Lately, I’ve been kind of tired. I don’t know what’s to blame but recently, my mom helpfully reminded me that I’m not in my 20s anymore. So there’s that. Today, coupled with the tired was maybe PMS or temporary insanity - - and let’s be honest, the 2 are interchangeable. My company has unlimited sick time, I should use it, “Uh. Hello. I won’t be in today. I feel my monthly illness creeping in. No – it isn’t contagious, I just think it’s best for everyone.”
But no. I went in. Good old, dependable me. Much like the girl who showed at a friend’s office and it turned out that she was completely shit faced. The girl, not the friend. She didn’t want to call out so instead she showed up. Drunk. At least I was only mildly crazy.
You know what a good cure for crazy is? Vacation. And my vacation is in 9 work days. I. can. Make. It. In the meantime, I purchased vitamins which Andrea and I dutifully took. Later that day, my urine was an alarming shade of yellow green and I thought, “Now what the fuck?” Then Andrea texted, “These vitamins make my tink green!” And I was reassured that all of my organs were functioning as they should.
I’m signed up to run Falmouth this Sunday which is a 7-mile road race. Emphasis on 7-mile and not race. I’m participating to raise money and awareness for Susan G. Komen and I’ve conned 2 pals into doing it to. This means that the 3 of us need to raise a total of $3,000 so if you haven’t donated and have boobs and/or like boobs, PLEASE consider a donation to help us reach our goal. To be honest, the fundraising part is the easier of the two. As I ran this Sunday, I could feel a blister blossoming under the shitty sock I’d hastily grabbed from the clean clothing. I was running fat and slow and wondering how the Christ I do this to myself - - the commitment to the race and the fundraising, and the eating all the things but especially the wrong things. Then I began to wonder if it was hereditary because my mom recently got herself into a situation, for a “cause”, that’s harmless but can be just as crazy making. We have this pattern…. Then Fight Song by Rachel Platten began to play in my ears which brought my negative self-talk to a screeching halt. And I thought of all the people who are fighting far greater challenges than a 7-mile run or raising money for a good cause. Which is to say that I realized I was being kind of a whiny baby. The company I previously worked for had a video contest of sorts and one of the assisted living communities that I supported submitted a video to Fight Song. This particular community is a nursing facility for people who have Alzheimer’s Disease or other similar memory loss. As I continued to run and sweat, I stopped thinking about the blister on my right foot. Instead, I thought of this video and those residents and their current fight, what they had fought for in their lives, the fight of those who love them, and the staff that cared for them. I’m normally the type of person who doesn’t watch videos but I watched this one and it’s stayed with me for 3 years. I hope you’ll watch it too (with the sound on). Also - I fight to sleep in too so I totally get that guy at 2:20. What do you fight for?
This is my fight song Take back my life song Prove I'm alright song My power's turned on Starting right now I'll be strong I'll play my fight song And I don't really care if nobody else believes 'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me
-Rachel Platten
NOTE: This blog is in no way associated with my prior (or current) employer. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Residents were filmed with consent from family/guardian(s).