Coffee Talk: Walking, Productivity, and May

I'm not sure if it's because I really missed walking and hiking over Winter, or whether I have started to enjoy walking and hiking more, but I've really been putting in the miles. I've been walking an average of four miles a day, plus one decent hike every weekend, and it's almost becoming an obsession. This week was the first week ever (EVER) that I managed to walk back and forth from work the entire week. Seriously. You would think that after two years of walking to work in decent weather that I would have made it at least a few full weeks, but you would be wrong.

On top of that, after I ate my lunch at work yesterday, I noticed I still had 30 minutes so I went out and walked around campus for an extra mile. Now today, I'm going to walk three miles for the American Heart Association's Heart Walk. My boss's boss has a team and I signed up. I figured it would be a great way for me to get a walk in while helping a good cause. Tomorrow is Mother's Day and I'm taking the kids out for a day-trip adventure which will probably include hiking.

The result of all this walking is that I'm getting stronger and faster. This will surely serve me well for my hike up Black Elk Peak next month.


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I honestly didn't think I would get any writing done this month, but I've found myself writing all the things. I finished my short story "The Scream" for my email subscribers, I picked away at the House of Vermilion, and I'm still working on one of the other books I have out there. I seem to have jumped the final hurdle of the writing slump I had found myself in for a long time. I know I've said it before, but I think I just needed a break from it all for awhile. Now I've been pleasantly filled with the creative drive that got me writing in the first place.

Overall, I've been a lot more active and productive, which I think getting in better shape has helped out with greatly. In the past few weeks, I've gotten rid of a lot of junk; I cleaned out my garage; I got my front and back yards put together and looking nice; I switched out my Fall/Winter decor for my Spring/Summer decor; and I started a container garden.


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May has been one of the busiest months of my life. I've had so many commitments and engagements, and it's only half over! The first weekend I had a convention and meetings. This weekend I have the Heart Walk, meetings, and Mother's Day with my kids. Next week The Teen graduates high school - I'm still in shock about it, honestly. I'll be hosting my entire family for the party on Saturday and the ceremony on Sunday.

The following weekend, Memorial Day weekend, I'll spend five days working an event that the organization I've been heavily involved in is putting on. The event will bring to fruition over a year's worth of hard, dedicated work that I, and the rest of the team, have diligently and tirelessly been engaged in. I'm nervous and excited about it, but I'm also looking forward to it being over so I can have a chance to step back and rest for awhile. I'm taking a month off from meetings, I'm working on my books, and I'm taking a vacation. I'll be ready.


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Have a great weekend. Get out there and enjoy it!

-H.A.