Tales of the Ordinary Days

Day 2 | 30 Days of Writing Sunday Funday. How about a bike ride? (Old Market sculpture in the background) I am a firm believer that fun is what you make of it. Regardless of circumstances or surroundings, it is available at our beck and call.  Wrapped with the bow of positive perspective, I have found that most fun adventures come in the most ordinary places and on the most routine days. Today was no exception. A gorgeous day by all accounts; perfect temp, low humidity, and no wind. There was enough sun to get people outdoors and smiling, but enough clouds to make the sky interesting. A perfect Sunday. We started our day with our alarm clock of a sixty-pound pup resting his head on our bed with a low pitched whine of wanting outside. We love this time of year when we wake up to the coolness of the morning from our opened windows. The love of a puppy to greet us is just frosting on the cake. After lazily enjoying my morning coffee and catching up on read...

Sandy A Lane Consulting Time flies when you're having fun. And when you're a little busy. This morning Garrett asked me when I last wrote a blog. "It's been a while" was my answer. Upon further review, it's almost been over a month. I've had no reason for the delay, other than the combination of being busy and knowing the content of which I wanted to write warranted more time and thought than my more typical whimsical stories told. Although I have had an arsenal of stories that I have wanted to write about over the last month, I knew that this one needed to top my list. A common question asked of me is in regards to my work life is "Sandy, what exactly are you doing these days?" This is a valid question since I have been very open in sharing my work journey over the years through my blog. And I've had a career that has gone from very conventional to unconventional. It's much easier to say "I work for XYZ Company ...

I took this picture through the lens of my new set of eyes. The hike was this Saturday at Horsetooth Reservoir outside of Fort Collins, Colorado. In the company of my husband, son, step-son, and friend, we were taking in God's beauty through the final walk of the trail. I was purposely poking behind. "Sandy, why are you so far back?" Garrett called out to me shortly after this picture was taken. My absence from the pack was noticed. But I was in my own world, taking it all in. "Coming!" I hollered back, picking it up a bit. Free of contacts and glasses, my vision was sharp and the color of nature seemed full of a clarity that I had not noticed before. The beauty of Colorado, mountains, and nature are not new to me. My life has been full of many adventures and aesthetic sights. What was different was my new personal view. Wearing some form of glasses or contacts since junior high, I had never experienced this heightened awareness through my own lenses....

My 90 days off is over. I actually hit the 90 day mark about a month ago. Which leads to a small confession. I gave myself an extension about halfway through my time off. I quickly realized how glorious it was to pull away from making any major decisions and just enjoy life for a while. But I also knew that launching into a new career and starting a new chapter in my life would require some more time and planning. Time for decisions to be made and plans to be executed. Time to launch. I have learned a ton about myself and life and much to share. But first off, I believe a recap of the last months is in order... My 90 days off I left my position in healthcare finance on a sunny Monday afternoon in early December. Although my departure was unexpected, I have always had a Plan B. And my Plan B was to take time off. Time to do nothing but enjoy my wonderful blessing of life. Reflecting a bit last year, it was very apparent to me that my life had been full of the crazy train. W...

View on my drive to our morning run Today was an ordinary day in Omaha. Amen to that. I have missed my sleepy, but satisfying days aglow with Midwestern pleasantries. I now sit in my art room sipping on a Leinenkugel's Grapefruit Shandy as Nat King Cole croons to me from the spinning vinyl. Windows are cracked with the sound of boys playing basketball as background noise coming from the front drive. Basketball also plays on the big screen in the living room with a big and a not-so-big boy tracking their brackets. With bellies full of a take out meal of wings and chicken baskets, my two oldest have set off with friends to enjoy a Saturday spring night. Life continues to hum for us in Omaha. Home. I began my day with a run through Boy's Town with my running gal pals. Our routine of coffee complimented with shared bananas and peanut butter followed. This same routine with a varying cast of characters has gone on at the same spot for over ten years. Some years it has been...