Michigan State vs. Michigan Football Banter via Facebook

Ready for the game? These folks are!

My facebook News Feed is beginning to reflect the current college football climate brewing in Michigan this week. Yes, that's right. Michiganders are preparing for the ultimate rival football game between the Michigan State University (East Lansing) and the University of Michian (Ann Arbor). Both teams ranked in the AP Top 25, with 5-0 records, and wins against the overrated Notre Dame (ND). Spartans and Wolverines all over are preparing to tune into this game and warming up with lots of trash talking. Check out this exchange on facebook:

• Libra Friend's status: Thank you for your birthday wishes!
• Friend's Comment: Thank you for not taking this forthcoming asswhoopin on Saturday around 3:30 personally. I hope we can still be friends and hang out.

More to come, I'm sure!

Buddy for life?!

Once again, it's been a long time. Lots of blossoming going on over here! (I'll list my accomplishments later.)

The events in this post have been manipulated to hide the identity of the individual and incorporates additional stories that relate to the overall theme of the post.

Lately, I've been troubled by an ongoing "buddy" relationship. It all started with my regular, end of school year visit back home, where a long time "buddy" is also attend graduate school. This guy and I go way back, to my undergraduate days. We were never an together, but of course were together in other ways. Initial intentions when we met: I want to be with him. Fast forward to junior year- we were in a campus organization together and the boundary was set between us. We dated other people, etc. Fast forward to post-graduation where we continued our separate lives, keeping abreast of each other through mutual friends. We both had our own relationships, no biggie. Fast forward to, the last two years where we reconnected and caught up as "friends" with a continued physical attraction between us. He moved to my hometown to continue graduate school and we would "hang out", catch up, and ... yeah. This period became a time where we got reacquainted with each other, and I realized that I was just then really getting to know him. When I entered my graduate program on the east coast I accepted an internship position that allowed me to travel back home on an almost monthly basis. We continued getting to hanging out during these visits and of course, my feelings for him grew. Now, presently, our current arrangement has gotten old to me and I continuously question "What's next? Where is this going?"

Bringing this up to him wasn't an easy task since before, I just went along with the arrangement. I knew my intentions, but didn't know if his were the same as when we first met or had they changed. After an emotional conversation, I know that the pattern has to change but I'm not exactly sure of its direction. Our intentions seem the same on the surface, but we're disagreeing on the timing. I brought my dilemma to my inner circle, which includes some that are tired of hearing about this ongoing struggle and some who are new to it, to help me make some sense of these thoughts and feelings.

Bottom line: If my end goal was to be with him and that is not able to happen, move on! I didn't begin our relationship wanting to be friends. I want to be his mate. Not in three years, but now. I want to begin to build that relationship in the present. He says the future. Game over! Right? Easier said than done. However, if there is something that I want, which is to build a relationship with the guy that has the qualities that I appreciate and desire, then that is the direction that I need to go. This old "buddy" is not in that direction.

It's going to be hard, but I have to mentally separate myself from him. Moving on!

"Don't Set Your Purse on the Floor!"

There's a saying "A purse on the floor is money out the door", but I wonder if that only applies to the financially challenged. Celebrity stylist, June Ambrose obviously has no issue with it. Maybe her money out the door is more like my car payment or even rent payment.

I think I'd have money out the door no matter where I put my purse. Fortunately, I wont have the dirt and germs from a floor on the bottom of my moderately-priced purse. Speaking of, I'm stepping my purse game up this season!

*Jas*

Values from Parents

I asked a new friend to tell me about his most favorite memory growing up in another country. I was curious to hear of any cultural differences or learn a little bit more about his upbringing. He said that he had mostly good memories of traveling with his family and spending the Christmas holiday at his grandma’s house. He then started to speak about his father, who passed away a few years back. He said that his father always expected the best from him and his siblings and nothing less. Always excellence. His father instilled that within him to the point where he constantly thinks about how his choices affect this family and strives to be the best to make his family proud and honorable. Hearing my friend talk about his father and the values instilled within him made me take a deeper look at the young man in front of me. It also made me reflect on my own personal values and how I portray them in my everyday life. What values did your parents instill in you that make you who you are today?

For me, I'd say excellence ("Don't do anything half-assed!"), neatness (chores galore), and openly communicating my thoughts and feelings (tantrums didn't get you much in my household). I'm sure there are more, but these would be where I would start. There are also values and traits that my parents have that I haven't necessarily picked up, which could be good and bad. Ha! What values or traits do your parents have that you wish or don't wish to develop?

*Jas*

Written on the eve of two important birthdays. Happy Birthday to my momma & grandma!

Starting Over

Last September, I wrote this post proclaiming my desire to transform my lifestyle into a more healthy and active one. The first semester as a full-time graduate student had a few ups and downs, and so did my lifestyle change. There were a few successes and a few more days of poor eating choices, followed by lack of activity. As the new year approached and I returned home to Michigan, I once again attempted to get a heads up in my lifestyle transformation. Instead of waiting to January 1st to resolve to exercise, eat healthy, and eventually lose weight, I did it when I returned to Michigan. Yes, right around the holidays.

Momentum was going strong! Once my internship began, I had my gym bag packed and made it to the gym every evening for one and a half weeks. It was awesome! But then, the unpredicted happened. My work-gym routine strayed away from me as my social and family life collided. New pleasures were explored, while new demands came my way. One and a half weeks later, pent up energy needs to be released (productively) and an abandoned iPod with new earbuds is calling my name.

In my mind, there's no need to wait until January 1st to resolve to become a better you! Strive for it everyday :-)

*Jas*

Extra, Extra Screen All the Brown People

This has been on my mind. So the young Nigerian man flew from Nigeria and stopped in Amsterdam before arriving to the US and having his master plan destroyed by that young director (thank god!). Now, TSA has implemented "random" enhanced screening for passengers on U.S.-bound flights. But Amsterdam or any other major European cities (Zurich or London) that are hubs for transfers or layovers to/from African countries are on this "extra screening" list. Therefore, even if people are being screened twice using whichever methods in these 11 countries, exchanges can be made in the transfer/layover cities, especially now since suspensions are focused so heavily on these 11 countries. My momma always told me, "Don't do anything half-assed!" If you're going to beef up security, do it on all US-bound and domestic flights, whichever. Go hard or go home, because if I thought about it, "they" already have, but probably in a more sophisticated and destructive way. Thoughts people?

Happy New Year!

Gettin' it in for 2010!

Any other corny lines for the new year?

Latest Pubic (Physical) Assault & the Resulting Apology

I usually don't bring my computer to bed, but I wanted to release my thoughts on this "Breaking News" before it hunted me in my dreams. Yes, according to the local news this evening, this soccer fight, along with a local high school soccer fight, were breaking news. Not the voting on Obama's health care bill, but girls fighting during their soccer games.

Now, I don't condone physical violence, at all. However, in all of today's reports there was no mention of the elbow in the chest or shorts pulling done by the "victim". In 2 of the 3 incidents, the female from the University of New Mexico, Elizabeth Lambert, strongly reacts to her opponent's small jabbings with full-out, physical contact, usually taking her opponent down.

Following the incident, Lambert apologized for her actions.

"I let my emotions get the best of me in a heated situation. I take full responsibility for my actions and accept any punishment felt necessary. This is in no way indicative of my character or the soccer player that I am. I am sorry to my coaches and teammates for any and all damages I have brought upon them. I am especially sorry to BYU and the BYU women's soccer players that were personally affected by my actions. I have the utmost respect for the BYU women's soccer program and its players."

Her apology was 10x better than this guys' for this incident involving our nation's President! He still has his job. Ron Artest paid a fine and continued playing basketball. It's despicable how many politicians, celebrities/entertainers do something illegal, disrespectful, racist, sexists or violent and get off with a simple apology.

This young lady was suspended indefinitely from playing soccer for her behavior. Is this going to help her with beating people down when she gets "heated" and "in the moment"?

I think society is sending the wrong message sometimes...

-Jas

Writer's Block

Once again, it's been a while!

Since my 25th birthday, I've recorded a list of ideas of blog posts. Unfortunately, graduate school and life have hindered me actually writing those posts. I find myself balancing between writing in my journal, which is very personal, and sharing my other brilliant thoughts with the world wide web. My story and blog post ideas seem to occur when I'm trying to fall asleep, daydreaming during my morning routine, or mentally escaping a boring class session. Similar to the "Just Do It" attitude I've applied exercising daily, I am now going to attempt the same thing in my writing. Until then, be blessed!

-Jas

Past to Present: Leaving the Ex Behind

I wish I could rip out a page of my memory

Cause I put too much energy in him and me

Can't wait til I get through this phase cause it's killing me

Too bad we can't rewrite our own history

-Keri Hilson (Energy)

Every now and then thoughts of my ex/old friend hunt me. Yes, they hunt me. Past moments, good and bad, reply in my mind and I analyze them. Sometimes I try to see if it was a time where I didn't show that I cared or loved him. Other times I wonder if he was there for me like I needed him to be. Most of the time I think about our friendship- how much fun I had and how much I learned about myself.

The nostalgia for such friendship and adventure really makes me question whether or not I can stomach living away from my friends and family in Michigan. For example, today I woke-up wanting to have coffee with my Mom, help her cook/bake in our kitchen at home, then escape to hang out with one or several of my friends to have "girlfriend" time. That past relationship filled those gaps away from home and now I'm struggling to do it on my own. I'm not saying I need to be in a relationship with a man to feel grounded in my new city, but I do need relationships, as in friendships, to help me bond and associate with others in a similar way that I would with my family and friends at home.

So far, I've been blessed with a select bunch that kinda "get me" and have really helped me transition into my new surroundings. I hope that the memories that I create on my own and with my new friends will replace the ones that hunt me from the past.

Do you think you can live away from family and close friends? What do you think you would need?

Foodie on a Diet

Out of all of my friends, I am the one that loves food! There are particular restrauants that I like to frequent because of certain meals or drinks that I can indulge in and I love trying out new spots. I also watch the Food Network and attempt to make their delicious recipes. I love food!!!

Unfortunately, this free-love for food has been one of the culprits of my weight gain (the other--inactivity). Now don't get me wrong, I still love my body and it's curves, but I know that it could look better. I also know that I shouldn't feel certain aches and pains in my body. I'm not looking to transform back into that young girl in my high school prom picture (I had no curves!), but I am hoping to shed some weight and transform my health.

Three weeks ago, I started the 50 Million Pound Challenge spearheaded by Dr. Ian Smith. I used to eat healthy, I really did. However, since starting the 30-day Meal Plan I realized that I wasn't eating the right foods. I ate few vegetables, high-fat foods, and hardly any fruits. My food portions were also larger than a serving, which packed on more calories.

I'm not calorie counting or anything, but I am following these very important healthy eating habits:

1. Always eating breakfast: I usually eat first thing in the morning so that I have energy for my morning workout.

2. Eating fruit with breakfast or as a snack: Fruit adds a needed sweetness to my morning meals and afternoon sweet tooth. Plus, it's low in fat and calories.

3. Always measure portion size: This is very important. I bought a small kitchen scale and I use measure cups and spoons.

4. Eating 1-2 cups of vegetables with afternoon and evening meals: Vegetables are low in fat and calories, but can be quite filling. It also helps to thinking of vegetables as your main dish and meats/grains as your side.

5. Cook at home & bring food from home: It makes my backpack heavier, but I save money and cutback on snacking on high calorie foods.

Weekly grocery shopping, preparing food sometimes ahead of time, and daily cooking have been welcomed lifestyle changes for me. As I approach the last week of Dr. Ian's 30-day Meal Plan, I'm hoping to gain more knowledge on healthy restaurant eating. Be on the look-out for my posting on the weight loss on the 30-day Meal Plan.

Introducing My Fitness Adventures

Last year I began the first part of my fitness adventure by training for a half marathon. I believed that such competition would motivate me to exercise and lose weight. I got up to walking and running 12 miles, so I'd say I accomplished that goal. However, not reaching my fundraising minimum and not being able to compete in the actual marathon really dampened my fitness period. Any attempted of exercise after January was half-hearted and I slowly began to gain more and more weight. With additional stress from my job and former roommate, I began spiraled in and out of lethargy, moodiness, and sleeplessness.

Then I saw the light. Receiving my acceptance to Brown University for graduate school gave me a refreshed outlook and new beginning. I wanted a clean slate in Rhode Island. I wanted to use all my lessons and growth from college and teaching in NYC to be my own person. If I really wanted to lose weight and be fit, I had to change my lifestyle- more activity, fruits & vegetables, and less fatty foods and alcohol. I also had to nurture my spiritual growth and find a church home.

I've been in Providence, RI for two months now and the changes in my lifestyle are beginning to show. Join me in my fitness & weight loss experience!

Re-vamped and ready to go!

Hello all!

Yes, it's been a long while since I've shared my personal journey with you. Over the past few months, there has been lots of reflection, change, and transition. I've relocated to a different state and am now in graduate school. I decided to follow my dreams, no matter who or what I had to leave behind in NYC. Sad, but true. However, as I write this, I am sitting next to one of my good friends from NYC in my new apartment taking facebook quizzes. Having a sista'-friend has been so important to my very own personal growth!

As I begin this new journey, I hope to revisit some of the lessons from NYC as they reappear in my new place of residence, in addition to exploring new areas. You will join me for my journey through graduate school, an internship, dating, and gaining my own personal ground.

Thank you for joining me!

A Blast From the Past...

Wow! Last published in Sept. 2008!

I fell way off my blog band wagon and so much has happened since my last post. Blossoms have bloomed, while old flowers shriveled and fell loose from the stem. Stay with me as I attempt to juggle sharing my growth in NYC with my own personal journal writing. Over the next few weeks, I will share some new revelations that occurred and have led to several new beginnings and personal outlooks on life. Career, relationships, love life, family, friends, spirituality, personal fitness, and...inspiration. Join me as we catch up and move on!

Where have you been??

Off The Hook!

Earlier this summer I went to a taping of the new Food Network show, Guy Off the Hook. In this show Guy Fieri cooks in front of a live audience.

The two shows that were taped, Far East, Far Out & Seoul Food, are being showed during the month of October on the 5th and 19th respectively. For the latter show, my friend and I sat stage left and got to taste the delicious s'more egg rolls (mmmmm!). Check your Food Network listings!

Take Off!

The Discovery Channel is showing When We Left Earth: NASA Missions on TV. I caught it this afternoon and I found myself mesmerized.

When I visited the Johnson Space Center Museum in Houston, Texas, I took in each and every possible exhibit and demonstration. I loved looking at the NASA mission time line and seeing memorabilia from the Apollo missions, crew pictures including Ronald E. McNair (2nd African American in space, 1984) and Sharon Christa McAuliffe (the first teacher to fly to space) from the tragic Challenger Shuttle Mission in 1986 , and information on Columbia Shuttle Mission re-entry tragedy in 2003.

NASA tragedies aside, I love learning about space travel and astrology (sometimes). I love seeing the moon and stars! I am amazed by the intellect and physical strength that astronauts/mission specialists possess in order to train and then travel into space. Most have experience in the U.S. Navy or Air Force, which speaks towards their training.

Most importantly, the legacy that astronauts leave behind is insurmountable, especially if they live to talk about it. How do you describe telling your child "I was one of the people who put the Hubble Telescope into orbit"? How does your child feel knowing that, they may never surpass such an accomplishment. If you don't make it due to some unfortunate mission tragedy, your former schools can be renamed to pay tribute, significant buildings in your field may be named after your, and you can even have an asteroid named after you.

I don't think teaching would get me all of that. Well, not unless I'm a teacher that travels to space. Until that happens, I'm adding something to my to-do before I'm 30 list: See a space shuttle launch.

*Jas*

Disney Run: 2

I'm injured already!

My second week of training so far has been spent limping around with Neuroma.

It feels like I'm walking on a bunched up sock, but barefoot. The bottom of my foot seems swollen, but it appears to be the same size as the other. When I told my Team in Training mentor about the pain she inquired about my running shoes. Right now, I'm running in an old pair of Adidas outside and a newer pair of Nike running shoes with great stability and cushion at the gym.

She told me two important things:
1. I need more cushion at the ball of my foot. My foot was clearly telling me this.
2. I need a bigger running shoe. One that has approximately half an inch space between in front of my longest toe.

With that... I need to get new running shoes!

I haven't run all week and I'm hoping to run at Saturday's practice. Until I get those shoes, it's ice on the foot.

Make a donation to honor those battling blood cancers here.
*Jas*

Disney Run: 1

This week of training was fun, fulfilling, and very challenging.

I've never voluntarily run...EVER! Playing basketball, running up and down a court is nothing like running around a park or track. Good thing I like to people watch!

On Wednesdays and Saturdays I have team runs in Prospect Park. I've only been in this park three times, so these runs familiarize me with the park.

Our first run was a "fun run" where we ran 15 minutes out and 15 minutes in. I walked most of the path. I was in back! The very last person. When the group turned around one of the coaches helped me find my running pace and I went from walking most of the path or running most of the path.

I missed the Saturday run in Central Park, but I met back up with the group for a Wednesday run focusing on our arm swing. Awesome! We were to run 0.25 miles off (running regularly) and 0.25 miles on (focusing on form). I ran the first 0.25 miles at my own special pace :-) But I was still in back :-( It's okay! I'm improving at my own pace because I ran most of my treadmill workout the following day.

I finally made it to a Saturday run and I was very nervous. I thought that they were going to run us to death. To my surprise our run was to get us even more familiar with the park by running the entire loop, 3.3 miles! I started out with my special running pace and after 0.25 miles I was feeling fine so I kept running...and running...and running. Sixteen minutes later I exclaimed to my running partner "I just ran my first mile without stopping! I haven't done that since elementary school." Quite an accomplishment for me, the non-runner.

Stay tuned for the next week...

Help to improve a Leukemia patient's quality of life here.

Team in Training: Disney Marathon

On September 10th, I began raising funds for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and training for a marathon with their Team in Training program. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training^®, provides participants with professional coaching and training for the world's major marathons, half marathons, triathlons or century (100-mile) bike rides. In January, I will compete in my first full marathon (26.2 miles) at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Some of you may be wondering why? Well... not only am I doing this for my God Mother's father who passed away from Leukemia a few years back, but I am also doing this for my students. Leukemia is the No. 1 disease killer of children! The money that I raise funds research and cures for all blood cancers, including leukemia, Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma or myeloma.

As I work to improve the quality of life of blood cancer patients, I am also working to improve my quality of life through fitness and health. I've been overweight for most of my life and for the past 3 years out of college, I've fallen into a state of being inactive. My energy levels have been low and my body is showing signs of stress. Completing this marathon shows my dedication to my personal fitness goals.

Visit my fundraising page to make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission.

Check back for training updates!

*Jas*

Emotional Pain In The...

You know that feeling in your throat that you get when you're fuming mad and hold whatever you want to say in. It's like a burning piece of coal in your throat that moves up your knock and into the back of your mouth. It now starts to sting as if you ate something that was knock-your-socks-off spicy or smack-your-momma sour. You then feel your body temperature rise, jaw locks, eyes water, behind the ears gets hot, and your head starts pounding.

I imagine this is how infuriated a fourth grade students was when he decided to yell, scream, and toss a chair in our classroom. Right?

I mean, why would you not be expected to sit down in a chair and not talk across the room?

Some educators think that this student needs strategies to deal with his anger. Eh, maybe. But wise ol' momma-Jas once told me, "When you cry and tantrum you're making the decision to not to use your words to express yourself. You're letting your emotions take over the power of your words." She always taught me that my words, opinion/voice are will get me further than tears and tantrums. I can't remember if it was a look or if I got my behind tore up for trying to tantrum. I do remember that I was ALWAYS able to question others and explain my feelings to adults if done respectfully and in a timely-manner.

Where has parenting gone? And so I pray...

*Jas*