Distance...

It's the sort of word that means a lot. How far you go on a bike in a day. How much emotional space separates you from others. Or, today, how far away you are in miles from your teammates.

I'm spending the summer in Chicago, IL, working at an incredible theatre company (Steppenwolf!) and loving every minute of it. This place is what I want to be doing with my life.

But, at the same time, I'm so anxious to move on with Texas 4000. It's frustrating to be far away from the team - yes, I'm still fundraising (hooray for breaking $1000 already - thanks in part to an awesome garage sale hosted by my grandmother!), looking for auction items, and confronting the realities of cancer every step of the way - but that doesn't make me itch any less for Austin, for the team.

I train by myself in the mornings, all the while receiving e-mails about 6a runs (finally, other people who WANT to be exercising at 6a!) and wishing I could be there.

I've always been that way though - jumping from one big thing to the next, ever anxious to get started on the next project. And boy am I anxious for this one. We're 11 months away from leaving. Scary? Not really for me. Incredibly exhilarating? Yes. Inspiring? Yes.

It's late and I have to get on the train to work at 8a tomorrow after a long day today. Rest assured, Texas 4000 is on my mind just as much as Steppenwolf right now. I just can't shake it, but I don't want to.

Thanks again to everyone who has supported my cause thus far - and also a huge thank you to everyone who got me here. This is the next big chapter of my life....and on that note, I think I'll go forth and conquer.