Spring has sprung...Hannah's goin' outside!

Alright. It’s official.

I’m an addict. Getting cable for the first time since Amy Becker and I lived together in Raleigh, NC – yes, it’s been THAT LONG! – was perhaps a not-so-good idea. Ok, so I LOVE it. I can sit and watch Animal Planet or TLC (gawd I love me some hot carpenters!!) for hours at a time. Our free month of HBO-on-demand is great for catching up on all the series’ I’ve missed. But the TV is at the end of my bed. So I’m feeling like lump…a rather large lump. I have got to commit to getting out and weaning myself of my crack-like addiction. Which leads me to…

“A little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men.” - Roald Dahl

Spring has finally gotten around to being sprung! So, even though my allergies are killing me, I can finally take the kids for walks without their poor lil’ feet being burned by the rock salt. I can take a walk ‘round my new ‘hood, go down the Cliffside park in Weehawken, down to the water, down to Hoboken, walk to TARGET (yay!) if I wanted to. Get rid of the winter weight the “kids” and I have put on. Get ready for bikini season – I’m getting a tan this year come hell or high water!

Speaking of new neighborhoods, wanted to let y’all know – or remind you, whichever the case – that once again, my address has changed. I know, I know, I’m the moving-est chick you’ve ever come across…sorry! I only wish I’d gotten over my issues with having a Joisey address a year ago, because Weehawken is GREAT. Small town-y feeling, with phenomenal views of the city from the end of the street, and a hop, skip, and a quick bus ride into the city. Did I mention that it’s much less expensive than Brooklyn was? Oh…AND we have a backyard. The kids are in LOVE. Every time I walk in the kitchen, maverick thinks he’s being let out. Luckily, that spring has sprung thing means that I can just leave the backdoor open when I’m home and let them come and go as they wish. Nifty, eh? So, in case you wanted to send a housewarming present or card or handwritten letter, here’s the new address:

(email if you want it nannerli74@hotmail.com)

What else is new? Well, work is ROCKING. We’re so far ahead of the game right now, it feels like I’m continually playing catch-up. Yes, that is technically a good thing. I’ll be heading to our DC and Boston events to help produce them…and I’ll make an appearance in Chicago as a participant (more on that later). So, May and June will be busy-as-a-bee months for me. If any of y’all in the aforementioned cities want to say hello while I’m there, would love to see you!

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” - Dr. Seuss

On the work-note, I was asked to attend a Barnard Women in Business event recently by one of my top fundraisers who was speaking. The topic of the evening was volunteerism and how to give back to the community you live in. It was rather eye-opening for me, I have to admit. I’ve been such a community activist and “uber” volunteer – the gal with no time because I’ve overbooked myself with all my various passions – that I’d forgotten along the way that there are people out there that truly don’t know that the addictive part of giving to the world at-large are the rewards you reap. There are people out there that don’t know how to volunteer because they’re so out of touch with themselves and their own interests. Wow.

"We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same." - Carlos Castaneda

I SO encourage you guys to see just how wonderful giving of yourself or your time can be. No, you don’t need to take a rescue dog through obedience class or try to convey your passion for reading to an 8 year old girl in third grade – those are MY passions. “Volunteering” can come in so many different packages. It could be as simple as donating a bag of dog food to your local grassroots animal rescue. It could be volunteering your fashion or make-up skills at an event that helps teach under-privileged women how to best present themselves in a potentially life-changing interview. Why not baby-sit for your best friend so she and her husband can go on a date together? “Volunteer” for your country – and register to vote. It could even be as simply as feeding someone’s meter before the traffic cops come. It’s whatever you have time to give. It’s whatever interests you. Just try it on for size and see if you like it…it will deepen your connection to your community or to yourself. It might just change your life. Or at least the outlook you have.

"Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers." - Veronica A. Shoffstall

On a sobering note, I’m being constantly reminded of how precious life is…and how this is the only one we have, so make the most of today. Don’t wait until tomorrow. Tell those folks in your life how much you love them. Waiting for the “perfect” time or figuring out the “perfect” way to say it means you’re losing out on sharing the feeling. I don’t know about you, but I’m NOT perfect and don’t want to be wined and dined and handed bushels of roses. I’d much rather get a quick email from a friend thanking me for my friendship. Or a goofy voicemail from someone that calls me her favorite ladybug friend! Or a phone call from my sister about a movie we used to watch ALL THE TIME growing up. Something to make me smile, feel loved and highly valued. Just DO it. Oh, by the way, thanks for being in my life!

“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have.” - Eckhart Tolle

As most of you know, I’ve decided to “do” yet again…this time in the form of walking in the Chicago version of the Walk I work for. Have to admit, I’m getting pretty excited about returning to the ranks of walker-dom. it brings back all the memories of people I’ve met along the way – from the first time I participated, to people I met all over the country during our 2003 season, to the people I’m already meeting who will make 2004 just as invaluable. Even better, I’m sharing it with my sister. She’s starting to understand how amazing this experience will be, but won’t really understand how life-changing it can be until probably a week or so after the event itself.

How IS it life-changing? Other than being physically challenging and walking a marathon over a weekend? Other than raising a minimum of $1800? People are kind. It doesn’t matter where you live or who you work for or what kind of car you drive. People are smiling, laughing, crying, hugging…even complete strangers. One of my DC-office counterparts said it best, “thousands of strangers becoming family; united by a single cause.” Brought together because they’d love to see breast cancer NOT affect another family. To celebrate lives; to honor lives lost. To bring awareness to communities and the people in them that breast cancer doesn’t discriminate…and that 85% of people diagnosed have no family history.

“Do or do not. There is no try.” - Yoda, 'The Empire Strikes Back'

So, while I’m not REALLY walking for myself, I am. I don’t know that I won’t hear those words – “you have breast cancer.” I don’t know that someone I love deeply won’t hear them either. So I’m willing to take the steps to become a change-maker. Wanna join me? Come cheer us on? Perhaps live vicariously through me and donate? (see link below to donate) My training has started, so now that I’m back in “Hannah’s newsletter” mode, expect to hear about it…and the people I’m meeting. Yay for spring!

“Not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the idea that life is serious.” - Brendan Gill

Sorry to be so long-winded…it hasn’t felt like a lot has been going on of late, but I guess I’ve been much more pensive than I thought!

Love ya, mean it!!!

Hannah & the kids

PS My mom’s doing REALLY well…no cancer, tumors are gone, she wasn’t part of the 2% that lose their voices, and she’s up and moving around! Yay!!

Mack's a SUPA-staaaaaaaaaaaaaar!

For those of y'all who don't know, I've been volunteering with a group called A Cause for Paws and running one of their rescue dogs through Basic Obedience. Mack is just a peach, but needed some manner-teaching. Here's the email I sent out after our "graduation" last night:

Whoo hooo! I just wanted to let y’all know that Mack-a-doodle – and I! – graduated from basic obedience. How very cool is that? I was absolutely, 9000% certain that we’d fail the down/stay and not graduate (what a failure I am :-p)…but he totally surprised me. Every time we’ve worked on down or down/stay in the last coupla weeks, he’s been hideous. His sit/stay was beautiful. His heeling is really good. He’s gotten sooooooo in tune to stopping/auto-sitting when I stop (especially at the curb, waiting for a light – what a dollbaby!). But the down and down/stay was foul. And with moving and the rest of my crazy life, I haven’t had the time to spend tons of time working on it.

HOWEVER. He’s a prince. I put him in a down – and threw a treat down his throat. Told him to stay…and took off. I didn’t turn back to look, but also didn’t hear Marie say anything. Such a good sign, right? So, I touched the thing (can’t remember what it was) and turned around to come back – yes I was walking very, very fast. AND HE WAS STILL IN POSITION. Ok, so it wasn’t perfect. He definitely looked like he wanted to break the down…but he was in it!!! He did pop up right before I got back in position…but who the hell cares, right? He did it, he did it, he DID it!!! I was sooooo proud. (and yes, he got another whole treat thrown down his throat :-p)

The only other comment (other than working on his breaking the down) was that the leash was too tight on the heel/sit…which was totally handler error. I’m so used to holding a really tight leash with my two that poor Mack “suffered.”

So, we did it. And Mack’s a STAR!!! Alice said that since we’ve been going to class, he’s been more laid back – not totally chill, but working on it. He’s also been playing much more nicely with all the folks over there. Personally, I think he’s just as damned tired as I am hoofing back and forth from the LES to Union Square. What a walk! Alright, so I’m multi-tasking and using the walk to class as a training walk, too. My Chicago walk is FAST approaching – less than 90 days. Ick. Now I just need to do more training work with MY kids.

Anyways….sorry for being so long-winded. I’m just so proud. And I’ve had WAY TOO MUCH COFFEE. ;-)