I just finished a book called Jan’s Story. It’s a true story about ‘Love lost to the long goodbye of Alzheimer’s.’ The author, Barry Petersen, is a CBS reporter and correspondent who falls in love with the lively Jan who is also a reporter at CBS. The book is their story, how they loved each other, and how Jan’s battle with early onset Alzheimer’s at midlife, cut their story short.

It’s an incredible love story, sad at times, but hopeful (yet controversial) at the end. Jan is still alive today but in a home. I won’t give anything else away but it’s safe to say that Barry wrote a sweet, yet heart wrenching book.

It’s almost as if the book is part love letter to her, and part his telling of the story and why he made the choices he made. It seems some of his friends did not agree with his decisions and I can see both sides.

What I loved most about Barry and Jan is how happy and at ease they were with each other. I see so many married couples today who are unhappy and it’s always refreshing when I meet or read about a happily married couple. They were a team. And their life, while certainly trying at times, (especially when he was away and reporting from war zones a lot of the time), had fun, laughter and each other at the center. I loved how much they just loved each other, without question. He almost made it sound easy. That’s how it should be right? At least most of the time.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book:

‘Married friends told me as the years together go by, they can lost that spark, the energy that once made them irresistible to each other. That never happened to us.’

‘She was bubbly and charming and had a raft of friends. I was quiet, and distrusted life too much to have many friends. I think it was these differences that so attracted me to her. I relished taking care of her, and she felt safe in our love, that I would happily devote myself to making her happy. And when she cared for me, the world melted into the background and I found my solace in her. I got the far better end of this bargain, because I was the beneficiary of her enthusiasm for life, and her spirit of adventure.’

‘Life is a series of ordinary moments shared, and the pleasure is in that sharing.’

So true.

I highly recommend the book. It’s not long, and it’s both sad and hopeful at the same time. A great story.

‘

Related posts:

1. Be a True Explorer
2. Spring!
3. How to Re-ignite Your Wanderlust

Auburn got their trip to the White House today! I just love this video with President Obama and the team. He even said he watched the Alabama/Auburn game. So cool. I heard that Trooper Taylor did a chest bump with the President at the end… would have loved to have seen that! And I’m so glad Cody Burns was recognized too.

Only 2-ish months until next season..

Here’s the link to the video: Enjoy and War Eagle!!

Auburn at the White House

• Photostream
• Photosets

Next Page ›

‹ Previous Page

Related posts:

1. Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Try House Sitting
2. Travel the World Rent Free
3. Spring!

Hiking in Nashville

Hello long lost blog! It’s been a while so I thought I’d give an update.

First off, I have a new job! I’ll be a wellness coach and consultant at ValueOptions in Raleigh. It’s in a cubicle environment which I cannot stand BUT, the position used to be done from home/remotely. And there is  strong possibility that it will be again sometime in the near future so I’m pretty excited about it. You can bet I’ll be scoping things out and lobbying for that as soon as I get in there and learn my way around. :) This position comes with great benefits and good vacation time but of course I’m trying to think of a quick trip I can take before I officially start on the 30th.

Personally, I’ve felt better than I have in a long time and much more myself. As some of you know, I’ve been spending a lot of time in Nashville lately for various reasons and have considered moving there. But, I still feel tied to Raleigh for some weird reason. That and the fact that I was offered a good job there made my decision.

Right now I’m in Alabama and will be back and forth to Raleigh and Nashville until the 30th. I’m due to be an aunt on May 23rd so I’ll be hanging around Nashville for that. Little Logan Michael is almost here! Last week, I was able to volunteer some in Hackleburg, Alabama where a tornado virtually leveled the entire city. It was insane driving over the hill on the way into the town and see everything decimated. It looked like something out of a movie. I can’t even imagine what all those families are going through. They will need our help and thoughts for a long time. I took a few pics of the damage and posted them on my Flickr page. (below)

I also went and heard Gene Chizik speak in Florence, AL. He was funny, engaging and humble. A true stand up guy. He said what he loved about Auburn is that we are not fair weather fans. We have a young team this year and he asked us to be ALL IN all the time. He also told a funny story about something his wife said after the championship game. Once he got in the car to leave the stadium, she silently put her arm around him, looked at him and said ‘Really? You could have won by two touchdowns and it had to come to that?’ Too funny. And… I got an autographed football! I’m thinking of donating it to a charity to auction off for tornado victims. If anyone knows of a charity or someone well connected that I could talk to about this, please let me know. I would love to get some good money for a good cause.

Let’s see what else… oh, I’m moving! Bye bye West Morgan. Bye bye no water pressure. Not sure where I’m moving yet but somewhere nice with a tub, washer dryer, and a porch that I can grow things on will be so nice. :) And I can’t wait to have people over for dinner and such as I’m also learning how to cook. More on that later. If anyone knows of a great place near downtown, I’d love to hear about it.

Hope you all are well and happy and enjoying this beautiful spring.

Leigh

p.s. For my friends with iPhones, do you have the Hey Tell app? I just discovered it and it’s like a walkie talkie where you can record messages for each other. I’m a newbie at it but it’s so fun! Although, I’m not a fan of listening to myself talk, yikes. Let me know if you want to play with me on it and I’ll add ya!

Related posts:

1. How to Travel without Leaving your Hometown
2. Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Try House Sitting
3. Be a True Explorer

An 80's Christmas with Grandaddy

I love my Grandaddy. He’s pretty much the only grandparent that was ever truly present in my life and I got lucky because he’s my favorite. He was a wild man growing up and has the stories to prove it. Every time I see him he has a new story. ‘That night I spent in jail’, or ‘When I was driving the car home in reverse’…  I love a good storyteller, and Grandaddy is a master. He can make driving to the grocery store seem like a grand adventure purely by how he tells it. He takes his time, never rushes, builds up steam, and ends with a loud, drawn out guffaw at the end.

My family usually spends a quiet Christmas just the four of us. But this year, the entire (Auburn) family is heading to Birmingham to spend Christmas with my Grandaddy and Barbara, his wife of 15 years. I’m sure he’ll have some more good stories to tell.  And as is tradition each year, he will tell me to find a good man to share my life with. Someone who can tell a good story. He means it in the sweetest way possible. And then he launches into how he and Barbara met, and how waking up with her every morning and spending each day together is such a simple but treasured pleasure. I don’t mind it really. I love that he cares enough to want that for me.

When we were little, on Christmas morning he would take out a small, dark red, velvet bag filled with coins. My brother and I would literally be bouncing off the walls with excitement. He held the bag up high so we couldn’t see. Then, we were allowed one chance to dig each hand in and take out as many coins as we could hold. I don’t really remember what presents we got each year, but I always remember how I felt when I heard that money bag jingle… and how tightly I held onto those coins when I pulled my hand out. Eric and I would always compete to see who got the most coins, sitting by the fire counting our pennies, nickels, dimes and a few Susan B. Anthony dollars. I usually won because I was older and had bigger hands.

I hope you have a happy holiday. I’m going to spend time with my Grandaddy mostly. And try to learn how to tell a good story. Maybe I’ll start with one about those leather pants my mom has on in the photo… :)

Merry Christmas

Love, Leigh

No related posts.

I’m so over personal development. Usually, I love learning how to amp up my life experience, but these days, I could care less about improving myself. I may have o.d.’d. Maybe it’s just a phase.

There are so many books, empowering quotes, advice on how to live, how to act, how to think. Do we  know how to trust our instincts and live by our intuition anymore? We are bombarded by so much information but how much of this do we really apply to our daily lives and how much goes in one ear and out the other? I think some of it filters into my subconcious but ultimately, we are a collection of our habits…  and these are learned early on. Change, with a few exceptions, is slow.

For example, when I first learned about eating healthy and taking care of my body with nutritious food and daily exercise, it took me years to get where I am today… and I’m still working on it. Yet, I feel sometimes we expect ourselves and others to immediately change the way we live because we have just read about a better way.

I do think, however, that even small changes can give big results. For example, if you decided to get up every morning and walk for 30 minutes, that can make a huge difference in how you feel mentally and physically for the rest of the day. You make better food choices, have more energy, and your body feels good. Or if you decided to only talk nice to yourself rather than focusing on your weaknesses. What would focusing on your strengths do to how you feel, and how you interact with the people in your life? If you have pain you need to heal, or things you need to work on … do the work. But be kind to yourself in the process.

This summer I’m taking a break from self improvement and just relaxing and having fun… living in the moment without looking at the past or the future… using all five senses fully. I’m appreciating who I am without needing to change anything. Let’s face it, we are all pretty great already. We should celebrate our gifts and how awesome we are.. and focus less on what we are not. What you focus on grows, right? :)

I’m going to take a blogging break too for a while but I’m sure I’ll have lots of updates when I return. Have a great summer!

Here’s my last empowering quote for ya. It’s a good one…

‘Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it‘.   ~ Bill Cosby

p.s. We took a girls trip to Savannah recently for my friend Chrystal’s sister’s bachelorette weekend. The weather was beautiful and we had such a good time.. I’m still recovering. I posted some of my favorite pics in the gallery. If you haven’t been to Savannah yet… go soon, it’s so charming. But go in the spring or fall, summer will be too hot!

Related posts:

1. Re-energize with a Mini Break
2. Why Travel is So Addictive
3. Dare Yourself

Holy geez, would you look at this picture? I came home the other evening, tired from my usual late afternoon work session at Helios, to my new National Geographic Traveler.. and this photo was on the front. I was instantly revived. It’s Positano, Italy. Isn’t it beautiful? It’s where Diane Lane is whisked off to in the movie Under the Tuscan Sun. I’m determined not to be one of those people that drools over the photos and says..’someday I’ll go’. So, I’ve decided.. I’m going. Next spring when the plane tickets aren’t quite yet outrageous. And I’m announcing it to as many people as I can so they’ll hold me accountable. Hmm.. maybe I should go ahead and set dates as well…oo, and mark them on my calendar!

They say planning a trip is just as much fun as actually going on one. I totally agree. If I’m ever in a bad mood, all I will have to do is dream about this trip and feel blissful, if only for a moment. This picture is now posted up on my bulletin board to remind me of what I’ll need to do to get there. I love to dream about traveling and it’s even more fun when there’s something actually coming up. So for all of you out there who keep saying  you’re going to go here, or there… save your money, pick a date and just start planning. Life’s short, don’t waste it!

As far as upcoming travels this year, next up is a family vacation to the Bahamas in June. Woo hoo! Should be interesting as we haven’t done a family vacay in about 15 years which is when dad took his last vacation. I’ve been encouraging (ok, pestering) him for a while now to take a vacation. He works so hard and never takes a break and deserves one. So he’s finally doing it, and my brother and his wife are coming too. That means I should be allowed to take a friend, right?

So, where are you planning on going next?

p.s.  I love this story written by a devoted husband.  It’s nice to be reminded that this kind of love is possible.. In a Charmed Life, A Road Less Traveled

Related posts:

1. Bloom Where You’re Planted
2. How to Travel without Leaving your Hometown
3. Central American Revelations

I’ve always prided myself in being ‘independent’. And I still do, but not in the way I thought. It’s true I like to do my own thing. The problem is… I’ve mistaken this for ‘independence’ when it’s really just slightly non conformist. I was telling a good friend the other day about how independent I was to which she kindly said… ‘Leigh, you’re no more independent than the rest of us.’ Damn, really? I thought I had everyone fooled. It was kind of an ‘aha’ moment. While it’s true I march to the beat of my own drummer, it doesn’t make me any more special or cooler than anyone else. (which admittedly, is what goes on in my head sometimes) Connecting with others on a regular basis is a basic human need and I think I fooled myself into thinking I was above that in a way.

We all need connection. It doesn’t mean you have to lose who you are in the process. Just the opposite, you can share your gifts with each interaction. There have been a couple of people in my life recently that are really good at connecting. They remember people’s names, take their time talking to people, and really connect. I am usually very friendly but I don’t always take that little extra time to have that real connection moment. I tend to want to get the interaction over with and be onto the next thing. I’ve realized though that taking a little more time to talk with someone, and really connecting, makes both of us come away feeling so much better.

I did this recently at Whole Foods. A sweet 80 year old lady was sitting next to me with her husband. She commented on my long legs and how she too, had long legs and had a hard time finding jeans that were long enough. Rather than just chatting for a second, I continued to ask her questions and ended up having one of the most interesting conversations about her life and her funny husband. Turns out she goes to Old Navy and buys men’s jeans because they have the length listed on them! It only took a few minutes to talk with her but she was a cool and slightly crazy lady, and she totally made my day.

Another thing I’ve realized recently is that I prefer being around people rather than on my own. (Partly due to the fact that I now work from home no doubt) I especially love to be around those that make me laugh. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy my own company and I do need alone, recharge time but in general, I’m happiest around others. I even prefer living with other people as opposed to by myself. Despite the compromises that involves. It just makes life more fun.

In this day in age, I think it takes a little more effort to get out there and meet people and make those connections. American society is built on the idea of individualism, entrepreneurship, and privacy. This is a great thing but it means we have to make more of a conscious effort to connect or we can drown in our own little worlds. We can choose to stay locked up in our air conditioned houses watching cable TV all day, or we can go down to the coffee shop, chat with a new friend and watch the world go by. This is what they do in most of Europe.. they embrace life, people, food and connections and create their daily routines around meals, coffee shops and gatherings.

So this month, I’m consciously taking a little extra time with others to really connect. And to surround myself with those that lift me up and love to laugh. I’m already having more fun. :)

Oh, I took a trip to the Outer Banks last week, pics are up in the gallery. It’s so beautiful there this time of year, and not too crowded.

‘The life you’ve always wanted to live will remain a fantasy until you actually begin living that way now.’ ~Cee Jay Coe

p.s. I’m loving these two songs right now: Need You Now and Heart of Steel

Related posts:

1. 16 Unique Gifts for the Traveler at Heart
2. Re-energize with a Mini Break
3. Dare Yourself

Queer little twists and quirks go into making an individual.

To suppress them all and follow clock and calendar and

creed until the individual is lost in the neutral gray of the

host is to be less than true to our inheritance…

Life, that gorgeous quality of life, is not accomplished

by following another man’s rules. It is true we have the same

hungers and same thirsts, but they are for different things

and in different ways and in different seasons.

Lay down your own day, follow it to its noon,

your own noon, or you will sit in an outer hall listening

to the chimes but never reaching high enough

to strike your own.

~Angelo Patri

Related posts:

1. Be a True Explorer
2. Central American Revelations
3. Shantaram

I’m itching to travel again. Big surprise there. I’m planning a trip for June but not sure where yet. In the meantime, spring has sprung here in North Carolina! Sometimes I’m so focused on exploring other places, that I almost forget how beautiful this state is, particularly in the spring and fall.

Sometimes when we travel-holics are at home, we can get restless quickly and focus on when and where we’re going next. Often, it seems we are searching for something we feel we can’t find in our own hometown. This can be true to an extent as things such as fresh adventure, new sights, and different cultures can only be found when we travel to other locations. But really, most everything we are all truly looking for is wherever we are right now. Kind people, unique spots, interesting experiences, a home cooked meal enjoyed with wine and friends, and opportunities to help others can be found most anywhere. There are interesting people and fun things to do even in the most unexpected places. Even if we have to look a little. And believe me, I know this being from a small, but beautiful town in Alabama. Like my mom always said to me when I would get shy or lazy about trying something new, ‘Honey, you have to bloom where you’re planted.’

So this weekend, I took advantage of the gorgeous spring weather and decided to explore Raleigh a little more with my camera in tow. I started paying attention to the small things, and found beauty everywhere. A few of my favorite photos are in the new photo gallery on the right.

Happy Spring!

Related posts:

1. Be a True Explorer
2. Becoming Location Independent
3. Travel Therapy

Image by: me! at Chimney Rock, NC

Blog Update

Hello! It’s been a while since I’ve written. This is partly because I’ve been focusing on other things and also because I’ve brainwashed myself into thinking that I have to write long, thought provoking posts on personal growth and travel and just haven’t felt inspired to write those kinds of posts lately.

When I started this blog, I had a goal in mind for where it would go. Now, my goals have changed and I have decided to keep this as a more personal blog. Granted, I’m a pretty private person so it won’t be that personal, but it will be a little more spontaneous, and less censored. Writing has never been something I long to do, yet I always discover something new about myself  and whatever I’m writing about in the process. But in order to enjoy writing, I must take some of the pressure off to write something that’s perfect and just go with my flow. :)

Of course, Fresh New Life will still focus largely on travel but also on movement, of any kind, through life. Whether that be through a life changing trip or through an unusually rich life experience. That’s the stuff that inspires me.

Personal Update

In general, I tend to be more of a thinker than a doer. This can be a good thing, but it can also lead to too much thinking and not enough living. I’m making an effort these days to just do, try, and learn through experience. Boy, I can over analyze with the best of them. If I’m curious about something, I’ll immediately Google it or make a beeline to Barnes and Noble for the book. I love diving in and learning, it’s part of who I am, but I have to be careful not to mistake understanding something from a reader’s perspective to actually living that experience and truly understanding.

Happy in Honduras after I just ‘did it’. (Quit my job to travel)

So my new mission is, (and spring arriving is helping immensely) to do things. Not just look at them, analyze them, think about all the pros and cons but to just try. It’s something that’s always challenging to me yet I always gain so much from just diving into something other than the book. For example, I used to take tango lessons. It was challenging the first few months trying to stumble through the steps, but I finally got to a point where it just seemed to flow. I wasn’t worried about which foot to turn next or if I’m pivoting correctly. And the feeling you get when you can really tango, and really be in the dance with your partner is amazing. It was a high that I sometimes still long for. But, without practice, it’s lost.

I’m considering taking lessons again. But over thinking the reasons why I shouldn’t. ‘I’m always taller than my partner, the instructor is very touchy/flirty and sometimes makes me feel uncomfortable, I hate dancing with really bad dancers, I’ll feel nervous for the first several weeks’, etc. But in the end, I really love tango dancing and what it does to me, my body and my spirit… if I just stop the mind chatter, relax a little and dive in.

What are you diving into right now? Would love to hear from you in the comments!

Leigh

Related posts:

1. How to Travel without Leaving your Hometown
2. Top Ten Reasons Why You Should Try House Sitting
3. Be a True Explorer