chicago+indiana

It is with so much excitement that I can recap my trip to Chicago and Indiana; I've had a whole week to process it all.

Hazel and I had much quality pillow talk time (wherein I always fell asleep first, of course... so sleepy).
I spent Monday with the fabulous Lara Casey, Emily Ley, and Gina Zeidler, doing the hard work at the Making Things Happen intensive and really figuring out what matters most to me and how to get to where I really want to be, and I'm proud to say that I'm on a track that I'm choosing for myself, and I am officially open for business as Caitlin Hamilton Photography! big doins... I owe my "get it!" attitude change to the 30 wonderful women who shared all of themselves with me and allowed me to share myself with them.

 Saw some wonderful, fabulous people I haven't seen in years, Joe and Helen, AND got to meet their incredible daughter Jules for the first time.  Spent some real quality time with my friend Wes for the first time in years; we went to the MCA and both found contemporary art that we didn't hate and that we understood (goal accomplished!).
Hazel convinced me to get my first haircut in 5 years (OMG), and afterwards, I bought some bright pink nail polish on a whim that was just so bright and happy.
I mastered public transit, while looking great.
I got to see Jill and Devin, SUCH a treat. We ventured to the botanical conservatory and to deep dish pizza and shared so many laughs... so wonderful to fall right in with them like we never left each other.
Hazel took me to the Chicago Botanic Gardens, where she does research (because she is AWESOME!) and I gotta tell you, I fell in love with it. I'd love to shoot there someday. It was seriously the most PERFECT fall morning... I had me time without a phone or a camera and it was just incredible. Walking through each section was like walking into a different world every 10 minutes.
Went to Indiana to ride the Hilly, race bloomingcx, and see so many people I have missed so much.
Bakehouse Breakfasts, talks with Alycin, quality time with Teddy, Jim, and Linda, and so much chamois time. The gracious Lyle both feeding us at Scholar's Inn and allowing us to dance up a storm at his house while dressed in Halloween Costumes... his generosity continues to astound me.

I have it all.
Reconnecting with all of these fabulous people helped me so much to reconnect with ME, which is so so so important and I'm forever grateful to have had such a perfect week with you all.

So, you may or may not know that I work at the YMCA in Boulder, and I'm second in command at the front desk... it would seem like I'm kind of a big deal. anyway... it's the kind of job where what you're required to know by your boss and what all the members assume that you know are two VERY different things. For example, I am required to know how to sell memberships and look into member accounts, but members assume that I know EVERYTHING, including how to open the vents to the outside for the basketball gym to adjust the gym temp, and how to put up the heavy punching bag. Fortunately for all parties involved, I thrive on a challenge and am now an expert on all of the above.

The next challenge is now upon me... for my birthday, I received the gift of discovering (because some of my favorite dresses are not fitting) that I really need to fit more exercise into my life in a big way.... my 2 mile run once a week is just not cutting it. So I've been utilizing my staff Y membership (like I should have been all along, geez!) a lot more lately but still having trouble getting motivated and feeling like I'm not really in the groove of it yet.

It's as if the universe knew I needed a little push and encouragement... one of my favorite regular members whom I see at the Y all the time, when I'm working and when I'm working out, came up to me at the desk last night. He said "Hey you... I've found that you never know when you're going to inspire someone." I was only a little confused, and he went on to explain to me that he had seen me running on the Y's indoor track last week, and he said that I just looked so at ease and so relaxed and I looked like I was truly enjoying my run; he said that he had been struggling with running because he just was not into it, but then he saw me and realized he just needed to relax and enjoy the experience. He then said "thank you for inspiring me."

I would consider that a life goal accomplished.

i'm always looking for wonderful inspiration... i happened upon the painter Kim Piotrowski's blog and i LOVE what she does! please enjoy it, she is so talented.

http://kipiboo.blogspot.com/

i love a good brainstorm session inspired by all of that.