Good Day, Sacramento

I found out today that I will be on the local morning show “Good Day, Sacramento” on February 21st. Set your Tivos! It’ll be one of what I sure will be countless TV appearances that I will make over the course of my trip. That is if I don’t act like a complete fool while on this program. Well, actually a fool might be okay. Fools get laughs, don’t they? Yes. So if I act like a fool that is okay. What I probably want to avoid is not being able to act at all and as a result spending the entire segment staring blankly into the camera while the reporter jabs me with the microphone.

That would be bad.

So I have until February 21st to come up with something brilliant to talk about while on live television. And I probably need to find someone to do my hair and make-up. Or at least the make-up. The picture to the right, the one with me looking all pretty and ready for my close-up? That is what I look like after an hour of someone pouring make-up on my face. I don’t think Sacramento is ready to greet their Good Day with my face sans make-up. It’s just not a glamorous thing. But then again, we are doing a segment on running in the park, so I guess glamorous might not be a requirement.

At this point make-up is really the least of my issues. Trying to figure out at way to not puke from nervousness on live TV is probably a little higher up on my things to figure out.

Again, you might want to set the Tivo's, you just never know what is going to happen.

Best Event Ever

So as we travel the countryside, trying to inspire people to get off their butts and get involved in their health and their world and all that junk, we are also on the lookout for anyway to connect with people. We are looking for different running-type events at which we can go and spread our words of Nonrunner’s Marathon-ing and saving the world I spoke of earlier. We’ve found a lot of events that we’ve added to our calendar of cross-country fun.

But nothing looks as fun as this event:


The Portland Iditarod

I do not think I can adequately explain the excitement of this event, so I will blatantly steal from their site:

“In the Alaskan Iditarod, more than sixty dog sled teams race across the frozen tundra from Anchorage to Nome. In our urban version, teams of 'dogs' lead by a musher will pull their sleds (shopping carts) through some of Portland's most scenic areas. These teams of barking humans must negotiate through the unrelenting and unforgiving dangers of Portland's urban frontier. As an incentive to run, dogs and mushers alike will have several 'rest stops' to replenish lost fluids and discuss tales of mayhem. The course is over four miles, so dogs and mushers alike need to be ready and able to run their tails off.”

Ha! Seriously. How much fun does this look? So much fun. I contacted the main Iditarod-er and asked him if we could come play. He said that of course we could, and that if I needed a team I could run with his team. But I’d have to wear a prom dress. Awesome.

These are my kinds of people, these Iditarod-ers. They like the move, they like to act foolish and they seem to enjoy a party. What more do I need in an event?

Portland here I come.

Saturday, March 3rd - Come on out if you’re in the area. And if you have a prom dress.

I Need to Get Witty Real Quick and I Should Probably Lose 10 Pounds

So I wrote a book. In not a very long time from now it will become my job to talk about the book to anyone and everyone who happens to be tricked into listening to me.

Please note the word “talk” in that sentence. As in “speak”. “To people”. “Who probably expect you to be at least sorta funny because you wrote what is being billed as a “humorous” book”. (Can you put quotes inside of quotes? I don’t know. The only thing I’m half good at, writing, and I don’t even really know how to do that. Sweet) So, yeah. I have book events coming up. Wherein I am expected to stand in front of people and talk in a witty and engaging way that makes them want to fork over cash for the pile of paper I am trying to sell them.

Have you ever heard of that study that says that public speaking is the thing that is most frightening to people? There is a reason for that. Because it’s scary as hell to stand in front of people and speak. Let alone when you are supposed to be funny. Just ask Michael Richards, sometimes bad things happen. Now granted, I don’t foresee myself breaking into a racist, angry rant, but I also wonder if perhaps that might be better than just standing up there frozen, holding a bottle of Gatorade as a prop and not really knowing what the hell to say about the bottle or the fact that I am frozen.

Things could go badly, is what I’m saying.

I should have co-wrote the book with someone. Then I’d at least have someone up there with me to pick up the ball, should I drop it in a fit of panic and fear and sweat and overall non-funny. Do you think it’s too late to add a co-writer? Anyone interested?

Here are a list of events so far: http://www.dreaminmotion.net/Press_Events.html
Please come if you can. And hold up cue cards in the back with witty remarks.

Get off your butt.

This is the first in many a blog to come. Please try to control your excitement.

It is January 1st, 2007 today. A new year. I’m supposed to have resolutions. Instead I have resolution: I’m going to take off from my home in Sacramento in February and 8 weeks later I’m going to arrive in New Orleans. Along the way I resolve to make a difference in the lives of New Orleans residents.

(Maybe it would have been easier to just resolve to go to the gym more often.)

But no, I’ve never been one to take the easy route. So in less than two months I will head off in an effort to raise money and awareness and excitement and compassion for the New Orleans area. I’m gonna need a lot of help, so hopefully some of you reading this will resolve to help me with my trip across the grand ol’ USA. (Believe me, it will be a lot more fun than going to the gym.)

I am getting corporate and private donors to sponsor every mile we walk on our way to New Orleans. WE walk. As in YOU and ME. If I can convince enough people to walk with me as I’m moving through their town then we can raise a lot of money for the rebuilding of New Orleans. If not, well then I’m just a girl who spent 8 weeks walking by herself. But then again, I’m sure it will help me lose the holiday weight I’ve put on, so it will still be time well-spent.

At the end of my adventure across the country we will walk into New Orleans. WE. As in you and me and everyone we know. We will walk into New Orleans and we’ll stay there for a week and volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. We are quite productive, you and I, what with all the walking AND the building. We sure do know how to make a good resolution.

This is the first post. There will be many more. Hopefully you will be in some of them with me...

Go to www.dreaminmotion.net to get more info on this trip and how to get off your butt and join us. As we dream, in motion.