Memorial Day and long weekends

Memorial Day...a day that we honor and remember the brave men and women that fought and continue to fight to protect our freedom and serve our country. And we do honor them.

This was a great weekend to reflect, spend time with friends and family and enjoy three days off from the normal day in and day out schedule. It was a great weekend full of fun activities; fitness (hike, swimming and a bike ride), movies, gardening and summer food. I hope that your weekend was a good one and you were able to do whatever you wanted. 3-day weekends are great and unfortunately don't seem to last long enough. Ever noticed how three days in a normal work week seems to drag on but three days in a long weekend goes by in a blink? I certainly wish we had these long weekends more often. The hike was at a popular spot in Shenendoah National Park called Old Rag. If you go in the main entrance you will have company, as it is the more popular way to go. The "back" way is less popular but I think just as challenging. What you'll miss is the couple of places of rock scrambling and the crowds. It was a humid hot day but fortunately not sunny or it could have been oppressive. About 5.4 miles RT and a nice workout. On the way home, besides the stop to the grocery store where I ended up buying live clams (not on my list), we also stopped at a nursery and bought herbs and annuals. Sunday was a nice time at the pool (opened for the first time this year) and the movie The Prince of Persia, which was entertaining. Today was a great day filled with a 26-mile bike ride, the pool and a dinner of bratwurst on the grill. That followed last nights bison burgers. For those vegetarians or vegans, just think of veggie burgers and tofu sausage.

Now it is the end of this weekend and time to head to bed for a good nights rest before work tomorrow. I know, not the same, actually kind of bites. Think short week by a day.

Although the weekend was spent cramming all that we could in three days, remember that we can do this because of those who volunteer to serve in our armed forces. Unlike many nations where it is required, it is not here. And wether you agree or disagree with the politics, we should still honor those who stand/stood in the line of fire, even if they shouldn't be there.

Happy Memorial Day!

Destiny, Fate, Whatever you Want to Call It

We create our own fate. Yes, really. Interestingly, it's been a common theme recently, it seems. Rise and Rise Again Until Lambs Become Lions from Robin Hood. Robin says that it means never give up. I always want to add and never surrender. That was from another movie, I think. If you remember what it was, let me know.

Then there was The Biggest Loser last week. I don't watch much, but read what happened the next day. I noticed that in the show they brought back two of the previous winners. One, a woman who seemed to be to be doing well and one, a man who had gained back much of the weight he lost. That made me question why. He kept it off for a year and half, but then what happened? He was empowered at first then lost momentum. He did great at the Biggest Loser Ranch with trainers, a chef and support from the other contestants. Going home, what then? Yes, it's certainly fantastic if you have support from friends and family, I certainly do, but really the only person who can rise up and decide to change and stick to it is you. There are no excuses. We come up with them; not enough time, didn't feel like it, the weather was lousy, I don't know, excuses seem to creep up from who-knows-where and stick. If you want to change you and only you have the power to make that happen. You create your own fate. You have to take a chance. I thought I had trouble with this when it came to work: I was employed, then unemployed and now not really doing what I want and there are not many jobs out there for me. But what I recognized was that because I choose to work in a certain profession and study, I have chosen my direction, it hasn't been decided for me. It just happens that there are not that many positions for the path I've chosen at the moment. Sure in this instance I could say that I don't have complete control over my destiny, well, maybe not, but there certainly are aspects of your life that you do have control of and your health and well-being are among them. You can decide to be healthy, to exercise, and eat well. I'm fortunate, I have a boyfriend who got me into fitness, and friends that I dance with and have become a support system (even if they don't know it) and a great family. Even if you don't feel you have that, then you have to make a conscious decision that this is what you want. No one wants to eat healthy food with you, then you just make it for your self. No one wants to workout with you, then you do it alone or you find people who do. I guarantee you that there are people out there who are willing and want to do these things with you, you just have to find them and if not, then you do this for yourself, because you are what matters and whatever it is you want, you should go for it and never give up, and never surrender. Bottom line is you need to do what you want and makes you happy;no one else is going to do it for you and it isn't just going to happen because of destiny.

I promise to have a lighter post soon. Thanks for sticking it out.

Fun and hard work pays off Ta da!

This weekend was the end of long semester of hard work at Sahara Dance. UDM 8! How to describe a show such as this; It's a lot of women running around putting on makeup, costumes, doing their hair, talking about everything under the sun and waiting ( a lot of waiting). I know to the guys that sounds frightening. Two days of rehearsals and two full days of show (2 shows each day). It can be very exhausting! This year I was in two companies and three numbers (a couple of challenging numbers, can you say shamadan?) This isn't new for me though as when I was dancing a few years ago, I could be in at least four numbers ( jazz, tap, hip hop, African). Funny how with every UDM, I am in another number, 2008 (1), 2009 (2), 2010 (3), hmm what does that mean for 2011? The scene at a show like this is hard to describe to people who haven't experienced it. It can be stressful, dancers get worried about their pieces or props (understandably), and then there is the nervousness of performing. Through it all however it is FUN! In the end it's all about having a good time. How can you not laugh, there are women running around with curlers in there hair, crazy makeup, costumes half on and just plain silliness. Giggles become the norm. That is the important thing and the camaraderie is indescribable. You learn more about your fellow dancers in four days than you might have the whole semester (16 weeks). Granted you may get that feeling at some point of ugh, I don't want to do this again, wear this costume again or hear that song again, but once over you are oh boy, can't wait until the next show! And there is a next show. Fortunately I don't have to wait but about a week for new classes and choreography to gear up and do it all over again.

Now I usually talk about fitness and food in these blogs. Fitness, how can that not be covered under dance, what a fun way to get in some needed cardio. Food, well I ate salad (possibly not the most healthy with the cheese and bacon bits, and other healthy snacks as well as those not so much, but how can you possibly go wrong with chocolate, really?

So after todays one day of rest it will be back to the gym for the next three days to work on weights, cardio and anything else Jillian Michaels can throw at me.

Final word: TA DA!