It's Never Too Late...

to write again
to try something new
to love again
to rediscover yourself
to learn something new
to push yourself
to forgive yourself or someone else
to make a change

But it may be too late if you wait. Procrastination is the evil stepmother of living your life to the fullest.

The last few years I have gone through a number of difficulties and at times could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. But not seeing the light immediately, made me a better and stronger person. The 'darkness' taught me to persevere, to keep putting one foot in front of the other (literally), to want more out of life and for myself, to see a different perspective, and to change the way I had always done things.

Today, I am no where near the person I want to be, but I'm getting closer. I'm happier, healthier, more passionate and grateful; moving in a different direction and rediscovering who I really am. Life is a journey - a marathon not a sprint.

I now have the opportunity to make an impact on the lives of young adults. But I'm finding I am learning so much from them instead. I am living and loving life at full speed.

Instead of waiting, I made it happen. And what I have found is that I am inspiring others. And that makes me smile.

Don't wait for inspiration. Be the inspiration.

2013: My Year of 'Seconds'

In 2012, I completed 20 races (including a few walks, one 38-mile bike ride and my first half marathon). I've certainly racked up the mileage and it's been a blast doing so. I've strengthened bonds with current friends and even made a few new friends. I never knew so many people enjoyed running and I can actually say I enjoy it. I never thought I would hear myself say that (or write it for that matter). My goal for 2013 is to run at least one race a month and complete two half marathons in May and September.

As I look back on an amazing year, there are still a few things I would do differently. As my father has always told me, I learn the hard way. The goal is not making the same mistakes, but rather learning from them and moving on. I've learned a lot about myself this year, particularly what I'm able to accomplish.

A few things I have learned or have been reminded about: (In no particular order)

• I'm stronger than I think I am.
• I need to visit my family more often.
• I don't give myself enough credit.
• I trust easily, but trusting can also lead to heartbreak.
• I will not be remembered for what I have accomplished. But I will be remembered for how I make people feel.
• I need to make time to blog and write more (outside of work).
• I will write more hand written thank you notes and send cards 'just because.'
• I should tell the people I care about that I love them more often.
• I will do one random act of kindness every day.

2012 was certainly my year of 'firsts.' Here's to 2013 - my year of 'seconds.' Happy New Year!

Year of Firsts

This year has definitely been a year of “firsts.” Last summer, I decided to start running. I’m not a runner, never have been but for some reason I decided to “just do it.” Since my first 5K last October, I have competed (I use this word loosely) in 17 races including the 5-mile Turkey Trot, Warrior Dash, Mud Ninja, Color Me Rad 5k and a 38-mile bike ride in a tutu. Everything is better in a tutu!

This Sunday, October 14, I will complete the Dayton River Corridor half marathon. Since I’ve been running I wanted to cross the half off my bucket list and join the 13.1 mile club – at least once.

But let’s be honest, the REAL reason I’m participating in the half is because I made a deal with a running buddy. She joined me in Mud Ninja and cursed me weeks later for a sore shoulder and bruised tailbone. I have to admit – Mud Ninja was not easy and I was certainly proud to cross that one off my list. Since she did Mud Ninja with me, I agreed to run the half with her.

I found this image on Pinterest today and it spoke to me. I can't say I'm "scared" about the half marathon on Sunday, but I'm definitely nervous. I'm determined to finish - running, walking or crawling.

Stay tuned…

#yearoffirsts

I'll Never Win First Place

Last June, running a 5K seemed like it was an impossible goal to accomplish. I used to be a runner (sort of). I could at least hang with the ‘fit’ kids. But as years flew by, schedules got crazy and work consumed my life, I found myself not spending enough time being active. I looked in the mirror one day and found myself wondering - where did time go? What happened to my body? Research says after 30, the average person loses about a half pound of muscle per year and gains one pound of fat. For women, add hormonal changes, stress and decreased metabolism. I remember hearing that statistic in my 20’s and always thought, “No way. That won’t be me.” Never say never.

I’ve always had the desire to be active and eat healthy. I think I eat very healthy compared to others. (Another life lesson – don’t compare yourself to others). I was brought up to eat extremely healthy – no pop, water instead; fresh veggies from grandpa’s garden; and we rarely ate out. Although, I think we rarely ate out because we’d break the budget with a family of seven. I’m sure my mom would have much rather eaten out than cook for all of us.

On June 16, I was invited to attend a wellness class based on the book called The Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard. During the class, we were asked to draw a picture of what it looked like to achieve our wellness goal. I drew a picture of myself running a 5K, about to cross the finish line, and put my goal date to accomplish this in one year (June 16, 2012). I’m not an artist - as you can see – but I took my goal seriously and hung the drawing in my cubicle. In the meantime, I had already started walking 3+ miles since last spring and choosing the stairs instead of the elevator. I was determined to eventually run, even if it was only a mile at a time.

In July, a new colleague started at work. Erin is in her 20s, vibrant and runs 5K’s frequently. I found myself gravitating towards her – feeling confident that I could actually run a mile, at least on the treadmill. Somehow, we automatically became “workout buddies” and would often ask each other if we we’re going to go the fitness center after work. I became accountable. And in turn became motivated, even if Erin wasn’t able to workout with me.

In August, Erin “suggested” that we run the Ghosts n Goblins 5K on October 18. I agreed and thought this would be the day that I would actually accomplish my goal. Little did I know - I would run three 5K’s in less than two weeks in the month of October. (BTW – I’m not recommending this as a new runner. I have suffered severe shin splints - photo below).

Saturday, October 8 was the day I ran a 5K (I did not walk one time) at the Red Devil Roundup in Tipp City with Erin and her husband. My goal was to finish under 40 minutes. I crossed the finish line at 32:48, gasping for breath, crying and telling my husband “I did it! I did it!” I couldn’t believe I actually just accomplished my wellness goal. The last time I ran a 5K race was in 2005.

The next weekend I ran the Children’s Miracle March 5K on October 15 and finished third in my age group at 33:13. I even received a medal.

The Ghosts n Goblins 5K finally arrived on October 18. Four of us participated and dressed up in silly outfits. My knees and legs were sore and I was fighting severe shin splints, but I was determined to run the entire race. I was amazed at the size of the crowd (over 3,500 runners) and was hoping I wouldn’t get run over. To my surprise, I finished with a personal record (PR) at 31:53.

My next races are the Girls on the Run of Dayton 5k on November 19 and the 5-mile Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. I will never be a marathon runner or win first place, but I feel much better about myself and have a sense of accomplishment. Even my blood pressure and cholesterol is much lower since last checked in January.

Small steps, motivation and a "workout buddy” can make a BIG difference.

Wake Up Call

Recently, my husband and I traveled to Italy. I had been to Italy 15 years ago but this time it was much different and certainly a wake up call. A wake up call to how spoiled and self absorbed many Americans are. The luxuries we have at our disposal are many - we can get anything at anytime, whenever we want it. And if we can't have something immediately, we get irate and unhappy.

We don't value family and personal relationships. We're too busy to stop and take a moment to find out how others are doing, how we can help or make someone's life a little easier. We work too much, eat poorly and overindulge in big cars, big houses and look to unnecessary "things" to make us happy.

I'm not saying every American is this way, but many of us are, including me. I found myself at times longing for free wi-fi access (to log on to Facebook, email and Twitter) and wanting air conditioning to be available every where we went - both are rare, even in Rome and Florence, and it was over 100 degrees while we were there. If you want Internet, you have to pay for it and it's not available at every restaurant and cafe like it is in the US. If you want AC, you opened the windows.

Americans are also way too uptight. Europeans live by there own rules (or as I like to say 'lack thereof'). :) They live passionately, love much (PDA is not uncommon) and value relationships. Dinner is a three hour ordeal where they sit, eat slowly, savor the food and have long conversations with their guests. I experienced two of these dinners and found myself getting ansy and wanting to leave after an hour. We stopped at a little cafe in Florence and got a piece of pizza to go for lunch one day. The employee was beside herself that we were not sitting down to eat. It was definetly cute, but we honestly had to go meet our group.

The bottom line is this - we can learn a lot from other people and other cultures. Open your mind, open your heart and live each day to the fullest. It's a wide, wide world out there just waiting to be explored. Have fun!















A typical car in Italy. Makes sense since gas is $10/gallon!

The Best of 2010

I am stealing this idea from my sister-in-law, Erin. This is a reflection on all that happened in my life in 2010. It was a busy year and I'm so blessed.

• Spent New Year's Eve in Chicago and stepped out on the Sky Ledge of the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower).


• Attended my brother and sister-in-law's graduation (on time) from Palmer College of Chiropractic after a long plane delay and crazy route from Dayton to Atlanta to Davenport, Iowa.


• My good friend, Jen, had twin baby girls in the Spring.


• My good friend, Sarah, had a baby boy on my birthday - which I kept telling her would happen, but she wouldn't believe me.


• Finally went to the Columbus Zoo on one of the hottest days of the year. I loved every minute of it!


• A little grey and white kitten showed up at our front door. I took her in, named her Joon and she was adopted by my brother and is living the good life.


• Visited my brother in West Hollywood and attended the gay pride parade down Santa Monica Boulevard. The top 10 winners of American Idol stayed in a hotel across the street from my brother's apartment. Attended an LA Dodgers game and sat right behind home plate.


• Spent a week with by dear friend Carla and her son Jonas visiting from Germany while my car was broken down. It was the best week of ever and a blessing that my car broke down.


• Spent our 9-year anniversary in Chicago biking along the lake shore and attending a broadway musical.


• Went canoeing down the Little Miami River over Labor Day weekend for the second year in a row. We did not tip over this time. Totally canoe pros!


• Was a bridesmaid in my brother Paul's wedding on September 11 at the Rialto Square Theatre - a beautiful day!


• Rode in a real NASCAR car around Chicagoland Speedway at 130+ miles an hour - crazy!


• Received a visit from the Matthews girls. I miss them dearly.


• Took a new job. I wasn't even looking.


• The Bates family moved to the Dayton area from Kalamazoo, Michigan and we have become great friends. Their cats Sophie and Professor Albert rock, too.


• My baby brother, Robert, graduated from Michigan State University.


• Spent New Year's Eve with my parents and visited the Dayton Art Institute.

I know I'm forgetting things, but I must say it's been an exciting year. I look forward to what 2011 has to bring. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my journey.

To Do or Not To Do - That is the question

This week I received a media inquiry from a HARO - Help a Reporter Out. One of the reporters was asking for feedback about what not to do on social networks. I can think of a million things not to do - especially on a personal profile - but I started thinking about what businesses and organizations should and shouldn't do when using social media.

From a business perspective, here are a few key items to consider:

• Don't always talk about yourself or constantly try to sell your products/services. You should position yourself as a thought leader and expert in your field - a "trust agent" as Chris Brogan says.


• Don't talk negatively about your competition, people or other businesses – again, position yourself positively as a leader in the industry but don't bash someone while doing it. As the old saying goes, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”


• Write grammatically correct and spell correctly. Don’t use profanity.


• Talk or blog as yourself, not about yourself. No one cares about what you are doing every second of the day.


• Don’t send automated messages when someone follows you on Twitter. It’s not personalized, it’s a waste of time and it fills up people’s inboxes.


• Don’t send/schedule your Twitter and Facebook messages to go out all at the same time. This clogs up news feeds and people will stop paying attention and unsubscribe.


• Be honest and authentic. Don’t ignore negative feedback. Address it head on. The more you ignore it, the worse it can get.


• Communicate and respond. If someone posts a question, idea or a comment – respond in a timely fashion. If your social network sits idle, you will lose credibility and trust.

What other things do you suggest?

Life isn't always beautiful...

...but it's a beautiful ride.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. As I reflect on the last year, I think about all of the things I am thankful for. It's been a challenging year, but I have recently realized that I am stronger than I thought.

Last weekend, I created a book called "Life Lessons from a Dog." It's a book with pictures of my dog Rufus and seven lessons he has taught me. I must say, dogs are very wise. We should pause and listen more often.

Lesson #1 - Smile often and love much.
Lesson #2 - Always enjoy the outdoors.
Lesson #3 - Love unconditionally.
Lesson #4 - Sometimes life is scary - don't ever give up.
Lesson #5 - Appreciate the little things.
Lesson #6 - Always be grateful, no matter where you are.
Lesson #7 - Embrace every moment like it's your last.

Lesson #4 speaks loudly to me. Life is scary at times - whether you have lost someone, going through a divorce, just learned a family member is ill, lost your job or hit rock bottom. God never promised that life would be easy. However, He did promise that He will never give you more than you can handle.

Sometimes in life you need to be vulnerable and ask for help. As an independent person, that's really hard for me to do. And the thing I'm most grateful for is that my friends and family are always willing to lend a helping hand, a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on and a story to make me laugh. I'm thankful for each and everyone one of them every day, but this year I fully understand the meaning of being grateful.

As the Gary Allen song goes, "Life isn't always beautiful, but it's a beautiful ride." Those words can never be more true.

May you have a blessed Thanksgiving and spend it in the company of loving family and friends.

He had me at hello...

It's been way too long since I've blogged - life tends to get busy and some things fall by the wayside. I can't believe it's August 2 already. Where did the summer go?

Last week I was able to spend time with my BFF Carla and her son Jonas - they made the trip all the way from Germany to visit family and friends in Michigan. I must say, Jonas has captured my heart. He is the sweetest baby and has such a huge personality. It amazed me that a child only 9 months old can learn and catch on to things so quickly. He's a little sponge!

This cute, big-headed sponge (don't worry his mom said he has a big head) had me at hello. His smile, blue eyes and funny growling noises always made my day. After returning home, I found myself feeling sad - and then I realized my heart was aching for Jonas. I have been this way over a dog and cat before, but never a baby. I even put his picture as the wallpaper on my BlackBerry. Maybe something clicked. I don't know, but I do know I can't get him out of my head.

Maybe motherhood is calling?

Social media + me = passion

This past month I've had the honor and privilege to give a presentation on how my organization is using social media. Every time I give this presentation I get even more excited. (I think some of my co-workers - and husband - think I'm nuts!)

It's so exciting to see what a simple 2-minute video can do and how the video can take on a life of its own virally.

For instance, take Nevin's snowman video. I shot this video in less than 5 minutes with just my HD Flip Video camera. (BTW, the Flip Video may be one of the coolest inventions ever! If you don't have one, you need to get one.)

Nevin's rehab therapist, Miss Janet, decided to take a creative approach to his physical therapy. You see, Nevin had been stuck in a hospital room for over two months, and during this time Dayton had received record snowfall. All Nevin wanted to do was go outside, play in the snow and build a snowman. But unfortunately, his doctor's would not let him because of his illness.

So Miss Janet, being creative Janet, decided to take the snow to Nevin - with the approval of his doctor's of course. Watching Nevin and Janet interact that day building a snowman was priceless. Nevin had no idea that he was doing "therapy."

Capturing that priceless moment on video has touched so many hearts all over the world and tells the beautiful story of why the staff at Dayton Children's do what they do every day.

And Nevin's video instantly went viral! In less than 24 hours it had over 300 views. Today, the video has almost 1,400 views.

This is exactly why I get so excited about social media. You can tell your story and show the world what your organization does in a matter of minutes.

If you haven't seen Nevin's video, take a few minutes to watch it. I'm sure it will make you smile. Nevin provides a smile to everyone he meets.

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(BTW, we had Nevin's parents approval prior to shooting the video)

Life lessons from a dog

Rufus, my best friend with four legs, is not doing well this week. In a matter of a day he has gone rapidly downhill. His back legs no longer work. He can't get up on his own. He can barely walk without falling. But besides the legs he is still the same old happy-go-lucky Rufus! That's what kills me. He is still eating well, he's alert, he still wants attention...but his darn back legs don't work.

In the past year, I knew this may happen. Rufus is 11 years old - we think. We adopted him from a shelter in Indiana when he was 4 years old. I still remember meeting him in the shelter. It was love at first sight. It was meant to be. Ahhhh...it makes me cry.

As much as I try to prepare myself for something like this and for the inevitable - it's never going to be easy and I'm not going to be prepared. I've gone through this before, but never with having such a special bond as I do with Rufus. Rufus has always been there for me. We've moved several times and he was my constant companion, along with my husband of course, but my husband is gone a lot.

Rufus has taught me to love unconditionally. To accept others despite their flaws or differences. To stop and notice the beauty of nature. To be grateful for what I have, no matter what. To love and appreciate the little things in life.

Rufus is one of the happiest dogs I have ever met. He loves kids, people and other animals and certainly loves the attention from all. Rufus also has a way with people - even people that aren't so sure about dogs. He lights up a room, makes children smile and creates conversations. I have met so many people because of Rufus. Rufus has always been the bright spot in someone's day and has allowed us both to show others love and kindness.

I adore my Ruffie. Unfortunately, I'm expecting the worse. Life, in all forms, is always too short.

Merry Christmas

Today is Christmas Eve. As I write this blog I am thinking about my family and friends scattered all over the world. I miss all of you so much, but I think of you often.

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas - may you be surrounded by peace, joy, love and laughter this season. I am so blessed to have a wonderful group of family and friends. As the Martina McBride song goes, "I'm a lucky girl." So true.

Have fun. Be safe. Laugh a lot and cherish the moments.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Life lessons learned from Up!

Tonight I had the privilege to present with other marketing/pr professionals to the University of Dayton PRSSA students (Public Relations Student Society of America) on how our organizations use social media. I always learn something new and am inspired by others.

I have not blogged in quite some time for a few reasons - busy, lack of feeling creative, felt like I couldn't bring anything interesting to the table. I was reminded again that I don't have to be an expert on every topic - that I can use my blog to just write. Yes, just write.

This past weekend I watched 2 1/2 movies - I haven't finished August Rush yet. If you have not seen the movie Defiance, please do so. It is a true story about the Jews during World War II. Wow.

Then I watched the Disney movie Up! I've heard so much about this movie and couldn't wait to see it. (I don't go to the theater very often, so I waited until it came out on DVD). Another amazing movie about life, love, loss and moving on. I think we can all learn a lot from Carl and Russell about unconditional love and determination.

Two inspiring movies that can teach you so much. It's truly rare when I can find that.

Blog it!

Dayton Children's was featured in Beth Kantner's blog on how non-profits use social media. Great publicity for our small children's hospital.

Read Beth's blog now.

Adventure at King's Island

Last Saturday, I finally gave in and went to King's Island with my husband and our friends. Scott has been bugging me about going to King's Island since we moved to the area. I have avoided the trip because I'm not a huge fan of roller coasters for two reasons - 1. I get motion sickness very easily and 2. I'm a big scaredy cat! The last time I was on a rollercoaster was 10 years ago at Cedar Point where my friends finally convinced me to ride the Magnum. 10 years ago the Magnum was the biggest rollercoaster. Today, not anymore. I was terrified riding the Magnum, but I did it and told myself that I could go to King's Island and tackle my fear.

We arrive at King's Island on a beautiful, sunny Saturday afternoon. I'm feeling a bit anxious, but I keep telling myself that I can do this - "The rides last only for a few minutes, I'm not going to die and I MUST be brave for Scott and our friends."

Scott suggests that the first ride we go on is the Diamondback. I look up at the coaster, see the ginormous drop and say "ok" - all the while giving myself a pep talk the entire time in line. I say and think - "If I can ride the Magnum, I can ride the Diamondback." Did I realize I rode the Magnum 10 years ago!!?!?! Obviously not. Supid/naive me doesn't realize the Diamondback is one of the top 5 largest rollercoasters in the world - bigger than the Magnum! (I learn this after the fact when I googled it on my BlackBerry) OMG - I thought I was going to die! You sit in these seats with only a plastic bar that comes up between your legs. There's nothing over your shoulders holding you in! As the coaster is "click, click, clicking" up the first hill I turn to Scott and say "Oh my Gosh, I'm going to die!" and then close my eyes tightly. The first drop was terrifying! Then there's another ginormous drop - I don't know what was going on around me because I had my eyes closed the entire time and white knuckles from gripping the bar so tightly. The coaster finally stops, we get off and I think I'm going to barf. Scott and friends are laughing. I am not. But, I did it!

I think to myself - "I would be completely content without riding one more ride today." Then Scott says, "Ok, let's walk around and then go on some more rides." I quietly walk through the park thinking "I can do this, I can do this."

So...by the end of the day I am proud to say that I rode almost every ride. Was I terrified? You betcha!! Each and every time. Every ride I got on I closed my eyes tightly and gripped the bar thinking "why am I doing this to myself?!"

I'm sure I was a good laugh for the people around me. I kept looking at all of the 7, 8, 9 and 10 year olds going on all of the coasters and thinking - "If they can do this, why can't I?"

The next day, I could barely move. Riding rollercoasters in your 30s is completely different than in your 20s! Holy smkokes!

I'll never forget my adventure at King's Island. :)

Relentless for a cure - Light the Nigh Walk, Oct. 1

I am participating in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk on Thursday, October 1.

I am walking in honor of my brother, Paul, and in honor of my new friend Ally Barnett from Beavercreek, OH. She was diagnosed with ALL on my birthday, May 28.

I appreciate your support.

Donations can be made here: http://pages.lightthenight.org/soh/Dayton09/sbrufuswoods

Please send this message to whomever you think would be interested.

Relentless for a cure!

Remembering...

Last week, my grandpa passed away. This is my mom's dad. I went to see him in ICU, but I don't think he knew I was there. I keep seeing the image of him in the hospital, in pain and out of it. I wish this image would go away and I could remember him as my jolly grandpa.

I will always remember the smell of his pipe and his million-dollar smile. I think of grandpa often and worry about my mom. Both of her parents are now gone. Life is beautiful and tragic all at the same time and I know life always goes on, but sometimes....it's just not easy.

Rest in peace, grandpa. We will always love and remember you.

Cheers to Germany!

It's been awhile since I've posted a new blog. I've been extremely busy and actually now I'm sick. I think I pushed myself too hard.

Last weekend, I had the privilege of being involved in my best friend, Carla's, wedding and baby shower. She married a wonderful man, Patrick, from Germany. His family was such a delight to meet. I loved them all. I am saving my pennies to fly to Germany one day to spend time with Carla and Patrick and the Franke family. :)

Carla and Patrick are going to have a son in November. I'm so happy for them. I cry tears of joy everytime I think about it. Carla has been through a lot in the past few years. She deserves to be happy, loved and well cared for.

Cheers, to my new Franke family! You've taught me so much about life and love. May we meet again soon.

Carla, I love and miss you dearly!

Nottoli prepares for Chicago marathon

My brother Paul was featured in the Kalamazoo Gazette today. He is training for the Chicago marathon to raise money for the Non-profit Chiropractic Organization to help people in third world countries that don't have access to health care.

I'm a proud sister! Read the article here. Way to go, Paulie!! :)

Do you really get Twitter? I bet not!

I have been contemplating the last few days on what to blog about. It finally came to me. I found this blog post on Twitter and had to share it because it sums up Twitter to a "T!" (clever, eh?!) :)

The blog comes from Your PR Guy. He asks a very good question - Do your friends get Twitter? According to PR Guy, most people don't get Twitter and I completely agree.

PR Guy gives some helpful tips on how you can grow your followers:

1. It's not how big your Twitter is, it's how you use it.


2. Follow only those who will bring you value.


3. Define what's valuable to you.


4. Block obvious SPAM twitters.


5. Actually connect with your followers.


6. Start, continue and facilitate a conversation


7. Automate your presence. You can't always be around. You have a life to live.

Read the entire blog at: http://www.yourprguy.com/2009/06/its-not-just-my-friends-most-people-dont-get-twitter.html

Something to think about on "hump day." :)