Five for Friday: things that have me thinking (and doing)

I haven’t done a “Five for Friday” post in a while – not since July in fact. With these short posts I like to link or share a few things that I’ve noticed or that I’m working on at the moment. Things that have me thinking and that get me inspired.

1. Letters of Note

I don’t know how I originally found this blog, but in short, it is a blog where letters – bona fide put in the post handwritten (or typed) letters are featured. I think I may have found it when they published a Johnny Cash letter (DH went through a Johnny Cash phase and I have to confess to being a bit of a fan too).

Anyway, the latest post totally made my eyes well up. Who wouldn’t aspire to the type of loving relationship that the doctor describes in his condolence note?

Check it out if you like the quirky, slices of history, things that make you take pause. It is a wonderful site.

2. The 28 Day Blogging Challenge

I entered the 28 Day Blogging Challenge, started by the fabulous Katy Widrick, to give myself a little focus on tweaking and improving things on this site, as well as to get my ideas in line for site revamps at two other sites I manage (one for my community, one a project done in 2012). The idea is simple – do 28 small things to your blog in February to improve it, your online community and presence, the way you use social media – you name it. Small manageable tasks to bring improvements to your online sites.

So far it has been the structure and prodding I have needed. I have done little things each day, and I like the sense of evolution and progress. On that note, if there is anything you would like me to look into fixing, adding, improving or doing with this site let me know. I’m open to ideas!

3. Write This Run

I’m really excited that I’ve sent in my proposal and finalised the theme for my talk at May’s Write This Run blogger conference in London. Laura of Lazy Girl Running had reached out to me to see if I would be interested in sharing a bit about my story and my journey to the USA Paratriathlon National Championships last year. It’s the second time I’ll have the chance to speak a bit about my own journey into an active lifestyle, and the ways that I have used sport to manage the impacts of chronic conditions on my life. I have to admit – I’m a bit nervous – but I also am really excited for the chance to share my story, and to meet some great people.

4. The US ruling that brings equal opportunity to sports for kids with disabilities

I have to admit, when I first saw news of this federal ruling in the US I was happy – I mean, as an athlete with challenges why wouldn’t I want to see more kids having access to sports in schools, especially when being active in sport has given me so much in the last years?

But then I read this piece by my friend Andi. Andi is a runner, and has been a friend of mine for many years as we are both Sigma Kappas and met through our sorority’s national organisation in 2004. She writes about parenting over on her blog Bringing the Sunshine – a rather unique and refreshing perspective on “all things mom” as Andi’s daughter has cerebral palsy and her son has Down’s syndrome.

Andi puts it out there that this ruling may actually have an opposite impact on kids with disabilities – that by forcing accommodation that kids may actually then be resented by their peers, other parents, school administrators… And her ideas got me thinking – could the fact that accommodation must now happen also have an unintended consequence on the kids it seeks to help – could forced accommodation and (forced?) participation in sport actually make kids wind up hating sport rather than loving it?

I’m torn. And still thinking. And I love that about blogs like Andi’s – the fact that I still am thinking about the issues they raise…

5. The impact of organised sports on attitudes to activity

And kind of like Andi’s post, this one over on Weighty Matters also has me thinking… What exactly is the long term impact of organised sports in childhood on adult behaviour and attitude to exercise?

I mean, everyone talks about the soccer moms ferrying their kids from game to game. Team sports are clearly great for kids in so many ways – not to mention the activity they bring, and sure as heck beat sitting on the sofa playing games. But the question posed is if a reliance on team sport or team activity will make it harder for adults to then do – and stick to – self directed exercise.

I am the first to admit I like getting a training programme from my coach, I like the format of my bootcamp classes, and I love swimming with a masters group. Am I incapable of self directed exercise? I would say not – I have the ability to self direct and I am active because I feel the benefits it brings to me. But is this a result of the fact that I had unstructured play, that I just “went outside to play” as a kid? I am not sure.

Again, another post that has me thinking.