Dreaming...
Today, my project is to make a list of all the things I want to do, particularly those that are adventure and sport-related. So, here goes. This should keep me entertained (and hopefully Abe, too!)
Oh—these are in no particular order, and “with Abe” can be added to all, except maybe #9:
1) Learn to ice climb
2) Visit Alaska and Denali National Park
3) Climb Denali?
4) Hike a Colorado 14er
5) Visit Bozeman MT
6) Visit Seattle
7) Climb Mt. Rainier
8) Live on the North Shore of Lake Superior, preferably Grand Marais, but I’d take Duluth.
9) Work as a Nurse Practitioner (preferably on the North Shore of Lake Superior)
10) Winter camp
11) Go to the Boundary Waters
12) Hike the Superior Hiking Trail
13) Do the Everest Base Camp Trek, from Lukla, Nepal
14) Go to Lake of the Woods in the little thingy at the top of Minnesota
15) Bike through France
16) Bike from Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine
17) Run a marathon in under 4 hours
18) Run a destination marathon—Pikes Peak marathon?
19) Go to Austin, TX (just ‘cuz)
20) Take Abe to Paris
21) Hike the Continental Divide Trail (
http://www.cdtrail.org)
That’s a lot for now…but this list is subject to updates. J
Bald Eagle and other random, disconnected thoughts
I ran Sunday morning, as usual. Started out my 12 miles with Val, Corina and others, but just under halfway, I had to turn around. I was not feeling well, and all of the chatter from the rest of the group was making my head feel worse. I still wanted to run the rest of the way back, but I was nervous about how I would do without my iPod. I’ve become so used to running with music or with other people…I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to maintain my motivation or my pace.
As it turns out, I had nothing to worry about. I felt bad abandoning the group, but the quiet run back was glorious. There weren’t a lot of people out around the lakes, so all I heard was the wind, my feet and random people as I passed them. It was the nicest feeling to run and really be able to pay attention to my body and to my surroundings. I even noticed a bald eagle on Lake Calhoun!!!
I know I’ve been on a bit of a God kick lately, and I hate to sound cliché, but it was truly spiritual. It put me in a really good mood for the rest of the day.
I don’t think I’ll be tossing my iPod into the lake anytime soon, but it’s nice to know that I don’t have to depend on it to run fast. I can still maintain a good pace without Kelly Clarkson blaring in my ears.
This Saturday is 13 miles. I hope my knee is up for it…
I seem to go through these cycles of interest. Because it’s been so slow at work lately, I think I am cycling through them more quickly than normal. One day it’ll be mountain climbing and the Himalaya, the next day it’ll be school and thinking about nursing vs. chiropractic, the day after that it’ll be yoga, spiritually, and other such things…it’s enough to wear a person out!! I think I had better stick with the adventure-y stuff, since that remains constant no matter what.
Josh and Abe recommended educating myself via Wikipedia, so I’m reading about the Himalaya region. It’s quite interesting. Also, I’m glad to have something to read other than my chemistry textbook.
I read something really inspiring in my latest copy of Her Sports magazine. They did an article on inspiration and motivation to stay active, and one woman said, “I don’t view what I do as exercise so much as a personal expression of who I am.” Wow. That’s beautiful, and completely the way that I feel.
I get really inspired when I look at the U of M School of Nursing website. I wish I could afford to go to the U.
The downside of practical dreams…
Last night after chem. lab, Maia gave me a ride home. That was nice. When we got to her car the first time, she realized that she had left her cell phone in the lab, so we had to go back and get it. We had a lot of time to talk about nursing school, nursing as a profession and our ultimate goals.
Maia currently works as an employment specialist and so has an inside track on the hospital job industry. She expressed concerns that the so-called nursing shortage wasn’t as bad in Minnesota as it is nation-wide, and wondered if we’d even be able to find jobs when we finish school. I had been feeling pretty confident that I would have no trouble finding a position, but our discussion did give me pause. It seems that the metro area is pretty saturated with nursing school graduates, and I do wonder if there is enough for everyone. Maia mentioned a friend who had graduated from a nursing program here in Minnesota, and ended up moving to Seattle because she couldn’t get a job here.
It made me wonder if perhaps there is more opportunity outside of the metro area, in northern Minnesota, and in areas like Mankato and Rochester. I’m hoping so, especially in northern Minnesota. The plan had always been to move up there anyway, but perhaps the move will have to take place a little earlier. I looked at a few websites for Duluth realty, and it seems affordable! Just something to keep tucked away in the back of my mind…I suppose I have to get accepted into and finish nursing school first. But it is something to consider, and of course, Abe would have to be included in the discussion. Abe, what do you think?
On to running—tonight is speedwork with Val, Steph and Corina. Hopefully Karen will come as well. This weekend is 10.5 miles on Sunday. Abe and I will be in St. Cloud, and I was planning on doing the 10.5 on the treadmill at his parents. I’m starting to change my mind, though; it’s not supposed to be too cold this weekend, and 10.5 miles on a treadmill sounds horrible. I’ll pack inside and outside clothes and decide at the last minute.
The Adventure Blog has some new postings about Ed, Everest and all other things I enjoy. Check it out!
http://theadventureblog.blogspot.com/index.htmlNamaste,
Sara
The practical side of dreams…
I’ve been thinking about chiropractic school and physical therapy school again. I think it’s because I’m in the midst of hard-core half-marathon training, and hard training always gets me thinking about my body and its injuries, and then helping other people with their injuries.
Anyway, I know that the cost of chiropractic school at Northwestern is about $75,000. Just out of curiosity, I figured out the cost of the Nurse Practitioner program at Metro State. That came to just over $15,000. WOW. That doesn’t include what the 2 year transition BSN would cost me, but all told, it would most likely end up being about $20-$25,000. That kind of helps me refocus on nursing and being an Advance Practice Nurse.
Besides, my dream of having a small clinic on the North Shore and living up there year-round is pretty strong. It’s a nice little dream.
Saying thanks...
Abe and I went to Saturday evening Mass at the Basilica on Saturday night. We both felt that we wanted to pay some respect to whatever force got him home safely the weekend before. I’ve never been inside the building; it was absolutely amazing. The service itself was fairly subdued and very quiet. Instead of a choir, they had a cantor and an organ. The readings and hymns were pretty traditional, but I did enjoy the homily. The priest talked about how there is joy and suffering in life, so get used to it.
I didn’t take communion, but I realized that one of the things holding me back is not necessarily my beliefs, but the fact that I really don’t remember how to do it! Maybe next time, I’ll go with Abe and watch him.
So, I stayed behind and said some prayers during the Communion time. Once again, I cried. I always seem to do that. I think that it is because I have a lot that’s lurking around, and I rarely take the time to express it. It felt good to express my gratitude for all the good things in my life—Abe, my family, my friends, my health, my running and school.
Overall, I came away with the feeling that it just felt really good to take the time to stop and think about these things and to say thank-you. It was a nice feeling.
On a lighter note, we ran 9 miles on Sunday, and it completely wiped me out. I took an hour-and-a-half nap Sunday afternoon, barely studying at all. It was a hard run. The cold, the wind, running hard during the week before…all of it culminated in a really sucky run on Sunday. But, at least we did it!
Oh, and some of us ran the Reindeer Run 5K on Saturday, over at Lake Harriet. NEVER DOING THAT RACE AGAIN. There were 8,800 people there, and it was complete chaos. There wasn’t enough room on the Parkway, so people were running on the bike path, the walk path, the grass…it was not fun. I ran the entire thing, though, in 32 minutes, which translates into an avg pace of 10:19. Not to shabby.
The Resolution Run on December 31st only has 200 people in it. I think I’ll be able to do that one for time.
Oh, back to church for a second—the other funny thing about it was that it didn’t feel appropriate to cross myself. I’m not sure why. I just didn’t, though. However, I did say “Namaste” to God a couple of times. I hope that that was ok.
So, to you, Abe, because you are the only one who reads this, Namaste.
