I moved

here:

http://shootingbullets.wordpress.com/

Some things are scary

So here’s the thing:

I don’t know anyone who has HIV, or AIDS.

At least, I don’t know anyone who knows that they do, and has told me about it. In fact, nobody I know has even shared with me that they know someone who does. As far as I know, and as far as I’ve experienced, my life is a little island that hasn’t yet been affected by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome. To me, HIV/AIDS is kind of like a war that’s being fought on the other side of the world; I hear about it, learn about it, consider myself educated about it, and feel some sort of sadness about it. I’m even moved to to action, or at least feel guilt over not taking action. In fact, other than spreading knowledge with self-assumed understanding, I don’t think that I have taken any action.

Maybe it’s because I’m on that island. Maybe it’s because, at the heart of me, I’m inherently selfish (and lazy). Maybe it’s because I’m scared of being taken off that island. Whatever the reason is (or reasons are), they’re not enough anymore. It’s time to do something.

So... I’m going to walk. For life. I’m going to take part in the HIV Edmonton AIDS Walk for Life. Walking isn’t that hard, I know. I have feet and legs and they work quite well, and they’ll certainly take me over the required 5km. And I’m not alone, I’m doing it with people, with friends from my church. I think that the hard part, the scary part, is writing this, and asking other people to take some action with me.

More specifically, asking other people to give money is hard.

But that’s what I’m doing. I’m asking you to give money.

Not to me, but to HIV Edmonton, because they’re the ones that really take action. They do great things like educate people (knowledge is power), and support those living with HIV, and those being affected by HIV, and those at risk of HIV. This last one is important: someone in Canada is infected every 2 hours, and it’s estimated that 2000 people in the Edmonton area are afflicted with HIV and AIDS. That’s a lot of people that are living with something that’s misunderstood and chronic and scary. And HIV Edmonton is making it more understood and less scary, and that effort is worth my support, and (I hope) yours.

So I guess how this works is that I walk (and give some money), and you give some money (and walk if you want to), and those that needs support can get it, and those that have ignorance can lose it.

I guess don’t think of it as supporting me; think of it as supporting them. That’s how I’m thinking of it, and to be honest, it makes it a whole lot easier to ask for your money...

(Take a little action here: http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=2309726)

(Get a little HIV Edmonton education here: http://www.hivedmonton.com)

(Get a little more AIDS Walk for Life education here: http://www.aidswalkforlife.ca)

No pain, no blog

Yet another completed challenge from the bank: I signed up for (and attended) a fitness class. And... it was great.

But don't get me wrong, it kicked my ass. Or at least my abs and legs and back. My ass is really actually okay. Maybe next week's class will make sitting down akin to torture; this week's only made walking, moving and laughing reasons to complain.

Oh, and get this: I could actually do some of the exercises. Heck yes.

Thanks to Sarah C. for this challenge (and doing it with me). We will get our hot bodies, yes, yes we will.

Into (new) community

Momentous post, y'all: the first of the challenges to be completed (or at least blogged about).

The single challenge given by my friend Aidan was a gooder. The man knows me, and the man knows what's good for me. Go to church for a month straight.

This was hard. It still is sometimes. But good things (really really good things) have come of it:

1. I am not as scared of going to my church. It's not that I ever really thought that everyone was going to point and laugh at me, but I have been having that feeling lately when faced with groups of people that I don't know. Especially when I want to be a part of the community in question. Especially when the community in question seems so wonderful, and like such a good fit for me. If this church didn't work out, where else could I go?
2. I've been learning things. About God, about me.
3. I've been getting closer to God again; that sort of close that you can't always get to on your own. Or at least I've never been able to. And I'm legitimately wanting more.
   
4. I'm making friends. They have fun names, like Pascal! and Eden! Those are great names, aren't they? I really think that "Make a new friend" should have been a challenge in the bank. Or "Make a new friend who has a great name." (Actually, for all I remember, it might be in there). Anyhow, if it had been a challenge, I would have written a separate blog about these fun-named people. Perhaps they will star in future posts. I'm sure they'd be thrilled at the prospect.
   

I have other things that I would like to share with all of you... things like spending time with old(est) friends, and returning to beloved places. I could have written about moving both forward and back to increase community, or something like that. But as it is, I have no words left.

Lovely walk, dirty city

In my constant endeavour to walk 10,000 steps per day (yes, I'm an old lady with a pedometer), I thought I'd mix my errands with walking today. While I had to actually drive to get to the errand-places, I had a brilliant mind moment and decided to park several blocks from all the places that I needed to be.

And since they had a few blocks between each of them, and since one of my stops left me with more purchases (and thus, weight) than was comfortable (and thus, I had to return to my car mid-errands and head out again), I managed to get in 10,200 steps (or so). Yes!

It was an absolutely beautiful day to be outside, but this city, post-winter and post-sand-and-gravel-on-the-roads, while pre-green-grass-and-flowers, is dirty and disgusting and gross. I thought I'd take some pictures to spice up this post, but I didn't want to hurt my camera's feelings.

Waiting for more rain, more sun and more fresh green... then I'll have some Lovely walk, lovely city photos for you.

Last thought: I was recently challenged by a couple of friends to find what my passion is... is it possible that I'm absolutely boring and my passion is walking?

The Challenge Bank

It seems that while I am constantly wanting to grow and improve myself, I'm absolutely horrible at the follow through. I want to try new things, but shy away from the particulars. I want to be a better person, but really, have no idea of where to start. And even if I can get through all of that, the doubt comes in: "Is this really what I should try? Is this what I need? Maybe I don't know myself as well as others do... maybe I need help with this."

And so help is exactly what I asked for. A few mass emails were sent, and then the responses began... The Challenge Bank was born:


The Challenge Bank is a garden of suggestions, requests and to-do's that have been submitted by my friends, family, colleagues and self. They range from the inspirational (catalogue all of the really good things that you have acquired) to the fun (build a fort) to the healthy (take a fitness class) to the, erm, perhaps selfish (several people suggested making a mix cd and sending it to 'a friend'). There are challenges about cooking, about art, about others, and about getting my shit done.

Since the challenges have stopped coming in (but are always welcome), I'm trying to put this idea into practice. I've got a lovely little bulletin board where I post the challenges that I've pulled from the basket, and I'm keeping it in plain sight, so I can be reminded everyday, not only the things I should be doing, but also that I'm doing something and that that's pretty great too.


Of course, there are some that I will simply do when the opportunity presents itself, or when I feel like it; The Challenge Bank isn't about rules, it's about realistic growth.

Anyhow, I'm going to try and blog the results of challenges when I complete them... but I might not always. That's how this thing is going to roll.

A time to begin

Well, lovely folks, I suppose that this is the time to begin. Just so that you're in the know, there are a few motivating factors at play, and since I am the writer, and you are the reader, it falls upon me to share them:

1. I started the Challenge Bank (I'll post more on this one later), and this seemed the easiest way to communicate how that whole thing is going.
2. My mother started a blog (my mother being rocketlily) and I wanted to go along on this weblogging adventure with her. Mother is wonderful, and hopefully this will strengthen our bond like dried up jam. (Hopefully you'll also go and give her blog some love).
   
3. I need an outlet, and this seems like a lovely multimedia journal-type option, since the paper journal isn't getting much use these days, and proper scrapbooking is for weenies and involves actually printing photos.
   
4. Like most other bloggers, I apparently feel the need to be heard and understood by people, even if that includes strangers. Bizarre days that we live in, non?

So this day is the time to begin, with no knowledge of when the time to end or time to go on hiatus may be. Such an adventure it is! I shall pack a sweater and some granola bars, and perhaps a little spending money (you never know when you'll want to pick up a souvenir).

Since no one likes plain text, I'll leave you with a photo of a bookshelf that I made. (Sidenote: I just read Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris and in it, a character calls them 'buckshelves' instead of 'bookshelves,' and I shall be forever tainted by this). Here is my buckshelf:

And another thing... I was woken up this morning with a call from London, being asked for my shoe size. In the context of real life, it makes complete sense... but in the context of being woken up, it's fairly surreal.