First moon walk

You can tell its before he perfected it, but this was the first of many. The unveiling of the moonwalk all the way back in 1985.

It happens around 3:46 in the video, but its Billie Jean so enjoy the whole thing. :)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZt_qpZ1N3o

The King of Pop Dies

MJ - The King Of Pop Dies.

WOW! What sad news to hear. A true icon of music, we grew up with him, have memories of our high school or middle school dances jamming to his music, even on to now we all sing and dance to MJ. Whether it be from his wee years as lead singer of The Jackson 5 to his comeback tours that still keep us all dancing.

There are too many songs to list as favorites but there is one that will always bring the dancer out in me. Please enjoy this song and video.

As I watch his feet slide across the floor in that famous (never duplicated) moonwalk my heart is filled with sadness and my eyes tear up.....for there will never be another MJ!

THANKS FOR THE AMAZING MUSIC. R.I.P WE WILL MISS YOU!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdV7Kb1RG8Y

Abs

There are many gimmics out there to help you get great abs in 8 minutes, or amazing rips in your stomach without doing crunches.....B.S.!

I have very strong abs, I can do 300-500 crunches a day and not be sore the next, add in roman chair leg lifts or side bends and its an all around ab fest, however D1 has shown me the right way to work your abs and feel the pain the next day. (Ab pain is above all the best pain ever cause its always an area in need of a little help, no matter who you are.)

So yesterday morning I had breakfast and dinner at D1, breakfast by far included the best ab workout I've ever had in addition to all the wonderful things we did.

So to help those in need of great abs here is what we did:

10 sets of:
12-V-ups
12-bicycles (each leg so 24 total)
12-full situps

Then 10 sets of:
12-teeter totters (the most amazing ab excercise EVER, this was my first time doing it, I'm now addicted)....I can't really describe it, must show, maybe you can google it.
12-leg lifts
12 hip thrusts as high as you can

I think it was the teeter totter that got me, but the pain is fabulous this morning.

In addition to that we did a total of 180 different style pushups(regular, diamond, shoulder, mountain climber, clapping, and those swing through ones that SUCK), sprints, jumping lunges, regular lunges, leaping squats backwards, jumping jacks, side shuffles, high knees, suicides and I'm sure I'm forgetting something somewhere.

Here's to killer ab workouts!

WHOA NELLY!

When I describe my car and its many wonderful extras it becomes a laugh out loud session. So I thought I'd share some of my descriptives.


This is what I would say if I placed an ad for my vehicle.

Hot off the line 1995 Nissan Pathfinder. Equiped with 4WD for you offroad, mud or snow lovers, optional starting feature, sing out loud stereo system, disco tech lights inside and out, thrilling brakes, dancing steering wheel, automatic locking feature, classic paint job and years of love.

For those of you that don't know my vehicle let me share what some of these descriptives mean.

4WD - yes it has it, it doesn't work very well in snow, but who cares its there
Optional starting feature - aptly named cause sometimes it starts and sometimes it doesn't...it actually is a hold your breath and pray kind of ordeal
Sing out loud stereo system - the stereo is not hooked up, so sing away
Disco tech lights inside - all the inside lights like to flash on and off sometimes, its like a little electrical dance party
Disco tech lights outside - I used to have this but fixed the problem. My lights would randomly go off and come back on if I hit a bump. So I would go around looking for bumps to hit at night if the lights went off
Thrilling brakes - cause you feel like you are in theme park ride sometimes when they don't work So sometimes the car gets me from A to B but I slide on through to C. :)
Dancing steering wheel - yes it will dance out of control in your hands at times, usually when speeding up to get on the interstate.
Automatic locking feature - if you slam the passenger door all the doors lock automatically
Classic paint job - its old so I say classic

Now who wouldn't buy that!

Nashville Emerging Leader

The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals has announced its top leaders in each industry category. Here is a link to the article in the paper. I was anonymously nominated, submitted a questionnaire and 2 letters of recommendation, too my surprise I made the finalists.

Nashville's top emerging leaders to be recognized

Or view the email they sent..there is a link at the bottom. I made the Hospitality and Tourism bold for easy finding.

2009 NELAs Industry Finalists The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and YP Nashville are proud to announce the finalists for the 2009 Nashville Emerging Leader Awards (NELAs). The NELAs have proven the Nashville-area young professional demographic to be one of strong leadership, community impact and success. It was extremely difficult to choose the finalists in each industry category, because all candidates displayed success in their careers and many contributions to the community.

Please join us in congratulating the finalists: Architecture, Engineering & ConstructionMarcie Anderson, Maxwell Johanson Maher ArchitectsDavid Chase, D.F. Chase Inc. ConstructionPreston Elliott, RPM Transportation ConsultantsRobert Ramsey, Metropolitan Nashville Airport AuthoritySteve Verner, Gresham, Smith and PartnersArts, Entertainment & Music BusinessJessica Baum, Bluewater Music Services CorporationKatherine Beakes, Universal Music GroupLucia Folk, CMTDanny Ray Martin, East Nashville School of MusicJensen Sussman, Sweet Talk PublicityBusiness ServicesJane Grimes, Community ActivistCourtney Lawrence, ALOC GroupRachel Moore, Management Solutions Group, LLCRachael D. Qualls, Angel Capital GroupChristie Vaughn, ALOC GroupCommunity Service & NonprofitKaty Brown, Musicians On CallAudra Davis, Sexual Assault CenterShellie Fossick, Camp MarymountCarolyn Loudenslager, Dell, Inc.George Thomas, Education Equal Opportunity Group, Inc.EducationKelly Fish, Belmont UniversityJeff Gowdy, J. Gowdy ConsultingLaTishia Jordan, Micheaux's Learning CenterJackie Morgan, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta - Nashville BranchMonica Wentworth, Lipscomb UniversityFinancial ServicesNicia Behary, Resources Global ProfessionalsMandy Gallagher, SunTrust BankBrock Kidd, Pinnacle Asset ManagementLeighton Liles, Renasant BankBo Parrish, Morgan KeeganGovernment & Public AffairsSteve Heim, Metropolitan Nashville Airport AuthorityJason Holleman, City of Mt. JulietJohn Howard, Jr., Metropolitan Nashville Airport AuthorityKim Crane Mallory, Governor's Office of Children's Care CoordinationSophie Moery, Tennessee Department of RevenueHospitality & TourismJamie Brandenburg, Shoney's CorporateElizabeth Freesmeier, Wave Graphics Inc.Dave Herrell, Nashville Sports Council and Music City Bowl, Inc.Diane Skrabec, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention CenterCasey Taker, Anytakers? Sports and EntertainmentHuman ResourcesKellie Conn, Paradigm GroupMatt Lowney, DaVitaDana Mastropieri, Hospice CompassusShayne Merrick, Southwestern Business ResourcesKevie Mikus, The HR Group, a division of Gallagher Benefits ServicesLegal ServicesTara L. Cleare, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, LLPSamuel P. Funk, Sherrard & Roe, PLCTonya Grindon, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PCSharmila L. Murthy, Lieff Cabraser Heimann and Bernstein, LLPTodd Presnell, Miller & Martin PLLCMedical & Health Care ServicesAndrew Coulton, Southwind Health PartnersKasey Dread, Nashville Academy of MedicineDan Hogan, Doctors Associates Home HealthJustin W. Lanning, CredenceHealth, Inc.Jennifer Lemieux, Passport Health Communications, Inc.PR, Advertising & MarketingAlice Chapman, McNeely Pigott & Fox Public RelationsMerry Beth Cornelius, HealthSpringTresa Halbrooks, Tennessee TitansKerry Price, Harwell Howard Hyne Gabbert & Manner, P.C.Heather Schablik, Katcher Vaughn and Bailey Public Relations (KVBPR)Real Estate ServicesJosh Anderson, Keller Williams RealtyJarratt Bell, The Bell Group at Fridrich and ClarkShay Gresham Howard, Zeitlin & Co., Realtors®Keri Kidd Cannon, Fridrich & Clark Realty, LLCMicah Lacher, Holrob InvestmentsTechnologyJacob Arthur, Frasier, Dean & HowardMichael Hollis, eMids TechnologiesMike Lalonde, Sirius Computer SolutionsSal Novin, Linnaeus Inc.Saurabh Sinha, eMids Technologies NELAs finalists were announced today in The Tennessean and on www.tennessean.com.Click here to view the article.

Here's to hard work!

Angels Beside Us

This day brings sadness to my soul and that of my best friends. No matter how much you try to keep pain and heartbreak from those you love, sometimes it is out of our hands and we must suffer through together.

No words can ease the pain, time does not heal all wounds, but if we sit and reflect on those we have loved and lost and remember them at their happiest moments....let those moments carry you through the pain with a smile on your face.

I was told once, even though we have lost our loved ones here are earth, may we feel blessed to have had an angel walk with us by our sides.

Here is a poem I edited a long time ago when my mother passed away too early:


When God calls his children
into dwell with Him above.
We mortals sometimes question
the wisdom of His love.
for no heartache compares
with the death of a mother,
who does so much to make our world
seem wonderful and milder.
God knows how much we need them
and so He takes but few,
to make the land of Heaven
more beautiful to view.
Believing this is difficult
still somehow we must try.
The saddest word mankind knows
will always be "Goodbye".
So when a mother departs
we who are left behind,
must realize Angels
are hard to find.


And this one I found:

Please don't sing sad songs for me,
Forget your grief and fear,
For I am in a perfect place
Away from pain and tears...
It's far away from hunger
And hurt and want and pride,
I have a place in Heaven
With the Master at my side.
My life on earth was very good,
As earthly life can go,
But Paradise is so much more
Than anyone can know...
My heart is filled with happiness
And sweet rejoicing, too.
To walk with God is perfect peace,
A joy forever new.

With a heavy heart I pray, may the pain, hurt and emptiness be swept from your soul. Your friends are here for you.

Love you

Perfection is no longer unachievable...thanks Jason Statham

So I was reading Men's Health and came across the article about Jason Statham's workout. Much to my surprise his circuit training is the same thing I do at D1......so with determination and motivation I will strive for perfection. Seeing as how he has accomplished perfection I no longer think it is unreachable.

Here's to perfection:

Statham's Circuit Picks:
Ball Slams
Pick up a 20-pound rubberized medicine ball, raise it above your head, and then smash it down on the floor as hard as you can. Do 20 reps.

Rope Climbs (we do not do these, maybe we will)
Do 25-foot climbs using your arms, not your legs. Aim for five reps.

Pullups (my goal is to do pullups on my own without assistance)
Statham jumps from one pullup bar to another above it; it's called "Dyno.". But the traditional move still works your shoulders and back. Do 8 reps.

Snappers, or Whip Smashes
Attach 25 feet of heavy-gauge rope to something secure, like a fence or railing. With both hands, lift the rope above your head and use a whip-like motion to smash the rope against the floor. Do 20 reps.

Hanging Knee Raises (EASY)
Hang from a pullup bar, bend your legs and curl your knees toward your chest, and then lower them. Work up to 20 reps.

Burpees (we do WAY TOO MANY OF THESE)
With your feet shoulder-width apart, squat, thrust your legs back, do a pushup, pull your legs back under, and jump as high as you can out of the squat position. Do 20 reps.

Bear Crawl (awe yes the bear crawl...we even add weight too these...OH JOY!)
Walk on all fours, facedown, across the whole length of a basketball court. Go up and back three times.

Farmer Walk (we run)
Hold a heavy kettle bell in each hand, with your arms at your sides. March the length of the gym, and then march back. Do 3 reps.

Front Squats
Hold a barbell in front of your shoulders. Bend at the hips and knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then push back up. Do 20 reps. Statham can do five at 1.25 times his body weight.

Rope Pulls
Tie 25- or 45-pound weight plates to a 50-foot length of rope. Pull the rope in until the weights reach you. Do 5 reps.

Weighted Stepups
Hold a kettle bell or dumbbell in each hand, step up onto a bench, and then step down. Do 20 reps.

In addition to the above circuits D1 adds lots of extra fun to our day. See either post named Best Breakfast ever or Insanity yet sane for more details.

HERE IS TO PERFECTION!
For the ever requested diet details from a bunch of you, I will post them very soon.

Best Breakfast Ever

So this morning I made it to D1 for breakfast (see first post Insanity yet sane for more details on D1)

This is what I had in 55 minutes:

Lightest weight allowed 30 (yes I'm a loser and had a 30lber)
150 pushups
150 squats
80 lunges
125 situps w/weight
4 laps and 4 stairs (2 w/the weight and 2 w/out)
150 burpees if you don't know what that is visit for a quick demonstration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_Dq_NCzj8M
100 situps (4 different excercises w/25 reps each)
125 squat(not included in the 150 count above)/front raise (in somewhat of a swinging motion)


Now if only I can accomplish as much the rest of the day as I did in 55 minutes for breakfast it'll be an amazing day!

Pet Peeves

Here are just a few....we all have them feel free to share yours in the comments section.

1)Dirty seats in a restaurant
2)the toilet paper on the underside...it goes on top folks...have you EVER stayed in a hotel
3)The sound of someone eating....I'm surrounded by loud eaters wherever I go out to eat (they are everywhere), dentures are the worst!
Shut your mouth
Chew your food
DO NOT talk til you are done swallowing (your point or input is not that imporant I promise!....and if it is, everyone will wait for you to politely finish your food.)
Here is a note from my brilliant mother....If you can't close your lips when chewing your food you have TOO MUCH in your mouth, take smaller bites.....hopefully the cow is dead already and not going to run.
4)Gum chewing that becomes chomping
5)Smokers cough.....which of course forces the obnoxious statement from my non-filtered mouth...."smoke another one."
6)People that repeat what they just told you over the next 3 days. I GOT IT! Thanks
7)Interrupters although I am guilty of this one...it still irritates me to no end and I consciously work on my efforts to improve my interrupting rudeness.


Those are the ones that top my list.

Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n9YslsI4CU

You just have to get to the middle to the booty smack! TOO CUTE!

My new little hero part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIbFB112AtI

You have got to watch this kid. I should hire him to dance at my wedding.

Puppies as kiddies

They say you should get a pet to help prepare you for children. I somewhat disagree. See I got a puppy a year ago and have realized that for someone like me (see previous post...I have no patience) I think this is bad advice.

Yes you learn responsibility, caring, feeding, unconditional loving, etc.

HOWEVER.......
1)you can not put your kid in a cage when you are incredibly annoyed or want to leave the house and go to dinner
2)you can not stretch the amount of time your kid is in the cage because you want to leave work and run an extra errand (because you can't put your kid in a cage)
3)you can not put the food bowl in the cage and let them eat at their leisure
4) throwing a stick or a ball for 30 minutes is not the end of entertainment
5)you can not smack your child or carry them by a collar when they misbehave
6)you can not buy one bag of food that lasts 2-2.5 weeks
The list can go on and on but you get the idea. Pets are easy.


So I sit here typing this blog while my dog sits in his cage because mommy has no patience and wonder....what will I ever do when my child has 2 legs (not 4) and can not tell me what is wrong or what he wants.

Patience

A virtue I was left without

Yum

Jason Statham

Scary

Babysitting youngins.

The silly little wedding details

For many years I planned weddings for a living. They ranged from small settings to grand affairs. I have experienced and seen most everything you can imagine from the breakdown of the "bridezilla" over sweaty champagne flutes in 90 degree weather or the calm collected couple that really got married for the right reasons but had the grand affair because they could.

As I venture into the planning of my own wedding I have realized just how blessed I have been to have experienced all those other weddings. Here are just a few of the many things I learned from planning weddings:

1) None of it really matters, the church is the ONLY part that is necessary (and a court house/park/other building will do fine too)
2) It will always be about what everyone elses expectations are and never about what the bride and groom really care about....cause they get that at the church.
3) No one knows what was planned except the caterer, the "to-be" couple and maybe the parents or those few involved in the actual event planning so if the plan fails....who cares.
4) It will always work out no matter what is thrown at you
5) If it rains...get wet, if its hot....cool off, if it snows...throw snowballs, if it storms...stay inside.


Here are a list of absolutely necessary items:
Groom
Bride to be
Officiant to perform Ceremony
Marriage License
Proper attire
Rings (or some form that solidifies the exchange of vows)
The will to give, receive and meet in the middle.
To want to love, cherish, honor and respect.
The ability to be yourself always and make yourself better because you have your better half.

In most cases and in addition to the above items you should have:
Friends/Family/Wedding party
Possibly something to eat or drink in celebration and a place to gather for the celebration.

If you have all the above then go, be in love and get married......For Better and For Worse!

Everything else.........just silly little details.