After a (much) longer than anticipated hiatus, I am back in the blogging saddle. Of course, said saddle is strapped to the back of a beautiful, if somewhat temperamental and always unpredictable, horse named Elämä, who seems to be quite intent on bucking me off. It’s nothing personal and I don’t hold it against her. It’s merely her nature and I’m good with that — usually. I simply hang on tight and if I land on my well-padded butt every now and again, so be it. That’s half the fun of riding Elämä.

So, as some of you know, I have opted for the every-other- year plan of 3-Day walking. That means I am crewing this year. It was a tough decision. I was so incredibly close to going to Atlanta, but I just couldn’t make the stars align. There will be others years. That said, Arizona walkers, I will be at your beck and call. I have no idea what my assignment might be yet and I’m open to suggestions, but I’m excited to be part of the other half of the 3-Day, the half that takes care of our beloved walkers and makes it possible for them to do what they do. (I guess I’m Fat Girl Crewin’ this year.)

Now let me catch you up – briefly — on the past seven months. Wow, has it really been that long? I blinked and time flew. And I let Elämä distract me. Bad, Cat!

I emerged from my 3-Day bubble – you know the one – into the holiday season when most people tend to be a little happier and a bit more kind.

After the glow of the new year wore off and everybody returned to normal (about Jan. 3) I felt like I was missing something. Life seemed devoid of color, specifically pink. It took me some time to figure it out, but while I didn’t missing the training for the 3-Day, I missed what it represented. Even with all I had already learned about the people who make up the 3-Day, I was still somewhat surprised. It made perfect sense, though. How could I not miss the most amazing people I ever (or in most cases never) met?

Pink people make the world a better place. (Insert sappy music here.)

As we embark on the 2012 3-Day season – Boston walkers set out this weekend – I am once again overwhelmed with gratitude, even though I am not walking this year.

It takes a special breed of persons to sign on for this incredible event year after year. I’m not just talking about the walkers. There are the thousands of volunteers who make it possible for the walkers to, well, walk. I’m excited to see that side of the event this year.

Last year’s experience as a first-time Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure walker was the culmination of a seven-month journey that had a bigger affect on me than I could have imagined. It might sound overly dramatic to say that it changed my life, but it honestly did.

From beginning to end, it was a unique and powerful experience. During the event itself, I laughed and I cried, often at the same time. Not only did I meet some incredible people, but I was reminded once again that the people in my life — family, old friends, new friends, co-workers — are amazing.

I am a lucky person and I’ve been grateful for many things in my life, but never more so than for the support and encouragement I received from the moment I announced my decision to walk 60 miles in three day until… well, it hasn’t stopped. It’s overwhelming.

To everyone who has a part in that – all I can say is thank you.

I know I’ve been quiet on the 3-Day scene this year, but my pink people have never been far from my mind.

Have you ever seen “Girl, Interrupted”? It’s not as much of a nonsequitur as it sounds and you know how I love my movie references.

Anyway, at the end of the movie is Susanna (Winona Ryder) talks about the girls she was hospitalized with, the ones who shared her journey. The final line resonates with me, and probably anyone who has ever shared a life-changing experience with another person – of a few thousand.

“Some I’ve seen, some never again,” she said, “but there isn’t a day my heart doesn’t find them.”

That’s how I feel. There will always be a special place in my heart for pink people.

Now that I’ve waxed serious on you, let’s move on to the fun stuff. When I mentioned on Twitter that I was trying to get back into the blogging thing, I might have mentioned goodies.

I wouldn’t lie. I do have goodies. Over the past few months, I’ve been collecting things I though pink people might enjoy or find useful. While my collection of goodies is not nearly worthy of an episode of “Hoarders” (the rest of my house, however…), I do have several items. That can only mean one thing. It’s time for a giveaway.

We’ll start with a digital camera – a Kodak EasyShare C663 to be exact. It’s a cute little thing and should fit nicely in a fanny pack or backpack. It’s an older model, but the Kodak EasyShare line has an excellent reputation.

The C663 has a resolution of 6 megapixels, 3x zoom, a large 2.5-inch LCD, and 32MB of internal memory. It also shoots video.

The winner will receive the camera, 4 AA batteries (Energizer, or course) and a 2 GB SD memory card.

This refurbished camera was purchased by me from 1SaleaDay.com. No affiliation or warranty is implied. The estimated retail value of this prize, including accessories, is approximately $80. (Used models of this camera are available from Amazon.com sellers starting at $61 all the way up to $185. As of July 20, a refurbished camera was available for $75.40.)

To enter, just leave a comment on this post — make sure you include an email address so I can contact you – telling me what my horse’s name means. (You know that’s a metaphor, right? I don’t really have a horse. Just a cat.) For a second entry, tell me the language of her name. For a third entry, follow me on Twitter — @fatgirlwalkin. Each bonus entry requires a separate comment.

This giveaway ends Wednesday, July 27 at 11:59 pm MST. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. One winner will be chosen by the WordPress Plugin “And The Winner Is… .” You must have a valid email in blog profile or leave email in comments. I will notify the winner in a post and by email. If the winner doesn’t respond within 48 hours of notification, a new winner will be chosen.