Shameless Plug

This is a shameless plug promoting my sister's (ad)venture as a Gyrotonic instructor.

Most of you know Debby's story...
in 2000 she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

It was caught early,
and after the standard course of treatment the prognosis looked good.



But (there's always a but), in 2004 it was discovered again, this time as metastisized breast cancer...
landing in her bones, specifically her pelvis. She was treated with chemo, and with radiation.

The drugs left her weak and thin and the radiation left her hip muscle damaged-- at one point she was even using a walker.

In her quest to regain her strength, and improve the range of motion in her hip, through a friend who is a physical therapist, she found Gyrotonic exercise. If you had seen my sister in 2004, you would not recognize her today. She not only looks great, she is successfully keeping the cancer at bay and her physical fitness has improved significantly. In fact, the attached postcard is a picture of Debby on the Gryotonic tower.

Debby liked the exercise system so much that she determined to become a certified Gyrotonic instructor, which she completed earlier this year.

The exercise system is similar to pilates. You work one-on-one with an instructor utilizing the machine's system of weights and pulleys for resistance training. I liken a Gryotonic session to something between a workout and a massage. The next day you definitely feel like you got a work out, and all the stretching and rotational movement makes you feel like you got a massage.

A private session is usually $65, but as a new Gyrotonic instructor, Debby is offering a first time client special of $35 for an hour-long session.... She's working out of a pilates studio in Encinitas on El Camino Real just north of Encinitas Boulevard. (The Pilates Place is located at 317 N. El Camino Real Suite 109, Encinitas, CA)

I know this is not for everyone-- maybe it's not in your budget, maybe Encinitas is too far-- but (see, I told you there's always a but!) maybe you know someone this would be perfect for, and you could pass this along.

If you have any questions, give me a holler, or an email, or call Debby direct.

Thanks for reading! No obligation to buy anything, ever...

Deadline.

Sorry I've not posted lately.... I don't really know to whom I am apologizing, the universe? the internets? the 3 people that read my blog? (Hi Leah, Joe, Sheila). Part of the "posting problem" is that I am on deadline to finish my book. Now lest ye get all excited thinking I have a publishing contract or something (I wish) the deadline is to submit a "whole" draft to my fellow writers -- and the professor-- who will be teaching the Master Class at the Taos Summer Writing Conference in July. I have been accepted into the class, limited to only 6 attendees, and with the expectation that said attendees have a 'whole" draft of their "novel length" piece ready for critique. HA HA HA.... what was I thinking? I'm writing at a snail's pace of 2 pages per week, and even turning those in late to my own Read and Critique group. I have 128 pages. Make that 130.... I should have 200 pages of "Reconstructing My Mother." My deadline is May 18 to be postmarked. No exceptions.
Like I said. WHAT WAS I THINKING?

Oh yeah, I've been depressed. April 15 marked the one year anniversary of my father's passing... not to mention the fact that I OWED the flipping IRS and I am totally broke and feeling completely pathetic and depressed and lonely and ugly even though everyone keeps saying how great my hair looks and my new glasses and "are you SEEEING someone..." yeah. right. did I mention that I was depressed?

In conclusion. I have a book to write. I just stopped in to say hello.

New Glasses

and a new hairdo too, but you can't tell in this picture.

Dare to Dream

I've not been posting much lately as you may (or may not) have noticed. I spent a few days in New York and since my return, it's been busy busy at work (where I have been creating blog posts). Oh, and I'm trying to write my book. I need to be done sometime in early May. Because I signed up for a Master Class. In Taos. With Gregory Martin... and it's hard to keep on track when people are pulling me in other directions and it's So. Much. Easier to do things for other people than do things for myself.

In New York I attended a conference, Blogher for Business, to learn how to utilize blogs in a business, how to measure effectiveness, what's the R in ROI... good stuff. I also met an interesting woman from Boston, Whitney Johnson. I'm not sure if or how she'll fit into my life, but you know the saying "when the student is ready, the teacher will come?" I've been reading her blog sporadically since my return from New York. I think there are some messages there that I need to hear.

Her latest post, What Not To Wear, first attracted my attention because I love the show What Not To Wear. And then, it got me thinking about dreams.

How do successful people become successful? What's the difference between someone who dreams and someone who Does? Do you have to live your dream at the expense of other people? How do you keep good boundaries while at the same time keep good relationships? And if you do change, if you do decide to pursue your dream, have you noticed that sometimes that choice upsets the balance of "power" in a given relationship?

I have more to say... but no time for now. What do you say?