12 days to a new t-shirt!
A number of years ago, I was determined to visit the 24-Hour Church of Elvis in Portland, Oregon. I had heard about it for years and knew that if I took the tour, I would get a 24-Hour Church of Elvis t-shirt at the end.
I really wanted that shirt.
I teach every summer in Portland, so it was a good bet I could make this happen, and probably sooner rather than later.
After all, the Church of Elvis was a landmark, with a sidewalk coin-op store and all.
And so, one year, I dragged two colleagues with me. The 24-Hour Church of Elvis, it turns out, had moved from the location where the sidewalk coin-operated store was featured, to a second floor walk-up.
I can safely say that even after years of travel, interacting with many thousands of human beings, and finding myself in extraordinary circumstances the world over, this one was a Big One. A Big Very Odd One.
A woman welcomed us into an apartment, mentioning that they had just relocated and weren't set up quite yet, but that she would be glad to do a tour. If we paid, of course. I paid for the three of us, seeing as how my friends were unwilling victims.
What hit us immediately was the smell. And the piles of what could only be called trash.
It's a longer story, and one I'll write someday when I'm not sleep deprived from the sheer exuberance of finding a calf muscle in my leg for the first time today.
Here's the short version: one of my two friends was so freaked out by the "performance" of these two people and the smell that she went to wait outside. No refund, of course. The other woman wanted to leave, but just didn't feel comfortable leaving me in there alone with what appeared to be two people with significant mental issues.
I, of course, WAS DETERMINED TO STAY FOR THE WHOLE TOUR.
Why?
So I could get the t-shirt.
I feel the same way about going to Cincinnati to walk the Flying Pig Half-Marathon in 12 days with 12 women from nine states. TWELVE DAYS, people.
Unprepared, with just one calf muscle (I thought I found a second one, but it was just a varicose vein), I am determined to finish for the t-shirt.
And for Amy.
See above for a sketch of the Life is a Verb team t-shirt!
Emma decided that going on a cruise to the Bahamas with the marching band and spending spring break in Florida with her grandparents and studying for chemistry tests might be more fun than sitting home and designing a t-shirt. Can we blame her?
And so, artist Mary Campbell is creating the design in her stead. I love Mary's work and asked her to help. Mary is one of the artists with beautiful artwork in Life is a Verb. Many thanks to her!
The back of the shirt features a quote from Confucius that is appropriate for my half-marathon performance: "It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop."
And so, that's all to say this: Just 12 more days on our 37 days challenge!
Are you in it for the duration?
What have you learned about yourself in these past 25 days since the challenge began?
What do you do when you "fail"? The answer to this question reveals your patterns.
How could "failing" be reframed as "learning"?
What's your t-shirt?
[You can make a pledge and get a t-shirt! And/or you can leave a comment below with a quote that would be inspirational right around mile 9 and I'll draw a t-shirt winner's name on Friday, April 24!]
