In the Words of Stephen Sondheim, "I'm Still Here"

Well, if you'd wondered what happened to Gingah since my last posting, let's just say I've been busy...

December was filled with performances of "Elvis Has Left the Building" at Curtain Call Theatre in Latham, and January and February have been filled with much-needed carpal tunnel surgery and ensuing recovery. March will involve ramping up my training, returning to work and performing in "Lend Me a Tenor," my second Curtain Call production.

Despite a freakish early visit from Old Man Winter before Halloween, we've been largely spared (so far, knock wood) much winter-like weather here in Upstate New York since then. When my hand surgeries were scheduled, the idea was to complete both surgeries and recovery periods before roads cleared and temperatures became moderate in the spring. Murphy's Law being what it is, we've been spoiled with unseasonably warm temperatures this winter. Not that I'm complaining by any means, especially after the last two particularly harsh winters we've had in the great Northeast.

I started the year off with the Lowell 1st Run in Lowell, MA, on New Year's Day (now an annual tradition for me and an opportunity to meet up with friends I made at the 2011 1st Run). Races are starting to pop onto my race calendar, with the goal of at least one race per month:

• BAA 5k in Boston (probably the ONLY chance I'll ever get to run across the Boston Marathon finish line): April 15th 
• Run to Home Base 9k in Boston: May 20th
• Freihofer's Run for Women in Albany: June 2nd
• Mountaineer Women's Triathlon in Morgantown, WV: June 25th
• IronGirl Triathlon in Syracuse, NY:August 5th

The race I most want to bring to everyone's attention right now is May's Run to Home Base 9K, which benefits Massachusetts General Hospital's Home Base Program. This program supports US military veterans who are suffering from PTSD and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), and their families. When I ran this race last year, I wore a sign on my back with the names of everyone who sponsored my run and the veterans in whose honor or memory they donated to my fundraising campaign. This year, I'll be including photos of the veterans (preferably in uniform, but not required) who are honored or memorialized by donors, as well as donors' names. To sponsor my run, please visit my fundraising page at www.runtohomebase.org/runtohomebase/JoanMeyer before 5:00pm ET on Monday, May 14, 2012. Please feel free to share this link with friends, family, co-workers and your social network. Thanks!

I was overwhelmed by the generosity of so many friends for last year's Run to Home Base. I'm confident that many of you will step up to the plate once again!

Thanks for your support and encouragement!