Acting!

To make a long story short, one of my best friends in Cullman talked me up to a couple people she knew making a movie, I went down to Birmingham to audition, and got the part! The movie is titled "Doobie Sampson: ProfessionalStudmuffin", and is an independent film. I will be playing Erica, Doobie's partner in crime. I am so excited, I could swim in the Olympics with this adrenaline! I don't think it really hit me hard til tonight. This feels like a turning point in my life. No more procrastinating. It's now or never. If you want something, you must go after it! I have prepared all I can, and now it's time to live the life I've always imagined! The only thing holding me back is myself. People want to see you succeed. They want to be happy for you, to clap for you. So let them! And love yourself! You can do anything you put your mind to, but as Rhonda Byrne says, you must love like never before! You always have a choice and you create your life! You CAN have everything you desire! Imagine it, believe it, receive it! If we only get one chance to live this life, why not make it everything you've ever wanted? After all, life is but a dream :)

In the Paper!

Today my article came out in the Cullman Times! It was on the front page of Lifestyles. It's pretty much the story of my path in life that has led me to aerial silks. I am so excited about this. But also, I've realized I need to get my butt in shape. This publicity will mean more students, and I want to provide a great class. This past session was kind of a test run. I had acquired the students myself so I knew them and was comfortable around them. Now I need to step it up. I want to be a role model. I am starting to run every day and doing much more upper body workouts than I ever have in my whole life. Not only do I want to teach, but I want to live the life of an aerialist. And hand in hand with exercising, is eating right. I've cut out sweets and am back to juicing every day. It's hard to get started, but I know I won't regret it. One step at a time... Since I'm not sure how long these articles last online, here it is: CULLMAN — She was born in Nashville, lived in Franklin for most of her life, graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and wound up in Hanceville. “What am I going to do here in this small Alabama town?” wondered Jessica Brackeen when she first got here about a year ago. What she has done, in her own words, is to network more successfully than at any other place she has ever lived, gotten a job teaching at a community college, and re-discovered her passion in life — dancing. “It’s been almost dropped in my lap,” smiled the 24-year-old ballroom dance instructor. “I came here from living in Tennessee with my mom, Rhonda Demonbreun, and my two little brothers, Timothy and Micah, to help care for my grandparents, John and Fay Boles, who needed some live-in assistance for several months.” She had been in ballet for a time when she was younger, but changed to violin lessons at the age of six, then fell in love with the circus. “I wanted to be the girl spinning by her teeth on the highwire,” she laughed, although not entirely kidding. As she grew older, she set her sights on something a little more realistic — the color guard. “I was in color-guard in high school and in college.” she said. “My squad even went to San Diego to compete nationally.” She received her degree in American Sign Language and is a qualified interpreter. “I love sign language, it’s so beautiful,” she said. After college, still in Knoxville, a friend overheard her talking about her love of dancing. “My studio is hiring, if you are interested,” she told Brackeen. Of course she was interested. She applied, went through training, and became a ballroom instructor. “One way or another, I’ve been dancing my whole life,” she laughed. Just because she wanted to stay on top of her game, she enrolled in the Ballet Theatre School of Cullman. Once there, it was inevitable that she would ultimately cross paths with Shirley Quattlebaum. Brackeen and Quattlebaum struck up a conversation, with Brackeen giving a little of her background in dancing to Quattlebaum. She happened to mention that she was a ballroom instructor. Shirley’s eyes lit up, “You don’t even know why you are here, do you?” she asked Brackeen. She went on to describe the upcoming “Dancing With Our Star’s” event that would be perfect for Brackeen. That conversation eventually led to Brackeen becoming one of the professionals involved in the Relay For Life fundraiser. For the next two months, she coached and then partnered with Judge Rusty Turner onstage the night of the occasion, in front of a packed house. Like dominoes, everything just seemed to fall into place after that. Now she is teaching both beginners and advanced ballroom dancing classes at Wallace State Community College. She also offers classes in aerial silk dancing. If this sounds unfamiliar to you, think of the Marriott hotel commercials a few years ago with the lady dancing in the drapery. She adapted this dance to include elements of ballet, stretching, yoga and Pilates into each lesson. “This dance is very graceful, very fluid. It builds upper body strength and flexibility, as well as self confidence,” she points out. “Its all about thinking that this life is too short, you only get one chance to pursue your dreams,” she said, wise beyond her years. “I always see people doing things that I’d like to do and I tell myself that if they can do it, then I can do it, too.” Perhaps the one thing that had marred her stay here is the disappearance of her beagle/min-pin (miniature pincher) Belle, back in April. She put up flyers in the community around Johnson’s Crossing near her grandparent’s home, but so far, no word of the five-year-old pet. “She has a chip in her ear, so hopefully, if someone finds her, they will have a veterinarian contact me,” she said. “No questions asked, but I really just think she just wondered into someone‘s yard and they don’t know who she belongs to.” Classes in Ballroom Dancing are Tuesday nights at WSCC in the Burrow Center. Advanced classes start at 6 p.m. and beginner’s class begins at 7 p.m. The next six-week session begins Feb. 26. The fee for either class is $30/person. Each set of classes are six weeks. Aerial Silk Dancing is from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday nights and the fee is $40 for a 4-week session. The next session starts Feb. 28. For more information, visit www.wallacestate.edu http://www.cullmantimes.com/features/x1976830094/Rediscovering-a-passion-for-dancing

Ninny's 2nd Surgery

Last weekend my Uncle Tim and Aunt Debbie came up from Louisiana to pack up my grandparents for the move down. My aunt came with me when we took Ninny and Papa to the doctors offices to get their medical records and to be released from care in Alabama. Well, when we went to ninny's orthopedic doctor to see about her knee, they showed us that her knee cap was over to the left side of her leg! Apparently the tissue holding her knee cap in place had ripped on the inside of her leg. We would have never known had they not taken those X-rays; Ninny wasn't in any pain. Thank goodness! So now for the next part- this is only corrected through surgery. So Ninny's second (and hopefully last) surgery is set for this Thursday. I've taken off work and mom is going to come down for the weekend so we can take care of Ninny in the hospital. After that she'll go back to the Nursing Home for Rehab for about 3 weeks. Then she'll move down to Louisiana. My aunt and uncle took my Grandpa down there already so he won't be so confused and can settle in to life down there. So far he's enjoying it and is doing well. I miss him already. This just means that there will be more visits to LA in my future though! And in the meantime, it's nice to have more time with Ninny.

Publicity!

Last post I mentioned that I was being interviewed by TV27 about Aerial Silks. That happened on Friday and went very well. Even though we don't have the channel here at home, I know it spread to others in Cullman. Hopefully this will bring me more students for silks class! On Monday, I spoke with a lady at the Cullman Times Newspaper and we set up an over the phone interview for Friday. That Monday night, I did a photoshoot with my friend Josh Heron, of Back Road Productions and Josh Heron Designs. We went to Wallace, where I teach my silks classes, and shot on the silks. These are by far the prettiest pictures of myself, yet. He did an amazing job with the lighting, angles, and shots. This is just the beginning! These pictures have gotten me so much publicity that other photographers are contacting me to set up photoshoots! I am considering signing with an agency in Atlanta and have photoshoots set up this month in Atlanta and Nashville! But I digress... So Monday I did the photoshoot. Thursday I went to Birmingham and did a photoshoot with my friends Natalie, Macy, and Jenny. Like everything great in life, things came together perfectly at the last minute without even trying. The pictures are beautiful and I am proud to truly call myself a model now!! I am truly blessed! So many great opportunities have come my way! I can't wait to see where they take me! I would love to model, dance and be an artist for a living! All rolled into one! Things seem to be falling into place! I love my life :) Thank you God!

Aerial Silk Class

Tonight I taught my first Aerial Silk Dancing class! It was an awesome and humbling experience. I've designed the class to incorporate running, pilates, yoga and basic stretching. Then after we've done all that, we get on the silks. So far I have 4 students and they loved the class :) I'm so happy they enjoyed it and can feel they're getting a workout. That's what I was going for ;) Tomorrow morning I'm going to be interviewed by TV 27 about the silks class! And next week the Cullman Times wants to write an article about it too! I'm excited all this is happening so quickly! Ballroom is going well this session, too. I have a whole new group in my beginner's class and I'm learning a lot more about how to talk to people and demonstrate patterns. This is why I love teaching. I'm learning while I'm teaching. And I love watching the couples dance together. This is why I teach ballroom dancing. I believe dancing can help keep couples together. Plus it brings back a spark in a relationship that might have been misplaced because there is no touch, communication, or new experiences together. My students love the ballroom classes, too. I'm really happy they're enjoying these classes and learning new things even at older ages. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? At home, Ninny and Papa are going through things to get ready to move. Their health is good and a few last follow up appointments are in order before they move. Ninny has lost a total of 55 pounds! I'm very proud of her for losing this much weight. I know it will help her get around more. I did my first photoshoot a couple weeks ago with Natalie Bonner Photography. It was definitely a learning experience. I love a lot of the pictures and can't wait to get them back. I'm excited to see where modeling can take me. If nothing else, it's a good reminder to stay in shape and eat right. I'm hoping modeling will teach me more about being in front of the camera and how to use these lessons when I make ASL music videos!

October- Christmas 2012 & Here's to 2013!

Since the last post, Ninny and Papa have been doing very well. Ninny celebrated her 78th birthday in October by having her 2nd knee surgery the day after. She was in the hospital for the weekend, then in the nursing home rehab program for 3 weeks, and then we went to the hospital twice a week for a month after that to finish her rehab. This past month up until we left for the holidays ninny and papa have been receiving at home therapy check up care. And in total, Ninny has lost 40 lbs! Last week we left Alabama and traveled down to Louisiana where most of our family lives. Christmas was so much fun and the hustle and bustle has not stopped, which I love. At the moment there are 14 people in the house. When we did Christmas, there were 25 people here! I love being here with my family that I rarely get to see. In a couple months Ninny and Papa will be moving down here to live permanently, and I will be back here to visit again. Hopefully we can make a tradition of coming here to New Orleans every Christmas. Also since the last post, I have continued Ballroom Dancing. After the Dancing With Our Stars Fundraiser, I contacted the Ballroom Dancing teachers at Wallace State Community College. They were also in the fundraiser. I asked to participate in the class and they ended up hiring me on! I helped teach during the October session, and started teaching my own session on November 6th. The next session starts January 15th, 2013! I have really enjoyed getting back to teaching Ballroom Dancing. My students love my class and say I am a very good teacher. I am so thankful to have had this opportunity, and I hope that it brings my students closer together as couples. <3 Since I have been hired at the Community College, I have met so many more wonderful people! It's a great feeling to be working at a college, too ;) I quit my membership at the gym because I get perks of being a teacher and can workout for free at the college! The best part? I'm going to start teaching an Aerial Silk Dancing class! It'll be a lot of stretching, yoga poses, exercises, and learning the basics to fabric acrobatics. It'll be at the gym, too, so we can really get our workouts in! I'm very excited about getting this part of my career started! This is another reason why I love living in Cullman! The small town is a great place to get my feet on the ground! After we get back into town, I'm going to start modeling and making sign language videos! I'm looking forward to taking photo shoots with my silks, too. I've started running again, which is helping to get me back in shape. My next goal is to start competing in Ballroom Dancing! I am so happy to be alive! I love my life!! I never expected to have the opportunities, experiences and networking possibilities that I have had since I moved to Cullman. God has really guided me where He knows I want to go in life and given me all the people I need to get there. Thank you to all my family, friends, and connections that have helped me get to where I am today. I am looking forward to accomplishing ALL of my dreams!

Dancing With Our Stars!

To begin, I must go back about 4 months... While at my bank's drive thru one day, I asked my teller where she got her hair done. She directed me to Jimmy Drake's salon in downtown and I went the next day. While getting my hair done and spilling my life story to my stylist, I asked about any dance studios in town. My stylist directed me to Elaine Willingham's Ballet Theatre School, and I went the next day. While waiting in the lobby for a ballet class, I met Shirley Quattlebaum. We got to talking and I told her I had moved down to help out my grandparents, and that my previous employment was instructing ballroom dancing. She looked at me in astonishment and said, "You don't even know why you're here, do you?". I replied, "I guess not...?", and she proceeded to inform me about a Relay for Life fundraiser that would be showcasing local "celebrities" around town in order to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Shirley, a local State Farm insurance agent, was asked to be one of the local stars. It was so magical and magnetic how all these events led to one another, and I was so excited to be asked to participate. I was paired with local judge Rusty Turner. We met in the middle of June and decided to dance a Foxtrot to Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York". I choreographed our dance and we practiced at least once a week, every week until this Saturday. Rusty was a wonderful dance partner and a fast learner. Yesterday at Wallace State CC, the "Dancing With Our Stars" fundraiser took place. The show was a blast!! We had so much fun, and were glad to go early on down the list to get our nerves and our butts settled in the seats to watch the rest of the performers. The fundraiser raised over $4000 for the ACS, and is the first of many more to come! This has truly been a wonderful experience for me. I am humbled and honored to have been asked to participate. I hope and know this will be the first of many performances and fundraisers I will be apart of. Thank you ACS and Relay for Life for all you do. I hope there will be "many more birthdays" for so many cancer survivors!

On the road again...

Today is August 1st. The start of another new month. And this month, I'm going hardcore. I'm taking zumba, yoga, pilates and kickboxing classes, running, and starting ballet and tap again. I'm making my goals higher to push myself further. However, I've realized that my goals for ninny were a bit too high. I can only help her eat right and exercise for about 15 minutes a day, and that will help her tremendously, but she must want it for it herself. She had lost about 10 lbs when I first moved here and was very persistent about our diets. After a bumpy road the past few months, I'm getting us back on track. We're eating salads and fish and juicing every day. A little good goes a long way. I'm looking forward to seeing how much healthier she and I can both become within this month. Papa is just as happy and care free as always, and is doing just fine. More to come later...

I love my family :)

Today Ninny went to her knee doctor and he gave her a cortisone shot in her knee to lubricate her joints. She said she felt better immediately! That's fantastic! Hopefully now we can increase exercising and she can lose even more weight with less pain! AND, her doctor told her that he WILL operate on her knee now!
On a different note, we talked about our heritage today. I am (pretty) confident that I know my heritage on my mom's side. My grandmother's side is Scotch Irish and my grandfather's side is English, German and Cherokee. I'd love to go to the Highland Games in North Carolina this summer! It's exciting to know that I'm a part of a distant, and not so distant clan :) Hooray heritage!

After 1 Week

We've been down in Alabama for over a week now, and so far we've juiced a total of: 72 carrots (about four 1 lb. bags), 16 apples (about 2 bags), 8 large cucumbers, 6 sweet potatoes, 6 bananas, 2 bags of grapes, 2 cartons of strawberries, 2 avocados, 2 peaches, 1 turnip, 1 full stalk of celery, 1 full head of broccoli, 1/4 head of lettuce (to try it out), 1/4 head of red cabbage (tasted great!), and a few handfuls of spinach.
Except for one glass, every drink has been pretty tasty! Experimenting with different fruits and veggies has led us to make better juices and fantastic smoothies. Papa enjoys the juices, and Ninny is getting used to the tastes. She seems reluctant to be enthusiastic about juicing, but I attribute that to her taste buds and not her willpower. I know without a doubt that within 6 months Ninny will be down at least 50 lbs. She hasn't seen any progress yet, but that's normal. I'd say about a month in she'll be noticing! If she can lose just 15 lbs., she can cut her knee pain in half! I believe with ALL my heart that my grandparents will not only improve their health, but also continue to love for years to come. Sometimes I imagine how happy we will all be when my entire family is on vacation together and my grandparents are still around to see their great-grandchildren grow up!

"Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last, you create what you will." - George Bernard Shaw

Juicing!

On Sunday we moved down to AL to live with my grandparents. It's wonderful to spend more time with my grandparents, and also help them achieve better health through juicing. We started off small, with just about a shot's worth of veggie juice for Ninny and a small glass for Papa. Since Ninny hasn't really ever drank anything except milk and water, drinking 5 vegetables at one time is quite a punch for her to swallow. Her faces make it look like she's just had a spoonful of ipecac, ha ha. Of course drinking vegetables can take some getting used to, but mind over matter, it's the healthiest thing you can do for yourself!
Starting off small on Sunday and Monday, we juiced 4 carrots & 2 green apples into 1 drink per person. On Tuesday, we began to juice full size glasses. We used what we had in the crisper and made even healthier drinks with 3 stalks of celery, 3-4 carrots, 1 tomato, and 1 red apple into 1 drink per person. I also added some green grapes and 1 green apple into Ninny's drink to add some sweetness for her. And today on day 4, we juiced 2 large cucumbers, 8 stalks of celery, 12 carrots, 1/4 head of lettuce, 40 grapes and 2 peaches into 4 delicious drinks.
We may not see physical results yet, but we all weighed ourselves today and will keep track of the progress! I believe juicing is already helping Papa with his memory- he remembered his doctor's appointment today! With more nutrients comes more memory! It's wonderful to feel our physical and mental health improve more and more every day! Here's to your health, everyone!

Don't Drink Bottled Water!!

Yesterday we watched a documentary called Tapped. We learned that big companies like Coke, Pepsi, and Nestle are sending giant trucks into towns (the town we saw was in Maine) to pump out their lake water, even if that town is in a draught. And they do it for free without telling anyone! Then they put that water into plastic bottles that are made with cancerous materials and sell our water back to us in a "convenient" bottle for 1900x the price we can get tap water. Not only is 40% of bottled water actually tap water, but tap water is regulated more than bottled water! These big companies are not even required to test their bottled water. Tap water is tested about 400 times a day! Independent studies have tested bottled water and found that the plastic bottles made with PET or PETE leak out cancerous materials into the water. When left in the heat of a car or outside, the risk increases profoundly. This documentary also showed massive amounts of plastic waste buildup on beaches and how our oceans are turning into "Plastic Soup"! The Earth is 75% covered with water, but only 1% is drinkable. Only 1%! if these companies continue to take our water, then we will have no more drinkable water in the near future! Help save our Earth and your own health! Stop drinking bottled water! Drink purified tap water! It's healthier than bottled water and saves you money! Help save our environment now! ACT NOW! Recycle and buy a reusable water bottle! Tell your family and friends about the dangers of plastic bottles and bottled water!

Energizing!

Last year, I moved back to Knox and became a Ballroom Dance Instructor. At first, sales were difficult for me and the business was a lot to learn. But over time I found I loved it! And I love teaching people how to dance! I truly am a dancer! Heck, I'll prove it, ha. I just figured out that I have dancer's hip in my left hip (recurring every few years)- a pain that occurs when the tendons around your hips tighten. Since I left the studio a couple months ago for personal reasons, I haven't danced in a little while, so I'm getting quite stiff, and do miss it very much. In the meantime, I'm making pizzas with Sven & it's a lot of fun :) This increase of time is also allowing me to catch up on projects, get affairs in order, and regain more peace of mind!
At the end of the month Sven & I are moving in with my grandparents and we'll be staying with them for probably a year. When we start living with them, I hope to make major changes to all our diets with an inclusion of fruit and veggie juicing for maximum nutrients & health. I know without a doubt that we will all dramatically improve our bodies AND minds. While we're living with them, I am going to study to become a certified ballroom dance instructor, and am going to become fluent in American Sign Language! I hope to get back into the dance world after studying and hope to go to a dance camp or two. I also would like to get back into a Deaf community and interpret again!
Back on the subject of food, we recently watched Food Inc., a documentary about the food industry nowadays here in America. At one part, numbers showed that in the 1970's the USDA inspected tens of thousands of factories and food service buildings. In the early 2000's, the USDA inspected less than 10,000 factories & restuarants. And just this week the USDA announced that it will be closing over 200 offices! If the numbers have already gone down horrifically since the 70's, AND their offices are closing, then how the hell is our food getting inspected? Not to mention that about 70% of the food out there is genetically modified. That's not even real food! The only way to know that you are eating 100% safe, cruelty free, healthy food that's free of pesticides (oh, which by the way, Food Inc.'s research found that of all the pesticides our nation is spraying on our food, only .1% is actually killing the pests it's meant for. The REST of the 99.9% is impacting our environment! No, it's not all cars and companies polluting, it's runoff from farms, factories, and landfills, to name a few.), is to eat ORGANIC!!
"Oh, but it's expensive!" Actually, organic is only cents more expensive. And with the laws of supply and demand, the more people start buying healthier, organic foods, the more demand there will be, and therefore more supply will come! Right now, unhealthy foods like fast foods are less expensive than more nutritional foods, and this needs to change! Slowly it is :)
Yesterday, we went to EarthFare to buy a few groceries as opposed to a common night out of fast food. We bought 2 delicious, healthy, organic burritos for the SAME PRICE as 2 Taco Bell burritos! The same price, yet SO much better for you! Think about this, when a famine or plague comes and wipes out all of the food that's been sprayed with so many chemicals it doesn't even stand a chance, what's going to save you? Real, wholesome, natural food that will strengthen your whole body, give you more energy and nutrition, and keep you alive longer.

Happy New Year!

Hooray it's 2012! New year, new day, every day! The dogs are happier than ever, always coming along to mom's house, and ninny & papa's house to run around and meet everyone. Sven & I are happy too! We've enjoyed hanging out at home when we're not working. It's too cold to be outside! January really brings in the cold weather! Hopefully it's going to snow tonight! Ah it is so nice to have more free time this winter! Recently our 4 pack went to Ninny & Papa's for a weekend and the (almost) whole family was there! It was so nice to see everyone! Didn't get to see mom, Timothy, or Micah long, but we'll go see them soon :) Love to all, and a happy new year!

Here Comes The Sun

Life is fantastic! Work has been crazy busy since I started 1 month ago, but I finally feel like everything is coming together. I've got my own place now, started my first full time job after college, started eating organic again, am recycling again, and spring is here! I like to think that everything has a place and purpose, and that everything happens when it is supposed to and for a reason. Well, I'm finally caught up. I've been catching up with best friends and my family, and it feels like everything is being magically pulled to where it is needed in all our lives. I watched The Secret recently, and it slipped right into place behind my learning about The Power of Now and Change Your Conversation. It was so inspirational and motivating that it almost made me cry. The universe is listening to my heart and pulling me to what my soul is attracted to. I'm so glad spring is here, too. Oh, how I've missed the sun. I can't wait to make a garden behind my home and sit outside drinking tea and listening to music. Oh! Tonight I read about eating right for your specific blood type. Blood type is the key to eating right for your body and your chemical needs. Blood type diets can help prevent certain diseases that are more prone for your particular blood type, and can even affect personality. This being said, I was shocked to see all the similarities between what I am supposed to be eating and how to live, with what I actually do based on what my body craves and how I function. I read that my blood type fares best on a vegetarian diet with calming, fun exercises and as much creativity in life as possible. How crazy is that?!? I was literally reading my health horoscope, and it fit me to a T. This also plays into how my life is coming together, just like my real horoscope. Since I'm on the edge of gemini & cancer, my cancer tendencies are that I am a protector of my loved ones & sensitive, and that now my gemini tendencies are to be able to communicate and listen efficiently. This also fit me perfectly when talking about my work change from home to out on my own in a sales-type job. This all seems so crazy to think how weird and wonderfully perfect everything is coming together for me in my life. I am loving the positive perspectives and influences in my life. Thank you Sven, thank you friends, and thank you Universe. Life is beautiful. I am looking forward to a great week at work and a relaxing week at home. Hooray for good food and good friends, family and animals, doing what you love, and loving life. Carpe Diem.

Eat Right For Your Blood Type- A

Micah and Jess Time

Oh, It's what I know

Because I'm happy to be sad,
I want it all, I want it bad.
Oh, oh, it's what I know.

A vintage year for pop, I hear,
The middle of the end is near.
Let's go, oh, it's what I know.

Torture me and torture me.
It's forcin' me so torture me, please.
Torture me with sorcery.
It's forcin' me so torture me, please.

All the leaves are turning brown,
The wind is pushing me around.
Let's go, oh, it's what I know.

Torture me and torture me.
It's forcin' me so torture me, please.
Torture me with sorcery.
It's forcin' me so torture me, please.

-The Red Hot Chili Peppers

I'm a dancer!!

On Monday I think I got hired as a Ballroom Dance Instructor! Hooray!!! I say I think because you're not technically hired til after training, but man I got this! Anywho... How ironic, when just a short time earlier I was texting one of my best friends that all I wanted to do was dance. This is going to be awesome! I really can't wait! I start training on Monday!! Ah! Need to make skirts! And stretch! And drink a ton more water! But.. dance! I can't wait to make a living from dancing (teaching, really)! And compete! This really is going to be the best year yet! And I'm moving out next month! My boyfriend and I picked out the best apartment! I can't wait to start living life out on my own again! Life is GRRRRRRRRRRRREAT!!!! It's funny how the best things in life come when you're not expecting them. Just ride the wild wave of life and have fun! Good things come to those who wait... and seize opportunity when it comes! Live your dreams. Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life- thanks Mike. Carpe Diem! I'm also going to interpret on the side. I'd like to get to know the Deaf community at my own pace. Who knows, maybe I'll even get more dance students that way! Need to start packing... :) Mmm, time for the Chili Peppers :)

Change Your Conversation, Change Your Life

Micah is really trying my patience today. After having to repeat myself at least 5 times for him to follow directions, it gets old. Reverting back to how I was raised to respond to Micah, I yelled at him for not understanding. Then it hit me, again, as I always have to keep reminding myself: Micah learns best though encouragement. So I changed the question I was asking. I started asking, "Ok, do you want to argue or do you want to play?" And he'll usually answer that he wants to play and we can continue interacting in a positive way. A blog I read called Change Your Conversation, Change Your Life by two women named Malinda and Lani, described interacting with their children in a way that opened my eyes to a different perspective. Here are their wonderful thoughts, that I believe fit perfectly here at home working with Micah.

"Over the past two weeks my son, who will be three in January, has been a hand full to say the least. No matter what I did his response to me was to totally fall to pieces. If you have kids, you know what I mean...I'm talking about the screaming, crying, melting to nothing in the middle of floor and I thought I was going to lose my mind. I kept trying different approaches and to no avail, until I decided enough was enough.

A couple of days ago I decided it was time to figure out what was really going on with me and my relationship with my son. Understanding that he is only three, I also understand that everything begins and ends with me. It was time to get quiet, take a step back and take a look at what has really been going on. Very quickly I realized that I had started dreading having time with my son because I didn't want to deal with his tantrums...it was time for me to change my conversation. Once I stepped back I could see where I had allowed my thoughts to go in a direction that did not feel good to me, I was able to say to myself “now that you know what you don't want, what do you want?” My response was “I want a healthy relationship with my son. I want to enjoy my time with him. I want to laugh and play with my son.” Suddenly I went from feeling like I was going to lose it at any minute to feeling over joyed with the love that I feel for my son.

The past two days have been incredibly fun spending the entire day laughing, playing, building blocks, playing trucks, reading books, Christmas shopping, and watching movies...without any melt downs! Once I changed my conversation and let go, a few hours later it hit me that I have not been playing or interacting with my son as much as he may need. I had been so wrapped up in work, Christmas, decorating and the list goes on, that I wasn't seeing his needs. My outside was reflecting my inside, his behavior was reflecting back to me what I was feeling inside. Now that I changed my conversation with myself, I am connected with me, with my truth, with my real self once again...I am able to connect with my son again. LIFE IS GOOD!

It always begins and ends with YOU.

Life is in constant motion and so are your children. I have come to learn that I have to pay attention to them in the same manner that I pay attention to myself, my work, my house, etc. Meaning, every couple of days I need to step back, evaluate where they are in relation to where I am. Am I responding to them in a healthy way that feels good to me or am I just reacting? Is there any new behaviors that need to be addressed and if so, what are the options available to me and of those which one brings me a sense of relief? Once I have gotten down to things and have become clear about where I want to move things with my children the next step is actually putting them into place. This requires me to be totally in the now. This requires me to be totally focused on nothing else but my kids when I am interacting with them. Now that I am aware of behaviors that do not feel good to me, I have to be aware of what triggers those same behaviors so that I can redirect them with love and compassion rather than with anger or disappointment. The key is knowing that it all begins and ends with you. If you are reacting out anger or disappointment it has absolutely nothing to do with the child and has everything to do with you. I found that I was reacting out of anger or disappointment because I wasn't totally in the now, because I had a million other things on my plate and expected my child to move at my pace, expected my child to do things the way I wanted them done, expected my child to do what I would have done and was not allowing myself to see my child through sources eyes. I also understand that my children reflect back to me the energy that I give to them, as everything else in life...our children are no different.

To have a healthy relationship with your family, your spouse, children or friends you have to have a healthy relationship with you. Allow yourself to have the connection with yourself that you are looking for in others. Love the being that talks to you, that stares back at you when you look in the mirror and feel the joy radiate from within. When you are one with you, you can then be one with others.
~Malinda

While this went a bit deeper into what the Change Your Conversation, Change Your Life philosophy really means inside yourself, I think this can really help everyone with different problems. If you take a step back and let go, then all your expectations and standards of what you want life to be will come true.

CHECK OUT THEIR LINK BELOW!!

Change Your Conversation, Change your Life

Here's to a new year

The holidays are over and it's time to get back to reality. This week I'm starting to record videos of life at home with Micah. I want to show how smart he is! Micah is such a good signer and can communicate very well, if you take the time to understand him. I also want to start signing songs every week for practice. Honestly, living at home after college was probably the worst idea. Mom and I fight all the time because we can't get on the same page, and living away from my friends and boyfriend is also emotionally stressful. Therefore, I can only make the best out of where I am in life right now. I hope recording videos of my interactions with Micah will show the progress he's made by communicating through sign language. I also hope to become a skilled signer of music, and ultimately make my own music videos! This will be the year I become fluent in ASL. I want to immerse myself in Deaf culture, make Deaf friends, and start on my journey to becoming a great interpreter. This is also the year to do everything I've never "had time" to do. Psh. Life is short, so make the best out of it! To a new year and new beginnings! Carpe Diem.

Love, love, love

A long time ago the world was much larger and people were much closer. It really was survival of the fittest. People worked together as a communal family to build their homes, harvest food, raise the children into their next generations, and help whenever the time came. Little things like how many rocks you had never mattered. Now, people live closer than they've ever lived before, but closeness is the furthest thing you'll find. Where is the love? And communication? Help? Patience? Optimism? Persistence? The world has seen a loss of love. Love cannot be bought. Money and things can never replace a friendship, relationship, kind word or friendly smile. Little things make the world go round. Love, love, love, love...

Happy Holidays

Well it's been a good month, and a good end to 2010. December was spent getting ready for Christmas, and Christmas held up it's end. Oh the weather outside is weather. And white! Maybe sledding will be involved tomorrow!
On to 2011. Resolutions:
Buy recyclables and eat organic and healthier; things like red wine, dark chocolate, almond milk (yum!), whole grains, lean meat, chicken, and fish, fruits, veggies, local honey, tea, and water.
Cook and bake more, and use natural products like baking soda more. No more microwaves, either!
Get active! Ballet, burlesque, belly dancing, pilates, yoga, swimming, biking, skating, hiking, camping, snowboarding, and martial arts.
This is the year for self-development. Play violin, cello, guitar, bass, sign, sing, paint, sew, interpret, find a job, and pay off my student loans! I have realized that I can't just wait around for exciting things to happen in my life; I have to make them happen. On the other hand, some of the best things in life come when you're not expecting them. This year, I have dreams.
4 1/2 years into being an adult and I still feel like a kid. Adults are just aging children still trying to figure out life. Nobody has everything figured out. Life is tough; it's even tougher when you're stupid. -John Wayne. You just have to do the best with what you have and enjoy the little things in life. I hope I always feel like a kid, try new things, laugh every day, and love unconditionally. All you need is love. Carpe Diem!

Happy Holidays!

After a month of studying, I passed the NIC Written Knowledge exam! I am now a Candidate for Certification! That means I have 5 years max to build my fluency & experience to pass a performance test. Then you're a Certified Interpreter. :) November was a good month. Thanksgiving with the family in Alabama was aslo a treat, especially right after getting the good news. Tomorrow is December first, and we're going to deck the halls at home. We love the holidays! Feliz Navidad! Life is fantastic!

A few quotes about Culture

"If we can accept the paradox that the real humanity of people is understood through cultural differences rather than cultural similarities, then we can make profound sense of our differences. It is possible that there is not one truth, but many; not one real experience, but many realities; not one history, but many different and valid ways of looking at events." - Jamake Highwater, The Primal Mind

"If virtually all of our perceptions are mediated by culture, then what is really true and valid? Principles that we accept as universal truths because they are not questioned in our society, such as marrying for love and making decisions about our future based on our own individual desires, are nothing more than the particular thinking of our culture." - Anna Mindess, Reading Between the Signs

"In the world of tomorrow we can expect to live- not merely vacation- in societies which seek different values and abide by different codes. There we will be surrounded by foreigners for long periods of time, working with others in the closest possible relationships. If people currently show little tolerance or talent for encounters with alien cultures, how can they learn to deal with constant and inescapable coexistence?" - Barnlund 1989

The Reality of Oppression

Most bigots aren't "big racists." They aren't the KKK types, the cross burners, the ones that would call you names, spit on you and beat you up as long as there were at least three of them for every one of you.
Most bigots are nice people- the church-goers, school teachers, police officers, business-people, truck drivers, mayors, and mail carriers. They make the community what it is. They make the wheels turn- the wheels of commerce, the wheels of benevolence, the wheels of oppression and injustice. They are the "little racists."
In the Holocaust, these were the normal people, those who thought of themselves as decent folk. Those who wouldn't kick a Jew to death, but would look the other way when someone else did. It is the normal people who make holocausts happen, the "good folk" who tolerate unspeakable evil.
-B. Alcorn

Trying to be a better person.

Sometimes in the rush of the world everyone needs to take a step back and see the forest through the trees. Every person is an individual, with thoughts, feelings, and a conscience. I believe in karma, and that if you live a good life and are a good friend, neighbor, sibling, whatever, you will have that same kindness shed on you. I'd like to believe in a higher power, and an afterlife, and that good things come to those who are rational, patient, open-hearted, giving, and unconditionally loving. It's one thing to make a statement. It's another thing to perform the action. I'm trying to be a better person, the bigger person, a better sister, friend, and daughter. Life has been an interesting ride so far, and most of us have gotten sick along the way. No more for me, please. I'd like to get my feet on solid ground. Life is too short for misery. Lifespans are short for humans! I'd like to make the best out of the time I have here. Smile more! You'll live longer! Bad news comes, don't you worry. When it lands, good news always works it's way to all them plans. Learn to be pro-active. Arguing gets you nowhere. Don't sweat the small stuff and take time to smell the roses. Love your family and friends. Follow the golden rule. Do things yourself. You are strong! Nobody can make you do anything you don't want to do. Use your mind. Think for yourself. Value silence. Speak your mind when thoughts are right to become words. And most of all, LOVE.

Whatever Tomorrow Brings, I'll Be There

Sometimes, I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear, and I can't help but ask myself how much I let the fear take the wheel and steer.
It's driven me before, and it seems to have a vague, haunting mass appeal.
But lately I'm beginning to find that I should be the one behind the wheel.
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there with open arms and open eyes.
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there. I'll be there.

-Incubus

It's Just a Minor Thing

I change the key from C to D. You see, to me it's just a minor thing, yo.
To re-adjust you've got to trust that all the fuss is just a minor thing, yo.
It's just a minor thing, and I'm a minor king.
You've got your bit part Mozart, hot dart acceleration,
Pop art, pistol chasin', cat fight intimidation.
All out interfacin', Black Star motivation,
Vampire, sugar junkie, data basin' infiltration.
To read a mind, you've got to redefine the line to make your circle sing, yo.
You make a sound, the spell is bound to come around.
It's just a minor thing, and I'm a minor king.

-The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Success!!

Tonight I marked the date for taking my written interpreter certification test- November 23! That means I've got 7 weeks to study and prepare. To be honest, I haven't done much with my skills since I graduated. During my last semester of college, I had the worst case of senioritis and was more than ready to not be in school anymore. After school ended, I turned my focus to my family and the most signing I've done has been communicating with Micah. I've thoroughly enjoyed moving back home and taking care of my family, though. This time has not only helped me to accomplish many projects at home, but also to grow as a person. Now it's time to work on my skills. I'm ready to become an interpreter!

Truth Belongs to Everybody

I was not created in the likeness of a fraud.
Your hell is something scary; I prefer a loving god.
We are not the center of this funny universe.
And what is something worse, I do not serve in fear of such a curse.
Shallow be thy game. 2000 years look in the mirror.
You play the game of shame, and tell your people live in fear.
A rival to the way you see the bible, let him be.
I'm a threat to your survival and your control company.
You'll never burn me. I'll be your heretic.
You can't contain me. I am the power free.
Truth belongs to everybody.
To anyone who's listening, you're not born into sin.
The guilt they try and give you, puke it in the nearest bin.
Missionary madness sweep up culture with a broom,
Trashing ancient ways is par for course. It's fucking rude.
To think that you're above the laws of nature is a joke.
Purple sashes feeding masses; smoke on which to choke.

-The Red Hot Chili Peppers

I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than closed by belief.
-Anonymous

Walkabout

I think I'll go on a walkabout
And find out what it's all about- and that ain't hard!
Just me and my own two feet,
In the heat I've got myself to meet.
A detective of perspective,
I need to try and get a bigger eye- open wide!
Bloodwood flowers in my gaze;
Walkabout in a sunny daze.
You could do it in the city,
You could do it in a zone,
You could do it in a desert,
You could do the unknown
On a walkabout...
High desert skies are what I spy,
So fly- you've got to wonder why!
The didgeridoo original man with a dream,
I believe the Aborigine.
A walk could cure most all my blues,
Bare feet, or in my two shoes- one, two...
I think I'll go on a walkabout.
Find out what it's all about- can't hurt to try!

- The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Netflix!

Tonight I activated Netflix! Now we can watch almost anything instantly on our tvs! I showed mom our instant queue by flipping through on our Wii and she was thrilled! It is exciting to have instant accessibility! Technology may be confusing at times, but I'd say there are more pros than cons. Plus, everything comes with instructions now-a-days, so there's no hassle! I can't wait to watch more! A few of my favorite picks are The Botany of Desire, Food, Inc., and The Gerson Miracle. I love documentaries! I had not seen a documentary until Netflix came around, and now I can't get enough! Who says tv rots your brain? I'm learning something every time I watch! Even shows like Mythbusters and Survivorman are available for your learning pleasure! Netflix provides for all your watching needs, though. Search through thousands of movies, stand-up comedy acts, tv shows and more! Popular series on tv, like Heroes or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, are even available by the season! No more waiting! Hooray for Netflix!

Eco-Friendly Family

We've gone green! Over the summer my family and I slowly started to recycle. We would take our recycling to Kroger, but now we have the convenience of getting our recycling picked up, curbside style, by city trash management! No need to separate paper, plastic or metal! The program is called Blue Bagging, and has really been a catalyst for recycling here in Franklin. Our recycling to trash ratio is 3:1 now! I can see every house around us recycling too! We are just one family, one house, but every house adds up, and every little bit helps!
We're also tree-huggin' it by using energy efficient light bulbs and LED candles- they look so real you won't believe it! After I read that a slow-burning candle in your home could be emitting dangerous amounts of lead and poisoning the air quality for your family, I knew we had to do something to change! We've also started collecting our old electronics, glasses, cell phones, and batteries to be recycled properly. Now we're focusing on being energy and water conscious!
My next move would be to snatch up all our chemical cleaners and dispose of them! While cleaning one day, I thought about all the chemicals I was so willingly spraying to "clean" our home. I watched the particles fall slowly all around me and I realized that soon they would disperse everywhere indoors. Whose definition of clean is covered in chemicals? I do not want my family to be poisoned, but rather safe and healthy. I would like to start buying Green cleaning products that I KNOW are non-toxic and all natural. The saying goes: "You are what you eat", but what about what you're breathing and don't even realize? Just because you can't see the dirt in your air doesn't mean it's not there! Air pollution levels inside can be 5 times more polluted and dangerous than the air outside! Toxic substances can be found in furniture, carpets, paints, synthetic materials, and many other places in your home that you would not think about! Consider the air pollution in your home! Ventilate your house, buy natural products, and just spend more time outside!
Get back in touch with nature and love our Earth! Here we are in the beginning of the 21st Century, and all we can see is a dark future for our children. Help preserve our environment in any way you can! Every little bit helps!

Over the hills and through the trees

To the Grandparents' house we go! Mom, Micah, and I are going for an overnight visit! I wish Timothy was coming with us, too. Micah is SO excited! He loves to ride around the land with Papa and swim in Uncle Steve's pool- which we'll do today! I'm excited for some southern home cookin'! It'll be nice to see our family again. I want to see everyone in Louisiana, too. Hopefully that will happen soon! After graduating high school, and then college, your circle of friends winds down and you keep only a close few. I realize now how important family is. You can't choose the people in your family, and yet everyone loves each other unconditionally. Family is always there for you, to support you through life's struggles, and to guide you with their own experiences. One reason I started this blog was for family to be able to see what's happening with us up in Tennessee. I fell off the face of the planet over the summer and became a hermit. Looking back over the summer, I realized how many important people in my life I hadn't talked to. I'd like to change that and be a better person for my family. They deserve to have the kindness they've shown me my whole life. I love my family, and my friends that have become like my family. Thank you all for loving me, taking care of me, and supporting me. I would not be the young lady I am today without you.
"Never explain yourself- your friends don't need it and your enemies won't believe it." -Rachel
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss

Breakthrough!!

Sign Language is the answer! After dealing with a very fussy Micah all day, I took him upstairs and we built a train. We weren't talking yet, so I decided to use ASL to talk to Micah, without voicing. He communicated SPECTACULARLY!!! He was silent the whole time, and looked at me while I signed. We had a conversation for quite a few minutes! If that wasn't enough, the breakthrough came when I asked him a question and he responded with an enthusiastic YES!, and then continued with his playing. It felt like we were in a classroom and I was his aid. If I hadn't known any better, I could have mistaken him for any other 11-year-old boy. He responded so quickly it surprised me. In that moment I knew he completely understood me. He is so smart! Even while I'm writing this, he is continuing to communicate with me in sign language. To go from yelling, pushing your buttons, throwing toys and temper tantrums, to talking back and forth in turn with patience and smiles is a wonderful feeling! I will continue signing with him from now on! For now, I'm not using my voice and we're signing in silence. I think, this way he can concentrate on what I'm signing. Of course we talk without signing sometimes, so I will try to add sign language to our daily routines. Hopefully soon the whole house will be signing! This is so exciting!
What a great night! This just proves that things are always looking up if you just find the right way to solve the problem. I hope this means there are many, many more smiles in my family's future.

Mood Music

A decade ago, I never thought I would be, at twenty-three, on the verge of spontaneous combustion. I've had enough of the world and its people's mindless games. So pardon me while I burn and rise above the flame. I'll never be the same! Oh my, my, Oh hell yes! Honey, put on that party dress! Buy me a drink, sing me a song, take me as I come, cause I can't stay long. And all I can do is just pour some tea for two and speak my point of view, but it's not sane. Take a piece and pass it on. I'm a picker, I'm a grinner, I'm a lover, and I'm a sinner playin' my music in the sun. I'm a joker, I'm a smoker, I'm a mid-night toker. I get my lovin' on the run. Where I go I just don't know. I got to, I got to take it slow. When I find my piece of mind I'm gonna give you some of my good time. Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there.


Today love smiled on me. The weather was perfect: the sun was shining, the wind was blowing, and fall is finally starting to come. Since graduation, I've slowly moved back home, however my summer was anything but slow. However, it's nice to be back home. I get to be with my family and friends again and room and board is free! That being said, I do my best to give back to mom what she's given me all my life. I've been sitting with Micah, as well as cleaning & organizing mom's entire house on the side. Tonight I finally finished cleaning everything! That was 10 years of clutter! I hope having an organized house will be one less thing for mom to worry about. Now it's time to start back in to interpreting! Here goes a new chapter in my life! Destiny is calling me!