Xavierism

My Friday Night Date

My Friday night date...My Little Man, Kylie!

Kylie & Ella: A True Love Story

Our Babies Kylie (a Male Umbrella Cockatoo) & Baby Ella Sharing a Tender Moment. Kylie Moves in for Some Love...

Grand Canyon University's Run to Fight Children's Cancer 5K- Spring Edition

***Random Play

*Harry Connick, Jr.: Only You

*Joni Mitchell: Both Sides Now

*Natalie Merchant: Retrospective 1995-2005

*Julia Fordham: That's Life

*Jamie Drake: When I Was Yours

*Gavin Rossdale: Wanderlust

It's 77 degrees at 5pm on this beautiful Sunday afternoon. I'm currently writing this post beside our pool in the backyard. I see God's Love shining all around me. It's a beautiful thing to see & feel!

This will be a quick update. I really wanted to share the news of yesterday's 5K race. I've never ran very well in 5 and 10K races. My person PR for a 5K is 29:24. My 5K Race PR was 33:31 but that changed as of yesterday. I completed the Grand Canyon University's Run to Fight Children's Cancer 5K - Spring Edition Race with a time of 32:59. This meant a great deal to me since the last 5K race I ran in December was a miserable 36:07. I was telling friends that I often feel like the Sasha Cohen/Johnny Weir of running. I do well while training but always screw up during races. So this latest race gives me Hope. I feel as though I'm heading in the direction with this running thing. I look forward to my next Half Marathon race on Saturday. My body, legs and feet are feeling great. My right ankle injury is no longer a problem. I'm ready to train my best so that I can avenge my last half marathon time of 2:44:42.

Sunday evening will include a homemade pizza and movie night...another quiet night at home with my Umbrella Cockatoos. Life is a blessing!

*****CHEERS!*****

Current Music: Gavin Rossdale's Forever May You Run

Current Mood: Fresh & Easy

A Moment with Kylie

 

Kylie watching a TCM Classic, The Constant Nymph, featuring Charles Boyer and Joan Fontaine.

Welcome 2012!

Enjoyed the first day of 2012.

 

*Enjoyed a lazy late morning in bed.

*Spent the day with Rodan

*We met up with a friend at Lux Central

*Attended Mass

*Enjoyed a late afternoon run

*Chilled on the couch with our cockatoos

A Perfect way to start off the New Year!

****CHEERS!****

My Personal Review of 2011

Alana Davis - 32 Flavors

I learned so much about myself throughout this year. I've always wanted to be a Runner.  If running around the block or two every now and then qualifies me as a runner then that was me. Although I wanted to be a runner that actually entered running events and actually stuck to goals and program. I'm not a great runner but I get out there and run. Early in the year, I felt a great ease while running. It wasn't till I ran a trail 10K run in April that slowed me down. For most of the Summer I felt a bit sluggish. I also realized that with anything in life, one must have a plan. I allowed myself to veer off that path and take the easy road. That was definitely a wrong turn. I'm now doing my best to get back on track and get ready for a New Year of great running. I want to see results and improve my Personal Records.

Without one's health, you're nothing! Thanks to running I'm in better shape than I've ever been in my life. If only I didn't wait till I turned 46 to understand all of this. Now that I am 47, I want to feel at my best. Two major surgeries and another Cancer scare during the Summer didn't stop me. Moral of this chapter? If you're not feeling well or something doesn't feel quite right, have it checked out by your Doctors. Don't wait! Better to correct the problem than to face the consequences head on.

Like any other year, I learned a great deal about friends and acquaintances. Funny how one can feel so connected to certain people and minor events happen that allow their true colors to show. Miki Howard wrote a very powerful quote: "Everyone who says they're a friend doesn't mean they're your friend." Thanks to running I have gained so many wonderful and supportive friends. Running connects us so again I am thankful that I am able to get out there and put one foor in front of the other. Overall I am thankful for the true friends in my life.

Rodan and I have added another year. We will soon celebrate 12 years together. It hasn't always been easy but it's definitely been worth it. 

Omar, Kylie & Baby Ella continue to be the Feathered Angels of our house. Each bird has a personality of their own...just like children. I will have to post most clips of our babies throughout 2012.

Praise God, my Patron Saints and Angels for allowing my Faith & Sense of Humor to get me through the rough patches. My good friends are like tiny treasure...priceless. So I thank those that have been there for Rodan and myself.

To those that read my blog or stumble upon this blog post, I do Wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I look forward to sharing in 2012!

*****CHEERS & LOVE!*****

Current Music: Alana Davis' 32 Flavors

Current Mood: Simply Blessed

AZ Road Racers Summer Series #1 - 5K - Papago Park

Chillin' with my Little Feathered Man, Kylie

***Random Play

*Raina Rose: When May Come

*Matt Mertz: Weights & Wings

*Toby Lightman: Bird on a Wire

*Nathan Angelo: Follow Your Heart

*Beth Hart: My California

*Francesca Battistelli: My Paper Heart

My Love/Hate affair with Running continues. It seems that my pace and times are consistently now much slower than when I first started training for my first half marathon back in January. Yesterday morning's 5K race was tough. Any race is tough for me...but throw in the Sun and heat & I completely wilt. I know I need to work on my endurance and speed. I hope to add Speed training with a local running group to help motivate and possibly become a member of the 10 minute pace per mile club. I don't care to be a Speedy Gonzalez type, I just want to improve my times and pace. San Diego Half Marathon is next Sunday...I'm ready to claim my Half Marathon Medal!

I ran a 5K early this Sunday morning. I left the musc home and just meditated and did my best to become one with my breathing, body, and legs. Nice run. I'm thankful for this Love/ Hate Affair in my Life.

*****CHEERS!*****

Current Music: Nathan Angelo's Follow Your Heart

Current Mood: Happy, Chilled, & Ready for Sunday!

Happy 2011!

 

Just The Way I Like It...

***Random Play
*A Fine Frenzy: One Cell In The Sea
*Rob Thomas: Cradlesong
*Diana Winter: Escapizm
*Laura Marie: Drawn
*Erin McCarley: Love, Save The Empty
*Sheila Kirsten Hughes: Perspectives

It feels so good to be updating my blog this morning. I love Christmastime. Holidays are made for sharing cheer and moments with family and good friends. Since my Father passed away on November 28th, 2007, I have kept myself at a distance during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. I've always managed to be useful through various volunteer projects and food drives. This past Thanksgiving was no different. I spend hours prior to the Turkey day prepping foods. During those hours, I shared treasured conversations with God, Patron Saints, and my Guardian Angels.

I looked back at the various relationships I've had whether it be with Him, family members, good friends, acquaintances, enemies, and with myself. I am thankful for how things have played out in my life. I'm blessed to Love & be Loved.

While I was peeling potatoes, I also thought about the gloomy and dark moments of my Life. Weight has always been an issue throughout my life. If I'm feeling good about myself, I shout it to the world. It's the greatest feeling ever. I'll admit, I'm not quite there yet. I feel Hope is on my side to finally conquer and gain acceptance for my physical being. I'm working on it. Although this process is always a work in progress. I can deal with that. There was a time when I gave in to the light and allowed myself to wallow in the darkness. I would keep my distance from Life and cry myself to sleep so that I wouldn't have to feel. I remember being a college graduate and ready to conquer the world. At the time, I was at 254 pounds. I remember being excited about a certain job interview and having a complete meltdown. None of my clothes/suits fit and I cried for hours. I was too ashamed to tell anyone. I was forced to buy new clothes but it was such a miserable experience. I told myself that I would never go through that again. Well, I've repeated that about three times since then.

Right now, I feel hopeful knowing that I can get back on track and lose the weight while gearing up for a half marathon. Luckily, I'm training with a few friends so this will be fun. I love the relationship I share with myself. Can't hep others until you love yourself. I wish the current Xavierism could have kicked the early edition of Xavierism's ass when I most needed it. Oh well...it's all part of the growing process.

For the past two Christmas seasons, I didn't send out cards. I'm happy that I sent out cards to family and close friends. In past years, I would send out close to 125 cards. This year, I sent out 40. I only sent cards to those people that really matter to me. 

So on the Eve of our New York City, I'm thankful for all that's happened to me. The Good, the bad, the everything in between. It's part of my history and has shaped me to be the person that I am today. I have a Mother that means the world to me. A Sister and family that I treasure. Sad that it took Father's death to bring us closer. It happens...but I'm thankful we're making up for lost time. I am with my soul mate and Life partner, Rodan. We'll be celebrating ten years together in January. Can it really be ten years?

Life with 3 Umbrella Cockatoos always makes things interesting in our life. So my Christmas blessings are really my Life's blessings. I thank those new acquaintances and friends that have been a part of 2009. I'm looking forward to 2010!

Last thing I recall during my conversation with God on Thanksgiving Eve, I thought to myself, "Thank you, God. This is Just the Way I like it."

Current Music: Rob Thomas' Someday

Current Mood: Happy, Thankful, Blessed, Excited, & Hungry!

The Little Things in Life

Our Baby Ella...She's a True Joy!

***Listening to SomaFM's Beat Blender station.

I have so enjoyed the change of seasons. It seems like it took forever for Fall to officially arrive here in Phoenix. It felt great to finally use the duvet cover as a blanket. Woke up this morning with a chilly feeling and was happy to dig out the sweats from the storage containers in the closet. Ahhh...gotta love the surround wrap of warmth.

This week has been special to my spirit. I have lathered myself a calmness that was missing from my Life last week. Frustration set in last week when a client's database agent spilled water on my cell phone. I was listening in to calls and while I stepped away from this agent's desk, she spilled water on Blackberry. I can deal with small accidents but I can't deal with how things are handled to correct matters. The General Manager of the department basically insisted that I deal with db agent directly. First of all, this db agent was new and feared that she may lose her job. Second, things happen so I didn't think this was going to be a such a big deal. Long story short, this matter was resolved and company has now paid for a new cell phone.

So while I allowed frustration to slowly become a cloud around me much like the cartoon character, Pig-Pen, from Peanuts, I shared an evening with the Mother of a Hospice patient. This beautiful woman is about to lose her only son and child. She recently lost her husband and now she will have to prepare herself for another loss in her life. I could feel the pain of her tears as they poured down from her face. Suddenly the cell phone drama wasn't a big deal. As I listened to her, I felt a calm and loving feeling take over. I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. Empathy took over my spirit. We spent a few hours chatting in the living room while her son slept in his room. She shared stories about his childhood and accomplishments. She turned to me for support but realized that I needed her just as much.

We get so lost in this jungle of Life. The Little Things in Life seem to be misplaced or tucked away until we're ready to open that box or when we need to escape from our hectic lives. I used to enjoy so many hobbies that I allowed Life to take me away from certain joys. I miss those little things in my life.

For two weeks, I have now worked my hardest during the days. Soon as I head home, I do all I can to complete my work and gather what I need for the following day's To Do List. As much as I love sharing things on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites, I felt that I needed to enjoy my private time just as much. During the evenings, I have caught up on emails, reading my favourite blogs, and writing letters. I've also let go of so many things that I will never use again. It felt great to donate all these items to Goodwill. I want to remain real to myself. I've been reading more, listening to my fave music, and working on a business plan for various projects that have been dancing in my head for quite some time. I am getting a big kick out of sorting through all my pictures. I almost burned my pics from the 80's. Those will be forever locked in the Vault of Xavierism!

I'm thankful for the wonderful friends and family members that are part of my Life. I'm thankful to have a partner that puts up with me. Bless his heart. Thank you for The Little Things in Life. They give me more reason to embrace the Big Things in my Life.

Current Music: Lamb's Softly
    Current Mood: Blessed & Happy!