Marilyn’s 30BY30 Challenge Part 1

It was about August of last year that it really hit me that I’d be turning 30 this year! Wow, 30? Already? But it feels like I just celebrated 20 last week. Then I began to wonder. What does one do when they turn 30? Does it mean I have to trade in my high heels for supportive flats? Am I no longer allowed to wear low cut shirts or tight fitting jeans? Do they automatically send me my membership card to the mom jeans club? This is my first time being 30; do they send you an instruction manual?

Once I calmed down and realized that nothing was really going to change I began to contemplate how I would handle such a monumental birthday. Should I have a big blow out party? Cut off all my hair and dye it blond? Get a tattoo? Slow down, it’s too early for a midlife crisis. How about I do something challenging that would make me a better person?

At the time I was already in the midst of a weight loss mission but didn’t really have a goal that I was working towards. So I thought, ‘I’m going to loose 30 pounds for my 30th birthday!’ Not only would I be healthier, I’d overcome a huge challenge. Before starting my weight loss I was the kind of girl who ate ice cream sundaes for lunch and cupcakes two at a time but couldn’t figure out why I was gaining so much weight. Food was a crutch for me and something I used to curb anxiety and stress. If I kept up my old eating habits I would have easily topped 250 pounds by my 40th birthday. For someone whose father died in his 30’s from a heart attack I should have known better.

This challenge proved to me more successful that I thought. Not only did I get my husband eating better and exercising (he’s lost 70 pounds), but I met my goal by April 2010. 7 months early! I remember standing on the scale celebrating my success but then thinking, ‘Now what?’ Getting that high from stepping on the scale every week and seeing my success was addictive and I wanted something else to do. So I sat down and created 2 more lists of goals for me to work towards before my 30th birthday in November.

The first is I WILL DONATE 30 HOURS TO A NON-PROFIT. I’ve always loved volunteering and hope that this will give me the chance to experience some new non-profits in my community. There are a couple of rules. 1) I can only donate a max of 5 hours per charity; 2) It has to be a 501(c) 3; 3) I can’t do something that I’m getting paid for; and, 4) it can’t be for the American Heart Association. So if anyone knows of volunteer opportunities out there send them my way!!

(You didn’t think I was going to share it all with you in one post? Come back tomorrow for part 2 of my 30by30 challenge.)

Why turning 30 is great!

This was written by Andy Rooney from CBS 60 Minutes Andy Rooney says:


As I grow in age, I value women who are over 30 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why:

A woman over 30 will never wake you in the middle of the night to ask, "What are you thinking?". She doesn't care what you think.

If a woman over 30 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do. And, it's usually something more interesting.

A woman over 30 knows herself well enough to be assured in who she is, what she is, what she wants and from whom. Few women past the age of 30 give a damn what you might think about her or what she's doing.

Women over 30 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you, if they think they can get away with it.

A woman over 30 has the self-assurance to introduce you to her women friends. A younger woman with a man will often ignore even her best friend because she doesn't trust the guy with other women. Women over 30 couldn't care less if you're attracted to her friends because she knows her friends won't betray her.

Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 30 is far sexier than her younger counterpart.

Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk if you are acting like one! You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her.

Ladies, I apologize. For all those men who say, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free." Here's an update for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage, why? Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire Pig, just to get a little sausage.

Our current health care system is not serving women

We know that the health care crisis impacts every American, but our mothers, daughters and sisters are paying a particularly heavy price. Today, 21 million women and girls are uninsured. Women who try to purchase insurance find that the private market is often stacked against them. Premiums in the private market for young women are often higher than they are for men. In some states, insurance companies can legally discriminate against women, and leave them with higher health care bills or inadequate coverage.

Today, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and the HHS Office of Health Reform are releasing a report, Roadblocks to Health Care, that shows how our current system is leaving too many women without the care they need. Read it here. Then call your member of Congress and let them know that we need better and more affordable health care for women.

Oklahoma Stay-cation

A couple of weeks ago my husband and I traveled to Southwest Oklahoma for a stay-cation. We both just started new jobs and wanted a little bit of a mental brake. So we woke up early on a Saturday, hoped in the car and just drove.

Cool theatre in one of the towns we drove through.

This photo is not zoomed! This is how close the buffalo got to the car.

AHHH I'm going to blow away.

Myles on Mt. Scott in Lawton

"I think I can see our house."

You can't tell but I was trying to take a picture of the windmill farm.

Oklahoma is so beautiful. We want to go back when everything is green.

Mount Scott before we went up.

What I've been up to...

So it's been almost 6 months since my last post and there has been a lot happening in the Davidson household. Those of you who know me know that I love to tell stories through pictures so I will spread my catch-up through several posts.

• I lost my job this past October. I worked for a non-profit that unfortunately felt the strain of our wonderful economy. But I'm happy to say that after 4 months of searching I found a job that I LOVE! We'll get there I promise.
  
• Our beloved Poppy Troy passed away after battling cancer. We miss him sooo much.
• Jenica moved to Florida. I still can't bring myself to read a note she left me because I cry every time I think about it.
• My friend Kate is having a baby! 
• My baby sister is moving to California :( Boo
• My older sister is moving to Tulsa. 
• We finally got rid of that nasty tree in our front yard. I'm sure it doesn't sound like a big deal to you but it was to us.
• Myles started a new job!!!!!

First, let's back up a few months. This past December Myles and I traveled to NYC with Myles' parents for some R&R and a little Christmas shopping.

Macy's!!!!!! I wanted to skip through the store like a little kid but I didn't want to embarrass Cindy.

Alexander Hamilton's grave outside of Trinity church. This is the church in National Treasure and also where the firefighters slept during the 911 recovery efforts.

This is the front of the New York stock exchange.

In this picture I'm grabbing the bull by the horns but my husband chose to cut me out. Apparently he doesn't get my humor.

Me, Cindy, and Marc on the Statue of Liberty ferry. It was cold!!!! This was also shortly after Myles broke the boat. He he.

Radio City Music Hall the night we went to see the Rockettes.

It was cold and rainy but so worth it. 

This was also the night we heard the little boy yell "Put me down you a*#hole!" to his dad. We laughed about it for a month.

Myles and I in front of the Rockefeller Christmas tree. 

He really was excited, but there were a million people there and our shoes were filling up with freezing cold water.

Rockefeller Christmas tree. It was cold and rainy but I think it made the tree look so pretty.

This tree was in the hallway of Radio City Music Hall and was made of thousands of Swarovski crystals. If it would have fit in  my purse I would have stolen it. 

View of NYC from the ferry.

Statue of Liberty at sunset. This picture is just amazing.

Lady Liberty....you are beautiful!

Hire me!

In case you haven't heard I am in the market for a new job. If you know of anyone wanting to hire an brilliant, energetic, and massively creative marketing genius please direct them to www.marilyndavidson.com

Funny how things happen

It's funny that my last blog post was about slowing down and giving more attention to friends and family. Well now I have as much time as I would like to spend with them. Be careful what you wish for :)

Seriously, I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. It may drive me crazy but I have no control over what happens in my life. Yes, I have control over whether I'll wear a read or blue shirt today. Or if I'll eat a sandwich or pizza for lunch. But on the grander scale I really have no say. God has a plan and I have to trust that everything will work out.

He has already shown me in several ways this weekend that he is going to take care of me and he is in control. I couldn't control the fact that sitting 3 rows away from me at the OU/TX game was someone who was on my list of people to call for a job, God did that! Or the fact that a friend of our friends who was tailgating with us happened to know the person hiring for the position I had just sent my resume in for. That was ALL God. Or that I received a call from a high school friend this morning who I haven't talked to in almost ten years and she provided yet another opportunity for me to make some money....hello God I know you're there.

Its sad that God has to knock me on my butt to get me to shut up and listen!

"Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."

Sometimes we all need a reminder that it's ok to slow down.

After I finished my physical therapy session this afternoon I debated on whether I should run by my husband's grandparents house and grab a sandwich or hit up a drive through. "A drive through would be so much faster," I kept saying to myself. But stopping by Troy and Omega's would mean time to visit on catch up. "But I don't have much time and I need to get back to work!" (More excuses from myself) If they offered degrees in excuse making I would have a doctorate.

In the end I opted with going by the grandparents, after all food there would be free. (my cheap side won) So, I ran into the house and immediately headed for the fridge grabbing everything I needed for a sandwich all the while saying my hellos. I had the Omega special; a turkey and mustard sandwich, coke and mozzarella sticks.

As I sat in the kitchen talking to Troy I was happy that I chose to stop by. Time with family and grandparents is so limited and I think that too often I take advantage of it. Sure I have good intentions. I tell myself that I am going to see someone and next thing I know the week is over. I get caught up with pilates, running errands, watching my favorite shows, and responsibilities with junior league.

In the end going to the Gibson's was worth taking the extra time. It forced me to slow down and just enjoy time with family. I enjoyed listening to his stories about the war and hearing about how there used to be a vending machine that dispensed beer on base.

I think we all could benefit from slowing down more often. There is nothing better than time with family!

Rep. Sullivan leaning towards a yes vote on the bailout bill.

Rep. Sullivan to switch vote on bailout

By The Associated Press

Published: October 3, 2008

Two of the three U.S. House members from Oklahoma who voted against the financial bailout plan remained undecided on a second proposal that headed toward another vote on Friday.

Rep. John Sullivan announced he would vote for the Senate-passed version, but aides said Reps. Mary Fallin and Frank Lucas still were reviewing it and had not made up their minds.

"While the Senate passed financial rescue package is far from perfect — in fact it is a bitter pill to swallow — I am convinced that action needs to be taken to protect the pensions, investments and ability of Americans to obtain a line of credit, and therefore I will vote to support the bill," Sullivan said in a statement.

Sullivan joins Rep. Tom Cole and Dan Boren, the delegation's only Democrat, in supporting the bailout.Read the rest.

Call your congressman or congresswoman and tell them to vote NO!

Rep. John Sullivan 202-225-2211

Rep. Mary Fallin 202-225-2132

Rep. Dan Boren 202-225-2701

Rep. Frank Lucas 202-225-5565

Supply vs. Demand Should Be Common Sense by Now

It might seem odd to defend the free market anywhere in America. How is it that the free market could be doubted, especially since the collapse of Marxist socialism in the early 1990s? Are not the attributes of free-market capitalism obvious to all? Yet in the midst of the recent financial roller coaster ride and price spikes consumers have faced in visits to gas stations the past few months, some politicians have suggested ideas like production quotas or price controls. They have questioned whether the free market is best system for our citizens.

Is the free-market perfect? No. Is it the best system of trade and commerce for citizens who want to live in a free society? Absolutely, yes. Let’s look a little closer.

Issues that surround the energy industry actually provide an excellent means of examining free market principles, such as production quotas or price controls. No matter how frustrated we grow over prices, government controls don't work. In the energy sector, the Nixon administration's ill-advised rationing in 1973 led to long lines at gas stations, dreadful market distortions, and greater dependence on foreign suppliers. China experienced the same problem when it set refining quotas and consumer price controls in 2005.

The problem in the oil market right now is quite straight-forward: oil price increases come in the context of constant demand acceleration along with limited supply. In the world today, the methodical upward march in oil prices is driven by energy demand, not only in growing American and European economies, but the increased energy demand of India and China – places that, even 20 years ago, were comparatively minor players in the global economy. If we impose quotas or controls, the oil and gas will simply seek the more favorable offers of our global competitors, creating a shortage of supply here at home.

Things might be different if Oklahoma had more oil wells still operating. Through the decades, the state lost much of its marginal production, i.e. wells that did not produce enough to be profitable at the time when oil was less than $25 per barrel. Due to environmental regulations, these wells could not simply be turned off and sealed. They had to be filled with concrete. Today, if not filled in, these wells would be profitably adding to our nation’s domestic oil supply. This is simply a factual observation, not insensitivity to environmental concerns or historical reality.

The way forward, the best energy solution for America, and indeed for the entire world, is “all of the above”; meaning policymakers should remove obstacles and permit the market to work. They should encourage energy producers, transporters, businesses, universities and others to study and investigate every realistic means to boost energy production in a growing world economy. Oklahoma is uniquely positioned to contribute in many ways toward energy expansion.

“All of the above” includes an even stronger domestic oil and gas industry to maximize Oklahoma’s existing assets, infrastructure and resources; technological improvements in vehicle efficiency; accelerating clean coal systems for power generation; more wind, hydro and nuclear generation. It also includes energy diversity capabilities such as compressed natural gas (CNG), synthesized fuels from natural gas or coal (GTL/CTL), and biofuels in the form of ethanol, octane or whatever hydrocarbon configuration the market demands. It also may include upgrading the power grid so that Oklahoma can enjoy its central position as a power transporter. The important thing is that these initiatives are market-driven, not government mandated.

In the end, whether the concern is energy, health care, housing, or even monetary policy, there are no better alternatives to the price signals and rationality of the free market. In Oklahoma, the U.S. and the world, over time consumer choice should drive winners and losers, rather than government making such choices for us.