The 100 Day Experiment

Inspired by the recent surge of 100 day challenges to improve the quality of life (mainly by exercising), I have decided to institute my own 100 day challenge. But not of increasing exercise, or eating better, or testing more often. What is my 100 day challenge, you may ask?

100 of days of no diabetes advocacy.

Now, calm down. It's only 100 days, starting March 1st. It seems a bit dramatic and out of the blue. But it shouldn't, really. I think "Crash" more than displayed my burned-outness. I recently started a new job at the Annual Giving Program (which is going pretty well, despite how much I don't like it). I'm also taking 16 credits this term (and an expected 16 credits next term). With my desire for a social life so I don't become a complete hermit and my new fitness routine in the evenings, it's become more and more challenging to fit my various projects in to my schedule. And the fact that it's difficult has ironically made me want to do even more.

Have I mentioned I'm nuts?

It's rather bittersweet, actually. I really enjoy managing Diabetes Teen Talk and the Diabetes O.C. websites. But I'm looking forward to having more time to read books that are not part of the curriculum, write poetry and maybe a short story, go bike riding, read the Bible, pray, have coffee and lunches and dinners with friends, go to guest lectures, and actually visit the brand-new art museum that opened up on campus last spring that I still haven't gone to.

It was the summer of 2001, and I was 15 years old, when I became a diabetes advocate. And I've done a lot. I don't always think I do a lot because one of my biggest faults is comparing myself to other people. "If they can do it, so can I!" so I'm chronically unsatisfied with my level of activity and always want to push myself, even when it's clearly the dumbest idea ever.

So what does all this mean for the future of Diabetes Teen Talk and the Diabetes O.C.? Well, I have it figured out a little bit.

Diabetes Teen Talk: A friend that I met last September at the CWD San Diego Regional Conference has agreed to help me out by moderating the message board and providing periodic content for the website. Mostly it will be on hold, and will only be updated when Jenny is able to write content.

The Diabetes O.C. Official Website: This, too, will be on hold. I've put a notice up on the main page saying that I am hiring. This, of course, is an unpaid position but very rewarding. Details are provided. If I don't find someone to take over as Temporary Director, the O.C. just won't be updated for 100 days. So, if you value the O.C. website, want to keep it current, and have time to update it with new bios, please e-mail me.

Everything Else: Kind of up in the air. I might do a couple short term projects. I'm still going to the Gala and the Seminars. Blogs and message boards are still fun. Hm. We'll see.

Remember, I'll be back (but not in the Terminator sense of things).

Yet Another Big Announcement:
I'm moving!

I've decided that as part of the 100 Day Experiment, this might be a good idea to finally do what I've always dreamed of doing: synthesizing all the different part of my life and becoming Whole.

The Diabetic. The Christian. The College Student. The Role Model. The Writer. The Friend.

With this, I'm opening a new blog, called Everything Related. Because it'll be about everything related to Me! The New Blog and 100 Day Challenge starts on March 1st. End date: June 8th. I'll post a link to the blog when I've finished putting the pieces together.

One of the reasons I want to start a blog is because this will psychologically convince me that I don't always have to think about diabetes. Because when you're a diabetic (or PWD, depending on your side of the coin) and you're a diabetes advocate, you tend to think about it. A lot. Probably too much. There are other things I'm interested in. I'm not a static individual who thinks about needles and neuropathy all day long. I know, it's amazing. But true.

Lemonade Life will stay here as it is, for reference and so people will be able to find Everything Related easily.

I know, a lot of changes to get used to. But we're diabetics, we should be used to change!

Right?

I hope this doesn't cause the axis of your world to start spinning wildly out of control.

Edit: Just so you know, I'm not completely abandoning the O.C. for 100 days, I'm just not going to be manning the Official website. The blog Everything Related is totally open to be read and commented on by the O.C. I just won't always be writing about diabetes. In fact, unless Something Big happens, I might not talk about it all that much. That's all.