OMG, Why Did I Even Start????

This is one of those cases of "never shoulda bought it in the first place". What was I thinking??? I am now addicted to these tasty little things!



Strawberry and cream cheese Toaster Strudel!! I've been passing my eyes right over this box and that cheeky little Pillsbury Doughboy for years, and never felt the urge to buy it. But on a whim, I decided to pick them up after thinking how good it would be to maybe have a hot danish with some ice cream on it. Here was the next best thing, complete with its own icing to spread on it fresh out of the oven. They are so good, they made me forget what I really wanted in the first place. Although I am tempted to go get some vanilla ice cream, stack two of these hot babies on top of each other and race to eat the ice cream as it melts down the sides.....
In the past week, I have already gone through a box and a half of these things! (I had to go back and restock!). I in beeg trouble!! :D

Thank God for the gym!! (It's right down the street from my house). I hope to get over these pastries soon, though. There's only so much jumping rope and treadmilling that one body can stand!! ;)

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Why Have We Become So Violent?

So, I'm reading yesterday about how one man stabbed this other man on the train over a subway seat, and this is just one amongst the slew of stories detailing one form of human on human violence that we are informed of each week. Is it me, or are these stories becoming far more frequent and also more mind numbingly brutal as time goes on?
Stories about people shooting up their old places of employment or schools, horrific accounts of children and even babies being raped, abused, abducted and then murdered, people kicking and beating each other to death in the streets while others just look on....
Even as a society, we are so aggressive. Everyone is tough and ready to fight. Just look at all the Youtube videos online of people just going at each other at the shopping mall or in the middle of the streets. I was looking at a vid of this grandma slapping some man and having to be pulled back from jumping him, and even though I'll admit I laughed at first, it did make me pause..... you didn't used to see stuff like that happen!!! Not from sweet little old ladies! ;)
Murderers are also becoming younger, and remorse seems to be a thing that we only read about in books. Accountability and conscience seem to be missing in so many. What the HELL is going on with the human race???
I can't remember ever in my life hearing about so many incidents of violence and murder on a daily basis. Aren't we supposed to be evolving as a species to a much higher place mentally, emotionally and intellectually?
Back when these lands were being settled, violence ran rampant as people killed off others to take land, provisions and even wives. Before there were formally civilized societies and such things as laws, I'm guessing that the more barbaric you were, the more likely you would be to survive. Violence was a way of life.
But now, we're supposed to be so far advanced beyond that. Looks to me like we're reverting back to the times of complete lawlessness, and just acting on pure brutish instinct and emotion. What do you think has happened to cause people to be so cold, callous and brutish these days?? Is it because of desensitization caused by the media? Or is it because being violent has become somewhat glorified (and yes, it has). What do you think?

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Another Cancer Scare

Hey, everyone. I had an emergency in my family, and haven't had the time to be here.
Yet another member of my family was struck with cancer, and this time it was my brother. I can't tell you how distressing this has been.
His wife kept telling him to go and get a checkup, and he finally did. Well, one finding led to another, and then he was advised to get a colonoscopy because they suspected that there might be some cancer. Well, there it was, about a foot of it, and at what is called stage 3. Serious. I can't believe it.

He just came out of surgery a day ago and is doing fine. They got it. I talked to him today, and he sounds good. Follow up tests will determine whether or not he will be needing chemo. I hope not.
This is just crazy, all of it. If you recall, we just buried my father from the same thing. Now, I'm really worried. I need to go and get thoroughly tested myself to see if I have the "cancer gene" for the specific cancers my family members have had, which are many.
Both of my parents and now, one of my brothers have had cancer. My mom has survived 3: ovarian, lung and brain (which had spread from the lung). My Dad died of prostate and colon cancer.
Now, here's my brother with colon cancer. I don't even know what to think. Of course, I'm scared as everything. I have been out here researching all these cancers and the symptoms of them up the yin yang. So far, I seem to be okay, but now I really need to find out for sure.
I will have to post a more in depth post about how to go about that and what's involved for any of you out there that need to go and get checked yourself. For me, the next first step will be to go and get a colonoscopy myself. I have never had one. I'm not looking forward to it, but I know I need to do it.
In the meantime, please pray for my family, and especially my brother. I can't even begin to imagine life without him.

Take care of yourselves, all.

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Back to Being More Organized....

Years ago I used to be really good at keeping and following to do lists. I am actually a bit OCD when it comes to writing down lists, ideas, business plans, choreography,workouts and all manner of things. I also have sketches of clothing designs (the business I was in before fitness), grafitti, pages of business logos, doodles, random art work, short stories and a few books I started but never managed to finish.



I have notebooks and notebooks full of the stuff! In fact, I have a love of notebooks, and buy them in all shapes, sizes, colors and designs, and I also have a wicked fetish for writing in different colors. When multicolor gel pens came out a few years ago, I was like a pig in mud...I had every color and every brand. Heck, I just bought a new pack of them at the art supply store just last week, the metallic, irridescent kind! Every word I write with those is all shiny and gorgeous, glowing in the light! ;)

My notebook fetish in full effect. I have at least a couple hundred of these, some filled and some still waiting on me... I admit, I do have a problem! ;)

For me, opening up a notebook to a fresh clean page with a carefully chosen pen in hand is a very satisfying thing. I never get on the train without a notebook and pens in my bag. Having something to write on and with at all times is a must!
When I die and someone takes the time to look through all these notebooks, they will either come to the conclusion that I was a true genius, or either was stark, raving crazy! ;)

I sometimes forget what I put in these things! I did this a few years ago. I was trying to design my own tattoo. Never got the tattoo, but will end up doing something with this!

I have been so scattered lately trying to keep up with a million different tasks in different areas of my life. Business things, work related stuff, etc.

Work related stuff. Who knows when I wrote this. Notes for a step and kickboxing class...

Back to my to do lists! If I recall, they helped me keep things in my life more organized and I never missed a beat. Do 'to do' lists help you stay more organized, too? I used to keep one on the fridge, right next to a pic of Glady's Portugues' abs. Both helped me to whip everything right into shape! ;)

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Why so PETTY??? Why???

Those of you that attend any gym regularly and take classes know a bit about territorialism. You know...the phenomenon where folks think they own a particular spot because they've been there every week for the past whatever amount of time, and don't you dare try to set up in their coveted space? I have been going to the gym forever and still just don't get it. As far as I'm concerned, a spot is just a damned spot.
Do you not realize that your name is not printed there on the floor, and it really is a case of first come first served? Ladies and gents, believe it or not, I have seen people actually come to blows over a particular spot on the studio room floor.

Now, this next phenomenon I like to call "I'm not moving for anybody, I don't care". Exerciser A has come in and set up their step, weights, etc, and the class is beginning to get full. Here comes exerciser B, wanting to set up next to A at a respectable distance, but A refuses to move over one little inch. Even after being asked NICELY.
And there IS enough room for A to do so. I have witnessed this mean, selfish, irrational behavior from folks of all ages, 18 to 80, and from some of the nicest people otherwise.
Yesterday I had to intervene and ask a woman to please move her step over to accommodate the new person, and she finally did it after I shamed her a bit...begrudgingly. The woman had a ton of space in front of and around her, and could have done it easily without making a fuss, but acted like something was be taken away from her as a person just to accommodate someone else. What is the deal with that?

I always move over to accommodate other people, and don't think a thing of it. What is wrong with people who don't want to be courteous to others, even when it just plain makes commmon sense?
I still remember a day when I was teaching on the Upper East Side some years ago. Once again, B asked A to move over. A refused. B, being a bit assertive began moving the stuff over FOR A herself. Screaming and yelling commenced from A, a tug of war began over a dumb bell, and A actually won the tug o war and then threw the dumbbell at B (it missed....because B moved really quickly out of the way). I was like, WHOA!!! I ran and got a manager, and they both got kicked out.
Now, does it REALLY have to come to all that over a spot on the gym floor, people???
OMG! Be courteous, be nice, and just treat people the way you would want them to treat you. Why is that SO hard? Why does it feel like I'm teaching and entertaining 4 years olds on certain days? (those of you that do this).
Please! Unbelievable!

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The Fit and Sexy....... Shakira!

What you don't know is that Shakira is one of my favorite female performers in the music business. Not necessarily because of her music, (some of which I love, and some of which I pass on) but because she is undoubtedly one of the fittest, most athletic, and most physically creative entertainers out there, and with each album, she demonstrates just how sexy and awesome a truly fit woman can really be!
Not to mention, that body of hers is crazy tight!

Her new video for "I Did It Again" shows just how acrobatic Shakira really is. And by the way, Miss S is no mere 20 year old. Born in 1977, Shakira is 32 years old and getting more athletic and incredible with each album. Check THAT out. Here she is in the new vid:



The last one, La Loba (She Wolf), miss Shakira shows off her incredible flexibility while making more than a few male hearts drop below the belt. ;) I hate the song, but you gotta admit, she's limber as hell! Had no idea the girl could do ALL THAT with her body. Go fierce diva, Shakira!~

My favorite song of hers is called "La Tortura", which is the song that gets me wiggling around the house just like her, and also at the gym. While it's a song about some guy that broke her heart, when you sing it (I learned the Spanish lyrics, yes!) and dance to it, you feel sexy as hell, just like Shakira! LOVE La Tortura!

Shakira says that she learned to undulate her stomach the way she does by practicing flipping a coin on her belly.
Let's all try that, okay? You guys all run and get a quarter, lay flat, and get to poppin'! ;) Let me know how well you did the next time you stop by! :)

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Happy 300th Blog Post To Me!

The Fitness Diva is still blogging like a champ! Say what? Yep, still at it and plan to be until they shut down the 'net!
I just want to thank all of you that stop by, read, comment and give some food for thought about what you do read here. Know that I always appreciate it, and that I will
continue to fight the good fight to keep this blog reader worthy!

The Fitness Diva hard at work:




Hey, it doesn't come easy....you have to keep workin' at it! ;)


Take care, everyone, and thanks for stopping by!~

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