Delta Optimist

Delta Optimist


All Together Now

3.26.2010 | 0 Comments

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I love this community.

The support I’ve received around doing this adventure has been incredible. I honestly wasn’t expecting the level of generosity that I’ve been so fortunate to experience.

Lately I’ve been finding that when I walk into an establishment (in the hopes of being brave enough to ask for a donation), I begin my little spiel about the climb, and something extraordinary happens. Right after I say “I’m climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise money for the Delta Hospice…” the person will usually say “Oh YOU’RE the one!”, or “I’ve seen your picture!”, and then they offer me a donation before I even have to ask.

And it’s not just business owners! Last night I was at The Snug wine lounge (which, by the way, is donating a $50 gift certificate!), and imbibed as I was, I loudly (and hopefully not too obnoxiously) proclaimed that I was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. A very lovely Tsawwassenite said, “I’ve seen your picture!”, then handed me $5 as a donation, and wrote down her name and number as she believed her employer may be able to assist, as well.

Just *poof* like that. Amazing.

And I really, really have to thank Jessica Kerr and the Delta Optimist for being the ones who are getting the word out so well. In fact, there’s another article about my climb and the Kili Gala in today’s Optimist!

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I was right – this adventure is going to change my life. It already has.

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My Trainer Kicks Butt!

3.03.2010 | 0 Comments

 

Hey hey, check it out! My personal trainer Cara Thien is in the Optimist today!

w00t!

She’s been training very, very hard to compete in the Arnold Classic – she’s also been stuck eating green beans and chicken for about 3 weeks, so she’s a little grumpy. Trust me, an unhappy personal trainer is not fun to work with: “Only 320 sit ups, Robyn!? C’MON! GET WORKING!”

Naaaah, she’s not really like that. On the contrary, when she trains hard, I train hard. I’ll walk into her home gym and see her standing there all buff and in amazing shape, and it really inspires me. And then she flexes, and I get all overwhelmed and depressed. I’ll never look like that.

But that’s ok! She and I have very different bodies, and very different goals. I’m really glad that she’s around to help me out – physically and mentally. She keeps my perfectionism in check as best she can, and encourages me to do what I can, and not get upset when I fall short of one of those unrealistic, impossible-to-acheive goals that I tend to set for myself. She really is a good trainer, and I am so glad that I stumbled across her (thanks Google!).

However, that being said, I’ll be very happy when she gets to chow down on cheesecake, Big Macs and Dairy Queen Blizzards again. She much nicer when she’s hopped up on fat and sugar.

GOOD LUCK, CARA!!

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Eddie Money is Watching Me Drive

1.13.2010 | 0 Comments

I love this community, really I do.

On my commute to work this morning, I was stopped at the intersection of Hwy 10 and Hwy 17, waiting for the light to turn. I knew the story of my climb came out in The Delta Optimist today, so I was even more chipper than usual, as I sat there happily singing along to Take me Home Tonight by Eddie Money (I’m an 80’s music addict, and I’m not ashamed to admit that).

I looked to my left and realized that the gentleman in the next car over was being thoroughly entertained by my enthusiastic lip-synching, and just as I was thinking how grateful I was that he couldn’t actually hear my singing voice, he raised up a copy of today’s Delta Optimist, pointed at it, and gave me a big ol’ thumbs up. It took me a minute to understand what the heck he was doing, but once I figured out that he recognized me from my (incredibly LARGE) photo in the newspaper, it totally made my day.

So, I just wanted to say HELLO! to all of you who are here for the first time today. Please feel free to stick around, read a few things, make some comments, and consider making a donation to Delta Hospice. It’s nice to have you along for the ride – I hope I can keep you entertained and inspired for the next seven months… thanks so much for your support!

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No Turning Back Now

1.05.2010 | 0 Comments

I met with Jessica Kerr this afternoon. She’s a reporter for the Delta Optimist. She was enthusiastic and positive about my plans, and she is graciously going to write about my journey, and has offered to help me when she can when it comes to keeping me on the radar, and promoting events (NOTE: Events are definitely coming!). She is even going to send a photographer out to see me this week so that the newspaper can have a photo of me on file!

Well, there’s no turning back now!

Oh, crap.

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