Tag: adventures

Adventures in Hiking

~ ladyquirky ~ 3 Comments

  Today I went on my first solo hike. In The Wilderness! Okay, let’s be real. It was actually a park behind the sporting goods store. No worries. The people that sold me my boots assured me the bears were all hibernating now. WTF? Bears? Hmmm. Can I pet one? Note to self: look for bear clues.
I would like to point out the sign says it is the wilderness, therefore it must be true. I am wearing many layers of clothing. Just in case I get lost. I don’t want to freeze to death out here in the wild.  Actually, I may be wearing too many layers. I’m feeling a little warm. How on earth am I sweating in this arctic tundra?

  Lots of pretty trees. Snow. Rocks. Really feeling like I am on a dangerous expedition. Still on the lookout for possible bear sightings.
  The trees out here must cut themselves. No sign of anyone else around to cut these nifty little logs. There may be beavers or something.

  It’s not really bright enough to need my shades. The sun barely penetrates the trees. I am both cold and overheated all at the same time. What is the magic number of layers for staying safe from the elements?
  OMG! A clue! If the Blue’s Clues theme is not running through your head now, I’m not certain we should be friends. I am pretty sure this is a bear track. I bet if I follow it, I will find a friendly bear who just wants to be friends.

  In case I forgot, this is indeed the wilderness. The bear appears to be staying on the trail. I must continue to follow these clues. Just imagine, around the next bend there could be a fuzzy creature just waiting for me to pet him! 
 Nope. He is not up there. Can bears actually climb trees? More importantly, do they?

   From civilization. Nope. My cell phone still works.

  This seems like a perfect place for a bear to hide. Let me go poke around in here.
 Just kidding. I am almost back to the car. I can’t wait to come explore again. It is so pretty and peaceful out here.

First Day Jitters

~ ladyquirky ~ 4 Comments

 First of all, I LOVE my apartment. It is the first floor of an old house. I am learning about steam radiators and getting used to all the cool noises old homes make in the night. Seriously, it is beyond charming. The owner was amazing. He gave me advice on local points of interest and made me feel very welcome. I could not have asked for a better reception. 
I went to bed incredibly early last night. I was exhausted from all the traveling and more than a little mind blown by all the sights. This area is beautiful! 

Getting ready for my first day of orientation. Yep, I’m nervous. What if they don’t like me? What if I’m not quite as clever as I think I am? (We all know I crack myself up on a regular basis.) Excited and nervous. I think a third cup of coffee is a good idea. 

People keep telling me they are proud of me for seeking these new adventures. I find that hilarious. I was feeling like I was behind. Somehow I should have started all this years ago. Nope. I’m right on schedule. 

Wish me luck. Cross your fingers my hair does what it is supposed to do. Let me be calm and professional. I need to keep the first day jitters down to a dull roar. Adventures are fun. It is so much more than I expected. 

Social Media- It’s not all bad.

~ ladyquirky ~ 2 Comments

We all know I have never been one of the cool kids. It’s okay. It is what it is. Let’s be honest, I would rather have the freedom to be exactly who I am instead of being held accountable to other’s expectations for me.

I was so fiercely unconcerned with fitting in, I was willing to be an outcast. I was perfectly satisfied being me. Unfortunately, this attitude has left me with only a rudimentary understanding of social protocols and I tend to be somewhat awkward.

A little over a year ago, I joined an online health club, which soon led me to join a gym and after a few months, I was boxing. Well, taking a boxing class. I started to “talk” to these new friends of mine, and eventually I started meeting them. Now, I can honestly say a lot of them are my friends.

I have people available to “talk” to 24 hours a day. Someone is always awake.

I get to go on adventures with new people all the time!

There is very little pressure with being FB friends. If I am not busy we can chat, otherwise it can wait.

So, for all you out there judging people who make friends in unorthodox ways, get on over it. Seriously, it is no big deal.

Tilting at Windmills

~ ladyquirky ~ 2 Comments

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There comes a time when I have to lose the quixotic attitude I have concerning my employment. My capricious ways are exhausting. I know without a doubt this new opportunity is something I need to pursue.

I have spent my entire career in the same health system, and in order to continue to grow, it is time for me to branch out. Yeah, I am scared of going to a new place. New doctors, new patients, new EMR. Then, I remember how lovely the block schedule is going to be. 7- 10 days off at a time. Wow! I am going to have more time to devote to writing, and I just bought a new camera. I want to learn photography.

After spending all these years focused so intently on my career, I have decided I need more. I need to be a whole person. I owe it to myself.

Change is scary. I am leaving my support system at work. I always know who to seek out for advice. They have made a nice work family for me, and I am going to miss them terribly.

Nothing great ever happens if you do not take a chance.

I am going to spend the next two weekends seeing friends and Mudder Buddies. There are a lot of June babies in our group, and I can’t wait to celebrate with them. I never dreamed it would take me 35 years to get some courage. Concerts and Barbecues. It is gonna be fantastic. I think we are meeting up to go hiking with some Tough Mudder Dallas peeps.

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My first picture with my new camera. I have no idea what I am doing, and I need to get some editing software and learn to use it. However, I think it is rather symbolic. There are alway blue skies behind the clouds.

Life is an adventure. May as well explore the possibilities.

West of the Moon, East of the Sun

~ ladyquirky ~ Leave a comment
Outside San Angelo, actually- in Christoval. I love it there.

I was driving home from a job interview 400 miles away from my city, and the journey took me through my hometown. As I pulled out of town, I saw a huge moon rising in my rearview mirror, while the sun was setting ahead of me. It was a stunning sight.

I was reminded of a book I read, West of The Moon. It is about a little boy who is dying from cancer, and the mediation he used required him to go to his safe place. It was a meadow that was West of the Moon, and East of the Sun. He had a guide, who if I remember correctly was a cowboy.

There are lots of cowboys in my hometown.

I love when I get lucky enough to see the moon rising while the sun is setting. It makes me feel centered. Almost like there are bookends around our planet.

There are so many things I am so grateful for. I have been given so many opportunities, and many people have helped me become the person I am. I have had amazing teachers, mentors, family, and friends. They have been my guides.

I can only hope I am able to find new guides while I branch out and learn new skills. I plan to take the lessons I have learned with me, and to be a good example of the kind of person they have taught me to be.

I am so excited to see what the future holds for me, and I can’t wait to embark on the next chapter.

*I should probably stop playing with the photo editing app I have on my iPhone, and actually learn how to edit photos. Right now, all I do is randomly select things and see what they do. I am probably making a mess of it all.