pause before you post

be a ladder, be a light, be a mirror

People come into our lives.

Our lives cross paths, even if only briefly sometimes.

Sometimes people are in our lives for years. Even decades.

To challenge, teach, help us smile & laugh.

To comfort, encourage, and support.

To help us not take life so seriously.

We cross paths

To be a ladder

To be a light

To be a mirror

For one another.

be me

A friend told me a great thing she read in a book called The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin.

The author discovered a simple strategy: when in doubt she would tell herself, "Be Gretchen." I am going to try that this year. Because I know my true heart when I stop to listen to what it is saying, what is gently whispers or what already knows.

Be me. 

We all know "ME", when we stop to listen. Not answering to anyone else's expectations or demands or the "should" dialogue or negative voices in your head. Life can get stressful, complicated, and busy. When happiness feels far away, try to stop and remind yourself, "Be me."  

Trail Walk at Phoenix Lake on 1/5

Winter rain means waterfalls.

Rose petals on a bridge.

Misty mossy trees. Peaceful. 

Reward! Brunch.

Courage to Loose Sight of the Shore

courage

comes from the french/latin word for heart

courage vitalizes all other virtues

just like the heart does, courage provides life force

channel fear into excitement, into action

courage its not about getting rid of fear.

it is knowing fear is normal, and continuing into action regardless.

moving through fear gracefully.

Follow Up Message: Warming Hut Hotties Retirement

A private email sent to this year’s Warming Hut Hottie Team Leaders yesterday afternoon was posted to Facebook and was sent to others in the community via bcc email. I am sorry if seeing these messages caused anyone hurt feelings or confusion on top of today’s announcement regarding the retirement of the Warming Hut Hotties team. 

We wanted the announcement to be received with the spirit it was intend

ed. It was written with lots of love and gratitude for 10 amazing years, and it is sad to have that message be undermined. While the email sent to the Team Leaders was certainly not confidential, all of the content is information that would have been posted to the community at a more appropriate time.

Please feel free to email Linda at linda at inourlifetime dot org or Marcia at marcia at inourlifetime dot org if you have questions or concerns regarding this issue or the announcement.

Announcement: Warming Hut Hotties Retirement

Your heart is free. Have the courage to follow it. Braveheart

Dear Warming Hut Hotties, Immediate Impact Walk and In Our Lifetime Community,

It is hard to believe ten years of the Warming Hut Hotties have come and gone! So many people, so many special memories, friendships formed, and a powerful legacy of kindness, compassion, and community. We walked, crewed, volunteered and have fundraised while holding the vision to eradicate breast cancer as a life threatening disease, in our lifetime. 

10 Years of the Warming Hut Hotties

This was another year of amazing accomplishments while we shared the road with old and new friends. If you missed the Reunion Party, here is the 2012 Training Walk-umentary slideshow: Part One and Part Two. Enjoy! 

On behalf of our community and the Board of In Our Lifetime, I would like to thank Marsha, Teresa, Michele and Sandra for their hard work as team leaders for the Avon Walk and 3 Day events this year. 

The Avon Walk team raised $20,002, the 3 Day Team raised $102,999 and the Immediate Impact Breast Cancer Walk raised $109,464 which brings our 2012 Fundraising Total to $232,465! Truly wonderful. CONGRATULATIONS! 

Our ten year fundraising total is a staggering $3,197,675. Three. million. dollars. Wow! There is no other way to say it but thank you! It is gratifying to think of the many, many, many people who have been helped by the funds we raised for breast cancer over all of those years.

I can only express deep gratitude to each and every one of the members of our community, and everyone who has supported us, for being a part of it all. It has been simply magical.

Retiring the Warming Hut Hotties Team

In the summer of 2011, I made the decision that this would be the last year of the Warming Hut Hotties team. As such, the Board of In Our Lifetime has made the decision to not renew the Warming Hut Hottie teams as a project. Respecting the upset the Komen/Planned Parenthood controversy created within the team, we decided to delay this announcement until the completion of this year's events. At the end of this year, the Warming Hut Hotties team will be retired. 

The ten year/$3 million mark is a phenomenal way to close the book on this remarkable once-in-a-lifetime experience and end the Warming Hut Hotties team on a high. For my reflections on the gift of this community, please see this blog post.

Our community is not disbanding. We are taking this opportunity to regroup under the full umbrella of our nonprofit, In Our Lifetime.

We share a sense of ownership of the Warming Hut Hotties team, deep pride in our community and our accomplishments. Saying goodbye to something beloved is always difficult, but even great things come to end. Whether you have been a hottie since 2003, or you joined the team this year, I have always said, "Once a hottie, always a hottie!" Now we can hold that feeling in our hearts. 

Planning for 2013

As people begin to make plans for event participation in 2013, with respect for the hundreds of past team members and our collective history, I ask that the Warming Hut Hotties (or some variation of “hotties") name and traditional "schwag" not be used. Please honor this request with gratitude for the thousands of hours many team members have volunteered in service to the Avon Walk, the 3 Day and the team. 

People continuing to participate in the Avon Walk, Susan G. Komen 3 Day or other breast cancer events can take the strong foundation and positive experience of being a part of the Warming Hut Hotties and use them as seeds for creating the vision for new teams. Take flight into the open space where the Warming Hut Hotties once dwelled. It is full of possibility! 

Moving Forward with In Our Lifetime

As we move into 2013, the Board of In Our Lifetime will be focused on growing the nonprofit, creating meaningful and impactful breast cancer related projects in the Bay Area and growing our event, the Immediate Impact Breast Cancer Walk. This is the path our hearts are leading us on, and we hope to have your support in this decision and the important work we have ahead of us. We invite you to be involved and move forward into the next ten years with In Our Lifetime.

Wishing you all the best on your journey, wherever that road may lead you. With deep respect and gratitude,

Linda Imlay

Founder, Warming Hut Hotties

Board Chair, In Our Lifetime, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit

Giving Feels Good: Adopt a Family Gift Drive

Today we gathered to wrap all of the gifts we collected for the Adopt a Family Gift Drive for our assigned family from La Casa de las Madres. A few months ago I contacted the shelter to ask if our community could participate in their Adopt a Family holiday program. Three weeks ago I was sent a sheet describing our assigned a family: a mom and her two 9 year old kids with sizes of clothing, preferred colors and their gift "wish list." At minimum we were required to provide one family gift, two gifts for the mom and three gifts for each child:

For the family, a full sized sheet set.

The mom asked for a tote bag purse and a large soup pot.

Child #1 asked for a art set, toy train and a model car/train kit.

Child #2 asked for a Thomas the Tank Engine shirt, Thomas the Tank Engine toy and a pair of jeans.

I was informed that Child #2 has some developmental disabilities which is why he asked for the Thomas the Tank engine items, something usually a much younger child would be interested in. We were up for the challenge. 

A sign up list was posted online for anyone in the community to select from, and I added many additional items I thought the family would need. We don't know anything about the family or their circumstances, but I was told all gifts would be appreciated! 

Other items we bought for each family member included PJs, robes, games, socks, underwear, warm hats, warm coats, books and toiletries. And, man oh man, there were probably 25 small stocking suffer gifts per person as well: stickers, pens, makeup, candy, legos and other cool things!

Sports Basement, once again, generously welcomed us to use their Big Room to host the Wrapping Party. I confirmed with those who RSVPd to bring tape, scissors and whatever wrapping paper they wanted to donate to the effort.

Boatloads of wrapping supplies

Sorting the gift haul by recipient before wrapping.

We started by unloading and sorting all of the purchases by recipient - man, here was a LOT! It felt like it was Christmas morning as a kid. 

Little elves wrapping away!

We put on some good music, poured some mimosas at got to work! Each gift was lovingly wrapped, tied with gorgeous ribbon and labeled carefully with the initials of the recipient and the contents of each package. 

Sandy's advanced bow tying maneuver.

We finished by 5:00 pm and loaded most of the gifts into my car.... like Santa's sleigh.

There were so many gifts some went to Trina and Meg's houses for storage. The plan is to deliver all of the gifts to the shelter on Thursday afternoon. I will probably be more excited than the staff at the shelter. 

Many thanks to Marcia P., Marsha S., Catronia, Margo W., Meg, Trina, Sharla, Elena, Sandy, Sandy W. + Frankie + Edie, Tina L., Judy J. for contributing so generously to our family's wish list and all of the other gifts.

The gifts are so perfect. The family is going to be so overwhelmed with this generosity. Here is a list (what I remember!) of the items that will be dropped off at the shelter this week for our family.

Family Wish List: Full Sized Sheet Set (Bed in a Bag)

Family additional gift: a towel set for each member of the family

Family: TONS of stocking stuffers! Like 20 little items for each person in the family. So fun!

Child #1 Wish List: Art/Drawing Set, Model Car, Train Set, Art Supplies

Child  #2 Wish List: Jeans, Thomas the Tank Engine Shirt, Thomas the Tank Engine Toy Train Kids

Additional gifts - each child is getting: maze game, lego set, Bathrobe, PJs, Books, Socks, Undies, Undershirts, Warm Coat and Hat

Mom's Wish List: Tote Bag/Purse, Large Soup Pot Mom

Additional Gifts: Large Stock Pot, PJs, Slippers, Toiletries, Makeup, Warm Coat & Scarf

Many thanks to Tanzeem, Linda E., Marcia, Marsha, Sharla, Sandy, Meg, Tina, for pitching in to tackle wrapping the pile of presents, for donating wrapping supplies and for your infectious positive spirit! Giving feels good.

grateful

Immediate Impact Breast Cancer Walk

Sunday Reflection & Dedication Reading

grateful… by michelle ensminger 

for the power of being fully present to the world around me, the all the bits of pieces of myself

to share this sacred space with you, two beings, slightly broken, overflowing, fragments of the divine

to hold your hand, to carry your burden while you regain your strength

for the questions and the gentle reminders that beg me to look at the truth I am creating in my life

for the grace that holds my becoming in its center

for the horizon, flat and blurry, and beyond that, and still beyond that

for the toes my toes find in the dark

for the delicate scent of jasmine still lingering in the morning air

when two stories intersect, shifting the plot and the characters toward something more brilliant

for honey colored whispers that spin their magic into a new day

for the way the setting sun’s light shimmers off the withering hyacinth

for petals, curled, brittle, colorless, dropping one by one into a pile on the sidewalk

for leaves draped in color and tumbling, a downward, a weightless dance

for a dream being born somewhere, carried through the spiral of time by faith and courage

for the way autumn slips in with her ribbons of red and yellow, orange and gold

for the tears and bravery of others

for prayers, rising like incense to fill the space we hold

for familiar, dog-eared pages that know so well the shape of my hands

for the things that weigh heavy in me waiting to be born

for the way a moment can catch in my throat like a song needing to be sung

when scattered pieces come together, making sense for a moment, then blurring to confusion again

for the softness of breaking open, daring to be tender, daring to love, daring to be seen

for the nervous energy of unknown beginnings

for contradictory thoughts that grapple with each other until they make peace

for the palette of choices at our disposal in each moment

for the invitation to explore what it means to be called woman, mother, human

to the stillness I come back to again and again

for this breath, and this one, and this one

for love, and what else is there, really, besides love?

i am a poem

Image from Mrs. Chow

Immediate Impact Breast Cancer Walk

Saturday Reflection & Dedication Reading

i am a poem by michelle ensminger 

sometimes she held a sliver of the moon in her cupped hands 

and let the light run through her fingers like the sweetest honey 

sometimes the sound of the earth’s quiet breathing 

was enough to make her sigh 

sometimes when she passed under the leaves they shone 

colorful and translucent 

and she knew the world was one large cathedral 

and every step was a prayer 

sometimes she fought against her own living 

and then her mind would give 

and her body would softly surrender 

sometimes her scars seemed like broken paths 

and the lines connecting each one 

formed the silhouette of someone familiar 

sometimes she ignored the promises she made to herself, 

telling herself they weren’t all that important 

but her dreams always told her the truth 

sometimes she remembered who she was 

and the memory was like a dance 

she could follow with her eyes closed 

sometimes when her toes touched the edge of the cool water 

there was the distant memory of thirst 

at the back of her throat 

sometimes she forgot she could save herself 

but the cadence of the rain against the windows 

was a tender song of remembrance 

sometimes she felt the weight of her scattered pieces 

but it was never as heavy as the weight of her wholeness 

sometimes in the early morning hours she swore 

she was the curve of pink on the horizon 

and sometimes the fading color of day told her 

she was right 

sometimes she stood at the window looking in on her life 

sometimes she could touch the fringe of it, 

sometimes she could leap straight into its story, 

but sometimes it felt distant and out of reach 

sometimes her breath caught in her chest 

and in that moment she knew the stillness of nothing 

sometimes the voice singing “now” was louder 

than the temptation of tomorrow 

sometimes a ladder leading nowhere would appear 

sometimes she was brave enough to climb one rickety rung at a time 

sometimes there were enough sometimes to stitch together 

and from that she could create a life 

2012 Immediate Impact Walk - Pre-event Preparations!

After months of planning and preparations, lists, emails and meetings - our event weekend was here!!! It began with Marcia and Sandy picking up the 10' box truck which would haul all of our event supplies and gear bags for the weekend. 

We met at Costco where we shopped for healthy snacks for our route stops. and items for our continental breakfast. I had already shopped for some event supplies and food with some gift cards at Safway and the total spent there was $9.00!

A group of volunteers  meet at East Beach to vehicles and sort our event supplies into the vehicles and make packs of snacks/supplies for each day.

Lots of snacks to keep everyone fueled for our 55 miles of walking!

We applied our new fancy car magnets. Very official looking, yes?

After we finished organizing at the lot, we checked into the hostel for our all crew meeting!

Right after we had started to go to bed the fire alarm went off and we all had to evacuate the building!

See? Firetrucks! An auspicious beginning to our remarkable weekend!