Ways of Giving Monetarily...

Sometimes, we give of our time, we give encouragement, a hug, or a lending hand...
but...sometimes, I believe we are moved to respond to give monetarily...
This moving of our hearts causes us to respond by digging into our "wealth" & seek ways to give to others who are in poverty...whether that be to help with a micro-financing initiative in a third world country, assist in giving to help deal with & alleviate the remnants of a global disaster, or just to help provide basic necessities such as clean water, shelter, medicines, mosquito nets, and food to those who are in desperate need...

When I was younger, I used to watch a lot of TV & thus saw all those programs that pleaded with viewers to donate their money to particular causes. I was always smitten by 2 that are ingrained in my mind...the first, the Humane Society asked for donations to help those poor animals ~ to give them a home, medicines to help treat their diseases & sicknesses...the second, helping to alleviate poverty in Africa, especially with all those children dying of starvation...those images of suffering stayed forever in my brain. I was sometimes overwhelmed with tears because of those sad stories & as a kid without money I felt powerless to help in that capacity...Now that things are different & I work full-time, I try to research causes & organizations that I find are reputable and legitimate and make donations based on that. I also watch a lot of documentaries that both inform about prominent issues of the day & that bring many heart wrenching issues to light by promoting awareness & advocacy...

Many NGOs are doing a lot of stellar & important work on the front lines working for and with those who suffer, living in extreme poverty, stricken with disease such as AIDS, orphans, single mothers, those woman who are victims of systematic rape, or those who are most disadvantaged and who cannot survive & fight for themselves...

Here are a few worthwhile organizations & causes you may consider donating money to:

Microfinancing
http://www.meda.org/
http://www.kiva.org/

Other worthwhile organizations
http://www.worldvision.ca/Pages/Home.aspx
http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/home/
http://www.savedarfur.org/
http://www.imagine1day.org/
http://mcc.org/

http://thecovemovie.com/
[about dolphin slaughter in Japan]
http://www.takepart.com/thecove

Turn it Up!

When it comes to hard work there are three kinds of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses and there’s some that don’t even turn up at all. We back up the sleeve turners. The ones that “dig” it in”, scream “hell yeah” when the instructor barks “ten more”. Our lot view sweat on their brows like a crown of achievement. They’re the ones we applaud. They’re the heroes that box on, leave nothing in the tank and are slaves to the deep burn. To be one you can’t just step up, you’ve got to turn it up

Courtesy Les Mills International

Loathing in Sickness...

The pains of when I get sick...

Today, I came across an interesting piece of info. As I was visiting the doctor checking out my latest respiratory problem, he told me that I had pneumonia when I was 6 yrs-old!
This important new bit of information about my medical history helps me to understand so much...

Every year for many years now, I have been susceptible to getting chronic respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis, throat infection, chest infection, or laryngitis! Annually, due in part, to my occupation (I'm in a yeller's profession), I also face the possibility of losing my voice! Being around children all day and being in an environment where germ phobics are seriously threatened each & every day (I don't know how ppl. w/ OCD can possibly survive!?!)...

In my current state, I struggle for breath, coughing like I feel I'm going to hack out my insides sorry for laying bare the yucky details, sore throat, don't even want to reveal what I hack out, headaches, body temperature changes almost as fast as my mood (ha ha!), feelin' sorry for myself, a complete halt to my regular routines, [shutdown]...I feel helpless & annoyed that I'm in this state...

I took 1.5 days off this past week from school I have 140 sick days so it's tempting just to use ALL those up! Ha! It's frustrating being in this state of sickness because I feel helpless & imprisoned...doing nothing & being confined to hibernation...sleep, rest, doing very low key things, no work (good thing)...

I'm missing the gym like crazy...I've missed 2 classes so far & am in danger of missin' Monday's double the pleasure classes if I don't feel better by then.
...When you're not yourself & when you're not engaging in the things you love to do, it does suck...it's not great also to be down & out...HOWEVER, I'm thankful that it will hopefully be only a matter of time before I get better & fully recover...Often, sickness visits me in the guise of sickness...to remind me in a powerful way that I need to take time out to relax & for my life to take a little-hiatus-of- a-break...Did I mention already that I'm feelin' sorry for myself?

Until then, I can take advantage & rent some movies, Facebook, blog, read...& feel sorry for myself..haha heehee...

Until next time, thanks for reading...

The Ethical Consumer

The Ethical Consumer Research Association (ECRA) is the UK's leading alternative consumer organisation. We have been uncovering the truth behind the brand names, and supporting the growth of the ethical market, since 1987.

* ECRA is a not-for-profit, workers' co-operative, dedicated to the promotion of universal human rights, environmental sustainability and animal welfare.

* We produce independent research into the social and environmental records of companies, and to inform the development of ethical consumerism.

* Our funding comes entirely from our readers' subscriptions, adverts from ethically vetted companies and consultancy work for campaign groups and ethical organisations.

DanChurchAid carries out its work with the objective:

* "To help and be advocates of oppressed, neglected and marginalised groups in poor countries and to strengthen their possibilities of a life in dignity."

Websites
http://www.realizingrights.org/
http://www.ethicalconsumer.ca/

Ode to GoodLife GroupExercise Classes

The Collective Vibe/The Motivation/The Great Energy
My time at GoodLife these days is completely devoted to GroupExercise classes: BodyPump, BodyAttack, BodyCombat & when I can, BodyStep & BodyVive. Meeting new people and making connections with them is also something that attracts me to the gym. Hearing their stories and experiences and seeing them each week (even at the same classes) is something of a refreshing treat! Beyond that, the classes alone help to keep me fit as I’ve always been keen on regular exercise and being healthy. There is however so much more to benefit when a group of strangers, acquaintances, family and friends come together to accomplish a physical feat! There’s something about collective suffering ...I mean, collective energy & drive that really helps to push yourself to the limit. I remember very vividly coming to less than 30 metres to Uhuru Peak, the highest point of Mount Kilimanjaro and being overwhelmed with tears & elation when I saw my friend (who was ahead of me) pumping her fist & cheering me on loudly to the finish. I’m sure that there are many reasons why people take gym classes but for me it’s just that being together, in the moment, trying to achieve the goal of completing the class without reverting to the options offered (just kidding) or gagging for that matter (my favourite body reaction) is something that truly motivates and propels me forward to completing the class no matter how difficult. [Now, how well I finish a class is a completely different story altogether ~ haha!]
It’s the people ~ the collective doing the same thing, at the same time, working independently yet in collective rhythmic harmony. That energy I speak of is motivating because it helps to drive you to optimal capacity . When you look at your neighbour with sweat dripping down their brow (being pleased that you're not the only one that unleashes sweat like the magnitude of Niagara Falls) & the person in front of you with a shirt that’s soaked right through, or when you see the squished up face & the gritting teeth of someone in the mirror trying to lift that bar one last time during the biceps track... same sweat puddles, same adrenaline pumping, same panting for revival of lung capacity & same synapses firing to cause the muscles to go one more rep. or do one more Superman!
One love, one pain

Thee Instructors
I’ve grown to appreciate and am thankful for the positive impact instructors have in the lives of many members including myself. It amazes me that many of these instructors don’t even teach classes as a full-time job and it’s almost hard to think that beyond their regular day job, they are able to consistently deliver stellar classes while inspiring & motivating us each & every time! Mesmerizing indeed...it’s a great show to see every single time! There’s so much that is done “behind-the-scenes” that we, as regular lay people members can’t really appreciate but can only imagine the dedicated effort required to prepare for classes. In fact, I’ve heard that the bulk of new releases with the new moves and music are learned while driving in the car! Kudos to the GL instructors because they’re 1st rate & fantastic! Here’s a premature plug (b/c it's coming next), join GoodLife and come out to the GroupExercise classes & I won’t have to convince you because you’ll see how amazing the instructors are for yourself! It’s so awesome to see people so passionate about what they do & it continues to inspire me! It definitely garners a smile out of this face amidst a grueling & painfully challenging class!

The Plug
I know that many teachers take GroupExercise classes because I meet them in our impromptu chats. I also know that they’re many teachers in the gym because who can decline a $339/yr. (*ADVERTISEMENT) membership!?! I often hear teachers unleash about their garden variety of battle woes of behavioural students, report card writing or bad mouthing other teachers (just kidding!)...Yes, I know that they’re teachers in the gym b/c they always talk shop! It’s hard not to vent about the daily stresses that are associated with teaching...even if it’s in a gym change room! Now then, everyone knows your business...teacher or not! HAHA!

For these reasons, I try my best to commit to the classes each week. The allure is not only in the classes where you can hopefully see the benefits but also in the many things that we gain that can’t necessarily be measured so concretely but for which one can still be grateful for.

I’m just happy to be a part of it all.

See you in class!