Holes in My Sidewalk

I love this poem.  There are so many times in my life where I go back to this poem and remind myself that I can change bad habits or thoughts, it just takes some time and effort.  Hope you enjoy.

There Is a Hole in My Sidewalk

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

By Portia Nelson

Chapter One

I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I fall in.

I am lost…I am helpless.

It isn’t my fault.

It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter Two

I walk down the street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I pretend that I don’t see it.

I fall in again.

I can’t believe I am in this same place.

But, it isn’t my fault.

It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter Three

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep whole in the sidewalk.

I see it is there.

I still fall in…it’s a habit…but,

My eyes are open

I know where I am

It is my fault.

I get out immediately,

Chapter Four

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

Chapter Five

I walk down another street.

My Cousin's Awesome Video

Check out the really cool video (click here) my cousin Chris Peck made for the Doritos Superbowl competition.  The more views they have, the better their chances of making it to the final six videos so please check it out!

A Few Notes

Dear employees of 24 Hour Fitness,
Thank you for working on your Friday night (when I am sure you would rather be doing anything else) so that I can run my guts out at ten pm because I was too busy watching Friends reruns to get to the gym before then.

Dear shoe store,
I apologize in advance that I will be coming to your store to spend over an hour dithering about which type of running shoes to purchase because I can't feel a difference between air, cushion or foam support in your performance, superior or endurance styles.  Thank you for your patience, because I have managed to wear out my current pair of running shoes in 1/5 of the time it took for me to wear out the last pair.

Dear feet,
Suck it up!!

RUNNING ROCKS.  Next event: Winter 10k in Moab on Dec. 3rd.

A Little Science Project

Check out this super cute girl and her science project!  And I will do my best to refrain from saying "I told you so!"

My Potato Project

A Little Melody on the Brain. . .

Come, thou fount of every blessing, 
Tune my heart to sing thy grace; 
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, 
Call for songs of loudest praise. 
Teach me some melodious sonnet, 
Sung by flaming tongues above. 
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, 
Mount of thy redeeming love. 


Here I raise my Ebenezer; 
Here by thy great help I’ve come; 
And I hope, by thy good pleasure, 
Safely to arrive at home. 
Jesus sought me when a stranger, 
Wandering from the fold of God; 
He, to rescue me from danger, 
Interposed His precious blood. 


O to grace how great a debtor 
Daily I’m constrained to be! 
Let thy goodness, like a fetter, 
Bind my wandering heart to thee. 
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, 
Prone to leave the God I love; 
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, 
Seal it for thy courts above.

It Astounds Me

I have recently been contemplating the privilege of my life, especially as a woman. I am an educated, free, independent woman who has the luxury to do what I want, when I want, how I want and not fear for my life, my family, my ability to support myself or to truly be ostracized from society.

It is astounding to me that just a few decades ago, a woman's best option for survival was through marriage, where she had no more rights or considerations than the land HE owned. And that even today, women around the world still live in societies where that is still true. It is astounding to me that women still live in fear everyday of being raped, maimed, or killed. It is astounding to me that women live in a world with so little opportunities that they must sell their bodies to feed their families. It is astounding to me that women live in societies where they must risk their very lives to get an education. It is astounding to me that not only do women live like this in some of the remotest places in the world, but that women can still face these obstacles here, right where I live.

I am so blessed. I have so many freedoms and opportunities. I am a very highly educated, independent woman. I have a basically disposable income and an extremely high standard of living. And I have the power to choose my own life. That is so incredible to me. I don't have to get married, if I don't want to. I don't have to live under the control of someone else (be they husband, dictatorship, religion, etc). I can very selectively pick how I will support myself and if needed my family. I choose how and with whom I spend my time. I don't have to live in constant fear or limited opportunities.

I am capable and powerful in my own right, and because of my privilege, more so than 99% of the women who have gone before me in this world. I can embody their grace, dignity and ambition. Then I add the blessings given to me to do even more and that is so empowering. It astounds me.

My Residents Rock

Here are some of our awesome residents enjoying the break and demonstrating their talent (both those on and off the screen).

Isn't he just too cute for words?