The announcement on the BLR event I’ve been teasing about for 2 months is coming this week. And? I just got some other AMAZING big news this morning on something that will be happening in the next few weeks. More on that too.

I need live video and audio streams for when this stuff happens. I am having a lot of screeching dance parties with myself in my apartment lately. In other words, things are finally hitting the tipping point.

Whoa.

Funny how even if you ‘re one of those people who believe all things are possible, when they actually then become real- you’re also one of those people standing around saying: WHAT?! Are you kidding me?!

Awesome.

Advice for the day: Spend time doing things you love. The rest will happen from there. Period.

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All of the above and then some.

In 2009 a girl LeeAnne (whom I’d just met once when I lived in Wilmington, North Carolina) sent me an email one day out of nowhere:

Hi Diane,
I saw that one of my friends from high school is living in New York City now and has a pretty interesting job.  She does running tours of the city.  Basically its much like a running group, except they also give tours of the city while running different paths/distances/etc.  I know you are a runner and this might be an interesting way to generate some income in the busy tourist months here by taking a unique approach to tour-giving! Here’s the link to their website so you can check it out: www.cityrunningtours.com
LeeAnn

Of course I checked out the site and thought City Running Tours looked awesome, but at the time Wilmington wasn’t one of their tour cities to be a guide so I just sent them a “Hello- you are awesome!” email, and have followed the company ever since. When I lived in Napa I thought I might end up living in San Fran and be a guide, after that I was hell-bent on moving NYC so I imagined I’d guide tours around The Big Apple. Well here I am currently living in Chicago a year via Virginia. (You following with a map? Good. Welcome to the life of a traveler.) The point is to illustrate how far and long I have followed this company, and that I’ve kept up with my running habits.

Several months back in 2011 I sent City Running Tours a second email: “You should hire me to be a guide because I am a runner, I can talk to a brick wall and I am awesome, and I think you are too.” We finally connected this week and Chicago Manager Marlin invited me to meet up and join in a run this morning. I happily accepted.

Let’s just say this was one of the best, most energizing, inspirational mornings I’ve had in a very, very long time.

Just like LeeAnne’s email to above said, City Running Tours is much like a running group, except they also give tours of the city while you run. Well, today was so much more than a tour and daily get my miles in. A group of Fantastic fun runners gathered at The Bean at Millennium Park bright and early to meet guide Marlin. Even though I have now only spent a few hours with him- Marlin could possibly be one of the coolest, most humble, interesting, I can’t wait to learn more about and hopefully work with- people. Check out this video!

I googled Marlin as soon as I got home after hearing some of his stories today, I had to. This video was shot and posted in 2007. Get your copy of Marlin’s book Our Life on the Run, HERE.  I know what I’ll be reading this week! A fellow 50 stater. Yeah!

I have a feeling there will be many more stories in the future about Marlin and City Running Tours.

If you’ve followed here regularly you know I’ve posted less frequently than usual the past few months. This is because I have been working my tail off on a big transition for BLR and a huge event, as well as going through one of those times in life that have been exhausting and less than inspiring. As I plug away slinging burgers and beers to pay debt I was left with a few years back, I keep my heart and soul here figuring out ways to keep this entity of BLR trekking.

The past few months have been the hardest, but best and much needed months. Admittedly even with this needed- nose to the grindstone/good for the long term time, there have been a few days I’ve thought- That’s it! I am giving up my dreams! I’m just going to go work in a cube so I can rest easy at the end of the week and have a few extra bucks in my pocket!- Then? Somehow (my Mother would tell you it’s that stubborn sass) thankfully I shake that crazy talk in my head. Who else am I trying to be anyway? I’m not meant for the cube. It always happens that right when you are at the end of that rope, if you push with everything you have to keep going you always meet someone or happen upon something like I did today, that shows you giving up dreams is not an option. There is no “rest easy” in giving up what fuels every part of you. Not for me anyway.

What fuels your good fire?

Thank you to LeeAnn for taking 5 minutes 3 years ago to share information because you thought of me. Thank you to my super fun new running buddies from today Amy and Anne. Thank you to Marlin, for being one of “those” people. The ones you admire, learn a lot from and who make you want to do and be even more.

Here’s to following what gets you up out of bed excited at 6am on a cold Saturday morning!

***Very important side note to anyone out there who likes/loves/digs someone or something: Turns out if you call or write to that someone/thing that you genuinely dig, tell them you think they are awesome and the reasons why- you always get invited to the party. Seriously. My batting average is 100% so far. As you read above that’s how I even ended up on the run this morning. Even a behemoth company like Honda responds to to “I love you” messages. How did I ever get to talk to them and then have one of their cars loaned to me to do a road trip a few months ago? I stopped into a Honda dealer in Mechanicsville, VA last year- asked a service guy if he had a general  800 number for Honda corporate, called the number and asked to be patched through to someone in PR/marketing. I left a voicemail with my information adding “I love your cars, you should call me” (and they did.) The Secret is out! I have never shared that here before. Awesome right? I have lots more stories like these two. Don’t be afraid. Life is too short. Walk up to whatever/whomever  you totally dig and tell them you do and why. What have you got to lose? When you get invited to the party (because I promise you will)- write to me and tell me about it! Then I’ll share your story here

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Hilarious. I wonder if they are all booked up? Nothing says Valentine’s Day love like a White Castle burger!

Thanks Grace! Keep ‘em coming. I dig reader participation.

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Sigh. If I didn’t have to sling burgers and beers anymore to pay my bills, I could spend 24/7 here and do much more, and even faster. Dare to dream and be financed!

Soon enough I keep telling myself, soon enough. All I can do is keep plugging, and plugging. Something (or someONE) has gotta give eventually…

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I feel a combination of wanting to sing out loud and cry with joy right now. Nearly 18 years in the works, some  amazing stuff is about to come full circle.

WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

It’s been lots and lots of weeks with me posting about the big kahuna of surprises coming soon but not sharing much information. I know you have been very patient, curious and missing my regular posts. (So I have been told anyway.) I promise I have been planning and working my tail off (with a couple very significant people to BLR) on the mother of all events (in my world of hopes and dreams anyway) on something that is much more important than daily fun posts about the life and times of a traveling chick. We just got a “yes” back on a big piece of our puzzle, so all signs are a go. 6.5 months from today, back where lots of lives changed forever, a group of people are going to come together to make some SERIOUS Strong Mojo happen. Most girls dream about their wedding day. Me?- This day coming soon would be my equivalent.

You didn’t know it until now- but you will all be involved too. (Yep, you who’s reading this.) We will need your help to make this the best event it can be. I cannot express my gratitude enough, to all of you- for following along my journey and encouraging me me stay on track adding miles to the Blue Lollipop Road. The power of what this has been to my life and will be to many others, is off the charts extraordinary.

Here’s to never forgetting, and always following your dreams.

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I’m loving my ohmmmmm…in the mix of my typical go, go go work outs. I like how different the classes can be depending on the instructor. (There’s quite a variety at my current gym.) At the end of class this morning during shavasana, instructor Sarah suggested us to place one hand on our heart, the other on our stomach. I followed, lying there listening to my breath. Sarah continued: “The only things you need are the ones under your hands right now.”

Well hot diggidy dog Sarah!

I felt a smile come across my face. Brilliant!- I thought. My heart and “gut”- those two things I have always followed, the ones that’ve never steered me wrong. The two best friends a girl could have and really all she (me, you, anyone) needs. So true.

Lesson for the day?

If you are questioning anything, looking for clarity, struggling about a choice on something- put one hand on your heart, the other on your belly and listen to what those two tell you. They will always give you the right answer.

Isn’t it nice to have your two best friends right there with you no matter where you go?

Namaste.

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Todays Daily Awesome feel especially awesome. Lessons from strangers, who don’t even know they’re giving them.

Also? Reader James who left a very nice comment on this post last week. Thanks James! I love getting feedback and am so happy you like visiting here. When you create something that means everything to you (like I have with this) and other people appreciate it, it’s pretty much the coolest feeling in the world- so thanks again!

What’s awesome in your Monday?

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The short answer: It’s about living the life you want to live.

The longer answer: It’s about allowing yourself feel things, think things, want things- and then go after them. It’s about showing and telling people when you love them. It’s about appreciating TIME more than anything. It’s about dreaming then jumping. It’s about realizing that nothing is as hard or scary as we think it might be. It’s about making change when you want it, being savvy, thankful, and aware. It’s about standing in the figurative spot that you want to, living, being who you really are, and owning yourself no matter what expectations are out there to be something/someone else. It’s about following your instincts, trusting yourself and realizing the little awesome’s in every day even when everything feels like it totally sucks. It’s about making choices, doing the right thing when nobody’s watching, and being proud of who you are. It’s about seeing the truth in things, being fearless, living in the moment and realizing that anything really is possible. Most of all- it’s about following your heart and running towards life, not away from it.

How did I become so “smart” and get such perspective?

Newsflash: I’m not really all that smart or more amazing than all of you- no seriously, I’m not. Don’t get me wrong, I know I am amazing (that’s for you Jim and Carl), and “one smart cookie” as my grandfather calls me- but I really am just a regular chick who’s been through a lot of crap (“Chick” and “crap” are technical terms of course.) When you go through a lot of crap, perspective is a no choice delivery. I credit any smarts I might have to the people I’ve spent time with in my life.

A few years back when I was going through a very difficult time, and was in nothing short of a pathetic state, a friend loved me enough to say: “This is one of those forks in the road Diane. You either let yourself go, live on the side of that mountain like that crazy old man, or you get your ass up and do something.”

Phew- thanks to friends who love me enough.

When I was a teenager, my mom wrote in a journal she gifted to me that quote: “With courage greater than your fear, jump into the unknown and you will fly.”

Phew- thanks to my mom and great quotes she never knew I’d really take to heart and live by.

I could go on and on.

As I arrived back in Chicago from my long weekend in California, at midnight Tuesday night- I was thankful. Thankful for amazing fun time, weather, food and laughs with great friends who really love me, and for being an area of the world I feel like I belong in and that “gets” me. As I talked to a girlfriend on the phone last night who’s waiting on her dad’s cancer diagnosis today, I was thankful to laugh on the phone with her and think about how lucky I am to have had her as a friend for the last 15 years. I was thankful about time once again. As I sent my little brother an email this morning to tell him I love him and was thinking about him- I was thankful to have an incredible brother who works so hard to earn his living and allows himself to take a winter break to a warm place each year to find adventure and stretch himself.

Oh I could go on with thanks and thanks and more thanks. I am so thankful.

I now must run to the gym, before I go off to my glamourous job of slinging burgers and beers because rent is due in a few days. I’m thankful for today. I’m thankful for living the life I want to live, even though being there and getting there requires doing lots of not so glamourous and not so fun things. I am thankful for every single time I can type away here freely when the mood strikes, to share thoughts and things I believe in- and that all of you out there who read- appreciate it.

How are you living the life you want to live?

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