FREE Arts & Cultural Experiences for All

 





There was something for everyone and the diverse crowd proved that to be true on Saturday, October 29th, 2011 in beautiful Uptown Charlotte. The entertainment included African dancers and various bands with numerous street vendors selling food and their crafts for attendees to frequent as they enjoyed the free Museums’ throughout the Arts center. I urge everyone to tap into their city's arts and culture escapade as often as possible. Being able to explore so many different cultures with such a diverse crowd was indeed priceless. 

Get creative. Find a getaway on any budget this fall season.

 

 

I discovered my new budget friendly getaway in September when a buddy and I decided to meet for an afternoon run. She had been going there for some time now but it was my first time there and I fell in love with its serenity immediately. It is certainly peaceful and beautiful this time of the year as the leaves change. Recently, I suggested it for an early morning run and my new buddy loved it for running but also to unwind away from it all. Thankfully, it is a 10 minute drive for all of us so it's a keeper indeed. Of course there are dozens of nationally recognized state parks and mountains in North Carolina; however, they may not be that budget friendly once fuel, food and entry fees are factored in. Hence, we have settled on this park as our location to getaway from it all any day of the week or run its beautiful grounds.

With the hustle and bustle of our personal lives and country as a whole, I urge you to get creative and find a  backyard getaway. Be certain it is within close proximity, safe, beautiful and refreshing. Go often with friends and enjoy YOUR mini getaway.

With Life's hiccups; figure out which route to take..



You & God strolling along





You & a trusted friend; nothing much needs to be said somtimes. Just their company may be suffice. If not, knowing they are there in confidence is invaluable.





Getting away from it all by joining some good ole buds



Some alone time with your thoughts, a good book, a journal and or your favorite wine in your personal quarters

*In the end~~~it's important that during our life's hiccups~~~we know which direction to go as we get back to living a grateful and meaningful life*

My First 5k Race-ROCKtoberfrest

The night before my first 5K race; no training here. I infrequently jog some afternoons when time permits but that was about it.  The afternoon before the race, I decided to register and show up early the next morning ready to pick up my package. Nervousness had the best of me as I continuously looked at the clock and think of how cold it would be at 7 am. At that moment it was too late since my registration fee was non refundable. Take a chance and go for it!! I said to myself!!!

After waking up at 2 am hungry and eating a small bowl of cereal, this pre-race meal was too much but nervousness didn't stop me from eating what is above and having hot tea as well.

My nervousness turned into excitement as I witnessed the hundreds of people out to run ROCKtoberfest 2011. By now, I had picked up my t-shirt and speed chip then looked on as the half marathon runners were gearing up to take off.

This is a snap shot of everything worn on race day to make sure the cold weather did not get the best of me and it did not. I was comfy :).

Back at home, I tried to wrap my mind around the past hour but could not so I took visual documentation. It was a challenge especially since my legs felt like they weren't moving; too much food in my tummy, ear piece would not stay in place, right genre but wrong tempo songs and the race ended on a hill (why???). Naturally, I refused to stop and walk but instead kept running until my feet crossed the finish line. By the last mile, I was convinced at least 35 minutes had passed since the race began and without a watch, there was no way of knowing so disappointment slowly crept in. Never give up during the midst of any challenge since victory may be "right" around the corner. Official race time: 29:18 :~).

Reward after a GREAT week:)!!

Well for me, on October 10th, my second wellness program started and it was more challenging than the previous one which ended September 30th. Two particular goals were to run 1-3x per week with BGR! Charlotte (Black Girls Run) and begin a different strength training program; ironically, I ran three times and received invaluable tips from a nice guy in the gym so a reward was in order on Friday. 

 Earlier in the week, a friend of mine had store bought leftover sweet potatoes in her fridge and they caught my attention. At that moment, I wanted some but did not (the thought lingered with me every day thereafter). Well, after my 3rd jog on Thursday night, I realized my maximum running quota was met and it was time to celebrate that milestone. The Sunday before I had purchased a bag of sweet potatoes so the idea of making homemade fries hit me on my drive home so that was my reward (first time making them also). In addition, I had never grilled squash or zucchini but heard they were delicious that way so again, I decided to add that to the celebration plans. With making things from scratch, the downside is waiting until it is finished so in the mean time, I snacked on a favorites of mine (almond milk and some newly acquired bran flakes from TJ..pretty good actually).  But wait, no celebration is complete without some wine, right? I pulled out some yearlong aged homemade Muscatine wine from my second daddy in South Carolina...everything was worth it in that moment :).

We all have things we aspire to or need to be doing on a daily basis; whether we acknowledge it or not. For those who write it down, aggressively work at it and get it done, how have you rewarded yourself lately?

Your way...is it working? Read on!!!

From the terrible twos season, we have wanted to do things by ourselves and for ourselves. It got worse the older we became and actually we were trained do so more often. A parent is elated when their baby can hold their own bottle, get their own diaper, use the bathroom and finally bathe themselves. Hence, moving forward into adulthood, those same expectations are molded in our core as it relates to progressing in life. And yes, everybody love to succeed with very little assistance. The stroking of one's ego comes into place and may roll into self centeredness if we are not careful.

But wait!!!! What if "our" way is not working? Well, we've set a goal, written it down and worked on it; and worked on it some more. Months or year have passed and we’re still struggling with the same thing (s) even though 100 percent was given; well by now, frustration has seeped in and everything is regressing. After weeks of pondering it, you're still clueless as to why “it” is not working (our way).

Well, perhaps "our" way is not the best way or "the" way to reach our goal (s). Perhaps it is imperative to seek God's guidance and along the way He has been delaying the progress we have been dreaming about. Why, well God wants to ensure our success is beneficial to others as well. How? Sometimes we must seek out people with expertise and or enlist a mentor to help us get to the next level. Not a handout is suggested; however, creating and maintaining a healthy network is imperative. This should remind us that we cannot thrive without God’s assistance and many times also without help from others whether directly or indirectly. We are here to use our talents and skills to help others and ourselves along the way.

Keeping God in it all and knowing when to recognize a setback as a simple commercial or seeing it as God wishing to lead us somewhere else with bigger rewards; is a skill we all must work on to master. I am currently working on this via one experience at a time (though painful in the moment, faith will suffice until the victory evident).
Will you evaluate your way?

Whats cookn' on Sundays?

 

Anyone that knows me would say my stove is always warm:)!!! I really enjoy preparing my own meals and have been in the kitchen since the tender age of nine fixing full meals for a house of 10. The best part of it all is portioning out my meals, stacking them high, stepping back and  smiling. I absolute love it. For a second, it may be a chore until everything on my impromptu menu is scattered on my counters; then I go into a very creative zone and within less than 60 minutes, the mission is completed with a clean kitchen.

What you see above is soy protein chunks that were soaked, seasoned, breaded, lightly fried and placed in a "special sauce". It is not the healthiest way to eat those chunks but it certainly is my favorite way which is enjoyed perhaps every few months in that manner. By the way, I did give two servings to a friend of mine who loves them (shared the "calories..hehe"). Everything else above is self explanatory:).

So, what is a favorite dish of yours or something you really like but do not cook often since it is not the healthiest thing?

You ARE the boss?

Life’s choices, ultimately, we are the boss of what we do with our daily 24 hours granted to us. God is fair; we are all given the same amount of time everyday. Unfortunately, procrastination is rampant and over rated just like multitasking or busyness in our Western Culture. We all have certain responsibilities that must be done on a daily basis, but in the midst of it all, there is something quietly being overlooked and it is called "YOU", self. Whether you have a family or not, it is imperative for everyone to carve out some time for “themselves” daily to truly be able to live in the moment and give of ourselves freely-intentionally.

Where are you this beautiful fall season? Stagnant!!! Rolling the wheels to no where!!! Progressing!!!
Do you see the cup half full or half empty? If it is half full, you're ahead of 85 percent of everyone else. If not, you're actually within the majority; however, this is not where anyone of us should strive to be. Thankfully, this can be easily turned around with our constant thoughts, attitude, perceptions and appreciation for life.

Don’t allow life's hiccups to be more than a commercial or even an infomercial. If you remain tuned in, avoid finding another program and recognize it as only a temporary setback, everything being attempted will have a better chance of evolving successfully. At the end of the day, the BOSS is who makes the final decision of what will be important for the next day’s agenda and how it will be executed; hence readjust your way of thinking, make the decision today to get back on track, make a list, prioritize your life, set attainable deadlines, get an accountability partner, expect commercials and infomercials along the way and then get moving-productively.

It’s a NEW season. It is a NEW month. It is the RIGHT time to get back on track.
WILL~~YOU?  


Can you relate to this blurry clock photo? Your life can move beyond this point as well.



Colder weather and your immune system

So, the fall season is in FULL session with its Yo-Yo temperature. On Thursday the low was 60 degrees and on Saturday morning the low was in the 40s. For the average person, it is too much to cope with when it comes to what outdoor activities to plan, whether to shift clothing attire and more importantly; what all they should be doing to stay healthy.

I believe we should keep the stress in our lives at a minimum (easier said than done), get quality sleep, daily exercise, frequent hand washing, an abundance of fruits/veggies in conjunctions with healthy meals and sufficient supplements/vitamin.

Now, with all of that on my immediate radar, I decided to request a nutritional panel test on Thursday during my annual physical. This is indeed a comprehensive test that reveals everything from a nutritional standpoint so I am patiently awaiting my results. Naturally, the basis blood work does not check our vitamin D, B12, protein, enzymes, calcium etc and by the time our bodies’ show signs of alignments, it can be severe. Evidently, R & R is great for the body so I decided to get away for a few days to see some special folks; certainly good for the body.

Through it all, we all have certain products, remedies and practices we comply with annually to help us through the upcoming five to six months of winter.

Hence, I pose the questions to everyone out there: what are some products you keep on hand and what are they used for? What remedies do you use in the event of a cold, flu etc? What are some ways you try to stay “sick free”?

 Do you make an extra effort to minimize your stress level, eat healthier, workout often, get more sleep and/or take quality supplements during this time of the year? Or you haven't thought about it until now:)?