My Best New Year’s Ever Was...

…In Haiti!

Ou vle remen danse?!

I loved being in Haiti with Partner’s in Development, on a mission trip during New Year’s a little while back. We threw the best party ever for the children. Everyone had popcorn, a hard boiled egg, extra spicy peanut butter and jelly sandwich, orange kool-aid, and were greeted with the special surprise of a soccer ball. It is so funny, but they put hot peppers in peanut butter in Haiti, which is hard to find in the US; it’s very good. We had a polaroid camera to take pictures so all the kids could bring them home, which was a very big hit. We played so many games, and sang karaoke. Dancing and singing with these kids was the best time ever. Autumn made paper airplanes and wrote wishes on them for the children, and they all went to the roof to fly the planes into the sky! I love playing soccer down there, I could play soccer with those kiddos forever. It is tempting to spend forever down there, Haiti has my heart, I bet they would love if I were down there playing soccer and make-believe, or singing karaoke with everybody.

Look at how pretty they look! Everyone always dresses up down there in such pretty dresses.

https://www.pidonline.org/

I was holding really cute twin girls whilst filming this, so it is wobbly. Nevertheless, you can see a little singing! I’m a baby holder, I needed to hold as many children as I possibly could all the time on this trip. After that week in the clinic, I think I held every baby in Port au Prince! Everyone really wanted me to hold their baby, there were lines and lines of women wanting to hand me their babies. They know how to make a girl feel special in Haiti, and I can never turn down a cute innocent baby. Those days in the clinic turned into a ‘Madi hold my baby’ festival, which I loved very much. Sometimes, they wanted to braid my hair while I held the babies, and I actually paid them to braid my hair because it looked very nice. A big thing was telling women that it is okay to give bottles of water to the babies, if they run out of milk to help them stay hydrated. We had a lot of slow IV drips for dehydrated babies, it was sad to see, but I sent down a lot of baby bottles for donation once I was back home. I donated a lot of specific things I noticed a need for in addition to money after the trip like, gauze, infrared thermometers, automatic blood pressure cuffs, shoes, clothes, tooth brushes lots of little things. I have to tell you, it helped a lot of other volunteers that I sent the infrared thermometers and scrubs down for the next trip. Those little things make a huge difference and a few girls completely forgot long pants. Haiti is one of those places where it is over a hundred degrees and humid, but you need to wear long sleeves with long pants, and 98% Deet to keep the vampires or mosquitoes away. Holding all those little babies, is something I think about all the time. Of course, I had gloves on to protect the babies from the bug spray or anything that could have been on my hands, and I swaddled the babies so they were extra safe.

One day there was a very little baby, I held in the palms of my two hands, and on my chest, for a very long time while the mama was with the doctor; I’ll never forget the mother and child. It was a very powerful experience.

Snowballing off of my lifeguard days in college, I have ACLS, PALS, BLS and CPR certifications from Upstate Medical University, which is nifty for being an active outdoorsy person; those certifications make for an expert baby holder. A lot of lifeguards take EMT classes too, you play every position on the field in a way. There may not have been a station to scan the card of all my certifications down there, but I sure did have them in my pocket with my passport card and fifty dollars all the time. Those tests are really difficult to pass, the pre-test, the mega code, and the test you need over a 90 on after the three day class; like a marathon. Between stay away lacrosse camp and all my medical certifications, I felt prepared to go on the trip with my group of eight from my nice little college. PhD or MD was a very long debate for me, I worked really hard to be able to go either way in life taking all those tests, fighting for my competitive spot…

I should see if someone else has a better video sometime, because I have a shaky hand from holding all the kids…

EVERYONE SMILES IN THE SAME LANGUAGE!

St. Michael and St. Peter Church, here in Syracuse NY donates money, supplies, and does mission trips to the same area of Haiti that I went to, all the time. When I was down there, I thought I was dreaming to look up from making cement bricks to see a little boy wearing a ‘Marcellus Lacrosse’ pinnie. I could not believe it. It is very cool that both locally where I live, and my school all the way in Maine both contribute to the same cause. My friend from growing up, Courtney, goes to this church, and literally donated all of those lacrosse pinnies; I showed other pictures to her family. I recognized that lacrosse pinnie! No matter where I go in life, my small town follows, I’ll never shake it off. So surreal, small world. Honestly, I died and went to heaven when I noticed a family with such beautiful eyes wearing pinnies from my alma mater’s lacrosse team that I always played on growing up. It’s like I met my biggest fans, and needed to give them some more clothes whilst embracing the experience. I also had the privilege of giving them some clean water and lunch, while building a house just a few over from their lovely home. It was nice of them to invite me over for a play date. Some things are meant to be, god guides us to places for a reason. :)

My plastic surgeon, and longtime family friend from the lacrosse coaching of our dads and tournament years growing up, also volunteers in Haiti. Not only donating ‘Marcellus lacrosse pinnies’ and vital necessities, he performs volunteer vital surgeries that truly save lives. I could have gone with him and his daughters to Haiti, but the SJC trip worked better with my schedule that year. In Ecuador, he surgically created ears from cartilage for many suffering from being born without ears. Dr. Locastro is a true genius, and very generous to perform volunteer surgery on his many mission trips around the world. Though it may appear someone sick on my trip brought those and planted them to haze me, there are several ways that those old lacrosse pinnies from my alma mater logically were where I worked to serve god.

Me and Amanda digging for gold, or something to make a ton of bricks out of…. we later built the houses with! I gave a man my hat before we flew back home, he loved my hat and likes running a lot which I thought was super cool.

I left all the clothes I had brought there plus supplies such as food, antimicrobial clothes, shoes, work gloves, medical gloves, sunglasses, extra masks, first aid stuff, all the things. I gave my bottle of malaria pills to the clinic… I flew home with my passport, phone, clothes I had on and room for rum, vanilla, and french roast coffee in my suitcase. Later, once we were back, I gave PID my zebra suitcase for another group to bring supplies down with! A year after that, PID ended up with several of my pink zebra suitcases, because they liked the first one so much. My boyfriend had to give me his way less fun black suitcase and sunglasses, because I gave all of mine away… They love zebra patterned things down there, so between the shirts and my bags, those donations were the biggest hits. I gave a nurse I really connected with in my time down there in Haiti, a zebra top and Winnie the Pooh Bear scrub cap that said ‘I have my mind on my hunny and my hunny on my mind’ she just loved it. :)

I have to tell you, my favorite thing to give away were dolls! I went to the dollar store and Walmart before I went to Haiti, and bought a ton of dollies for the children. Dolls are always fun to give, especially for a doll collector like me! I still like to play with dolls too, imagine my delight having all these sweet little girls to play with on my Haiti trip!

Beyonce has nice videos from her trip to Haiti.

Snow Day

I have been running on my treadmill, in the lower half of the house, blasting Bach Cello Suite No.1 in G. Yesterday, I put on spray tan and mascara to make myself feel like I used to. It is funny how much this all has made me realize how much putting makeup on is really for my peace of mind and not everyone looking at me. I like running on the treadmill in my swarovski earrings, full face of makeup and spray tan by myself in my house. :)

I am working towards publishing some of my poems, and short stories, nothing bestseller material; fun little things for little places with buddies who love a good satire, being nice to a lady. I appreciate you humoring my writings on my blog! :)

Je Vais Aller

Où sont mes vrais bijoux, que je n'ai pas achetés moi-même, et votre diplôme de la ligue de lierre? Plus près d'être fiancé que vendu cet été-là. J'aurais vraiment dû prendre mon vol deux matins avant et sortir dîner dans une longue robe noire où notre père ne peut même pas garantir une réservation. Plus près d'être vendu, et plus près d'aller dans un parc sur le thème de la souris dans une limousine lors d'un rendez-vous chaud. Dieu vous maudisse. Pourquoi étais-je dans cette chambre deux nuits après avoir raté mon vol? Je m'étends seul sur la plage privée de l'île de ma tante plutôt qu'avec toi. La nuit de ma fausse bague, tu n'as pas acheté est encore fraîche dans mon esprit.

Je ne m'achèterai même plus de bijoux, donc non. Cela aurait aussi bien pu être en plastique, et c'est important, vous êtes embarrassant. Je vais porter mes faux bijoux quand tu veux que je porte les belles choses, pour t'embarrasser. Je vais vous demander ce qui ne va pas et vous n'aurez aucune réponse. Je ne suis vraiment pas la même chose qu'ils étaient à l'époque, je n'ai pas besoin de ça. Quel type devrais-je plutôt humour dans une situation comme celle-ci? C'est dur de s'installer. Je n'aurais jamais dû être exposé à toi, mais je suppose que vous avez détruit mes chances d'en obtenir un intelligent. Si je suis dans la catégorie des ex peter, je peux attendre encore dix ans, et regarder mes options de tout le monde correctes mais pas correctes d'abord. Est-il à moitié plein?

Tu ne peux pas faire ce que tu m'as fait, je parie que tu m'aurais traité différemment si tu savais. Demandez à ma tante de m'obtenir une ordonnance du tribunal contre toute votre famille, ce qui est encore plus cher et plus raffiné que les bijoux raffinés. Tu m'aurais laissé manger des amandes et boire de l'eau en bouteille, si tu savais. Ou dois-je prétendre que nous nous sommes amusés tout le temps, je suis tombé follement profondément, rien que gentil et invitant, et accueillant de la belle athlète avec un membre riche du groupe avec des paillettes arc-en-ciel? Tu devrais me laisser mourir avant que ça ne m'arrive, personne n'attend aussi longtemps, et cela ne ferait aucune différence pour les autres s'ils le devaient.

Si vous achetez mes boissons, le barman doit augmenter le prix de dix fois le total, et vous ne pouvez pas vous plaindre ou le remettre en question. Personne ne me regardera dans vingt ans et ne demandera qui mon mari était censé épouser, c'est la différence et pourquoi vous n'êtes pas d'accord avec moi;plus comme qui j'aurais dû épouser. Dix fois le prix n'est toujours pas assez proche, saupoudrez de vrai or sur tout. Les gens qui sont fiancés parce que je leur ai dit d'être plus gentils que vous ne l'étiez avec moi. Le sexe n'est pas l'intimité, et je peux de toute façon boire n'importe quel verre. Pourquoi vous laisserais-je les acheter pour moi? Je devrais être bien traité, et vous n'aurez peut-être pas le luxe d'être du genre à bien me traiter; des choses sur lesquelles je ne m'arrange pas. Ce n'est pas Cendrillon, je devrais être avec quelqu'un d'autre, et ce n'est pas personnel. Vous seriez dégradant. Je peux exactement la même chose, mais instruit et amical. Mon oncle et ma tante m'ont amené à un dîner coûteux au lieu de mon diplôme de huitième année, afin que je puisse écrire ceci pour qu'un homme me lise à haute voix un jour, quand il ne peut pas parler français. Penser que j'ai été si fou pendant des années de faire le dîner à la place, tout est bouclé. À un rendez-vous, vous savez donc comment un homme doit traiter une femme.

I watched this on my snow day too, I thought it was cute!

Luna and Lucy

Luna loves this sherpa blanket santa brought her for naps, my little snuggly bear! She is just going to snuggle in this forever, she didn’t even want to play outside this morning. Borrowing, sleeping, snoring, and snorting the way a cat purrs. Chihuahuas love sherpa blankets. Lucy is under the blanket, but of course!

Do You.

Running marathons, is who I am, and what I happen to do in life vocationally. Runner is a title that I have from time to time, something I happen to do well; not a big deal yet a big deal to me. My dear friend, really wanted to run a marathon, because he spent years watching me run them. However, this turned into a sensitive issue, because although he tried so hard to run the 26.2 mile distance, it was not for him. I do not want him to be upset, that the distance was not for him. I think that one day if marathon running is all he wants in the world, they can try again a different way, but I do not want them to worry about it. Secretly, I think the main issues were being at a high altitude instead of sea level trying to run the marathon distance for the first time, the hills, air, the training program, and being patient with a long enough training program. I would say it takes three years to train for a marathon the correct healthy way, it is okay not to be a marathon runner like me, just because I do something does not mean they have to do it too. Marathon running is not all that. I sort of felt like a monster, wondering what exactly I inspired him to do to himself?! Even if you run for your job, it is okay to drop out of a race if it’s not your day, be safe, be healthy, know that nothing is worth dying over; they have already proven themself as an athlete in other ways. Also, in the competitive end, everyone has their day at some point, and you have to be happy for everyone along the way, even if you had a horrible day. When you do have your day, you need to be gracious and shake everyones hand. The marathon is hard. My friend is more into body building, lifting and other types of impressive endurace such as sprinting or doing tons of push-ups, hiking a lot. I could not emphasize with him more, not to feel upset that the marathon distance was not right for him, because he already does so much very well athletically; amazing athlete, he is in such good shape now that he finished all of that hard work. If he wants to try again, we will try again together. You never want to be alone in a race, it’s better to run together and have a support system; running something hard alone is never the best way.

You have to communicate with your training partner exactly what you want to do, because sometimes they can help you a lot along the way. I had no idea that he was trying so hard to run the marathon distance, I wish they said something to me, because marathons are one of the only things I can do! Like, ‘oh hi!’ Trying to surprise me, which is an impressive feat in itself. I feel like if we connected more, none of that would have ever happened to him. :) In a conversation, he asked "Does it hurt too much?” I told him no, but that is the reason we only run two marathons a year with very specific plans, and very special coaches. There are ways to do marathons, but you cannot just go for it without specific training plans and working towards it a certain way, it’s a sport.

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Thinking about the NY mentality, my cross country coach Oscar B Jensen… He can be a little cold and socially not aware perhaps may be the right word, can come off the wrong way expressing emotions, alternating between business meeting to social hour with friendly human beings. A tough coach, but insightful and nice once you got into a few seasons. My cross country coach grew up in NYC, he was an olympic weightlifter, and told our team about how hard it was to get into Brooklyn Tech and he did it. We heard all of his Olympic Center stories, about meeting all of the athletes, and his training. Later in life, he loved to coach running, even though he never ran, telling us all of his stories for hours before having us run during practice was very cool. It’s funny, one day after his very long inspirational speech, he pulled me aside to give me another more personalized speech. He told me not to add extra workouts that were not given to me on our ginormous weekly schedule, always have a cool down, I’m a ‘tiger’ and never to stop playing string instruments because he thought it was very nice. Sometimes, you just need someone to call you a ‘tiger’, hahah he probably said it to all of us. I have had a lot of run coches, but OBJ is the only one who ever had a very long inspirational speech to kick off practice, all the speeches were worth listening to.

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A new sport that I briefly tried, was a curling league going on at the local ice rink a while ago. I have to say, I had a great time, once someone taught me how to do all the moves. Next winter, I would enjoy being in a curling league for fun every week. Molly Yeh on Girl Meets Farm, had an episode where they went curling, an she made curling themed desserts. Curling must be on a hobby trend, everyone loves to play games! You never know when you’ll actually like something new. My sister is in a bocce ball league during summers, which is fun.

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This is my favorite book to read for running advice, it’s like the running bible. I highly recommend, Runner's World Big Book of Marathon and Half-Marathon Training. Everyone should read this before running a long distance race, and follow any of these training plans for a base to work off of and improve. This is truly the greatest run book to read for guidance and reassurance, everything you need to succeed as a runner is written within these pages.

https://www.amazon.com/Runners-World-Marathon-Half-Marathon-Training/dp/1609616847#ace-g6002737843

I would also recommend reading the story of Pheidippides! One day, I want to name a dog Pheidippides. :)

https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a20836761/the-real-pheidippides-story/

New Year Resolutions

Finger’s crossed my resolutions work out this year. It is fun to make the list! What are your New Year Resolutions?!

My New Year Resolutions

Do NOT slip on water and wipe out; no head over heels incidents this year!

Take more pictures, especially for the blog.

Interview more athletes for the blog and personal pleasure.

Go on a date and have fun.

Become smarter working towards my doctorate, and more businessy finishing my business courses.

Run a marathon in the amount of time that I want to finish my race.

Have a St. Jude fundraiser, involving running a marathon or two. My aunts are very generous with any charity I point to, especially if I run twenty six miles well for it, so I know my fundraisers will be fruitful. At the very least, I’m grateful for that luxury. If all goes well, I am also contributing to planning a golf tournament fundraising event for St. Jude this year. My boss even started donating to this charity, over another because I made the suggestion, running for them all these years consistently. I make it happen, do my best with those fundraisers. As an elite athlete, it is a big deal to run for charity, it’s nice me to run fast for charity, and incline other’s to pick the one that I run for to donate money to.

Have an A, B, and C plan, but all of them are wonderful so no one would ever know which happened. ;)

Sew my own purse, with a nice fabric, maybe with birds.

Hike Acadia, a weekend separate from a marathon, watch the sunset.

Swim in a lake, in a mountain, skinny dipping.

Make a gingerbread house, in pink, for Valentine’s Day.

Have a special volunteer project every month.

Use my glass water bottle instead of a bunch of plastic water bottles.

Play my violin, and feel pleased or accomplished with selected solos.

Never think about what happened to me in Kodiak ever again, or anyone out there ever for any reason; there will be zero Alaska.

Only speak to the pleasant directly.

Go to Bald Head Island and not Oak Island, visiting my cool aunt who keeps me out of trouble, and buys me dinner and water and cupcakes from time to time; because she can give all that luxury, aren’t I luck? Or I could elope on that island and not invite her and my uncle, that would be a funny one. Be next door, and not tell them anything.

Buy a new bikini and beach towel.

Be a 4.0

Color one picture a week in my adult coloring book.

Have a pillar candle lit in my room, next to my decorative flowers everyday.

Wear sunblock.

Dance.

Improve my faith and spirituality, finding ways to glorify god.

Think about kissing, kissing a lot.

Love and be loved.

Love to love, and love to be loved.

Love.

Romance.

Intimacy.

Hold hands.

Smile.

Hug and be hugged.

Watch the sunset.

Hike, together.

Swim, together.

Snowshoe, together.

Relax, together.

Celebrate, together.

Be together, all the time.

Dance, together.

Laugh, together.

Cry, together.

Feel emotion, together.

Be accountable.

Be silly.

Be serious.

Be powerful.

Be in love.

Be sincere.

Be allowed to be together forever.

Say we are together, with a label.

Say ‘I love you, I love you, I love you!’

whisper ‘Je t’adore, mon cher.’

Never feel heartbreak.

Never feel torture.

Feel gratitude.

Feel love.

Feel lust.

Feel joy.

Feel bliss.

Feel the true meaning of happiness.

Feel compassion.

Feel sweetness.

Feel empathy.

Feel peace.

Feel handholding.

Feel divinity.

Bake everything.

Eat, red velvet cupcakes.

Cook every meal, homemade.

Listen to loud music, whilst swimming.

Light candles.

Walk the sand barefoot, for the pastel sunset during high tide.

Walk a moonlight path along the shoreline, go skinny dipping into the full moon’s trail.

Walk from the highest peaks, down to the ocean for sunrise.

Propose on your knees, in the sand, with a miniature sand dollar found by chance.

Warm bathrobes.

Tie the tie, and untie the tie.

Knit the hat.

Crochet the hat.

Blankets, and movies.

Pick flowers, and grow flowers.

Have secrets, only with each other.

Ride bikes around our favorite monastery’s trails.

Calm, cool, collected dialect and articulation.

Make lunch, and enjoy whilst looking into each other’s eyes and not our phones.

Share watches, running and checking the time.

Go to church, or watch mass every week, especially during lent.

Never let someone make me feel less of a person.

Have willpower.

Write down three things that I am grateful for every day.

Cook a new recipe every weekend, send pictures to my sisters.

Update my vision board at least every two weeks, with more pictures and inspirational quotes.

Walk my dogs longer distances.

Read more books for pleasure.

Try a new lipstick shade every month.

Wear a tiara.

Stay happy, healthy, and alive; help others do the same.

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On a side note, I found the most beautiful harp version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah! Very much, a treat to listen to.

Merry Christmas!

The puffins are kissing, my chihuahuas have santa parisian berets, and I solved a seventy piece ice-cream cone puzzle with my wooden wicked Kissletoe scented candle burning brightly. I'm a happy girl, and I hope you are too! Merry Christmas! 🌲🎄😍

My Favorite Cook Books

Three different people have given me Run Fast Eat Slow and Run Fast. Cook Fast Eat Slow. These books are the gifts that keep on giving. I highly recommend them both to help you create nutritious and delicious yummy foods, for both marathon training and day to day meals. Here is the link to order, if you do not have your six copies yet! ;)

https://runfasteatslow.com/

What is my BMI?

Rounding to the nearest fifth, I weigh 125 pounds usually. However, sometimes I gain ten pounds, putting me at 135. Sometimes, I lose ten pounds and weigh 115. My height is 5 foot 6 and a half. A BMI should be 18-23, and I have been all over the place, and I firmly do not believe in BMI as an athlete.

I stopped looking at my body fat content a long time ago. However, I weigh myself every week, and I do not care what the scale says, unless it’s an astronomical number one day. My clothes always fit no matter what shape I’m in, just differently sometimes. There is a luxury of settling on yourself, and not needing to change for anyone. A family friend’s wife was really rude asking me one time if I needed ‘work done’, I laughed at her and let them know I am grateful that I do not need work done, and they just have to look at me or cover your eyes whilst I have the ‘luxury of settling on myself;’ it’s unfortunate if someone feels otherwise. It goes without saying that it is not anyone’s place to talk to me like that about the way I look, not very correct of them to say to me. This happened at a time I needed a piece of skin exposed to the sun too much looked at by a plastic surgeon, and this family friend’s wife took the opportunity to tell me what else the doctor should do, like it was so mean of her on another level. Someone needs a ‘note from god’ to tell you to change your appearance, and usually that note from god does not exist. Women have the privilege of embracing their natural physiques, I embrace mine even when I’m not necessarily in shape or a supermodel. Pas de care, c’est la vie, I look the way that I look. Wear sunblock and do not talk to mean people.

I look in the mirror and no matter how much I weigh, I like who I see in the reflection. At any age, I hope nobody lets a number on a scale, or BMI, or body fat content define who they are. You can be a world class athlete and not care about a number. Throw the numbers away, even if your doctor or coach want to look at them. Build up a wall and stop caring about numbers, because you need to care about you as an all around human being with a quality of life!