Breathe In, Breathe Out. Repeat. Stay Hopeful.: A new (good) challenge

I know myself. I need a new challenge. One that requires MUCH concentration and difficulty. What do I pick? Learning to play the violin, of course. I've thought about it occasionally over the years. Well, I think I might like the cello more, but this is smaller :-) I like saying cello. I was listening to classical music one day a few weeks ago and decided to do it. I looked up teachers and private lessons online. I watched youtube videos about how the play the violin for hours and hours. Okay, I thought, I can do this.

Then I looked at my mail. I had a flier THAT DAY from SDSU selling... yup... orchestral instruments. How the heck did I get on the mailing list? I have no idea. Call a number, make an appointment. Really? It was that easy? Alrighty then Universe... I'll play along. Lately it has thrown all sorts of stuff my way and I'm loving it all! Well, most of it.

I don't know why the font is weird. I tried fixing it. Whatever.

I have now bravely navigated SDSU twice in the last few months. I guess it's hard to explain how liberating it is to be able to go to a college campus. With PH I didn't go anywhere without knowing exactly where to park and how far I had to walk. Thanks PH for bringing on anxiety and feelings of panic. Or Jeff would drop me off and then go park. Now I can wander aimlessly around a college campus without worrying I'll pass out and students will walk over my limp body! Okay, just kidding. But not really.

I heard Lindsey Stirling on Pandora over the summer. I jumped off the couch to give it a thumbs up. Oh my goodness. Transcendence gave me goosebumps! I immediately downloaded her album. It came out in 2012... I'm always so late to the game. I need to crawl out from under my rock!! I love the message of this video (yes, she plays- keep watching!)

So I bought a violin yesterday. Hey, just commit. No renting an instrument here... that's for sane people. No idea what the heck I'm doing but the people there were very nice. I was so excited I had to come home and go walk 3 miles just to calm down. Today I bought a mute, a shoulder rest, a fret guide, and a digital tuner. I have my first lesson tomorrow. There was an opening.... so I took it. I feel kind of euphoric about all of this. Hopefully I can play Three Blind Mice by the time Jeff gets home in 2.5 months :-D The guy at the music store asked if I had cats. I'm laughing so hard. I guess the cats will hate me. Score!!! More pee and poop on the beds! God, I hope not.

Since I can't outrun my demons perhaps I can fill my brain with screeching music so I can't hear them. I think my current lung capacity can handle it. I'm also hoping this will help my tremors... or they will help my vibrato. We shall see. Dancing again is on my agenda for the year (tap class!). I'll tell you that being retired is awesome. Best part of dealing with all the other stuff is having the time to just be ME.

Do you need some motivation? Here's something to think about.
It took me 8 months of going to the gym to not hate almost every single time (I've now been going about 11 months). And I LOVE the gym. So don't lose hope if you are trying to commit to exercising more. Eight months of going 3 days a week before I didn't want to cry from hating it so much. About 6 months ago I started noticing the people around me a bit more. I noticed a few guys with prosthetics. Army guys (no idea why they're in San Dawg?). Then a few more. Now there is a posse of about 10 dudes all missing some lower extremity who are always there when I'm there. They are mostly my age and in various stages of recovery. They motivate me like nothing I've ever experienced. Watching them quietly deal with their prosthesis or wheelchair... it's hard to describe really. Maybe someday I'll say something to them.

Jeff left NOLA!!!! The beginning of the end is here. Finally. This has been almost worse than a deployment. Well, maybe it's because Jeff brags about eating 4 dozen oysters in one sitting. Yeah, yeah... brag about eating all the yummy raw stuff.

On a side note I found a new therapist. The good news... I like him and he didn't tell me no one would believe my life story! We laughed about how there was plenty of material to work with. The bad news... he's next to Polite Provisions, Air Conditioned Lounge and my fave, Cantina Mayahuel. Hmm. Just hmmm. Better make early morning appts, I guess.

And just cuz I rock, here are more pics from the top of One America. Because I got to go again!!! Score! The guy who took me up the first time is the Asst Mgr of the building. Muy interesante. No wonder he knew an awful lot about elevators... I've been a bit more involved with the American Lung Association and I spoke at another meeting today.