my phone thinking of a poem while ignoring my kids. Yes, it happens – probably more than it should, although I am trying to be more mindful of my electronic device usage. The kids are watching!
This poem was in response to two prompts from dVerse Poets – one for a poem in Iambic Pentameter and the other for a poem on the theme “What’s in a name?” The links to join these challenges have expired (I honestly don’t know how other writers can churn out poetry so quickly and easily!) however I wanted to challenge myself, especially since I haven’t been able to write as much the past few weeks. This is my first (Shakespearean) sonnet – a poem in iambic pentameter with the structure ABABCDCDEFEFGG.
While I love the challenge of poetry with structure, I do feel that it sometimes hinders the true words or meaning of the poem that I want to convey. I love my name (despite reading in a baby name book that anyone with the name Irma should be dead by now – and that was in 2006!) and love how it is equal parts of my mom and dad. I wanted that to come through in this poem, but felt the structure, especially the rhymes, made that difficult. Maybe I will try a blank verse sonnet next!
I’ve written a lot of poetry lately, but I’ve also done a fair share of running this past week. Thursday’s short 4 mile run was so hot that I couldn’t even even run the last two miles of it. My head was pounding and I was starting to feel dizzy. I felt defeated and annoyed at my inability to do these minimal miles.
Saturday, I ran 11 miles in cool weather with a slight drizzle and I felt great! I felt like I could have finished another 2 miles for an impromptu half marathon (I didn’t though, as coffee and a bagel was calling my name). I felt elated and victorious, ready to conquer the rest of the day.
Poetry and running keep my soul from getting old and stagnant. I never know what to expect but the range of feelings I experience before, during and after every run is similar to my writing experience. What a blessing to have both in my life and to also have a community of wonderful people to share it with!
I continue to feel brave today and have decided to post a haiku for Brian’s nature themed Comment-a-Haiku Poetry Competition at Vita Brevis. I’ve actually been feverishly writing haikus all weekend, looking at old nature photos I’ve taken, and staring intently out the window looking for inspiration.
It was difficult to pick one that I thought would be a worthy competitor – there is a plethora of talent and beautiful imagery in the comments section of the post. I picked the one that called to my sense of “nature haiku poetry”.
Below is my submission for the Vita Brevis nature themed haiku challenge. If you continue to scroll down, you’ll be able to read some of my other nature themed haiku musings. Thank you so much for this opportunity, Brian! Drum roll, please….
*****
“Nature: A Mother’s Love”
We reap your colors
And still, you send us rainbows
Your tears mixed with oil
******
(My runner ups)
“Morning on the First Day of Camping”
Cool fingers massage
My city shoulders relax
Green giants heal me
“Sacrifice”
I heard you drowned in
Plastic bags and straws so, I
Trade coffee for water
“Not happily every after”
Can’t think of beauty
Without beastly pollution
Nature has no prince
******
Did I make the right decision? What’s your favorite?
I Do Run 