Simply Reaching Out

I have roller skated, roller bladed and snow skied but never ice skated. I loved roller skating. That was one of my favorite things to do when I was a kid. I loved to go to the the roller rink and skate to the music. I started going to the skating rink when I was around 9 years old in the late 70's. Some of the music I skated to were songs like "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson, "Knock on Wood" by Amii Stewart, "Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer, "Celebrate" by Kool & the Gang, "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, "SuperFreak" by Rick James and "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen. The spinning lights, the disco ball, the colors everywhere.  I felt pure joy and freedom going in circles around the rink and singing the words to these songs. And I always looked forward to the "Speed Skate" where they let you go as fast as you wanted to for one whole song. As time went on I still enjoyed g...

Continued... After ordering my Medifast food and a few days before it arrived I ate all my favorite foods. Kind of a binge good-bye to my dear friends...til we meet again. I had spent the day before my food arrived researching and reading anything I could find about Medifast including opinions on the food taste. Of course, everyone had an opinion and they were all different. Which means just about everything was sounding bad. I received my box of Medifast food August 31st. I opened it up and looked at my months worth of meals. It also came with some literature for me to read. Most of the meals are in powdered packets. Oatmeal, pudding, soup, brownies, soft serve ice cream, eggs, pancakes, shakes. They also have bars, puffs and pretzels. Annie shouts "I want a granola bar!" I wave my hands over the pile of food now spread out on the table..."this is all for mommy, ok?" Then I proceed to give her an apple for a snack. Inside I start to panic just a little but wonder...

This a blog about trying new things. Reaching beyond my comfort zone, exploring and making the most of life. My goal is to try 52 new things. One per week for a year. Well, my story about my battle with weight is probably not much different then most women. I was a curvy girl in high school. I played basketball. I was a cheerleader. I walked to and from school unless, I could catch a ride along the way. But, I had C-cup breasts and a big bottom. I weighed between 125-130 lbs. Most of the girls I remember from high school were probably 115 lbs. and under. At least that's how I remember it. Maybe I was just focused on the skinnier girls because I wanted to be skinnier. Overall, I had a pretty good body image. I definitely could have been eating better. My diet was terrible. I never ate breakfast. Pizza and a soda for lunch. Candy, chips or cookies for an afternoon snack. Dinner was my healthiest and biggest meal of the day. That is unless I was at a game. Then it was nach...

This a blog about trying new things. Reaching beyond my comfort zone, exploring and making the most of life. My goal is to try 52 new things. One per week for a year. Once a year for the last 15 years I get together with the ladies on my mom's side of my family for a weekend of sharing, laughing, shopping and eating. My mom, Retha, has 4 sisters. It started out as a mother-daughter weekend and has evolved into daughters in law, sisters in law and grand daughters too. We usually have around 15 ladies that go, on average. November seems to be the best time to go due to lower, off-season pricing. About 2 weeks ago we went to Kenwood, located about 20 minutes north of Sonoma. We stayed at a lovely bed and breakfast. Some of the girls have been reading my blog already but others, like my mom who doesn't even own a computer, hadn't even heard about it. So, I was telling them about my year long journey of trying "new things". I told them that I still needed some idea...

If you read my blog regularly then you know what Escrima is. If not please read BLOG #8 Seattle Part 3 before reading this Blog. Thank you. I decided that since my husband is an Escrima Master and my son is already at a Level 4 (he's only 9 years old) then well, I should probably give Escrima a try. Having watched Joel train for well over 15 years I have a pretty good understanding of what my training will be like. Bahala Na Filipino Martial Arts Association (bahalana.org) is now providing instruction at a new location at 600 Porter Ave right off of Pacific Ave and I wanted to see the new place. It's called Cen-Cal (Central California) Gracie Academy (cencalgracieacademy.com). They also have classes for Jiu Jitsu, Mixed Martial Arts & Kickboxing. This new location will give Bahala Na better exposure and I saw several new people at the class as well. When we arrived to class we were a few minutes late but, I was so excited because the class size was huge! Class begins wit...

This a blog about trying new things. Reaching beyond my comfort zone, exploring and making the most of life. My goal is to try 52 new things. One per week for a year. My husband has a couple of guns and occasionally, once or twice a year, he goes to the shooting range with some friends and 'pops some caps'. He has even taken our son Leo who is a natural marksman. It would not surprise me in the least if Leo grows up to be some kind of weapons specialist. I had put "shooting a gun" on my list of new things to try and was fairly excited about giving it a go. Joel picked the Manteca Sportsmens club and we decided to get some ammo at Bass Pro Shops on the way. The range itself was waaaayyy out in the country. I didn't realize how far south Airport Way went. Once we got there, I just followed Joel's lead. We went into a gray concrete-block building and went into what reminded my of a kind-of recreation room. A big table with chairs, tv, and a counter with a regis...

This a blog about trying new things. Reaching beyond my comfort zone, exploring and making the most of life. My goal is to try 52 new things. One per week for a year. If you have been reading my blog, you know that my husband and I recently visited Seattle, WA. We had a great time! When we had made the decision to go there for our anniversary, I knew that Seattle would be where I would try my first cup of coffee. Now, I know you are thinking, that sounds impossible.  How does one go 40 years in this coffee crazed world and not try it at least once? Simply, I never had the desire. I am an anomaly. I have tried coffee flavored ice cream and candy but, never drank a cup of coffee. When you think Seattle, you definitely think coffee. It's the home of Starbucks, for goodness sake! Upon doing a little bit of research, I found out that the very first Starbucks was still in business located at the Pike Place Market, established in 1971. So, while visiting the Market, we went to the orig...

This a blog about trying new things. Reaching beyond my comfort zone, exploring and making the most of life. My goal is to try 52 new things. One per week for a year. After our wonderful day at the market and the museum we went back to our hotel to rest. Our last night in Seattle we headed to a suburb called Northgate. Joel had made arrangements to give a seminar at MKG www. mkgseattle .com where Bahala Na Escrima has a growing and loyal following. So...for those of you who don't know yet, my husband Joel is also known as Master Joel Juanitas.  He is a Master in the Bahala Na Filipino Martial Arts Association www.bahalana.org that teaches Giron Escrima Arnis. Escrima is a Filipino weapon-based fighting system utilizing the stick, knife or improvised weapon. It is his passion and he trains students every week. He has been a practitioner since he was in high school. Only two blocks away from where Joel grew up lived an Escrima Grand Master, Leo Giron (our so...

This a blog about trying new things. Reaching beyond my comfort zone, exploring and making the most of life. My goal is to try 52 new things. One per week for a year. Another day of sleeping-in on amazingly comfy hotel beds. We ate some snacks we bought at the corner market down the street next to our bus stop. Then we got ready for our day. Today we are going to the famous Pike's Place Market www.pikeplacemarket.org. We take Bus #12 which I think has pretty much taken us everywhere we have needed to go. Oh... and gave us a scare on the way back from downtown Seattle to our hotel. We were going up First Hill, our hotel is near the top. And the bus had to slam on the brakes due to a dumb driver pulling in front of us. Then... the bus died! We start rolling backwards as the driver tries to start it and then SLAMS on the brakes. I hold onto the seat in front of us. The driver tries again... Tries to start, rolls back then SLAMS on the brakes. Now, I'm starti...

This a blog about trying new things. Reaching beyond my comfort zone, exploring and making the most of life. My goal is to try 52 new things. One per week for a year. For our 10 year anniversary we were planning a quick get-away to Las Vegas.  One day Joel casually suggested a different destination. He started lobbying for Hawaii. I started thinking Seattle. So, I started researching both. The biggest factor was time. We were leaving Wednesday and returning Saturday. Besides, we have been to Las Vegas and Hawaii before. This is the year of trying new things, right? And Joel and I have never been there. Seattle it was. I found a deal on the airplane tickets with Virgin Air. Their in-flight entertainment is top-notch! Too bad they don't fly to more places. Then I booked our hotel with Travelocity. We had luck in the past with the "secret hotels" option. I chose it again. We got the Sorrento Hotel www.hotelsorrento.com which is very old but updated. The service was e...

This a blog about trying new things. Reaching beyond my comfort zone, exploring and making the most of life. My goal is to try 52 new things. One per week for a year. A few months ago I was at the gym. Upon entering there was a table with two young women sitting there promoting a spa package deal. I bought it, $60 for 5 different treatments including a "spot" body wrap. It also included a one hour message, facial and acupressure. My second trip to the spa I decided to do the body wrap. The only wrap I had heard about, besides the one you eat, was being wrapped up like a mummy then covered in cellophane wrap as you proceed to sit in a sauna a sweat off the pounds. That's called a compression wrap. I did not get one of those. What I got was a lot different. Vicky took me into a room with a massage table. She asked me where I would like the spot wrap done. I said "my muffin top, my stomach". She said, "that's what most ladies get done". She to...

This a blog about trying new things. Reaching beyond my comfort zone, exploring and making the most of life. My goal is to try 52 new things. One per week for a year. My list of new things to try is at about 25, so far. Therefore, I have started asking friends and family for suggestions. My friend Claudia mentioned that she was going to a Zumba party and I should definitely try it. So, you may be asking yourself what the heck is Zumba? As my certified Zumba instructor Perla Mata said, "it's a Latin inspired fitness class. 70% Latin music and 30% International music." She went on to say that "the 30%  international music is up to the instrcutor, it can be hip-hop, rock-n-roll or whatever, it's their choice." I drove from Stockton to Modesto Friday night straight from work. There are Zumba classes in Stockton but, this was a Zumba PARTY! And I was invited by my friend Claudia, and she knows a good party, trust me! I arrive at A-List Fitness and I am greet...

This a blog about trying new things. Reaching beyond my comfort zone, exploring and making the most of life. My goal is to try 52 new things. One per week for a year. When I told my husband Joel that I was starting a blog about trying new things, the first suggestion he had was "you should try new types of food".  Of course... he would say that. I do not like trying new foods. Let me repeat that: I do not like trying new foods. Ask anyone who really knows me. I go to the same restaurants and eat the same things, over and over. My husband, on the other hand, will eat anything. No, really, I mean ANYTHING. He always says, "if I went on Survivor I would be the only contestant to gain weight". It has always mildly annoyed him that I am not more adventurous when it comes to food. Luckily, I have other positive traits that help him get over it. He suggested Korean and Indian. Our friends and family have been talking about a new Korean restaurant that recently opened....

This will be my first blog in a series of blogs about trying new things. Reaching beyond my comfort zone, exploring and making the most of life. My goal is to try 52 new things. One per week for a year. I'm 40 years old and I have never attended a "pleasure party". I guess that's not a big deal. Except most of the ladies I had invited to my party had either hosted or have attended one before. It all started about a year ago. A friend of a friend told me she used to do "pleasure parties" also known as "nice and naughty parties". I was selling jewelry part time for a direct sales company and was trying to recruit Melissa to sell with me. She said she would think about it but was she was also thinking about going back and trying the pleasure parties again. Well, needless to say, she went back to what she knows best. And I promised her that I would eventually, host a party. Forward one year. I am coming upon my 10 year anniversary with my husband s...