The Time
Watching Time
Tick Tock, Tick Tock
Time slowly moves on,
You must use it wisely.
Express yourself.
Let your thoughts flow,
Inform all who do not know
Share life lessons learned
With this you cannot go wrong.
Category: Lifestyle
Articles discussing lifestyle and walking into the future.
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Poetic Flow / The Time
Photo by Jordan Benton on Pexels.com -
House updates
“Home is the nicest word there is”.
(Laura Ingalls Wilder)
The Walk into the Future adventures continue to move forward daily.
I closed on my townhouse in Fort Pierce back in May. This was something I wanted to do when I first moved here but things and conditions did not align for me. Things happen for a reason and in due time—a bit cliché I know but this fits my home buying journey.
I looked for a townhouse to purchase for a little over two years but did not get serious with a real estate agent until Summer 2022. We looked in several areas, but I never got comfortable with prices and/or locations during the early stages. We kept moving forward with the search and the prices started to come back down in early 2023. Worked with my agent to hone into a more detailed search and we began viewing townhouses that fit my stated budget and in areas I wanted to live in.
Found my townhouse less than three miles from where I was living in Fort Pierce. This was a bit ironic because I looked in a lot of other areas but never checked out my own neighborhood.
We made an offer within a week and accepted the small counter offer the following week. Things went quickly once we made the offer, and my agent guided me through the process, and I felt comfortable the entire time. Fast forward and we closed in the early part of May, and I was suddenly a homeowner again. My apartment lease was not due to expire until October but there was a provision in the lease that would allow me out early with a one-time penalty. This was a welcomed provision since I did not have to rush my move and this extra time allowed me to make some upgrades.
Floors
The living area in the townhouse came with tile floors. This was a nice look for the property but both bedrooms and closets had carpet. I’m not a fan of carpet and knew this was going to be removed before I moved in. My realtor connected me with several flooring specialists so I could get quotes to pull up the carpet and install wood laminate floors. Wanted to get this upgrade completed before moving into the townhouse. My flooring guy provided me with a ton of samples to choose from and we agreed on floor color, date of installation and pricing. Took him two days to complete the flooring overhaul and the new look made the place feel bigger and I didn’t have to worry about what the old owners left in the carpet.
Painting
The best time to paint is prior to moving in with furniture. Decided to change the paint scheme throughout the townhouse to brighten it a bit and put my touches on the new place. Got painter recommendations from friends and interviewed two painters. Selected my painter and headed to Home Depot to pick out my paint. The townhouse came with a black accent wall—yes, you read that correctly. There was no way I was keeping the black accent wall. LOL. Picked out a nice and refreshing blue paint for the NEW accent wall and a natural (sand) color for the rest of the townhouse. Left the paint with the painter and got out of his way to upgrade the paint scheme for me.
Appliances
This move-in provided me with an opportunity for a complete reboot of the inside. Purchased the townhouse with appliances but wanted to start fresh. My realtor shared that Home Depot has fantastic appliance sales in conjunction with the 4th of July holiday. I thought she was overstating the sale, but it turns out Home Depot appliance sale is just as great as she stated. Decided to purchase a complete kitchen package and remove the old appliances prior to my official move-in. My new appliances are all under the same warranty and should provide me with years of enjoyment.
Furniture
My original plan was to enter the townhouse with all the furniture I owned. Quickly determined my new place required a furniture upgrade to make it feel complete. My TV console was fine in my old apartment but was too small for the larger space of the townhouse. Also, my dining room table was adequate for the apartment but did not fit the style or feel of my new place. Made a trip to City Furniture and Rooms 2 Go to begin the process of figuring out what I wanted for the new place. Rooms 2 Go had a better selection that fit me so made my large purchases there. The bonus was the free delivery they offer. Still looking to upgrade some of my shelves but very happy with my new furniture and how it looks in the townhouse.
I still have a few more home modifications I want to make in the bathrooms but happy with my progress so far. The townhouse is slowly becoming home for me. Enjoy having a place of my own to come back to after work or a road trip.
What makes your house a home?
Irie!
“A house is made of bricks and beams. A home is made of hopes and dreams”.
(Unknown)
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2023 Celebration of Running 5k
The 2023 running season kicked off with the 2023 Celebration of Running 5k in Winter Park.
I have run this race three years in a row and love the experience. It’s August in Florida so the heat and humidity are high, so this adds to the challenge. I don’t run a lot of 5ks but this one remains on my list because it is flat and provides a training gauge for the year.
I never set out to run a PR here but want to test my physical and mental stamina. The race crowd is not too large, so this helps when trying to avoid other runners at the start.
Decided to line up closer to the front pack of runners to give myself room to operate without having to dodge folks. Still amazing that I know runners from when I lived in Oviedo. It’s almost like they don’t know I’ve been gone 9 years now.
My race goal was to go out and find an even pace. The secondary goal was to run faster than last year. I met both of my goals and enjoyed the race from start to finish.
I found a couple of runners with great paces and decided to hitch a ride with them to challenge myself. This was a fun activity since I train by myself. It was great having others around to inspire me to find another gear. Felt good enough at the end to leave my running companions and put in a good kick to complete the 5k. Crossed the finish line in 28:50.
Collected my medal, water, and banana before making my way to the beer garden. Yes, we drink beer at 8:30 am after races. We eat donuts too! LOL.
This was week 2 of marathon training so needed to get additional miles in after the race. Headed back over to the Seminole Cross Trail to complete my training with 6 miles there. Got a total of 10 miles completed on the day.
Made my way back to the hotel to shower and find some real food. Wanted breakfast so went by First Watch close to UCF for a huge pancake, eggs, and bacon. Favorite meal when I eat there.
Feeling good about my training so far and look forward to a fantastic running season. Heading to Virginia Beach again for the 2023 Virginia Beach 10-miler over the Labor Day weekend. Should be fun getting back up to Virgina.
Will ramp up my marathon training when I return from Virginia. Time to lock in mentally and physically to prep for my 26.2-mile challenge in December. 😊
What are you looking forward to?
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Why do I run?
“Running is my private time, my therapy, my religion”.
(Gail W. Kislevitz)
The Walk into the Future blog continues to roll along and provides me space to share a small portion of my world with readers. Yes, this is a simple concept but one I take seriously to find new content to share with others.
Running is a huge part of my life and I am happy to be at this point of the journey. I started running as a small hobby to get in more cardio, but it has morphed into a lifestyle that energizes me daily. Who knew I would enjoy going to bed early so I could wake up before the sun comes up for a run? Well, that’s what I do now, and love every minute of it—even in the south Florida humidity.
So, why do I run? That’s a great question and I will provide some context to why with this post.
Solitude
The ability to go out for a run without having to coordinate or schedule the activity is appealing to me. There is a level of peace for me when I’m out for a run. I lace up my running shoes and just put one foot in front of the other until I hit my mileage goal for the session. The solitude comes in handy on days where I don’t feel like running faster—I can just move forward at my own pace without worrying about slowing someone else down. Also, I can enjoy my music and sing out loud when I want to. Not many folks come out at 5 am to hear my bad singing but it helps me when the miles get tough. The solitude of my run is a highlight for me and one of the main reasons I’m still out putting in the work.
Time to think
The solitude of my runs is great, and it provides me with a lot of free time to think and change the world—hyperbole here! LOL. The space and time to think are enjoyable aspects while I’m out training. This time has helped me come up with solutions to work problems, generate new ideas for the Walk into the Future blog and new topics for my leadership consulting side hustle. There are times when I just run without thinking about ways to change the world but running provides me with a platform to simply think and be me. Sounds simple but this keeps me lacing up my running shoes and logging the weekly miles. Who knows, there may be another blog article coming from my next running session.
Physical wellbeing
An obvious outcome of my running program is the physical wellbeing it brings. I leverage running to help me maintain my weight without having to count calories. I practice intermittent fasting daily but can eat whatever I want because of my running program. Running is also a great way to build up leg strength and muscles. The development I have in my legs rivals muscle growth I saw when I was more active lifting weights (squats, leg presses, etc.). Again, the physical aspects of running leads to a better mental outlook as well.
So, there you have it—I run for solitude, time to think and physical wellbeing.
Why do you run?
Irie
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Favorite Sunsets
“My favorite color is sunset”.
(Unknown Author)
My Walk into the Future allows me multiple outlets to explore passion, interests, and new hobbies.
One area I continue to expand, and grow is my love for beautiful sunsets. I always joke with friends that I’m not a huge fan of sunrises—this is simply because I never get up early enough to see them too often.
The sunset has a magical feel and pull for me. I’m always amazed when the colors in the sky change and reflect differently over water than over land. The reflections add a new dimension and provide a level of awe for me. I get my phone ready whenever there’s an opportunity to take a shot of the sky. I share a lot of these pictures on my Instagram feed and send some of the best ones to my tree branches.
Decided to compile some of my favorite sunset pictures and share with my Walk into the Future readers:
(Duck, North Carolina)
(Negril, Jamaica)
(Fort Pierce, Florida)
(Disney Springs)
Which one is your favorite?
Irie!
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My Reading Progress
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies…The man who never reads lives only one”.
(George R. R. Martin)
My Walk into the Future provides me with the flexibility to add new adventures daily. I continue to view this life I lead to engage my mind, body, and soul. This blog gives me a space to highlight what I am doing, thinking, or getting ready to accomplish.
Goal setting remains a huge part of my success in life, and I look for ways to leverage my goals to help me continue to move forward. I review my goals daily to ensure my energy and focus are consistent to meet or exceed them.
I set reading goals each year in January with intent to read something daily. My daily readings center around Proverbs and a few companion books by Joel Osteen. I started reading Proverbs daily when I lived in Warner Robins, Georgia and this Atomic Habit remains strong. Joel Osteen created a 31-day Proverbs companion book which I utilize when completing my daily Proverbs readings. This little book has helped me understand more and brings Proverbs to life with language for my current Walk into the Future.
My larger reading goal is to read 1 book monthly. There were years where I would be super aggressive with this goal but decided to create a reading goal that provides me an opportunity to stay on track. Please note, just because it says 1 book monthly does not mean I can’t read more, and I do. I am an avid reader and love to sit on the beach with a good book and cold beer to practice this hobby. My love for reading started in middle school and it has not slowed down except when my schedule gets in the way.
The books I select range from leadership, communication, and inspiration topics. These are topics of interest for me so stick to areas I seek growth. I have a couple friends who inquire about my reading selections and have started to read the same books—you can say we have an informal book club going. We discuss the books after everyone has completed them and look for ways to incorporate the content into life and the work environment. This little book club motivates me to stay on track and focus on my reading. It has also provided me with access to books I may have missed on my own. I tend to stick to authors I know but the book club expands my focus and challenges me to explore other authors to enhance my Walk into the Future.
The following books were referred by book club members:
- Disruptive Thinking / TD Jakes
- Wisdom of the Bullfrog / Admiral William H. McRaven
- 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication: Apply Them and Make the Most of your Message / John C. Maxwell
FYI—this was my first TD Jakes book, and I was pleasantly surprised by the content and enjoyed reading his thoughts on Disruptive Thinking. It is something we can all practice daily, but it was great gaining new insights on how to move forward in life daily.
I have read multiple books by Admiral McRaven and his wisdom comes through within the context of leadership and helping teams get better.
Lastly, John Maxwell communication strategies can be leveraged in most work settings and enhance overall operations for the team.
I am on pace to meet my stated reading goals and continue to seek additional books to add to my library. This will continue and help me to Walk into the Future.
How are you doing on meeting your goals? What books are you reading in 2023?
Irie!
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2023 Goals progress
(Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)
“People with goals succeed because they know where they are going”.
(Earl Nightingale)
I start each year by sitting down and creating goals that will help me navigate the year. I stopped with the New Year’s resolution stuff a while back and made sure to create goals in multiple areas of my life: professional, personal growth and health.
Some of my goals carry over into the new year with modifications based on how well I did the previous year. Examples of this include volunteer work, my reading program and how often I write weekly.
A big carryover from 2022 to 2023 was the concept of purchasing a townhouse.
I listed this as a goal and put some effort into it by working with a realtor and viewing multiple townhouses on the Treasure Coast. Never found what I was looking for in 2022 so this remained a goal for 2023. My house hunting efforts heated up in March of this year and I closed on a townhouse in Fort Pierce on 5/11/2023. This goal does not have to carryover anymore!
I scaled my reading program back a bit from 2022 but still wanted to stay active. I love to read and learn new things, so this goal never goes away for me. I decided to ensure I read a minimum of one book per month. This is in conjunction with my daily Bible reading to gain additional wisdom (Proverbs) and overall insight from other areas in the Bible. I am eager to learn more and actively explore for new insights I can leverage in my daily life.
My writing goal centers around daily activity to include blog posts, poems, and LinkedIn articles. There are days when I miss my writing window, but I continue to generate content for the Walk into the Future blog and get new posts/articles on LinkedIn to share my views of the world. I still have time to get caught up on this goal but happy with the quality of what I have produced so far this year. Always looking for new topics to add to the blog and will take recommendations if YOU have something you want to read about. My racing season will start back in August 2023 so there will be multiple training and racing articles coming to your inbox soon. LOL.
I am currently ahead on my exercise goals! I’m hitting the gym as prescribed weekly while my running consistency is similar to how I prepared for the 2022 Palm Beaches Marathon. I run early in the morning on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. My long runs are completed on Saturday mornings. I have begun to incorporate speed work into my routine which was an addition to my running goals. This approach should put me in much better shape physically and mentally to get ready for the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon. I set an aggressive 2023 running schedule and need this new base mileage approach to get me to the start line and over the finish line for these races. Excited to see how this training approach translates to the actual races. FYI, I am 75 miles ahead of my mileage the same time last year. This is BEFORE I crank up my full marathon training program. I completed three half marathons so far this year with three more coming in the fall and the full marathon. I missed the 2023 Virginia Beach Half Marathon due to injury in March and the 2023 San Diego Rock N Roll Half Marathon due to a schedule conflict—the NACE conference was in Orlando, and I couldn’t figure out a way to be in San Diego and Orlando on the same day. I registered for the 2024 San Diego Rock N Roll Half Marathon in June to get the best prices and fingers crossed it doesn’t conflict with NACE next year.
I continue to leverage goals to guide my daily efforts towards making a difference in this world. Happy to report I am making good progress and will continue to move forward.
How are you doing with your 2032 goals? What adjustments do you need to make?
Irie!
“A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement”.
(Bo Bennett)
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Race Medals
“Racing is the fun part; it’s the reward for all the hard work”.
(Kara Goucher)
Runners sign up for races for multiple reasons. Some are there for the competition, others are chasing a specific time, and then you have the running tourists who are looking to see new places while testing their mental and physical stamina during the race.
There are other reasons to toe the start line and cross another finish line but we all happily collect race medals when it is all said and done. Larger races have bigger budgets to invest in the hardware they provide to runners, but each race looks to create a unique medal experience for runners.
My medal collection continues to grow as I enlarge my running tourist program as I add more yearly races. Extremely proud to have crossed the threshold to become a full marathoner.
Decided to highlight a few of my most recent medals in this post and provide a better view on the design of each of them. Please note, I plan to run these races again next year so will collect a new medal design and will share those in the future. 😊
Palm Beaches Marathon
Ran the 2022 Palm Beaches Marathon in December 2022 and chronicled my training that led up to the race. This is my favorite medal in the collection since it is the first and only full marathon medal I have collected to date. I have already signed up for the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon and begin my training cycle again the first week in August.
OUC
My first half marathon was the 2013 OUC Half Marathon. This race launched my running program and got me invested in distance running. I planned to run one half marathon just to say I did it but have not stopped competing yet. Running has become a huge part of my daily life and I can’t imagine what I would be doing without my running program (training and racing). The 2022 OUC Half Marathon was used as a training run to gauge my progress for the Palm Beaches Marathon—enjoyed the race and happy with my efforts. The OUC medals are always colorful and depict the Lake Eola area in downtown Orlando.
Vero Beach
The Vero Beach Half Marathon is a small race with only about 250 runners. The race takes runners through multiple neighborhoods and the famed beach. The medal highlights the beach and turtles which gives it a unique look and feel. Lots of color and surprisingly heavy.
Town of Celebration
Ran the Town of Celebration Half Marathon for the first time in January. I ran the fastest time in the past 3 years during this race. The town of Celebration really comes out to welcome runners, and they throw a great after race party with lots of food and drinks. I plan to run this race yearly since I enjoyed the entire experience so much. The medal is a homage to the movies with the 2023 theme: Take 10. This was the tenth running of this half marathon so next year will be Take 11—get it? 😊
Nashville
The 2023 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon medal continues the trend of highlighting the great music in Nashville. The Honky Tonk Wings were a new addition to the Nashville medal and provide a fantastic back drop for this medal. I love Nashville and will run this race every year until they tell me to stop coming—won’t be anytime soon.
Can’t wait to collect more medals in 2023 and beyond.
Which one is your favorite?
Irie!
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Poetic Flow: Beach Life!
Sitting on the beach living the life I live
Prophetic sound because it’s the life I need
Positive energy leads the way
For the journey I’m on today
No worries, no hurries, no issues
Will stop the flow of the joy
That sitting on the beach
Enjoying the sun, sand, and waves
Can bring to my soul!
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Nashville 2023
Nashville, Tennessee is one of my favorite places to visit. The culture, music, food, and activities around the Lower Broadway area keep bringing me back year after year.
The 2023 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon was the draw that got me back up there in April. The race organizers do a fantastic job with the race and really take care of the runners.
Made my way to Nashville on Friday and wanted to ensure I had time to explore the race EXPO. My friend Lauren and boyfriend Reese came down from Philly and we met at the EXPO. This was the first time seeing them since last year for the Atlantic City Half Marathon. Lauren had never run in Nashville and wanted to experience the sights, sounds and music I’m always talking about.
We got our race packets and made our way to visit the vendors and see what new products are out. Tested a few of the new hydration drinks available but didn’t buy anything. Decided I wanted to get new leg compression sleeves and got a Rock N Roll custom designed pair. They matched my running outfit and provided me with a new look for the race. We got EXPO photos together and listened to the music for a bit.
The Rock N Roll folks moved the EXPO from the Music City Convention Center to the Musicians Hall of Fame. Sounds similar but the new location was a lot smaller, and the vendors were cramped into a hallway. I hope we move back to our regular location next year—plus it would put us closer to Broadway and all the music venues.
Left the EXPO and made my way back over to Lower Broadway to continue to carb load and find some music. Found an open seat at the Wildhorse Saloon and got food and beer while watching the line dancers. Love the Wildhorse and the band playing was great, and the line dancers were having a ball. Decided to forego line dancing since I had a half marathon the next day. Left the Wildhorse and hit a couple other music spots before making my way back to the hotel to get some rest.
Met Lauren on race day close to the start line so we could stretch and mentally prepare for the Nashville hills. I texted her during my training sessions to let her know I was running hill repeats over bridges. She didn’t fully understand why until we got to Nashville. 😊
Shoutout to my friends at the First Baptist Church in Nashville! They open the church property and allow runners to relax inside while waiting for the race to start. This really comes in handy when the weather is cool and helps runners get off their feet prior to the race start.
We made our way to the start line and settled into Corral #5. Surprisingly ran into an Orlando runner I met last year at this race, and he remembered me. Turns out he came back for the race because he did not like his 2022 race time and wanted to improve. I met another runner who lives in Buffalo but moved there from Orlando. They saw my Track Shack running shirt and it was a family reunion prior to the race start. I highlight these encounters because I tried to prepare them for the hills they were about to run. They did not seem to think I was serious and could not imagine the hills were going to be as extreme as I described. I tried to help them, but they had to learn on their own.
Fast forward—Lauren and I started the race together and ran down the Lower Broadway hill with a smile on our faces. The first half mile in Nashville is downhill and the rest appears to be up a different hill for the next 8 miles. Wish this was an exaggeration but check the race elevation—the hills are steep in Nashville.
We split up after the third hill and ran our individual races. The weather was a lot cooler this year and this made running the hills a lot more pleasant.
Ran most of the race with a smile on my face and enjoyed the great music and spectators that lined the course and cheered for runners. This may be my favorite race for spectators on the course and the music is fantastic.
My race splits were:
Mile 1: 9:57/ Mile 2: 10:40 / Mile 3: 10:47 / Mile 4: 9:48 / Mile 5: 9:58 / Mile 6: 10:02 / Mile 7: 10:10 / Mile 8: 10:04 / Mile 9: 9:54 / Mile 10: 9:28 / Mile 11: 9:54 / Mile 12: 10:05 / Mile 13: 10:04 / Mile .1 / 2:48 (2:13:34 Half Marathon)
***Super proud of that Mile 10 split!*** 😊
Lauren and I spent time at the after-race party recovering from the hilly half marathon, drinking beers, and getting some pictures together to commemorate the race and great atmosphere.
ACME and Wildhorse Saloon
Made our way across the bridge over the Cumberland River and met Reese at ACME for brunch. This is a multi-level building with great views, food, and cold beer: https://www.acmefeedandseed.com/.
The Wildhorse Saloon was next for some line dancing lessons and more cold beer. We decided to get in as much Lower Broadway as possible before leg soreness kicked in from the race. This was Lauren first line dancing rodeo, so we made our way onto the dance floor to learn a nice dance and then they turned us loose with two songs to showcase our line dancing moves. We were great students and danced without stepping on any toes or hurting our dance neighbors. Great experience and a lot of fun to introduce my Philly friend to Nashville line dancing.
We hit a few other music spots on Lower Broadway to get the full country music experience. Decided to call it a day once the leg soreness kicked in. Made my way back to my hotel to begin the recovery process and find more Nashville music.
Fantastic race, trip, and time with my tree branches!
Yes, I’m already signed up to return in 2024. Who is joining the Nashville party?
Irie!
Walk Into the Future 