In my last blog I wrote, “My immediate goals are to jog 5km, go on a date this summer, see the ocean, and get a good grade in my next class and try and blog more.” I am repeatedly learning that having MS means that it takes me longer to achieve goals. The way I originally envision reaching my goals is always a little different (No surprise there).
Goal 1- Jog 5km
I was ready to conquer this goal! I bought the 5km running application for my iPhone. I believed that with the right outfit and song mix I was going to be running 5km in no time. I knew this won’t be an easy task. I would not let the pesky facts that I have never been athletically inclined or MS stop me. One morning, wearing my cute jogging outfit that resembles a soccer Mom’s uniform, I was off to conquer my goal! The app tells you when to walk and when to jog and over the course of a month you walk less and jog more until you are jogging 5km. I started out well! One foot in front of the other walking straight and to the beat of Kelly Clarkson’s motivational song, “Stronger”. The jogging app interrupts the song to inform me it was now time to jog. Thrusting my arms forward, I began to jog (until it was time to walk again). I was feeling confident. Walking tall tingles started creeping up my leg and grabbed a hold of my left thigh. It felt like my left thigh had inadvertently placed itself in an invisible blood pressure cuff. With each step the cuff seemed to tighten around my left thigh, my left leg stopped wanting to jog and with 8 minutes left in my first jogging session, I did not give up, but I did submit. I walked the rest of my “jogging” session still feeling the cuff around my thigh. I tried repeatedly to jog, each time taken over with tingling limbs. Committed to completing 5km in a race, I have now changed my app to a power walking app. I am a better walker than jogger. I have broken limbs running. I have never broken anything walking. On October 20, 2013 I will be participating in Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, Half Marathon, 5km. I checked the results from 2012 and a person took an hour to complete it, this is an achievable goal. I can do this.
Goal 2- Go on a date
This isn’t as easy as it sounds. I am not exactly Kate Winslet (I think she is beautiful). I don’t have a British accent and I do not have a body that Leonardo Dicaprio wants to draw. I am pretty according to my mother and to a focus group of men over the age of 50. On rare occasions when the curly hair fairy blesses me with a good hair day, I can be attractive. I do have one big problem, I can’t meet men. All the typical ways that you meet men, school, work or friends are dead ends for me. My class is all women. I work in a job that is mostly women and my friends are married, coupled up or gay. They all tell me that they don’t know any single men (they could be lying, but I am choosing to believe them). It is hard to meet men. This leaves me with only one option the INTERNET! I have had scads of bad dates. At 34, I am done with bad dates. I don’t want to waste nights of good energy on bad dates. I also don’t think the MS is something I should worry about because with the right man it won’t matter. Tomorrow night, I am meeting with my married friend to help me create a profile. I am following the guidance of Amy Webb and her insightful Ted Talk- “How I Gamed Online Data to meet my match”.
Goal 3- see the ocean. I am going to Newfoundland in August.
Goal 4- Get a good grade in my next class (Class starts Monday)
Goal 5- Blog more
Oops!
I am not good at this goal. I find that blogging takes a specific energy. When I have energy, I like being out and about. My computer prevents me from going out, she isn’t “cool”. My computer isn’t an apple. I feel sheepish pulling her out at a coffee shop. My computer’s name is Bertha. She is a big sturdy laptop with a great personality. She and I enjoy watching netflicks together. This is not a reference to Jane Eyre or Wide Sargasso Sea. I will try harder at blogging (maybe shorter blogs).
MS will not prevent me from reaching my goals.
my new possibilities project 