A healthy lifestyle

i'm going on three weeks of recovery after a serious accident and i've finally begun to feel more like myself. i wake up each morning expecting to have bounced back and be my usual bubbling bustling self ready to take the dog for a morning jog, hit the gym for an hour or more, have breakfast at home, and then teach for 6-10 hours 4 days a week. none of that is happening, and i finally concluded it could take weeks still before i get back into fighting form. i was lucky to have survived my ordeal with only a concussion, scrapes, bruises, and internal bleeding. i was lucky to only spend 3 nights in the hospital. and i'm lucky to have such a wonderful support system of family, friends, and coworkers. the headaches are gone, the muscles are finally starting to cooperate, and i'm allowed to start working part-time.

my doctor and i had a long conversation this morning as we formulated a game plan for getting back into the swing of my busy life. she did comment several times on how important my lifestyle before the accident has impacted my speedy recovery. i don't smoke, i drink occasionally (but only on weekends), i eat right, i run 2-4 miles 4-5 days a week, i do a light workout 3-4 days a week, i meditate in a variety of ways regularly, and i surround myself with positive and intelligent people. oh, and i laugh a lot, even if it still hurts doing so! balance is important when it comes to body, mind, and soul.

i urge anyone who isn't in the best of health to start changing bad habits and starting looking for healthy alternatives. believe it or not, i was the fat kid once. i got into sports like soccer, track and field, then eventually my aunt coaxed me into going to the gym and slowly i started seeing results. it takes work to get into shape, even for someone who's always been active like me, but it really does build your confidence and change your perception of life. by the time i reached college i learned to stay away from negativity and people who hold onto their dark cloud. growing up i saw my grandparents (who i adore) drink and smoke at lively parties and how over the years it destroyed them physically. now in their seventies and eighties their attitude has gone sour because age prevents them from coping with illness that hit them too soon due to their eccentric lifestyle. don't let that happen to you! find the motivation within yourself or with support from friends to make the changes you need to be happy. being healthy can save your life - I'm proof of that.

Staying fresh

i've always secretly appreciated my ability to stay ahead of so called trends, particularly those of music, art, and fashion. friends and newcomers alike often give me compliments for my tastes in clothes, music, activities, and creative ideas. the truth is, i made a conscious decision not to pay heed to popular followings, rather do my own thing whether it be the "in" thing or not. with that in mind, i believe it's important to stay fresh, to update one's appearance, perspective, musical playlists, food pallet, etc -- to always continue to read, learn, and listen. i can never have enough new experiences! the important thing is to do it for me, what i like is what i like, there doesn't always have to be a reason. my more serious concern is to never be bored or fall into a rut, which can easily happen to any one of us - always mix it up. haters out there will demand i'm no more unique than the next guy, i would possibly agree with that. perhaps it's my confidence that i simply don't care of people's opinion of me that brings me more attention than the average joe. truthfully, i can't answer that.

the idea of this latest blog came to me on the way home from the salon. on an impulse i made an appointment for a cut at a place i've never been to. the overall experience wasn't much different from past salon visits, but having a new pair of eyes and hands overseeing my 'do was worthwhile enough to feel less guilt for not scheduling time with my usual stylist. without realizing it the co-owner and i began to open up about the importance of staying current in his line of work, also about inspiration for the both of us, artists in two very different fields. the more i thought of staying current, the more i realized it's a battle of futility. trends and fads are always changing, sometimes at such a fast pace that it's impossible to keep up. i much prefer my way of staying true to ones self and not focused on what's more popular.

that's not to say i don't regularly watch early morning MTV for the latest music videos, or check out the current issues of GQ, Vanity Fair, or the like. in fact i cultivate my ideas for my personal "look" and my own art and even my art lessons for my students from a number of sources. as i write i've begun to understand that i look back, as much as i look now or to the future. i love fashion from bygone eras, as well as the album artwork of albums decades old. used book stores always have hidden gems. comic books have always inspired me, from wanting to help others, to being the best i can be. i could go on and on, but instead i've decided to create a short list of resources i like to use to stay away from being stagnate or dull. if you're reading this and have your own list, please email it to me, i'm always interested in new and bright ideas to aid me in staying fresh!
1. 100 Years of Fashion Illustration
2. Jody Watley: StyleFile - Jody Watley knows, music, fashion, health and has used her gifts to inspire her fans and more for over twenty years.
3. Amazon Archives - The Amazing Amazon, Wonder Woman, is a fictional character, but of all the comic book characters I've read since I was young, none have had more of an impact than DC Comic's premiere heroine.
4. DapperLou.com - Ludget Delcy is a stylist with a keen eye for fashion, not just for himself or clients, but of those in his world of New York City - awesome stuff.
5. LPCover Lover
6. Cher: Forever Fit - Laugh if you must, but this book originally published in '91, purchased by my aunt, set me on the path to a better life through fitness and nutrition. I was nine years old.