Month: March 2024

A Little “Punch” Drunk :)

Posted on by Lovie Price

No, it’s not what you think. I haven’t gone and drank the KoolAid or imbibed the Demon’s Tea:) I am talking about punching the air with my fists at times lately, sometimes for several minutes. Surprisingly , it really does help with stress…lol..

For the last few weeks , in addition to my usual 6 nightshifts a week and trying ( sometimes unsuccessfully ) to sleep at least 5 hours during the daytime, I have been immersed in repainting 3 rooms in the house ( 3 more to go plus a hallway) , hauling stuff upstairs from the basement and downstairs to either pack/trash/or give away, along with juggling whatever help i can get with all of it.And of course there are always unexpected complications and glitches that have to be dealt with. So far it has left very little time for “self-care” or even just relaxing. I haven’t even gotten to take a walk or hike for 2 whole weeks– which is crushing because we have had some really beautiful days.

Never the less , i am pushing onward knowing that with each completed project, every bin of “dust collectors” i get rid of, and every item i slash off my to-do list, i get closer and closer to reaching the goal of having the life I have always envisioned.

My Desktop Background

In the meantime, it’s nose to the grind stone.And that means i can get pretty wound up. I usually at least try to sit back on my heat pad for an hour or so before work, and once in a while I will meditate during that time as well. But recently i’ve been letting off a little steam with this bit of improvised “Air Karate”. As long as i don’t physically hit anything , the 3-5 minute activity redirects any negative energy to positive while also giving me a quick adrenaline boost. Of course, if there ever happens to be a big fluffy pillow nearby, i might consider a smack down…..lol.

Anyway, tomorrow i finally have 2 days off and plan to fit in some trail blazing. Additionally, i’ve decided to try something new with my Youtube channel- covering some of my blog posts from here in video format. I’ve been wanting to add some more content but since i hadn’t been able to get out as much as i expected to , this seems like a decent way to do just that.What do you think?

I’m still struggling with a few tech issues- mainly how to get my phone to video in landscape without the silly black bars on each side. No matter how many instructional videos i watch, nothing seems to work. But i’ll keep at it.

Hope you all are out enjoying the weather when you can, and making the most of Spring so far!

Namaste!

Sentimental Moments

Posted on by Lovie Price

Tonight as I sat down to catch up on here, a long time ‘sober’ blogger friend who hasn’t posted in a long time made a post and it really sent me winding down a path of sentiment. I went back through my stats , my subscriber list and started reminiscing. I started this blog in 2019 when i was 6 months into my sobriety. It was a wonderful outlet for me, writing how i was coping, changing and growing. But i really didn’t expect to ever have many followers or to actually get to know anyone in a personal way.It turned out to be amazing and by the “Roarin’ 20’s”( the year 2020, anyway) i had met so many on here, most of whom were also somewhere on their journey into recovery from alcohol. It’s been a crazy, enlightening journey and I am pleased to say i still interact with some of you:)

One of the things i noticed too is how that year, it seemed like the blogging world was enjoying a second heyday( the first being way back when blogging and the internet was just becoming popular ), probably due to the pandemic and so many feeling isolated. I doubt blogging will see another year like that for a long time. Since then it seems like the best of it has died down and now more “advertising” and “trigger news” articles have replaced the raw and deeply personal posts i enjoyed and really needed. Those days when i was barely getting through my recovery, my slips, and eventually my relapse… i needed the support i found on here and will always be grateful beyond words!

Another thing i noted when examining the insights more closely is that i had never considered how my own interaction on here also seemed to correlate with the # of views i received and how many new subscribers i got. For instance, take a look at this screen shot:

Screenshot

This shows the # of views by the month and year. I went back and realized that while i was posting almost daily or at least 3-4 times weekly for the first 2 years, i started slacking off and was posting way less from 2022 to the present. In essence, the fewer posts i made the less interaction. Makes sense, right? So, i cannot blame everything on algorithms, or the uprising of the advertisers and trigger news articles.

All of that being said, i’m still ok with it. I’m in a better place with everything overall and am a better person for having been present on this format. I was able to accomplish more than i ever dreamed and becoming alcohol free was the best thing i’ve ever done. I couldn’t have done it without this blog and those who supported me along the way. Thank you a million times over!

I did meet some also not related to sobriety. And i certainly appreciate you guys also! It’s been a blast getting to know people from other countries, and enjoying the journaling of those with such a variety of interests. Your passions, your ups and downs, your thoughts and just simply reading about what drives you has had a profound effect on my own perspectives. Thank you…Thank you!

As time flies by i still find this place to be my go-to when i am looking for anything from relaxing reads to just common ground to plant my feet on. Here’s to many more years together!

Namaste!

The Day-to-Day

Posted on by Lovie Price

The last few weeks have been filled with much busy-ness related to my upcoming move. There are items to be donated, stuff to be trashed, rooms to repaint and miscellaneous repairs to be made- all before i can even list my house for sale. After that comes the house showings and paperwork, etc. Then the relocating begins. All of this is pretty routine stuff when one is selling and/or buying a home. But in addition to our other necessary tasks, it can become overwhelming!

That is why i am so glad when i can get out for even short hikes. Time in the woods is like a balm to my soul. It refreshes me mentally, spiritually and physically. The best part is that it’s also a two-for-one deal for me. I get to continue testing gear and think about future multi day hikes and camping as well as day dream about my future property:)

But sometimes i do get stuck at home for one reason or another( usually weather or an appointment), and it can be pretty depressing. So i make sure to make time to do something- anything- that will further enrich my knowledge related to thru-hiking. Most of the time that mean researching gear and ideas online, watching other Youtuber’s journeys, reading Trailjournals.com or working on my lighterpack.com ( a site where you can log in your backpack items by category and keep a record of weight down to the gram). This keeps me from losing focus on my long term goals.

I hope you all are enjoying your time in the last months of winter. Spring is just around the corner and i look forward to seeing all the juicy gorgeousness of nature in bloom again!

Namaste!

Muddy Trails:)

Posted on by Lovie Price

Today was a beautiful day and i was once again able to get out to the woods on a familiar local trail . This trail is part of the Mason-Dixon Trail which is a 200-miler that runs through several counties in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland here in the U.S. It certainly isn’t the longest or most famous trail, but it is one of my favorites.

While i sometimes gripe about not being close to some of the more technical trails i enjoy, I am actually lucky to be close( within 30 minutes drive) to as many trails as i am.Today, i paid special mind to gratefulness as i walked , listening to the sounds of a burgeoning Spring time. There were “peepers” everywhere and the sound was amazing.

I also got to continue breaking in and testing out my new boots. I plan to do a short review of them by the end of summer. I don’t foresee using them on a thru hike( they are too heavy and the waterproofing would make for some serious swelling issues) , but they seem pretty awesome for the muddy short hikes i am taking lately, and i am excited to try them in the snow next winter.

After today’s hike- looks like it’s floating but just a weird angle i guess:)

Right now, i am working 6 nights a week for the most part and that leaves me with only an hour or two once i wake up and get going to enjoy the trails that close at dusk. I cannot wait for the days to get longer so i can stay out until 7 or 8 pm. But at least i get one week a month when i am off two nights in a row and can manage to travel a bit further to tackle the ones i covet in my daily thoughts. There is a particular area that contains at least 3 dozen trails that i frequent and if i would have to ever sacrifice my dream of owning 10 plus acres, that area would be my second choice to live in. There are some awesome views, some challenging terrain and some inter-connect with longer, more well known trails.

Just gotta get through rainy season:)

Namaste!

The Philosophy of Risk

Posted on by Lovie Price

Today i finally got back outside after several stressful weeks to test out my new Oboz Trail Boots in the muddy leftovers of recent heavy rain. While it was only a short walk, i am happy i forced myself out to get some fresh air as well as share a personal response to some recent commentary i’ve been dealing with about my life choices.

Into the Muck and Mire!

Here is a link to the full video:https://youtu.be/XkDK5pC0AxM?si=mNiyTZal5U213-5n

But if you don’t have the time or inclination to watch ( it IS almost 15 minutes long after all , and who has time these days?lol), here’s a brief summary.

In life, we all have to make choices .Some of those choices may be unpopular with those around you. This includes family, friends, acquaintances, facebook friends, co-workers and/or others. Some will blatantly tell you they think you are making a mistake while others will attempt to dissuade you with passive aggressive statements meant to belittle or question your intent- usually without knowing the full story. It is beyond insulting, and i have to admit, sometimes i struggle not to immediately lash out. But, there will always be nay-sayers, and among them are those who live their own lives in fear and scarcity, rather than taking any risks, and who seem to feel it is their duty to sway you in that direction as well.

While it’s important to be open to advice and criticism, it’s just as important, if not more important to listen with a discerning ear. As i was once told- consider the source. All i can do is shake my head when i get( unsolicited) advice from those who are, quite honestly, in no position to give it.After all, I certainly wouldn’t want to end up where they are.

There are at least 3 basic types of risk. I could further subcategorize but for all intents and purposes , i’ll just cover the main points.

First you have ” high risk”. This is when you decide something at the spur of the moment without benefit of research, knowledge or experience. These are usually based on emotion- anger, spite, jealousy, fear or other such volatile states of mind.Some examples would be acts of road rage, outlandish purchases, revenge affairs, drunk driving, playing the stock market, etc. These are also the ones that are the most regrettable.They can lead to severe consequences that may be life long.

Then you have “low risk”. This is when you decide to do something because you know that doing it will probably not affect your current circumstance much, or have little chance of failing. These are based on survival and routine. Some examples are getting into your car everyday to drive to work, attending a social event, trying a new food, or trying out a new hairstyle.

The third type of risk is what i call “calculated risk”. This is when you an appropriate amount of time researching, experimenting and analyzing data related to something new you would like to try, BEFORE you try it. It’s the healthiest type of risk you can engage in. It has a greater chance of success and you will not likely regret it as much as jumping into something on a whim.It provides not only a chance to grow and learn, but allows for some margin of error without being a suicide mission.

Making plans to go on a long backpacking trip, selling a home and buying land, or starting a new career/business are some examples in which calculated risk makes the most sense. By taking a proactive approach by delving into the pros and cons, as well as working through potential problems ahead of time you can avoid disaster, while still accomplishing your goals.

I hope you all are doing well and living the life you deserve:)

Namaste!