On February 14, 2013, people from all across to world gathered in dance to help to put an end to violence against women. From the time I heard about this,
3 Lessons Zumba Has Taught Me About Life
I am always to disappointed whenever I have to miss a Zumba class. Tonight I had a prior engagement so I was unable to attend. I did however, turn on
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life balance, life lessons, Zumba
When I Take Off the Mask
Do you ever feel like you are walking around with a mask on? What I mean is, sometimes do you feel like you have to be everything to everyone and
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life balance, over 40, parenthood, relationships
Being “Catfished.” It is Not Just Happening to the Young
Have you heard of the recent phenomenon of being “Catfished?” This was all started by a man named Neve who met a very pretty young lady online. They communicated so
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catfish, online dating, relationships
You Are Never Too Old
Many people in my close circle told me that I was out of mind when I decided to go back to school at 40 years old. Of course I thought
Thank You Dr. King
When the Martin Luther King holiday was finally passed in 1983, it was long overdue to most of us. Many of us know people or personally participated in the events
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inauguration, martin luther king, martin luther king day
Happy Birthday Dr. King
On this day in 1929 in Atlanta, GA, a man who changed the course of history was born. Although in the United States, we celebrate his life on the 21st,
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dr. martin luther king, happy birthday, king holiday
Too Old for School?
As I got older, I started to realize some new passions of mine. Trying to ensure I excel in the field I have chosen, I made the decision to go
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back to school, over 40, school
Yesterday Was My Birthday
Yesterday was my birthday and I must say that I had a rather nice day. I woke up yesterday morning feeling grateful and blessed that I am still here to
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birthday, reflection
The Sandy Hook Tragedy – A tribute to the victims
Update 12/22/12 – My brother and I feel extremely honored to have been featured on WBTV News on 12/21. WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC
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angel, newtown, sandy hook, sandy hook elementary school, sandy hook tragedy, tribute
One Billion Rising, A Beautiful Experience
On February 14, 2013, people from all across to world gathered in dance to help to put an end to violence against women. From the time I heard about this, I wanted to participate. Organized by V-Day, One Billion Rising is defined as:
A global strike
An invitation to dance
A call to men and women to refuse to participate in the status quo until rape and rape culture ends
An act of solidarity, demonstrating to women the commonality of their struggles and their power in numbers
A refusal to accept violence against women and girls as a given
A new time and a new way of being* » Read more..
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abuse, one billion rising, v-day, women
3 Lessons Zumba Has Taught Me About Life
I am always to disappointed whenever I have to miss a Zumba class. Tonight I had a prior engagement so I was unable to attend. I did however, turn on my radio in my room and danced around like I was in class when I got home this evening…although I have to admit it was not for as long. During the Salsa party I was having with myself in my room, I started thinking about why I love Zumba fitness so much and about some of the other ladies who have attended class. I thoroughly enjoy the workout and a few of my friends love it too, but there are some who do not. They have been to one or two classes and then they were never seen again.
Now, just because I love going to Zumba, I am aware that not all are going to. Everything is not for everyone. But I have figured out that in order to enjoy the Latin inspired exercise, you have to be willing to do a few things that also apply to our lives in general. » Read more..
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life balance, life lessons, Zumba
When I Take Off the Mask
Do you ever feel like you are walking around with a mask on? What I mean is, sometimes do you feel like you have to be everything to everyone and you never have time to just be yourself? That is exactly how I feel at times. Life has this way of putting us into a daily mode of doing what we have to do and putting on a face that we might not truly feel. A mask is what I call it. There are times that we all feel vulnerable sad or weak; but we might not want to convey that emotion to our children. There are days that we feel frightened, nervous or confused; but we might now want our co-workers or bosses to notice it. So we put on a mask. A mask to hide all of those feelings from those who truly do not need to know. We mask ourselves with strength and courageousness to make it thought those times. » Read more..
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life balance, over 40, parenthood, relationships
Being “Catfished.” It is Not Just Happening to the Young
Have you heard of the recent phenomenon of being “Catfished?” This was all started by a man named Neve who met a very pretty young lady online. They communicated so much via social media that a relationship started to form. However the lady Neve thought he had been talking to, Megan, was not Megan at all. In fact Megan was actually a lady named Angela who did not look anything like the pictures Neve saw. The whole social media profile of Megan was made up. His brother is a documentary film maker and he and his crew captured the whole thing and made it into a documentary titled “Catfish.” It actually did pretty well acquiring two Best Documentary nominations at a couple of different movie awards. The story of Neve and Angela is actually much more in depth than I am telling you and is very interesting. If you have not seen the “Catfish, The Movie” I strongly recommend you watch it. It is better than you might think. » Read more..
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catfish, online dating, relationships
You Are Never Too Old
Many people in my close circle told me that I was out of mind when I decided to go back to school at 40 years old. Of course I thought differently. Just because I am older, I can not continue my education? I can not continue to work towards fulfilling my dreams? I think not. To simply sum it all up short and sweet, this quote from novelist and poet C.S. Lewis says it all.
Thank You Dr. King
When the Martin Luther King holiday was finally passed in 1983, it was long overdue to most of us. Many of us know people or personally participated in the events of the civil rights movement. As the country watches the second Inauguration of President Barack Obama here on Martin Luther King day we should reflect on how far we have come as a country. No matter what your political views are, today is a day to reflect on our past and prepare for our future. We have come a long way and we will continue to grow, together as one nation.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
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inauguration, martin luther king, martin luther king day
Facebook Used as Tool to Con Grandparents
I ran across this article today from Facecrooks and I wanted to share it with my readers. About a month ago, I heard of this same scam. I guess it is still happening so I wanted to make sure I made you aware of it. Apparently scammers are using social media to find out information about grandparents and then using that information to con them. The case I heard about is mentioned in this article. A grandmother by the name of Ruth Winter received a call from a con artist stating that her grandson was in jail and she needed to pay the bond money to get him out. Ms. Winter is quoted as saying “And instead of thinking, my grandma emotion overcame me.” She sent them the money per their request. Many of these scam artists are located overseas making it almost impossible to find and prosecute them.
Read the entire article on Facecrooks.
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Facebook, Facebook privacy, grandparents, social media
Happy Birthday Dr. King
On this day in 1929 in Atlanta, GA, a man who changed the course of history was born. Although in the United States, we celebrate his life on the 21st, today is the actual birthday of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. So, I could not let this day go by without saying Happy Birthday to a man who means so much to me, and countless others.
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dr. martin luther king, happy birthday, king holiday
Too Old for School?
As I got older, I started to realize some new passions of mine. Trying to ensure I excel in the field I have chosen, I made the decision to go back to school. I was hesitant at first, knowing that in a few years I will have to figure out how to pay for my son’s college education. Although I have been saving for a while, I know that I do not have anywhere near to amount of money I will need to make sure he can go to college without being in a ton of debt. After weighing the pros and the cons however, I decided that if I make this investment in myself now, I will be able to better provide for my son in the future. » Read more..
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back to school, over 40, school
The 10 Habits that Keep Marriages Strong
Many friends of mine who are married often talk about how they keep their marriages strong. Many of them have date night one a week or make sure they take time out for one another, away from children and other family. I can understand how many are trying to make sure their marriages stay strong. Some statistics say that up to 50% of marriages end in divorce. I found on interesting graphic however that debunks those statistics, showing there are multiple factors that come into play with those numbers.
You can navigate through this graphic using the navigation on the left.
Even with that being said, for a marriage to stay strong it takes work on both sides. This post on Yahoo from REDBOOK talks about 10 ways you can keep the relationship between you and your partner strong. I think this not only applies to marriages but serious relationships as well.
You can read the full article by Holly Corbett on Yahoo.
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marriage, relationships
Pregnancy Rates Rise for Women Over 40
Apparently more and more women over the age of 40 are having babies. I do not think at my age, I really could have another baby. I always tell my friends that when Prince Charming comes, he will have to already have children because I am in no way interested. I have one son who I love more than anything in this world. The thought of being pregnant, the sleepless night, the formula and diapers are all things that I do no think I could experience again at my age.
A government report released in June of this year however, shows that many women over the age of 40 do not feel the same way I do.
Image courtesy of The New York Times
The study shows from the years of 1990 to 2008 pregnancies among older women rose far more dramatically: rates for women ages 40 to 44 went up nearly 65 percent. There were just 11.4 pregnancies per 1,000 women in that age group in 1990, compared with 18.8 in 2008.
Read more on The New York Times…
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motherhood, over 40, parenthood, parents, pregnancies
Over 40? Get the Love You Want
If you are over 40 and single like me, you might be wondering when it is going to happen for you. Personally I do not mind being single right now because I have so much going on but, I do not want to grow old by myself. Being alone and growing older is a huge fear of mine. Faith Murphy Knight from Discovery Health says the keys to getting the love you want over the age of 40 are knowing what you want, asking for what you want and what price are you willing to pay?
How do you feel about finding love over 40?
Read more at Discovery Fit and Health.
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over 40, relationships, romance
Yesterday Was My Birthday
Yesterday was my birthday and I must say that I had a rather nice day. I woke up yesterday morning feeling grateful and blessed that I am still here to see another birthday. As I get older, they become more important. As I started to receive well wishes from my Facebook friends, one of them asked jokingly, “You Still have birthdays? I stopped having them a long time ago.” I responded, also in a joking manner, “I still have them but I do not have to tell my age.” But even through the joking banter, the truth of the matter is, I really do not have a problem with telling how old I am. Yesterday I turned 42 years old and I feel fortunate to have lived all 42 of those years.
Each birthday, especially because mine fall at the end of the year, I like to reflect on the year that I had. What did I accomplish? How did I fail? How can I be a better person overall? As each year passes, I feel it is our duty as human beings to determine how we can become better. If you stop growing, you might as well give up. That does not mean that you will always have positive things to say about yourself but it is a time to ask ourselves, how can we move forward and flourish in our spirit. » Read more..
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birthday, reflection
The Sandy Hook Tragedy – A tribute to the victims
Update 12/22/12 – My brother and I feel extremely honored to have been featured on WBTV News on 12/21.
WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC
What happened on December 14 of this year saddened the world. Tragically the lives of 20 children and 6 adults were taken when a gunman decided to open fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School. That day the lives of 20 innocent children, all ages 6 and 7, as well as 6 members of the staff of Sandy Hook School were horribly taken. Prayer, condolences and tears started to chime in form all over the world on television and all over the internet. There were even pictures of citizens from different countries expressing their sorrow. The Sandy Hook tragedy is among the worst in history. A first responder even stated that it was the worst tragedy he had ever seen. » Read more..
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angel, newtown, sandy hook, sandy hook elementary school, sandy hook tragedy, tribute
Message to My Republican “Friend”
Photo credit Democraticstuff.com
The heat and passion of this upcoming Presidential election is apparent everywhere. People are avidly bickering and pleading their case for the candidate they support. I include myself in those people and I am a very liberal Democrat. Even with my views, I do believe that people have their right to believe and support whoever they want, even if I do not understand it. That is the great part of the democracy we live in called America. I have made it clear to people on my social networks that I am a political person and I plan on using my social media voice to show my support for President Obama and to keep my other Democrat friends abreast of important information. In addition, I have made a promise to my friends that I will not people bash those on the right, including the candidates or the people who support them. Time and time again, I have not received the same respect. By no means do I expect people to do what I do. People have their own minds and are free to say what they want. But when those same people (person..because I am really talking about one particular person) are so quick to say what they want to say on my posts or send me long messages about how I should delete comments that are offensive seems a bit hypocritical to me. Here are just two of the milder things said or posted that hit a button with me: » Read more..
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2012 Election, Democrats, President Obama, Republicans
Remembering 9/11
Photo credit: © John Skelson
I will keep this short and sweet by sharing with you what I posted on my Facebook profile this morning. What are your memories of that day?
I remember being at work and a co-worker telling me that a plane had just crashed into one of the Twin Towers. This person was someone who was always making us laugh, so at first many did not believe him. People started calling friends and family members who were at home and heard their reactions watching when the second tower was hit. Soon afterwards, the owner of the company called us all together as they let us watch some of what was happening on television. We cried together and prayed for those who lost their lives and loved ones.As I remember those who senselessly lost their lives that day, I am reminded of the spirit of America during that time. Words from some friends also reminded me when everyone proudly displayed their flags and we came together as one country united. We were not divided by party lines, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. Somehow since that time we have lost our way. I hope this day reminds everyone that we are one country, ALL AMERICANS…STRONG and PROUD. We will never forget. Love you all!
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9/11, Remembering 9/11, September 11
Gabrielle Douglas Makes Olympic History
U.S. gymnast Gabrielle Douglas displays her gold medal during the artistic gymnastics women’s individual all-around competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) Photo Source: The Oregonian
It was so wonderful to watch Gabrielle “Gabby Douglas make history tonight! Her strength and determination led her to winning the women’s all-around gold medal. This makes her the only African American to win the gold in the all-around competition and the only Olympic gymnast to win the gold in both the team and all-around competition. Today, Gabby Douglas made history in more ways than one. Today she was named the best gymnast in the world! » Read more..
Black History Month: What it Means to Me
Let me start this post with a little bit of background. February is Black History month. This month, I am using the social pin board Pinterest to spotlight some people in black history who serve as personal inspiration to me. I would love it if my readers would follow my Inspirational African Americans board to see exactly who I have on my list. I will be updating it all month and I am sure I will continue in the future. These pins I also share daily on my Facebook timeline.
Now recently, due to the Black History Month postings I am doing on Facebook, I received a message there from a friend who is white. This person has known me for a long time and a person I consider a friend, even off of Facebook. :-) In the message they asked me, should my postings not be purely American history without having to classify it as black? Now, let me explain something to you for a minute. I have always told my friends who are of a different race, if you do not understand something as it relates to the black race, ask me. This does not mean that I am the authority of all things black, but I would rather you ask a person who is black, who you consider a friend, than just forming your own incorrect opinion or believing the stereotypes. This is the type of relationship that I have with my friends and to date, none of them have ever asked me anything I found offensive. As long as they listen with an open mind and understand that somethings they might not ever fully comprehend because they are not black, I am more than willing to give them my honest opinion to their questions. This is not meant to be a racist statement, it is just the truth. I will never understand how it is to be white and they will never fully understand what it is to be black. We understand this about each other and embrace our differences. » Read more..
