I had my Florida Keys trip planned out perfectly. We were going to dive the three largest wrecks in the Keys: the Vandenberg, the Spiegel Grove, and the Duane. I really looked forward to our planned trip. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate with my plans. Our plans derailed on our first day in the Keys. We timed our drive down to Key West so that we could catch Continue Reading
The Graceful Way to Weather Bumps in the Road
If I had to pick one word to describe my first downhill ski day of the season, I would pick “bumpy.” Perfectly groomed corduroy greeted me, even though I arrived midday. The frozen grooves in the snow had withstood earlier skiers without breaking down one bit. You see, the temperatures had roller-coastered throughout the week. The day before had been 40 degrees and rainy. Continue Reading
What Kind of a Chicken Are You?
Three chickens trembled outside the monster’s cave. Their bravado, exhibited back in town when they declared they’d face the beast, had faded with each step away from the safety of the village. Now, they quivered together in terror. The largest chicken recovered first. “I’ll confront the monster. I’m not scared.” He marched to the cave entrance, shoulders back. The Continue Reading
A Little Known Way to Happiness
Have you ever done something that was way harder than you expected? Back when my husband and I were still dating, we took a trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Unlike the other Boundary Waters trips we’d taken, this one was just the two of us. It was our own private outing. The route we picked looked easy enough with only four short portages. However, it Continue Reading
The Secret of Becoming Stronger
Do you want to become stronger? Do you want to be able to run three miles? Do you want to comfortably backpack 5-10 miles a day while carrying a 30+ pound pack? Do you want to be able to do a proper pushup? Do you have some other athletic goal? Strength isn't just physical. You can increase your mental and emotional strength, too. Do you want to be a more patient person? Do Continue Reading
