I'm running the San Francisco Half Marathon!

Hello, I don't know what I was thinking, but I am running in the first leg of the San Francisco Half-Marathon on Sunday, July 26, 2009.

I know running has changed my life and brought out a confidence in me that I never knew I had. The program that I am raising money for, Youth Run4Fun, helps youths in San Francisco get involved in running and fitness programs to discover their own strength, happiness, and well-being from running. I only have to raise $250, so please help me help our community with any size of donation.

Go to this link to support my Half Marathon and Youth Run4Fun:
https://secure2.merchantcart.net/runSFM/mywebpage.cfm?pID=387837

The San Francisco Marathon’s youth running program Youth Run4Fun (YR4F), is dedicated to establishing sustainable community-based running and fitness programs for youth of all shapes, sizes and cultures that enhance physical health, emotional well-being and personal achievement, with a focus on underserved populations of the San Francisco Bay Area. Under the umbrella of YR4F is the JUST RUN® San Francisco program, and various track & field events.

THANK YOU! And wish me luck!

Travel for Cat Lovers

Who cares about ancient ruins and the pope...I want to see the cats!

[Fiction] Friday Challenge

[Fiction] Friday Challenge for July 3rd, 2009:

Where your character is committed to a drastic or extreme change

What am I doing? Am I really packing this bag? I mean, this is not something I normally do. Really! This is me, Janie we're talking about here. Okay. Breathe. Why the hell can't you run off to art school in London? Lots of other people do crazy, impulsive things and no one bats an eye. But God forbid Janie fall one step out of her perfect life's lines, heaven help us! The world is coming to an end! Oh, screw them all!

With confirmation in her throw, Janie sweeps her duffle bag onto her shoulder and storms out of the room--of course, banging into the door jam a couple of times in a manner that still kept her defiant tone intact. Once into the hall, she slams the door to her dorm room, and quickly rushes through the hallways into the community room and through into the open air. The bright green lawn and electric blue sky seems like it was ripped from the college catalog and hung up for the world to see how amazing of a school this is. It seemed to mock her, "How dare you leave such a wonderful, institution! As if you're better than us. As if you're going to do any better anywhere else. You'll be a failure." Flipping off the sky, and her beautiful Ivy League campus, Janie gets into her car and takes off for the airport.

"Wait, there's a problem." she says to herself. "What do I do with this freakin' car?" Apparently she hasn't thought through ALL the details yet of this plan. But hey, that's okay, right! It's an adventure... no, more than that! This is what I am meant to do with my life... the car will survive.

She stops in front of her best friends house, writes a note, attaches it to the pink slip and registration, sticks it in her mailbox, and calls a taxi. Problem solved. Okay, let's see what you can throw at me next life, she thinks.

But really, Janie's adventure hasn't even begun. Literally (she hasn't even gotten to the airport for goodness sakes) and figuratively.