About a month ago I started the She Art Workshop, and I can't explain how great the course was! Whenever I create art, I tend to keep things simple and clean. If the lines aren't clear or there's a smudge, I kinda freak out. The workshop enabled me to learn how to let go of my perfectionist ways with my art, and through that I was able to learn new techniques!
The things I learned in the class was applied to a gift I made for a good friend of mine - although I will say that I wasn't happy with the end result. Honestly, creating the piece stressed me out more than any other project I've ever done. He's been going through a lot in the past year, and while the art was meant to inspire him, there was also a level of intimacy behind it. Through the art I was putting myself out there to help him move through this stage in his life. Part of the art work required me to hand-write the message, and I absolutely could not see past the flaws in my writing. Since I saw those flaws, I would paint over the dark blue writing with WHITE paint, and in the end, while I did like my handwriting better, I could still see my previous attempts through the paint. In the end, I wanted to make something perfect and amazing and heartwarming, but I couldn't allow myself to relax and enjoy it.
There's also another piece I'm working on that I will be giving to a friend of mine before she moves to Germany, and it actually is a She Art Girl, as instructed through the workshop. So far I've only completed the background and the body of the girl, I still need to put on the details - but I love it already!
Outside of my obsession with crafting and art, I've picked back up on running and cross-training. Last year, about this time of the year, actually, I had started the Couch-to-5K program. I was doing it alone, which was fine, and running along a trail at Point Defiance that goes along the Puget Sound. The training went to the way-side once Brian and I started getting serious about house hunting, and then we moved, and Christmas came around, and it wasn't until a month or two ago that I started up again.
While I am excited to get back in gear, and KEEPING in the gear, it's been one of the most difficult things ever. Throughout my teenage and adult life, I've struggled with taking care of my body. Sports, while I participated because other friends were, was never important to me. My main focus in school, as well as in my adult life, is art and entertainment. If given the choice of painting or playing soft ball, I'd of course take the former. Now, I've come to a point in my life where my main focus is to find balance. Balancing work, maintaining a home (with two annoying but ADORABLE cats), making/keeping friends, health, and hobbies.
To keep my motivation up, I've joined a running group with some co-workers (although I've yet to attend a meetup! Yikes!) and I've been going to the gym with another co-worker two to three times a week. I've also been encouraging her to start running with me, through the C to 5K plan, and it's been great! She's a "down for whatever" type of person, and I like to try new things! And it's a nice time for her and I to talk and goof off, which is something I've been REALLY needing!
In line with my found-again running passion, I've signed up for two races this summer!
The first race is one that is held at different locations throughout the US - Warrior Dash! It's INSANE, and something that I've been wanting to do for a while. A couple of my co-workers and I signed up for the Sunday event, which is the day before my birthday! It's impossible to explain how excited and terrified I am to do this! Excited, because I can get dirty during and drink beer after the race, and terrified because it's HARD! But life is hard. And I feel like if I can get through the race, then I can get through just about anything!
The second race I signed up for, which is the month before the Warrior Dash, is the Sound to Narrows. I'm signing up for the 5K portion, most likely for the 8:31/mile or slower group because I've been steady at a 10:00 mile for a while now, and I don't see it getting better! But I'm fine with the slower group, because right now I want to focus on endurance, and just get out there! The route is at Point Defiance park, and it'll be gorgeous! Another co-worker of mine signed up for it as well, but she'll be pushing a stroller, so I might just hang out with her for a while, and break off with some other friends who are running with their family.
Also, the first week of May, Brian and I are going on a week-long roadtrip for his birthday! We'll leave WA and head to Las Vegas (probably stopping in Boise to see my parents, depening on when we leave WA), stay in Vegas for two nights, drive over to Santa Monica for a night, then shoot up to San Francisco for Cindo De Mayo, and finally get to Portland in time for the Midnight Movie at Bagdad Theater (where they are playing Brian's favorite movie - The Big Lebowski!). We'll stay in Portland for the weekend, doing a tour of the famous food carts, and head home on Sunday. At this point I'm more stressed than excited, because it'll be a lot of money and planning to make it all happen - but it's the last time we'll have a real vacation for a while, so it'll be totally worth it!
Now that I'm done icing my shins after tonights workout, time for me to hit the shower and go to bed! Till next time!
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