First, an apology to you all. I'm sorry, I wish I could be more on top of this blog, but this past week had this adventurer more occupied than he prefers. But I shall try my best to keep up with it. After all, I only have a short time until I embark for my next grand adventure, one that'll last 2 years and keep me away from bloggin'! More on that later.
Today's post is a small one, but hopefully it'll dig into your head and plant an idea, which I hope you'll nurture with further thought.
Why not you?
I'm a big-fan of NBC's Biggest Loser, and a bigger fan of one of its staples: Jillian Michaels. She's a powerhouse to say the least. Anyways, I'm a "fan" of her on Facebook (do we still use that term? Fan? I should say I "like" her on Facebook... This explorer can't keep with these changin' times!) and she updates her profile fairly often. Usually its about nutrition, exercise, facts about food, jazz like that. But about a month ago she posted something a bit out of the norm... Here's the exact post:
Today I want you to ask yourself this one question - "Why not you?" Why not you to do something for work that you love? Why not you to have a healthy body? Why not you to have healthy love? Why not you to be, have, or do anything you have ever dreamed?! We are so quick to think others are deserving over ourselves. The truth is that we are all deserving so WHY NOT YOU?!
Is it poetic? Certainly not. But that's OK. It's message rings clear to me. I have always been one of great ambition and drive, with large hopes and dreams, but every now and then I find myself in a lull, and those dreams just don't seem attainable. They seem beyond me. Despite everything I believe in, despite any inner-strength I may have, I cave in to these sorrowful thoughts, and I'm sure many of you do too. I'll leave that dream to someone more talented, to someone who isn't me.
Should these thoughts come into your head, smack 'em right out. These are moments of weakness, not of truth or realization. Why should you not be as deserving? Though I may lack in talent compared to the "prodigies" of this world, I feel an ambition within me that not one of those talent-hogs can ever take away from me.
So look at yourself, look at your goals. Really give thought to those dreams. Other people have succeeded. Other people have earned their dream job. Other people have found their love. Other people have lost the weight. Other people have achieved the impossible. Why not you?
Keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... make today an adventure!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
A Time To Make Believe
"In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun" -Mary Poppins
It was a beautiful morning in the Salahm Valley, but famed-explorer Dr. Hayden Evans could not see. The ruthless cannibals of Mount Kill-‘em-and-Jar-’em had imprisoned Evans and his other faithful explorers when his crew had attempted to recover stolen provisions that rightfully belonged to the helpless people of Mang Tao. For years the people of Mang Tao have been at the mercy of the barbaric and thieving cannibals, and Evans (having befriended Mang Tao several years prior on a goodwill expedition) felt it was his duty to reclaim these precious provisions and medicines so that Mang Tao will not fall prey to a great oncoming disease. However, things had not gone as planned, and Evans’ crew found themselves locked away in a dark hut within the village of these cannibals, which was perched high on Mount Kill-‘em-and-Jar-‘em. However, to Evans’ great fortune, the cannibals had not seized his trusty switchblade he kept concealed in his boot. In a few moments, Evans and his men were freed! The provisions were quickly located and reclaimed, and the crew of adventurers began their descent down the mountainside.
The cannibals quickly came to realize that their prisoners were rushing down the mountain, so they pursued the escapees. Before they could catch them, however, Evans’ and his men had boarded “The Excursion” (Evans’s trusty aircraft) and were well on their way to the village of Mang Tao.
Halfway across the great Salahm Savannah, it was clear that The Excursion did not have enough fuel to last them the rest of the trip, and an emergency landing was eminent. Evans (a master aviator) gently glided his plane to a halt, and informed his men that they needed to head to base camp, (a one-day journey) gather fuel, refuel, and pick up Evans at Mang Tao for the flight home.
Evans, now equipped with only the clothes on his back, the Mang Tao provisions, and a few meager supplies, began journeying across the vast savannah. The ground began to rumble, and Evans soon found himself in the middle of a ravaging stampede of elephants! How he managed to escape without even a scratch or scrape remains a mystery today.
Though the savannah was now miles behind, Evans knew his perils were far from over. Before he could reach the Irdani River where he would then board his riverboat, he had to trudge through miles of bogs and mud-pits. Evans, always a genius, avoided being dragged into the muddy depths by “staying light on his feet,” as he would later claim.
The river was now in sight, and to Evans’ great relief, his steamer was waiting for him at the dock. Down the treacherous Irdani River he rode, water-vipers sneaking out from unseen tributaries, attacking at random, and hippos charging left and right. The perilous river excursion lasted 2 days, so dry-land was a welcome sight for Dr. Evans. However, having gone by river, Evans was inconveniently positioned below Mang Tao, which resides on clifftops many feet above the Irdani River. He knew the people of Mang Tao were nearly moments away from widespread-illness, so Evans began the arduous ascent up the sheer cliff. The climb was intense, but Evans had hiked the highest peaks in the world; no doubt he could conquer the task before him.
The medicines were successfully delivered, and the people of Mang Tao were overjoyed. To celebrate, they overwhelmed Evans with their precious cocoa; a cocoa far greater than the American “chocolate” Evans was so accustomed to.
To add to his jubilation, Evans was thrilled to discover that his crew was just flying in to pick him up! Evans thanked the people of Mang Tao for their generous spirits, blessed them that they may prosper in good health for many years, boarded the plane, and was soon miles above in the sky. The view of the Sallahm Valley was spectacular, and Evans remarked that he enjoyed the Sallahm Valley much more from 15,000 ft. in the air, as opposed to being in the thick of it.
Only a few miles from the landing strip in Pasadena, California, Evans was shocked to discover that the Excursion was (once again) running low on fuel. His fellow adventurers grew frightful, but Evans knew that his Excursion would see them through. He accelerated, the landing strip rapidly approaching, the fuel gauge rapidly dropping. The plane lost all fuel, but Evans, being the master aviator that he was, successfully utilized the air currents to carry him safely to the landing strip. The people of Pasadena and the world over celebrated the arrival of Dr. Hayden Evans, as he had, once again, successfully completed yet another adventure!
...When in reality, I (Hayden Evans) woke up, headed to the top of a hill, ran down the hill, ran alongside busy streets, ran on muddy ground, had some dogs attack me, followed a canal for a mile or so, ran up a few hills, had some power-gel (chocolate flavored, mind you) at my turn-around point, and the remainder of my run was a difficult (but manageable) uphill. But that isn't nearly as exciting. I like my version better.
So the gist of this article? Make today an adventure, even if you have to dust off the old imagination (though I hope yours is a well-oiled machine!) Adventure is constantly around you, perhaps all you need to do is alter your perspective. I can't wait to see what adventures Explorer Evans will go on next.
Keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... make today (and every moment) an adventure!
...When in reality, I (Hayden Evans) woke up, headed to the top of a hill, ran down the hill, ran alongside busy streets, ran on muddy ground, had some dogs attack me, followed a canal for a mile or so, ran up a few hills, had some power-gel (chocolate flavored, mind you) at my turn-around point, and the remainder of my run was a difficult (but manageable) uphill. But that isn't nearly as exciting. I like my version better.
So the gist of this article? Make today an adventure, even if you have to dust off the old imagination (though I hope yours is a well-oiled machine!) Adventure is constantly around you, perhaps all you need to do is alter your perspective. I can't wait to see what adventures Explorer Evans will go on next.
Keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... make today (and every moment) an adventure!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Spreading Your Wings
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| (c) 2006 Amelia Earhart by CMG Worldwide |
I encourage all of you to dedicate a few minutes of your time learning about Amelia Earhart. Her words and deeds are too inspiring to overlook. There is much more to this lady than a plane-crash.
This brief "history lesson" on Ms. Earhart is not to inform, but to inspire. Amelia Earhart was not born into a time where any woman could hop into their Lockheed Electra and skim the stratosphere, nor was it typical to even have a woman desire to fly. But Earhart had a spark, no, a flame of passion inside here. She was not content with sitting idly by. She didn't just want to run through life, she wanted to soar.
So the question is: How about you? Are you content with where you stand now, with where your heading? Is your sight set low, or are you looking at the clouds? What a shame it would be to feel moderately content or comfortable with life, to be somewhat satisfied with your life's course. (Now please, savor life, be happy and content with the blessings you are so liberally given. Don't get me wrong here.) Though the ascent is difficult, and you'll be pushed and pulled in every way, you will obtain what you want, what you were destined to achieve, what your God had always planned for you.
Speaking only from my point-of-view, I must say that I am excited, that I am ready. I feel as if I'm in the cockpit, my propellor is whirling, my gauges are all checked out, my belt securely fastened... All I need is the go-ahead from control. Then all of you better look to the sky: this pilot is breaking barriers.
Keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... Make today an adventure.
Keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... Make today an adventure.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
The Illustrating Man
Hello fellow explorers! I come to you today with exciting news: I have began illustrating a children's book! A dear friend of mine, Craig Barton (remember that name, it'll be on bookshelves EVERYWHERE when this bad-boy is done!) wrote a small book some time ago, and asked me last year if I was interested in illustrating for him. After reading it, I had to be a part of this project. And now my life is free enough that I can start working on these illustrations!
The story is a simple one, but man-oh-man, does it tug at your heart strings. I just finished reading it again (for the upteenth-time) and it still makes me misty-eyed; no doubt it will do the same for you. It has a great heart to it, and I'm honored Craig chose me to illustrate it. I won't say too much about the book, I wouldn't want to spoil it for you all! But stay tuned, explorers! I'll be sure to keep you posted on this project's progress. (Whoa, lot of P's there.) If all goes according to plan, I should have the illustrations done by the end of March, or within the first week of April.
ADVENTURE #3: Illustrate a Book
Don't think I'm ending this post just yet! NO SIR! I figured I'd take this time to update you on my half-marathon training progress. It is going great. Splendid, even! I may go so far as to say it is simply supercalifragilisticexpealidocious. Today I ran for 5 miles, though I felt like... like...
♪ ♫ I could have ran all day, and still have begged for more! ♪ ♫
...Well, maybe not that long. But the training is going well, and it's incredible to see how it affects every other facet in my life.: I sleep better, I'm more awake, my emotions are more controlled, I find that I am happier more than usual, I feel great in my own skin... Bah-bah-bah-bah-bah, I'm lovin' it! Next week's runs range anywhere from 2 miles to 4 miles, and I'll end the week with a 6-miler. Progress is happening, folks!
Keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... Make today an adventure.
The story is a simple one, but man-oh-man, does it tug at your heart strings. I just finished reading it again (for the upteenth-time) and it still makes me misty-eyed; no doubt it will do the same for you. It has a great heart to it, and I'm honored Craig chose me to illustrate it. I won't say too much about the book, I wouldn't want to spoil it for you all! But stay tuned, explorers! I'll be sure to keep you posted on this project's progress. (Whoa, lot of P's there.) If all goes according to plan, I should have the illustrations done by the end of March, or within the first week of April.
ADVENTURE #3: Illustrate a Book
Don't think I'm ending this post just yet! NO SIR! I figured I'd take this time to update you on my half-marathon training progress. It is going great. Splendid, even! I may go so far as to say it is simply supercalifragilisticexpealidocious. Today I ran for 5 miles, though I felt like... like...
♪ ♫ I could have ran all day, and still have begged for more! ♪ ♫
...Well, maybe not that long. But the training is going well, and it's incredible to see how it affects every other facet in my life.: I sleep better, I'm more awake, my emotions are more controlled, I find that I am happier more than usual, I feel great in my own skin... Bah-bah-bah-bah-bah, I'm lovin' it! Next week's runs range anywhere from 2 miles to 4 miles, and I'll end the week with a 6-miler. Progress is happening, folks!
Keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... Make today an adventure.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
A Shaky Wing
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| Mount Everest. Photo property of Mountain7.com |
Erik Weihenmayer. Perhaps you've heard of him? No? Well, I can't say I'm ashamed of you. It was only a few days ago that I actually learned his name. His accomplishment is definitely easier to remember than his name, I promise. Erik Weihenmayer summited Mt. Everest in 2001. Erik Weihenmayer is blind.
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| Erik Weihenmayer on Everest. Photo courtesy of primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk |
Have you digested that yet? What a remarkable feat. Too survive such a grueling excursion, without the aid of sight, a basic sense; How could you not be inspired? I'm afraid I'm a little speechless myself at the moment, I guess I'll just let Mr. Weihenmayer's accomplishment speak for itself.
Erik Weihenmayer is an adventurer, to say the very least. (Now brace yourself for one heck-of-a-stretch-transition) You are too. Have I not established that yet in every blogpost? The opportunities for adventure surround you every day. You may be on a fair amount of expeditions now. Are you an adventurer? You bet. Do we, like Erik Weihenmayer, have our handicaps? Certainly. I know I do...
It was in 6th Grade, and I stood in the front of the class to read them my well-researched paper. After the opening sentence, the classroom started laughing. Which would have been alright, had my paper been humorous. I was so confused. I put down my paper, and asked why everyone was laughing, hoping that I had simply missed out on something funny (someone made a funny face, their fly was down, or maybe some kid broke wind). But no, they were laughing at me. Turns out my hands were shaking, and shaking bad enough to draw attention. I shrugged it off, told them it was nothing, and kept reading. But to my surprise, my hands WERE shaking, and not so subtly. I went home, told my mom what had happened, and it was clear that she knew all to well what I was experiencing.
My hands shake, almost constantly, and they shake pretty bad. I've grown up with it, as has my mother, and her mother as well. It definitely has not been easy having "unsteady" hands... People constantly asking if I'm OK, spilling water on myself at restaurants, the list goes on and on. But when you're a kid who just loves to draw, and your hands can barely manage a straight line? It's hard. I have always loved to draw, ever since I was a kid. Around 5th-7th Grade I realized that I had a talent for it, but my hands held me back, somewhat. I told myself that someone with hands like mine, hands that don't function properly, could never make art. But with the great help from family and friends, I kept pushing. I kept drawing. I fought past my grandpa hands, (ha!) and I established my talent. A day has not gone by that I have not drawn.
And today? I still draw everyday. I do several art-commissions, for people all across the USA. I have completed thousands of personal art-projects. I feel like I have a promising future as an animator. And yes, my hands still shake. I may not have summited the highest-peak, but I worked past what was my greatest enemy. I would not let my hands defeat me. Now, my hands are working for me. And in that fact, I am an adventurer.
Keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... Make today an adventure.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Go Ahead, Make Someone's Day
Each year comes with countless celebrations: birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays receive a great amount of attention, which they deserve. Halloween and Christmas always find me more excited than the year previous. Speckled throughout the year are many other life-milestones, like welcoming a new baby into the world, graduating, accomplishing various challenges, etc. Most every week, we find a small reason to celebrate: we aced a test, we did really well at work, we made a delicious dinner... And most definitely every day gives us dozens, if not hundreds of small opportunities to rejoice and celebrate. They are omnipresent, which sadly plays to their disadvantage. These minute blessings are too often overlooked and unnoticed, but it is a sure-fact that they are greater and far more significant than any New Years bash, Christmas feast, or Halloween candy. (Well, maybe not better than Halloween candy. But just maybe.)
Your house. your friends. Your neighbors. Your health. Your (fill in the blank).
Your family. They are worth a daily brass-band parade. I feel this everyday with my family, through their unique humor, their great hearts, their power, their knowledge. Their small and subtle nuances make them the fantastic people that they are. I only wish I could shower them constantly with gifts and manifestations of my love... Oh wait! I do believe I can! Through respect, love, compassion, laughter, I can show them that I love them entirely, that I love them unconditionally. But sometimes you just want to do that something "extra" for those in your life, you know? So do it! What on earth are you waiting for??
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| Photo Property of Disney/Pixar |
In case you haven't deduced this already, I'm a big fan of Disney-Pixar's Up. You could say it's the greatest inspiration behind this thread, even behind my every-action...Ha! And I'm sure you're all plenty sick of me screaming "ADVENTURE!" by now. But I'd like to reference one of my favorite lines in the movie for this blog-post; it's relevance is too poignant to not quote. Russell, the small (and ridiculously adorable) wilderness-explorer is telling his older friend Carl about the special tradition he shared with his father. They would sit out on a curb, eat ice-cream, and count the number of red or blue cars that passed by. "That might sound boring," Russell says, "but I think the boring stuff is the stuff I remember the most."
You don't need to give a gift wrapped up in paper. Celebrating someone special doesn't require a cake-with-candles. Sometimes the greatest gift you can give is your undivided attention. Maybe you could play games, color, cook, play, laugh, or draw together. Perhaps you could watch (and even enjoy) their favorite movie. Send them a simple card saying I Love You. Make/Buy them a special treat. Sing and dance together. You know best what your friends' and family's interests are... Cater your "gift" around that! You don't need to surprise them with a 2-week vacation to the Bahamas. Remember, sometimes (if not every time) the "boring" stuff is the stuff you'll remember and cherish most.
Keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... Make today an adventure, for you AND someone you love!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Find Something New For You
Here's some interesting advice: Try a new food.
When this was given to me, I casually blew it off. I have a varied palette, I'm not afraid to try new foods... But upon further examination, I realized that it had been quite some time since I had tried something new! It had been weeks, maybe a month! Bad form, Mr. Evans. Bad form indeed.
So I've taken the initiative: I'm going to try something new! So I tried grapefruit for the first time, I sautéed the onions on my sandwich in a new blend of herbs, panini-pressed a peanut-butter & banana sandwich. You don't have to sample the rare Jangowäen-Fruit of Zombawäin (mostly because neither of those things don't exist...) to accomplish this task. Try a new recipe, put a little cinnamon on your fruit, be creative with how you assemble your turkey sandwich. Then take this principle and thrust it into every other facet of your life. Variety is the spice of life, and you want a rich bouillabaisse of experiences, not a simple Kraft Mac-n-Cheese. In doing this, I guarantee you will find an excitement in doing the day's small tasks. That "spirit of adventure" that I mention so much? Here's step one in discovering your inner adventurer! In finding a thrill with these small adjustments, your mind will be constantly on the lookout for ways to find excitement in every aspect of your day. A few days back, I saw my family passively enjoying their Monday, I believe we were all watching TV. A shame, really, to be so close to each other but not connecting with each other... So I seized the free-time we all had, and I asked my family if they wanted to play a round of Hide-N-Seek. They all leapt up, and we played for at least a half-hour. When we could have been lazily gazing at the television, watching a show I'm sure we had all seen before, we instead decided to spend our time as a family doing something engaging and entertaining. If that isn't living life as an adventure, I don't know what is!
Do you accept my offer? I would love to hear from you what you plan on doing new this week. Feel free to post! Keep it simple, keep it fun, and if you can get some other folks involved... even greater.
Keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... Make today an adventure!
When this was given to me, I casually blew it off. I have a varied palette, I'm not afraid to try new foods... But upon further examination, I realized that it had been quite some time since I had tried something new! It had been weeks, maybe a month! Bad form, Mr. Evans. Bad form indeed.
So I've taken the initiative: I'm going to try something new! So I tried grapefruit for the first time, I sautéed the onions on my sandwich in a new blend of herbs, panini-pressed a peanut-butter & banana sandwich. You don't have to sample the rare Jangowäen-Fruit of Zombawäin (mostly because neither of those things don't exist...) to accomplish this task. Try a new recipe, put a little cinnamon on your fruit, be creative with how you assemble your turkey sandwich. Then take this principle and thrust it into every other facet of your life. Variety is the spice of life, and you want a rich bouillabaisse of experiences, not a simple Kraft Mac-n-Cheese. In doing this, I guarantee you will find an excitement in doing the day's small tasks. That "spirit of adventure" that I mention so much? Here's step one in discovering your inner adventurer! In finding a thrill with these small adjustments, your mind will be constantly on the lookout for ways to find excitement in every aspect of your day. A few days back, I saw my family passively enjoying their Monday, I believe we were all watching TV. A shame, really, to be so close to each other but not connecting with each other... So I seized the free-time we all had, and I asked my family if they wanted to play a round of Hide-N-Seek. They all leapt up, and we played for at least a half-hour. When we could have been lazily gazing at the television, watching a show I'm sure we had all seen before, we instead decided to spend our time as a family doing something engaging and entertaining. If that isn't living life as an adventure, I don't know what is!
Do you accept my offer? I would love to hear from you what you plan on doing new this week. Feel free to post! Keep it simple, keep it fun, and if you can get some other folks involved... even greater.
Keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... Make today an adventure!
Monday, February 28, 2011
In A Committed Relationship
The date has been set! I'm so excited! Now the planning begins. I just need to pick what to wear, who to invite, I definitely need to figure out music...
No, those aren't wedding-bells I'm hearing. If anything, I'm hearing the bang of a gun and the heavy heaving and panting of 1,000+ sweaty runners. But I have officially registered for the Salt Lake City Half-Marathon, so let's do this thing!
...Well, let's do this thing tomorrow. You see, I'm still recovering from my toenail-surgery. I just have to tell you all, last weekend was brutal. Brutal because it was so not brutal. I had friends bringing me delicious food (which I greatly appreciated, don't get me wrong here) I sat all the live-long day, and for some reason it just drove me crazy. C'mon, why would I want to take it easy when I was soaring? My bandages will come off on Wednesday, so I can get back to my flying soon enough.
The race will be April 16th, 2011 at 7:00 AM. I think it can safely be assumed that a lot is going to happen from now until then, and you can be sure to hear all about it right here.
Until next time, keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... Make today an adventure!
No, those aren't wedding-bells I'm hearing. If anything, I'm hearing the bang of a gun and the heavy heaving and panting of 1,000+ sweaty runners. But I have officially registered for the Salt Lake City Half-Marathon, so let's do this thing!
...Well, let's do this thing tomorrow. You see, I'm still recovering from my toenail-surgery. I just have to tell you all, last weekend was brutal. Brutal because it was so not brutal. I had friends bringing me delicious food (which I greatly appreciated, don't get me wrong here) I sat all the live-long day, and for some reason it just drove me crazy. C'mon, why would I want to take it easy when I was soaring? My bandages will come off on Wednesday, so I can get back to my flying soon enough.
The race will be April 16th, 2011 at 7:00 AM. I think it can safely be assumed that a lot is going to happen from now until then, and you can be sure to hear all about it right here.
Until next time, keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... Make today an adventure!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Let's Have A Look Back...
Wow, do my toes hurt. I really wasn't expecting them to be this bad, but when I woke up (after a difficult night of wanting to toss-and-turn but having to keep my body flat) my toes felt on the verge of bursting! For all I know, they could have. Man, I sure wish I could have gone running today. It would help with the guilt I'm feeling now from eating the delicious "get-well-soon"snacks provided by my wonderful amigos (You know who you are, and GRACIAS!) But these things take time, and I don't want to rush recovery. I want this problem fixed and I want it fixed right! In the meantime, I'll somehow find a way to manage with my beautiful new... sandals. Oh, didn't you hear? Black-and-blocky shoes are totally in season now.
Oh, I'll get back to posting about my "adventurous" life soon, but I just wanted to take a moment to look back on some things.
So I just got back from a friends house, and the subject of being heavy when we were younger briefly came up (I told you I'd post about it! Haha!) Well, to be honest, I've never been huge. I've never had a horrible weight-problem, I've never been obese. But I don't want to be too lenient with myself; Many years back (in Junior High) I was struggling. Though I never weighed myself in those years (self-esteem issues can be a royal-pain in the rear) I'm willing to bet that at my heaviest, I was anywhere from 180-200. (I'm totally just spit-balling here) I hadn't even grown to my current height yet! Well, couple being a few pounds overweight with the emotions of being a teenager, and naturally you'll end up with a pretty poor feeling of self-worth.
But I do have to give 14/15 year-old Hayden credit... He recognized a problem before it got out of hand, and he promised himself he'd work on it and fix it. And though these past years have brought a fair share of trials and tribulations, things have all worked out. I'm now sitting at 164 pounds, my body-fat percentage is that of an "athlete" (still can't tell you how truly happy that makes me) I run and I run hard, and I am really proud of what I have done and how far I have come. True, you can always improve and keep going, but I just wanted to take this moment to pat myself on the back. (hopefully you can take the opportunity to do that yourself today! Even if it's not in regards to weight-loss, give yourself a well-deserved compliment. AND DO IT NOW.)
I make it sound like my happiness is solely dependent on my weight... Please, don't let yourself think that. There are several other factors that have helped evolve my happiness that I sure hope to cover throughout the course of this blog. A loving family, a spiritual journey, a great friend, a man and his mouse... All of these things have played such a positive role in my life. They make me want to make each day worth remembering. They make each day an adventure. Speaking of which, I can't wait to show you all what I have been working on! Until tomorrow (actually later today, shame on me for staying up so late) keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... Make today an adventure!
Oh, I'll get back to posting about my "adventurous" life soon, but I just wanted to take a moment to look back on some things.
So I just got back from a friends house, and the subject of being heavy when we were younger briefly came up (I told you I'd post about it! Haha!) Well, to be honest, I've never been huge. I've never had a horrible weight-problem, I've never been obese. But I don't want to be too lenient with myself; Many years back (in Junior High) I was struggling. Though I never weighed myself in those years (self-esteem issues can be a royal-pain in the rear) I'm willing to bet that at my heaviest, I was anywhere from 180-200. (I'm totally just spit-balling here) I hadn't even grown to my current height yet! Well, couple being a few pounds overweight with the emotions of being a teenager, and naturally you'll end up with a pretty poor feeling of self-worth.
But I do have to give 14/15 year-old Hayden credit... He recognized a problem before it got out of hand, and he promised himself he'd work on it and fix it. And though these past years have brought a fair share of trials and tribulations, things have all worked out. I'm now sitting at 164 pounds, my body-fat percentage is that of an "athlete" (still can't tell you how truly happy that makes me) I run and I run hard, and I am really proud of what I have done and how far I have come. True, you can always improve and keep going, but I just wanted to take this moment to pat myself on the back. (hopefully you can take the opportunity to do that yourself today! Even if it's not in regards to weight-loss, give yourself a well-deserved compliment. AND DO IT NOW.)
I make it sound like my happiness is solely dependent on my weight... Please, don't let yourself think that. There are several other factors that have helped evolve my happiness that I sure hope to cover throughout the course of this blog. A loving family, a spiritual journey, a great friend, a man and his mouse... All of these things have played such a positive role in my life. They make me want to make each day worth remembering. They make each day an adventure. Speaking of which, I can't wait to show you all what I have been working on! Until tomorrow (actually later today, shame on me for staying up so late) keep your goggles clean and your compass steady... Make today an adventure!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Down & Out? I Don't Think So
I've been blogging about my running for a mere 4 days now, and I already have to take a break. LAME.
But I can promise you that I'm not taking this hiatus because I want to. I just got back from the doc's, where he corrected my ingrown toenails on both big toes. It's a surgery I've been needing for awhile, and it'll help my running significantly; now I won't have to worry about hurting my feet when I run. But if I want my wee-little-toes to heal properly, I have to stay in bed with my feet elevated for 24 hours, I have to be easy on my feet until next Tuesday, and the doc said I shouldn't run for at least another week, maybe even a week and some change.
But are my skies grey? Are clouds moving in?
NEV-AH!
I'm stuck in a bed, but I'm going to crank out a lot of art projects, mark my words! Heck, I may even post them on this blog, seeing as my thousands of followers will not stop demanding them of me... :) (is it wrong that I want this blog to go all Julie Powell?) I have commissions to finish, personal projects that need to be started, and a lot of mindless doodling that is long past due. I am excited for this weekend, and this break from running, although it scares me from a training stand-point, is currently well-received. (My first run after recovery is going to be interesting, that's all I'll say)
Oh, I have some great news! I had a skin-fold test today, and my results definitely put a smile on my face. My fat-percentage is now low enough that I my body composition is considered to be: Athletic. Not average, not OK, not satisfactory, not fit... ATHLETIC! Boo-yah.
But I can promise you that I'm not taking this hiatus because I want to. I just got back from the doc's, where he corrected my ingrown toenails on both big toes. It's a surgery I've been needing for awhile, and it'll help my running significantly; now I won't have to worry about hurting my feet when I run. But if I want my wee-little-toes to heal properly, I have to stay in bed with my feet elevated for 24 hours, I have to be easy on my feet until next Tuesday, and the doc said I shouldn't run for at least another week, maybe even a week and some change.
But are my skies grey? Are clouds moving in?
NEV-AH!
I'm stuck in a bed, but I'm going to crank out a lot of art projects, mark my words! Heck, I may even post them on this blog, seeing as my thousands of followers will not stop demanding them of me... :) (is it wrong that I want this blog to go all Julie Powell?) I have commissions to finish, personal projects that need to be started, and a lot of mindless doodling that is long past due. I am excited for this weekend, and this break from running, although it scares me from a training stand-point, is currently well-received. (My first run after recovery is going to be interesting, that's all I'll say)
Oh, I have some great news! I had a skin-fold test today, and my results definitely put a smile on my face. My fat-percentage is now low enough that I my body composition is considered to be: Athletic. Not average, not OK, not satisfactory, not fit... ATHLETIC! Boo-yah.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Finding That Inspiration
(This post is not of a new adventure, but a closer look into my experiences as a runner. I promise it's just as good, and wreaks of sentiment, tenderness, emotion and such just as much, if not more so, than the other posts.)
Running on a treadmill; sadly, it isn't ideal. But when the world outside is boasting single-digit temperatures, and the wind and the snow aren't in short supply, I'm afraid the thought of running outdoors holds absolutely no appeal. Shocking, I know. So, as you've probably assumed, I've spent a majority of my winter-running in a noisy, congested gym, sweating and slaving on that glorified spinning belt. (To the treadmill's credit, it does charge my iPod. Which is spectacular. But don't tell it I said that, it's still on my bad side.)
Running outside is such an incredible sensory experience. You feel your progress, you enjoy the sun, the scenes, the energy. Running indoors, although a sensory experience... it ain't a pretty one. It smells terrible, you're stuck in the same spot for up to an hour-and-a-half, and you keep running at the same pace on the same ground looking at the same wall. So you really have to dig deep when you press "Start" and that belt gets a-goin'.
What helps? Music. Definitely music. Great music gets you physically, emotionally, and mentally invested in your run. But even inspiration via music has it's limit. I can only listen to "nameless motivating song" so many times before its purpose shifts from inspiring to maddening. I've heard it's nice to workout in a gym because it puts your mind in a competitive mode: you want to beat the guy next to you! Sure, that works when you're on the same page physically speaking, even if you're running along side a fit person you feel you can "one up", but when Señor Speedy-McBuffpants is attempting to break the sound-barrier on the treadmill next to you, it's a little hard to be that little-engine-that-could.
The worst part of the treadmill-experience? The clock. Try as hard as you can, but sooner or later you're going to catch a glance of that clock and realize that you've only been running for 13 minutes when you could swear it's been at least 30. That's a big confidence-bummer. But it's at that time when you really have to do some self-evaluation: Why am I on this treadmill? What else could I be doing right now? Is this the best thing for me? Do I have what it takes to finish this hour run, even though it's only be 10 minutes and I can hear St. Peter calling my name?
I experienced all of these doubts today, and a handful more. I promised myself that I was going to run a 5K in under 28 minutes. I had already exhausted myself with weight-lifting, so I knew that this run wasn't going to be pretty. For some inexplicable reason I felt like being especially malicious to myself, so I cranked up the speed and set the incline high. Why did I do this? CAN I do this?!?
You bet I can. It's gonna suck, and oh-boy it did, but I am going to feel so great afterwards. Sure, I want to stop. I'm sure I could go home and catch up on my Paula Deen. But this is not going to kill me, I can push past this minor mental-block, and I'm going to feel so proud, so happy, and so gosh-darn awesome that I not only finished, but I excelled*. I ran faster and stronger than I had thought I would. The inspiration HAS to come from within. Superficial motivators, though nice to have, are not the necessities. That burning-passion within you is what's going to make that dream come true.
This quote kept me going today:
"Regardless of how distant your dreams may seem, every second counts."
That's a quote by a pro-runner (who's name escapes me...) for runners, but it's one of those beauties that can be applied to any facet of life, and is a large influence on the theme of this blog. No doubt you'll see it pop up again soon. I hope it means something to you, because it speaks such a great truth: You want to run a marathon? You better start running. You want to be a famous artist? Pick up that brush. You want the world to worship your recipes? Start cookin'.
*For those who care, I ran 3.1 miles in 27.33. And yes, I am ridiculously proud of that.
Running on a treadmill; sadly, it isn't ideal. But when the world outside is boasting single-digit temperatures, and the wind and the snow aren't in short supply, I'm afraid the thought of running outdoors holds absolutely no appeal. Shocking, I know. So, as you've probably assumed, I've spent a majority of my winter-running in a noisy, congested gym, sweating and slaving on that glorified spinning belt. (To the treadmill's credit, it does charge my iPod. Which is spectacular. But don't tell it I said that, it's still on my bad side.)
Running outside is such an incredible sensory experience. You feel your progress, you enjoy the sun, the scenes, the energy. Running indoors, although a sensory experience... it ain't a pretty one. It smells terrible, you're stuck in the same spot for up to an hour-and-a-half, and you keep running at the same pace on the same ground looking at the same wall. So you really have to dig deep when you press "Start" and that belt gets a-goin'.
What helps? Music. Definitely music. Great music gets you physically, emotionally, and mentally invested in your run. But even inspiration via music has it's limit. I can only listen to "nameless motivating song" so many times before its purpose shifts from inspiring to maddening. I've heard it's nice to workout in a gym because it puts your mind in a competitive mode: you want to beat the guy next to you! Sure, that works when you're on the same page physically speaking, even if you're running along side a fit person you feel you can "one up", but when Señor Speedy-McBuffpants is attempting to break the sound-barrier on the treadmill next to you, it's a little hard to be that little-engine-that-could.
The worst part of the treadmill-experience? The clock. Try as hard as you can, but sooner or later you're going to catch a glance of that clock and realize that you've only been running for 13 minutes when you could swear it's been at least 30. That's a big confidence-bummer. But it's at that time when you really have to do some self-evaluation: Why am I on this treadmill? What else could I be doing right now? Is this the best thing for me? Do I have what it takes to finish this hour run, even though it's only be 10 minutes and I can hear St. Peter calling my name?
I experienced all of these doubts today, and a handful more. I promised myself that I was going to run a 5K in under 28 minutes. I had already exhausted myself with weight-lifting, so I knew that this run wasn't going to be pretty. For some inexplicable reason I felt like being especially malicious to myself, so I cranked up the speed and set the incline high. Why did I do this? CAN I do this?!?
You bet I can. It's gonna suck, and oh-boy it did, but I am going to feel so great afterwards. Sure, I want to stop. I'm sure I could go home and catch up on my Paula Deen. But this is not going to kill me, I can push past this minor mental-block, and I'm going to feel so proud, so happy, and so gosh-darn awesome that I not only finished, but I excelled*. I ran faster and stronger than I had thought I would. The inspiration HAS to come from within. Superficial motivators, though nice to have, are not the necessities. That burning-passion within you is what's going to make that dream come true.
This quote kept me going today:
"Regardless of how distant your dreams may seem, every second counts."
That's a quote by a pro-runner (who's name escapes me...) for runners, but it's one of those beauties that can be applied to any facet of life, and is a large influence on the theme of this blog. No doubt you'll see it pop up again soon. I hope it means something to you, because it speaks such a great truth: You want to run a marathon? You better start running. You want to be a famous artist? Pick up that brush. You want the world to worship your recipes? Start cookin'.
*For those who care, I ran 3.1 miles in 27.33. And yes, I am ridiculously proud of that.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Painting My World: Adventure #2
My love for murals began 4-5 years back, when I repainted my bedroom. I wasn't like most boys my age... I didn't opt for a conservative (and tragically boring) egg-shell, nor did I go with any old shade of red, blue, or green. Grey and black? Too harsh, too über-masculine, not me. It was Summer, and with nothing much for the kids to do, my mom thought it'd be a great time to repaint our home's bedrooms. Naturally, she asked what color I wanted to paint my room. Well, I knew what I wanted, but I didn't want to overwhelm my mom with the great, spectacular vision I had of a pirate's tavern; water stains, wine splashes, dirt, and all other "pirate-matter" gushing down my walls... So I broke it down to its simplest form: Tan.
Tan? My mom has always had a brilliant eye for color, and I could tell that "tan" wasn't sitting well with her, and that she wasn't expecting such a suggestion to come from me. But tan it was to be, despite my discontent and despite my mother's hesitation. The time came to buy paint, and just to make sure, my mom asked me, "what do you really want your room to look like?" Gotta love that mother's instinct. I began gushing about my vision. I showed her pictures I had drawn, reference photos, I described to her in great detail everything I wanted my room to look like. My mom smiled, gave my idea the thumbs-up, and forward we went with this new plan. (Looking back, I'm really not surprised that my mom accepted my wild idea, simply because she's such an amazing mom.)
For the next few weeks, my mom and I scoured numerous faux-painting books at Barnes & Noble, looked up painting techniques online, my mom even had a painting expert come to give us some advice. I remember the expert being so bewildered by our idea, but she pointed us in the right direction and provided us with all of the tips and info we needed. So armed with brushes, thinner, and sponges (the necessary tools to realize my dream) we began marauding my poor room. We slaughtered that room until it evolved into a dank, dark, damp, dim pirate's lair. Exactly what I had wanted. Add a large iron lantern, attach it to a dimmer, and my room was complete. (Cue flickering candle effect.)
Or was it? I now realized that the walls of my room weren't just walls; they were great canvases that I could just smother with whatever creation I wanted to! Why should I be content with just painting on paper when I had endless expanses of wall at my disposal?! Which brings me to Adventure #2...
ADVENTURE #2: PAINT A MURAL ON MY WALL
It's gotta be big, it's gotta be detailed, and it's gotta be amazing.
The subject of my mural? Well, you're just going to have to keep checking in to find out! ... If any of you are checking in at all. Hello? Anyone reading me? ...Anyone?
Tan? My mom has always had a brilliant eye for color, and I could tell that "tan" wasn't sitting well with her, and that she wasn't expecting such a suggestion to come from me. But tan it was to be, despite my discontent and despite my mother's hesitation. The time came to buy paint, and just to make sure, my mom asked me, "what do you really want your room to look like?" Gotta love that mother's instinct. I began gushing about my vision. I showed her pictures I had drawn, reference photos, I described to her in great detail everything I wanted my room to look like. My mom smiled, gave my idea the thumbs-up, and forward we went with this new plan. (Looking back, I'm really not surprised that my mom accepted my wild idea, simply because she's such an amazing mom.)
For the next few weeks, my mom and I scoured numerous faux-painting books at Barnes & Noble, looked up painting techniques online, my mom even had a painting expert come to give us some advice. I remember the expert being so bewildered by our idea, but she pointed us in the right direction and provided us with all of the tips and info we needed. So armed with brushes, thinner, and sponges (the necessary tools to realize my dream) we began marauding my poor room. We slaughtered that room until it evolved into a dank, dark, damp, dim pirate's lair. Exactly what I had wanted. Add a large iron lantern, attach it to a dimmer, and my room was complete. (Cue flickering candle effect.)
Or was it? I now realized that the walls of my room weren't just walls; they were great canvases that I could just smother with whatever creation I wanted to! Why should I be content with just painting on paper when I had endless expanses of wall at my disposal?! Which brings me to Adventure #2...
ADVENTURE #2: PAINT A MURAL ON MY WALL
It's gotta be big, it's gotta be detailed, and it's gotta be amazing.
The subject of my mural? Well, you're just going to have to keep checking in to find out! ... If any of you are checking in at all. Hello? Anyone reading me? ...Anyone?
Monday, February 21, 2011
And so it begins! Adventure #1
ADVENTURE #1: Run A Marathon
It's an idea I never even considered growing up: running a marathon. Yet here I stand today seriously humoring the thought! I was "kind of" a runner when I was younger, if you'll accept heavily shuffling once every harvest moon running. It hasn't been until recently that I really started to get into this running scene. I began seriously running several months ago, mostly to give me a break from the day's craziness, to feel that wind in my face, and to help me destroy those nasty extra pounds I felt that I had carried throughout my life. Well, it satisfied all conditions! I'm a runner now. It just thrills me to be able to say that.
I'll be honest, though, my runs maxed at about 3-5 miles, a measly distance when compared to the expanses that most other runners cover. Am I a runner? You bet. You want me to run a marathon? Psh. But that's what my Personal Health & Wellness teacher (who happens to be a seasoned marathoner, having ran 10+ marathons in his life, and who also happens to be my father) asked of my class. He said that if we trained properly, regardless of our current fitness-level, we could be well on our way to running a marathon in a matter of months. Then the thought hit me: I wasn't in terrible shape NOW. I could do this marathon! I could accept this challenge!
Both of my parents are runners, and as a kid I just sat on the curb and cheered them on as they ran past. I feel like I spent too much time as a kid sitting on a curb, never wanting to venture forth and risk having an adventure. But not anymore. I'm leaping up and joining the parade! And that parade is going to have to do some serious sprinting to keep up with this guy.
So for about the past two months, I've been training for a marathon. Which, sadly, isn't going to work out (the marathon, that is). Given the fact that I'll be leaving my home in 80 days (a matter I'll discuss in a later post) I cannot physically ready myself to run a marathon in such a short time. So my adventure has had some slight modification...
Adventure #1: Run a HALF-Marathon.
The race: The Salt Lake City Half Marathon. The date: Saturday April 16th, 2010.
(I figure that is 13.1 miles more than I've ever ran in a race-setting before, so that's better than nothing.)
It's an idea I never even considered growing up: running a marathon. Yet here I stand today seriously humoring the thought! I was "kind of" a runner when I was younger, if you'll accept heavily shuffling once every harvest moon running. It hasn't been until recently that I really started to get into this running scene. I began seriously running several months ago, mostly to give me a break from the day's craziness, to feel that wind in my face, and to help me destroy those nasty extra pounds I felt that I had carried throughout my life. Well, it satisfied all conditions! I'm a runner now. It just thrills me to be able to say that.
I'll be honest, though, my runs maxed at about 3-5 miles, a measly distance when compared to the expanses that most other runners cover. Am I a runner? You bet. You want me to run a marathon? Psh. But that's what my Personal Health & Wellness teacher (who happens to be a seasoned marathoner, having ran 10+ marathons in his life, and who also happens to be my father) asked of my class. He said that if we trained properly, regardless of our current fitness-level, we could be well on our way to running a marathon in a matter of months. Then the thought hit me: I wasn't in terrible shape NOW. I could do this marathon! I could accept this challenge!
Both of my parents are runners, and as a kid I just sat on the curb and cheered them on as they ran past. I feel like I spent too much time as a kid sitting on a curb, never wanting to venture forth and risk having an adventure. But not anymore. I'm leaping up and joining the parade! And that parade is going to have to do some serious sprinting to keep up with this guy.
So for about the past two months, I've been training for a marathon. Which, sadly, isn't going to work out (the marathon, that is). Given the fact that I'll be leaving my home in 80 days (a matter I'll discuss in a later post) I cannot physically ready myself to run a marathon in such a short time. So my adventure has had some slight modification...
Adventure #1: Run a HALF-Marathon.
The race: The Salt Lake City Half Marathon. The date: Saturday April 16th, 2010.
(I figure that is 13.1 miles more than I've ever ran in a race-setting before, so that's better than nothing.)
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