...my magic bean...: Now, the good.

First off - THANK YOU to all of you who commented, emailed, called, etc. Your words really made me think and gave me a nice reality check. We all get overwhelmed here and there, and thanks for listening while I let the steam out. As Mrs. B mentioned, maybe "just being" is what to do here. I've always gone a million miles an hour in my life. Ask my Mom. If I don't have a bajillion irons in the fire, I'm bored. Crazy is my normal I guess. But I will get through. One of the ways will be focusing on all the awesome things going on in life. I figured that today I would share "the good" of what's happened in the past month or so.

I was super lucky to be able to head down to New Orleans for a long weekend two weeks ago for a reunion of the Leadership program I used to work with at Duke. I made some amazing connections with the fellows of the program and having a chance to reconnect with people was just fantastic. The pic below is my friend J and me. We met back in 2004 I think? maybe 2005? We have stayed close since, and it was wonderful to see her in person rather than just on an email, phone call or text message. We had us some fun, yes we did.

J and me!

I also got to hang out with one of my BFITWW (best friends in the whole world) C. She's on the far right in this pic. When I left my position at Duke, she took it over. C was one of the first people I met when I moved to North Carolina back in 2001, and we became fast friends. Time and distance has changed nothing, and everytime we see each other we just pick up where we left off last time. It was so very wonderful to spend a few days with my girl. I also made a new friend, S, on the far left in the pic. Amazing woman from Trinidad-Tobago. We, too, had a grand ol time with lots of wine and some Caribbean beats!!!

About three years ago, a movie was filmed in Durham, NC where I was living. The filmmakers were constantly looking for extras, and I randomly applied with head shot and all. I got cast to play a bartender at Durham's famous Magnolia Grill. The movie turned out to be horrible (Main Street), but it had Colin Firth and Orlando Bloom in it. Yay for that. I finally got the movie from the library last night and watched to find myself. See the barkeep behind Amber Tamblyn's head? That's me - my big Hollywood debut. Autographs are available if you mail me a piece of paper and a SASE.

That job I was bitching about? Yeah, I got this this morning.

"insert foot in mouth"

Lastly, I am still very much enjoying teaching at Gville Fitness. I'm teaching three days a week now. Several of the instructors got together for MLK day in January to work a community wide food drive. It was chilly and damp, but it was wonderful to see the community come out in droves to support the Licking County Foodbank.

So see, SELF, there are awesome things going on.

Ok, I am getting back to work - I can do this. And I will. You will, too. :-)

WAIT!!! Must cap off the post with an adorable puppy picture.