When tragedy strikes, people react in different ways. Some are talkers, and find serenity and comfort in speaking through the emotions. Others are introverts and would rather have solitude to filter through the feelings alone. I am a mixture of both, which was evident when my best friend had no idea how to be there for me when a close friend of mine passed away.
That friend, Ricky Childers, passed away on Thursday, October 22. When I got the call, I experienced a fog of shock. Then the fog dissipated & made way for the disbelief. Then came the tears that poured out uncontrollably. The following day was just a repeat of the previous. But then several days later, it was no longer so obvious that I was dealing with a loss of a loved one. Work continued. Life continued. But I knew what was lying beneath it all and I replayed last moments we spent together and thought back on the last time we spoke.
Unfortunately, in this day and age, no one really “speaks” anymore; we text, we Facebook , we tweet. My last conversation with Ricky was sent via Direct Message on Twitter, on the day he was leaving for vacation. We chatted about his upcoming trip & how excited he was. I told him to be safe, that I was jealous he was going to the Caribbean, that I loved him and to have fun. His last message to me made mention of a half marathon on November 7th at the Dowd YMCA. He wanted to know if I’d join him. I responded with something to the effect of “wow, November 7th, that’s soon for 13 miles! But, I’ll think about it…I’ll let you know when you get back!”
He passed 2 days later.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Keeping fit for the holidays! (November '09 Issue)
The holidays are coming! I love this time of year when families get together to share in their love for one another. Cousins, aunts and uncles journey from afar bearing gifts and smiles. Even though I prefer the warmth, I have grown appreciative of autumn because of the less smoldering climate and astonishingly colorful scenery. Though not traditionally a fan of turtlenecks and gloves, I do adore bundling up and getting cozy with those I love.
Like my family. For me, I come from a rich culture of cuisine and camaraderie. Around the holidays, we gather around the dinner table, coffee table or wherever, and we eat together, chat and debate issues or simply discuss the day-to-day. We watch movies, we play cards, and we usually do these things in excess around the holidays. All while eating. Eating foods that are oh so yummy but oh so fattening! Here are some gift ideas for the holidays that can be used to keep you and your loved ones fit throughout the holidays!
Like my family. For me, I come from a rich culture of cuisine and camaraderie. Around the holidays, we gather around the dinner table, coffee table or wherever, and we eat together, chat and debate issues or simply discuss the day-to-day. We watch movies, we play cards, and we usually do these things in excess around the holidays. All while eating. Eating foods that are oh so yummy but oh so fattening! Here are some gift ideas for the holidays that can be used to keep you and your loved ones fit throughout the holidays!
Relaxation & Celebration! (October '09 Issue)
The weekends are quite typically designated for celebration & relaxation. The “celebrating” comes into play for specific reasons like birthdays, anniversaries, paydays, holidays, the list goes on and on. Sometimes there isn’t a reason at all, just a pure celebration of life! The “relaxing” comes into play for many reasons as well but sometimes it becomes the necessary ingredient as a product of celebrating (also known as partying), and not only as the weekend’s main goal. What better place to relax than at a spa?
Oasis Day Spa is one of my favorites. It is located off of 7th Street in Elizabeth, and just a hop, skip and a jump from Uptown.
Oasis Day Spa is one of my favorites. It is located off of 7th Street in Elizabeth, and just a hop, skip and a jump from Uptown.
Fitness Fashions (September '09 article)
Hitting the gym is important and having the right attire can be equally important for some, like myself, who are slightly on the vain side. We spend a reasonable amount of money on our day-to-day wardrobe, so why are we quick to throw on our old, holey tee and faded shorts when it comes time to reinvent our bodies?
Nowadays there are articles of clothing that not only look good aesthetically but can boost your self-esteem while you put in work at the gym. Ladies, how many times do we put on those bosom flattening sports bras that are unflattering and only make us feel frumpy? Countless. Well there are options to choose from that can enhance that area, leaving you to feel like a sexy, Bionic Woman while pumping iron. Champion makes a T-back sports bra (the Champion Shape T-Back )that I love because it maintains the shape for the chest without feeling uncomfortable. Though I purchased mine at Target at a fairly inexpensive price, you can visit their website for more options, www.ChampionUSA.com.
Nowadays there are articles of clothing that not only look good aesthetically but can boost your self-esteem while you put in work at the gym. Ladies, how many times do we put on those bosom flattening sports bras that are unflattering and only make us feel frumpy? Countless. Well there are options to choose from that can enhance that area, leaving you to feel like a sexy, Bionic Woman while pumping iron. Champion makes a T-back sports bra (the Champion Shape T-Back )that I love because it maintains the shape for the chest without feeling uncomfortable. Though I purchased mine at Target at a fairly inexpensive price, you can visit their website for more options, www.ChampionUSA.com.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Ricky
I found myself wanting to tell everyone but not wanting to actually admit that it happened. I thought about tweeting. Then i thought that was tacky. "But everyone should know...we all love him, everyone should know." Then I thought about Twitter...and Facebook. Oh my God...people are going to tweet him today & not know what happened. People are going to make facebook comments to him on this very day & not know what happened last night. And whose job is it to alert the masses? Whose job is it to tell his twitter friends & facebook friends that we day-to-day friends don't personally know, that he's...
I didn't even know how much i cared until now. But i always knew. He & I have hung out solo & even sometimes when we were with the other guys or in a group, we were still solo. We'd have our own conversations. He always read my articles. And sometimes when we were out, we would stumble upon a new edition, he would read it right then, right there. Then tell me his thoughts immediately after. He knew my thoughts without me having to say anything.
When he told me he was going to the Dominican Republic, he was excited. Told me he'd be tweeting once he got wifi down there. I said something like, "love ya, have fun & be safe...i'm so jealous!" and i remember thinking, "I've never said 'i love ya' to Ricky or any of the other guys for that matter...other than Briscoe of course." But it didn't bother me. B/c i love my friends, not all romantically, but i love them because they're spectacular people whom i trust & treat like a 2nd family. He responded something to the effect of "you too, and there's a half marathon Nov. 7th that i wanna do, let me know if u wanna join me." I know i thought about responding, but i was busy at work & i honestly can't recall if i did or not.*
And i'm too terrified to get on twitter to see.
I didn't even know how much i cared until now. But i always knew. He & I have hung out solo & even sometimes when we were with the other guys or in a group, we were still solo. We'd have our own conversations. He always read my articles. And sometimes when we were out, we would stumble upon a new edition, he would read it right then, right there. Then tell me his thoughts immediately after. He knew my thoughts without me having to say anything.
When he told me he was going to the Dominican Republic, he was excited. Told me he'd be tweeting once he got wifi down there. I said something like, "love ya, have fun & be safe...i'm so jealous!" and i remember thinking, "I've never said 'i love ya' to Ricky or any of the other guys for that matter...other than Briscoe of course." But it didn't bother me. B/c i love my friends, not all romantically, but i love them because they're spectacular people whom i trust & treat like a 2nd family. He responded something to the effect of "you too, and there's a half marathon Nov. 7th that i wanna do, let me know if u wanna join me." I know i thought about responding, but i was busy at work & i honestly can't recall if i did or not.*
And i'm too terrified to get on twitter to see.
Monday, August 17, 2009
You can call me a Skinny Bitch! (August '09 Issue)
"You cannot keep eating the same shit and expect to get skinny. Or smoke. So don’t even try some pathetic excuse like, ‘But if I quit smoking, I’ll gain weight.’ No one wants to hear it. Cigarettes are for losers. They are so 1989 and totally uncool.”
These were some of the first sentences in the 1st chapter of Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin’s Skinny Bitch, a #1 New York Times Bestseller that serves as a guide to helping modern day women become healthier and well, a “skinny bitch.”
However the authors don’t mean “bitch” as in an attitude nor a female dog for that matter. They are very keen on promoting self-awareness and a healthy lifestyle. Never had I read a book that was brutally honest and shocking! I couldn’t believe I was getting yelled at for my eating habits and I even sat with my mouth ajar when I was being cursed at for eating meat! Yes, there are many cuss words. This book used obscenities that I find vulgar, even in this day & age.
These were some of the first sentences in the 1st chapter of Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin’s Skinny Bitch, a #1 New York Times Bestseller that serves as a guide to helping modern day women become healthier and well, a “skinny bitch.”
However the authors don’t mean “bitch” as in an attitude nor a female dog for that matter. They are very keen on promoting self-awareness and a healthy lifestyle. Never had I read a book that was brutally honest and shocking! I couldn’t believe I was getting yelled at for my eating habits and I even sat with my mouth ajar when I was being cursed at for eating meat! Yes, there are many cuss words. This book used obscenities that I find vulgar, even in this day & age.
Monday, July 13, 2009
What in the WAKA? (July 2009 Issue)
Since the beginning of spring, I have noticed a trend emerge whether from out of Miami or right here in Charlotte, and it is not a new form of Yoga. Some outright laugh or make comments in jest, but the World Adult Kickball Association (WAKA) is not a joking matter. Well Ok, maybe it is not to be taken too seriously, but this association does exist…seriously!
I had the pleasure of playing with the “Happy Hour Hooligans” kickball team this spring under the NC Velocity Division and I enjoyed every minute of it! Remember your elementary school days? When the only things that mattered were the monkey bars, red light-green light, hopscotch, Dodgeball and of course, kickball! Now imagine playing the game in this day & time, with other twentysomethings, then venturing out to a weekly post-game gathering at the Epicentre for drink specials… How much fun would that be?!
I had the pleasure of playing with the “Happy Hour Hooligans” kickball team this spring under the NC Velocity Division and I enjoyed every minute of it! Remember your elementary school days? When the only things that mattered were the monkey bars, red light-green light, hopscotch, Dodgeball and of course, kickball! Now imagine playing the game in this day & time, with other twentysomethings, then venturing out to a weekly post-game gathering at the Epicentre for drink specials… How much fun would that be?!
My 1st Half Marathon (March 2009 issue)
If you like to be physically fit, you probably made a conscious decision at some point to join a gym & experiment with their weights and workout classes. Not a bad call at all but I decided to take it to another level. I decided that because I hate to run, I will train for a half marathon!
What, that doesn’t make sense? I know, I know, but from my research, running is a great way to jumpstart your cardiovascular system, it’s a good aerobic activity and let’s face it: completing a 13 mile race would be a huge challenge & accomplishment. Thus my training began!
Training for a race requires dedication because it is really time consuming. You have to plan your meals as well as your workout schedule ahead of time (are you a morning runner? Do you have time to squeeze in a run on your lunch break or will it have to wait for the evening? If you run in the evenings, will that hinder you from any other after-work activities you may have planned?). www.active.com has several tools that can be useful when finding a training schedule that fits your life schedule. However when you find a schedule, it’s very important to stay on track with it and to plan ahead (I’ll explain why later on).
What, that doesn’t make sense? I know, I know, but from my research, running is a great way to jumpstart your cardiovascular system, it’s a good aerobic activity and let’s face it: completing a 13 mile race would be a huge challenge & accomplishment. Thus my training began!
Training for a race requires dedication because it is really time consuming. You have to plan your meals as well as your workout schedule ahead of time (are you a morning runner? Do you have time to squeeze in a run on your lunch break or will it have to wait for the evening? If you run in the evenings, will that hinder you from any other after-work activities you may have planned?). www.active.com has several tools that can be useful when finding a training schedule that fits your life schedule. However when you find a schedule, it’s very important to stay on track with it and to plan ahead (I’ll explain why later on).
Get off the couch! (June 2009)
Whether it’s the April showers or just the summer’s storms, when I see rain, I immediately gravitate towards my bedroom. If I’m at work, I want to go home. If I’m shopping, I’d rather be shopping online from my couch with my cat buried under my blanket. I don’t like trying to feel comfortable in my finest threads even though the gales and torrential downpour has me drenched. Not my idea of a good time.
Another lukewarm idea of a good time that has me reaching for my duvet is the everyday work week. I can definitely handle my job well and am good at what I do but sometimes when faced with all of my daily responsibilities, I just want to hit snooze and roll over. The morning commute, the daily grind, conference calls, team meetings, lunch meetings, rush hour traffic, road rage, and then finally 8.5 hours later, relaxation! Some people are self-motivated enough to push through the daily grind and bad weather to frequent a gym or workout facility, whether to de-stress or simply to be fit. I’m here to tell you that there is another alternative to getting your workout on, without having to wrestle with the elements or a crazy workday.
My idea of a good time in those situations is to go home. Yes, home. Remember that place where you occasionally eat and where your bed and clothes are located, maybe even a neglected pet?
Another lukewarm idea of a good time that has me reaching for my duvet is the everyday work week. I can definitely handle my job well and am good at what I do but sometimes when faced with all of my daily responsibilities, I just want to hit snooze and roll over. The morning commute, the daily grind, conference calls, team meetings, lunch meetings, rush hour traffic, road rage, and then finally 8.5 hours later, relaxation! Some people are self-motivated enough to push through the daily grind and bad weather to frequent a gym or workout facility, whether to de-stress or simply to be fit. I’m here to tell you that there is another alternative to getting your workout on, without having to wrestle with the elements or a crazy workday.
My idea of a good time in those situations is to go home. Yes, home. Remember that place where you occasionally eat and where your bed and clothes are located, maybe even a neglected pet?
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