2008 highlights

It’s New Years Eve and we can finally say good by to a year that seemed to be filled with many surprises and fun events. It was a year of reunions and a few sad farewells. It was also a year with many new friends and many new and fun trails. This is just a recap of some of those highlights.

New Friends:
-Randy and Lynn from the running club are smart, witty, wise, and so much fun I want to move in with them, and likely could and they’d never know it, their house is very large.
-Anna, a.k.a., 20# is in my running club and so much fun. We spent a lot of time together on trail, can’t wait to see where it leads in 2009.
-Walt and Margie, the family members of a long time hero from my childhood. I was 14 when Mary was murdered by a stranger and her death was a turning point in my early life and it is why I focus so much of my career in easing the pain of those who have experienced loss. Reuniting with them answered so many questions and helped heal a broken heart.
-Brenda Rinehart from Eli Lilly. After 10 years of trying to get a job there, it finally happened and she’s my coach and friend. I don’t think it really matters what type of job someone has, it’s the people one works with that make it satisfying and Brenda is proof of that!
-The other good friends from Eli Lilly, Stephanie, Emily, Charla, Jerome, Megan, Sabine. Et. Al.
-Chad Abbott is our new NESCO director, a job that I wouldn't want, but more than willing to help as much as possible.



Farewells
-Maryann Anthony reared her grandson Alexzander and did a great job showing him how to be a leader in this class and after school program. He use to walk past my house every day and sometimes picked some of the wild flowers that I planted along the sidewalk to give to her. One day while walking home he was caught in middle of a cross fire and was shot dead on the sidewalk. It hurt and so I did what was necessary to soften her pain. In August Maryann died, likely of a broken heart. At least she’s with Alexzander now.
-Aunt Kathryn Williams never stopped working and at the age of 79, while working in the kitchen dropped dead and went home to see Uncle Lee and Grandma. She was such a great cook and not long will I miss those uncomfortable kisses on the mouth from her, I’ll also miss her biscuits.

Reunions
-Thanksgiving weekend with Mike Mennonno was certainly a reason for me to be thankful this year. It has been 4 years since I last saw him and it was fun, refreshing and memorable. I can’t wait to see him again in another 4 years.
-All those great people from the HUFF. I’ll see them again next year if not before!

Events
-Camping in Flat Rock for 300 weekend in July with 20 friends. The trail was 8 miles long and included more than a mile of stinging nettles taller than me, river crossings, deep mud, mosquitoes, overpowering heat, and of course too much beer.
-Feast of Lanterns is the neighborhood festival and this year was the best yet. All that work we do all year is so worth it.
-Light the Night for Life is an event I organize to memorialize those who were murdered the previous year. It was well attended, got a great deal of media attention, and we had volunteers from an after school program of kids who lost a classmate from homicide. It was so meaningful.
-Singing Christmas Carols at the cancer center was what I needed to be put in the mood for the holidays, even if I can’t sing very well.
-Enrolling my dog Rocco into a blood donor program at the emergency vet clinic. It really made me so full of worry and anxiety that I was nearly physical ill the first time, but he came out ok and I learned his blood type if A negative.
-Finishing the remodeling of the upstairs bathroom, or almost finishing it. I just have to fix that little leak now for 2009.
-The Summer Solstice run, also known as Mid Hummer’s Wet Dream. I took the running club through some treacherous trails, dodging trains along with a couple hobo villages.

Successes
-Finishing in first place for the Arsenal Tech 5K, even if I was just a walker, I wore jeans and mud boots and still came in first.
-Finishing the Monumental half-Marathon in pretty good time and injury free, what more could one ask for?

There is a lot more to add here, but I’ll have to pass on that for this year and hopefully next year will have more information to share. Thanks for all your support and friendship!