Crazy at 40

When I turned 30 I had a mud wrestling party. Then I found out I needed glasses and had high cholesterol. I was working on my bachelor's degree and still living in Kansas. I wanted to use my degree (back when I thought I’d stop at just one) to get a higher paying job and work hard for my money. I had no idea how to exercise and would never have thought that I’d be running half marathons.

So here I am...at 40. Officially. I’m getting a full out spa day, so I’m more likely to get a mud wrap than do mud wrestling. I still need glasses, but I’m way healthier than I was at 30. I’m back in my home town of Reno...and running for Mayor. I’ve got an MBA and have been a college instructor. I’m less salary-focused and care a lot more about the work/life balance and flexibility in my schedule. Not only am I now a runner, I even coach for Girls on the Run so I can share my enjoyment of running with others.

It’s funny, over the last few months as I’ve begun my campaign, I’ve had more people shocked that I was running for a political office than I had when I told people I was going to buy a trailer and live all over the country. Not that they didn’t think I was qualified or that I could win, but that it isn’t a common thing most people want to do. As kids and young people many of us want to be celebrities, rockstars, or famous, but as adults we seem to think differently. Being a local politician scares a lot of people because you’re more likely to be recognized at the grocery store or doing something normal than if you’re in the US Congress and spend a large amount of your time in Washington DC.

So here I am, crazy in very different ways than when I was 30 or 20. Embarking on a whole new adventure in politics. Living with both dogs AND cats. Having cats really is something I never thought would happen again, but they came with the husband and seem to like me as much as cats like any human. This is 40!