Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Take Time Tuesday

Linking up with Katie for her monthly Take Time Tuesday, where we share the things that we are grateful for.


I say during every Take Time Tuesday that I am grateful for my amazing friends/family/coworkers; my health; my home; and all the amazing resources I have at my fingertips. This bears repeating because it is perpetually true.

These days, I am also grateful for:

Warmer days ahead
The local festivals, events, and activities are rolling in and I couldn't be more excited. I've got dozens of things in mind for the coming weeks. Here are a few items on the list:
  • Visiting the Randolph Street Market
  • Getting a summer pool pass to the Chicago Park District and going swimming, preferably outdoors!
  • Visiting lots of restaurants with alfresco dining areas
  • Trying stand-up paddle-boarding again
  • Going to see the Chicago Symphony Orchestra perform Disney's Fantasia at the Ravinia Festival (on my birthday!)
  • Going on a architectural kayak tour
  • Checking out lots of food trucks and farmer's markets

By the way - this blog has become one of my favorite sources for cool things going on in Chicago.

Divvying it up
My Divvy bike-share membership is the best investment ever. It has made getting around so much faster, easier, cheaper, and more efficient. I am thrilled to hear how much the program is continually expanding, too. Things like race packet pickups held in inconvenient locations used to be really frustrating. Now, I can just hop on a Divvy bike and zip on over. It's a total game changer.

I plan to use the heck out of my membership in the warmer months!

Two S's - strength-training and speedwork
I credit these two things for making a huge difference in my training mojo. I continue to be enamored with strength-training for the quick and effective results that it has yielded for me. And I currently have the highest motivation I've ever had to stay on board with weekly speed sessions.


My passport
One of the most valuable things that I own. It literally opens up the world for me. I'm looking forward to adding a Korean stamp to my passport next week.

Flexibility
The calendar is getting a little haywire with all the travel plans, family functions, work deadlines, races, and other commitments. I am grateful that several folks, most notably my mom, have been so accommodating to help fit everything in.

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Your turn! What are you grateful for right now?

8 comments:

  1. Where are you taking your passport???

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    1. I am going to Korea next week to visit my friend Helen!

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  2. Yay for Korea! I wonder what their weather is like now? Guess you'll find out! What a fun birthday treat you have planned. I NEED to go on that kayak tour!

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    1. Thanks so much, Marcia!!! I think their weather is fairly similar to Chicago's, in general - although, I'm told they actually have a spring season there. =D I've been looking at the kayak tour for years, too!

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  3. Ah, darn! I totally forgot Take Time Tuesday this month. Oh well. Next month! You have so many fun things in mind for the summer! I don't really mind winter all that much, but all the cool things to do around Chicago does at least make up for how long winter tends to last around here.

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    1. Actually, Katie ended up posting something else today, so she said her TTT linkup might go up next week instead. So you can still join in the fun. =)

      Thanks Bethany! We definitely get a taste of all four seasons here in Chicago, which is nice. My high school science teacher used to say that if you wanted boring weather, you should move to Florida. But if you want INTERESTING weather, we've got it here in Chicago. Nice positive spin on things, right? =D

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  4. Have fun in Korea! I'm keeping my old passport because it's got a stamp from Russia. I'm probably never going back to Russia and the stamp's in Cyrillic.

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    1. Thanks Lesley! Where in Russia did you visit? I actually have a Russian stamp, too - my mom and I went on a cruise that visited St. Petersburg about 7 years ago. It's definitely one of the most unique stamps I'll probably ever get, as well.

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