When the Dreamers Become the Believers

Last month, I had the opportunity to emcee a red carpet event for a movie premiere. The movie is the second part of a trilogy that is the brain child of New Eden Productions. The Celestial Trilogy is comprised of Celestial Run (released last year), Celestial Hunt (which premiered in August) and Celestial Rising (which will begin production later this year). 

What I like about working with New Eden is that they are dreamers -- they had a desire to create something and worked to make the dream a reality. But not only are they dreamers, they are believers. They have a team of individuals, of supporters that also believe in their dream and they believe in them.

If you surrounded yourself with a team of believers, what could dreams could you turn into reality? What mountains would you climb? What insurmountable tasks could you accomplish?

Surround yourself with people who will uplift you, not detract from what you are working to achieve. Create your own team of dreamers and believers.

And Now...Back to the Task At Hand

After a month of traveling, major deadlines and minor projects, it's time for me to get back to my major personal development project. Training for the Women's Running Scottsdale/Tempe event on Nov. 3. According to my calendar, it is 13 weeks away... so that's just three months for me to get it into gear.

I told myself that I would begin training in June, which quickly became July and now it's August. So this is where the "rubber meets the road" as they would say. (Yes, I'm not that original with my puns).

My goal for this week: decrease my Coca Cola intake (please pray for my co-workers) and increase my cardio for the week. By the week's end, I hope to have completed two hours of cardio and met my 49,000 step goal on my Fitbit.

I'll let you know how it's going. If you have any inspiring words, please send them my way!

I'm going to need all the help I can get.

~ LT

A Week's Race...And Boy Am I Tired

This past week was an extraordinary time for race relations in America.

We felt the cut of the dismantling of the Voting Rights Act by the Supreme Court. The majority gave the perception that racism is dead and gone and thus the need to protect the rights of all voters is no longer necessary. How quickly they have seem to forgot the battles of the 2012 election...or did they?

We watched in awe as the first African-American president visited a place where his, and his wife's, ancestors took their last steps on their homeland and made the voyage to slavery or their death. And in contrast, saw a television icon's fall from grace as she longingly recalled some aspects of slavery and utilized disparaging language.

And I watched, as did many others, as traditional and digital media turned its vicious talons onto a 19-year-old girl. Rachel Jeantel, a witness in the Trayvon Martin trial, took the stand in an attempt to share what she knew of her friend's last moments. She didn't do it to be judged, maligned, or ridiculed by people who won't care who she is next week. But that is what we did to her.

I'm not surprised by the reaction of the mainstream media, the attorneys (or their families) or the general public. I figured they would be callous as to diminish her because as one media personality said, she "didn't speak the Queen's English."

But all of us -- her community -- is what made me sad. We are the hardest on our own. We are the most critical of those closest to us. And our comments about Ms. Jeantel were harsh. There were comments on her demeanor, her comments, her appearance and her facial expressions. While some stood boldly to cheer her on and give her support, most just chimed in with the naysayers. We forgot the most important thing; Ms. Jeantel is not a media correspondent, she is not a spokesperson, she is just a young lady thrust into the public spotlight because she lost her friend in a tragedy. And now, one of our sports icons (Lolo Jones) has chosen to use their spotlight and shine it negatively on Ms. Jeantel. Much to the dismay of the Twitterverse, who rose up quickly to take her to task. Can anyone of us remember what we were like at 19 and thought about how we would have handled ourselves if placed in a similar situation?

So, I'm asking us to stop it. Like our mothers and grandmothers would say, "if you don't have anything nice to say, then just don't say anything"... especially on social media.

~LT

Women Warriors

Recently, I was watching an ad for a new cable television show, “The White Queen.” The tag line for
the trailer was “Men go to Battle; Women Wage War.” That statement stuck with me as I found it absolutely true.

How many times have you watched guys have an argument, only to talk it out on a basketball court or over a sporting event and be done with it? They move on, rarely to bring it up ever again and their friendship continues.

But women...oh how different we are! We can hold on to a wrong until we drain every last bit of angst from it and then we (like a line from the “The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood”) “chew on it ‘til all the flavor’s gone and stick it in [our] hair.” I’m sure we do this both for safe keeping of the detrimental deed that has been done against us and to reuse it at a later date at the most appropriate (or inappropriate) time. We lose friendships and often, years after, can’t remember why.

So why do we do this? Why do we wage war until nothing is left but a field dead friendships? Why do we go out of way to cut members of our sisterhood at the jugular, expose their vulnerability and go for the kill shot? Why can’t we be more like the guys and work it out and let it go?

Please know that I do not have the answers as I have been both the recipient and the deliverer of the kill shot. But maybe, just maybe, by writing this I’ll be more discerning the next time I’m faced with the choice of going to battle and waging war. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll choose a battle that can be overcome instead of the war that cannot be undone.

Ladies, what will you do?

LT

San Diego - Relaxation & Vision

San Diego

For the past two years, my husband, TW) has played in a golf tournament in beautiful San Diego. I tag along to visit what has become one of my favorite places – Balboa Park. There I can get lost in a sea of exquisite museums and new experiences. I write this post from there.

Balboa Park has 14 museums…which is more than I can ever think to visit in one day. So I pick my choices of how to spend my day very carefully.

On this trip, my first stop was the Japanese Friendship Garden, where I watched a Japanese tea ceremony. In our “hurry up and wait” society, I enjoyed watching the slow and methodical process. Each step of the ceremony was performed with great care and deliberation.

My takeaway: Not everything has to be quick and instant. Sometimes the best (and most tasty) things take time.

Next was my favorite spot, the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA). I love this place!!! My goal is to have film photography as my hobby (please know that as I write this I actually have a pear martini in my hand at The Prado)! MOPA has the best team and they are extremely patient with all of my novice questions.

My takeaway: Find something that relaxes you, even something that you’re not good at and make it a part of your routine.

My last museum stop was the Timken Museum of Art. It is a great collection of American and European pieces. It’s a smaller museum but the quality of the collection more than makes up for its size. But I enjoy looking at the detail and the artistry.

My takeaway: When you take the time to master your craft, it can provide benefit, even joy to not just yourself but to others.

And that dear friends, is the conclusion of my day at Balboa Park (minus the stop at Prado and the conversation with the Hare Krishnas).

So…what takeaways will you discover during your next excursion?

Joy!

LT

Running In Circles Update #1

Okay, so the weekend is over and unfortunately, I did not get off to a great start. I finished the blog, started working on some other things and the day was gone. Sunday, was pretty non-eventful as well (on the running front).

Today was better. I planned my meals very carefully and outside of the cheeseburger and fries that I had for lunch, I pretty much stuck to my plan. I also logged all my meals and snacks. Once I got home, even though I was exhausted and it was too dark to run, I worked out for 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. It's a small start, but it's a start!

Thanks for reading and for the support!

Running in Circles

I want to be a runner...I really do. I subscribe to running magazines (that I actually read), I download books on  running (I read those too), I join running clubs (never attend), I sign up for races (I walk them, if I show up at all). So now you've learned the root of my problem.

I HATE RUNNING!

I can't find my zen. I read about when people run, it clears their mind. When I run, I think of all of the things I  should be doing besides running. I read about how running relaxes people. I guess I'm an uptight runner because I run and two days later my shoulder is out of whack. I feel hopeless doing something so basic as putting one foot in front of the other and moving it. What a major fail!

So I have done it again...I signed up for another race believing my own hype...that "I think I can, I think I can" line. I've tried to train, but I was so disappointed in myself, I have now relapsed into my regular routine of finding reasonable reasons (a.k.a. excuses) to not run. So now the race is almost a month away and I will be stuck walking it...again.

So I am hoping that by blogging this next month, that I -- and you -- can hold me accountable. I will track my progress so that I can at least to attempt to run some of the race. (Hey, I'm not completely out of my mind, I know I can't run all of it).

So the goal today is to workout on the elliptical machine for an hour. Try to increase my cardio so I don't feel like I'm having cardiac arrest.

I'll check in tomorrow and let you know how it went.

Wish me luck (just don't say happy trails).

2013...The Year of ?

Resolutions...

I, like so many other people, go through that exercise of picking a few things about myself that I would like to change or improve. I create a list and then begin to do everything except what's on the list -- you know, things like eating better, being nicer, exercising more, being more organized -- all the things that are supposed to make you a better person.

2012 was an interesting year. There were friends that I grew closer with and those with whom I grew a part. Friendships can be fluid but when they fade away, it is disappointing. There were friends who went through incredible struggles, to which they are still fighting. They are warriors and they gave, and continue to give, me strength. There were friends who did the unthinkable, who stepped out on faith and worked to make their visions a reality and they give me motivation to do the same.

So what is on my list for 2013? Well of course, I resolve to eat better, actually utilize my gym membership and run a half marathon. As for the other stuff, tune in later this week for more musings.

always ~ lt