Inspired, maybe...

DAY 1 – Last night I watched Julie/Julia, the movie—based on Julie Powell's cooking and blogging adventure and Julia Child's memoir of her time in France. How many times have I watched it? I can't say, but I own it. Each time I am inspired, but I do nothing. Finally, last night I just decided I have to do something. I watched the featurette and Julie's words about changing her life in a year were a whack to the head, my head.

So this is my challenge: I want to run a marathon before my 50th birthday, which is December 31, 2013. This is not a new desire or goal. Notice the books. I bought them just before my 40th birthday. Poof...ten years flew by. I did a few things like have a baby, but now my daughter is seven. I made a film, but so what I haven't written the script for my feature-length film—a story I have been rewriting in my head for almost 20 years. I finished an MFA, but don't have a published book of poetry. I am floundering, drowning and a trying to gain focus. Gee is 50 the new 30? Scary!

And I want to be a writer. A real writer: as in I want to make a living writing and thinking. So the intersection of midlife crisis, writing and wanting to run a marathon have collided. Did I mention I am unemployed and I have a fabulous tire around my waist, the proverbially love handle. Basically, I don't have the body I had when I was 40 nor the career. Now how did that happen?

So what to do about it? I am going to start the training process for running a marathon and I will write about it everyday. Short posts, nibble, nibble, nibble: one bite at a time toward my goal of creating a writing career and running a marathon in December 2013.

Awakening Joy quote: Imagine that this day is the first and last of your life. How would you treasure it?