Getting packed up!

Exactly 48 hours from now I will be in the air on my to California, ready to get started on this new adventure.

I’ve finished all my outstanding work stuff and transitioned what had to be transitioned.  I went to my parents and had supper with them, my sisters, bro-in-laws and my favorite niece and nephew in the whole wide world.  (Side note:  if we all ran around like they did, we’d all be super skinny cardiovascular machines!  Those kids literally RUN everywhere).

I also went to a new doctor for a full physical, which I haven’t done in years.  Mostly to get a sign off that I wasn’t going to kill myself or anything during this intense physical challenge.  Luckily – I’m healthy as a horse!  All the working out I’ve been doing for the last few years (even with the slow-down of the last few months) has been paying off.  My blood work was great and my heart is healthy.  Yeah!  Operation Go Kerry Jo is a GO!

On Monday I get into LAX around noon, will get checked into my apartment and then have my fitness tests .  A dunk test, which is supposedly the best way to measure body fat and a VO2 Max test, which measures your body’s oxygen use which is a fitness marker.  I imagine there will be some before and after pics as well.  On Tuesday morning, the fun begins.

I’m writing my packing list so I don’t forget anything.  It includes all the BenGay patches I have in the house and a very large bottle of ibuprofen.  The next post will be coming to you from sunny California!  Cross your fingers for me

A powerful tide…

So my friend Cy send me a link the other day to a Baltimore Sun commentary that struck me less for its musings on health care (although I dig that too), but for its insightful words about the rise of “new media,” blogging and whatnot.

Garrison Keillor is the author.  Not the first person you think of when you think new media, is he? But listen to what he says:

“The Internet is a powerful tide that is washing away some enormous castles and releasing a lovely sense of independence and playfulness in the American people. Millions of people have discovered the joys of seeing yourself in print – your own words! The unique essence of yourself, your stories, your jokes, your own peculiar take on the world – out there where anybody can see it! Wowser.”

Wowser indeed.  He just encapsulated why I’m so excited about this blog.  It’s not just about the trip (12 days + counting).  It’s also the simple joy I’m taking in writing again.

I’ve always enjoyed writing, always thought I was an decent writer.  But after I finished the assignments of college, what was there to write about anyway?  The occasional family obituary, eulogy or birth announcement.  Marketing emails for work.  But that’s about it.  Now – I get to write about a Quest.

I’m realizing this is about more than “getting into shape.”  That particular challenge is just part of this journey (my Quest, as I nerdily like to think about it) to figure out those age-old questions:  Who am I?  What do I want?

I’m a lot of things, of course:  daughter, sister, cousin, friend, events planner, traveler, book-lover, movie-lover, geek, tweeter.

But lately when someone asks me what I’m all about, I find myself falling back to that old DC standard:  my job.  Now don’t get me wrong, my job is a big part of who I am.  I’m lucky – I have the best clients in the world and I’ve learned so much over the last few years.  But I’ve also let myself lose touch with other aspects of my life that were important to me. 

I hope by making this commitment to focus my energies on myself for a month – my body, my mind – that I’ll unearth those dusty things that make me who I am.  Once I can see them again, I can decide if I still want them.  Maybe I will.  Or maybe I’ll be able to toss them and make room for something new. 

And I’m going to write about what I find, what I discover, what I choose – hopefully with some humor and honesty.  So I’m adding something to that list of what I am:  blogger <writer..this makes me a writer, right?>.

Fear leads to preparedness

So after I’d told my friend DJ Dan about this trip I’m taking, he asked me “So are you gonna Chris Farley it up in the meantime or what?”

Ha.  Dude, I’m working out like a MADWOMEN.

I’m committed to this crazy trip, there’s no way I’m starting from zero!  I mean sure, I’ve been working out twice a week with my trainer (the fabulous Baylen – a large man who looks like he could rumble with your average football team…by himself), but I’ve seriously slacked on the rest of it.  Hence the inability to button up the vast majority of my jeans.  So I’m more nervous than I would have been, say 8 months ago when I was in better shape.  And now I’ve got a deadline.

So workout it is.  And BOY I’ve lost some stamina.  I told Baylen he better whip me into fighting shape the next few weeks.  I added some sessions.  He said “are you sure” and laughed.  He’s got a naughty streak, that man.

I’m also taking a few days off to go visit my pal JW in Maine.  Hopefully I’ll pound out some miles next to the water while I’m there, and maybe do some kayaking or something.  But I’m also looking forward to a little ‘calm before the storm.’  

PS – got my welcome letter from LIFE today with all the info on what to bring, where I’m sleeping, and whatnot.  Basically they said bring yourself, some workout clothes, and a good attitude.  Maybe a pair of jeans.  And more importantly, they implied – don’t wimp out. 

That’s the plan, Stan.

Rising from the Ashes

This article in the Washington Post struck a nerve with me today:  http://bit.ly/eubYh.  After burning 240 acres of a nature preserve in hopes of encouraging long-dormant plants to grow, they discovered a rare orchid that hasn’t been seen in Maryland for 18 years.

I think this makes a perfect metaphor for what I’m trying to do next month.  I may have spent the last few months a little tired, a little pissy and a little unsure of what I wanted in life…but maybe this experience will help me bloom again.

Oh my god that was cheesy.  Whatever.  Deal.

Ack. Reservations made.

OK I made the actual reservation.  Full 4 weeks (August 31 – Sept 28).  Took the leave from work.  No turning back now!

The planning has begun.

So unbeknownst to many of you, and completely knownst to a couple of you, I’ve decided to take a retreat.  I hear many of you thinking (yes, I can hear you) “Kerry Jo!  That sounds so relaxing, just what you need!”  Well…..its not exactly that kind of retreat.

I’m going to be spending three weeks at, for lack of a better word, bootcamp.  A fairly luxurious bootcamp to be sure, but a bootcamp none the less.  For at least 3 weeks (and very possibly 4) I’ll be spending 6-7 hours per day working out with trainers, running up sand dunes, and lap swimming.  My “down time” will be chock full of fitness evaluations, cooking and nutrition classes, eating personalized meals tailored to my body’s needs, and trying to “fully adopt <my> new behaviors and attitudes.”

Did I mention that Jessica Biel and Chris Daughtry worked out here?  My sister was really worried about that.  She said “I would HATE to work out next to Jessica Biel.”  And I said, “Whatever, I’d totally just be like, you look fat in those shorts.”

But seriously, I’d fully support Jessica Biel.  That chick’s whole life is spent in a bikini.  That’s GOT to be intimidating.

Anyway, it’s not all fun and games people.  There’s real important reasons I decided to do this and I’ve given this a ton of thought.  I’m sure I’ll tell you more as this blog goes on.  What’s important right now is that I know I can do this.  And I will.

Hell, to prove it to myself, I just bought 3 pairs of “Supplex” capris to augment my sports wardrobe.  And 3 new sports bras.  Go Kerry Jo indeed.