Friday Confessional

I am a reader of many health and fitness blogs, and an equal number of eating and cooking blogs. One thing many of them have in common is a daily theme, like What I ate Wednesday, or Fitness Friday. Cassie, at Back to Her Roots, backtoherroots.com, does a weekly confessional of personal oddities. The thing I really love about it, is that her quirks make me feel normal. Wait. I don't think that came out right. What I mean to say is that reading about her dirty little secrets makes me realize that I'm not alone in mine.

So in an effort to help y'all feel less weird, I'm going to hang out some dirty laundry, with the inalliterative title, Friday Confessional.

Here goes:

10. Sometimes I eat candy for breakfast. While I can be proud of myself for never starting the habit of cigarettes and coffee, I do enjoy sugar and coffee. NOT sugared coffee, mind you, but coffee with some sort of sugary treat. I always plan on granola or a decent person's brakfast, but, really, is there anything better than a Reese's Peanutbutter Cup and some Starbucks?

9. I've got some Justin Beiber in my running playlist. I'm not a creeper, I promise.

8. I really love shoes, and I'm not proud of fitting the stereotype of women who love shoes. I'm no Imelda Marcos, or Carrie Bradshaw, but I might be on my way.




7. I'm already thinking that ten confessions is too much. Don't want to let my crazy out all at once!

 6. I love getting real mail - not bills, but actual hand- written notes. It's a lost art with texts and emails. I just joined a foodie pen pal program because not only do I get to send and receive a food package in the mail once a month, but one of the components of the program is that you have to write something!

 5. I wasn't one of those parents who allowed our baby/child to sleep in our bed. That being said, I have a four year old border collie who takes up residence in the middle of our bed each night - not long ways, but sideways so she can kick us equally.  I've gone soft, what can I say.

 4. I love singing to really loud music in the car. I try not to get caught at it, but I'm sure other drivers think I'm nuts. Even moreso if I'm singing show tunes!

 3. I've definitely decided ten confessions is five too many.

2. I cry in the movie Stuart Little when that little Michael J. Fox mouse says he has an empty place in his heart, and at the first 20 minutes of the movie, Up, and in Toy Story Three when the big boy goes away to college. I cry when a child says (and discovers), "Teacher, I can read!"  Gets me every time. Yep. I'm a sappy crybaby.




1.  I LOVE being a teacher.  Yes it's hard work. There are kids I want to take home and feed, wash, and lavish with Christmas presents - and that breaks my heart on a daily basis.  But it's the job that is my heart's true calling.  When things fall off the rails in my daily life - teaching is the thing that always makes sense to me.  I know I belong to a community of others who show up every day to shape little people into big citizens.


What does any of this have to do with getting ready for a marathon? Not a thing, except that now you know just how average I am. I'm not an Olympian with a great training regime, a personal trainer, and a dietician.  I'm just a 46 year old, who trains despite my love for junk food, who is trying to raise money for families who do not have the luxury of time.

I can continue to put one foot in front of the other, giving thanks for my health and the health of my beautiful daughter.

I can keep lacing up and hitting the pavement...a mile at a time.