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Weber scores twice to lift Predators past Devilsby John Manasso
NASHVILLE -- Nashville Predators coach Barry Trotz said he's been telling anyone who will listen that defenseman Shea Weber is having his best season and is deserving of consideration for the Norris Trophy.
After Weber scored two goals, including the game-winner, in the Predators' 3-2 overtime victory against the New Jersey Devils on Friday, it's getting harder and harder to argue with Trotz.
Weber scored his 14th and 15th goals of the season, tops in the NHL among defensemen, after being a game-time decision because of an upper-body injury. He did not practice Thursday after missing most of the third period of a 4-3 win Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets.
Friday he scored 1:29 into overtime on a wrist shot from close range following an odd-man-rush led by Colin Wilson. It came moments after Predators goalie Carter Hutton stopped Devils forward Michael Ryder on a breakaway.
"It was good that Shea decided he needed to play tonight, and he made a difference," Trotz deadpanned.
The Predators tied the game with 10.8 seconds remaining in the third period on a goal by David Legwand. Nashville (25-23-8) was playing its first home game after ending a four-game road trip to Western Canada 2-1-1.
Weber is one off the team lead in goals, which is held by Craig Smith.
"He's one of the best at his position, plain and simple," Trotz said of Weber. "He's our building block. That's where you start, with a guy like Shea. He's a difference-maker in this business. There's not too many guys who are at his level, difference-makers in the League. If you've got a couple on your team, that's pretty good."
Weber was reluctant to talk about himself, praising his teammates instead, so the task was left to Legwand.
"It's going to take a lot to keep him out of a hockey game," Legwand said. "He loves playing the game and he's shown that over the course of his career. He was big for us tonight, obviously the first one and in overtime -- two huge goals -- and a big way to go into tomorrow night."
The Predators visit the St. Louis Blues in a Central Division game Saturday. The win was Nashville's second straight; since Dec. 28, the Predators are 9-5-4.
They tied the game with Hutton pulled for an extra attacker. Seth Jones worked the puck at the right point to Roman Josi at the left. Josi unleashed a slap shot that deflected off a player in front and caromed to Legwand, wide open on the right side, where he slammed it in for his 10th of the season.
Jones was on the ice in place of Weber, who was gassed after playing a shift that lasted 1: 44. Weber went for a change with 32 seconds left.
The Devils (23-21-12) started the night one point out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. In a 3-2 overtime win against the Dallas Stars on Thursday, the Devils also allowed a tying goal in the final minute of regulation. Devils coach Pete DeBoer bristled at the notion that the two games might have had something in common.
"It happens to everyone," DeBoer said. "It's an 82-game schedule. It happens to everybody. You guys all look for tendencies, 'Oh, they can't hold a lead. Oh, they can't score.' You know what? Give me a break. It's four games in six nights. We battled hard. We got an unfortunate bounce at the end. We'll take the point, we'll move on."
New Jersey's Patrik Elias tied the game 1-1 at 13:00 of the second period when his mild wrist shot from the left side, which looked as if it were going wide, deflected off the top of Hutton's catching glove and fluttered into the net. It was Elias' second straight night with two points, after he scored the overtime winner at Dallas.
Elias then assisted on Jaromir Jagr's go-ahead goal. In trademark fashion, Jagr skated out from behind the net, turned and hit Hutton in the chest with the puck, which then dribbled under Hutton's catching glove into the net with 61 seconds left in the second.
With career goal No. 698, Jagr had his second straight two-point night; the third member of the line, Travis Zajac, had two assists.
Trotz praised Hutton for battling despite allowing two questionable goals.
"Yeah, every goal I want back," said Hutton, who is 13-8-2. "That's my job, but it's one of those nights. … We were pretty resilient tonight."
Weber showed he wasn't ailing by scoring 6:45 into the game. Devils goalie Cory Schneider mishandled the puck behind his net and Nashville's Patric Hornqvist shoveled it high in the zone to Weber. Schneider got back in his crease and set himself but only briefly before Weber rocketed in a 32-foot slap shot.
Nashville is 2-22-2 this season when trailing after two periods. They were down 2-1 at the second intermission Friday.
"I think it's just a confidence builder in here," Weber said. "We know we can do it. We know how good we are when get the first goal and have the lead, but we have to find a way to come back in games and win those games that we're behind."


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Everyone has Tiger fatigue, but, even so, we still can't help but consider what is going on with the lawyers in this whole scenario.
At first we had Orlando criminal defense attorney Mark NeJame. He cancelled Woods's interview with the authorities and appears to have advised him just to keep quiet, and that part of the debale ended with nothing more than a moving violation.
Though there was a lot of talk about what he should say for the purposes of the "court of public" opinion, any decent lawyer thought silence was the only move.
And we have not heard from NeJame since. Well played, Mark NeJame.
The next lawyer to make an appearance was, of course, Gloria Allred. Allred is "representing" Rachel Uchitel, one of the women alleged to have had an affair with Woods. She had scheduled a press conference for today, but cancelled it without giving a reason.
Allred is not known for being shy of the spotlight, so one assumes something is keeping her quiet. Speculation of course is that there was some sort of "settlement" paid to Urquitel. It could be that, it could be her client is not telling the truth, it could be she had a headache and didn't feel like showing up. Basically, it could be anything. But Allred quiet is unusual, to say the least.
Finally, today brought word of the renegotiation of a pre-nup, or, more likely tossing of it in favor of creating a post-nup. Bill Zwecker of The Chicago Sun-Times, quoting sources, was the first to report the news. Gerald Posner of The Daily Beast then reported the numbers: up to $80 million, depending on how long the marriage lasts.
Posner's source was "the lawyer familiar with the couple's negotiations." Let's assume for a second that whoever "the lawyer" is is one that would not leak to the public anything his client did not want to be leaked. And therefore, in this case, talking to The Daily Beast was done at the direction of his or her client -- which is either him, Tiger or her, Elin. So much for wanting privacy.
(We do realize there is a possibility one attorney is doing the redrafting at the request of both -- like any law school graduate, we noticed Posner said "the lawyer familiar" and not "a lawyer familar." But that doesn't make it much of a "negotiation" and would be inadvisable and possibly unethical all the way around.)
The aftermath of almost all celebrity scandals invovles a lawyers doing clean-up. Some of the attorneys in this situation are doing it more quietly than others.

subset: commoncrawl


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24Jeff Clement
Tough Pac-12 Road Test on Deck for No. 10 USC at Oregon State
Game one of the series is set for 5:35 p.m. PT on Friday.
Catching Up with Trojans in the Minor Leagues
22 Trojans are competing in the minors with hopes of one day making the big leagues.
For the second straight year, Clement played on the U.S. National Team...batted .275 (19-for-69) with three home runs and 15 RBI...his team won the gold medal at the FISU II World University Baseball Championships in Taiwan...hit a game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the eighth for a 5-2 win over Chinese Taipei in the semifinal...named most valuable player for Team USA during the 33rd Annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Series in Japan, batting .429 (6-for-14) with a home run and two RBI.
Clement earned 2004 Baseball America Preseason All-America first team and NCBWA Preseason All-America first team honors, as well as Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-America second team honors...named as a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award...led the team in home runs (10), RBI (43) and walks (38)...on April 4 at No. 14 Arizona State, he went 4-for-5 with a double, home run and two RBI...homered in back-to-back games on May 1 and 2 at UCLA...went 2-for-4 with a double and five RBI in the Trojans' final game on May 30 against Arizona...behind the plate, he threw out 27 of 66 runners this season (41%), including four of five runners on March 6 against No. 1 Stanford.
Clement made his mark during his 2003 freshman campaign...named Collegiate Baseball Freshman National Co-Player of the Year and Pac-10 Conference Freshman of the Year...earned Baseball America Freshman All-America first team and Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American first team honors...named All-Pac-10...led the team in home runs (21), RBI (53), runs scored (53), walks (32) and slugging percentage (.649) while batting .298 (62-for-208)...set a new school record for most home runs by a freshman with his 14th homer on March 22 at Arizona, eclipsing mark held by Eric Munson (1997) and Joey Metropoulos (2002)...hit two home runs in a game four times during the season (Feb. 14 vs. South Alabama, Feb. 15 vs. South Alabama, March 11 at Pepperdine and March 21 at Arizona)...on March 15, he became the first player since Jason Lane (1999) to record multi-home run, back-to-back games...using a wood bat on May 5 against No. 4 Cal State Fullerton at Edison International Field in Anaheim, Clement hit an RBI double off the wall in right center...on a regionally televised broadcast, he hit three home runs in a 13-12 loss on May 16 against Washington State...had a season-high 14-game hitting streak snapped on April 17 at California...hit his first opposite-field homer with a three-run shot for the go-ahead runs in the seventh on April 15 at Loyola Marymount in an 8-5 victory...went 7-for-13 (.438) with three home runs, a double, nine RBI, five walks and eight runs scored against San Diego and Arizona to earn his second Pac-10 Conference Player of the Week honor of the season...hit two home runs in the same inning on March 21 at Arizona in the third and went 3-for-5 with five RBI on the evening...tied the game with a leadoff homer in the seventh on March 14 against No. 5 Cal State Fullerton in USC's 3-2 win...started the season with a 1-for-15 streak, but snapped out of it by going 7-for-12 with four home runs and eight RBI in the South Alabama series (Feb. 14-16) and earned Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week and Pac-10 Conference Player of the Week honors...during the summer, he played for the 2003 U.S. National Team, becoming the 12th USC player selected all-time...batted .256 with four home runs and 16 RBI in 25 games with Team USA as the team went 27-2 (.931 winning percentage, the highest in USA Baseball history).
High School
As a catcher/pitcher at Marshalltown (Ia.) High, Clement had a storied four-year career and set the national high school career mark for home runs (75)...led Marshalltown to the 2002 4-A state championship, earning All-America honors after batting .509 with 16 home runs...featured in the Sept. 16, 2002, issue of Sports Illustrated as part as the "For the Love of the Game" article.
Little League
Clement played with the 1996 Marshalltown team in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
Undecided as a major...parents are Brad and Diane...lists Lance Berkman as his biggest sports hero...favorite television show is Seinfeld...favorite movie is Good Will Hunting...birthdate is Aug. 21, 1983.
Clement's Career Statistics YEAR G-GS AVG AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB-SBA BB SO 2003 (Fr.) 56-56 .298 208 53 62 8 1 21 53 1-2 32 43 2004 (So.) 52-52 .293 198 36 58 12 1 10 43 1-6 38 39 2005 (Jr.) 63-63 .348 230 52 80 17 0 15 54 5-11 44 43 Totals 171-171 .314 636 141 200 37 2 46 150 7-19 114 125


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Monday, September 01, 2008
Cupcake Hype, Shawn's Homecoming, and RVTV.
What did we learn about Iowa State? We know the Cyclones are bigger, faster, and stronger than they were last year. We know they've progressed to the point where they can look sloppy and still blow out a team they should blow out. That's good.
What did we learn about Iowa? We know the Hawkeyes looked like a team again. The focus, intensity, and discipline missing from last year's flop finale against Western Michigan were back against Maine. That's good too. But it was Maine.
Now to things I don't know, but think. I think Jake Christensen will be Iowa's starting quarterback. He moved the team better than Ricky Stanzi, and though Jake made a couple of terrible throws, he made mostly good decisions.
Anytime a team's struggling, the most popular quarterback is the back-up, and over the years, there is no place in America where that's more true than Iowa City. Fans know what they're getting with Christensen, and they're underwhelmed. They like Stanzi's upside, but the coaches fear his downside. Look for Jake under center when it counts.
In Ames, it's Arnaud. Experience counts, and there's no reason to rotate guys with similar assets. However, I think Gene Chizik has to find a way to put Phillip Bates on the field. When you're Iowa State, you can't afford to have a play-maker watching from the sideline. Bates is a play-maker. Ask a Hawkeye fan.
Jack Trice Stadium is finally starting to look like it belongs in the Big 12. They're just getting started on the renovations, but it's already an upgrade.
Speaking of upgrades, the uniforms are better looking, but the color change is so drastic, it's almost like watching a different team. It's going to take time getting used to the change from McDonald's red and yellow, to USC's maroon and gold.
The I-State change is good for Iowa State's bottom line because I see the new merchandise everywhere. It's selling.
Of all the carried away sentiment going around---and that's part of being a fan---none is more over the top than the runaway praise for Jewel Hampton. Yes, he looked great in the fourth quarter against Maine. But it was Maine. The second team Iowa defense tests Hampton more in practice. Give him some time.
Shonn Greene looked great. Wait until he gets in shape.
Good call by our Hawkeye insider, Jon Miller of Hawkeye Nation.com. On his weekly channel 13 segment, Jon predicted Iowa would win 44 to 3. He overlooked the safety. Maybe next time he'll get it right.
Who do you think would win if South Dakota State played Maine? That actually sounds like a competitive game. I say Maine wins.
As I'm writing this, UCLA just upset Tennessee in overtime. Awesome. How can you not love college football.
We're cranking up two RVs Monday morning, thanks to Born Free in Humboldt. This year we're taking RVTV on a road trip. Andy, Shawn, Chris and I will start in Ames on Monday, go to Marshalltown Tuesday, the Iowa Speedway in Newton Wednesday, Oskaloosa Thursday, and arrive in Iowa City for Friday & Saturday. If you have any Cy-Hawk story ideas, please send them to email@example.com, and if you get the chance, please come see us (but not too early in the morning. The ISU band did that once last year. We're still recovering.).
How 'bout Lolo Jones calling in to SoundOff from Switzerland at 5:45 a.m. local time. Lolo is the best. Lolo is always an interesting interview, even when half asleep. She says the thing she keeps playing over and over in mind was that she could have won the gold medal on cruise control, but decided to "try and amaze people". The burst caused her to clip a hurdle. She amazed us anyway. (By the way, as promised, I forwarded your notes from here to Lolo.)
Many of you asked why Lolo didn't get a "Welcome Back Celebration" like Shawn. Simple. Lolo hasn't returned yet. She's running track meets in Switzerland this week, and beat the Olympic champion easily. That's the way to get back on the horse.
When Lolo does finally return to Des Moines, I have no doubt many people will show her how proud we are. She deserves it. It won't be the nearly 10,000 who showed up for Shawn, but Shawn Johnson is a worldwide star right now. 15 hours of prime time exposure in the most watched sport in the Olympics coupled with charm, grace and a million watt smile = Leno, Letterman, and the Democratic Convention. (By the way, Shawn is 16. She was not making a political statement. Her agent, Sheryl Shade, told me a week ago, Shawn would be equally honored to lead the Pledge at the Republican Convention, if asked. She wasn't asked.)
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention what an honor it was to host Shawn's homecoming. I was stunned by the size of the crowd, though not as surprised as Shawn ("I don't understand why all these people would come to see me?"). My favorite part of the day was sitting back in the green room with Shawn and her parents and hearing the wide-eyed stories of all that they'd seen and experienced in Beijing. I'm also happy to report that anytime Shawn had to meet someone, especially a kid, she couldn't have been more gracious, or tried harder to make it a memorable experience.
The Nadas came by and asked Shawn if they could have a picture with her, to which she immediately replied, "Can I have a picture with you?". I can't imagine being that talented and famous at 16, but I think she handles it very well. Certainly better than I would have. Her parents have done a great job. Chow too.
I really appreciate all the people who helped organize and put on an event with next to no budget. It gives me more pride in the community and faith in people.
I thought about asking Andy to take the stage as Bela Karolyi that night. I decided it would take the spotlight off Shawn, which is where it belonged, but gosh it would have been funny. I still laugh when I watch that. I have no idea how Andy keeps a straight face. Liang Chow says he laughed so hard he couldn't breathe. (Good place to thank Shawn Terrell and Chris Hassel for editing the videos of Shawn Johnson that fired the crowd up beyond anything Andy and I could have done.)
Speaking of Hassel, he practically pushed Jenny and me into Tropic Thunder. I couldn't wait. I did laugh really hard several times, but overall I was disappointed. It's 30 minutes of over the top, crude foolishness stretched to 100 minutes, but it was worth it for the belly laughs, Robert Downey Junior and Tom Cruise. I saw it with my mom & dad too. The movie earns the R rating and then some. That could have had an effect on my enjoyment too. Even at 44, they're still my parents, and I still get embarrassed when one of the actors promotes the energy drink, Booty Sweat.
Tropic Thunder is the greatest movie of all time compared to The Clone Wars. Will someone please make George Lucas stop before we all forget how great he once was. At least the kids thought it was okay. I was counting seats in the theater to pass the time.
This is the best Cubs team I've ever seen. Cubs fans should worry anyway. The best team doesn't always win the World Series. Not these days. Not with all the rounds in the playoffs.
The NFL on NBC cranks up this week, so it's hard to know when SoundOff will start. We'll have an abbreviated newscast, 10 minutes, and then we'll get it going. Most of you who read this watch the show, and I want to thank you. Overall, more people have watched this year than ever before. We sincerely appreciate it.
15 comments:
- Hawkeyes Fanatic said...
I watched the homecoming of Shawn Johnson and I was very impressed with the ceremony! I can't wait to see the coverage of RV-TV. That was priceless last year when the ISU Marching Band paid you guys a wake up call..... hopefully thats a challenge to the hawkeye marching band! Go HAWKS!!!
- September 2, 2008 at 1:34:00 PM CDT
Hey Bandit, did you see Jerry Reid died? You have to say something, you couldn't have made that run from Texarkana with all that beer without your buddy the Snowman.
- September 2, 2008 at 4:14:00 PM CDT
I didn't think you could do it Keith, but congratulations on cramming an entire SoundOFF's worth of material into ONE "Murphy's Law"!! Where do I start...
Oh yeah, pulsebert, it's Jerry Reed, not "Reid"!! Get it right next...time...oh wait, there won't be a next...umm, who gets the dog???
Keith, I totally understand your point about watching a movie with your parents...it almost killed Talladega Nights for me when I watched it with my dad and stepmom...I know, I don't know why I even tried...
- September 2, 2008 at 5:08:00 PM CDT
"The dog" would be Flash.
- September 2, 2008 at 5:54:00 PM CDT
Oops got my redneck dogs mixed up, its Fred. I think Flash was Dukes of Hazzard.
- September 2, 2008 at 5:59:00 PM CDT
Way to drop the ball, butterfingers...
- September 2, 2008 at 6:27:00 PM CDT
- Keith Murphy said...
I did not realize Jerry Reed died?
Can't belive Cletus is gone. In his honor, enjoy Mr. Snow's dialogue from the immortal Smokey & the Bandit:
"Hoss, you ain't gonna believe this, but that cray sombitch just tried to drive right up under my truck!"
RIP Jerry.
- September 2, 2008 at 8:38:00 PM CDT
- Ryan said...
Thanks for sticking up to Andy about Sweet Caroline. I know it's old and cheesy, but:
a) It's my mom's favorite song, and
b) Nothing else gets the student section that pumped up. Seriously. Watch them this week. They do more dancing to that than anything the band plays.
- September 2, 2008 at 10:02:00 PM CDT
Sweet Caroline has no place in a college football game. Andy is right. They need to dump it, pronto.
It doesn't matter how much the student section likes it. If they like it so much, they can blare it all they want at their frat and sorority parties, but it should not be played at a football game.
Its actually embarrassing knowing that the opposing team's fans are sitting there hearing Sweet Caroline and thinking to themselves "what the hell? Shouldn't they be playing music that actually fires up the players, not the trendy student section?" Its almost as bad as trotting Jeff Johnson out there right before every game to "lead" cheers.
- September 4, 2008 at 7:11:00 AM CDT
Playing "Sweet Caroline" during a football game just shows you how f'ed in the h ISU is.
- September 4, 2008 at 12:30:00 PM CDT
- Troy Rutter said...
Hey Murph -
Oh the days of RVTV, I remember the first one .. but on another station.
Cant wait to see this year's installment. Now all we need is Skip Mylo....
- September 8, 2008 at 3:10:00 PM CDT
Attended a discussion last night at Drake University entitled "Public Forum on Race and Ethnicity in Public Discourse". It was put together based on an 'unofficial' response that Andy sent to a WHO viewer who took offense to another sports caster's use of the term 'egg roll' in a story about USA vs China basketball. The issue would have been simply handled by a simple apology, but no. Fales berates the viewer, telling them they are too sensitive and stating "Censoring language is a very half-assed method of changing thought." It really goes on and on. I am a firm believer in the freedom of speech, but we all have some responsibility. I have enjoyed watching your show in the past, but this is a bit much. I am disappointed this is the response from your sports department. You might consider a different ambassador for your sports team.
- September 10, 2008 at 11:21:00 AM CDT
I'm with Fales on this one. You sound weak and stupid to me.
- September 10, 2008 at 1:59:00 PM CDT
By today's PC standards, I'd be a racist for saying albinos sunburn easily...
Quick, someone censor my racist ass before I cause a riot...
- September 10, 2008 at 3:43:00 PM CDT
That tears it Shane! I'm coming after you, as long as it's overcast.
- September 10, 2008 at 8:44:00 PM CDT


text:
Two summers ago, my wife, my children, my parents and I all traveled to Texas together, in part to visit relatives but also to enjoy the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Because we took some time to plan the trip in advance and involved everyone going on the trip in the planning, we ended up finding quite a few free and frugal things to do on the trip. We were also able to save money on the trip by only taking one vehicle.
However, there were other elements of the trip that weren't quite as frugal. Our housing wound up being quite costly, for instance, as did our food bill.
This leads us to this winter. Sarah and I often plan the details of the following summer's family vacation during the preceding winter so that we have plenty of time to find bargains for the upcoming travels.
We're essentially planning two vacations for 2012, and both of them are going to be quite frugal. What do they have in common? They're both group vacations.
Here are some of the things we're doing to maximize fun and minimize cost on these trips by leveraging the fact that we're traveling as a group.
We're going with people with a similar mindset. None of the people we're choosing to travel with next year are heavy spenders. All of them are frugally-minded people. They're also people that we feel good about spending a significant amount of time with over a week. We want to have a reasonably-priced vacation and they're on board with the same idea.
We're splitting costs, looking for deals, and budgeting in advance. For both of these vacations, we're essentially budgeting costs as a group, looking for deals as a group, and splitting costs as a group. These moves enable us to look at our situation through a lot of different eyes and the net result is reduced costs.
We're going to visit places that are within a reasonable driving range. One vacation is within our own state. Another is only two states away. On trips this short, it makes a lot of sense to drive, not just based on money, but actually based on time. Not only that, driving means we can bring more of our own supplies, which makes these other options easier.
We're going to camp for at least some of the vacation. This drastically reduces our housing costs. For us, it also adds to the flavor of the vacation due to the exposure to the outdoors. We're also considering renting a cabin for our larger group vacation.
Because we're camping, we're also going to make most of our own food instead of eating out. Rather than going out to a restaurant, we'll prepare a meal in our Dutch oven. We can still have something delicious and memorable without spending a ton of money.
The vacations are based on experiences rather than being a tourist. Some of the big things we intend to do on these trips involve going on hikes and fishing, not going to pricy "tourist-y" places. Because of that, our overall budget for vacation is much lower.
In the end, it's all about people and experiences. Keep that in mind and you'll find yourself having a great vacation without a great dent in your pocketbook.


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OOOOK, so today I am officially 11.5 weeks! I have my 1st OB appointment today which includes hearing the little beans heart beat and getting to see my little blessing. I have thought about this day for about a straight month now.
I youtube'd a bunch of 11.5-12 week old ultrasound and this is what I got:
AH! So excited! I leave work at 1:15, and I have no idea how I'm going to sit still till then :) Nick doesn't think he'll be able to see anything or make out a head or body or anything like that, but I think he will. How about you other mama's and moms to be: were you and your hubbie/bf able to tell the difference at 11.5 weeks of a head and body? I know I'll be able to tell because even in the videos it's obvious to me.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Today is HUGE
OOOOK, so today I am officially 11.5 weeks! I have my 1st OB appointment today which includes hearing the little beans heart beat and getting to see my little blessing. I have thought about this day for about a straight month now.
Posted by californiadreamin at Wednesday, June 30, 2010 5 comments Links to this post
Labels: baby
Where I'll be in 10 years
Katie over at Jersey Blonde passed on a fun award, "You Going Places, Baby" Award.
The rules of this bomb diggity award? Easy: Describe where I think I'll be in 10 years & pass the fun along to 10 other bloggers
In 10 years, I'll be: 33! WOAH! I'll be 33 almost 34. Now, I don't think that age is old by any means, BUUUUUUT it's weird for me imagine myself a 30 somethin year old. My plan by 33, is to have all my kids by then. I have told Nick a bajillion times, our last kid will be when I'm 28. Sooooo that means if we want 3 kids, we'll have to get them to be about 2 years apart. We shall see how that pans out, hmm? I see myself in a house with a garden that's just big enough to where I can grow some tomato's, peppers, strawberries, and beans. I'm not talkin Secret Garden style (would be amazing tho), but something I can maintain and it not be too much of a hassle. I'd like 2 dogs, preferably a Great Dane and/or a Newfoundland. Nick no doubt will have climbed the corporate ladder and be sitting in an amazing position with his job. I have to tell you since Nick has gotten this new job, he excels at everything he does. He's by far the best on his team and the kid just knows his shiz. In 10 years, I'd also like to have my NO MORE PRODUCING body just to where I want it and living the healthy beautiful life with a healthy family and my parents still close by.
Because I'm in a mad dash to work, I don't have time to pass this lovely award onto 10 people, but here are a few that I am always stalking:
Cherie over at Cherie Lundgren
Amy over at Bella Vita
Erin at A Real Housewife
Corletta at: Corletta: It's a new year...No More Excuses
Posted by californiadreamin at Wednesday, June 30, 2010 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: stuff
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Random, but throwin it out there
Nothing sounds more delicious to me right now than a cream cheese, tomato and alfalfa sprout sandwich....just sayin
Posted by californiadreamin at Tuesday, June 29, 2010 4 comments Links to this post
Fit Mama
So I wanted a DVD I could do at home that focuses on pregnant women and keeping their bodies fit in a safe way. That way I don't have to call my doctor every time I wanna do a DVD. So I went on Amazon and saw a lot of good reviews on Fit Mom
I finally got it in the mail yesterday and watched a little snip of it last night. It has a little section where you do salsa, yoga, and some cardio. So I'm thinking I do this DVD 3 times a week, with my walks, with my gym times (which at the moment is 2 days a week -- yeah yeah, I'm a slacker), I'll be sittin pretty. Or sittin not as heavy. I get comments like "oh after you worked so hard to lose the weight..." or "Get ready to work out like you've never worked out before after having it" and it's like like SHHH!! Here's the thing people: I KNOW I'm gonna have to workout like crazy to get back to where I was at. But the thing is, that's part of the reason of why I worked out so hard in the 1st place - I wanted to be fit as possible before I got pregnant. That way after I have the baby, it wont be like I'm starting from scratch. Plus I know my way around a gym and I know what blasts fat and builds muscle. So haters can suck it!
Tomorrow is the big day!! I have to post more pics of the belly. I know I'm that 1st time mom that's like "LOOK AT MY BELLY!! IT'S HUGE!!" But seriously, I do have a gut. Its not quite the pregnant gut, but it's there. This morning was the 1st morning I actually woke up and it was already there. It usually takes a couple hours to set in and by evening time it's fully there! Nick is pulling for twins, but I'm thinking I am either a) further along than I think or b) I'm just measuring big (lucky me and lucky va jay jay haha)
Posted by californiadreamin at Tuesday, June 29, 2010 1 comments Links to this post
Monday, June 28, 2010
So get this
I am totally aware that my blog has turned into nothing but baby, but guess what my friends? This is MY blog and I really hope all my gorgeous and gracious followers don't mind :)
So it's Monday and normally I despise Monday's. Not this one though. Let's get this week going cause on Wednesday is my first OB appointment!!! Complete with a ultrasound and I get to hear my little beans heartbeat. I couldn't be more thrilled and a total side bonus? I get to leave work at 1:15 and I ain't comin back till Thursday morning. Not only that, but from what I've been reading, I'm pretty sure my OB is gonna tell me it's totally okay to eat crab, so Baby daddy Nick is taking me to Red Lobster! I know it's the classiest joint, so try not to be jealous -- we had to call a few people to get a table. *insert heavy sarcasm here*
This weekend was a hot one here in the Sacramento area. It hit triple digits! I played a hippo and sat by my parents pool all day yesterday. Got a little sun that's for sure (and hoping it darkens a bit and the non flattering red color fades). So my baby doesn't have a mama who is pale as Casper.
Posted by californiadreamin at Monday, June 28, 2010 2 comments Links to this post
Labels: baby
Friday, June 25, 2010
Thank you mom and dad
So yesterday we went and saw the furniture and LOVED it! The furniture is absolutely gorgeous and STURDY! That was our big thing -- we wanted sturdy wood that our baby could shake and rattle and it wouldn't phase it. So with that being said, my mom and dad gave us our 1st BIG baby gift. Thank you mom and dad :)
It's raining here at the moment and all I have to say is what the heck?! It's Summer and the beginning of the week, it was in the mid 90's! I mean, it's not pouring or anything, but it's still raining and not just misting rain.
I'm 11 weeks today!! I can't believe how fast time is moving. My baby is the size of a fig, a FIG!!! I think it's funny my little newsletters compare the baby bean to fruit. Not going to lie, sorta makes me want to have some fig newtons. I haven't had those since I was like little, but they just might have to happen.
Here are some pics courtesy of babycenter.com to show you all what 11 weeks looks like
Posted by californiadreamin at Friday, June 25, 2010 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: baby
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Baby Furniture
Guess where I'M going today after work? To look at baby room furniture!!!! My mom found this great set on craigslist that is GORGEOUS!
Normally this set together would be a little over $2000, but this lady is selling the whole set for $700!! Oh and guess where we're gonna put it? In our 2 bedroom that we're going to move into :) Nick and I found a 2 bedroom in our apartment complex and it's available June 26th, so move in would most likely be in July--possibly July 4th weekend. Funny story about it: Nick and I were told this one unit was available (lucky for us, it's right across the street from ours now). So for the past couple of days, we've peeked inside the windows (don't worry -- the recent tenants had moved out long ago). Well yesterday was no different -- after our walk we were peaking in the apartment windows and Nick just turned the door handle just to see if it would be open...it was! HAHA! We both looked at each other with excitement/shock. So we did what most rebels would do -- went in! LOVED IT EVEN MORE!! I was day dreaming of where all the furniture would go and Nick even ran and got his tape measure to figure out where our couches would be going. We can hopefully look at it again on Sunday when it's technically "ready".
I've been feeling good still nausea wise. Of course I get my night time nausea still, but not as bad. Also, going on a walk yesterday was so nice and I want to make it a habit. 3-4 times a week we're walking my friends! I'll bring a tracker next time, but I would say it was about a 2 mile walk. Even on Saturday, I'm thinking about doing my first water aerobics class at the gym. I am slowly but surely getting back into my workouts and it feels good my friends! I need to keep up my endurance to push out my 10 lb baby I'm bound to have :)
Posted by californiadreamin at Thursday, June 24, 2010 1 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Flash backs
So I don't know about any of you other mom's or moms to be, but lately, Ive been eating PB&J's for lunches everyday. Its amazing and satisfies my pallet like no other. I feel like I'm eating like a kid again. I never really ate PB&J's before my pregnancy. I would have some almond butter and a bit of jam on an English muffin or something, but nothing like this. I prefer it with a nice big glass of ice cold skim milk too.
Anyone else get hungry and inspired while watching the Food Network? Lately I watch the Food Network when I get home -- so I can Giada at Home and Barefoot Contessa. They make things look SO easy and quick. I know it actuality it IS, but first you gotta get the ingredients, and then there's the getting up from the couch. But let me tell you, this network sure as heck knows how to get a pregnant ladies mouth watering and wishing I had my own barefoot contessa in my kitchen. Poor Nick has to settle with a PB&J loving barefoot pregnant wife that teeters on nausea all day.
I don't even know what this stuff is that she made, but I want it
Question for all you smart people and moms/expecting mom/nurses/doctors: Is it safe for pregnant women to eat crab legs? I am DYING for some crab legs!!!
Posted by californiadreamin at Tuesday, June 22, 2010 3 comments Links to this post
Friday, June 18, 2010
10 Weeks
10 weeks TODAY my friends! Double digits from here on out -- YES YES YES!! I can't believe how fast time has gone. I feel like I just took a pregnancy test yesterday! Here is what my little bean looks like compared to a quarter (thank you babycenter.com)
Pretty cool, right? My uterus is now the size of a large grapefruit which explains the belly I'm rockin. Another cool thing is that my baby bean is moving and kicking up a storm according to my newsletter (again, thank you babycenter.com). I cannot wait to feel those little kicks. Our 1st appointment is 12 days away, WOO HOOO!!! I am SO excited and yes, I'm going to be an obnoxious pregnant woman who puts a picture of the sonogram on everything: my desk at work, the fridge, the laptop desktop, etc.
I am following lead of a couple other pregnant bloggers I follow and doin a little survey cause I thought they'd be fun for you guys to read my progress :)
How far along? 10 weeks today
How big are babies? the size of a kumquat
Weight gain? not sure, I never weigh myself, but I have a roundabout idea of what I weighed before I found out I was pregnant. We'll see at the doctors office, but Nick will not -- he has PROMISED not to look at my weight
Stretchmarks? Nope, and I'm praying I don't get any on my stomach since I already have a few on my hips from gaining/losing weight when I was a teen. I'm using lotion right now, but about to make the switch to some Olive Oil which I heard works GREAT!
Maternity clothes? No, but my jeans are starting to get uncomfortable to where when I sit I unbutton them. I think I'm gonna be buying one of these belly bands pretty soon
Sleep? I fall asleep super easy and fast, but end up getting up 2-3 times to pee in the middle of the night
Best moment of the week? Nausea relief - haven't had nausea these past 2 days *knock on wood* due to my cold declaring it's going to be #1 for awhile and only it's symptoms will be felt
Food and cravings? I pretty much am listening to what sounds good at any given moment. Lately I've been eating lots of fresh strawberries and green grapes. Pizza actually settles well in my stomach lately too. With the hit and miss of nausea, I have to eat what I can handle
Gender? No idea yet :)
Movement? According to my newsletters I get via email, the little bean is moving and kicking up a storm. Of course I can't feel him/her yet.
What I miss? Being domesticated! I want to feel well enough to clean my apartment super good and finish the HUGE pile of laundry in the bathroom
Belly button? In still :)
Looking forward too? My 1st doctors appointment on the 30th and seeing and hearing our little bean. You can bet your bottom dollar I will be walking out of that office with no mascara left :)
Milestone? Not feeling a lick of nausea all day yesterday - THIS IS HUGE PEOPLE!!
Posted by californiadreamin at Friday, June 18, 2010 2 comments Links to this post
Thursday, June 17, 2010
My 1st baby gift!!
A girl at my work ran to Walmart on her lunch and guess what she brought back for me?
My baby bean is already a spoiled baby hehe. I actually can't say it was the FIRST gift, cause when my niecey poo and sister went Christmas shopping last year for Nick, they found a bib that has the Denver Broncos logo on it. Guess I'm gonna need to get a box for all my baby stuff.
Posted by californiadreamin at Thursday, June 17, 2010 2 comments Links to this post
Labels: baby
9 week pic
Check that bad boy out!
Not much to report today - work has been super busy which is good since it gives me something to do during the day and takes my mind off of all-day-sickness. My throat is still hurting, so I've been downing hot water w/lemon juice and honey and I plan on taking some Emergen-C to work with me to drink. If its not one thing, it's another, right? HAHA.
Lately I have been feeling bad about not being the domestic wife I usually am. Nick is having to pick up some major slack, right down to taking Daisy Mae out to go potty. He's been such a great guy and love him for being so patient with me. He's gotta tho - I AM his baby mama ;)
Posted by californiadreamin at Thursday, June 17, 2010 4 comments Links to this post
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Back on track
So after my horrible scare this past weekend, I am feeling 90% back to normal. My back still hurts a bit, but with the help of the ice packs, I'm making a total recovery. Nausea is still there, but I'm pregnant so it should be expected LOL.
Let's talk workouts shall we? I know I'm pregnant. I know I have to cut myself some slack with everything that has occurred, but it's driving me NUTS that I haven't been working out, let alone going on walks!! My arms are losing definition, my legs are losing definition, AHHHH!!!! I told Nick I want to at least go on a walk 4 times a night after work if I'm not feeling up for the gym and he's totally agreed to that, but my health has pullen a Jesse James and thrown me for a loop - hold the Nazi skanky girls. Does or did any of you mom's feel like that or ever have a similar situation. I've been using my dumbbells when I just sit down to do some simple arm workouts. But I am READY to get back to the gym and just get in workouts, even if that means simple workouts.
As far as eating, I'd rate it a 7 outta 10. I've really been chowing down on the fruits now that I can stomach them, but I need to up my veggies. Salads have been sounding good to me lately, woo hoo!! But not my normal spinach leaf salads. I want regular iceberg lettuce, mushrooms and some carrots. So I think tonight Mr. Nick and I are gonna head to the grocery store and get some supplies since the food supply in the joint is running low. Gotta feed the baby good stuff, right?
Posted by californiadreamin at Wednesday, June 16, 2010 2 comments Links to this post
Labels: baby, clean eating, working out
Monday, June 14, 2010
Pics I promised
Posted by californiadreamin at Monday, June 14, 2010 4 comments Links to this post
Labels: baby
Out of Order
Well holy moly, do I have a story for you all-
Friday evening my lower back started to hurt. It hurt at work, but not that bad. From what I had been reading on baby website, lower back pain is super common in pregnancy and even early pregnancy as the round ligaments are stretching. So Friday night, I went to wash my face before bed and BAM! I had the most crippling, paralyzing stab in my lower back that I had ever felt. I panicked! I could stand up straight, I had no idea what was going on. I called for Dr. Nick, and he came rushing into the bathroom as I told him I could stand up and my back hurts so bad. With each step to the bed, it hurt. Sitting in bed and getting adjusted hurt, again, I was freaking out. Nick started to rub it, but it wasn't doing much. I woke up Saturday morning, unable to even move or adjust in bed without crying. So Nick and I thought it'd be a good idea to maybe take a slow walk in the apartment to stretch it out. Bad.Idea. I was up for about 3 minutes, and I could feel myself about to black out. All of a sudden I was nausea's, my sight was fading to black and I couldn't hear as well. I told Nick "something is wrong! I'm blacking out! Nick, I can't see you!!" My hair was soaked in a matter of 30 seconds from the sweat I broke out into. Nick ran and got me some Gatorade thinking I was dehydrated, but all I wanted was him to call 911. I forced down half the Gatorade and in about 2 minutes, my vision was starting to come back. I sat on the bed for 10 minutes waiting to come back to normal before we decided it was time to go the ER.
Once at the hospital (they were all SOOO nice btw, and it's where I will deliver our baby), they took all my vitals and a blood and urine test, and even an EKG. Everything came back normal. The doctor checked out my back and said it was really inflammed and that it sounded like I had either pulled or pinched my Sciatic Nerve.
Since I'm pregnant, there wasn't much he could do in terms of tests or pain medicine, so he suggested I ice my lower back and stretch it when possible, and to take the medicine he was prescribing me - Tylenol with Codeine. I now know, will NEVER take it again. About 30 minutes after my 1st dose, I was a puking mess and learned I am just not made for the hard stuff. I threw up all Saturday and could not keep anything down. It had to have been one the worst day of my pregnancy so far. Sunday morning I woke up still sore, but not as sore, with my nausea ranging at a mild case thank God! So it was more resting, a little more walking around the apartment to stretch it, and icing it.
Today I am doing the same thing. I called in sick because there is no way I could walk around at work w/out getting questions of "what did YOU do this weekend?" I seriously walk like a 80 year old hunchback.
Oh and lastly - Nick and I decided that I needed to tell my boss I was pregnant. So I emailed him (not exactly how I pictured of telling him) last night and told him my weekend recap in short story form, and told him I was pregnant. My biggest concern was that if I didn't tell him I was pregnant, he'd think I'm a slacker and just want to call in sick every week. I plan on having a follow up call with him later to make sure he received my email and to discuss it. I'm hoping to be back at work tomorrow, so I'll keep you all posted. I hope you all had a great and way more relaxing weekend than I did :)
Posted by californiadreamin at Monday, June 14, 2010 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: baby, weekend recap
Friday, June 11, 2010
9 weeks
So today I am officially 9 weeks pregnant, woo hooo!!! This pregnancy is moving fast- I'll be in my 2nd trimester in 4 weeks! Just crazy stuff there people. I was going to upload some pics for you all to see of my belly (looks like I just got a gut so far), and of course the positive pregnancy test, but I ran outta time this morning before I left for work, so I'll do it tonight - PROMISE!! Is it weird that I'm keeping it for the little baby box I'm making? I put it in a plastic baggy and it's not like it's drenched in urine hehe. I just thought it'd be cool to keep it.
According to babycenter.com,
"Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain."
picture from babycenter's website
The tail is gone, woo hoo!!! I think that's one of the most exciting things :) My 1st appointment is June 30th and I can't wait! I've heard they do an internal ultrasound - any momma's out there wanna give me their experiences and what to expect. The receptionist I spoke to told me the doctor will do a total head to toe exam since I'm a new patient and go over any medical history and then we'll do the ultrasound and hear the heartbeat, EEEK!!!! SOOO excited!! By then I'll be just about 12 weeks along. The nurse also said that at that time my baby will be super active (of course I can't feel my little bean yet), and it'll be fun to see. Just warning you all - I am going to bawl like a baby when I see my baby hehe.
I went to the gym Wednesday and not yesterday so I'm feeling like a slacker. But in my defense, I didn't feel good when I got home yesterday and the blah feeling lasted all night. So I'm hoping tonight Nick and I will go on a long walk before we head out to our dinner date. I am determined to keep active throughout this whole pregnant, walks or gym time, it'll make labor and delivery sooo much easier. Not to mention getting back into shape :) I am looking forward to my 2nd trimester which I've heard from all momma's is the best trimester outta the 3. 4 more weeks baby!
Posted by californiadreamin at Friday, June 11, 2010 1 comments Links to this post
Labels: baby
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Here and there
So in true Karli fasion, I'm gonna be random with this post with a few things that I have been following. Current events if you will -
What do we think of this Mo fo? In my opinion - he DID kill Natalie Holloway and I hope her mother feels that justice has been served to him. We now know he killed that poor young Peruvian woman too and what was his reason? She barged into his personal life by going on his laptop while he made a run to the 7/11, and she found articles online about him regarding the Natalie Holloway murder and how he had been arrested twice. The young girl wanted to leave and slapped him, which he didn't like, so he killed her. And I'm sorry, but it's been 5 years and this guy has been accused (1 he admitted to killing) of killing 2 young girls with the same scenario - beautiful, out of town college age girls. He is just sick and where the heck is this kids parents? It makes total sense to me as to why they are having him wear a bullet proof vest - this kid has a lot of people upset.
And these two - yeah I know it's not evening news worthy, but I'm a celebrity gossip addict, so I can't help myself. Do you guys think they are really separating? To me, I think its all a publicity stunt. The fact that she went and filed legal separation papers tells me they know people weren't buying their "breaking up" story, so they had to take the next step. I think they will push things pretty far just to stay in the lime light. AND she's due to release a new TV show about how she's "single". Sounds like a separation/possible divorce is pretty good publicity to me.
Now onto the meat and potato's of this blog - ME :) Yesterday I was exhausted. I came home with the full intent of going to the gym with Nick. That.did.not.happen! We were both so tired, and this pregnancy thing really wears you out. We had been going to bed pretty late the past couple of nights, so I listened to my body and just lounged and got into bed at an early time. Oh so remember how yesterdays blog I was tell you all how I sleep so soundly? Well Nick told me this morning he notices I snore way more than I used to. Which makes sense, cause I think I've started sleeping with my mouth open. Funny all the little things pregnancy changes about your normal day and night routines. I'm gonna post some pics tomorrow or tonight to show you all my progress so far on the belly :) It's not much, just looks like I could use a few ab workouts and could lay off the Budweiser :)
Happy Wednesday all my lovely followers! Be sure to head over to Undomestic Momma's blog. She is having a great giveaway and even if you don't have a baby, I'm sure you know someone who would love these things!
Posted by californiadreamin at Wednesday, June 09, 2010 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: baby, celeb gossip, news
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Good morning!
I was never someone who could lay my head down and fall asleep right away at night. Nick on the other hand - fuget' uh-bout it! He is out within 5 minutes. Now that I'm an expecting mama, I can fall asleep BEFORE Nick, lol!! I love it! It's funny tho, because even tho my little bean is the size of a small shrimp right now, I get up a few times in the middle of the night to pee. Funny how that little effect of pregnancy kicks in right away.
After I posted my blog to you all yesterday, I got the WORST case of "All day sickness" (Morning sickness my ass). Last Wednesday I was getting those dry heaves all morning, so I called in sick at work. Knowing I couldn't just call in sick the rest of my 1st trimester, I called my doctor and told them the scenario. The prescribed me some medicine for the nausea. Que the heavenly choir, cause these bad boys WORK!!! At least until yesterday - I was just sitting at my desk at work, minding my own business when the biggest wave of nausea hit me. I had just taken a pill 1 hour before so it should still be in full effect, but this Godzilla of a nausea wave didn't care. I was doing yoga breaths, rain dances, ANYTHING to get rid of being my nausea. You know when you start sweating from nausea? Yup- I was sweating.
Today I'm feeling pretty good *knock on wood* and I haven't even had to take a nausea pill. I'm going to try and be as natural as possible with this pregnancy (the birth a different story - bring the epidural on!!). I'm going to Trader Joes this afternoon after work to pick up some produce cause I have non. Well take that back - I have tons of DEAD produce in my fridge from when the morning sickness originally set in. I was the girl who brought the salad EVERYDAY to work and ate super dooper healthy snacks! Now I'm a pb&j kinda girl with saltines and crackers. I can't even look at a salad without wanting to vomit. Although this weekend, carrot sticks sounded amazing to me, so I went for it. Today I packed myself a little bean and broccoli salad, so I'm proud of that. I just want to make sure that my baby gets the nutrients he or she needs and I try to limit the crap intake even tho carbs and frozen yogurt are the only things that sound appealing to me :)
Oh and workouts - since I can no live by Ms Jillians rule of "Unless you puke, faint or die, keep walking", I am breaking my workouts down. I am determined to continue working out. Everywhere I've read, doctors say how great working out can be for you during pregnancy (of course every woman should talk to her doctor about starting a workout routine). So here is my little break down -
Sunday: Walk outside
Monday: Off
Tuesday: 30 minutes cardio + upper body workout (I've modified the weight amount I use)
Wednesday: 30 minutes cardio + leg workout
Thursday: 30 minutes cardio + upper body workout
Friday: Off
Saturday: 30 minutes cardio + leg workout
Posted by californiadreamin at Tuesday, June 08, 2010 2 comments Links to this post
Monday, June 7, 2010
BIG announcement - like HUGE
So I just can't hold it in any longer. You being my loyal followers, I have wanted to tell you all the truth for about 2 weeks now.......................
I am over the moon ecstatic!! It's why my workouts have been so off lately - morning sickness has taken over me. As of today, I am 8 weeks and 3 days pregnant! I am so excited and over the moon as you all can understand. I have talked about wanting to start a family on here forever! God has blessed me with a gift and has trusted ME with looking after a little person and I'm going to be doing everything I can to make sure I continue to have a healthy pregnancy.
To back up, a few weeks ago (say, 3 or so), I was starting to feel sick throughout the day, and I was EXHAUSTED! I think exhaustion was definitely the #1 thing I noticed right away. All I wanted to do was sleep, and I could sleep for hours if you let me. So that was a little giveaway to me. Also, for those of you who are trying or who will ever be trying to start a family, I suggest taking a swing at the Ovulation kits out there. I used the 1st Response brand and it was super easy for me to understand and it worked after the 1st try. Nick and I were lucky with trying to start a family, since I'd only been off my pill for about 6 months after being on it for 6 years!
I hope all my followers stick around :)As how my pregnancy is going to effect my blog, you can expect lots of baby stuff :) I am now going to focus my blog on working out while pregnant, the challenges of working out when all you wanna do is either A) sleep or B) throw up, eating as healthy as possible to give my baby the nutrients it needs, and of course all the other fun life stuff that happens.
I am SO glad I have it out in the open now. We told my family (my parents and sister already knew of course) this weekend at my cousins graduation party, so it's only fair that you all now get to know since I share every other part of my life with you guys. My work still doesn't know and to be honest, I am not really sure when I should tell them. Any suggestions from the other mama's out there? I am thinking about the end of July time frame since I'll be showing by then I'm sure. Even though my belly will most likely look like a beer gut :)
Posted by californiadreamin at Monday, June 07, 2010 12 comments Links to this post
Labels: baby
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Sentimental Saturday
So I got a fun but busy day ahead of me folks! For a change, Nicky poo is off this weekend and we're going to be heading to the gym and then to my Aunt's house to celebrate my cousin's graduation party. Then it's off to my mom and dads house to do a little catching up.
There is something about going home to where you grew up that centers everything in your life. I grew up on 5 acres in "the sticks" as we called it when we were little, and when I was a teenager and couldn't drive, I didn't appreciate it. Living on 5 acres is so much different than being in the 'burbs. I grew up with horses, chickens, ducks, 5 dogs, cats, goats, pigs, geese, and sometimes turkey's and peasants. When I take the drive on those whindy country roads, things and life seem so much simpliar.
If my post had a theme song it'd be Miranda Lamberts "The House that Built me". Every time I hear it, I relate and I get that ball in my throat that makes me want to tear up, especially the line about her dog under the oak tree since Lord knows I have plenty of my favorite dogs burried old oak trees.
Posted by californiadreamin at Saturday, June 05, 2010 0 comments Links to this post
Friday, June 4, 2010
Life updates
I know, I have been gone for a few days, but a girl needs a break from time to time :) Since it's a little something different I have decided to update you all on my life via bullet points -
1. Nick and I have decided to skip our trip to Mexico with my parents. As much as we'd LOVE to go, we just decided to change our warm destination to a cold one. So we are headed to Denver, Colorado October 22-25th! Nick is from Colorado and I really like Denver the times I've been, so it was a good choice :) We are gonna go to a Denver Broncos game on the 24th, and stay in a nice hotel downtown and he can wine and dine me :)
2. We are going to be upgrading to our 2 bedroom apartment sooner than we thought! Nick and I love the 2 bedrooms and the spaciousness of it, and since we will be starting a family hopefully soon, we want to be prepared, so we will be moving into our new apartment sometime early September.
3. My workouts have been put on hold, at least super intense ones. For the past month of so I haven't really been feeling good. Almost like a permanent flu, blah! So I'm doing about 30 minutes of low impact cardio with weights 3-4 times a week and taking walks on my lunch. I'll update you all on the status of my health soon enough - I have a doctor appointment scheduled for the end of this month to see what the heck is up :) Eating wise I've been doing pretty good, and not much has changed :)
So there you have it - the whole truth and nothing but the truth hehe
Posted by californiadreamin at Friday, June 04, 2010 3 comments Links to this post


text:
ISIL declares Islamic 'caliphate'
BEIRUT: An offshoot of Al-Qaeda which has captured swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria has declared itself an Islamic "Caliphate" and called on factions worldwide to pledge their allegiance, a statement posted on jihadist websites said on Sunday.
The move is an expansion of the group's ambitions to wage a holy war and posed a direct challenge to the central leadership of Al-Qaeda, which has already disowned it.
The group, previously known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as ISIS, has renamed itself "Islamic State" and proclaimed its leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghadi as "Caliph" — the head of the state, the statement said.
"He is the imam and khalifah (Caliph) for the Muslims everywhere," the group's spokesman Abu Muhammad Al-Adnani said in the statement, which was translated into several languages and an Arabic audio speech.
"Accordingly, the "Iraq and Sham" (Levant) in the name of the Islamic State is henceforth removed from all official deliberations and communications, and the official name is the Islamic State from the date of this declaration," he said.
Charles Lister, Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Doha Center, saw considerable significance in the move.
"Whatever judgments are made in terms of its legitimacy, (the) announcement that it has restored the Caliphate is likely the most significant development in international jihadism since 9/11.
"The impact of this announcement will be global as Al-Qaeda affiliates and independent jihadist groups must now definitively choose to support and join the Islamic State or to oppose it."
Fighters from the group overran the Iraqi city of Mosul last month and have advanced toward Baghdad. In Syria they have captured territory in the north and east, along the frontier with Iraq.
"It is incumbent upon all Muslims to pledge allegiance to (him) and support him…The legality of all emirates, groups, states, and organizations, becomes null by the expansion of the khalifah's authority and arrival of its troops to their areas," the statement said.


text:
From: The Desk of Emily Estrella
Professional Salsa Dancer & Certified Instructor
If you've ever wanted to dance salsa with style & confidence like a professional easily & in a shortest time WITHOUT paying for expensive classes… then this will be the most important message you'll ever read.
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A terrific learning tool for beginners of Salsa and for those who wants to keep fit while having fun!
A Little Background -- And The BIG Problem...
Here's what this is all about: My name is Emily Estrella, and I've been dancing and teaching Salsa professionally for almost 13 years.
The truth is, I often see new students get self-conscious and frazzled in live classes. What's more, many quit due to the inconvenience of travelling to classes or a hectic lifestyle that leaves them with no time.
So here's what I realized: Wouldn't it be great if there is a complete jam-packed INTENSIVE course that teaches students the basics to advanced steps of Salsa... from home?
See, I went to purchase almost every DVD lesson and have discovered a big problem. Sadly, most courses I've reviewed have the following issues:
And if you're just starting out, let me tell you I know how frustrating it is, because I personally had gone through the same experience when I first started.
Well, luckily for you, these problems become a blessing in disguise. Over the past 5 years, I have developed the most comprehensive Salsa video course on the market. I'm glad to announce that it's finally ready - the definitive guide to learn Salsa dance....
Emily's "Complete Salsa Mastery" system is very simple...
With these fantastic 6 (yes, SIX) hours of salsa classes on DVDs, this salsa dancing mastery system will take you step by step through the entire learning process.
It's the most jam-packed and intensive salsa dance class you'll ever experience...
3 separate expert teachers means you experience different teaching methods with each teacher focusing on a specific style of Salsa!
The course covers 4 different popular salsa dance styles so you'll get to "wow" your friends on the dance floor.
Over 6 hours of salsa videos sorted by difficulty levels. It includes basic fundamentals to intermediate patterns, combinations plus music!
So What Makes This The #1 Salsa Dancing Class?
1. Over 6 Hours of Salsa Dance Moves, Fundamentals, Patterns, Combinations & Techniques
2. Fun, Engaging, Step By Step and Easy To Follow Video Instructions
3. Different Teachers - 4 Dance Styles
4. Excellent For Beginners & Intermediate Dancers!
5. Covers Solo and Non-Solo Dance
6. TRUE Multi-Angle Views
7. Innovative Fast-Track Method & Award Winning Production
|8. Includes 70 Minutes Of Sensational Latin Salsa Dance Grooves & Music Rhythms
Get over 70 minutes (16 tracks) of great salsa grooves from all over Latin America and the Caribbean. These addictive and upbeat salsa tracks are recorded by widely acclaimed recording artists in high definition quality!
This is an ideal collection not only for a genuine salsaholic but also a perfect accompaniment to the video training.
9. Instant Access To Videos
"Throw out those video tapes!"
|" If you want to learn but are too shy to take lessons, this course is perfect for you. The instruction is clear & concise. The productions values are stellar, and the quality is amazing!
Emily's DVD course gives you the right angle for studying every step and swing. This makes it easy for beginners to get started.
It proves that classes don't have to be complicated to be effective! "
|- Amanda Hudson,
San Diego, CA
Arriba Salsa Studios
Here's some videos you can watch as a sample. Do note that the videos shown here are reduced in quality and only shows a limited segment of the tutorial.
Basic Salsa Steps - 2 Corners :
The Shoulder Turn :
Men's Salsa Steps - New York Mambo:
Guaranteed To Shorten The Learning Curve...
Listen, I've held nothing back.
If you've been wanting to learn, but thought that it would be too complicated - have no fear - my Salsa Mastery System is fast and best of all EASY!
The bottom line is this: SalsaDancingCourses™ "Complete Salsa Mastery" is guaranteed to shorten the learning curve and makes this the Easiest, Fastest and MOST EFFECTIVE salsa dancing learning method.
Here's What Some Of Our Customers Have To Say
SalsaDancingCourses™ have been distributed all over the world. It's almost embarrassing, but I get letters and emails from customers who have started on their salsa dancing journey with this course.
But don't just take my word for it... listen to what satisifed customers have to say:
- Julia Gomez,
Peoria, IL
Salsa Performer & Instructor
|" Over the years I have bought more than five salsa videos. Some of the other ones were pretty good, but
this one is the BEST that I have seen so far.
I wish I had this DVD all along because learning from this has been the easiest so far. The three-angle concept is a must see. This is revolutionary approach to dance instruction, since it allows the viewer to see complicated moves from different perspectives and get a better sense of what's going on at any given time.
If I were to buy only one Salsa course, I would buy this one. "
" Now Anyone - and I Do Mean Anyone - Can Learn To Salsa "
Thelma Le,
Durban, South Africa
Salsa Review Magazine
|" I love this dvd course. It's very professional and gives hope to all of us out there who feel we can never learn this awesome dance. I love Emily in this dvd because she makes learning salsa fun and enjoyable for everyone.
The Salsa dance steps are presented in an enjoyable and fun way for any beginner to follow. It covers latin salsa dancing as well as ballroom salsa dance moves. The pace of the dance moves are kept light and fun for the beginner to learn. This is one of the best courses on market to learn Salsa. Would most certainly recommend it to anyone! "
" Two Left Feet? No Problem! "
Mark Sampson, Chicago, IL
If you want to learn a dance, you have to sweat it on the dance floor for hours? Wrong. Emily's SalsaDancingCourse is the best proof to that. Even I could learn this, after going only once through the material. Anything that wasn't exactly clear the first time, no problem - change angle, repeat. Or change angle as you go.
Me and my wife finally have a great time on parties and Latin clubs. We used to just watch people dancing Salsa, but thanks to this course we learn in one week and a half, now our friends ask us how we learn to fast and nice.
I would recommend this to any of my friends who want to learn Salsa. A+ "
"Learn Hot Sizzling Dance Moves that Cause Jaws to Drop..."
Carmen Velez, Sydney, Australia
Salsa Dance Instructor
|" This DVD teaches about 30 or so dance steps ... all of which are easy to follow. This is one of the best ways to learn this dance. Live dance instruction is very expensive, this DVD set is a true value with the private coaching you get.
Most importantly, one can learn the Miami style salsa dance moves that will make you feel like a super-star when out on the dance floor.
Bottom line: Emily's SalsaDancingCourses is a great start to help you learn Salsa so if that's what you're looking for, you've found it. "
"If You Really Want To Get Into Salsa, This Course Will Change Your Life. "
Enrique Carillo Avondale, AZ
|" The salsa can be one of the hardest dances to learn by video, but Emily's videos makes it very easy. Each of the steps flows beautifully into the next step so the flow you learn is great.
The way it has been designed and the lessons are easy to follow. The different video angles allowed me to understand every step of the way. This product is brilliant. If you really want to get into the salsa this course will change your life. "
" Easy-To-Follow, Step-By-Step Expertly Provided Instructions. "
Suzanne Olsen, Columbus, GA
|" I had such a wonderful time learning to Salsa dance with this DVD. It was perfect pacing for me and the
amount of information given wasn't overwhelming in the least.
This DVD made learning Salsa not only painless but fun and before long, my partner and I were actually moving through the steps and, better yet, we actually KNEW what we were doing. The easy to follow, step-by-step instructions makes it a breeze to learn every move. "
You'll probably learn Salsa faster, easier and better, by experiencing my this course than if I was actually teaching you in person! I know that might sound crazy, but it's absolutely true! Let me explain why ...
If I was showing you my system in person (like at a class), then you'd probably go home and forget most of what I said...
Here's what sets my program apart from all others: how simply the more complex patterns are explained. Each lesson is recorded and structured in such a way that doing them is as easy as falling off a slippery log. There's no "how to eat an elephant whole" here. The lessons are cut up into easy to follow, manageable chunks, so that everyone can do it.
Claim These Exclusive Bonuses When You Order Now...
Listen, I want to make sure you have everything you need to immediately guarantee the success of your efforts to learn salsa dancing.
So for a limited time, you will get the following 3 Super Bonuses when you order today:
"Okay Emily - So What's The Cost For This Incredible Program?"
Let's do a quick comparison - last time I checked, a reputable dance class would set you back $15 - $20 bucks per session. Or you could hire a private instructor like myself to work with you. I currently charge a minimum of $30.00 per hour for personal coaching. Normally, my clients work out 3x a week with me - so that's $360.00 per month.
This way, I figure at a bare bones minimum you're getting hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of my expertise and training at your disposal inside the new program.
But I'm not going to charge you anywhere near that amount. In fact, your total investment for the entire SalsaDancingCourses "Complete Salsa Mastery" program is just $49. That's less than one month's membership to any class without the hassles.
You'll never have to travel, search for a parking space, wait for someone who is late, change clothes, shower, etc. Plus, what class have you ever heard of that gives you a money-back guarantee? (That's right, I'll tell you about that in a moment.)
It's important to me that you to have all the resources and training to learn Salsa. I'm totally confident after you've watched the videos, you'll agree that this is the easiest and quickest way to learn Salsa dancing.
But, if there's any chance at all you're not satisfied with the videos then contact me within 60 days of your order for a FULL refund.
Yes. That's right. Take 60 days to evaluate the videos. You have plenty of time to make sure that this is right for you because if you are not 100% satisfied, just send me an email and I'll refund your payment . Right up to the final day of this 60 day guarantee. No hassles and no questions asked. Even better, you get to keep all the bonuses!
Try SalsaDancingCourses™ RISK-FREE For 2 Months Now »
So here's what I'm offering you today:
That's right, you'll get the complete course today, instantly for only a one-time payment of $49. (There are only a few spots left for the coaching and they are going quick!)
Even better, you can view the videos risk-free for 2 months. You'll be protected by my 60-day no questions asked guarantee.
Remember - The entire course available via instant download, online streaming as well as DVDs. You can watching the videos in 5 minutes!
And, for a one-time payment, you'll get lifetime access, so any future updates or new videos will be yours for FREE.
Here's Exactly What You Need To Do Right Now...
Click the button in the order form below and you'll be taken to a secure order page. You will then be able to view and download everything including the other bonuses instantly.
By taking action today, I understand that:
See you on the inside,
Emily Estrella, Founder of SalsaDancingCourses
Professional Salsa Dancer & Certified Instructor
P.S. A couple of reminders... Don't forget that you must absolutely be one of the next few people only to get the free one-on-one coaching . PLUS, you can get it right now at the discount price of $49!
You snooze, you lose. It's as simple as that. I insist that you reserve your copy right now.
P.P.S. There's zero risk here. Remember...you have my 100% Risk Free Unconditional Money-Back Guarantee. Even if you cancel and ask for a refund... all the bonuses are yours to keep for your trouble. Look at it as just my way of saying "thanks for giving it a try."
So don't wait... Click here now and start your salsa dance training »
"Very Easily The Greatest Dance Course I Have Ever Bought..."
- Tonya Acosta,
Baton Rouge, LA
|" This is very easily, the greatest dance course I've ever bought and really helped me to achieve a goal I've had for many years.
The multiangles and guidence makes this course head and shoulders above the rest. And the best part of this is you don't need a partner to practice. Because no matter what you are, a lead or follow, the teachers teach the steps you need to know. If you want to learn but are too shy to take lessons, Emily's SalsaDancingCourses is perfect for you. "
" High Quality DVD Course With True Multi-Angle Shots "
Alberto Marquez, Toledo, Spain
|" Despite being at intermediate level with other courses, my wife and I started from the beginning with this one and we're really glad we did so. In these videos, they really take their time to teach you everything, and we've discovered and understood now many things that are not clear in other courses.
All lessons are very well structured. Each single move is explained in very details, and on top of that you can see it from 3 different angles, which makes it incredibly easy to follow. "
" I Never Knew Learning Salsa Could Be Made So Much Fun - And Easy. "
Allison Conley, Taunton, MA
Owner of Encante Dance Studios
|" Emily Estrella is passionate about sharing her love for salsa through her clear and precise instruction and supportive spirit. Her program offers every woman a chance to learn and enjoy salsa. With her instructors, she breaks down every step in detail making it quite easy to do the beginning steps. She makes earning salsa so much fun - and easy!
If you were taking Salsa in a class, this could be a fantastic review, and if you want to learn Salsa dancing on your own, try this. I think Emily's course is a must have for all beginners.
By now, you have a good idea what SalsaDancingCourses "Complete Salsa Mastery" is all about. You've read the testimonials of people who rave about the product and you know that you have no risk when you purchase, all the risk is on me.
Remember, in a short time from now you will have access to the most effective way to learn salsa online... If you are looking for the easiest, fastest and the most fun way to start salsa dancing, than I urge you to get in while its cheap. So take action & order now :
[ Add To Cart ]
(Promotional price will end anytime after in 2 days )
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Just How Dumb Is It For CBS To Block CNET From Giving Dish An Award?
from the count-the-ways deptAs you may or may not recall, last year, pretty much all the TV networks sued Dish Networks over a new feature it had launched, PrimeTime Any Time (PTAT), with its Autohopper technology on its DVRs. PTAT is where it would automatically record all the major networks' prime time programming and hold onto it for a bit. Autohopper would then automatically skip over the commercials. It's important to recognize that these features, on their own, have been considered legal. VCRs had auto commercial skip ages ago and DVR technology (time shifting) has been called fair use plenty of times. Given that, the lawsuits aren't going well so far.
But, in a moment of pure stupidity, some very short-sighted suits at CBS made a really silly decision. As you may or may not have heard, CES -- the massive consumer electronics show -- has been going on all this week in Las Vegas. I just got back from there myself. At the show, Dish announced another merging of some of its products, adding its Slingbox (who they bought years back) to the same basic setup. Slingbox, of course, is for "place shifting" what the DVR is for "time shifting." You hook it up to your TV and it lets you access what's playing on your TV via the internet (so, via your computer, phone or tablet). It's hardly surprising that this is where Dish was heading.
And... the early reviews and buzz were definitely strong. For example, CNET wrote a glowing review in which executive editor David Carnoy suggested it may be the best DVR out there these days. The CNET crew liked the thing so much that they nominated it for their "Best of CES" award.
Editors' note: The Dish Hopper with Sling was removed from consideration for the Best of CES 2013 awards due to active litigation involving our parent company CBS Corp. We will no longer be reviewing products manufactured by companies with which we are in litigation with respect to such product.This is monumentally stupid, for a variety of reasons. Let's see how many we can come up with.
- Hello Streisand Effect. There were approximately one gazillion articles this week about products coming out of CES, and the place was wall to wall with journalists -- probably half of whom were coming up with their own "best of" lists. Most people were completely saturated with CES stories and would barely glance at such a story. Except... now, tons of people are suddenly finding out about this awesome Dish DVR, the Hopper with Slingbox. In fact, they're hearing that the damn thing is so good that CBS is trying to block any news of it from getting out. Talking about increasing the awareness... I have no clue whatsoever what product CNET -- or any other publication -- awarded "best of CES" to. But I sure as hell am well aware of Dish's new DVR.
- Goodbye to the wall that separates the suits from the journalists at CBS/CNET. CBS execs have just confirmed that they don't want their journalists and reviewers to cover things based on the merits, but rather on what it means for their corporate masters.
- Hello slippery slope. Is it really that hard to see where this heads next? Is CNET still allowed to report on the lawsuit if CBS loses? If they can't talk about the products, what about the legal issues themselves?
- Goodbye journalists with credibility. Frankly, CNET has always had some of the strongest tech reporters in the business. For many years I've considered it one of the top tech news sites out there. I have tremendous respect for many of the reporters there. But, now I have to wonder how much the suits are interfering with their ability to report things accurately.
- Goodbye to principled journalists who want to work for CBS. If I'm a journalist at CNET right now, I'd be seriously considering quitting in protest. This move seriously harms the brand and reputation of the site, and this is the kind of thing that journalists should stand up against. Having the suits interfere with what they can write about is generally seen as a massive offense to journalists. I would bet this leads to some of the best, most principled CNET reporters jumping ship to elsewhere.
- Good luck to CNET hiring new journalists. Who wants to jump into that toxic situation?
Of course, they were probably thinking that Dish would likely use the reviews from CNET as evidence in the lawsuit, which very well may be true (and could still happen since the review did go out). But it's not hard to get around that, since the legal impact of a single review is near zilch. In the end, they didn't stifle the review, they made it more well known. They didn't do anything that helps them in their lawsuit. And they're left with an undoubtedly pissed off set of journalists who may now question how free they are to actually report the news.
Filed Under: ces, credibility, dvr, failures, hopper, journalism, lawsuits, reporting, slingbox, streisand effect
Companies: cbs, cnet, dish


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Thursday, October 28, 2010
Happy Holidays
Hawaii has never really been on my list of places to go, so when an unexpected series of events led us there recently, I wasn't really sure what to expect. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. W.O.W. So after a few much-needed weeks of lazing in the sun and hiking around volcanoes and rainforests, I'm feeling refreshed and ready for our next adventure. Which I will tell you about shortly. From one extreme to the other....
Posted by Mel Robson at 1:12 PM
1 comment:
- reb said...
Wow is right!Sounds splendiferous (do you remember that chain of clothing stores from the 80's...but I'm sure it was better than that).
Thanks for the kind birthday greetings, and I'm waiting with bated breath for your next installment...
- November 2, 2010 at 8:22:00 PM GMT+10
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We need to start engaging our business leaders and governments more in women's initiatives to lobby more investment into women. Young women need to stand up and fight for the economic emancipation of women and young girls, because the men will not do it for us, although men need to be involved in the conversations around women's issues. And women in high authority need to also help combat these issues.
Taking real action
In 2013, I founded a program called Born to Succeed to fill a gap in society by trying to curb the steep female youth unemployment rate in South Africa by increasing skills. Born to Succeed identifies ladies from the townships of Gauteng who have passed grade 12 but are unemployed. The program imparts soft skills, such as CV writing, interview strategies, personal image, and communications skills to assist them in finding jobs. It also provides entrepreneurial skills like writing a business plan, financial literacy, and funding a business, to inspire the ladies to start a business.
Additionally, Siyathuthuka, a partner of Born to Succeed, provides computer end-user training and/or programming skills. The ladies are also assigned a mentor from my company's Women's Forum for 12 months, who helps them set goals and seek employment. We also educate the ladies on what to do in the workplace during an internship in order to increase their chances of being retained as a permanent staff member.
Born to Succeed has also partnered with companies that commit to providing 1-5 internship positions from their business. Where required, Born to Succeed sources second-hand laptops that ladies can use on the job. After completion of Born to Succeed program, participants are placed at these companies or in other places of employment.
In 2013, we mentored 66 ladies from disadvantaged backgrounds, giving them access to corporate South African women and business leaders. The ladies who participated achieved 94 percent employment within a year after the program in areas such as hospitality, administration, arts and supply chain. One of the ladies built a similar program to Born to Succeed at her hometown church, and at least two successful small businesses have stemmed from Born to Succeed.
In 2014, we had 35 participants of whom two have already claimed employment positions. The group graduated in August 2015, and we're eager to see the success of the group in the year following their graduation.
In 2015, we recruited 50 ladies for the program, who will graduate in August 2016. I am so excited to be doing this project, because I have walked the journey with many of the ladies and have seen lives being transformed through my efforts. It makes me so happy to see a better South Africa.
Making hard choices
The minimum requirement for Born to Succeed Ladies is to have passed grade 12 and be living in Gauteng. I sometimes receive requests to join the program from ladies who have not passed Grade 12 and from ladies living in other provinces. I redirect them to other appropriate non-governmental organizations (NGOs). For the first time this year, we funded a day trip for ladies from Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal and Free-State to attend the Born to Succeed Conference 2015 in Johannesburg. The aim is for the participant to execute a small workshop or simply share with friends and family in their hometown the lessons learned from the conference.
Today, after receiving so many requests I cannot appease, I keep an inventory of different avenues people can reach out to given their current circumstance and the help they require.
Effectively, I have had to learn that you cannot help everyone. When running an organization, one needs to remain focused and stick to the mandate, because too much dabbling can jeopardize the success of the organization or program at hand.
My secret to funding
The very first Born to Succeed in 2013 was funded by family and friends. It was a lot of work trying to chase after lots of people for their donations, but it was all worth it. I believe that all the hard work has paid off. The donation amounts from friends and family have grown, and corporations now have a track record to refer to when I approach them for funding. Today, Born to Succeed is not only funded by personal donors but also major corporations.
This success has shown me that there is wisdom in starting small and persevering. If I had not started any of my initiatives three years ago because I didn't have funding, it would have been detrimental for all the people I have helped today. Lack of funding should never be a reason not to start something, especially something for a social benefit.
Accepting all kinds of help
I have learned that not everyone is as passionate about education as I am. Therefore, I should never expect the same amount of effort I put in from the next person. I need to appreciate that little bit of effort and either improve the deliverable myself or hand over to another person I know can achieve the desired outcome.
Many for-profit organizations struggle to find people who are as passionate about the company as the founder or CEO. I am running a non-profit where we do not even pay the team. I consider it a blessing that individuals are willing to give any of their time. I have been fortunate enough to discover three individuals who have a similar passion for education as I do, and they are constantly adding value towards Born to Succeed.


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Anti-debt group finds itself in red
A year and a half after launching with much fanfare, a group affiliated with fiscal watchdogs Erskine Bowles and former Sen. Alan Simpson is nearly broke.
The Can Kicks Back — which targets millennials and was conceived as a partner and affiliate of the group Fix the Debt — is running low on cash, according to emails and documents reviewed by POLITICO.
Story Continued Below
The group left a history of documents, including financial statements and internal deliberations over policy decisions, online in a Google Group that was open to public view but was recently closed. Those documents provide a peek into the day-to-day planning and operation of a modern public affairs campaign, one that publicly presented itself as driven by grass-roots energy but largely relied on big donors and wealthy Wall Street types for funding.
Fix the Debt furnished nearly $200,000 in seed money to The Can Kicks Back in late 2012. The groups are part of a loose coalition of anti-debt organizations that sought to pressure House Republicans and President Barack Obama to come to a grand bargain on reducing the debt and dealing with long-term entitlements.
But with a grand bargain dead in the water, both groups have struggled of late. Fix the Debt is in the midst of an organizational transition, while The Can Kicks Back is facing questions about the group's finances and future direction.
As of November, The Can Kicks Back was operating at a small loss. The group's cash reserves were down to $70,000, with more than $75,000 in outstanding donor commitments, according to documents and emails. And the group's co-founders and management team have expressed concern about its future.
( Also on POLITICO: Sign up for Influence lobbying tipsheet)
According to emails, the group has no actual debt but only enough cash to last through April.
"Without someone/something else covering staff costs and without fundraising miracles like Stan or near-Stan happening consistently, I don't know how we both sustain [an] organization and do meaningful things," Nick Troiano, co-founder and communications director of the group, wrote in a November email.
Troiano was referring to a large donation by hedge fund manager Stan Druckenmiller. According to emails, Druckenmiller provided the group with a $250,000 check in June 2013. That single check accounted for nearly 40 percent of the group's fundraising haul last year.
Not that the group hasn't tried. According to emails, it also took meetings or made fundraising asks of former oil and gas executive T. Boone Pickens, aerospace magnate Norman R. Augustine and First Pacific CEO Bob Rodriguez, among others, since 2012.
The group has also approached Fix the Debt for additional financial resources and brainstormed a list of donors to be set up with that included former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Blackrock CEO Larry Fink, salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff, venture capitalist Reid Hoffman, eBay CEO John Donahoe and others.
The Can Kicks Back denied this week that its financial state is precarious. "The Can Kicks Back is proud to be a voice for our generation on issues related to long-term debt, decreased investment and reckless spending. We have no debt nor do we operate beyond our own financial means. A qualification from cherry-picked internal email months old is hardly representative of TCKB's current financial situation," Executive Director Ryan Schoenike said. "We are grateful for the support we have received and have revised our outreach, digital, and fundraising plans in order to continue our work of increasing millennial turnout in 2014 and beyond."
The group is organized as both a 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) nonprofit — meaning that donations are anonymous. It voluntarily chooses to publish donor names, but not amounts.
"There are a number of points here that are factually inaccurate, and we won't comment on unsubstantiated claims," Schoenike said, although the group declined to specify which items the statement was referring to.
Schoenike and Troiano founded the group with Michael Eisenstadt, Jake Parent and Brandon Aitchison, and all five serve as the organization's steering committee.
Though nominally independent, The Can Kicks Back has always had a tenuous relationship with its partner groups, Fix the Debt and another nonprofit called Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Both Fix the Debt and The Can Kicks Back have struggled with the perception that they are "astroturf" advocacy groups that are acting as mouthpieces of Wall Street and corporate interests.