Of the incorrect insoles

So, I think I've figured out what happened... In January of 2009, I finally went to see a doctor about knee pain. I started physical therapy for iliotibial band syndrome, which would be big fancy word for my muscles in my legs are tense. Go figure. Molly's tense.

So from there, they put me in these insoles called "Super feet." I'd like to call them something more like "Cause-more-pain-than-you're-already-insoles." And this explains the roller-coaster my knees/feet have been on for the past year. These insoles were actually too much support and were pushing things out of alignment. Too much of a good thing is bad, remember?

The mechanics of insoles and sneakers that cause support break down over their usage. So after about 6 months, the support is actually bust. I got new shoes and new insoles in January. I was still in pain until June. Then I got back into working out and was splendid! Still bits of knee pain, but it all could be contributed to ITBand stuff. Then, in August when I came back home, I got the bright idea to get new insoles. Stupid me. Hence the knee pain starting back up.

Now a solid four months later, in a fit to be a smartass versus the doctors that told me there was nothing wrong with my knees, I wore some nice shoes that had no insoles because "If there's nothing wrong with me, these shoes should be fine!" Having limbered up my IT Band quite nicely, I went through the day in fancy shoes. Pain Free.

I've been back in the gym for a good week now and have taken those ridiculous insoles out of my shoes and gone back to the originals. Life is good, my friends! Life is good.

Happiness and Joy

There's a really big difference between happiness and joy. I comment on it a lot, but every now and then I get a lovely reminder of the difference.

For example. Today? I wasn't happy. Tour after tour came in with out making an appointment and it made a disaster of the rest of the work I had to do. I maybe accomplished one thing today because of the 5 tours I ended up having (and there were two actually scheduled.)

I wasn't happy, but when the day is over, I still have plenty of joy and that's what helps me salvage the bad days.

I guess a glass of my new favorite wine doesn't hurt... or the whole bottle :)

Think about it...

Okay, this whole "put the color of your bra for breast cancer awareness" thing sparked a pretty huge fight in me. Let's think about this one, folks. Put the color of your bra in your status and only that to support breast cancer awareness.

1. Awarness = people need to know; how are people supposed to relate a random color with breast cancer?? Aside from asking, how are people going to figure that one out?? Pointless.
2. How does that help breast cancer? Awareness means people need to know facts about it and how to prevent it, detect it, etc. Maybe if someone was donating money to the Susan G. Komen fund for the cure for every status that was a color, but even then, it's impossible to track, so again- Pointless.
3. It's SICK how careless some people seem to be about it right now. It's like it's the "cool" thing to do and people are only supporting breast cancer because OTHER people are doing it. So supporting breast cancer is a fad now. A trend. I think I'd rather have fewer people supporting awareness and actually GIVE A CRAP about it, rather than everyone to hop on the band wagon about it.

Sick, people. Just sick.

Look tasty, huh? These were cupcakes from the tasting event we had at Villa Parker on the 5th. It was a lot of fun to hang out with brides and members of their family.

This is my year of growth, right? I'm excited to get my personality back and to be ME again. But days like today are the days I have to remember that JOY comes from a lasting relationship with the Lord and happiness is purely circumstantial.

I've been on quite the streak of happiness and I knew it was doomed to take a dip somewhere. Today was just a little bit more frustrating than i wanted that dip to be. I have to be honest, I've never worked in such a small environment before. I'm still trying to figure out how I fit in with this Villa Parker thing.

We're all allowed to be frustrated at somepoint, right?

Yep.

Of amazing views and low anxiety

I watch Mythbusters. A lot. And I remember thinking once how awesome it is that every now and then Adam stops and says "This is the point in the experiment that I stop and thinking 'WTF are we doing?!'"

I admired how they loved their job. And being severely unemployed at the time, I dreamt about the day that I'd have a job that would make me pause and appreciate the love I have for my life.

Well today's the day my friends!! As I sat in my office pausing to think about how awesome it'll be this spring/summer to sit at my desk with a gentle breeze flowing in from the opened french doors leading into my office with the lively gardens swaying just outside my reach as I planned event, I realized something. I have THE best job ever. As my parents put it, I'm so uniquely qualified for this job, it's as if someone (coughcoughGODcough) put the perfect situation together for me. He does good work!!

As I sit here super thankful and super swamped in booking season correspondence, I find all my feelings of restlessness and anxiety just melt away. Having a bag of employer-purchased Dove peanut butter chocolates to munch on doesn't hurt either ;)

The ol' noggin...

Two weeks without knee pain? Including two days of standing for 15 hours each day, days in heels, days in crappy shoes...?? What's going on here, folks? What's the difference between now and before?

The phenomenon can only be explained by realizing the power of one incredible feature we humans have: our brain.

Now, I don't doubt that for some time, there was something seriously wrong with my knee. I know I have a powerful mind, but the nights I spent crying due to knee pain weren't just my imagination. But possibly, the last few months could all be a part of my overall feelings of inadequacy. Being unemployed, almost finished with school, and a myriad of other social problems, maybe it just seemed fitting at the time to think that absolutely everything was wrong.

Regardless of what my ridiculous brain cooked up, I'm thrilled to be rid of my knee pain! I'm excited to get back into the gym to help gain a little bit more focus during my days and to get back to living my life!

Let's Get Cheesy

When folks come into the Villa for a tour, I make it a point to mention that three years ago, we planted the gardens on the West side of the property. I also explain that the third year for plants is the big growth year. The first year, they're settling into the ground, the second year, they grow their roots and the third year, they become plush and full of life.

Doing some New Years Eve reflecting while sitting in my office at work consoling my aching soles from the wedding that was going on, I realized that I was kinda similar to the plants I point out every day. At the end of 2008, I had just ended my first long-term relationship and as a single person and Christian, I was settling into my surroundings. In 2009, I grew immensely as a Christian and now in 2010, I get to grow.

I have a lot to be thankful for and I'm excited to see what 2010 has in store! (On a side note, someone pointed out how old they'd be at the next decade's end-- I'll be 33! HOLY CRAP!)