Hello - Trixie Cassidy

Our dog Trixie loves Adele so much, that she has decide to create an ode to our family explaining that she is sorry for the heartbreak she sometimes causes us. We love our dog Trixie and her creativity!


Hello, it's me

I was wondering if right now you’d like to give me a treat

Because I’ve been a good dog
They say that I’m supposed to heal to ya, but I ain't done much healing

Hello, can you hear me?
I'm in California dreaming about who we used to be

When we were younger and free
I've forgotten how it felt before when food fell by your feet






















There's such a difference between us
And a million miles

Hello from the other side
I must've barked a thousand times

To tell you I'm sorry for throwing up on the rug
But when I bark you never seem to be home

Hello from the outside
At least I can say that I've tried

To tell you I'm sorry for chewing up your shoes
But it don't matter, I’ll always, want to do it again
cause I’m a dog

Hello, where are you?
It's so typical of me to bark to myself alone, I'm sorry

I hope that you're well
Did you know I’ve been waiting at home for you guys to return

It's no secret that the both of us
Are running out of time

So hello from the other side
I must've barked a thousand times

To tell you I'm sorry for peeing on your new rug
But when I bark you never seem to be home

Hello from the outside
At least I can say that I've tried

To tell you I'm sorry for eating all the cats food
But it don't matter, it clearly has torn our family apart

I’m outside, ooooohh





















You left me, ooooohh

I’m outside, ooooohh

I miss you, let me in

Hello from the other side
I must've barked a thousand times

To tell you I'm sorry, for chasing the cats
But when I bark you never seem to be home

Hello from the outside
At least I can say that I've tried

To say I'm sorry for going in the litterbox
But it don't matter, I’ll always, want to do it again
cause I’m a dog

The First Step is Showing Up

"80% of success is showing up." - Woody Allen

Some days, I wake up and contemplate getting out of bed. I'm sure everyone starts off some mornings wishing it was the weekend. I stare at my alarm clock and debate sleeping in another hour or two. Even though I struggle to come out of that "Get-out-of-bed" groggy state for a few minutes, I still get up. Every. Single. Day. I do this because skipping the first step is not an option.

“Vulnerability is about showing up and being seen. It's tough to do that when we're terrified about what people might see or think.” - Brene Brown

The truth is, nothing good happens if you don't show up first. There are so many times in life I make commitments to people to be somewhere and don't actually want to go. The time comes and something better will have come up or I am just too tired to do it. But showing up is the first step. Something good will always happen when you show up. 

By not showing up, you miss opportunities. Chances to improve yourself and learn from others. Chances to grow and make a difference. Chances to share yourself with others and give them an opportunity to learn from you.

This morning, my day started off on the wrong foot. I didn't get to bed until 11:30 pm last night (which is VERY late for me) and slept about 40 minutes later than I had planned. This resulted in missing my shower I had planned (not necessarily needed but had planned on) and feeling rushed to get back on my normal schedule. At this point, I was a split second decision away from throwing in the towel on the day and going back to bed.

But I didn't. 

I got ready and went downstairs where I was greeted by my dad. It made my morning just to see him for a few moments and hear him tell me he loved me and to have great day. If I had gone back to bed, I would've missed this. It put me on the right foot and my day was turned around. I was reminded how lucky I am to have a great family. I took the first step of the day, and the opportunity to see my dad had already presented itself.

I continued on with my morning and was able to get to work at my normal time. I knew that I had a significant amount of work I would need to do and it was already making me worry. I sat at my desk and then began working, trying to play catch up from the mass amount of days I had to work from home with the snow.

Even with the assignments I knew I had to do, I was reminded about the positives when I sat down at my desk . It's the Friday before a long weekend and I am at the job I love and look forward to going to every day (even still with a big work pile). Every day that I come to work, something great happens. I'll learn something new from my boss, do an assignment for someone, or complete a project. Not to mention that I directly benefit from working with a salary. 

The best part about being a part of a team is that what you do specifically affects the success of your boss or peers. I learn a significant amount from my boss on a regular basis. He is patient, responsible, and knowledgeable. He has been an absolute pleasure to work with and I am really lucky to be working with him. What I do at work has a direct impact on my boss every day and that makes us a team. How can I help him and my team if I don't show up first?

I learn so much on a regular basis from work and school. Even one day that I miss could be mean a lifetime of opportunities missed. Maybe today was the day your boss relied on my help on a project that he then had to do himself, and HE missed an opportunity. Maybe today was the day in class where you learned a concept that then would help you in the future on a test. Maybe today was the day your friends got together for lunch, but you weren't there. You missed it. 

"Showing up is not all of life - but it counts for a lot." - Hillary Clinton

Show up, because you will benefit from it and so will others. 

You can't complete a task, goal, assignment, etc. by skipping the first step. The first step, is showing up. Anything you desire to do large or small requires that first initial step to get going. If you show up, you have already completed the biggest part of your job. By showing up you are sharing your most valuable gift, your presence, and you will be appreciated in unexpected ways.

Take the first step always. Do the things you love and go outside of your comfort zone. Do the things you fear most. All you have to do is show up and 80% of the job is done. You can never get to the final project, the completed goal, or the finish line without taking the first step. 

I'm still learning as a young adult how to let go of the doubts, worries, and fears that I have and embracing the good in life rather than focusing on the bad. The first step is showing up, following through on plans and sharing what I have to offer with the world. The difference between those who succeed and those who don't is directly related to who comes to the table.

Show up where you say you'll be.

Show up when you say you will

And Show up when you should.

Good things will always happen.

Thanksgiving: My Favorite Holiday and A Whole Lot to Be Thankful For

Thanksgiving is the United States annual national holiday that includes a traditional meal including turkey and pie held on the fourth Thursday every November. It was the day celebrated for giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest of the preceding year. It has become more commercialized every year as less time has been spent gathered with family and friends, and more time spent planning holiday shopping on Thanksgiving and Friday-Monday. Over the years, the holiday itself has begin to lose its meaning just as Christmas has become more focused on presents, food, partying, and decorations.

My Thanksgiving every year has always been focused on family and what I am thankful for. That's why I have always enjoyed the holiday. What could be better than starting the day with a early run for a great cause and spending the rest of it with the people I love, on giving thanks, and eating?

Thanksgiving Eve was filled with excitement this year, as it greeted us with quite a bit of snow. WET and HEAVY snow.

Thanksgiving Day 2014

As a Thanksgiving tradition in my family, we run the Thanks-4-Giving 5K road race in Lowell. The race itself is one of my favorites to run just because of the great turn out every year and how festive people are. My family has shirts we wear every year and continue to add the years on the back after every race.

I was extremely happy and proud of my dad who walked the race this year. After having a hip replacement less than 2 months ago, he was out with us and was a complete champ!

This year, we added 2 turkeys to our clan, my aunt Joni and my boyfriend Jesse. I see our Turkey pack growing every year as we get older!

With a hamstring injury and with the wet slushy/icy conditions of the road, this year was not my year to PR in my 5K race. We still had a fantastic time and I crossed the finish line with Jesse and Brennan by my side. Jesse had us beat at the last second (actually .02 seconds to be exact....) and we collected our trophies (PIE OF COURSE) and were ready for the day by 9 am!

This year, I was lucky enough to spend Thanksgiving dinner with the Sykes family. With Brennan and I always being the youngest "kids" at family gatherings, it is always so heartwarming to be around small children.

The day was great, spent around fantastic and loving people and amazing food.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because the focus is on what we are thankful for.

I am extremely thankful for my family. My mom, dad, and brother have and always will be in my life and they are the greatest people I know. I owe them everything and I couldn't be more blessed to have such a great, fun, and loving support system.

I am thankful for my extended family, my aunts, cousins, uncles, grandparents, etc. We may not see each other often, but I've learned that sometimes the strongest relationships are those that are distant.

I am thankful for my boyfriend Jesse, who has been the most incredible addition in my life. He has always been a close friend (7 years!) and it's been an exciting and unexpected journey to where we are now. There isn't a day that passes I don't think about how lucky I am to have him and his wonderful family in my life.

I'm thankful for my friends, especially my close friends. I've been through a lot especially in the last few years. There's a lot I have to thank my close friends for. I don't deserve the love and beautiful friends I have, but I am so happy to have them.

Another great Thanksgiving is in the books. Hoping the next one will be just as great!

http://www.alternative-house.org/

https://www.facebook.com/Thanks4GivingRoadRace

The Unanswerable Question

At 22 years old, during most conversations with just about everyone I talk to, the topic of school comes up and what I am majoring in and "going for". I am graduating in the Spring of 2015, in just a few short months. Once this is brought up, the big question ALWAYS pops up:

"What do you want to do with your life/be?"

It gets me every time. Although I know it's coming, I still react shocked, and my mind goes off in a downward spiral of panic, looking for something to say that won't make me sound like I have wasted thousands of dollars in school.

It's funny when people ask this, because there are so many ways to approach this question. I often think of a few different inappropriate answers before coming to the general few answers I always give someone like "I would love to work for a college Athletic Department" or "I really enjoy what I do at my internship now with Channel Marketing" that leaves the questioner satisfied and able to move on.

But really, what is the right way to answer this question to be honest, realistic, accepted by society, and personally satisfying?

Here are a few different answers that I've heard when someone was posed with the "unanswerable question":

1. "I would like to make tons of money without lifting a finger." (wouldn't we all?)

2. "I want to be a stay at home mom!"

3. "I am going to be a student forever."

4. "I want to be a professional shopper."

5. "Whatever is going to make me rich with the least amount of work."

6. "I'd like to travel the world."

7. "I'm going to just marry someone rich and never work."

8. "Probably something that has nothing to do with my major."

9. "What's wrong with playing video games for a living?"

10. "Wait, I can't just off of my parents forever?"

These were mostly jokes (I hope?) but at least someone can find humor in a serious, open ended, fearful question. The truth is:

NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THEY WILL END UP DOING

So stop asking me what I want to do with my life! Stop asking anyone what they are going to do with their lives. The honest truth is that anything can happen in life. Sure, people have dreams and hopes of what they will achieve by retirement and maybe a lot of those people will do exactly what they aspire to do. But if you ask anyone at retirement if they foresaw every work related event in their lives happening, chances are they will say no. 

Most adults I know are STILL trying to figure out what they want to do. So as a 22 year old almost college graduate, how am I supposed to know better than anyone twice my age?

The question is indeed unanswerable, but only because how is someone supposed to give an answer that can really answer the question?

I have never given the well thought, drawn out, truthful answer that I wish I could give every time someone asks me what I want to do with my life, but here it goes:

"I don't know"

I don't know! I do not know what I want to do with my life, is that so bad?! Because I'm pretty sure I am not the only one who wishes they could be as truthful as this. No one really knows, especially us college kids. That's why these meme's exist:

There are a lot of things I dream of doing:

I want to marry the man I love so much and have kids by the time I'm 30. 

I dream to have a beautiful home not to far from my family.

I aspire to have a job that is rewarding and that I love.

I plan to be able to not work so much that I miss my kids growing up and I'm able to actually enjoy life. 

I would love to have many jobs over the course of my life, so I can learn and grow over my career and be able to look back on how far I've come.

I plan to eventually go back to get my masters, whether that is directly after my undergrad or a few years later.

But most of all, out of everything I want to be in life, I want to be happy.

What I've realized is there isn't a right or wrong answer to the unanswerable question, because no one really knows what they want and even if someone thinks they know, they don't know what's going to happen that may change that. Anything can happen, and anything will happen.

My First Half Marathon Experience

                 

It was over 130 days ago I signed up for my first half marathon. I had always dreamed of running more than a 5K race but never thought I could get my legs going more than 4 miles. It was that thought that actually inspired me to sign up for it. It was months away at the time and I decided if I made the commitment, I couldn't back out.

The Baystate Half and Full Marathon takes place in Lowell, MA every year. My father is a long-time runner of the Baystate and so are many of his friends. Many years we went down along the race course and waited for my dad to run by us. His last Baystate was run in 2012.

My dream was to run my first half marathon with my Dad, the man who made me the runner I am today. My first race I ever ran was when I was 12 years old. My dad trained with me and pushed me. I still ended up walking most of it and came in dead last behind a power walker. It wasn't until I got to college I really started to push myself into running. My Dad has always been my coach and inspiration. 

One thing holding back my dad has been his injuries. He has a bad back and common running injuries like to the calf and leg. It wasn't until this year though we found out he needed to have surgery on his hip in October with a 6 week recovery. He wouldn't be able to run with me like we planned.

I trained all summer running outside and at the UMass Lowell Rec Center. I made it up to 13.1 miles but race day came and I still felt like it could go great or terrible.

Sunday, October 19th 2014

My parents and boyfriend dropped me off at the race start at 7:40 am. It was a frigid 40 degrees and I was dressed in running spandex to my knees and a tank top. I knew quite a few people running the race, but couldn't see anyone I knew in the crowd of a few thousand people.

We lined up in front of Lowell High School and after the anthem, we took off.

Running the first mile was slow and exciting. Seeing thousands of people fill the streets bobbing up and down in bright colors was truly a sight. The marathoners and half marathoners were all together running for the first 3 miles so half of the street was closed for runners. I saw familiar faces along the way including the Lowell High and UMass Lowell Track teams and parents of people I knew. 

My parents and Jesse camped out at Walgreen's about 3 miles from the start right before the Rourke Bridge. Nothing was more motivating than seeing them waving and cheering for me especially when my legs got heavy.

The first loop of the race was relatively relaxing until the halfway point when I realized I had to do it all again. The hills became harder and my legs became heavier. I could feel my weight in my achilles tendons as I used my arms to push on. My parents and Jesse were waiting for me still but this time it was Mile 9 when I passed a second time. My aunt Joni joined them and it once again became easier to see the finish.

Mile 10 and 11 were probably the hardest times to get through. I was so close yet so far away. They were never ending and my legs were screaming for me to stop. I didn't though. When I hit Mile 12 and saw the "1 Mile to Go" sign, I felt a surge of energy come through me. I knew the end was near and so was my family waiting for me. I powered though and finished my first half marathon in 2:21. 

I ran this race to push myself to work hard to achieve something I thought I could never do. I know I can do anything I set my mind to now.

The big question I've been asked now is, "Are you going to do a full?"

I don't really know. I would love to run a full marathon someday. It's always been my dream to run Boston and actually have a time to qualify for it. For now, I am content with my 13.1. I know I will run again next year because looking back, it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

Thank you to my family and friends for all the love and support!!!!