A Pep Talk....To Myself

OK Claudia, so today is your last day of being 55. I know that you have been pretty upset lately and thinking to yourself that you don't know why. C'mon, you know why. We both know why. It's because tomorrow is your birthday. I think that being upset about your birthday is something that you learned from Ma. She was always upset on her birthday and maybe that's a way of feeling closer to her now that she is gone. Maybe it's time to really look at things instead of just crawling into a hole as you seem to have been doing over the last few weeks.

Being 56 won't that bad. It could be a lot worse. At least you have things in your life to be happy about. You have a rock solid marriage that has been going strong for over 31 years. Pat lives for you (and golf) and after all this time you still look at him as the only one for you (besides Paul). The two of you are still like a couple of high school kids. It feels good to have someone that you can count on no matter what. Yeah, it feels good.

Kerry is doing really well and how proud of her are you? OMG! She is amazing. She is a loving and caring person and so focused on what she wants out of life. She is working so hard to become a doctor. You know that the world is a better place because she is in it. She is a constant source of happiness and joy for you. She is the best and you are a lucky mom. Yeah, being a lucky mom feels good.


Rigby is there right by your feet. He may not be Mac but he is Rigby and he is your doggy love. So what if he is like a needy boyfriend? You look into his eyes and see his soul. It gives you comfort to know that he needs and loves you. He makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. Yeah, that's a good feeling.

You love your new job at Curves. Even though you will not become Donald Trump at this job it is fun and it feels good to help people reach their goals. The clients all love you and they respond to your upbeat personality. They look forward to coming when you are there. Best of all you get paid to workout. Just like Richard. Yeah, that is good.

Your overall health is good and your weight is steady at 145.5. I know you feel as if you have not been doing very well when it comes to eating and exercising but you are not showing any weight gain. You are going to have to make an effort to get a little more exercise on nonworking days. You also need to start cooking at home more than you have been. Your blood pressure has been a little high lately and I am sure it's because of the salt that is always in restaurant food. You need to make more of an effort to eat more healthy food. Remember what Richard told you oh so long ago. "Cut the crap and just do it". Yeah, that felt good.


You are lucky to have your brother Jon to talk to. He makes you feel as if you are still a Long Beach kid. He always brings you back to Lafayette Blvd and when you talk to him it's almost as if Ma and Irv are still alive. I know you miss Ma but she would want you to continue down the path that you are on and she would be very proud of you. She would be very happy that you and Jon are close and that you have each other to rely on. You have to keep on him about his health. You need him to live a long life with you. Yeah, having an older brother is good.

Cousin Stevie is with you too. Well, where else would he be? Stevie has been by your side from the time you were a little kid. Yeah, he drives you crazy sometimes but he is family and he reminds you that family is what is most important. Yeah, family is good.


You always have Michele too. You call her the sister you never had and the brother that you did. From the first time you met her it was as if you knew her your whole life. You two have gone through everything together including losing our Moms and having kids. You are as close as two peas in a pod. Michele is your Ma replacement. When you need advice from Ma you go to Michele and she always says what Ma would have said. How does she do that? There will always be room in the Winabago for Michele. LOL Yeah, having such a close best friend feels good.

You are part of the Fab Four. How lucky are you to have found these three ladies? They all get you and that is SO unusual. They remind you of what you are capable of and that is a gift in itself. You love them all and they love you too. Yeah, being a member of the Fab Four is good.


So life at 56 won't be so bad. After all, as Ma used to say there is only one alternative.

Viva Las Vegas Final Installment

Part of the Las Vegas experience is taking in a some of the large production shows and/or exhibits that are a staple on the Las Vegas Strip. Every hotel has something to offer. It was hard to make a decision when there were so many activities to choose from. So many shows, so little time.

Kerry had voiced her opinion about wanting to take in the double exhibit at the Tropicana Hotel. The first exhibit was called The Bodies. Kerry is a pre-med major in college and really wanted to see this. I was hesitant but as always Kerry got her way with me and I was happy I had given in to her. It was an amazing experience for both of us.

This exhibit featured actual human bodies that had been dissected and preserved so that all the different systems of the body could be featured. Each room had a different theme. One of the rooms featured the respiratory system where we got to see actual human lungs. A different room showed the circulatory system where human arteries, veins and hearts were displayed. Another room was dedicated to the muscles and how there worked. Another room featured the reproductive system complete with conjoined twins. It was an awesome thing to see.

There also seemed to be an underlying theme of this exhibit which was healthy living. We got to hold both a lung from a nonsmoker and a diseased smoker's lung. The smoker's lung was black and had small holes in it while the nonsmoker's lung was pink and smooth. There was a huge see through trash can where people could throw away their cigarettes after holding the different lungs. It was about three quarters filled with different brands of cigarette packages.

We also got to see arteries and veins that were were clogged with cholesterol and fat from a lifetime of unhealthy eating and not exercising. There were human hearts with fatty deposits on them as if to say "eat healthy food and exercise or be sorry". I felt Richard's presence in this room. LOL

The second exhibit was called The Titanic. As far back as I can remember Kerry had been fascinated by the sinking of The Titanic. Long before the movie came out my house was filled with books and movies on this subject. Kerry was the house expert on The Titanic so we had to see this exhibit. She still has a piece of Titanic Coal that was brought up from the sea floor.

When you first walked in you were handed a replica of the boarding pass that was given to all of The Titanic passengers. Each boarding pass contained personal information of a real person who was on the ship when it sank. At the end of the exhibit there was a list of all the people who were on the boat and you got to look up the person on your boarding pass to see if your person survived or not. It was very moving.

We went through one of the doors and found ourselves standing in front of the grand staircase. It was beautiful and sad all at the same time. This was the staircase that was featured in the movie.

We went through another door and found ourselves in a replica of the first class cabin. Another door led us to the third class accommodations. There were things in the rooms that had been brought up from the Titanic when Richard Ballard found it so many years after it sunk.

One of the rooms was a replica of the outside deck at night complete with cold weather, boat noises, icebergs and stars. It was amazing.

We got to see many different things that were brought up from the sea. Plates, bowls, clothes, luggage, socks and shoes, hats, hair pins and many other things. It was very sad to think that these things actually belonged to someone.

In the last room Kerry and I looked up our boarding pass people. They had both died that night. It was very sad. We were both very glad that we had seen this exhibit. Don't miss it if you ever get the chance.

Our last night in Las Vegas we went to the Cirque de Soliel Beatles Love show at the Mirage Hotel. I had already seen it but Kerry had not. It was absolutely fantastic. It was like being dropped into a 60's acid trip. The costumes were amazing and the surround sound Beatles music made this Beatlefan very happy. Pictures of Paul that were 100 feet high didn't hurt either. LOL


This was a vacation that I will never forget. Kerry and I got even closer than before if that is possible. I know that she will always remember the trip to Las Vegas with Mom and that was what Pat wanted when he first suggested it. What a guy!

Thanks Pat, we love you.

Viva Las Vegas Part 2

When our Las Vegas trip was in the planning stages, being the tree huggers that we are, Kerry and I decided that we wanted to do something "naturey". This could only mean one thing. We had already been to Red Rock Canyon and Mount Charleston years back so there was only one choice. We had to go to the Grand Canyon.

I looked online at many different tours to the canyon from Las Vegas. I figured that a nice long bus ride there and back would blow off a whole day and keep me away from the tables. That would be a good thing. There were so many different choices it was hard to make a decision.

While searching the web I came across a site called grand-adventures.com. The testimonials for this tour were outstanding. One of the things that appealed to me was that we would be going in a van instead of a big bus. This would allow us to go to places in the canyon that the big buses were not allowed to go. Another thing that I liked was that we would be taking a walking tour and eating a picnic lunch overlooking the canyon and not stuck inside of a restaurant. It turned out to be a fantastic choice.

We were picked up at 6:30am in front of the Mirage hotel. It turned out that our party consisted of only 11 people which included our tour guide Darryl. Our adventure started out at a local McDonalds where we all had breakfast and got ready for the 4 hour ride. Kerry and I were very excited. Being from Florida we don't get to see much mountain scenery so our camera was out and we started taking what turned out to be over 100 pictures of our day trip to the Grand Canyon.

After breakfast we stopped at Hoover Dam. It was a very scenic place right in the middle of the mountains. We ran around taking pictures like a couple of tourists. Oh yeah, we were a couple of tourists. LOL


After Hoover Dam we were in for a long ride. About an hour into the trip we noticed that there was some of this white stuff on the ground. I remembered this from growing up in Long Beach, NY. It was snow. OMG!! Snow!! The closer we got to the canyon the more snow there was on the ground. We were psyched.


When we got there we could not believe our eyes. It looked fake (yes, Laura, you told me so). It looked like a fantastic back drop that someone had put up for us and yes, it was cold. One of the first things that I did was grab some snow and made a snowball that I threw into the canyon. It was the first snow ball I had thrown in 30 plus years.

We walked around in disbelief. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I suspect nothing else that I see in my life will ever come close to this. Darryl told us that millions of years ago the canyon was an ocean. It was amazing to think that something as fantastic as that could be under our oceans.


We ate our veggie sandwiches(which were outstanding) overlooking the Grand Canyon. Yes, it was cold but nobody cared. We were all happy to be outside in nature instead of stuck in a restaurant. This was one of the places that we were able to go because of the smaller vehicle we had come in.


We walked around for hours taking pictures and seeing the sights. Kerry spent her time climbing out on ledges and taking pictures of herself while I freaked out. She had no fear of falling into the canyon. I had enough fear for the both of us. Our cell phones got a workout too. I called Pat and Kerry called Sean (her present boyfriend). We took picture of each other on the phone. LOL

Here is Kerry hanging out over the edge of the world. My stomach turns just looking at the picture.


Me on the phone to Pat.

Kerry on the phone to Sean.
Darryl took us to two other spots that the big tour buses couldn't go and we took more pictures. We even got to see a family of elk. The male was huge and just stood there while we took pictures of him. It was almost as if he was posing for us. The female and baby were a little more skiddish but we got picture of them too.


The ride home was long and we were all very tired but it was a trip that I will never forget. I am sure Kerry will remember it her whole life. Yeah, that was the whole point of going. That and a way to keep mom from gambling away the college fund.

Part 3 still to come

Viva Las Vegas Part 1

About 10 months ago Pat said "why don't you take Kerry to Las Vegas for her 21st birthday? I'll stay home and take care of the dog". I'll stay home and take care of the dog?? Well, he didn't have to say that twice. I made the airline reservations that day even though her birthday wasn't for nine months.

We decided to stay at The Mirage hotel. It is centrally located and seeing that I wasn't going to rent a car it was a perfect choice. We had a very nice room overlooking the Las Vegas Strip and we were close to everything.

I was ready to gamble and Kerry was ready to shop. Shop?? You gotta be kidding me. With all those blackjack and craps tables? We decided that would I wake up early each day and get my gambling fix in and then we would do what Kerry wanted for the rest of the day. It sounded like a good plan to me.

I woke up each morning and was at the tables with a large coffee in my hand by 5:30am. When I didn't hear anything from Sleeping Beauty by 10:00 or 11:00 I called her and woke her up. By that time I had 5 or 6 hours of gambling under my belt and I was ready for whatever the kid wanted to do.

One of the days was the designated shopping day. Kerry wanted to break our previous shopping record of 4 malls in one day. We started out in the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace which was a fantastic 3 story indoor mall with every designer store imaginable.

Then it was off to the Shoppes at the Venetian Hotel. Another fantastic mall with gobs of shops and restaurants. The ceiling was painted like the sky so you felt as if you were walking the streets of Venice. Very cool.

Then it was off the Bellagio Hotel to look around in the designer shops there. This is another very upscale, gorgeous hotel with paintings on the ceilings and wonderful shopping.Then it was time to go to the new Wynn hotel and see what kind of shopping was there. It was more of the same. Prada, Gucci, Chanel, Fendi...you get the idea.

We finished up that night at the Fashion Show mall. I'm sorry to say I don't have any picture of this place. It was the one of the biggest malls I have ever seen and I have been to some big malls like Sawgrass Mills. It was 3 stories filled with every store you could name. Kerry was in hog heaven.

Considering the amount of time that we spent shopping that day we really didn't buy much. We got a few presents to bring back and of course 3 dresses for the kid. I thought that wasn't bad seeing that we were in some of the most expensive stores in the world.

We started shopping at 11:00am and fell into the hotel room that night at 10:00. We were whipped. We were shopped out. So shopped out, in fact, that we ended up ordering room service and going to bed early. It was Belgian Waffles for me and Haevos Rancherous for Kerry. It was her first experience with room service. It was a yummy experience.




Going to bed early turned out to be a good thing. I was up at 5:00am refreshed and ready for another try at a 6 hour blackjack marathon. The house won.

More at a later date.

I am a Beatlefan

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a Beatles fan. On February 9, 1964 I saw The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show on black and white TV in my living room. I had heard a little bit about them and had actually seen a very blurry bit on The Jack Paar show a week or so earlier but really had no idea how my life was about to change.

I remember all the excitement and hype that was going on about this strange group from England called The Beatles. It seemed that all anyone was talking about were the screaming girls and their long hair. Nobody was talking about their music. As soon as the Ed Sullivan Show came on that night I knew why. They were unlike anything we had ever seen.

By the end of that night everyone had their favorite Beatle. For me it was Paul McCartney. He was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen on the planet. I knew this perfection could never be repeated in another human being. He had big round eyes with those fantastic eyebrows peeking out from underneath his every hair in place perfect Beatles haircut. I was gone, never to come back.

I screamed when I went to the movies and saw A Hard Day's Night and Help. I even screamed at the TV when Paul was on. "Wait for me Paul. Please wait for me". My parents, brother and dog thought I was out of my mind. But I wasn't. I just suffered from the condition that had been named Beatlemania and I had it bad.

In 1966 my dad came home with two tickets to The Beatles at Shea Stadium. He knew someone in radio and had gotten me field level box seats over the dugout that The Beatles came out of. I made a deal with my best and Beatlesfan friend Helene. I would provide the tickets and her mom would drive. I remember when The Beatles were announced and the jet engine screams started I looked up and there he was. Right in front of me. Paul!!! He turned around and waved at the crowd. I was sure that he made eye contact and was waving at me!! If I was gone before I was really gone now.




I followed "the lads" all throughout my life with my love of Paul never wavering. He married Linda and I sat shiva. LOL I never stopped loving Paul. I got every album that he worked on and read everything about Paul I could get my hands on. He continued to look fine through the years.

I managed to see Paul 9 more times through the years. Each time was more fantastic than the next. The last time I saw him I was in Tampa and I had managed to sneak my way into the third row. There he was, right in front of me and close too. He looked in my direction and then it happened again. He made eye contact with me. He saw me and waved at me. No!!! I am not crazy. LOL

I will be 56 in a few weeks and Paul being 9 years, 7 months and 11 days older than me will be 65. He is still right there in my life making me happy. Every time I hear his voice or music I smile. I also smile when I see something extraordinary done to Beatles music. Click the link below. You won't be sorry.

Juggling to The Beatles

My Two Sons

Rigby is my Lhasa Apso. He is my good son. When Mac died I thought I would never find another dog that I loved as much as him. Mac was my evil son. He was the love of my doggy life but he took his role as the house enforcer a little too seriously. It's hard for me to admit but he was mean. He loved Pat and me but that was really where it ended. Kerry wanted him to love her and I think he did in his own doggy way but more importantly he had to dominate her. He even bit her a couple of times and paid the price. He couldn't help it. It was just the way he was.

When Mac was diagnosed with liver cancer I was devastated. It was one of the hardest things I ever went through. It only took about 6 weeks from the time that he was diagnosed until we finally had to put him down. I was with him to the end. I layed on the table with him when Dr. Eich administered the shot. He died looking into my eyes. I felt his last breath on my face.

I cried constantly for 3 days. I realized that I had to get another dog. Now! I was too lonely and the house was too empty. I didn't want just another dog I wanted another Lhasa Apso. Mac had been such a great dog that I wanted to do it again but with a few small changes. I didn't want the new dog to have to live in Mac's shadow. There were some big shoes to fill around here.

I have a friend who is in the show dog world and she found a breeder of Lhasas that had a litter of puppies that were ready for new homes. Kerry and I took the 2 hour ride to pick out a new dog. I wanted a girl because Mac was a boy. I wanted a golden color dog because Mac was beige/white.

I walked into the breeder's house and was immediately covered in puppies. They were all so cute I couldn't decide. Kerry and I finally picked out this very cute female puppy and decided to take her home. Once all the papers were filled out and the money had been exchanged Kerry and I decided to play with the puppies for a little while longer. We just couldn't leave when there were puppies to be played with.

I sat on the floor indian style while Kerry picked up each puppy to say goodbye. She picked up the golden male and he started to squirm. She dropped him on the floor. I heard the clunk. Ouch!! All of a sudden this male puppy ran over to me and climbed into my lap. He turned around facing out and wouldn't get off. I realized at that moment that I had made the wrong choice. Yes, he was a big male puppy just like Mac but I felt as if he had picked me out. We changed all the paperwork and I took him home. I named him Rigby after Paul McCartney's song Eleanor Rigby.

The older Rigby gets the more he looks like Mac. Pat says he looks like a little ghost. He is, however, sweet and not mean. He doesn't bite or growl like Mac did. You can take him out to meet other dogs and he won't bite them in the face like Mac used to. People can pet him and I don't have to worry about a law suit. You can even take something right out of his mouth and have all 10 fingers when you are done. Mac and Rigby. My two sons. I love them both.

Before And After

Any of us that have lived or are currently living in the diet world have "before" and "after" pictures. I know I do. They are still right there on Richardsimmons.com for the world to see along with a quick synopsis of my weight loss journey.

I started putting weight on when I was 9. My dad had opened an insurance agency and needed a full time secretary. He didn't have the money to pay someone to do it so my mom had to work full time for my dad.

Before Mom went to work I would come home from school and hang out with her. We would talk, have a snack, laugh, and go places together. I had been a happy kid. Once she started working I found myself alone after school. Looking back on it now I realize it was at this time in my life that I started to use food as company something that I continue to do on occasion to this day. I would eat from the time that I came home from school until Mom and Dad would get home for dinner. Once they got home and settled, we would all eat dinner. Needless to say I started gaining weight and a lot of it.

I continued my terrible eating habits well into adulthood until one day I woke up and there I was at 225 pounds taking Kerry to her first day at daycare. It's almost as if I didn't really see it until that day. That was the day I knew I was in trouble. I felt as if I was never going to lose weight. I felt like that was the way I was supposed to be. Fat!



Shortly after that day of self realization I saw a friend who had always been overweight come home from a year long stint at Duke University on the "Rice Diet". He had lost over 100 pounds. I was SO jealous I could hardly speak when I saw him. THAT was one of the two defining moments in my weight loss. I knew I had to do something and it had to be right then or I was doomed to be fat and jealous for the rest of my life.

That night I was watching TV and I saw Richard Simmons on an infomercial for Deal a Meal. I had been watching Richard on General Hospital and loved his tell it like it is kind of style. I decided to order his life plan that night. THAT was the second defining moment in my weight loss journey.

I jumped on the exercise and positive motivation parts of Richard's plan as soon as I received it. I just couldn't get a grip on the food. I found that just adding an hour of exercise every day made a big difference. I actually lost 21 pounds. Just by exercising. I was thrilled. So thrilled in fact that I wrote a letter to Richard just to say thanks (this was in the days of snail mail). Low and behold I received a reply from Richard himself. It was the beginning of a friendship that still means the world to me today.

After receiving a few letters from Richard I finally got my love of food somewhat under control. It took me over a year but with Richard's help, I lost my weight. I lost 95 pounds and I have kept it off for about 15 years with one brief relapse. It was hard but I did it and I did it the right way. Portion control and daily exercise. If you are reading this for motivation please know that you can do it too. If I can do it, anyone can do it. Oh by the way, in case you are wondering, my friend who had lost over 100 pounds on the rice diet gained all of his weight back and to this day is still very overweight.

I am happy to say that I have a really good after picture with or without Richard.


Tomorrow's blog will feature another before and after story complete with pictures

Outside Versus Inside

I am off today. Yay!! I say yay because I haven't been to the track since I started working last week. It took a week for me to get comfortable with my new schedule so when I woke up today I decided that today was going to be the day that I get back. Get back to where I once belonged.

I have been getting all of my exercise inside lately. Inside the gym at work, inside the yoga studio and inside my home. I had forgotten how much I love my walks at "the track".

It isn't really a track in the traditional sense. It's more of a walking park. It is one mile in length with each tenth of a mile marked off. This makes it easy if you want to incorporate some jogging into your workout. You can walk a tenth or two and then jog a tenth or two. That's what I usually do.

It is a gravel track which has allowed me to power walk consistently for over 15 years. My left knee is screwed from a motorcycle accident many years ago and power walking 4 miles every day would have been impossible if not for the gravel track. The pain would have been too great but the gravel makes the surface much more pliable and I don't feel much pain after walking.

It really is a beautiful place. It is a little piece of the country hidden in the hustle and bustle of Coral Springs. There are trees and plants growing all over. There is also a canal along the back of the park with turtles, ducks and fish living there. We even have 6 resident cats. They are always on the prowl for a lizard or stalking the ducks. We make sure the cats are very well fed. We don't want the ducks don't become sitting ducks for the cats.

It was cool this morning with clear skies. The air was crisp and clear. The birds were singing and the cats were waiting for Rose to come with their breakfast. As I was walking the sun was rising and the sky was turning from black to pink and orange and then blue. My music of choice for today was the soundtrack from The Beatles Love show. I suddenly realized that I had really missed this place that I call "the track" which is really named Ralph Diaz Memorial Park. I missed my outside exercise. I had decided that on working days I would skip the track as I don't want to burn myself out. I am rethinking that decision. I'm thinking that even if I am getting my exercise at work I should still be going to this place that helps my spirit fly. OK, outside wins.

Harmony And Balance In My Living Room

I'm a yoga freak. I love the quiet surroundings and joyfulness that I feel when I finish practicing yoga. This morning I decided to practice in my living room. It's not the same as a private with Juliana at her yoga studio but it's certainly a wonderful thing.

First I lit my Beatles candles. Not only does it give off a beautiful light it allows me to see Paul which is my favorite way to start the day. Then I lit some jasmine incense and turned on a new CD that I bought called "Feng Shui Music For Balanced Living". These things help quiet my mind so that I can focus on my breathing.

After a few minutes of listening and feeling the breath I started my practice of pranayama. This is the practice of controlling the breath. You feel yourself expand with the in breath and release with the out breath. After a few rounds of this you hold the in breath for a few seconds and then add a pause at the end of the out breath. It is really harder than it sounds. It was especially hard when Rigby came over to see what I was doing and started sniffing me and licking my face. That can really mess up someone's mindfulness. Sniff, sniff, sniff, lick, lick, lick.

After the pranayama I started doing the yoga asanas also known as postures. Knees to chest. Sniff, sniff, sniff, Spinal twist. Lick, lick, lick, Fish pose. Sniff, sniff, sniff. Bridge pose. Lick, lick, lick. "Rigby, cut it out"!! "Rigby, go away"!! "RRRiiigggbbbyyy, cut it out!!!

I knew I was in real trouble when it came time in my practice to do downward facing down dog position. In down dog you are in a sort of triangle and in the perfect position to have an upward facing real dog wreck havoc with your yoga practice. See below.




It seemed like the more I pushed him away the more he had to investigate. I realized that there wasn't much I could do to rescue my practice from the whim of my Lhasa Apso . I decided to give him a treat. I did a head stand against the wall. Oh, wow!! That was really cool. Rigby was completely enthralled. He came over to sniff and lick as I was standing with my hands underneath my head and unable to push him away. I laughed and laughed. I think he did too in his own doggie way. I think next time I decide to practice yoga in my living room I'll let my "Sweetpea" out in the back yard.

Love Me, Love My Cousin Stevie

Scotty came to visit the other night while Kerry was in town. This was a wonderful thing. They don't get to see each other very much and it's always a treat when Scotty comes to see us. They have both grown up to be wonderful, intelligent, gorgeous young adults who are doing what they should be doing. Living a better life than their parents. Scotty is currently living in Thailand and working as a professor teaching the kids to speak english at one of the local schools. Kerry, as many of you know, is studying at the University of Florida majoring in clarinet performance on a pre med track. What a fantastic couple of kids they are.

This is Kerry and Scotty partying together the other night at Bru's Room in Ft Lauderdale.


I grew up with my Cousin Stevie at my side. We are one year apart in age with me being the older, wiser (yeah, right) one. We played in the playpen together, we went to school together, we partyed together and when we got older we packed up our Volkswagons and came to Florida together. Anyone who knew me knew my philosophy. Love me, love my Cousin Stevie.

Stevie met Barb, got married and moved to Chicago. They had one son that they named Scott. They all came down when the kids were young and Scotty and Kerry seemed to form a bond from the moment that they met. Maybe it's because they were both only children, I don't know but it sure was there.

When things didn't work out in Chicago, Cousin Stevie came back to Florida and having always missed Long Beach he moved right across from the ocean. After searching for what made him really happy he finally found it. The beach. He's just a beach kinda guy.



He is also the nicest, sweetest guy alive. He will do anything for anyone. All you have to do is ask him. He is funny, cute and has some of the worst luck with women that I have ever seen. He is looking for someone to hang out with and be happy with but it's just not happening. I think it's because he is too nice.I have told him on many occasions that he is too nice but it is just his nature to be that way. He tends to be(now everybody sing) looking for love in all the wrong places.I hope he finds someone soon. Anyone interested???? If you are don't forget the philosphy. Love my Cousin Stevie, love me.

She's Leaving Home, Bye, Bye

Kerry left this morning to go back to Gainesville and I am bummed. The longer her visit is the more bummed I am when she leaves. Seeing that she was here for almost a month I am very bummed. The trick will be to stay away from the refrigerator now that she is gone. This is always one of my most difficult tasks and it just got even more trying.

The caller ID said "Kerry" when the phone rang. I knew something was wrong from the first word. "Mom'"? "Yeah". "I have a flat tire". These are the words that I dread when she is on the one of these road trips. My mind goes wild. I can't help it. I imagine the most awful things that could happen to her. Thankfully she not alone. She is with her friend Jackie which makes me feel 100% better.

While she was on the phone talking to me a state trooper came along. Yes!!!! He called the Florida Turnpike emergency truck and they are on their way to change the tire for her. Now my mind says what if she has no air in the spare? How will she make it to Gainesville on a donut tire? What if? What if? What if? OK Claudia, stop all that! You are driving yourself crazy. Worry about it when it happens, whatever it is that is going to happen.

This is a facet of my personality that I wish I could change. I am in constant worry mode when either Kerry or Pat are away from me which is most of the time. I drive them both crazy. I know I do but I can't help it. I always think the worst when things are not exactly the way they should be where either one of them is concerned. God help me if they don't answer their phones when I call. I have to talk myself down from the walls. I have to keep telling myself that everything is going to be okay. It's going to be fine. Maybe I should go to a shrink. Nah. As Popeye says, I am what I am. I'll just sit and worry until everything is alright. Maybe all this worrying will keep my head out of the fridge. Maybe.

I'm a hit!!

So far, so good. Although yesterday was only the second day at my new job my bosses seem very happy with me. They have already increased my hours this week and I have gotten compliments from both the owner and the manager of the club. The clients seem to like me too. I'm happy to say that not only have I found something that I am good at but something that I love to do as well. This is a welcomed change in my life.

My clients are very interested in my weight loss but at the same time disappointed when they hear that I did it the old fashioned way. Diet, exercise and positive motivation. That is the one thing that they don't want to hear. They want to hear that I took a pill, drank a shake or wrapped myself in plastic wrap, went to sleep and woke up the next morning with a 95 pound weight loss. When they hear that there is no magic potion I get a collective groan that radiates around the room.

I remember looking for the fast working gimmick when I was losing my weight so I understand the mindset. Of course, we all know deep down in our hearts that losing weight takes constant attention, willpower and motivation but I guess we can't help but hope that something easier than the dreaded portion control and exercise is out there waiting for us to discover it. The truth of the matter is that easy weight loss doesn't exist. It takes hard work. Every day. That is the reality of the situation.

Reality bites. It really does but we need to keep a happy, positive attitude and do what what we know needs to be done . If we do that the weight will come off. The longer we look for that easy weight loss method that isn't real the more time we waste. I'm done wasting time. I hope my clients are too.

Four Things You May Not Have Known About Me

Subject: Four Things...

I found this on Laura's Blog. Rather than forward it on by e-mail, I thought I'd respond in my blog.

Four things about me that you may or may not have
known, in no particular order. The directions are at
the end.

Four jobs I have had in my life
(other than my current one):

1. Hamburger Hustler at the Red Barn

2. Beach Security (I guarded a breach in the fence on Long Beach's shoreline)

3. Real Estate Salesperson

4. Director of Housing



Four movies I've watched more than once:

1. A Hard Day's Night

2. Help

3. Let It Be

4. The Lion King



Places I have lived:

1. Long Beach, NY

2. Ft Lauderdale, Fl

3. Lauderdale Lakes, Fl

4. Coral Springs, Fl



Four TV shows that I watch:

1. Grey's Anatomy

2. Jim Cramer's Mad Money

3. Star Trek-Voyager

4. Desperate Housewives


Four Places I have been:

1.6th Row Center At A Paul McCartney Concert, Orlando, Fl(Be Still My Heart)

2. The Grand Canyon

3. Las Vegas

4. Slimmons/Laura's Home, Los Angeles, CA



Four people I e-mail with some regularity:

1. Laura

2. Beth

3. Vennie

4. Richard Simmons

Four of my favorite foods:

1. Cake, especially Chocolate Cake

2. Whole Foods Corn Bread

3. Vegetable Lasagna From The Luxor Hotel Buffet

4. Bready things like Challah, Rolls, Bagels etc



Dishes that friends/family make that I love:

1. Laura's Anything Like her Scrambled Eggs

2. Mom's Corn Flake Stuffing

3. Nana's Latkas

4. Richard Simmons' Zucchini Pie



Four places I 'd rather be right now:

1. Any place with Pat

2. Any place with the Fab 4

3. At A Paul McCartney Concert

4. Slimmons

5. Las Vegas (Opps...I was only supposed to do four)

Four friends I think will respond:

1. Beth

2. Vennie

3. Michele

4. Cousin Stevie


Things I look forward to this new year:

1. Working at My New Job

2. Yoga Teacher Training

3. Shopping With The Kid

4. Kerry's Junior Recital on Clarinet


RETURN DIRECTIONS:

Now, according to the original e-mail, we're supposed to forward this on to some people that we know, substituting our own answers in for the senders. Include the sender in your e-mail.

You can either copy this post into an e-mail and forward it on, or copy it into your own blog and answer it there. It's fun. Thanks Laura!!!!

Curves Nerves

I start my new job at Curves today and yes, I am nervous. I guess a little bit of nervousness in this situation is a healthy thing. After all, it's not every day that you start a whole new career. I will be in a new place meeting lots of new people who will be looking to me for help and motivation in losing their weight. I'm thinking this must be what Richard Simmons feels like sometimes although you would never know that he is nervous, if he gets nervous. I, on the other hand, am obviously nervous. Palms sweating? Check. Stomach flopping? Check. Negative thoughts? Check.

Negative thoughts are a no no. We will have none of that. After all, this is what I have wanted to do ever since Richard jumped into my life and helped me lose 95 pounds all those years ago. He taught me that I could do it if I just stuck to his 3 part program. Exercise, correct food portions and positive motivation. Yes, I said positive. No negative thoughts were allowed. I looked in the mirror every day and said the upbeat things that Richard taught me to say like "you can do it" and "you are worth it". Positive thoughts helped me then and they are going to help me now.

I am so going to succeed at this new job. I am going to find happiness and self confidence there. People will be thrilled to have me to motivate them and help them stay on track. I will make new friends, feel better about myself and have a little extra cash. Now that's positive stuff.

Wish me luck.

Happy New Year

OK, well, it's January 1, 2008. Another year is upon us and I guess I am supposed to make some New Years Resolutions. I've never really been big on resolutions because in the past I have not lived up to those dreaded promises that you make to yourself and the New Years gods. You know how it is. You make these grand statements about the changes that you are going to make in your life and a month later you don't even remember what they are.

Richard (Simmons) believes in making New Years Resolutions and he has made 9 of them. He has made it perfectly clear that he expects us to set some goals and make resolutions for the new year too. So I am going to do just that however I'm not going to make 9 of them. 9 is too many. It freaks me out. I think I will start small and make 4.

My first New Years Resolution would have been to find a new job but I have already done that. I will be starting my new job as a Fitness Tech at Curves tomorrow. This means that my first resolution will be that I will be the Best Fitness Tech on the planet. I expect this one to be fairly easy as I have been motivating people for years on Richard Simmons' website. It is in my personality to do this.

My number two resolution will be to pass my AFTA personal training certification course 2008. I know this will be a hard one for me but I will give it my all. I am lucky I have the help of two friends who are taking it with me.

My number three resolution is to lose some weight. Yeah I know. This is on the list every year. I weighed in this morning at 146 pounds. I just want to see the 130's on the scale again so I'm looking for a loss anywhere from 6-10 pounds. I know I can do that one.

My number four resolution is to look into yoga training with Juliana. If it is at all doable I will start my journey as a yoga instructor. The idea of spreading joy and mindfulness is very compelling to me.

OK. That's it for me. I'm happy with the four things that I have picked out. I think they are all healthy goals that I can achieve in 2008. Let's see how it goes.

Happy New Years to you all.