Stitching Up a Happy New Year: Embellished Tea Towels

Whoa, does anyone still even remember me? I barely remember myself. Nine months since my last post. Nine months. Enough time to create a human life. While I didn't create anyone new, I did spend plenty of time creating myself. 

I have been promoted...twice. I have directed two more shows. I have run another half-marathon. I have been to Disney World. I have had surgery.
The surgery was recent, just last week. It was frightening, but I am healing. Go through the procedure and now nurturing myself through the healing process, I have really been able to focus what makes me happy: making things. I am committed to making more time to make.

Although I have multiple WIP that I really should be working on (more on those soon, I promise,) I decided that a great way to start the year would be to make some embroidered and embellished tea towels for my kitchen. I focused on things that I really love. It also showed me that I REALLY love decorating tea towels...weird.

100 Happy Days

Hmmm...good question. Can I?

Gathering Inspiration

Some people adore Winter. I am not one of those people. Winter depresses me and saps my motivation. Thank goodness that Spring FINALLY seems to be here. I am gathering inspiration from the weather, nature, my lack of socks (okay, just once so far...)

Why wait?

Spring has been pretty symbolic in the Weasinart household this year: back to the blog, back on the fitness tracking and training, back on track in the household (Spring cleaning has begun!), and today back in the studio.

Spring Forward

Hi. My name is Louise and I am a cliche. Or a Hallmark card. I haven't decided which yet.

Here's the thing: when I am down, I am REALLY down. When I am up, I embarrass Pollyanna with my perkiness. Not bipolar, as  such, just super-affected by what is happening around me and my mood often reflects that. 

I have been so flat-out busy lately that my self-image has really taken a hit. "Beached whale" comes to mind. Sigh. 

Luckily as team captain of our wellness challenge team, I must lead. Me, being me, is leading by example. I bought a FitBit (complete with extra pretty wristbands) and don't want to let myself down. I have pushed myself out of my office and out on campus everyday this week on lunch. Today, I even got to take a longer break and a longer walk. Yay. Striving for equanimity in mood and fitness. This is a big deal for lots of people, I know. Let's support each other. That's what life is REALLY all about, right?

Phoenix rising

To say  that the past year has been a roller coaster in an understatement.
I lost my job and it took me a long-time to find another long-term one. I am thankful for my time as a substitute teacher, but it was definitely a draining experience. Not only that, but it was also a humbling, embarrassing, and humiliating experience. Over-qualified is a hurtful word and every rejection feels like a smack in the face.

My entire life suffered...my self-worth, my fitness, even my creativity. The blog went by the wayside as did so much else. Even six months into my new job, I am still struggling back to the surface. 

Not that I have been idle. Far from it. 

I did run the half-marathon that

 I thought that I couldn't. Huh.

Running For My Life

In the last 3 1/2 years, I have done a lot of things that scare me: living alone and thriving, starting a new relationship, leaving a job that was making me unhappy, directing harder plays, sharing myself online, and running. I have never been an athletic gal, but the dissolution of my marriage pushed me towards the gym and ultimately, road. I have run countless 5Ks, a few 10Ks, two Boilermakers (15K), and even a half-marathon. If you had asked me 5 years ago if I would do ANY of these things much less ALL of them, I would have definitely said, "Absolutely not!' Tomorrow, one of my closest friends and I begin our 12-week training program for the Empire State Half-Marathon and I am scared. I am more scared than I was before my first ever run.

Why? I have narrowed it to three major factors: 

1. My self-confidence: since being under-employed, I have lost what I thought off of my athlete's mind. I now fear since no one wants to hire me, I am not good enough to take on this challenge. My resolution that I could do anything if I trained properly is almost gone. 

2. My current physical condition: being home more and depressed about it leads to emotional eating. Being 26 miles from my gym membership doesn't help either. I have put on weight and lost tone...that is never a good place to be. I also desperately need new running shoes, but don't have the salary to purchase them.

3. Fear of hitting the wall: by mile 11 of my last half,  I was in pain. My knees ached. I had no energy. It was tough. I had to resort to a walk for a bit. I was upset. Looking back, I did not strengthen my hips and glutes enough, I over carb-loaded, I did not hydrate enough.  Knowing that will help me this time. We are following a Hal Higdon training plan and I am reading a great book on race training nutrition.

Look at that girl, she is a happy racer. During the next 12 weeks, I will be working on finding her again...enjoying my training, getting leaner (I hope!), conquering my fear. Wish me luck!