Things I wished I had done before the age of 45

I guess I'm a late bloomer. Many of my friends waited tables in college, making great money, having tons of fun! Not me...I was volunteering at the local hospital as a candy striper. Basically, I got paid with a free monster cookie and soda each day that I worked (which wasn't all that bad compared to dorm food!). The only tips I ever got were from the supervisor at the front desk..."Be sure and walk in the halls" or "Don't go into a patient's room if the door is closed".

Lots of my friends were runners back in the day. Hell, I went to college in "Track Town USA" and never ran around a track or block for that matter the whole four years I attended. The closest I ever came to running was the time I got kicked out of the local bar and had my fake ID taken away! You wanna see this girl run? Start a bar fight or threaten to call the cops on her! :)

So, Thank God for second chances and late bloomers, because at the ripe old age of 46, this girl is re-living her youth! I started running about 11 months ago and haven't stopped. I never thought I'd be able to run for more than 5 minutes at a time, let alone actually ENJOY it! I have to say that running has changed my life! I feel empowered every time I look at my little "wall of fame" in my garage with my bib numbers and pictures from each race...I don't actually enjoy it while I'm doing it, but, man, do I feel good when I'm done!! It is seriously the best drug out there - it's FREE, you can do it alone or with a friend, and the adrenaline rush alone lasts for days. I love running, I just wish I had taken it up sooner...'cause I'm not so sure my 46 year old knees love it as much as I do!

As far as the serving, waitressing, cocktailing thing, well, that's another thing I never thought I could master! I watched in awe, those people who balance huge round trays on one hand, never spilling or dropping a single item. I could barely walk and chew gum at the same time, so that was one career I would never have. And, I was bummed about it because, truth be told, that is where the money is!! I know people who cocktail a couple nights a week and make more than I do teaching 5 days a week! A part of me has always yearned to pull it off. Well, this summer, I got my wish! I started a part-time serving job at a local hotel and I absolutely LOVE it! It is far and away the funnest job I've ever had! I get to chat with nice people and bring them their food, hang out and chat with my co-workers in the kitchen when it's not busy and man, the tips are amazing!! I feel like a kid in a candy store everytime I pick up their check...waiting to see what little surprise they left behind for me! It truly is the BEST job - I just wish I had discoverd it a little sooner because my feet HURT at the end of the night. The other day, the cute little 17-year old that I work with says, "this is my first ever serving job..." to which I promptly responded, "Oh, I know, me too!" She just smiled and looked at me like "seriously?" Who would have thought I'd have so much in common with a high-schooler?!!

I told my 10-year old daughter the other day, "I hope you run and wait tables when you are in college...because I think those are two of the most lucrative things you can do with your life - I regret not doing them sooner!" She looked at me a little strange, trying to figure out what the word "lucrative" meant but, I really hope she remembers that and heeds my advice someday.