And I Would Walk 500 Miles...

...or at least, you know, jog for about three.

It was The Big Day.  As Pittsburgh welcomed the huge, slightly ridiculous but really adorable floating Rubber Duckie during its Festival of Firsts, people like me - first-time runners - were wondering what this 5K thing was all about...and, maybe, if it was worth it.

Oh, it was.

When I had signed up for the race several months ago, I didn't really know if I could do it.  Like many people (artsy ones in particular), I really struggle finishing projects that I start.  and this was a really big project for me.  I've mentioned in the past that I was diagnosed with asthma when I was a child and dealt with a myriad of respiratory problems during my youth.  Although I haven't had many issues as of late, I didn't know what starting a real exercise program would do to me.  

Turns out, it's actually been great for me.  Since I had started out very gradually, strolling for a half-hour on my lunch break, then slowly increasing it to a 50-minute power walk, I've built up my endurance.  I still need my albuterol sometimes, mostly during seasonal changes or extreme weather (ultra-high humidity and really brisk mornings are hard - and this past week has been particularly difficult), but most days I'm fine without it.  My bigger concern was that I had gotten drastically off-track regarding my Couch to 5K program.  That, coupled with an upper respiratory infection that had been clinging for the pat week, led me to the decision that I would complete the race, but as a walker, not a runner.  And I was okay with that.

Then something crazy and wonderful and magical happened.  As I was in Oakland, in my beloved city on an absolutely picture-perfect day, surrounded by a sea of people in brightly-colored Nikes and battered track pants, I realized that I had no reason to be nervous.  I guess I'd imagined that all 15,500 runners and walkers would be sleek and trim, with calves to kill for and perfectly toned arms.  I thought there was such thing as a "runner's body", but guess what?  There isn't! 

There were heavy-set women in their thirties; skinny, bearded old men who wobbled a bit as they ran; tall, athletic college students who hardly seemed to sweat; scrawny pre-teen girls; lithe, flexible twenty-somethings whose running shorts were a little too short; and young mommies and daddies jogging alongside their children.  And they were all there for one reason: to finish the race.

My former roomie Megan sent me a message encouraging me to do my best, whether it was by walking or running, but, she said, there is something very special about being in a crowd like that - you never know what you are capable of.

She was right.

I started the race with my husband at my side and we were walking briskly.  Almost immediately, I slid into an easy gait and the first mile was down - no sweat. I couldn't believe it.  I hadn't gone for a jog in probably almost three weeks, but there I had it.  Mile one in about fifteen minutes.  And I felt great!

Mile two started with a bit of a hill, and many of the runners and walkers around me slowed a bit.  I did the same, as did Ross, and I lost sight of him.  As I began to struggle a bit for breath, for the first time, I focused on the sounds around me.  The constant slapping of shoes against pavement.  The ragged breathing of the beefy guy behind me.  The nearby "good job, keep going" of the volunteers offering water just up ahead.  The members of Duquesne University's marching band rocking "Eye of the Tiger" to my right.  (No joke - you ever hear that played on a tuba?  So much awesome.)  The day was gorgeous and it was a strange experience to be running the path I had driven so many times when I worked at the Starbucks in Oakland.  I wanted to just gaze up at the bright blue sky, enjoy the crisp air and the sunshine, but I forged ahead.

Mile three, I swear, was going to be the death of me.  The fact that I had not stuck with the Highmark program was now painfully clear as I tried to measure my breathing, ignore the slight cramping in my side, and the sweat that was cascading down my neck and back.  On the sidewalk, here and there, were officials, family members, and volunteers.  I saw two older women who didn't appear to be there to support anyone in particular, so they were cheering for every single person who jogged by.  I thought that was great!  I played songs in my head to keep my feet moving.  I finally settled on "Overcomer", a recent Christian hit that has encouraged me in plenty of ways.  And my feet kept going.  My arms kept pumping.  My breath kept coming.  My heart kept beating.

As I rounded the corner, hitting the three mile-marker and seeing the finish line on my left, I felt tears well up in my eyes.  I had little breath to spare, but I said, out loud, "Mom, I'm doing it!  Mom!  I did it!" and felt that I had defeated my own fears.  I know she would have told me I was crazy (maybe I am).  And asked if I'd taken my inhaler (I did).  Then offered to make my favorite dinner as a victory meal (her oven-breaded chicken, wilted spinach salad [with bacon!], and great big gobs of gooey mac and cheese [with bacon!]).

As soon as I crossed the finish line, raising one weak arm in the air, I felt a wave of nausea overwhelm me and thought, "I am going to vomit here in the park.  With thousands of people watching me.  Oh, my God, I am about to be THAT person."  Thankfully, though, the feeling passed almost immediately and I began to search through the throng of exhausted runners for my husband.  He finally found me, and I noticed that he was holding a banana and an Eat 'n' Park Smiley cookie - and neither one was for me!

"Priorities," he said with a grin.

As our bodies recovered from the happy torture we had just endured, we made our way down to see that yellow duck in the river.  Was it art?  Well...no, probably not.  But man, it was cute.  And it seemed to make the real ducks jealous.  The mallards floating by must have wondered why they, residents of the city rivers for years, had never been given any type of party at all.  We took some cute selfies and wondered how many peoples' pictures we ended up in.  Then we headed to the new coffee shop in Carnegie to celebrate our victory (i.e., survival).

Ultimately, I learned that I completed the race in 39:22, giving me about a twelve and a half minute mile.  I was fairly impressed with myself and thought - how much better could that number have been had I stuck with the program?!  Still - pretty great for an overweight asthmatic!

I haven't run since the Great Race.  Sadly, I pulled my hamstring and it is taking some time to heal.  Not to mention, the recent change in weather has been hard on my asthma and I've been having flare-ups recently.  Still, I'm bundling up at work and walking on my lunch break.  I've maintained my weight.  My PCP was proud of me at my recent wellness check when she learned of my weight loss and regular exercise schedule.  I'm planning on running the Race for the Cure in May to honor several friends, so I'd better get cracking, here.  Soon!

Thank you to all of you who cheered me on  - whether you really thought it could do it or not!  If you want to read my story from start to finish, you can click here, here and here.  I had the honor of sharing my journey via my employer's blog, too - I hope that it was a message of encouragement to everyone who got to read it!

(Currently, the internet isn't letting me post pictures on this blog so you can click on the links above if you want to see some.  I'll update as soon as I can figure out the issue!  -RG 11:00 AM 10/26/13)

Can I Get A Witness?

Or, rather, do you need a witness?

As I'm still looking for full-time employment in the Pittsburgh area, I figured it would be silly to waste the notary training I received while I was working for Dollar Bank.  I'm offering my services as a notary - by appointment only.  See my contact information below!

But maybe you're not exactly sure what a notary does.  Below, I've included a little information about the function of a notary, and included some examples of when you might need one.  If you find you're on the lookout, and you're in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, I'd be happy to help you!  My hours are probably more flexible than those of the brick-and-mortar offices in the area.

What is a notary?

A notary is an individual who is certified to perform limited legal tasks - the most common of which is witnessing signatures on legal documents.  In the United States, notaries aren't government officials; therefore, they can charge for their services or provide them for free - the choice is theirs.

A notary will use his or her offical notarial seal and/or stamp, and sign and date the document in question, once the identity of the customer is verified.  Then, the notary will record the details of the event in his or her register.  The register is considered a public record; therefore, notaries are not permitted to write down personal information like the social security numbers or phone numbers of their clients.  They can, however, include notes such as "refinanced mortgage" or "lost cashier's check".

What sorts of things does a notary, well, notarize?

Notaries can sign as witnesses on mortgages and loans, official statements (such as those being used in court), auto registrations and other DMV paperwork, bills of sale, etc.  Notaries can sign official legal documents (such as those used by banks), as well as more casual ones (a hand-typed intent-to-sell document between a man and the neighbor who is buying his car, for example). 

Notaries cannot sign as witnesses to events they have not witnessed!  This seems pretty obvious; not only is it immoral, but it's actually a crime and can cause a notary to lose his or her license, plus pay hefty fines.  Please don't put your notary in this position.

Notaries are also prohibited from notarizing their own statements, or from notarizing documents in situations from which they could potentially benefit.  For example, a child could not notarize his own father's will, nor could a person notarize a spouse's insurance paperwork.  In these cases, a third party is required to be the notary.

What do I need to bring to the appointment?

First, you'll need to verify that your document can be notarized.  Some documents may require supplemental information from you, or additional paperwork from your notary.

Second, you will need at least one form of photo ID (a non-expired, valid driver's license or state ID works best).  At the notary's discrection, additional ID might be requested (examples include a birth certificate, social security card, permit to carry a concealed weapon, etc.). 

Third, do not sign the document before you are in the presence of the notary!  The notary will not be able to verify it, and cannot notarize your paperwork.

Fourth, be prepared to take an oath or acknowledgement if necessary.  For some documents, for example, statements to be used in legal proceedings, the notary must administer an oath or acknowledgement to which you must agree. 

Fifth, bring your payment.  Notaries have strict guidelines as to what they are able to charge for each type of service they offer.  At the notary's discretion, the fees can be waived or discounted.  Fees differ from state to state.  Pennsylvania's current fee schedule can be found here.

What else do I need to know?

Because they are techically self-employed, and that employment depends 100% on their keeping accurate records, notaries are legally allowed to refuse service at their discretion.  A notary can refuse service, for example, if he feels the customer's identification is not sufficient, or if the customer is unwillingly taking the oath or acknowledgement.

Notaries are not private investigators.  That is to say that, when a notary signs off on your statement, he or she is simply agreeing that you are the person you say you are, and you say the statement is true.  It is not a notary's job to verify the facts in your statement.  Therefore, if you have lied, for example, in your complaint against a business or product, and you take an oath telling the notary that your statement is true, the notary is not responsible for your false witness.  The notary's only job is to confirm that you're the person making the statement.

How do I make an appointment with you?

I can be reached by e-mailing RebeccaGodlove@gmail.com.  Please indicate the type of document that you will need to have notarized, and any questions you might have about it.  I will be happy to arrange an appointment that works for you. 

Sorry that this post has been a little on the dry side!  I'm hoping to write some more creative things soon!

Cornfields and Steel Mills

I just returned from my first-ever trip to the great and glorious state of Iowa.  It would not have been my first choice for a vacation, but that is where Ross's family lives, and so that is where we went.

We set out in the minivan with Ross's parents (no mother-in-law jokes here; I get along great with his family!) and drove a vast stretch of Interstate 80 (almost 800 miles' worth of it) to meet up with family in and around Riverside, Iowa.  There are a lot of differences between Iowa and Pennsylvania - far more than the landscapes and exports.  I did a little research of my own to determine how Riverside's local favorites compare to Pittburgh's.  Here we go...

 

VS.

Well, to be honest, there's nothing particularly dreamy or fashionable about either place.  They're full of gardening equipment, discount snacks, and local sports collectibles.  Which, actually, is why this is the only reason that Paul's wins out over Trader Horn:

 

Okay.  Next up we have a gourmand's dilemma.  Two strong, sodium-laden traditions, hundreds of miles apart...

VS.

All right.  This one was a genuine toughie.  The Maid-Rite sandwich (which is like a Sloppy Joe minus the tomato sauce) was pretty tasty, but really salty.  But then, the Primanti sandwich is pretty greasy.  And, frankly, I'd rather have a burger at Red Robin than anything else.  So this one is a draw.  If a really tasty salad can be a tie-breaker, though...this round goes to Maid-Rite.

Now, we can move on to the seriously important stuff: pop culture.  Let's see what these two iconic places offer for, say, the science-fiction fan...

VS.

 

Okay, is there even a question here?  A fantasy sci-fi series that takes place in Pittsburgh is, indeed, wicked cool...but you can't get more classic than the ultimate space-faring Casanova.  Iowa wins, hands down.  Note: the awesome action figure featured below is, sadly, not available at Riverside's "The Voyage Home Star Trek Museum".  I totally woulda bought it if it was.

And last, but not least, we have two beautiful, brilliant splashes of black 'n' gold: The Iowa Hawkeyes fan base and Pittsburgh's Steeler Nation...

VS.

Now, I may catch hell for saying this, but this is, without a doubt in my mind, a draw.  Let me explain: for being "only" a college team in the middle of absolutely nowhere, the Hawkeyes have an enthusiastic support base that is on par with the six-time Superbowl champs of the Steel City.  I mean...the Wal-Mart out there had a huge section devoted to nothing but really nice Hawkeye gear.  That's more than we can say for the two racks of discounted jerseys and ball caps in our stores.  So, even though it's a college team pitted against a professional one, I gotta say it's an even match, as far as the fans are concerned.  The nice thing is, I can say I bleed black and gold...and mean it for both teams!

So.  What have we learned here today?  It would appear that Iowa has an advantage over Pennsylvania, if we're talking about science fiction and salad.  But I was born and raised in the City of Bridges; I fell asleep to the sounds of the Parkway, I woke up to the scent of Cellone's Bakery, I learned, little by little, to navigate the impossible streets of the Steel City without a GPS, I've seen the Pirates actually win a few games.  I am still made breathless by the view coming out of the Fort Pitt tunnels, even on a cloudy day.  I still get excited when the fountain at The Point turns pink in October.  I wear my Yinzer badge with pride.  I am a product of this environment, and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Iowa may be nice for a vacation, but I sure wouldn't want to live there.


God bless you, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.