I love the smell of March - Kirsten

Over spring break I decided to head home for a few days. The drive was less than pleasing, to say the least. In what was supposed to be a quick 2 hour drive, I managed to pass 4 wrecks, get rear ended on a freeway ramp, and my windshield got hit with a decent enough rock that there is a growing crack in it. It took me just over 4 hours to drive 130 miles. Cheese and rice. Makes me never want to do THAT drive again.

I went home to visit my family in north north north north north Phoenix. The name of their town was just recently added to the weather map, they live in Cave Creek. Anywho, after practicing being a professional couch potato on their couch for the first 2 days, I attended a less traditional wedding. The reception was held at a bar where the groom and his band played during the reception. I ran into an old friend-of-a-friend from college. It was good to see this Scottsdale boy, albeit randomly at a family wedding.

I drove by the house I grew up in, and stopped for a second to take in the memories that were running through my head. Since I had my camera with me, I also grabbed a picture of the house. I must have been less than conspicuous because as I was leaving the neighborhood a cop pulled in and stared at me intently. Oops, look out for the criminal at large that I am.

My two childhood besties came over for a traditional St Pattys day dinner on my last night, prepared by none other than the famous Hart-household chefs: my parents. Yum yum yum, I am still full. The three of us hung out in the back yard and talked of those fun days we had had in college with no less than a full glass of wine in tow.

While home, I took the opportunity to walk around my parents neighborhood. It seemed that everything is blooming: the orange blossoms, the cacti, and all the desert plants. This reminded me just how much I love the smell of March in Arizona.

I really really really wish Ellen would come back from Seattle. I have managed to plod through training on my own so far this week. As much as I know that she is enjoying herself at home, training is just not as fun without her. Imagine my sad pathetic pouty face here. Boooooooo.

What’s a century plant? Well I did my homework people, and now that I am fully edumacated, let me just teach you!

“The flower spike, which is what looks like a giant asparagus, grows at a rate of 5–6 inches per day, and reaches heights of 30 to 35 feet. Legend says the century plant takes one hundred years to bloom. However, century plants in cultivation may bloom much quicker, and Longwood’s living example took full advantage of the ideal conditions the Silver Garden offers. The century plant uses all of its energy to produce this once-in-a-lifetime bloom. After it finished flowering it dies.”

I’m leaving in an hour or two to head back to Tucson for the remainder of spring break. Since today is St Patrick’s day, I will be rocking the green pants tonight. The plan for the rest of the week is to get my two papers done on vulnerable people, and start on the never-ending list of meds to learn for the ICU rotation coming up in 2 weeks. I’d much rather do the med list than write TWO flipping papers on vulnerable people. Happy St Patrick’s Day, drink lots of green beer for me tonight, as I will just be a fly on the wall enjoying the show.

I Love Milk - Ellen

I flew to Seattle yesterday for spring break, and its gonna be rough getting my big behind off the couch without kirsten's cheerful disposition and exciting dating extravaganzas to keep me motivated :) i think i'll be okay though, tomorrow my momma (the imfamous breast cancer survivor!!!), poppa, and I are going to go snow shoeing up in the cascades with my moms Team Survivor friends. Apparently, its "quite a work out" and i won't believe how incredibly sore i will be the next day. whatever. i think they are all full of baloney, and i will be ready for a second day on sunday!!

so this is my first blogging experience. and i really have no idea what to write. kirsten has told me that you need to be in the zone and "feelin it". she is a crazy kook so she could be talking out her ass, but i guess i'll give her the benefit of the doubt and trust her. i'd bet 10:1 that i will just blab on and on most times about random nursing school stuff and whats been happening during my days... VERY interesting for all of you i'm sure. you will all want to be friends with me. i'm quite a qwirky character at times, have no shame, and can frequently cause a good chuckle amongst the group... so mabye i will make it a tradition to end each post witha fun fact about me... some of which may be slightly embarrassing. Oh well.

this morning my mom wanted me to teach her how to do some dance that involved her head going in one direction and her hips in the other direction that vaguely resembled a snake-like motion. dont ask me. i was minding my own business and eating my cereal, and she decided i needed to teach her this random move, that i believe only belongs in a old school MC Hammer video. anyways, i said i didn't know what she was talking about, so she decided to work on her moon-walk instead. This is a very typical morning here in the griffes household. you never know what will happen when you are eating your cereal!!

well, thank goodness that we don't have school for a week, or so!! a break is much needed...and deserved i might add. although i really should read the Devil's Highway and write a paper on a vulnerable population. hmpf. i'd bet 10:1 that these fun tasks won't be happening anytime soon. i will most likely be spending my down moments watching the 4th season of Nip/Tuck.... the best, most bizarre tv series in existence. i haven't progressed in order thoughout the seasons tho. i started with the first, then skipped to the third, then the second.... and now i am on the 4th. So i'm going to have to adjust my thinking from the 2nd season development where we find out that Ava is a man (WTF?!?), past the whole Carver debacle, matts "friendship" with a transvestite, and julia's "natural" face cream in season 3, to whatever the future holds in the 4th season. the suspense cant be any higher!! Kirsten will no doubtedly be spending her down moments watching Grey's anatomy...my other favorite show.

okay well thats enough rambling for now. FUN FACT: on average, i drink about 2 gallons of milk every week!! good thing i live in the flipping desert and am getting enough vitamin D so i absorb all of that flipping calcium, which is a good thing in an of itself.... so i can have strong bones so i can walk all those flipping 60 miles in November!!!

what's a century plant? - Kirsten

Today we walked 5 miles. Ahem, 5.2 miles. After 3 weeks of training, walking a decent distance is getting easier. 

The other day we saw a “century plant.”  Since I rambled something about knowing what it was, and then got asked about it and couldn’t accurately explain the “century” part, it is now my homework to look it up to be able to educate Ellen. Homework answer will be posted later. Maybe a picture, too.

We talked about how we are going to tackle walking in the 115 degree heat we are expecting this summer. Our plan is to just deal with it. Really. Whether we have to go on weekend trips to Flagstaff or San Diego to beat the heat, or if we have to start walking at 4am, we will deal. And hey, who doesn’t love a weekend road trip to somewhere cooler?!!?!

On non-training days, I hit the gym. Well actually I hit the gym almost every day anyways, I just take it easy on the longer weekend walks. Hopefully Ellen is doing the same thing. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t want me texting her every other day with threatening and painfully harassing reminders. Anyways, yesterday I had a clothing mishap at the gym. I’m pretty sure that the two male witnesses were also embarrassed, as evidenced by their quick departure out of that area. Awesome.

Beautiful walk today, I love how it's 75 for a high in MARCH. I look forward to another beautiful day tomorrow!

Goals are a funny thing - Kirsten

In January I made a goal to work out 100 days in a row, to better my overall personal health. Around day #30, still sore as I am every day, I was chatting with a friend of mine. She told me she decided to walk the 3Day 60 mile Breast Cancer walk for her mom. I was like, well I exercise every, I could walk with you! I thought about this over the next few days, we walked together, and we talked a lot about her decision to commit to the 3Day 60 mile Breast Cancer Walk. I knew in my heart that it was something that I could accomplish. I thought about all the people who are near and dear to me who have been affected. It was that week that I committed, and decided that I was going to walk the '3Day' walk in November, with Ellen. There were several personal factors that tied into this decision. So friends, I hope that I have your support in this. I am officially registered, and you can find me on www.the3day.org, under my first and last name. We have put together a training schedule and are sticking to it, except on birthdays ha. I'm so excited about this! I can't believe how passionate I am feeling about this cause!

As of today, I am on day #51. I'm still sore. I'm sore every single day, but I hardly notice it. It's good though, every time Ellen and I train I remember that none of this physical pain or these changes would compare the to pain of breast cancer. And I've made a really good friend. I'm walking for my loved ones, my friends, their moms and Grandmas, and for every woman who faces this awful disease and hopes for a cure. I'm walking for a cure. 

Goals are a funny thing. I started off in January thinking I would work out 100 days in a row, and I plan on finishing that goal. So far, though, I can tell you that I have not only started to lose weight, but I am starting to see the power of physical, mental and emotional strength that comes with committing to a goal, and committing to total mind/body health. I can't believe that one little goal I made in January has changed my outlook on health so much in such a short time. I have to wonder, if every breast cancer patient had the ability to feel this strong, would it affect their fight? So tonight, I hope for the tenacity to continue on this journey. I pray that my body, mind and faith continue to be blessed with strength that I have yet to imagine. I hope that, if for nothing else, I am blessed with enough strength for this 60 mile walk, to fight for those who need someone to fight for them.