It’s always a fun time of year for most as we get to dress up in costumes and parade around town without a care in the world. The question I have is do we really know how Halloween got started or where it originated? I am sure many people do not and there are many others who do not even celebrate the holiday as they feel it is celebrating evil.  So I thought I would share a little history with my fellow trick- or-treaters.

According to Wikipedia the roots of Halloween came from the Celtic Festival of Samhain and the Christian Holy day of all Saints. It originated in Europe and then came to America by immigrant settlers. The word Samhain means the summer end. The Celts believed the border between this world and the other world became thin during this time allowing evil spirits to enter into this world so they wore evil customs’ to trick the evil spirits into thinking they were evil too so they did not harm them (Wikipedia.com). They use the colors orange and black to represent Halloween because orange represents the harvest and black represents the evil spirits. It gives you a better understanding of the holiday and the history behind it.

I personally love this holiday because I enjoy dressing up. I have never been much of a creative person so I enjoy watching the creative minds of others. Over the years I have seen some really neat costumes. One year I saw a guy who dressed up as a night stand. He wore a lamp shade and then made a table around him and dressed it up with an alarm clock, reading glasses and a book. It was pretty neat!

 For Halloween I normally just go out and buy something to wear verses trying to come up with something on my own. However this year I could not afford to go out and buy anything so I needed to come up with something using whatever I had from past years and clothes in my closets. So I decided to be a Greek Goddess because I already had gold rope, gold jewelry and a white dress…put it all together, do my hair and you have a Greek Goddess costume. It was very easy and I got a lot of compliments on it. My boyfriend was a pimp using parts of a Halloween costume from a few years ago. His brother and sister-n-law dressed up as gothic punk rockers using old costume parts and his cousin was a 70’s guy using some of his parent’s old clothing. No one spent any money and we put together some great outfits.

It’s a fun time of year and I can’t wait until I have children to celebrate with and carry on the traditions. I see Halloween as a time to go trick-or-treating, have fun dressing up in costume, telling ghost stories and carving pumpkins. For those who celebrated, I hope you had a great time dressing up and carving pumpkins.               

Rasmussen unfortunately does not have a football team so I support our local University called UCF.  Also many of my friends and my boyfriend attend school there so I go to the games with them to show my support.  Not to mention I have a love for the game and watch a lot of football; both college and NFL.   Well I went to a game this past Saturday and I just had some fans really bother me so I thought I would share my experiences with all of you.

So we all know that football is a sport and sports are mostly competitive, right? And usually at a football game fans of one team with taunt fans of the playing team, right? Yes and while all of this is normal boys and girls it is just a football game. We can be completive without being rude or nasty. And that is what I experienced this weekend. And the sad part is these guys probably never even went to college or at least this college. I was watching UCF vs. Miami and some of the Miami fans were out of control. They were telling the girls how stupid they were and starting fights with the guys. These girls and guys were students of UCF trying to support their team and school.

Now this is something I might expect at a pro game, because there are a lot of rude pro football fans, but this should not be happening at a college game.  So there really needs to be game day etiquette and the visiting teams and home teams need to be aware of this proper etiquette. The visitors need to respect the home team fans and prevent from saying insulting outburst and if you act like a goof then expect to be treated the same in return. There should be no acting out against young girls and most certainly don’t get mad when one home team fan is sticking up for another fan. If you had too much to drink before the game, eat something and drink a coke cola.

 And for the home team fans… Make sure you keep your team spirits contained. It is not necessary to shout profound language to the visiting team, even if you think their team cannot play. And if your team isn’t playing well you have no room to talk about the other team. Keep the mouth closed…

 I enjoy going to football games and will continue on going and hopes that one day I can take my children to games too. I do not have a problem with being competitive, but there needs to be a fine line to draw at any game college or professional. Make sure you are aware of your surroundings and do unto others as you would want them to do unto you. What are your thoughts on game etiquette? Do you feel this way too or am I out of control? I would love to hear others and their experiences at football games.

 May your favorite team win the National Championship!!    

Yes, it’s the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month http://www.nbcam.org.  And I am amazed at the number of supporters that I have seen locally and nationally.  As you all may have read in my blogs earlier this year; I had a scare with breast cancer and many of my family members have too. It is a very scary thing to go through and many women face it throughout the year.  They say 1 in every 8 women is diagnosed with breast cancer.

The problem with breast cancer is that there are no symptoms so many women go without knowing and by the time they get diagnosed it is too late. That is why it is very important to educate the women around the world; young and old and encourage them on education so they are aware. It is all about prevention so the more people know the better off they are.

The other day I was listening to a local radio station XL 106.7 who happen to be big supporters of NBCAM and one of their callers was telling a story about a friend who she encouraged last year to go and have a lump in her chest checked. The friend did as told and got results back saying that something in the test was abnormal and they needed her to come in for further review. Well she got too busy with life, work or whatever and never went back. Finally 8 months later she found time to go and at that point it was too late and she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. What a horrible story… if only she had been educated on the seriousness and how it was important to act quickly she could have prevented this and saved her life. And then you have another story where a lady goes to get checked and they tell her it is nothing so the next time something appears she thinks it is nothing so doesn’t get checked and it happens to be cancer.

So I am proud to see we are starting to take these things seriously and more people are promoting awareness. I was watching a NFL football game on TV this past Sunday and the players were wearing pink on different parts of their body/uniform. Some players had pink on their shoes, hats, pants, shirts and around their arm…It was all over. Also last Friday it was the day for everyone to wear pink- I would imagine people did this nationwide, but I am not sure. I know everyone in Orlando did and it was pretty cool. On Friday everywhere I went I saw men and women wearing pick to show their support.   

We are heading in the right direction with Awareness and I hope we continue on this path. Someone said to me last week that they love how we are doing this for Breast Cancer, but there should be similar things for other cancers and illness too. I do agree with them, but we have to take one step at a time.  This has been going on for years, but only recently people have been opening their eyes. Thank you to all the supports and much love to all the survivors! May we continue to fight!!!

A few weeks ago I took part in my best friend of eighteen years wedding. She found the love of her life and they have now entered into the next phase of living. Now I wanted share the moments I experienced in this amazing wedding because it was not your typical wedding as they are not your typical couple.

Just to give a little insight on the couple…Jaime who is my best friend of many years is a wonderful individual with a great big heart who is always there when you need her.  She is an identical twin, but nothing like her sister. Jaime is very free spirited and cares more about life, earth and people than anything else.  She is extremely intelligent and is a science research specialist by trade.

The new addition to the family…her new husband Ronnie whom I have known since I was in high school too is probably the most laid back individual I have ever met. In high school he was the guy that always sat around playing acoustic guitar in the park while everyone else was running around and being crazy. Sweet, sweet guy also with a great big heart and the two of them together are a perfect match.

Jaime wanted to do something different for their wedding. They live in the Beautiful Blue Grass state…Kentucky and had their wedding in a local horse park. The grass and trees during this time are amazing. This time of year the beautiful colors of the grass, trees and cool weather were perfect for an outside wedding. She wanted to incorporate some history of their ancestors into their wedding and this is where it became interesting.  In doing so she decided to let loose a little and make this special day costume oriented. Yes…costumes and she did an amazing job at organizing the wedding.

They both have Apache Indian in the ancestry background and wanted to bring some of the wedding rituals into her ceremony.  In doing so she needed to represent The Universe, Life, Time, Water, Air, Earth and Fire.  The wedding party became each element and had a reading within the ceremony to talk about how they were going to incorporate their new lives together. For example I represented time so I actually read an Apache Wedding Blessing called Blessing of Time. I was fortunate as my dress was black, but everyone else had to dress according to what element they were representing…like fire wore a dress with orange in it. We each had wings to wear which matched our dresses and we represented fairies….very different!

They also did things like washing their hands and getting rid of past sins. They each combine sand together to illustrate how they will become one. They also had fire dancers and little kids running around with streamers. The guests were allowed to come dressed in medieval times like clothing. We also released butterflies representing new life…and everyone sat in a big circle as the couple sat in the middle. It was really amazing…we were not sure how it was going to turn out, but she did a great job of organizing it, researching and implementing. There was not a dull moment that day and there were a total of 150 guests so it was fairly decent in size too.

It was a wonderful wedding and as odd as it might sound everything turned out really well. We all enjoyed being a part of this wonderful day and will remember it for many years to come. I wish them both all the love and happiness possible and may they have a loving, prosperous life filled with lots of family and friends.

Summer Semester is finally over, and I do not have any plans for fun…Wow! Normally around this time I am packing my bags to take a little trip. It is nice to have a two week break every eleven weeks. However this break I am broke and staying home. Not to mention I went on a little break already before school ended. It wasn’t a vacation, but a best friend got married and I was in the wedding. There is more to come on that later.

So I ask myself…what I am going to do during my break. I will be relaxing as I always seem to be on the go and on the computer so I am going to take a step back and breathe a little fresh air. This week I have been a little under the weather so a little R&R is good for me. I am also going to take this time to study for my Real Estate exam.  I finally got approved to take the state exam… Whew, what a relief!

I am also going to take time to do some little things around the house that I have had on my list for way too long. You know…like spring cleaning except it is fall time. Spring came and went way too quickly I did not have time to do any cleaning.  It is amazing how quickly the year has passed us by. Not to scare anyone, but the Holiday season is right around the corner.    

No the less, I am going to sit back and relax. I really value the next two weeks and do not know what I would do without it. These days it seems like I have so much I want to do and just not enough time in the day. Not to mention I do not have as much energy as I use to so I can only go full throttle for so long.    

 I hope all of you have better plans for your break….Be safe and don’t forget to stop by and share your stories.

There are many football fans out there that all wait for this time of year to come. In fact many of us are lost once the season is over.  I am a huge football fan and love this time of year just for this simple reason.  Pre-season actually started a few weeks ago, but I do not really get into that as much. Mainly because there is a lot of warming up to do, getting use to playing with new players and they do not even play the good players as much; other than during the first quarter or two.

Now when it comes to Football there are college fans and there are NFL fans. I like to watch both and I have a love for both while many people only prefer one or the other. Some of my friends refuse to watch NFL because they say the heart and love is not in the game because it’s all about money.  I do agree to a point because these players are paid way too much to play a sport they love. And this is in all sports not just football. However the college players are playing to be noticed so they can make it to an NFL team so it’s kind of a double standard.

My team for NFL is Tampa Bay Buccaneers who is based out of Tampa Florida. They are the closest NFL team to me in Orlando so I have just always followed them. Now the Tampa Bay Bucs have had some good years and they have had some horrible years.  We have had some great coaches and some okay coaches. Overall I feel the team has struggled from lack of something. I do not know this for sure and this is just my speculation, but both of our last 2 coaches Dungy and Gruden were pretty amazing coaches and have led many teams to championships, but for some reason did not do well with our team. My question is…Are they given full authority to lead the team? Is there someone holding them back or restricting them? Who knows….we may never know. Now we have a new coach Raheem Morris. Raheem has been with Tampa since 2004 so he knows the team very well and hopefully will make great strides.  The only problem I see thus far is the fact we have so many new players on the team it may take a year to get use to playing together.  Oh and not to mention we have a very difficult schedule this year. We shall see….

As for College I watch two teams. Orlando’s home town team UCF and of course the Florida Gators. I have a love for both and watch all of their games. Well if they are aired on TV. The UCF games we try to attend a few here and there, but tickets can be pricey so we cannot go to all. Florida is hard to get tickets too. You literally have to know someone to get tickets, but I have been to a few and I love going to their games. The energy and love you feel throughout the whole stadium is amazing. UCF last year just built their own stadium on campus so that was very exciting for all the fans. Hopefully now we can start playing like a real football team.

Well here is to a good season. I will keep you updated with home team games as we attend for UCF and Tampa. As well as my thoughts on how we are playing. I would also like to here if any of you have a favorite team. And how do you expect your season to make out this year.

I need a little friendly advice from my fellow bloggers out there. It pertains to my work and referring someone into the company. In the past I was not a fan or referring friends or acquaintances to my employer for the fear of them not working out and perhaps making me look bad at the end of the day. I mean face it you cannot expect people to be perfect or be as dependable as you, right. I mean I do not miss work unless I am deathly ill or there is a death in the family or I requested time off, also I work very hard making sure I am doing the best job possible; not just for the company but for my own benefit.  However I have worked with many, many people who do not practice the same motto.

However despite my fear of referring people I know – I took the plunge to help out an old colleague that had been laid off from work and was not having the best of luck finding anything. It is a very challenging job market and it is hard to get into a company today unless you know someone.  I referred my friend over to HR and of course she still had to go through the interviewing process as everyone does, but she did very well and was presented an offer. After she was hired one of the other employees mentioned to me that we are paid a referral bonus – great free money!  After 90 days you are paid $250 and then additional $250 at six months and a hundred at the one year mark.

Well I called HR upon it coming close to my friends 90 day mark and asked how they go about paying the referral bonus. She mentioned that she was not aware that I referred her, but she will go ahead and set me up to receive it in the next pay period which would have put her there for 120 days. That’s cool – I am ok with that.  Well here is the part I need your advice on….The same day as pay day my friend was let go for lack of performance.  She started at a difficult time and was just not producing deals – well many were not, but they let her go for some reason. They didn’t even try to help her – that irritates me. Anyhow needless to say when I got my check that day there was no referral fee.  She was there longer than 90 days and at 90 days I am suppose to receive $250. Obviously at 6 months she won’t be there so I understand I will not get that, but shouldn’t I receive payment for the time she was there working for the company?

I put an email into the HR lady and now she is ignoring me. It’s a great professional company right? Well I want to collect this money if it is owed to me so I could use a little advice – what is your take on the situation? I feel bad for my friend and I know she put up her best try to make things work there. Something’s are just not for everyone…I wish her the best in her future endeavors and I will always be there if she needs a referral. What is your thought on this….? Any help would be great!  

I wanted to take some time to talk with you guys about making sure you eat right and also keep active in the gym as it is very important too. It will keep you going on those days when you feel you cannot make it another step…We need to stay in good health so our bodies and minds stay in good health. Especially during these difficult and stressful times in the economy today; like loved ones losing their job, or you losing your job, money being tight, challenges trying to pay bills; all these things can build up a ton of stress which can make us ill and cause many health problems.

When starting out your week it is best to plan ahead of time. If you have a really busy work schedule and perhaps going to class too it is easier to plan meals and dedicate an allotted time to working out.  If you plan your meals in advance then you can make sure that you are still getting the good nutrition that is needed to fuel your body. When we do not plan we end up eating foods that are bad for us and high in fat. This is what we want to avoid because what does fat do…it makes us fat. I started cooking certain dishes on Sunday and then freezing them so during the week all I have to do is defrost/heat and eat. Not to mention you can throw in a quick side salad and you have your daily vegetable serving too. To give you some ideas; you can make casseroles or if you have a crock pot you can cook all kinds of meals – They sell books that give you tons of recipes to make (check out Amazon recipe books). You could even prep the night before and then in the morning before leaving put it on low and off for the entire day – when you come home you can eat. It doesn’t get much easier than that unless you have a butler or someone at home cooking for you. I unfortunately do not have either one.  

The next most important task we should practice weekly is exercise. Most of us hate it; we probably all hate it, but in order to remain healthy, live longer and stay in shape it is necessary. First I want to start by saying I am not certified and I am only going by what I have learned in my life of exercise and working with trainers.  If you have not worked out in years it is always best to speak with your doctor before beginning any new exercise. Exercise is not only to keep us in good physical shape, but it is good for our heart which keeps our blood pumping making our other organs run smoother and makes our skin healthier.  It also helps to keep your metabolism up which helps fight off the bad fats we eat and it keep the immune system stronger. I could go on and on, but you get my point. I go to the gym for an hour, four days a week. Now that is asking a lot for many of you so do not panic. They say if you give yourself at least 30 minutes day three times a week you can maintain good health. The key word there is maintaining so if you are trying to lose weight or get a certain figure then you might need to increase.  I have found the best work out plan for me; which would be best for most women is Supersets workout. This type of workout keeps you moving constantly and very little breaks therefore you are continuously burning fat. To give you an example:

Start by doing;

-Crunches/sit-ups

-then run for 2 minutes on treadmill

-then a set of regular lunges (15)

-set of squats- (15)

-set of side lunges (15)

-then back to treadmill for 2 minutes

**All of this would then repeat 2 more times and then I would have another 3 different exercises and so on – until I reach my hour mark. It is pretty intense because I do not take a break, but I feel great from doing it and I know I am making a difference to my body. If you do not have a gym you can walk or run outside and you can do all types of exercise in your own home without ever leaving or buying expensive workout equipment.

I also started taking vitamins because it is very important as we do not get enough nutrients from our daily foods. You can take regular vitamins daily, fish oil is important (I recently started taking Krill oil with primrose-more Omega 3’s then regular fish oil), and then whatever your personal body may be lacking; like iron or vitamin D, B or C.

These are all very simple things to keep you going day in and day out. If any of you have any questions or want some more ideas on working out and different cardio/exercise techniques let me know. I would be more than happy to help to the best of my ability. Happy Health!!    

This is the time of year we always go see Dave Mathews Band as they do their Summer Tour in Florida. We are huge fans and I personally have only been going to see Dave in concert for the last three years.  I am not sure what I was waiting for because this band is amazing in concert. They are all about the action and bright lights, musical instruments and pleasing the fans.  DMB puts on an amazing performance year after year.

The last few years it has rained without fail during every show we have attended. Rain or shine we are always there. There is something about getting drenched while hearing jamming music just makes it all that more entertaining. This year we decided to go to two shows; one in Tampa and one in West Palm Beach. The Tampa show was first on Wednesday and we did not get rained on during the whole show amazingly; however that caused it to be miserably hot will dancing around in the crowds. Still no stopping us… They played 19 songs and it was mostly their new songs which if you have not heard their new CD it is a must. It is called Big Whisky and the GrooGrux King, 2009.

The following Saturday morning we got up early to drive to West Palm Beach which is three hours from home and we rented a hotel room on the beach so we could spend that day and the next on the water. We made a nice little weekend getaway around the whole concert. By the way when I keep referring to “we” I am talking about my boyfriend, his brother and wife. We love going to concerts with each other as no know gets grouchy or wants to leave before anyone else.  Anyhow we arrived in West Palm and check into the hotel and then relaxed for the rest of the afternoon until it was time to get ready for Dave. During the week when we see DMB we always miss the first couple of songs because we are going right after work of course, but this time we wanted to get there early so we could see the start of the show. 

On the way to the show it starts to down pour like cats and dogs. I was getting really bummed because I did not want it to be raining as we were walking in. Not to fret little one because the rain stopped just in time for us to walk up to the show and find a nice seat on the lawn area. The night starts to fall, people are gathering in closer and closer as we all wait in anticipation… Drums…screening….guitars...and the fans go wild. This show was fantastic and extremely up beat as it was the last show in Florida for this summer. They played a combination of both new and old songs. DMB has only 5 CD’s I believe so we know every song there is and we sing right along with everyone they play.  They played 19 songs that night which is a lot for one show and we sang and danced around the whole time…until the end.  Oh and by the way we did get rained on during the show, but it was only for 5 minutes. By that time it was nice and refreshing. Well until next year…We Love you Dave!

Today it is very important to network for both social aspects as well as business. I thought I would give everyone some ideas on how to build a Social Network. This can help many people by simply just trying to make some new relationships; to helping you find your next career opportunity. And to be honest…coming from the Employment Industry – if you are not networking it is going to be difficult and take you much longer to find a new career. There are some many qualified candidates in the market that you really need to be talking with people who can hire you directly.

First it is important to start joining social networks that interest you. There are social networks that exist for every conceivable profession, hobby or interest.  It is very easy finding social networks be going to Find A Social Network.com.  You can find many networks that are populated with the same areas of interest.

You will then need to start blogging to allow people to get to know you. You can also comment on other blogs and ask them to check out your blogs. Eventually you will start having your own network to interact with regularly. I have been blogging for a year and a half about the life of an online student. Trying to get people to interact with your blogs can be challenging, but if you search for other blogs and invite people to check out your blogs it can really help in speeding up the process on building your own social network.  It is very important to create an online portfolio so people can learn more personal information about you, which will make them feel more comfortable.  There are several different social network sites like Myspace, Facebook and LinkedIn. Remember when using sites like Myspace and Facebook; you need to make sure there is nothing offensive or discriminating on your profile page. If you are talking to an Executive and he/she checks out your Myspace to find some risky pictures, I do not think you will get the job.

Then lastly you need to Tweet. I mentioned in an earlier blog that I have recently found the world of Tweeting. I am still learning this area and I am still trying to find Tweet sites to visit. So if any of you know of any, please let me know.  Twitter has become incredibly large and everyone from movie stars, musical artist and many others just like you and me are Tweeting and building relationships. Well I hope this information has helped you getting started in building your own executive or personal network. Let me know how things work out and/or if you find out some new sites to check out. Until next week…  

As our lives get busier and the days seem to get shorter we tend to take less and less care of our bodies.  We begin to not eat as healthy because we’re always on the go; skipping the gym for the last three weeks because there is not enough time in the day and before you know it you are feeling run down.

It is very important to take good care of your body. As we get older our muscle start to diminish and our bones get weaker. This is a normal act of aging; however if you maintain minimal weight training and cardio along with eating healthy we can slow done the aging process.  It is important to eat foods that carry lots of antioxidants, proteins and vitamins. There is a book called South Beach Diet which talks about eating healthy and it gives some great recipes too. It is a great source and it can help anyone get on the right track.

As for exercising we can work out to help maintain good muscles and stay physically fit. All of this can be done in 15-25 minutes a day. As for cardio it is good to change it up here and there so one day you can walk briskly, another day jog or ride a bike. A mile will generally burn 100 calories which is good for maintaining good weight. Obviously is you are wanting to lose weight then you will need to burn more calories based on your age and how much weight your trying to lose. As for weight training there are many different exercises we can do right in our own home. I like Self.com because they have a program each month giving you different ideas on exercises you can do. Keep mind that you always want to switch up your workout because your muscles become used to your workout and then you will hit plateau.  Self.com always has great recipes and they share examples of different meal ideas to help you maintain a good healthy diet too.

By maintaining a healthy balance diet and spending 15-25 minutes a day you will feel better and live longer, strong and happier.  May we all live a happy beautiful life!!

Let’s face it guys and girls…I do not get to watch much TV, but I do have a few select shows that I can not miss out on. The Pick of the Season this year is Grey’s Anatomy, American Idol, Nip Tuck and my favorite of all The Food Network. Now I know that is not a show, but a TV channel; there are many great cooking shows that I watch day and night.  The TV is a great break for me and allows me to unwind after long hours on the computer. I am not a real big TV person as you can tell I do not have many favorite shows, but there are some that I just can’t miss.

American Idol is one of them and I have been watching the majority of the shows this season. I will admit to missing a few of the audition shows, but those are more for entertainment of other people’s expense. I mean some of these people that try out for American Idol are awful.  How do their families allow them to go on National TV and humiliate themselves? I am not saying I do not laugh with the best of them, but geese. I really like the part of American Idol once all the weak contenders are voted off. Then that is when the show really gets good.

Right now they are down to some amazing artist on American Idol. I think it is one of the best seasons in a long time and they have really discovered some real talent. There are a couple people that I am not impressed with like Megan Joy for one. She is just ok and there were many “just ok people”. She is a pretty girl, but no comparison to the others on the show as far as talent. And what is with that cork screw thing that she does while she is singing. Ah it bugs me.  Also Scott Macintyre is another one that I think is just ok and really isn’t all that great. Plus he looks weird when he sings because his top lip doesn’t move. Not that makes a difference, but you know how some things just bother you about a person…that is one of them for me. So anyhow while they have made it this far I really do not see much light at the end of the tunnel for them. Now I will tell you who I really like and I think they are amazing. The first one is Adam Lambert and let me say Wow because this guy can sing. Yeah I will agree the theatric side of him is a bit much sometimes and his look can be a little weird, but that is Hollywood for you, right? He really knows how to use his voice and can do just about anything. I have not heard one bad song from him. I know some may disagree, but I that’s my opinion. Allison is another great contender on the show. Yes I will agree she has had some good and bad choices for songs, but I really feel she has a great voice and sounds amazing. Not to mention she is only 16 and can really show some vocals. Great show this far for the season and I am so anxious to see who makes it to the finals.

My other show that I just can not live without is Grey’s Anatomy. This show has caught my heart since day one. I love every character on the show and I am always in suspense as to what is going to happen next. The last show I watched was Mc Steamy freaking out because of his last surgery and is refusing to do any more. I will agree that he has killed some people in his career, but like Meredith stated he does get them as last hope. He really needs not to be so hard on himself and what is he doing pushing Meredith away…I was ready for them to get engaged. The other character that has been bugging me is Izzy and her talking with her dead boyfriend. That was starting to get old and a little weird, wouldn’t you agree? I am sad to hear she is sick and I wonder what is going to happen next. I have the next episode recorded I just haven’t watched it. I can not wait to see what is going to happen. Do you think Meredith is going to be leaving? Ah see this is what keeps me going. Well stay with me for more of my favorite TV show talks and all of my other blogs as a student’s life.             

Well it’s the New Year and now is a great time to make some New Year resolutions. What are your resolutions for 2009? Do you believe in doing New Year resolutions? I know there are mixed views out there regarding this…some love this time, some people cheat themselves this time of the year and others think New Year resolutions is a joke.  We all have opinions and are free to feel whatever we like, right?

I on the other hand I love this time year. It gives me a start date and end date to really reflect on my life and makes come changes. For me the New Year resolution is a motivator for life changes. I truly take some time to reflect back on my previous year and decide what makes me happy and what bothers me, I then come up with a new plan. I have been doing this even more the last few years because I am getting older and life is quickly passing. I also will make joint changes or goals with mutual friends or with my boyfriend. Then we have each other to push towards our goals for the new Year.

Reflect…

Last year my New Year resolution was to be a better friend. That was a big thing for me because as we grow older we tend to loose sight of the ones we love and care for most. While this needs to be mutual thing, I made an agreement to myself that I would at least try to keep in touch on my end and if my friends do the same great and if not, then there’s not much I can do. While I did do a lot better this year with keeping in touch and even went to visit a few friends. I did not manage to keep in touch with everyone as much as I had hoped.  This year was a challenging year for me mentally, financially and emotionally, while this is no excuse I will not be as hard on myself. However I will continue this resolution into 2009.

This brings me to my new 2009 goals for the year, as always I will continue to keep good health and improve health in some areas. I had a few health problems in 2008 so I am and have been making strides to a better mean. I am also going to try to take more courses during a semester and hope to graduate sooner. It is hard to work 60 hrs a week and make 2 or 3 classes, but I was laid off and trying to find new employment. I only hope I find a good job with a better schedule so I can focus more on school. And for my last goal for 2009, I am going to improve my finances and start to save more money. I am going to really focus on what I spend, make sure I am smart buying and become more stable with my self.

While I hope everyone has goals to work on for 2009, whether you call them New Year goals or just goals in general for a better life…I wish you all the best of luck and a Prosperous New Year!

Friends it’s about time that someone mentions the overuse of the word "friend." It seems that people today have become nearly as obsessed with this word, as they have with the word "love."

School is out for break and I need a break….As I am sure we all need a break from time to time. Therefore with the next two weeks off, I thought to myself what I could do…Hmmm. I need something to help me relax as well as focus on strengthening my body, mind and health. What can do this better than, Pilates.

I have heard my friends and coworkers mention taking Pilates and Yoga in the past, but never ventured out to try it myself. After really reading up on Pilates I became very interested and decided to try it out.

Pilates is an exercise that focuses on the core of the body. Once you can control the core of your body you then can build on making it stronger, taller and leaner. In return relives stress, fatigue, troubled joints and back problems. They say if you do this 2 times a week you will feel a difference in 2 weeks, you will see your body change in 90 days. Check out this website for some more information and ideas. http://pilates.about.com/od/whatispilates/a/WhatIsPilates.htm   

I went to my first class at In Balance Yoga and Pilates, in Lake Mary, FL this past Saturday and I absolutely loved it. I learned while I was there that I have some work to do, but I am excited to take on these challenges. At the end of my class that day I felt great and was ready for the next class to start. I felt so relaxed and clear minded it was amazing. I did have some challenges that will take some time in over coming. One of them was breathing...I have never been a good breather and take weak breathhes from the chest up, not tummy up. The other problem was not being able to stretch as far as others in the class and at one point my hips were exhausted that I had to rest. Apparently we hold all of our stress in our hips which is why it is good to stretch them and relese the stress. I went home and relaxed on the coach for the rest of the evening that day with not a care in the world. My boyfriend commented on how relaxed and refreshing I looked. The next day I was sore, but it was a good sore as if I accomplished a great workout. I figured I will go for a month (2x a week) and learn everything needed so I can do this in my living room on my own time.

My day to day experiences can be stressful and challenging which makes me tired, worn down mentally and physically and even gets me ill at times. However by doing Pilates now I truly think this will help me take life to the next level. I will keep you posted on my results as I come along this great journey.

Wakeboarding is a sport that evolved from surfing and snowboarding. The sport was introduced in 1989 by two brothers named Porter and Murray Daughtry. Porter invented the Skurfer and Murray is a Pro-snowboarder. Between the two they joined thoughts and the love of each sport and came up with wakeboarding. The sport itself has risen overtime and has become a sport of pleasure and fun for many people. It has also become one of the XGame sport challenges.

The wakeboard is a surfboard type of material with two boots attached by screws. You then position yourself behind the boat and are pulled at speeds ranging from 18-27 miles per hour depending on the person. When positioning to start you are in the water with your knees bent and the board directly in front of you. The boat then takes off pulling you up out of the water. This can take many attempts before figuring it all out. There are different levels of tricks that you learn and become proficient over the course of time. Some wakeboards have gotten so good that they are performing jumps high in the air, doing Surface 360’s, Powerslides and much more. Check out Danny Harf who is a professional wakeboarder in Orlando. http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1374480188

ewarding

Do you ever feel stressed and exhausted around the holidays and breaks that come with work and school? Well I most defiantly do and I have been attending school for a year and a half and working for the last 11 years. You might ask what makes you feel this way…

When a holiday is near work becomes crazy with deadlines, pressure and everyone else around gets crazy too. You have to get certain things done before the day off arrives and when you get back to work you have to work over time to get caught back up. Then you have school which creates the same type of functional roles. You must get the homework completed, turned in and perhaps even the following week depending on the time and length of the holiday. All of this together is exhausting and stressful, but I will say the holiday is that much more appreciated.

Here at Rasmussen we have 11 week courses which I think helps a lot because it gives the professors more time to cover all the material as well as give you more time to digest it. I have a lot of friends who attend other online programs and they had 5 week courses. They did not feel as if they really learned the material because professors had to cram the information just so they could cover the material. Could you imagine having 5 week courses and trying to work 60-70 hours a week, do school work and take a holiday or vacation? I really would be stressed and exhausted and probably not make it.

I am in week 9 of my 11 week courses for my Accounting class. I especially need the whole 11 weeks to learn this material. This class has been one of my most challenging courses in the last year and a half of college. This is when time, a good professor and patience really take ownership.  My next semester gets even more struggling and stressful with holidays, but I have to take it in strides and just keep moving. I will need all of your support as I head through these next few months – Counting on each other for support is great strength.      

 The Olympics are over and lots of medals have been handed out. During the Summer Olympics 2008 we have seen people from all around the world beat world records. These amazing athletes surpassed athletes from years of history since the beginning of Olympic times. Why do you think this is?

I have heard some say things like athletes are taking illegal stimulants to increase endurance and strengthen their bodies. I was at work one day and people were stating that they were waiting for someone to find evidence that Phelps is taking illegal enhancements. What about Bolt and all the world records he beat during the Olympics this year? Do you think he is on something too? Well I don’t think so; I think we as people are more educated and stronger.

When it came to being an athlete, I was not in the picture. It wasn’t that I hated sports, but I never learned how to play anything. Let’s just say my family was not very active when it came to sports; therefore I had no one to teach me. If you don’t know how to play the sport, then how are you supposed to like it and achieve success with it?

I remember in middle school playing basketball and enjoying it, but didn’t understand it enough to compete with the big dogs so I just stayed off the porch. Since the Olympics have been on I have watched it everyday. I see these amazing athletes who strive to achieve success and be the best they can be at it. That is a true dedication and love for the sport. That is what I lacked. Now I sit here all grown up and wish I had that love. For example I never really learned how to swim well. I know enough to get stay afloat, but nothing like these swimmers we have been watching. Michael Phelps amazes me with his determination. To be honest…I want to go to the YMCA and take lessons tomorrow.

This is the dedication I need to get me through school. The love and dedication to learn and be the best I can be. I proved to myself today while doing a homework assignment that if you have the drive to do it – nothing can stand in your way. I have been having difficulty with my accounting class and I was determined that I was going to figure this out, no matter what it took. I want to learn more accounting and perhaps go in that direction with school to have an Accounting degree instead of a Marketing degree. So if I want to go down that road, I just can not skate by accounting- I need to conquer it with success.

So I will continue to watch the Olympics and as I do I will gain more and more strength from these athletes and in return I am going to use that strength to get me through this accounting class and the others classes to come. 

I watched the opening for the Beijing Olympics on Friday night and I can not even begin to explain how much I was in awe. For those of you that watched it can understand my appreciation for the Chinese. They didn’t just use the technology of the century. They used thousands and thousands of people to put on this spectacular show. It was filled with lots of beautiful colors, talent and history.

The Olympics is much like school because you practice and practice to make perfection and hope to win the gold medal at the end of the road. That is my school life in a nut shell. I study and study to learn as much as I can and hope that I receive the best grades while doing it; which in return allows me to have the gold medal (diploma) at the end of the road. 

 
These athletes train for years to have a chance to make it to the Olympics and some still don’t make it when the time has come. It is a once in a life time opportunity that couldn’t add up to anything else in the world for these people. If you think about it, they are becoming a part of history and they will never be forgotten. How many people in life can say that…not many.

While school may not make you apart of history in this way, it does make you a part of history in the fact that you will feel better about yourself and your accomplishments. In return will help you become smarter, stronger and happier.   This will allow you to have a great career whether you are working for yourself or for someone else. No matter what you will be making a difference which will make history.
What is your favorite part about the Olympics?

It is the last week of the semester, and I do not have any plans for fun…Wow! Normally around this time I am packing my bags to take a little trip. It is nice to have a two week break every eleven weeks. However this break I am broke and staying home. Being that I live in Florida it makes for an easy little get away area. All the beaches are within driving distance and there are a few hot spots in Miami and the keys. Oh well maybe next break things will look better.

So I ask myself…what I am going to do during my break. I will probably use this time to visit with my friends since I do not see too much of them during school. It really becomes hard to hang with friends because it always seems like they want to hang when I have a big assignment due and don’t have the time. Therefore, I am always putting them off, but they understand. I hope!

I also just moved into my place back in January and I still have a few loose ends to tidy up. You know, you un-pack enough just to make it comfortable for living, but there are still a few boxes tucked away in the corner. Well that is me and I have not had the time to finish. I also still have a few little decorating things I would like to do here and there.

No the less, I am going to sit back and relax. I really value the next two weeks and do not know what I would do with out it. If you think of it like I do most people with working careers barley get a week off a year, so to get one every eleven weeks is like icing on the cake. If you are like me and work full-time it is nice to break things up a bit.  

Back a few posts ago I talked about how I think we should all have a hobby or two. I told you once I figured mine out I would get back with you…so here I go. I feel having an interest in something is good for the body. It stimulates and motivates us to do more than drop dead after working all day and studying for school. I never really had any hobbies so I thought if I could come up with something it would help me along in my journey of school and work.

After taking a little time to think about what I actually like to do and running a few ideas through my head, the only thing I could come up with is cooking. I love to cook and always have. However the last few years I have gotten away from it because I did not have the time to cook. So you ask how I do now. Well instead of making excuses why I should go out to eat, I am going to make myself eat in and eat good meals.

I love the challenge so I am always looking for new recipes to try and friends to feed. Some people are afraid to try new recipes and have guest over to try them out, but not me. It gives me a rush of mastering a recipe and then I get to see the enjoyment on the faces of my friends and family while eating. I love to watch FoodTv! There are some many great cooking shows to watch. I especially like Tyler and Paula’s Down Home Cooking. You can also go to foodtv.com and find all types of great recipes from dinner to deserts. I just recently tried shrimp scampi over linguine and it was a hit. So while I am learning how to cook many different dishes, I am also enjoying every bit of because I have a true passion for great food.  Since the summer is near I am also going to learn some different grill tips and dishes so I can enjoy some outdoor weather too.

One of my best friends and I were sitting having a cup of tea the other say when we started talking about hobbies. We are both students and fulltime career women. We were talking about how important it is to find a hobby and make it a part of your life. You might ask how you can find the time to work, go to school, and have a social life and a hobby. Well I believe there is time; you just have to find it.

Life is too short to have all work and no play. None the less, the play needs not to just be hanging out with friends and family. I believe it is truly important to do something on your own that you enjoy and love to do.   I do not believe this hobby needs to be anything extravagant because time is short. I do believe that having a hobby can relax you and give you something to do that will take your mind off of the fast pace life we subject ourselves to on a daily basis. Some of you might read this and say “Michele I already have a hobby”. That is great; however I do not and I am sure there are many other who do not as well.  So my mission is to find one.

I found a few cool websites that talk about finding a hobby. You should check them out:

• DIY Network 
• Finding Your Hobby Online 
• CNN Quiz 

They say you need to ask yourself a few questions first. This will help stimulate the brain and kick it into gear. Questions like…

• What are my passions?
• Do I like to work with my hands?
• How much time do I have?
• What am I good at?

I have not figured out my hobby yet, but it is something that I am going to be working on so when I figure it out you will be sure to hear about it. And if you have any tips or interesting ideas please pass them along. 

I finished the last semester with a bang and I am ready for a break. Whew…this was a very difficult semester for me, but I managed to get through it and finish with good grades. This is why I live by the saying “If there is a will, there is a way”.

I want to say thanks to Carrolyn for commenting on one of my posts, you shared some very good points and I will remember what you said when times get tough. Thanks a lot!!

As for the topic of the week…I love this time of year for several reasons. Tis’ the season to be filled with lots of joy, peace and happiness. I know for those of you from up north probably do not understand how we Floridians get into the holiday spirit, but we do. I never really lived up north therefore I do not think of winter filled with snow. I actually can not stand the snow and hope to live were the sun shines forever. I also like this time of year because it is filled with lots of GREAT food. Hmmm…I love holiday food. My dad loved to cook too and this was a great time for him as well.

My favorite dish during this time of year would have to be Sausage Sage Stuffing. A friend of mine made it one year at her dinner party and I have been hooked ever since. For those who would like to try it…here is a link for the recipe. This website has a lot of other great recipes too for everyone to check out. Another one of my favorites if Green Bean Casserole. That is a classic that you can find on just about anyone’s dinner table during the holidays. Let’s not forget the great deserts that fill our tummies this time of year like apple pie, pumpkin pie and those delicious cookies.

I love to cook and try new things so if anyone has a family recipe that they are willing to share, please do.

What is your favorite dish around the holidays?