100 Day Challenge

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

I'm Back...

Though the official 100 days are long gone, I am back on the blog to post pictures, thoughts and inspirations to keep me motivated as I continue with the challenge to better my mind, body and spirit. To start, here are some photos from a very special place that I will expand on later....

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

The Final Days, Finally

The 100 Days Challenge is over! Obviously. In fact, all two of you reading might have noticed that I dropped of the face of the blog sometime during the last week or two of the challenge. And for that I apologize. I am really apologizing to myself here, for I am very sorry and I should have known better. You see, when I was on the road coming home from my fabulous trip to New Orleans I got a call about a short, sweet and allegedly small job that would start immediately coordinating the Texas portion of an IMAX shoot. Two and a half weeks total, one week of prep, one week of shooting in the Dallas and Austin area and a few days of wrap. Seeing as I just spent lots of money on a whim in New Orleans (them fancy drinks didn't buy themselves!), I figured I could take this job, finish the challenge and make a little money to replenish the hungry bank account. So I said yes, knowing in my gut that this was the wrong decision. Seriously, I knew better! But how hard could a "small" IMAX shoot be? I can do this, I can do anything! Turns out it would be the hardest, nuttiest, craziest job of my career for multiple reasons, and thankfully one of the shortest. I normally work long hours, but this job had me working 16-18 hours from day 1 and not sleeping much when I wasn't working due to the stress of it all. Not only that, but it required I be in the Dallas area by Saturday at the latest, meaning I would have to miss one, if not both, of the events I signed up for. Again, I know better! I ended up running the half marathon on Saturday morning, while emailing and making phone calls from the course - no joke! I did pretty well considering I was dehydrated, malnourished, sleep deprived and had to stop a few times to work. It was a hilly course and a beautiful day - a race I'll definitely run again as my schedule permits. As soon as I finished, I showered and high tailed it to Dallas for seven more days of hell, I mean work, and missed the triathlon on Sunday. So no epic finish to the 100 Days Challenge, more like an epic leap back into exactly what I've been trying to get away from. Ironic isn't it?

Monday, April 25, 2011

Weekly Adventure: New Orleans

On a quiet Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago, my friend Liz from D.C called me to catch up. This is the conversation that followed.

Liz: Hey, what are you doing this week?
Me: Nothing.
Liz: Want to come to New Orleans? I'll be there for a conference starting on Wednesday and have a paid for hotel room on Canal Street. Seems like a waste not to take advantage of it.
Me: Um, yes, absolutely, done! See you on Wednesday!

I don't think she believed me that I would actually hop in the car and drive 8 hours east to New Orleans on a whim until I showed up knocking on her hotel room door.

I've been to New Orleans on two previous occasions (both post Katrina), once for Mardi Gras in 2007 and once for New Years in 2008-9. But I wanted to see the city during a "normal" time in the city, if there is such a thing. I spent 3 solid days there walking around the French Quarter, Garden District, St. Charles Ave, Frenchman Street and a few other places in between while Liz was at her conference. We had fantastic food, drinks heard some great music and I even ran into a few people I knew who were working on films there.The photos are a mix of iPhone (the square ones) and regular old digital camera I resorted to when my phone kept dying from over use.

I love the architecture, the light, the sights, the food, the drinks, the people, the different 'hoods, I love New Orleans - it's definitely one of my favorite cities to visit.