Chief 187™Chatter Update 2017

On this last day of July 2017 I’m taking a look at all that is important to me. I’m on a personal high that this original site I started nearly seven years ago has surpassed 250,000 pageviews. That is a marvel to me as in the early days I used to hope 10 people would read a post. Then it was hoping for 100 views. A quarter of a million pageviews and this site is still going strong!

My children who I’d written about a ton in the early years are all thriving in their own ways. 

My eldest is navigating high school in his own way. Honors classes, marching band, Wind Ensemble, Holiday Ensemble, Pep Band, working on the school plays, while still actively pursuing another Black Belt in Isshinryu Karate, successfully swimming in a summer swim team league, and working toward his Eagle Scout rank while being a terrific boyfriend to a lovely young lady. He’s also kept up sporadically with his own blog, What I’ve Learned By: ML 187.

My middle son is also amazing. He’s nearly 11, entering Middle School, is super smart, and also a Boy Scout. He’s a winning swimmer on the same swim team, and also practices Karate. This young man can make ANYTHING with Legos, and does. He’s an artist who works in several mediums and an avid reader and writer. He is the sweetest, funniest, most compassionate child. He’s a blogger with a site called, GS 187’s Life.

My youngest is a fiery, active, charming, fashionable, super smart, and fun girl. She starts second grade this fall and acts like a teenager! She is a Girl Scout (Brownie), a “bullet” in swim team racking up wins as she swims up and competes with girls 9 and 10 years old to her 7 years. She does Karate like her brothers, is fabulous in school, likes to read, and also write and create arts and crafts. Not to be left behind, she, too, has a blog, Rosie 187’s Ramblings.

My husband is a rock. He’s still with me after over 30 years together; we met when I was a 14 year old freshman in high school and he a young senior, 16 going on 17. This January 2018 we’ll celebrate 25 years married! Our marriage, like any, is a roller coaster ride of emotions, disappointments, financial strains, disagreements, and beautiful, wonderful, solidifying moments that keep us connected through love, respect, and burning passion.

A year ago I walked away from the Motorsports career I had painstakingly developed on my own. It was thrilling at times and provided amazing opportunities. I interviewed legends like Mario Andretti, the Wood Brothers, Richard Petty, Dale Inman, Richard Childress, Rusty Wallace, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Frank Kimmel, Dario Franchitti, Arie Luyendyk, Bobby Unser, and Bobby Allison. I also interviewed talent like Charlie Kimball, Mason Mitchell, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Carl Edwards, and many many more. It was a heady experience to be in the media center, make contacts for the radio show, and write articles. I was my own boss on all three fronts and was soaring. But last year I’d run my course with that pursuit and switched gears to work in my community when I was elected to my town’s Board of Education. As a former teacher I felt my talents were suited to this kind of work and it takes a lot of my time and attention as do those three children.

Now I’m still working on a book, still writing articles here, and still figuring out who I am, how to stay healthy, and how to make it all work. Tall order!

What I want to say is how lucky I am. Lucky my family is healthy and together. Lucky I’ve made and had such amazing opportunities in my life. Luckier, still, that I knew when to walk away and when to focus on my family. And so very lucky that I have had you all here to take this journey with me. Your interest, support, encouragement, comments, “Like”s, following, and being there has allowed me to share my perspective on Life. I’m so lucky you stayed and what I had to say resonated in some way.

So, here’s the update on all that’s been going on in my life. Moving forward there will be more new material, more working on the book, and more of the good stuff that got us to a quarter of a million pageviews!

Thank you for everything. I look forward to making more memories with you!