What dreams/interests are you pursuing?

We went to Disney World in December.  Took our kids and grankids.  All 11 of us.  It was wonderful beyond belief!  I think I had more fun than the kids.  I never liked roller coasters as a teenager,, but I rode every one of them and loved it.  The only thing I didn't ride was the Tower of Terror and now I wish I had. 

I want to go tubing.  I love the water but would never have gotten on a tube, let alone be able to climb back into the boat afterwards.  That's on my bucket list for this summer.  I'm getting old as dirt, so some of the things you youn 'uns are going to do would have been on my list when I was young....like zip lining.  Not sure this old broad would like that now.  I've become leary of heights in my old age. 

My family likes to go rafting.  I have always gone, but was very self conscious about my size.  I want to go again and be able to enjoy it more, because I will be able to get in and out of the raft - something I couldn't do before. 

Every single one of my "someday" goals I hit by the end of last summer... fitting back into my 22-year old jeans, running a 5K, getting on amusement park rides without worrying if the bar would close over me, walking around all day in a bathing suit at a water park...

Lately, I've been frustrated with my career in Physical Therapy because there's really nowhere else for me to go with it, the business as a whole is changing because of the damn insurance companies, and our clinic has been sold to another company, it's really starting to suck, and it's getting worse.  We all expect unhappy changes.

I would LOVE to move into something in bariatrics, but I don't know what I could do that would pay what I make now... all the Bariatric Coordniator positions I've found listed require you to be an R.N.  Still, I might just poke around a bit and see what might be out there, or try and make some practice like me so much that they want to create a position for me somehow. 

Back on the physical front, I'd love to try a 10K sometime mid-summer and a local 10-miler in August.  "Half-Marathon" sounds so cool to me, but almost too much to hope for, with me soooo not being a natural runner LOL... but I do plan on going past the 5K point at least.

I think a career change is a great example of pursuing something we might have hesitated with before. 

I went for a job interview about 10 years ago in the only suit I owned at the time... and it was tight on me, but it fit.  But I felt like a whale.  All I could think about during the interview was my size, and worrying about what the interviewer was thinking about me.

Fun topic. I already rode the horse but will certainly do that again. Still hoping to try surfing this summer - there is actually a class at the local university and i am gonna sign up so i can learn without getting killed!  But gotta do some upper body strengthening too.

And I last got on skis maybe 15 years ago but I wanna do that again. And I shall. And major rennovations are going to happen in the garden or at least clean up the aftermath of years of neglect because I was too fat to do anything about it.

Diane

Well a good example would be that even though I had a graduate school offer last year, I didn't follow through...seemed difficult to uproot things, moreso when I was fat (like I found it so hard making new friends).  Now I'm looking at all my opportunities for what they are...opportunities!

I do pretty much everything now.  I feel a lot more relaxed.  I rode down the highway on a motorcycle after surgery.  Would've never done that before (too uptight)

Walked all over chicago and washington, dc.  Missed doing that when I was heavier.  Love traveling in general.

Going out is not a chore, it's exciting.  I love getting dressed up!  In fact, that's reason enough to go anywhere.  Before I often dreaded formal events because they meant finding some uncomfortable, unflattering clothing.

I wear heels a lot more often now.  And skirts and dresses.  

I basically see things as new and fun adventures whereas before, everything was a depressing tiresome thing

Now this summer I look forward to going to the lake with my skinny mini sister.

I can't wait to walk all over cities again.

Honestly, I'm excited for everything life has in store

TRAVEL!  Last week I booked a cruise to the Mediterranean for this June.  I'm going to Thailand at the end of the year (have friends who live there, been bugging me for years to come visit).  Next year around the May-June timeframe I'm thinking Ireland.  I would also like to see the rest of Europe, especially Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Prague (perhaps a river cruise?), also Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and many many points in this country.  The fun-est thing about booking the cruise, so far, is SHOPPING FOR IT!

Over these last many years, I have become very, very well acquainted with my sofa, remote, and computer; just too fat and in too much pain to do anything.  I intend to "unfriend" them. HA!

My goal for this summer is to go white-water rafting. I just have to decide where I would like to go. Rafting and inflatable kayaking used to be my passions and I reallly miss them. I even have my own equipment!!!  I started  gaining most of my weight, when I stopped doing those things. I always loved the camping, hiking, birding, traveling, and spending time with good friends. I want to do those things again andnow I feel comfortable doing them. My last rafting trip was a 17 day trip down the Grand Canyon about 8 years ago, and I was starting to put the weight on, so it was even more difficult physically. It is a challenging trip, even when one is good shape.

My other goal, I hope to achieve this month. I used to downhill ski and I am now strong enough to try it again. I have been working with a trainer since December, building up my total body strength, improving my balance, coordination, and flexibility, so I feel ready to try it again. None of my former ski clothes fit me, although, I can still use my jacket.

Future goals include traveling to different areas abroad and the U.S. When I was heavy, everything seemed so much more difficult and my stamina was pretty crappy. The first step towards doing this, will be getting a passport in the next couple of months. Now, I won't be afraid to have my picture taken.

I would also like to run/walk a 5K.

I'm training for my second Ironman. I have a goal to finish in under 15 hours this time.

I want to do that iFly thing too (indoor sky diving). I used to want to go sky diving but I've since changed my mind.

So many things I cannot list em all!  Travel...sports...2nd job/career ?  I'm goin to Hawaii in a couple of weeks!  to visit my sis who lives there!  I have never been to her house...too big/unhealthy to travel!  My world has become an open book......time for me to start makin' adventures to put  in it!

Travel & sports.... I haven't comfortably sat in a stadium or an airplane seat since God knows when.  I used to not do either unless I knew I would have an aisle seat, so I could spill out to one side.  Then I would still do the, "Oh **** I hope that person doesn't sit next to me" prayer as everyone would start walking towards my area.  I've already volunteered to sit in the middle seat the next time we fly, because my wife has unselfishly volunteered to do it everytime we've gone somewhere.