This is 39 (Month 3, Check-In 2)

Wow. I'm already three full months into this 39th year and it's going by so quickly. I just got done updating my tracker and I'm glad that I'll have as a reminder of all I've done.

Similar to my first update of the month, I don't plan on doing a play-by-play, but want to hit on a few updates that have transpired in the second part of the month.

I'm noticing a pattern and it's not making a few of my monthly goals enjoyable- especially when I wait until the end of the month. Volunteering, going to yoga and getting a hike in don't seem to happen until the month's nearly over, and then I'm in a bit of a panic getting those things accomplished. I've had the best of intentions in month two and three to not do that to myself but we're three months in and I haven't changed that pattern. The good news is I've already lined up my next yoga class (next Sunday) and volunteer gig (February 7th). So month four will already be better in that regard!

Volunteer 1x/month- Because I waited so long, none of the leads I had for volunteering worked out. Instead of letting this goal get by me, I grabbed my wombmate, a pair of work gloves and a reusable shopping bag and headed down to the beach for a two-person sunset beach clean-up. It was beautiful. And in the end, what I loved most about this volunteer opportunity is that it taught me that you don't need a sign-up sheet, a shift or an organization in order to donate your time and make a difference in the world around you. Katie and I had a really nice time cleaning up the Santa Monica beachfront area and it was really sweet when two people stopped to thank us for doing it. Here's the beautiful sunset we were treated to and the trash we recovered from the beach:

Attend a yoga class 1x/month- Taking advantage of a free week of yoga classes (and strategizing so it falls at the end of month three and the beginning of month four), I found myself at a 2:15 p.m. yoga class this afternoon. I thought for sure I'd be one of a handful of people in the class. Turns out I could not have been more wrong. I got there a good five minutes early thinking that'd be more than enough time to line up a prime spot in the back of the room. Instead the studio was completely full. Like more full than any other yoga class I'd been in before (seriously, I'm not being dramatic). Like so full that the instructor had to ask people in THE FRONT ROW to scoot over and make room for me all front and center (nightmare). I'd say the average age in the room was 68 and honestly, I just had to laugh at the absurdity of being placed in the front row so close to the women on either side of me that we touched several times during the class and had to negotiate during some interesting poses. It was a realllllly good yoga class though- all space and location issues aside. The "gentle yoga" class felt really great and was just what I needed.

Hike 1x/month- My friend Terri accompanied me on a Sunday morning hike at Will Rogers State Park, which is conveniently located a few minutes from my place. I've done this hike a bunch of times and while I hope to explore new hikes in future months, this was a perfect hike with perfect company.

Apart from these three tricky goals that tend to sneak up on me, here are a few other things I've done since my last post:

Use my real camera 1x/month- I used it on New Year's Eve and took it out again for a spectacular sunset on 1/19 and I'm so very glad I did. 

Read 20 books- Thanks to my friend and an advanced copy, I was able to get my hands on a copy of a book I've been waiting to read- Still Me from JoJo Moyes. The book doesn't come out for another week, so it felt extra special to get to read it before most people. I've read the two books that came out before this one (Me Before You and After You) and this one was just as good. I plowed through it in a matter of days, staying up until 1:00 a.m. on a work night even!

I have three books out from the library that I need to make my way through- I've started two and still have to crack open another one. I don't usually like to have multiple books going at at time, but it is what it is. More than anything, I'm grateful that I'm doing so much more reading than I have been in quite some time.

So there you have it! Three months in and I'm feeling really great. Although food stuff and tracking is still in the toilet, I'm back into a good workout routine, and I'm feeling confident that at the end of month four, I will have made significant progress in pulling myself together when it comes to my food choices. I also know this time next month I will be in the thick of one of my most important goals- to exceed last year's Cycle for Survival fundraising ($18,476)- and Steve and I will be super close to paying off all credit card debt! Woo Hoo!

So much to look forward to and so much to be proud of already! Hooray for This is 39!