Evaluation of the Semester

Wow.... What a fascinating course!

I have never been so exposed to different types of technology in an educational setting. I thought it was awesome, and will really help me to develop my skills as a journalist.

Blogging was a little difficult to figure out; it seemed simple at first but easily got confusing when we had to add gadgets and maps and links..... OH MY!!!! LOL but I learned so much about a subject I knew nothing about, so i really enjoyed the experience.

Learning how to configure my map was a tad bit hard, too. Even though there are only a few different buttons to push, you gotta know what you're doing! After you figure it out, you're good to go, but before that.... You're in trouble! I've gotten the hang of it though and feel really accomplished!

Finally, I was glad to be exposed to flickr. I had heard a lot about it, but had no idea what it entailed. I was glad to learn how it worked and more about the concept. Even though I mistakingly lost access to my flick account :-(, it was cool for the time being.

My classmate also helped to enrich my technological learning experience. They have helped me to understand certain things and introduced me to different forms of technology I never even knew existed! I loved the interactivity of the course.

Overall, I think the course was very well-rounded. We did presentations, had guest speakers, and worked in groups. It was a great way to learn about technology and teach each other at the same time. I would definitely recommend this class to others and probably would take it again.

How thin is too thin?

One issue that has caused much controversy recently is the appearance of a very thin beauty pageant contestant for Miss Universe Australia. Her name is Stephanie Naumoska, and while the 19-year-old beauty queen is beautiful, she is RAIL thin. Her pictures are up at the top of this post.

The reason why this i such a big issue is because the pageant, like all other, promote health and fitness. Many fear that Naumoska took this too an extreme.

Naumoska is 5-foot-11 and weighs only 108 lbs. Her body mass index is only 15.1 (the BMI for malnourishment is 18). Australian health professionals feel she needs to get immediate help.

Make the judgement for yourself.

It's a Rec!!!

Ah.... I remember my days as a little high school student, looking for something to do after school.... What did some of us find interesting?
Yes, the rec center! You could do so many things there... Although most of the girls I know just went there to watch the boys LOL!
Nonetheless, looking back on a facility like that, it really was a great concept for grade school students and well as members of the community. One particular center I want to highlight is the Rivercrest Community Center.
Located in Chesapeake, VA, the Rivercrest Community Center was down the street from my house and school, and a really great building. I remember it like it was yesterday...
Walking in to the front door, you're greeted by the front desk- where you pay to use the center LOL! Off to the left was a very small room for workout purposes (it made sense though, because that's not the main point of a rec center). On your right was the game room- a pool table mostly! HAHA but there were snack machines too, so that's all that mattered! Around the corner you'd find additional offices, bathrooms, and rooms available for rent. But behind the door to the left on front desk was the main attraction- the gym! it was huge, and very well kept. This is where the people gahered. Girsl watched the guys, some girls played, and folks had a good ol' time! That's what I remember about the rec center... Just good memories!
After high school I tried to work out there, but I think it was in my mind that I always had to look cute when I went so I never got anything accomplished! HAHA I had to go somewhere with no memories.... and less cute boys!!!!!
The Rivercrest Community Center is my rec. What's yours?

What's Your Lifestyle?

I chose to write today about a phenomenal center at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center called the "Lifestyle Center". It's a unique addition to the hospital with a very defined purpose: to improve "the health of the community through education, screenings and fitness programming". It's been around for over 20 years now and has a nationally certified cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program and outpatient diabetes program.
However, I think my favorite part about the facility is its fitness opportunities. The Lifestyle Center has a fitness section reserved for senior citizens, provides group fitness classes, personal training, and post rehabilitation.
I'm most impressed with the Lifestyle Center because of it's attention to those who really need it- seniors and patients. Unfortunately, there are limited fitness facilities for either of those groups, so the Lifestyle Center is a wonderful asset to the hospital. The facility itself is very nice, and large enough to include a separate office space and rooms for events.
The Lifestyle Center at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center. I'm impressed.

Follow My Preparation- The Slacker Edition

Yeah, so..... I'm sad guys.
Basically, here's the deal.... I fell off.
I was going to the gym REALLY REALLY good, and then.... I lost it.
I don't know... I think it fell somewhere around the beginning of the month when I began to schedule a lot of meetings and stuff in the morning. Then I was going straight to school, or had homework... Ah, you know the excuses.
Anyway, I haven't been to the gym in a few days. I NEED SOME INSPIRATION! Any suggestions?
One thing that has helped me in the past is to look at previous pictures of me in a swimsuit. Sometimes, that's motivating. Wanna see 'em? Okay... They're at the top of this post! LOL! The first one is from 2006, then 2007, and 2008. Haven't taken on this year yet. Hopefully there will be improvement.
Wadaya think of my pics? Am I improving.... Or getting worse? Let me know! Thanks!

WHY!!!!!!!?????!!!!!!

As many of us are WELL aware, it's pretty difficult to work out. I mean, yeah, you can do it a few times constantly, but excuses always arise. "Oh I need to rest" or, "Oh there's just so much else to do today".... BLAH BLAH BLAH. I have to admit, I'm quite guilty of it myself. Truth is, I've been trying to get into the work-out mode for the last three years of my life and STILL haven't truly caught the bug!!!
But, I have learned a thing or two about what works best for me as a "gym freshman". Here's what I now know to be true... Well, at least for me.
In my Public Journalism class, we discussed writings by authors Gibbs & Warhover that introduced to us the 5 W's of journalism. It's something that many of us become familiar with early in life, but it was fascinating to learn how significant it was to journalism today. Here they are.. SAY THEM WITH ME-
Who, What, When, Where, and- you guessed it- WHICH!
No, I'm just kidding. It's Why of course!
Anyway, Gibbs & Warhover go on to explain that a good journalist will define each of these five things before going any further with a particular story. It's information your readers HAVE to know.
Well, for this particular post, I'm going to go into detail about WHY some gyms just haven't worked out for me. Or, at least I think this is why....
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Ok, so I used to have a membership at Gold's Gym. And don't get me wrong, it's a GREAT facility! We all know that. But here are the top three reasons WHY Gold's Gym didn't work out for me.
1. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. It was too far away! For someone who is really trying hard to constantly go to the gym, proximity can be your easiest excuse. I had to find a gym that was no more than 10 minutes away on a bad day... That way, I really couldn't rant and rave about the stress of getting there.
2. SIZE DOES MATTER. Initially, I thought "The bigger the gym, the better". However, what I've realized is that a big gym is intimidating. Usually big gyms come with big, buff people that are pretty much where you wanna be. It's very frustrating to watch them do laps around you on the treadmill or life 40-pound weights with their pinky. Gym Freshmen should find a place that's a little more intimate... That way, they don't have to feel like they're competing with anyone else.
3. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING. Have you ever walked into a gym and thought, "........" Yeah, me too! Every machine looks the same, every machine looks different. And truly, Each person doesn't need each machine and each person will use each machine differently. Every person has their own fitness formula. But without an expert to put that together for you, you can easily waste your time at the gym. And without hundreds of dollars to spend per month, you can't get a personal trainer. My advice, again, is to find a smaller gym, preferably one that has just opened. Usually in that case, the trainers don't have a million clients and will probably be willing to put together a workout plan for you even on a general membership. So, you get the formula, but you keep your dough!
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Ok, so that's my advice. Hope it helps someone! I'm still learning, so the more I learn the more I'll share!
Until then, enjoy the images at the top of my post, courtesy of the internet!!!! (Until I get my flickr account back up and running... Hehe)