Home Sweet Home

 I woke up early this morning so I could enjoy my final walk along the beach at sunrise. It was a cloudy and windy morning, so not as spectacular as other mornings, but still left me with a feeling of awe as I watched the waves crash towards the shore.

My flight home didn't leave until 3pm, so I enjoyed a leisurely morning walking and lounging on a recliner studying my Spanish vocabulary. I'll be in Costa Rica for all of January, so I'm more determined than ever to keep improving my Spanish.

The Cancun airport was a bit of a zoo with long security lines, but I had given myself plenty of time, so the flight home was incredibly stress-free. It was a direct flight, left right on time and there was literally no line going through customs back in Denver.  

I was able to catch the Skyride bus and my friend, Glenn, met me at the Park'n'Ride to give me a ride home for that final last mile. An international travel day has never been so easy! In fact, I wasn't even cold! (One of the difficulties with these winter snowbird trips is that I usually arrive back to the Colorado cold without a winter coat! But my double layer of sweaters worked fine tonight.)

I had a burst of energy and immediately unpacked and put all those damp clothes right into the washer. Ah! A washer and dryer at last! One thing about the humid climate is that, without a dryer, my clothes always were damp and some were taking on a mildew-like odor. I've never been so happy to do laundry!

I've written each of these blog posts very quickly without a bit of creativity or flair. Erma Bombeck would be disappointed. I'd been thinking that perhaps I'd write a book about my snowbird adventures, with Mexico being the first chapter.  However, I've realized this trip has been very devoid of drama! No big adventures, no big problems, no big love interest..  It would be a pretty boring story.

Still.. I'll consider it a writer's challenge to see if I can improve the quality of my blog posts and introduce some kind of conflict or dilemma.  In reality, my only dilemma is trying to stay warm and figure out where I'll eventually retire.

Even though I loved Mexico and will be back, I've ruled out Playa del Carmen as a place to buy a snowbird home.  It seemed like more of a party vacation spot than a retirement spot and, as much as I enjoy international travel, I don't think anywhere outside of the US will ever feel like "home."

The truth is, after living in Colorado for over 27 years, I doubt anywhere else will ever feel like home.  So right now I'm grateful for a wonderful 3-week Mexican vacation, and very grateful for a safe and uneventful trip home for Thanksgiving!

Going Dancing

 

One of the things on my todo list at all my Snowbird spots is to "Go Dancing." I love to dance, but this is definitely a stretch goal when I'm in a new place and don't know anyone.  I'm also much more comfortable with swing dance than latin dances, but, hey, I can do Zumba, and I've wanted to learn the bachata.

When this ad was posted on a Playa del Carmen group that included dance lessons, I thought.. this is it! I bravely walked to the Palm Hotel ready to shake my latin booty and found out that they had changed the event's time and location due to rain.  

The new location was further away and meant I'd have to risk getting lost at night in Mexico, but I'd already mustered the courage to do this, so I didn't want to back out. 

Once I got to the new location, Buzos, I found one of the dance instructors and she welcomed me.  Many more people showed up, most of them young, attractive and ready to dance. 

The instructors gave us a demo of the dance we would be doing:

Wait. What?

I'm supposed to do that sexy dance? As if it wasn't awkward enough that I was the only old, white lady who was a complete newbie..  and I'm supposed to dance like that with a stranger?

Well, believe it or not, there were more men than women in this dance class (that never happens back home at the Avalon).  Also, no one was paired up, so women rotated every minute or so throughout the class. Despite my awkwardness, each dance partner was very friendly and accepting.  By the end of the lesson, I was dancing just like the woman in this video!  (OK, maybe not exactly like her, but close!) 

Arriving in Playa del Carmen

 I made it to Mexico! My biggest agenda item while I'm out here: Get out of the cold!  I have a couple of other objectives..  I want to improve my Spanish, enjoy the beach, and assess whether or not this might be a future snowbird destination.

The location of the Airbnb I'm staying at is primo! Right on the corner of the famed 5th Avenue with restaurants and shops galore.  It's also only about a 5 minute walk to the beach, so I plan to enjoy both the beach and 5th Avenue every day that I'm out here.

Today, my goal was to get settled into my Airbnb and stock the kitchen with some groceries. I'm really proud that I took the bus and then figured out how to find my Airbnb. I also walked to the grocery store, stocked the 'fridge with breakfast food for the week and then had an empanada for dinner at a little cafe a block away.

The empanada was only $40 MXN which is about $2 USD! Groceries, as well, were cheaper than the US.

Though it may not seem like I've done much today, getting settled in a new place is usually a big challenge for me..   even in the US! I'm extremely directionally challenged! It's pretty miraculous that I haven't had any problems today.

Almost everywhere I go, I speak a little Spanish, either to ask a question or double-check that I'm doing the right thing. And I've been able to understand the answers! I see a definite improvement in my Spanish compared to the last time I was here.

What worked well today:

• Direct flight from Denver to Cancun - Less than $250 RT and on time flight
• Even going through customs was much faster than usual!
• Comfortable ADO bus easy to catch from Cancun Airport to Playa Del Carmen for about $10 USD
• Beautiful Airbnb walking distance to beach and 5th Avenue
• Was able to walk to a local Walmart and pick up groceries for breakfasts
• Found cute Cafe Corazon for yummy inexpensive dinner
• Warm weather! High's in the 80's, Lows in the 70's
• I didn't get lost!
• People talked to me in Spanish and I kind of understood them!
• Violin music right outside the condo.
• Beautiful view from rooftop!

What could have been better:

• Walmart was possibly the most crowded, loudest grocery store I've ever been in.
• Violin music right outside the condo and it's after 10pm...  Not sure how long it will go on!

Snowbird Season!

October was filled with costume opportunities, beautiful changing leaves, and yummy warm soups. And while I usually dread the cold months that come next, this year I'm fully embracing the beginning of Snowbird Season!

Tomorrow, bright and early, I leave for Mexico! I rewrote the lyrics to Milky Chance's Colorado and got Cathy and Becky to perform it with me!

Yvette: Getting out of Colorado Getting cold demasiado If I don’t go equivocado So today, I say, emocionada (Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah) I think that you know what I mean (what I mean, what I mean) I want a playa in the scene (in the scene, in the scene) I’ll see places never seen (never seen, never seen) Like a never-ending dream Wanna be living carefree Lounging under a palm tree Out of the cold Out of the cold Warmth is much more pleasing I’ll leave before it’s freezing Out of the cold Becky; I’m getting out of Colorado Heading home and here’s what I know Through the states I will cruzado So today, I’ll say, I drive tomorrow (Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah) I think that you know what I mean (what I mean, what I mean) I want a golf course in the scene (in the scene, in the scene) Back to where the ground is green (very green, very gree) Like a never-ending dream Wanna be living carefree Lounging under a palm tree Out of the cold Out of the cold Warmth is much more pleasing I’ll leave before it’s freezing Out of the cold Cathy: I’m playing here in Colorado Staying home and here’s what I know I’ll meet a handsome desperado So today, I’ll stay, hike Eldorado (Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah) Sleepin' in my bedroom while my back gets good and strong(ooh) Next year I’ll be ready to sing quite a different song All: Then we’ll all get out of Colorado Getting cold and here’s what we know Wanna drink amontillado So today, let’s say, we’ll go tomorrow (Yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah) Let’s get out of Colorado

Poker Night

 

Vegas Themed Poker Party

Last night I hosted my first "in-person" party since the pandemic began! Yay! It wasn't a full-blown "Carpe Diem" party where I invite everyone (and end up having way more no-shows than party-goers). Instead this was limited to people who were interested in playing poker. Being Halloween-season, added with my obsessive compulsive costume collection disorder, I encouraged Vegas-themed costumes.  The women were "all in." The men were a little less enthusiastic about the suggestion, but eventually were game.

While hosting a poker party may not seem like much of a stretch goal, in all honesty, hosting any kind of party is one of my hidden insecurities.  Most people would be surprised by this, since I've hosted so many parties and events (mostly virtual parties since Covid), yet still.. for some reason, I always stress about it.

I even stress when planning family get-togethers, like Thanksgiving and Christmas, these days! Between all the challenges of Covid, politics, world events, and past hurt feelings, it's really hard to get back to the care-free pre-Covid good-ol'-days when all I was stressing about was the menu.

As I learned from examining the anxiety I felt from stage fright, most people care more about your mood than they do about the food you serve, the state of your house, or your decorations and costumes.  The best thing to do is to enjoy yourself and your guests.  And that's exactly what I did!

What worked well

* The food. I made a very easy crock-pot sweet potato chili and even though I said it was optional, everyone brought a lot of other delicious goodies!  All the food was binge-worthy, but Tina's apple pie undoubtedly got the most raves. That pie is ready to win awards! I think Tina needs to open up a new pie bakery!

* The diversity of players. One of my "stresses" about parties is having people who don't know each other mix with one another and worrying they might feel guarded. In this case, we had a variety of skill-levels when it came to poker and so we did a couple of practice hands up front. There was a $10 buy-in, so not a lot of risk, and it turns out Mary, who was one of the relative newbies, came in 2nd place winning $25!  It was also good to see my new housemate, Tom, join in, even though he was new.  We ended up having 8 players - 4 women and 4 men!

* The costumes. As I said, I'm a costume freak, and it just so turned out that I had this Alice-in-Wonderland sexy cocktail girl costume adorned with playing-card symbols in my stash.  Totally in theme!  It seemed a bit age-inappropriate, but, hey, when has that ever stopped me? (My taste is usually more Elementary-School Fairy Princess like costumes, so at least I'm moving up to the High-School-Slutty costume genre.)

As for the guests, I was so impressed and excited to see the creativity and cool dress-up props that others had.  Adam brought a carved cane from Sri Lanka! - not to mention his half tuxedo. Tom's unique jacket (a thrift-store treasure!) could've passed for either pimp or high-roller. Mary and Tina both had super-pretty party dresses. Even though I know men don't like to dress up, we women don't get nearly enough chances to wear our fancies, so..  I want to have more fancy dress-up parties!

* Poker! I love games. Games are especially fun when you find other people who love the same games. Poker is this great mix of strategy and luck. I used to play off-and-on with some friends (including some of those who were there last night) but this was the first time I'd played in years, and I remembered how much I loved it. I came in 4th out of 8, so.. not bad.  I'd been studying up a little bit and had had a couple of coaching sessions with Chris (who lives in Bali now, so couldn't come).  Now that I have a small taste of betting strategies, I want to keep learning and practicing! 

What could have been better

* People who couldn't make it.  There were a few maybes: John (my 2nd housemate), Cathy (who we'd all looked forward to seeing in her slinky costume), and Larry (who I was looking forward to meeting!). We missed them this time, but I hope we'll see them next time!

* The Pace?  Even though I listed the diversity of skills as a "what worked well," it might have been tough for the people who were learning.  The game may have been too fast for them or too slow for the very experienced.  Still, we ended up finishing up right between 9pm and 10pm which was my goal since it was a weeknight, so..  hopefully, the pace was OK for everyone. 

What's next?

* Once I get home from my snowbird adventures, I hope to host a monthly poker night! In the mean time, I plan to continue practicing, maybe finding some online tutorials or ways to practice. I think I'll add it to my Bucket List to play in Vegas!

Fall Colors and Friends

Usually by this time of year, we've had an early snowfall here in Superior, Colorado. Not this year. I think (knock on wood) that we'll make it through October being able to enjoy these gorgeous, colorful trees.

I haven't been doing as much blogging lately and I'd like to get back to a daily blog post like I was doing in August.  I've noticed that my mood has been more melancholy than usual, maybe because the shorter days, the drop in temperature,  and my broken heater!

However, one of the highlights of the month has been enjoying a daily walk and relishing the beautiful trees right here in my own neighborhood! A couple of years ago, I went to New England to see the iconic fall foliage, but what I saw this month was just as spectacular.

On most days, I happily get my 10K+ steps walking through my neighborhood, but at least once a week, I find a new place to walk with one of my friends. I get double benefits of beautiful Fall scenery along with the conversation with a friend!

Cathy and I enjoying a walk in her Louisville neighborhood

Glenn and I hitting up South Mesa Trail

Becky and I in Broomfield - playing frisbee putt-putt golf

Bonnie and I this morning in Superior

On that picture from this morning with Bonnie, I was amazed at how clear and bright the photo looked without any filters!  Now the days gotten cloudy and overcast, so I'm happy we got a 2-hour walk in first thing this morning.

It's weird how much weather can affect my mood.  I know that darkness and cold is no big deal..  it's not like it's anything personal..  yet, still, it absolutely makes a difference! Maybe I do have that SAD disease (which in itself seems pathetic and sad.  I mean.. just put a sweater on, right??)

Anyway, even though the colder days have been bringing me down a bit, I am very much looking forward to the start of my snowbird adventures! I'll be heading to Playa del Carmen on November 2nd! 

Perfect Place to Retire

 

This month I've been blogging about Healthy Aging in honor of Older Americans Month. I know for many people, one of the best things about getting older is looking forward to retirement!

For me, those days are here! Thanks to my neurotic goal-setting habits, (along with good luck and being annoyingly frugal), I have officially reached a time in my life that I no longer have to work!  I am finally free to do whatever I want, where-ever I want!  I can move to that perfect paradise and never have to endure another icy commute or snowy Spring,

The question is, where should I go? Making this decision is much more difficult than I imagined it would be!

Well, thanks to my brilliant daughter-in-law's newsletter, Stellar Recap, I used this handy-dandy tool introduced by MarketWatch to help me narrow down some choices. 

From Stella's newsletter:

• MarketWatch released a new tool that helps you find where you may want to retire. You can search for characteristics such as temperature, political affiliation, age, and affordability.

When I put in my priorities, Santa Barbara came out as my top choice.  This isn't surprising because on my first pass, I didn't factor in cost.  I'd been looking in Florida because I know how expensive Southern California is.

However, as it turns out, prices are skyrocketing in Florida (or at least in Sarasota, my top choice for a Florida city.) I've also determined, I'd rather rent than buy a place right now in this crazy housing market, and I'd much rather rent a place and get to know a community before committing to buying a house.

My strategy for some time has been to explore different snowbird locations in the winters until I found my perfect spot to retire.  One issue is that snowbird destinations are incredibly expensive to rent!  I've found a wonderful opportunity with my friend, Becky, where we do a house exchange..  She stays at my house in Colorado for summer visits and I stay at her place in Sarasota for winter visits!

I also have been enamored at the thought of 55+ communities or senior co-housing communities. I just haven't found out how one can rent in these communities.  Then there's also the idea of retiring abroad! I attended an International Living Conference in 2019 and that idea is much more affordable than I'd imagined! 

As a matter of fact, I was able to rent a room in an AirBnB home in a gorgeous Costa Rica home for all of January, 2022 for less than $800! I feel confident that I'll be able to rent a room in my house for that same amount, so basically, it's kind of like the exchange I do with Becky! (Having extra room(s) in your house really works out wonderfully!)

The point is, with some creativity and a willingness to share house-space, renting different snowbird locations is affordable.  With the low interest rates, I'd been seriously considering trying to buy a snowbird spot of my own; However, considering all the expenses, fees, and tax implications, I'm now back to thinking renting is a better option. 

At least that's what I think today! I have to stay away from Zillow, InnShopper, and Cozy Cottages listed on HookedonHouses!

GalPal Trip to Hilton Head Island, SC and Savannah, GA

Like the rest of the world, my travel plans for the past year have not turned out as originally planned. However, I had a huge stroke of great travel luck this week! 

Minnesota BFF Lisa and I had planned this Spring trip to the East Coast so long ago that we'd felt sure Covid would be a non-issue  In fact, the plan had been that I'd be doing my winter snowbird tour in Florida and would swing by and pick Lisa up at the Savannah airport on March 13 for a vacation in Hilton Head, SC and Savannah, GA.

But, of course, I didn't execute the snowbird plan after all. Both Lisa and I have been staying "safe"..  we're both social-distancing, mask-wearing, rule-followers so traveling when the country is not yet pandemic-free created a fair amount of anxiety and guilt for both of us.  However, as an older, wiser woman, I've been trying to rid myself of unnecessary guilt in favor of taking educated risks.  Not to mention, we're not even breaking any rules or laws! (Clearly, I'm having trouble playing the 'bad girl.')

We both agreed we would mask up and carry on with the vacation.  I felt very lucky that I was able to get the first vaccine before the flight and had a wide range of masks from N95 to light-up party mask to keep me safe.

When a major snowstorm turned out to be in the Denver forecast for exactly when my flight was leaving, I felt sure that snow was going to ruin my travel plans. But the snow came late and I was able to make it out and meet Lisa in Savannah.

We rented a cute little Volkswagen Beetle and have been having and awesome girl's trip.  Like our trip to the Bahama's 3 years ago,  we had lots of fun visiting, eating, drinking, cooking, and exploring. I never run out of things to talk about with Lisa!

The weather has been better than expected..  the original forecast showed rain all week, but it really only rained for a few hours today (actually, we had the excitement of a tornado warning!) 

We spent 3 days at Lisa's RCI Timeshare unit on Hilton Head Island and then 3 days in Historic Downtown Savannah. Every day we found fun things to see and do!

Here are some of the Happy Highlights from the week:

• Long walks on the beach
• Renting bikes and exploring Hilton Head Island, including an historic cemetery
• Trying to ride the bikes on the beach despite the strong winds!
• Nightly "Happy Hours" with White Claws or Pinot Grigio
• Beautiful architecture and huge trees draped with Spanish moss
• The Sea Pines Resort with horses, gardens, quaint shops, and a lighthouse
• She-Crab soup! Yum!
• A beautiful AirBnB in historic downtown Savannah
• Forsythe Park
• Meeting our "neighbors" Fred and Patty from Vermont
• Being in Savannah for St. Patrick's Day - green fountains and partiers
• Watching movies: Like Father, The Dressmaker, and The Greatest
• Asking each other "Conversation Questions" 
• Delicious Dinner at The Husk: Quail with Sweet Potato and Cobio
• Making dinners.. Flounder with mandarin oranges, Eggs with zucchini and yummy spice, guacamole and Mexican food
• The Hop-On, Hop-Off Trolley and the historic tour

Lisa's heading back to Minnesota tomorrow, but I have another weekend of adventure in St. Augustine before I head back to Colorado on Monday.  I'll be sad to see Lisa go tomorrow, but this vacation was such a relief.. like the world was slowly returning to "normal" again.

Happy Pictures of the Week: Wintering in Colorado

 

Four weeks into the New Year and I have kept up all of my healthy habits, including a daily walk, whatever the weather.  If it weren't for Covid, I'd be in Florida now...  I'd really been looking forward to being a Snowbird and enjoying winter days on the beach. Like these geese, however, I didn't fly south for the winter after all.

Once I realized I was going to be home in Colorado for the winter, I made a list of ways to keep warm and have fun.  Even when the temperature drops, usually the sun is still shining and the air feels brisk and invigorating. The views of the mountains are spectacular and it's nice to have a chance to wear the winter coats, scarves, and boots.

I've also been doing a lot of cooking, experimenting with delicious soups, chili, and roasted or sautéd veggies. And, of course, there's also my lovely bath ritual to keep me warm.  I've even been creating little cozy spaces to snuggle up with plenty of comforters and blankets.

With no commute to worry about, it's really quite nice being home for the winter!

Bundled up and ready for a winter walk

I love boots!

My nook in the basement almost feels like Florida

Lots of healthy food to keep me warm!

The Joy Makeover

This girl's dance on Halloween is pure Joy!

In Season 2 of my podcast, Carpe Diem Connections, I'm going to be doing a deep dive into finding joy.  I've become enamored with Ingrid Fetell Lee and her recent Joy Makeover workshop.

She offers a workbook and a very interesting set of interviews, digging deeper with topics about things such as how our joy is affected with 11 different topics starting with time, money, and relationships.

I know 2020 has been a difficult year, and there have been so many struggles. However, those struggles are what help us build resilience and learn more about ourselves, to grow, to persevere, and the overcome challenges.

I'm really enjoying Podcasting, but I want to hear your thoughts and have more of a discussion than podcasting really allows. I hope you'll come join in the discussion on Carpe Diem Connections Facebook group.

Let me know if any of you also are participating in the Joy Makeover and let's share what we're learning! Here are my responses to the first 4 "pre-work" questions.

Joy inventory What parts of your life bring you the most joy?

• Friends

• Relationships

• Playing

• Warm Weather

• Time

• Learning

• Health

• Food & Drink

• Beauty

• Kindness

• Whimsey

• Home

• Creativity

Joy Goals What parts of your life would you like to transform for more joy?

• Snowbird Home

• Deeper Relationships

• Travel

• Learning

• Adding value to society

Joy Barriers What is currently getting in the way of you feeling more joy?

• Politics

• Covid Worries and Restrictions

(Other things that can be Joy-Suckers)

• Financial Stress

• Other people’s hardships

• Grief

• Disappointments with Relationships

• Fears

• Bad Health / Pain

• Rejection

• Decline with Aging

• Loneliness

Joy Vision What would happen if those obstacles were removed? What does a more joyful life look and feel like to you?

A feeling that I was always experiencing the comfort of security, gratitude, and love. A continual feeling of awe and excitement at experiencing and learning new things and connecting with people.

Carpe Diem Connections Podcast - The Joy Makeover Spinoff!

Summary

I'm loving participating in the Joy Makeover and I bet you would, too! In Season 2 of Carpe Diem Connections we'll be doing our own deep dive into finding Joy, starting with finding Joy in the election season! 

History

About 12 weeks ago I started a podcast, Carpe Diem Connections. I'd procrastinated because I knew nothing about podcasting and was worried that I'd be embarrassed by how amateurish it might sound.

However, with any kind of new hobby, if you go into it realizing that you have a lot to learn, and not having high expectations, you find the learning process and the improvement is usually fun!

When I'd gotten laid off in 2009, a suggestion at a lead's group was to host a blog and interview people who I admired.  This turned out to be awesome advice and it was how I ultimately got a job as a Site Editor at TechTarget and was able to network with a lot of my industry's thought-leaders. Ultimately, I ended up with a successful consulting career and a wonderful network of mentors, friends, and colleagues in the world of Agile Leadership and Quality Assurance.

Chapter 3 of Life

Now, I'd like to do something similar in the field of Positive Psychology, particularly as I'm entering a new stage of life.  I'm hesitant to call it "Retirement" or "The 60's"..   Maybe "Chapter 3"? 

"Chapter 1" was childhood and college, "Chapter 2" was career and raising children. Now, in "Chapter 3," I'm a 60-year-old empty-nester, grateful for the opportunity to discover and experiment with what it means to live life fully. 

I left my full-time contract at USAA in November, 2018, shortly after getting some bad news about degenerative back conditions. After a review of my finances and lifestyle, I came to the conclusion that, thanks to my ultra-frugal ways (and paying house-mates), I could afford to "retire."  (I wasn't sure I really wanted to retire since I loved my job but..  I also wanted more time to travel, visit friends, and be as active as possible while I still felt healthy, energetic, and pain-free.

I had an awesome 60-weeks-until-60 set of celebrations, full of traveling, adventure, and new experiences. My kids and family surprised and honored me on my 60th birthday, Feb.26, 2020, by gifting me with "Carpe Diem Day," officially proclaimed in the National Archive of Days! 

Carpe Diem Connections - Season 1 - Interviews with Happiness and Connection Experts

As the proud recipient of Carpe Diem Day, I promptly bought CarpeDiemDay.com and have experimented with social media and activities related to"seizing the day."  I also started a Carpe Diem Connections Facebook Group, Carpe Diem - Single Snowbirds Facebook Group- and, again, 12 weeks ago, the new podcast.

During this past 12 weeks, I used the same strategy I'd used in 2009...  I looked for guests who I admired and were living life fully.  Most were coaches or somehow involved in the field of Positive Psychology. I'm very excited and grateful to those who I met and interviewed! It's been enlightening to hear their thoughts on what it means to them to live life fully and foster deep meaningful connections, particularly in the midst of the pandemic.

Carpe Diem Connections - Season 2 - The Joy Makeover Spinoffs

On Tuesday (Election Day!) I flew back to Sarasota, Florida, for "Snowbird Season." I'm so lucky to be staying, once again, with wise and witty Becky Burns!  It seemed the perfect time to also start a new season on my podcast, hopefully, with continued learning and improving over Season 1.

Becky has agreed to be my co-host as we talk about Finding Joy.  I've become enamored with Ingrid Fetell Lee and her recent Joy Makeover workshop. She offers a workbook and a very interesting set of interviews, digging deeper with topics about things such as how our joy is affected with 11 different topics starting with time, money, and relationships.

Becky and I are going to do our own deep dive into these topics and add a few more that are particularly relevant for the times or for us.  For example, this week, we'll talk about Joy and Politics since the election is causing so much anxiety for so many people.  As I write this, the vote is still undecided. I find it interesting that the uncertainty is causing so much anxiety, both with Covid and the election..  Uncertainty and its affect on Joy might also be part of that first podcast of the season.

Getting Feedback

In order to learn and improve, we need feedback! One of the few things I don't like about podcasting, is that it's difficult to get feedback.  We base results on how many people listen or subscribe, so, of course, it's helpful to see those numbers go up.  However, what I really want is listener comments and feedback!!

I know that many of us listen to our podcasts when we're out and about, so it's not a very convenient medium for giving feedback.  

However, I would appreciate any feedback you'd like to send my way by email: yvette.francino@gmail.com,  by using the "message" button from the podcast Website, or by commenting or IM'ing me on Facebook.

Goodbye Beautiful October!

As everyone keeps saying, these are crazy times! Like the rest of the world, my emotions have been all over the map. Besides all of the stressful things going on in America, we had the worst fires Colorado has ever experienced, and I had some personal stresses this month as well...  friends and family who are suffering from major health problems and grief.  

With all this going on, it can be hard to stay positive. In fact, it can seem almost insensitive to be 'promoting' a Carpe Diem attitude, when so many people are suffering so much.  On the other hand, we only have control over our own minds and actions. Succumbing to depression doesn't help anyone.

I've been keeping a journal of "good things" and "not so good things" that happen each month and at the end of the month, I review and go through all the pictures I took over the month. When I had my end-of-October ritual, I recognized that despite those sad things that are out of my control, there were so many happy things that happened and that I'm so grateful for.

WALKtober

A highlight of my month was participating in WALKtober Bingo put on by Walk2Connect. Every morning, the talented leaders would fill our inboxes with a beautifully written post and prompt of how we could celebrate each day of "WALKtober."

Daily Hikes and Walks - Rediscovering 10,000+ Steps a Day

On October first, we were asked to set an intention for our WALKtober challenge and mine was to walk at least 10,000 steps each day. Since I did this every single day of 2019, I figured doing it in October should be a piece of cake.  It actually wasn't that easy! On days that the weather was bad, I didn't sleep well, or I just felt depressed, it was really hard for me to make the time to get out and walk.

But every single time, I felt better and happier, for getting out! I have to admit that a couple of years ago, when I had to give up running, I felt like walking was such a wimpy substitute..  it didn't feel like much of a workout. But I realize now that it's more beneficial for my mental health than running ever was for my physical health.

Being in nature... seeing the beautiful colors.. exploring new trails.. seeing the sun rise while breathing in the crisp early morning..  witnessing smiling neighbors, beautiful yard decorations, cute pets, and all the treasure of my neighborhood..  all of it is food for my soul. I realize that there is so much goodness and beauty in the world.. so much to be grateful for.

Enjoyed beautiful Fall colors!

Found new places to hike thanks to The Best Urban Hikes:Boulder by Darcy Kitching!

Snowy walks were appreciated, too! They helped get the fires under control!

Working with American Red Cross

This month I finally stopped procrastinating about doing the on-boarding training for ARC so that I could become an active volunteer. I am SO impressed with all the volunteers and hard work that goes into this organization!

As soon as I had the training finished, I was immediately put to work, helping get all the spreadsheets up to date for all those who had been evacuated from their homes because of the fires.  Though this isn't the most "exciting" job, I know that many people aren't comfortable with installing new apps and working with unfamiliar technology. I felt proud that I was quickly up and running and able to help in a way that was needed.

Joan Cernich has been in touch every day and I immediately felt part of a useful team.  I realized this is something I've been missing since I've stopped working at a traditional corporate job. Joan is amazing and is juggling communication and handling the logistics of all the work that's being done with the area's fires. On top of all of that she hosted volunteer (social distanced) get togethers at her home!

Joan Cernich hosts volunteer orientation

Carpe Diem Connections

This is the first time I've posted on this blog for months, but I've been quite active on my new site: CarpeDiemDay.com.  I've interviewed a guest each week for my new Carpe Diem Connection Podcast! It's been fun and exciting for me to meet, reconnect, and learn from all the people I've interviewed! I've also learned a lot about podcasting (but still have a lot more to learn!)

I also have been having fun with my Carpe Diem Connections Facebook group and love the pictures and posts people add as a result of my little prompts.

Socializing and Halloween

This month I was able to have some very welcomed 1:1 celebrations with friends! I really miss the Pre-Covid parties and traditional celebrations, but I also love having some individualized time with friends.

And Halloween turned out to be better than usual! Socially-distanced street parties and neighborhood displays with safe and creative way to deliver treats to the trick-or-treaters!

Costumed girl joyfully dancing while a band plays for the neighborhood

Trick-or-treating goes on in creative new ways!

Pasta Jays on Pearl Street on a sunny Halloween

And now we're into a new month and new adventure! I'm heading to Sarasota again to start snowbird season on November 3rd!