I MADE IT!!!! I am in sunny Tampa Bay! Of course they are having a cold spell this week....the WHOLE week...but at least it isn't 4-8 inches forcasted! I'll take it.
We spent superbowl at Jose's with Patti And Phil Chalar and a couple of others eating steak, sweet potato and home made apple pie. GO STEELERS! I was the ONLY Steelers fan in the group!!!! It's all good...I knew they would win!
I have also spent a majority of my time doing my certification test with pro PTA...IT WILL BE DONE baye it done by end of this week.
Today I am picking up a rental car to have for a couple days to get around while JOse is at work! I'm gona go see the BOSS..Tim Gardner! I have an interview for Body Tech Mag on line with Roger Cox tonight. We are also supposed to be going to the Blue MArtini to do a little Spanish Dancing...haven't done that in YEARS!!!!
Plans for Saturday are to go to the GASPIRILLA Day parade...allt he years of coming to Tampa and I have never done that before. Thank God the eather will be warming up by then...in the mid-70's.
I have also been up every weekday at 5:30 to go to the gym and train....it's a bit different but once I am up it's cool! Something different about NOT having a whole day of work ahead of you that makes it easier I think!
OK...to al!
l of you up North...stay warm and dry...be careful of the shoveling and I will be praying for SUNSHINE for you and me!!!
Peace out
C

It's SNOWING AGAIN!!!!! The northesat is snowed in for the 13th time this winter .... I am going to TAMPA!!!! Yes...I can take it no longer...I am u;sing my free ticket and free accommodations and going to the warmth...even a cold spell is warmer than here!!!!!


Can't wait to see my peeps in TAMPA!!!!!

Muah to you all and for those of you I leave behind....I will bring back some sunshine for you!!!!!

Good Morning!!!
It is a beautiful, sunny, icy day here in the Northeast and I am glued to the history that is happening through the TV. It struck me yesterday that this nation has come so far in My OWN life time!!! I am very proud to be American right now. I hope that America can keep it together and have patience with our new president. Good, bad or indifferent we are embracing a more open mind and change...AS A NATION!!!!
Re-organizing is the name of the game around here...getting plans set for 2009, cleaning out the old and planning for the new. I feel that it is going to be a GREAT year, full of positive changes. I can't deniy that I miss my Mom terribly but everything feels new, EVERYTHING!
My website is going to have a new look very soon and I hope to get my newsletter back in cirrculation!!!
I am personal training out of Gold's gym and being kept VERY busy with that! I won't be taking any new clients as of April as travels will ramp up and I will only be part time in the gym.

I am also on Facebook now as well as myspace...God only knows If I will be able to keep up with all that!!!!
Anyway...realize YOUR BLESSINGS~!!!! They are more than you see!
Hugs
C

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I wish all ofyou who check here many blessings for restfulness, peace and prosperity in this new year! I am looking forward to this year to re-adjust to life...in looking back over this year with all the tragedy it seemed to provide I also realize how it showed me all the blessings I have as well. It's strange but as we get older and venture through this journey there continues to be sooo much to learn and so many things LOOK different as we experience all the joys and pain in life. Without the pain we will never know the joy that life can bring..this I already knew but this past year slapped that one on me again. There were sooo many people taken from us all this year; Of course My Mom, Lana's son, Tony, then Steve Stone, Kenny Kassel..so many many more....through all this loss though I saw so many people who came through with thoughts and gifts ;and prayers and just feelings of love that showed me how blessed I am. I miss my MOther terribly but her death was so much less tradgic then many of my friends who have suffered loss of young loved ones..
My Christmas, although very different, ended up actually very nice. If it wasn't for my boy Jose I am not sure it would have been so pleasant as I was very moody and couldn't figure it out...I guess it's a part of the "process"...I threw a birthday party for my dad with a few friends and family. We had it on New Years Day instead of the 31st which is his actual birthday. I am glad too as the weather was bright a sunny. It was a good celebration for us given our year.

So...2009...I am looking to organize my daily life tasks, get a better idea of how my personal training will work now that I will be able to pay it some attention. I also look forward to traveling for Protan. We will be at all the same shows as last year plus we will be at FIBO in Germany! I am really looking forward to this...I am actually getting to go overseas with this BB thing (in a way)...I always wanted to be able to travel abroad and Protan is giving me that opportunity. I am not sure I will be competing this year...it looks like there is only 1 show that isn't invite only and it's in May. It might be a good thing. My fitness goals are to get in shape for the Arnold to look great in the booth and then from there on in my travels in the industry. I have cooked my chicken and protein pancakes and am starting double cardios again today!!!! Gaining size isn't on the plan this year but getting lean is!!!!

I will be working with a new webmaster as well this year so I will have a new look on my site.. I hope to be able to load the pics on my site on my own and I hope to update pics and travel sections as well as resume my newsletter. I am also in the process of getting certified through the PRO PTA. This is the only program that acknowledges IFBB Pros and has a GI bill. Once I get certified I will be able to certify others! I like the idea of educating people on how to train others...I see so many lazy trainers out there!
I also have a FREE ticket (I volunteered for a bump last year) and I think I am looking to et away for a few days to Florida and Tucson. I hate to not be working but once I start traveling for Protan it will get CRAZZZZY!!!! I think the break from the BAD ASS winter weather will do my soul good...that is the REAL goal this year...HEAL my SOUL!!!!!

So there is alot on the horizon for 2009! I hope you all have thought about YOUR blessings!!!!
Stay tuned and keep visiting!!!
Hugs
C

Happy Holidays all!!
Today is was pouring rain and about 57 degrees and just a couple days ago it was 11 degrees!!! Something is just not right in the world with the way things are sooo extreme!!! Anyway...Thanksgiving was a real nice couple of days at my aunt's in NH with my cousins around and Dad. He seemed to enjoy himself and we were all very relaxed. I thought about my Mom but it wasn't a sad day...I'll tell you though, putting out some of her Christmas decorations wasn't so easy! It's at the strangest times that I find I miss her and get filled with sadness. I have also noticed that I can't seem to recover from stressful situations in a timely manner. I need a lot more "down time", "alone time"..I haven't felt really like going too far. I don't feel depressed but it's just strange. Maybe it's just the grey winter and cold air?
There is a new personal training company coming into all my gyms, CUSTOM BUILT. I spoke with them about coming on board but after a long week of deliberation I just don't feel ready to go work for someone else right now. I hope to have a good side by side working relationship with them and who knows? Maybe in the future we will talk about it again? The stress of not knowing if I will be "phased out" or not is pretty tough! Hopefully I have enough specialties to keep myself afloat..if not...it's not meant to be!
I will be fine...so far I have!
I will be offereing Christmas specials to anyone sining up for services before January 1st! Contact me on my site and we will get you through the holidays!!!!

The other thing I am looking to do is revamp my site for the new year...keep an eye out for new pics and new format and the reappearance of my newsletter!

It is with such a heavy heart that I write tonight. I am sitting in my bed thinking about this beautiful fall day and the sadness I felt today at saying goodbye to Steve Stone. It is so strange to think that I won't see him at the "next show"...who would have thought God would take him so fast and without warning. You know I cried more and was full of more emotion on Friday at the Olympia then when my Mom finally passed.
I guess I had many months to deal with the slow passing of my Mom....when she was sick in January I was very overcome with grief and wasn't ready to let her go but as the months passed and she became weaker and more frail I guess I made peace with the fact that I had to say good bye...Steve just vanished. He was there one minute and gone the next...and admidst the tragedy the show "literally" had to go one...and it did...like nothing had happened...that is waht life does when someone dies...it just goes on. It's the strangest feeling really...it's almost like the person didn't matter but we know differently.
The emotion that swelled up in me took me by surprise. There was no holding back tears...they were going to come no matter what I tried to do...today too...driving down, in the church, it didn't matter the tears came...I wondered were they all for Steve or were they left over tears for Mom!!??
I couldn't wait to go home and see Dad..we had dinner, he made lasagna and was waiting for me...he is all I have left in this world really...and I think he is scared too. He is waking up at night looking for my mom or hearing noises...if I am there or my cousin (when she is there) this doesn't happen...maybe I need to move in?
There is ALWAYS something to learn as life unfolds...it doesn't matter how old we are or how much we think we know...the older I get the more I realize how little i know.
I'm tired...I know that...my body feels tired and my mind just shuts down. I am going to Tampa next week for almost a week. I am going to my friend Anna's wedding...she is a cancer survivor. I am going to have a chance to see old friends. I hope also to just take care of me...re -aline myself with God and my being and get grounded. There is a part of me that is excited about the new doors opening up to me and there is a part of me that misses, so much, my past and my mom and the false certainty that I thought I knew.
My heart goes out to Andrea....Steve's wife..I cannot imagine the hole in her heart right now. I pray that God brings her comfort and lgiht.
Enjoy every minute of every day...tell those you love that you love them..don't wait to say what you feel and mean...be kind and patient to yourself and others....Love life..it is a gift
Peace

Well...it's a grey humid day in Tampa Bay!!!
it's a nice relaxing Sunday after a long day working the HURRICANE BAY bodybuilding show promoted by Tim Gardner. It was an awesome event. Tim pays great attention to detail and his team looked incredible. The physiques, routines, attention to detail are a definate reflection of Tim! I am sure he is proud of them!!!

I expedited this year with Jose Santiago and MIke...they were awesome team mates. The only stressful part of the job was the "technical difficulties " withe sound system....but Jose was right there with a solution to the problem.

It was great meeting new Body Techers and seeing old ones!!!!!

I just love Tampa...looking forward to a day of rest before heading back home and getting ready for the O!!!!!

Check in with me!!!
C