Monthly Archives: November 2008

1 Minute Pity Party for All

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“1 Minute Pity Party For All”
Nov08-4Okay everybody, get your stopwatch out.   If you don’t have one, look at your watch, your cell phone, the time on your computer – whatever.  Got it?  Good.  Alright, now let’s take the next minute to have a pity party for all the things you dislike about yourself and/or your life.  I’ll go first:  it saddens me that I no longer have a living immediate family.  Growing up an only child I was very close to my parents.  I’m reserved by nature, so to have nobody to go to or talk to or a regular basis sometimes makes me blue.  I grew up with various cousins, uncles, grandparents etc… but am now the only Yeager here.  It sucks.  Wahhhh!   It sometimes is not fun being single.  It’s great to meet men and go out on dates, but I seek the day I’ll once again have that connection and be excited to move to the next level.  Boo hoo, boo hoo.

Like that- now it’s your turn.  Take a minute and get out all of your complaints about your life.  If it’s easier to write them down, do it.  Shout them at the top of your lungs if it makes you feel better.  Let your tears flow if needed (get a snot rag just in case).  Remember, you have only exactly one minute to get it all out – GO!!   (quit reading this and get started).  Keep going.  Halfway there.  I know life is tough.  Times are hard.  Nobody understands.  15 seconds left.  He cheated on you.  You hate your weight.  You have no job….. time is up – STOP!

Now that everything is on the table, here is what we must all realize.  Nobody is perfect.  Nobody has a perfect life.  Everybody has some area in which they will not excel.  Your area may be job related.  You may be the type of person who has a great family, but you are always switching jobs and/or getting laid off.  Or maybe you’re the one with a six figure salary, but are always in abusive relationships.  Or maybe you have a great family and a great job, but you have an addiction to drugs or alcohol.  And here’s another one, maybe everyone looks up to you for your strength and courage, but you’re fighting cancer and your hair is falling out.

We as humans love to sit and pout about everything that happens after the BUT.  However, it’s what is before the ‘but’ that should be our focus.  Think about your five closest friends or family members.  You can name at least one thing about them that you don’t envy.  However, you stay close to them instead, because of the things you do admire.  We need to do this for ourselves.  People ask me how I function in life after the death of my parents.  What they fail to realize is that I’ve seen the positives that have come from the situation.  When I was younger my parents took me to their meetings for different organizations.  I would sit quietly in the back and color.  Who would have known that they were preparing me to give back to the community when I was of age?  I grew up in a beautiful house with a unique father that made me a balance beam in the backyard.  Right before my mother passed away, she painted the walls of her bedroom Carolina blue.  I never imagined that I would now own the house – but it was prepared just for me.  Of course I miss the traditions of the holidays that we used to do.  However, I know life right now is a transition and when the time is right I will be able to create new ones.

And even though I hate being single, I know that I am fortunate to experience so many things in life.  I have the freedom to travel when and wherever I want.  I can sleep in late, walk around the house naked and buy as many dresses as my heart desires. I get to constantly meet new people and experience that giddy excitement you get while waiting to be picked up the first time for a date.

So do this next, take another minute (your clock should still be close to you) and think about all the right things that are happening in your life.  Are you kids successful?  Is your health well?  Are you bills paid?  Does your husband love you?  Do you love your church home?  Really think about these things – and appreciate them!  One minute – GO!

Remember, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and gives thanks for all that you’ve been given.  We can’t have everything at once, so just be patient.  Life is about a series of experiences.  Appreciate the things that you have now, before they are gone.  If you don’t value the things you have currently, why should you be blessed with anything more?

I end with this.  You may not know it, but you are a blessing to me.  I hope each of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.  We are all different for a reason so EMBRACE YOUR UNIQUENESS!
 

M.Y.  November 2008

 

Booty Be Gone

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“Booty-Be-Gone”
Nov08-3My body and I are having a personal struggle with each other.  I grew up always appreciating the fact that I had a ‘big butt and a smile’.  I might not have had much up top as a member of the A Team, but I knew I was okay since I was packing in the back.
Trips to the dressing room at department stores were always the same.  I’d be excited for a dress I would find and my mother would quickly say, “Michelle, turn around so I can see the back.”  It was a killer every time.  I ended up avoiding jeans all together because they just didn’t fit right.  My derrière had been described as the perfect half of a basketball, easily held with the palm of your hand.
At a friend’s house I recently discovered a magazine called Smooth.  Ladies, this magazine features the large bootylicious views of many women of color.  Most of the pictures were from behind.  It looked like the Hooters (in reverse) for Black men.  I knew that I would never be of the status to ‘grace’ those pages.  However, my romp and I were fine to exist in our own world – until this year and the fitness competitions.
The gluteus maximus is made up of fat.  In the fitness world, this just isn’t acceptable.  If you look at the pictures of tushes of professional athletes (which I hope to be next year), you’ll notice there is no major hump-age (yeah, I made up that word!) -between their rump and their hamstring.  It’s just one straight line.  Click here for a picture.
So I’m bringing sexy back in a whole new way.  I’ll be squatting, lunging, and leg pressing my way to a rock solid posterior.   The days when my female friends and I inquired if it were really possible to make out booties clap will still remain a mystery.  The second glances as I walk past may be decrease in number.   Instead, I can yearn to have a spread or the cover of the latest fitness magazine.   I can hope to inspire women around the world to work out and care for their bodies.  I can show that sacrifices can make a difference.  Hopefully I learn that sometimes you have to give up one thing in order to appreciate the other blessings God wants to place in your life.

M.Y. November 2008

7th Time’s a Charm

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“Seventh Time is a Charm”
Nov08-2This was my year of competitions!  I decided to jump in head first and dedicate myself to figure and then fitness competitions.  I started training the last week of January and my first competition was on March 22 in Northern KY, the day before Easter. I would have never thought that I would have won my height class, but I did.  It was pure thrill being up on the stage seeing all of my hard work pay off.  After the first competition I was hooked.  My new goal was to win the overall title of all the competitors.

My next competition was two weeks later in Cleveland.  Once again I won my class (and the 6 ft trophy) but not the overall title.  Shucks.  A week later I was in Cincy.  I placed 4th in my class.  I felt very slighted and that the competition was fixed.  The woman that won trained at the gym that sponsored the competition.  Others told me the same thing and I didn’t even want the trophy.  I hid it in my room and erased the competition from my memory.   Never again would I compete there.
From there was the National competition in May in South Carolina.  There I decided that I wanted to switch over to fitness.  I entered my first fitness competition in July in Fort Wayne, IN and placed first in fitness and second in figure.  I felt great with only two weeks to get ready for the show.
I ended the season with a fitness competition in Baltimore.  I placed first in fitness and fourth in figure.  The women there looked wonderful, so I was fine with my placement.  I fought with myself about doing one more competition.  It was the same Cincy competition as earlier in the year.  I wanted to protest the show, but at the same time wanted to compete one last time.
After going back and forth, I decided to enter.  It was a large competition.  There were over 18 women in my height class.  The women who placed ahead of me in April were there again.  I thought to myself that I could have been at home stuffing my face!  Oh well, there was no turning back.  I became a little more excited when I was told there would be a new head judge.  Once on the competition floor, I was moved to the middle for pre-judging (that’s a good sign).  I received compliments from my trainer and people in the audience.  I felt good.  During the finals it was announced that I won my class.  Hip hip hooray for Louisville!  Now came the title I wanted the most – the overall.  They brought out each class winner and we competed against each other for the overall title.  Oh, I wanted it so bad.  I wasn’t a hometown favorite so I didn’t have the backing of the crowd.  But, I DID IT!  I won the overall title.  In addition, I received the award (Best Symmetry) for the person with the most potential for the future.  I received two trophies, a plaque, and a champion jacket!  It took seven months and seven competitions – but the additional thrill was worth the wait!

M.Y.  November 20008

November 4, 2008

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“November 4, 2008″

Oct08-2

Today I was a part of history. I made a difference and I will help to create change. As I cast my ballot and voted for Barack Obama, I thought of my parents.  My mother helped pass out salt tablets during the Civil Rights movement to the marchers.  My father helped protect the Freedom Riders that were traveling through the south.  They told me stories of going to separate schools.  Neither of them are physically here on Earth today.  I cast my vote in memory of them.  I know they are looking down proud of the experience they fought long and hard become a reality.

I also voted as a tribute to some of our foot soldiers that are still here.  As I walked away from my voting poll, I thought about Raoul Cunningham.  He’s been there, done that and is still fighting for change.  I also thought about Senator Georgia Powers.  She was there when Martin Luther King Jr was shot.  She broke barriers decades ago.  She continues to tell her story and lets us know our work is not yet complete.  I even thought of the Rev. Louis Coleman.  He died to open our eyes.

One of my first steps in this historic event came with typing this reflection.  As I did my spell check,both Barack and Obama came up as unknown words.  With pride, joy and a smile, I pressed the ‘learn’ button because Barack and Obama will both become household names for a long time to come!

I attended several election parties, but wanted to be at home to listen to Barack’s speech.  His speech was excellent as expected.  What brought tears to my eyes was after the speech and seeing both the Obama and Biden family come on stage.  Michelle Obama – the new first lady.  She is a new role model for diverse women everywhere.  Then add in the Barack children.  They present a wonderful, new image of genuine black family.   The Cosby show first aired 24 years ago.  Wow!  It has taken us that long to move from the fictional successful black family, to the reality that you can be successful and raise a family.

As the extended families of both Barack and Joe stood on stage, you witnessed a rainbow of relatives all standing together on one platform praising our first African American president. Obama is not just a black president, he is a United States president!

There’s a saying that was passed along that I believe it truly fitting of the occasion:
“Rosa sat so that Martin could walk.  Martin walked so Barack could run.  Barack is running so that our children can fly!”  He can’t do this on his own.  Barack Obama is continuing in the paths of many others and will shatter many glass ceilings that many only dreamed of touching.  Times are tough right now, he needs our continued support, prayer and dedication to be agents of change.  Yes we can!  Yes we did!  Yes we will!!

M.Y. November 2008