2 in 1

When I decided to do this whole "write a post every single day in June" thing...I knew I was setting myself up for one heck of a challenge.  Mostly because, my schedule for June? Is INSANE!


My little brother is getting married July 2nd. I am a bridesmaid in the wedding. And that's just one of the big events I have lined up. I have concerts, races, a Warrior Dash, and let's not forget about work.


But still, I figured it would be a good challenge, so I'd just roll with it.  So yesterday, I began my post...but then I needed to run out and do a quick errand, so I hit "save" and went off.  Then the quick errand turned into "a few more errands" turned into "a full on grocery store run" turned into "a quick stop over at the Church's feast" turned into "staying at the feast all night helping out behind the bar" turned into "let's head to the local bar to watch the rest of the Bruins game" turned into closing out at the bar and arriving at home at 2AM...


But this? This is what life is all about folks...living. You make plans and God laughs.  But if you just go with it and appreciate every moment given to you...I'm pretty sure He smiles then.


So this is my Saturday post.  Right above this...yep, that's it.


On to today, Sunday...I got up and went for a quick run with a friend, then came home for a quick shower and some housework.  The plan was then to stop by the feast for lunch, help out for maybe an hour and be home by 5pm at the very latest...It is now 10:35 pm and I just got home.  I spent the entire day helping out.  I also, however, spent the entire day surrounded by friends, and having a great time...so you see...that's life...


And my life? Is such a blessing...no regrets.  And no excuses...and no failures...consider this TWO posts in one...as far as I'm concerned, I'm still on track for June. ;-)  So there.

May I Have This Dance?

I was four years old when I put on my first pair of dancing shoes.  Ballet shoes to be specific.  And so began a love affair with what I believe is the most perfect art form of all...dance.


A few years of ballet let into a few years of rhythmic gymnastics, and the love affair blossomed.


But life has a way of creating many paths, and the path of dance was not the one I ended up taking.


Once we moved to the U.S. from Portugal, we couldn't afford dance classes for me...and there ended my dreams of becoming a dancer.  


It couldn't, however, end my love of the art form.  I continued to dance, casually, for fun.  At home, creating music videos with my cousins in my grandmother's basement.  Later, at night clubs, earning me attention from guys who constantly questioned where a "white girl learned to move like that".  I loved to dance, and I was good at it.


As I got older, I stopped going to clubs, and dancing became something that I did less and less of.  Unless you count my jam sessions around the house, as I clean and do laundry (which, totally count), I now only dance at the occasional wedding, or party, or on the random event that my girls and I venture for a girls' night out at a dance club.


But my love of dance? It runs deeper than words can express.  I have seen every dance movie ever made.  No seriously, try me, I've seen it.  And as I sit here watching So You Think You Can Dance, with a smile on my face, I can only tell you that this art form tugs at a special place in my heart that I can't quite explain.


I watch this show with a smile on my face, but my box of tissues is never out of reach, because as much as good dance can make me smile, it can bring me to tears just as quickly...and if you don't know what I mean...well, then you're obviously not a dancer (even if it is just in your heart), but the dancers out there, whether you do it professionally, or in the privacy of your own home, I KNOW you KNOW exactly what I mean...

Allow Me To Re-Introduce Myself

In lieu of starting from scratch and creating a whole new blog, (trust me, I thought of it), I thought I would instead kick off this month of daily posts with an introduction and update.

It’s been so long since I’ve been an active blogger, that I am not sure who my readers are anymore (if I even have any), and I know there must be some new faces out there, people who don’t really know all that much about me.

If you found me via Twitter, you may know my daily rambling, but do you know my history?  If you are a new bloggy friend, welcome!  If you are one of my old buddies…welcome back, let’s get reacquainted.

I give you, therefore, a few facts about me you must know, to make sense of my ramblings…uh, I mean blog posts.

I am Karina.  36 years old.  Unmarried, single, re-entering the dating life after a too long hiatus.  Christian (Catholic to be specific) and very much a person of faith.  I am a daughter, sister, friend, cousin.  I am not a mother, but am the cool auntie to many of my friends’ kids.  I am an executive assistant by day, a writer in my heart.

I love life. I love music, art, television and film. I love to travel, explore new things, and photograph the world around me.  I love fashion and am absolutely addicted to buying shoes.  I’m a foodie, always excited to try new cuisines.  I’m an avid reader, my kindle with me at all times.  I am a runner, and a newbie fitness freak. 

Life for me is a constant whirlwind of activity, surrounded by friends and family, activities and meetings.  I am always on the go, and wouldn’t have it any other way.

I am serious, honest, intelligent, independent, strong, self-sufficient, and proud.  I am a complete goofball, caring, giving, dorky, insecure and shy.  I am a walking contradiction.

And here in this blog, I am all of the above, and so much more.  My eclectic tastes, my chaotic life, they blend together to create me…I could never fit this blog into one category, because my life defies all reason.  There is no way to put me in a box and label me…and that’s just how I like it.

So, that is me.  What you see is what you get, but on any given day, that can mean a totally different thing…

And I'm okay with that.

Anyone Out There???

June 1^st:

Stepping up to the podium…clearing my throat…

“Ahem”…

Tapping the mike…

“Is this thing on?”

FEEDBACK…cringing…

“Hello??  Ah, yes, here we go…”

Deep breath…

It’s me, Candid K…your erstwhile blogger.  It has been far, far too long since a creative word, or even a photograph has shown up on this blog, and I have no excuses for you…only the truth.

Truth is, life is hectic, and I just haven’t had the energy or the inspiration to write.

But I’ve missed it, and I’ve missed you. 

More than once I’ve considering throwing in the blogging towel. Closing up shop and hanging the FOR SALE sign here at Candid Karina’s.

But I can’t do that.  I’m not a quitter.  I don’t give up.

And besides, I miss my bloggy friends.

So I’m here, I’m back, and I’m not making any promises, but I’m challenging myself to be more present.

And this is why, crazy as it may seem, I have decided to challenge myself to post EVERY DAY this month.

Short posts, long posts, word posts, photo posts, some days, you may get life stories, other days you may simply get a photograph, and other days still, I may revisit old posts I feel the need to share with you again.

But the goal is for a post a day.  Many years ago, it was such a challenge that kicked off my love of blogging, and really got me going, so I’m hoping I can once again revive the blog, and my relationship with my bloggy friends through this challenge once more.

Stay tuned…it’s going to be a BUSY month…

Running For Life

Last week I had a realization.  When speaking to someone about team sports, I told them I’d never done any type of sport in school.  Ballet as a toddler, gymnastics until I was ten, and then, nothing.

But then, suddenly, I realized that wasn’t exactly true.  In the sixth grade, I ran track.  That was it, one single solitary year.  That year post childhood and pre-teendom.  The first year I attended a regular American school (i.e. not a bilingual, English as a second language school).  About a year and a half after moving to the United States from Portugal.  For some strange reason, that year I joined the track team.  I don’t remember very much about it, but I remember that I was good at it, and I enjoyed it.  I won a few blue ribbons in the process.  And I had a crush on my coach/gym teacher…all the girls did.

But then I went to junior high, and puberty hit, and girls were mean, and I wanted nothing to do with sports and wanted to be a girlie girl.

And so ended my career in school sports, along with any interest whatsoever in any kind of physical activity.

I owned one pair of sneakers throughout high school because it was required for gym class, most of which I spent “walking around the track” to avoid playing any of the sports.

I owned no sneakers while in college.

My boyfriend when I was 23 bought me a pair of blue Nike’s for my birthday, because I thought they were cute.

Those sneakers lasted me over 10 years, they were used so little.

Sometime in my late 20’s I joined a gym…mostly, I’d hop on an elliptical or attend an aerobics class…sometimes I’d do crunches.

Sometime in my early 30’s I realized I was fat, and needed to do something about it.  Suddenly, physical activity was a must, and I needed to own a pair of sneakers younger than a fourth grader.

But it wasn’t until I was 35 that I re-discovered a love of running I had completely forgotten I’d even ever had until just last week.

Suddenly, I was learning about running gaits, and buying the proper running shoes, and pacing myself, and proper running form.  Suddenly, I was registering for 5ks and challenging myself to go faster, further…push just a little bit harder.

The girl who used to say “I’ll run if someone’s chasing me”, was now chasing that invisible motivator…accomplishment.

Now there is this…

I watch my feet pound the pavement, look up and see the blue sky, inhale, exhale, feel the sweat rivulets down my back…and I smile.  THIS? This is being alive.

The pain, the struggle, the feeling that I may not make it another step, and then pushing through and breaking a barrier to the next hurdle…adding a tenth of a mile…knocking a minute off my time…making it to the top of that hill…there is nothing like it.

I am 36 years old, I am in the best shape of my life, I can do things I never even dreamt I’d want to do, and I am pushing harder and further every day.

I am proud, I am amazed, I am grateful.

I am a runner.