A Tribute to Twenty16

Twenty16, you were amazing.  As I look forward to Twenty17, I must reflect on the year I like to remember as the year of unforgettable days, nights, weeks, and months.  A year for me that as they say, is going down in history.

The year Twenty16 started with a two hour brunch at Succotash, literally, on New Years Day.  I took someone very special...I can admit that because I am happy to say this special person is my now boyfriend, to one of my favorite places to enjoy brunch and after losing track of time, we had gotten a chance to catch up on the lives we had before the months-in-the-making date happened.  The fact I could sit down and have a convo with someone who I hadn't seen in a decade was a good way to start my year!

I had just started my second semester of Nursing School and knew this semester was going to kick my booty, and it did.  I passed the Nursing class but barely passed Patho and I will admit, dropping the class crossed by mind, but lucky for me the teacher talked me into staying in the class.  I was stressed to the max and ugly cried a lot, but it was worth the chance. I never have to look at Patho again!  This whole semester I was planning my Summer...because I couldn't wait to get to May...basically because I knew it was going to be my last free summer as a student :)

I traveled and traveled and traveled.  Even with school and work, I was fortunate to adventure around the U.S. and the Caribbean.  May began with Dallas and the Summer and Fall continued with Colorado Springs, Denver, Loveland, Tulsa, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C. and the Dominican Republic. Dallas included dinner at Reunion Tower, Poutine at the bar next door, and nights at the Nylo with the rooftop pool were amazing. I met my boyfriend's family too, all very sweet and welcoming people.  A roadtrip with me, myself and I to Colorado to run my second Half Marathon; Dinner in Denver with a friend from KC, staying in the Springs with my good friend Alec for the remainder of the trip, and running in Loveland a cool 13.1 miles finishing with a faster time than the previous year proved to be yet another good get-a-way.  The next day we conquered the Manitou Incline, I wanted to die! Upon returning from Colorado, I was off with the BF to the Caribbean.  No plans but the sandy beach, ocean, beer, tequila shots and sunshine.  The resort was amazing and the DR was all that it could be.  Right down to the Coconuts and Machete's. This trip was super relaxing and we hadn't a care in the world.

August hit which meant moving and third semester of Nursing school. Not as tough as second semeter, but I still spent a lot of time studying.  I ended this semester acing Pharmacology and not doing to bad with the nursing course either!  It was a bit more relaxed but I didn't lose focus...just had a little more free time!

I moved into a loft at the River Market in KC, MO. I LOVE IT!  The views, the people, the fact I can walk almost anywhere or catch the Streetcar, brick walls, big windows and concrete floors...I couldn't have asked for a better first experience moving from suburbia to downtown city life!

In the Fall we made a road trip to Tulsa to attend the Deco Ball at the Mayo Hotel.  A weekend of fun around Tulsa, from nightlife to brunch, to the art districts and hot dog trucks and even had the pleasure of meeting some of the BF's friends.  A last minute trip to the East Coast to visit him while he was there for business turned into a Fall tour of 4 different cities and a lot of adventuring. It was a quick four days for sure!  Although I loved the entire trip, I really enjoyed the local bookstore in Philadephia we spent hours in and the night in DC with his family, who showed us some local places they enjoy hanging out at.

I attended my first Opera at The Kaufmann Center for Performing Arts, The Marriage of Figaro, and it was amazing! For my Thirty-Faux Birthday, the perfect gift from my BF followed by dinner at a local Mexican joint. Tacos, cheese dip, margaritas and a bite of his tamales was the perfect way to end the evening.

You know I love this city and this year had so many amazing opportunities around Kansas City.  From photo shoots to runway to live segments on Fox 4 with Jana Meister, it was a great way to meet new people and support my local KC peeps!

Twenty16 came to an end as I spent the Holidays with family and friends. New Year's Eve with my guy listening to Jazz music and a midnight champagne toast at one of our favorite River Market bars, Harry's. Happiness was all wrapped up!

School Semesters Passed, Check!
Adventures, Check!
Opportunities, Check!
New Friends, Check!
Time with Old Friends, Check!
Lot of Happy Hours, Check!
Time with those I love, Check!

Here's to the New Year! I have a feeling you may be better than the last!
Shona

Real Talk, Real Me.

Time for real talk today...

Sometimes you just have to think about how far you have come, what you are capable of, how strong you are, and that generally most people are good people, even great people.  I have met some amazing people since moving to this place I love to call home, Kansas City.  I have also realized a great deal about myself and have done things in the past year that I never would have thought possible or even attempted.  Lucky for you, I will share what I now call, living.

• I made it into Nursing School. After leaving my Orthodontic job after 9 years which was preceded by a 6 year banking career in 3 different cities, I applied to go back to school.  Ok, so maybe I am still doing a little work at the Ortho Office, but Nursing is my passion.  I have managed to not flunk out, have a job, and a social life.  I have learned to study, a lot.  I once thought that I was too old for this. Too old? I have only just begun. 

• I moved, twice.  How is this a feat you say? Well, just ask my Dad and Sister who always seem to be the ones who get the pleasure of helping me.  I have managed to go from a four-bedroom house to an over-sized one-bedroom apartment with attached garage in the over priced Johnson County area to my River Market one-bedroom loft with concrete floors, a shared garage, and the smallest closet you have ever scene.  Who needs all that "stuff" anyway? I have realized what is important and kept only that.  Could I use a separate room for shoes? What girl couldn't?  But guess what, where I am works, and it came at just the right time. 

• I ran my second half marathon, I almost died from knee pain. But my time was much faster than last year so there's that. Moving on. 

• I took a road trip, alone. I drove out to Colorado this past summer to visit a good friend and also "see #3 above".  People were shocked that I was driving and by myself.  I looked at it like this...8 hours of alone time, thinking about whatever I wanted too, listening to whatever I wanted too, stopping at Starbucks, whenever I wanted too.  It was one of the best adventures I chose to take. 

• While waiting on a friend for dinner in Denver, I went into a Amato's Ale House, ALONE. What?? No way in h-e-l-l would I have done that even two years ago.  I walked my orange-wedge-wearing booty right up to the bar, sat on the end, and had two amazing local beers that the bartenders recommended.  The food was good too and the company, when she arrived, was even better.  

• I went and ate at a restaurant. You guessed it, alone.  I had some free time to kill one day between appointments and decided, no time like the present.  My Mom has told me for years that she has no problem doing this, I always said, never. Never say never. 

• I have reached out to local KC folks and been given many opportunities because of it.  Whether it be volunteer work, photo shoots, or showing off fashion on the news, it has led to good things which has led to great people and many new friendships. 

• I learned to paddle board which seemed to come pretty natural to me, spent a lot of time at the lake and went camping more than usual.  Sometimes getting out of the city is good for your soul. 

• I have managed to keep blogging and attended my first Go Blog Social Event and was invited by The Blog Guild recently to attend a Makeup Mastery Event at Macy's. 

• I sang at a Nursing home with my super talented step-dad Phil and also recorded my rendition of a song by Foo Fighters.  #bigstep

• I have traveled. Vegas, Dallas, Iowa, Tulsa, Denver, Colorado Springs, Georgetown, Fort Worth, Dominican Republic, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington DC. I am beyond thankful for those who made some of these adventures possible.  It's not always about the actual adventure, but rather the person who you choose to adventure with. 

Some of these things are simple, some are not.  I have found myself, finally.  Hey, isn't that what your 30's are for? Don't get me wrong, it's always a work in progress but it always should be.

Find your power...

Shona

Me, Myself, Friends, and the Rockies

From a night out in Denver to running at 10,000 feet to hiking a one-mile, 2000 foot elevation increase at Manitou Springs...I have to say, my last trip to the lovely and always amazing Colorado was one to be remembered.  I decided to take a solo venture across the state of Kansas to visit friends, run my second half-marathon, and take on the incline...just 8 hrs of driving by myself.  Stopping whenever I wanted too, although there just happen to be a Starbucks at every stop, listening to any genre of music or even just listening to silence...this journey alone was something I had never done. What it turned out to be was something more than expected.

I arrived in Denver during rush-hour, I planned that perfectly...driving through what seemed like never-ending traffic to get to my destination.  I was meeting a friend for dinner and arrived early so I decided to scope out the spot but then venture into downtown Denver to hit up a favorite of mine, The View House. I also timed that perfectly...the Rockies were playing and as drove into the area, I realized getting a seat let alone a parking spot wasn't going to happen.  So back to the Highlands area. I scored a close parking spot and decided I was going to tackle my fear of going into a bar alone, having one hour to waste, I really didn't want to sit in my car.

As I walked into Ale House a Amato's, I felt instantly comfortable. I marched to the bar like I'd been there before, hopped into a seat on the end which meant I wouldn't have to worry about anyone sitting next to me and started looking at the beer menu. The bartenders, both male and female were informative and gave me info about the local beers and offered up samples.  I sat there for an entire hour, drinking a beer...ok beers...and watched the Rockies game.  My friend Katie joined me later and we had an awesome time catching up and enjoying some wonderful food!

The next 4 days were amazing too! I spent my time with one of my besties Alec and her family... I hadn't seen her since last August. We visited the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, my favorite mainly because of the giraffe exhibit, ate lots of food and I was able to get plenty of Baby Cohen time.  We dined at Amanda's Fonda, The Loop (a must), and Narai Thai for carb-loading!

I planned this journey around the Slacker Half-Marathon, which I ran last year as a relay, running 9 out of the 13.1 miles.  This run starts at Loveland Ski Basin and ends in the cutest little town of Georgetown; 10500 feet elevation at the start and ending around 8500 feet.  I decided this year, I was doing it all and I was going to run it faster than last year. My goal was to be under 2:30 and I hit 2:26...the damn bathroom spot wasted about 7 minutes, but there was no way I was going it make it the last 7 miles without stopping...too much water!  Breathing at 10K feet is much different than in Kansas, but this year, breathing wasn't my issue.  I started having left knee pain about 3 weeks before the race, so I started wearing a knee brace to help. The race went well, I beat my goal, I felt good, but I did have issues with my knee...I often wonder if I didn't, what would my time had been? That night, after carb-loading at the Thai restaurant, I soaked in the hot tub...with a view of the Rockies.

The next day, Alec and I decided to tackle the Manitou incline.  I did not know what I was getting in to.  I figured I would go for it, who cares that I just ran 13.1 miles...let's beat another goal of getting to the top! I.almost.died.  A little over half-way, she asked me.."How do you feel?", my reply "I'd rather be running another 13.1!" It was tough and I know I was worn out from running, but one mile straight up, even being in shape, was hard as hell!  But guess what, we did it; 1:20 later and we made it to the top. The only thing left to do was go back down.  3.5 miles down a winding trail and we managed that in about an hour...that tells you how hard going UP is!  I could admit that old, "older" age was the reason for part of my pain...at this point both knees and my left hip was aching, but I refuse! Now, where is my margarita at The Loop?

The next day, I awoke early to get a head start back to Kansas and back to reality.  Another 8 hours of driving by myself meant more time to let the last 4 days really sink in.  I realized I had conquered fears, beat goals, and spent time with people who are very important to me.  You never know what life will throw at you, but I have decided to make the most of mine. I am 35 years old and in the last year and a half allowed myself to take risks...and what I realized is that those risks have paid off. Live your life...no one else can do it for you.

Thank you Carpenter Family...
Thank you Colorado...
Shona

Don't Give Up The Ship

Many, many times I have felt like just giving up...not with life, but rather my dreams, goals, school, and the new career path that I chose earlier in 2015.  It would just be easier to go back to the job I had for 10 years, making decent money, working four days per week, and being "comfortable".  Starting over with a new career at my young age of 35...34 when I made that scary decision...was not going to be easy.  I hadn't actually had to study in years, I was used to being an "A" student always, and just had a routine.  Work, work-out, travel some, family time...it was just starting to get too repetitive for me. With the life changes in 2015, if you don't know already, go back a few blog posts and read "Goodbye #2015, Hello #2016" and that will fill you in, I was starting over.  By starting over, I mean completely.  Did I like it? Hell no. Was it scary? Hell yes.  Was it the best thing that could have happened to me? Double hell yes.

I was encouraged by many people during the change in my life. Friends, family, colleagues, and even strangers.  My Beachbody family was amazing and I have made some amazing new friends just by coaching!  My friends wanted me to be happy, to keep pushing.  Be you, take time for yourself, stay busy, don't sit at home, do what makes you feel good about yourself and don't give up.  Many times I heard, you have too much going for you to quit now.  You were being held back, and for whatever reason why, they were right.

Many, many opportunities have come to me in the last 8 months.  I was fortunate enough to be on television twice. Once for a Nani Nalu Swimwear segment and the second time just recently for Spring Trends with Jana Meister, both segments on Fox 4 Morning Show and both so much fun! I also did a Fashion Show last June with Jana for Summit Fair.  These events were amazing and led me to meet even more people and open doors for more opportunities. I attended my first Go Blog Social Event to learn more about blogging, and I was a nervous wreck! I had never attended any event like that, was going alone, and didn't know what to expect. I met the most friendly and amazing people there and I can't wait to see them all again!  Definitely out of my comfort zone, but I sucked it up and loved every minute of it!  I attended two KC Fashion Week Shows, Spring and Fall.  The designers were amazing and it is now a must attend event for me yearly! You may even see me on the media side of it :)

I traveled, ran my first half marathon (well, only 9 miles of it) but I just signed up for my second one in June in Colorado and this time, all 13 miles will be mine!  I had the best summer with friends, family, and prepared myself for Nursing school! I was crazy scared to get started but I did it! First semester under my belt!

The point of this blog is that no matter what life throws your way, dig deeper, work harder, play harder, get out and be happy with yourself and have fun! Did I cry alot? You bet your ass I did...Did I feel down and unhappy? Yes, yes, yes! But, I picked myself up, finally...with help from those who love me, and pushed through the hard times!  Therapy wasn't for me, but I found ways to cope, to succeed, to keep going! And I did...and I am here to say HELLO 2016! I can't wait to show you what I've got! Adventure awaits....Remember, don't give up the ship!

Xoxo,
Shona

One of my Favorite Sweatshirts,

 My Favorite Quote. 

Goodbye #2015, Hello #2016

First warning, I am about to get vulnerable in this blog post.  Second warning, it will most likely contain foul language and I am going to brutally honest, I mean is there any other way to be? You may want to sit down if you aren't already. I normally blog about fashion, food, traveling, events that I attend, or whatever suits my fancy...but I want to close this year by telling my story.  Some wouldn't call it a story, rather bad luck or maybe even just a turn of life events, but here it is.  It really makes no difference to me if you continue reading or not, but maybe someone going through the same crap I went through will see this and it will help them to cope, see things differently, or look at life from a different angle.

February 2015, my life was brought to a halt...my then husband (I'll keep his name out although some of you clearly know what it is, so lets refer to him as DH...a little nickname I came up with)..anyway, we had been married for almost 8 years, had been together for almost 10, and he decided to leave.  He wasn't happy, he thought "we" weren't happy. It was a Monday night and by Thursday he decided to tell me that he was moving out, and by that weekend, he was moved out.  Planned much?  Of course I had no idea what the hell was going on...I was at a loss.  My first thought, fix this. Ok, we are separated, we need time apart, what about counseling?  I had about one million thoughts going through my head 24 hours per day.  I decided to move in with my Mom because if he could move out of "our" home, why did I have to stay there?  By the way, he refused counseling, and I now thank the lord for that.

I moved out, thinking it will just be for a few days until I figure things out...a few days turned into 2 weeks.  I received a phone call from a friend Saturday night...5 days after the bomb exploded.
The convo, "What are you doing?"
Me, "Just at my Moms, whats up?"
Her, "Where is DH?' Me, "No clue"
Her, "Well, I don't know how to tell you this, but I just got a call from a mutual friend and he is in Emporia eating at Applebee's with two girls"
My heart sank, I couldn't breathe, I felt helpless and didn't know what to do.  So I thought, this is bull shit. I called him, he answered and sure enough, he was there.  With "friends" he said.  Funny thing is, he said they were "family friends" and what's even more fucked up, after 10 years of being with this man, I had never once heard their name from him or any of his family.  Family friends my ass, long lost neighbors (sisters) he lived next too for a few short years if even that long while living in Emporia. Enough of that.

For the next two months, my life felt like it was spiraling. I had just applied to Nursing school, knowing that IF I made it in, I would be going from full-time to part-time work, making less money for a short time to better my career and ultimately be more financially stable.  For not just me, but him and I. This was our plan.  He said he would support me, support us while I was in school. After all, when I was finished with it, I would have my BSN and work in a the amazing field of Nursing.  Did I mention, we had made some life decisions for our family...again, thankfully those didn't happen.

Fast forward to March, I was going to leave the crap of selling the house and getting an attorney up to him. After all, he wanted it. But while at my Moms I realized I had to go home, there was a house that needed taken care of, a yard to be mowed eventually, and things to do!  I moved back in, called a friend to put the house on the market and got an attorney...best decision ever.  The house had tons of lookers, the attorney was easy to deal with basically leaving it up to us to decide who got what...blah, blah, blah. He didn't want anything really, ok great...except when it was time to move, I had almost everything to get out, put somewhere, do something with.  Spring time, I couldn't hardly keep up with yard work, working one full-time job, taking classes, a part-time job.  My neighbors saved me, literally.  They helped me constantly with the yard and the dog and as much as they didn't want me to move, they were probably ready to not have two yards and my drama to deal with!

April, I was waiting to see if I got into Nursing school...small envelope means NO, large envelope means YES.  Guess what I got...the small envelope.  I burst into tears, I mean bawling, mascara running, ugly ass cry.  Seriously, more bad news, more bad luck.  I just didn't understand, I read the letter again...and I saw it, the GPA they had listed, that wasn't my GPA...who's GPA was that? And guess what, that was the sole reason I didn't get accepted.  I called them immediately to let them know. The nursing director said she would look into it. I got a call back that day, yep, they made a mistake.  But guess what, all of the acceptance letters already went out, and they can only accept so many people, so I was moved to the top of the alternate list.  Really? Really? One week later, I get a call with relieving news...you are in!  Happy tears this time. Maybe things are looking up!  And hello Royals Home Opener...something to look forward to with friends...who were always trying to get me out of my funk!

Oh ya, my divorce became final too, my attorney and I put a rush on it, send that bitch through...I am done.  And yes, I did get money from the house, for my future living expenses, and because my attorney thought I should ask for maintenance I did, and guess what, I got it.  I never, ever wanted it. I always have worked my ass off for what I had...but she made a valid point...he makes way more money than you, you are going back to school, and it was a decision you both made regarding the return to school, so you should get it.  We had two options, go to court and let the judge decide or come to an agreement, we came to an agreement.  I am sure people thought I was all about the money, so not true. I was about making sure I could live...he was going to be able to, why shouldn't I?  His story may be different, I realize there are two sides, but this is how it felt for me, what happened to me, and I know it also takes two to be in a relationship...and clearly we weren't there. After all, he is already remarried.  My comments stop here.  

May, an offer came through on the house...low ball of course.  My amazing realtor and friend told me what to do, I did it...we made some adjustments, they wanted the lawn mower and the gym mats...done! I didn't want that stupid John Deere mower anyway...good luck with that.  House sold, but here is the kicker, they wanted in within 30 days.  I hadn't even looked for an apartment because it happened so fast, it was the end of school so I was studying for finals, and I was just overwhelmed. May 13th, I took my final, got an A, and celebrated...and started to feel happy again. I also celebrated my non-a-versary....all days with friends, Mexican food, tequila, and the Royals game. I am starting to feel better...kind of.

I looked for apartments, and wanted to be in a certain area because I would need help with my dog on the days I worked, needed a shit ton of storage because I was going from a 4 bedroom home with a full basement to a one bedroom apartment and did I mention I also wanted a garage? Try finding that in a month...almost impossible, almost.  I fell in love with where I am at but they didn't have anything in the larger one bedroom until July...one month after I had to be out, so that meant storage unit and living somewhere in the meantime and then moving, again.  They decided to show me the smaller one bedroom, I walked in, moved my head side-to-side, and said no way in hell.  I could see every room from where I was standing.  Two days later I got a call from the apartment complex, someone backed out, the larger one bedroom would be ready June 12th, perfect timing. I rushed in, made a deposit and started packing.

June came around and that two week vacation I originally had planned with the ex turned into time off for me, a trip to Colorado to see a Rockies game, a trip to Iowa to see family and moving into my new place.  It was going to be busy...and did I mention it was SUMMATIME!!!!  I also made a trip back to Colorado the end of June to run my first Slacker Half Marathon, I ran two legs of it, spent time with more friends...I just love that place!

Real short clip...I started "dating" a guy in May, totally unexpected...I mean, like I figured hell would have frozen over before it happened, but we had fun while it lasted.  Not just that kind of fun either...I know what you all are thinking.  Like we could talk for hours fun, be in the car for hours driving fun, face time, text, talk on the phone, laugh and make jokes about each other fun, we just got along; had the same thoughts, ideas, and my friends liked him too...But that ended, he couldn't handle the "perfectness" of our relationship...but I just found that out literally 3 weeks ago.  Moving on.

Summertime...finally! Taking one class and soaking up the rest with friends, pool time, and although this sounds terrible...vodka.  Water, coffee, or vodka...that was the slogan we seemed to use all summer long.  Made a trip to Vegas for a 30th Birthday party...we will not go into detail on that trip, but I will say it was one of the best times I have had.  #kcgirlsdovegas and we did!  Royals games, nights out, patios, volleyball, you name it, I was doing it...trying to stay busy and figure out how to start my life over at 34.  Plus, dating at this age...its freaking weird. It's different in this century, plus let's be real, I have never really "dated" anyone.  Time to start I guess.  Labor Day weekend...I had an amazing time at Beaver Lake, going out of my comfort zone knowing only 2 people, but making the drive down there after work to have an amazing day on the water!  I can't even explain the amount of fun we all had!

August roles around and school is beginning to start. I am a nervous wreck...what if I can't do this? What if I fail? On a good note, I did receive a full scholarship for classes and books, another crying moment with tears of happiness.  Good grades and an essay made that possible...thanking the lord for that one for sure!  First semester went so fast, like crazy fast. I met awesome people, ended with a B...I am ok with that, and am ready for second semester!

The end of 2015 is here and although I keep saying this year has been shitty...trust me, there were definitely times that weren't easy, I have to say the year turned out to be better than expected.  Chalk it up to having a better attitude, getting out of my slump..whatever you want to think.  The truth, friends...friends, friends, friends...and family, lots of crying, lots of working out, lots of pool time, lots of long talks to people that are always willing to listen, lots of laughing, lots of coffee, lots of vodka...yes, it was there too, lots of new friends and rekindling old friendships too...I couldn't have done it without any of these people!  They were there for me, being brutally honest and I listened to all of it, even if I had to hear it 500 times before it was clear.

So here we go 2016, I am going to kick your ass!
Xoxo,
Shona