My opportunity of opportunities . . .

Scrooge & Marley, a screen-play written by Ellen Stoneking, Richard Knight, Jr., and  the late Timothy Imse. Directed by, Richard Knight, Jr., and Peter Neville. Executive Producers, Tracy Baim & David Strzepek.

Scrooge & Marley is a modern-day variation on Charles Dickens’ classic story of the holidays, A Christmas Carol. Recounted from a gay sensibility, with heart, comedy and music, the magic of Dickens’ timeless tale of a man’s redemption at the holidays—thanks to the help of three ghostly spirits—comes alive from a fresh perspective that will appeal to audiences of every persuasion.

I had the incredible privilege to work with an out-standing cast and crew on Scrooge & Marley the past two weeks in Chicago, my hometown! Alongside folks like Bruce Vilanch, David Pevsner, David Moretti, Rusty Schwimmer, Megan Cavanagh, Tim Kazurinsky, Richard Ganoung, and JoJo Baby – I am proud to have helped create a Christmas Classic scheduled to be released by December 2012.

As the Ghost of Christmas Past, it is my duty to take Scrooge, David Pevsner, back in time to see just how bitter and cruel he had become over the years. I donned my gay apparel and invoked a ghostly sass that even Scrooge’s bitterness could not contend. In addition to acting in this film, I embraced my second opportunity to help co-produce a film; which is never easy – especially in this economy! But, together we raised $100,000.00 from investors and we are still in need of about another $100,000.00 in donations to help us complete the post production work.

As many of you know, my career path has taken a major shift from simply modeling to becoming a full fledged actor. I have genuinely enjoyed taking classes, reading books, and having the on-set experiences of Eating Out Drama Camp & Into the Lion’s Den . . . all experiences that have prepped me for my role in Scrooge & Marley. I have come to really enjoy reading through scripts, dreaming up new opportunities to work on film projects, and most of all – getting to tell stories! Each day is a learning experience for me, a challenge to work harder and to dream bigger. I have never been able to live in a world with limitations – I live in a world of endless possibilities.

The road to achieving my dreams has not been and is still not an easy one, but it makes the small successes that much more meaningful. I have a deep appreciation for my family, my friends, my mentors, and my fans… it is because of their unconditional love and support (over the past 4 years especially) that has fueled my fire and helped me to not give-up on my dreams. There is so much more to me than I think many people realize or care to discover – mostly because from the outside looking in – people have made their own judgments about my character (positive & negative). I have learned that I cannot please everyone, so I must do the best that I can to find happiness in the choices I make. To this day, there is not one choice that I have made that I regret – everything is exactly as it is supposed to be. I’ve celebrated my successes and I have certainly learned from my mistakes – but both are temporary. If one celebrates for too long or beats them-self up unfairly . . . then they remain stagnant . . . life is always about moving forward, and that is something I can do with my head held high.

I am so thankful for the opportunities that I have been given and I look forward to the next projects!! Most of all, I wish each of you the very same courage, tenacity, and strength that I have recently discovered with-in myself. May it help you to overcome your own fears, find your true voice, and pursue your dream without shame or regret. We each possess a special light with-in us, a light that deserves to shine brightly and be shared for all to see. Believe in yourself, ask questions, and never let anyone’s “Scrooge-like” attitude prevent you from trying. If you never try, you can never fail, and if you never fail, you can never truly know success! Dare to dream, dare to fail, dare to succeed . . .

…the time is 2:41PM on Friday the 13th.

I’m sitting at my computer with my cup of coffee as I look out my window to see the rain pouring down on The City of Angels. I actually welcome the rain – it is very cleansing and gives me the opportunity to sit and reflect on life.

It has been nearly 7 months since I moved to LA via NYC. I can hardly believe that this much time has gone by – it feels like just yesterday that I arrived. I’m thankful to LA for welcoming me with such warm and open arms:

Spending time people watching at Venice Beach, strolling along the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, taking hikes up Runyon Canyon, going to Westwood for some Diddy Riese, striking a pose in Andrew Christian undies, acting classes at Lesly Kahn, facials and fun beauty products from Faces By Greta, hanging with Betty White at The Abbey, lecture series with Jane Lynch at the library, giggling with Bruce Vilanch, pulse mixers, a taping of The Price is Right, Disneyland with my beautiful friends Leanza & Mark to celebrate their son’s birthday, oysters and wine, filming Eating Out Drama Camp, house parties, angel readings, Marix for Margaritas, Yogurt Stop, Barney’s Beanery, Hinano Cafe for beer -burgers-shooting pool, Mario Party for Wii, Cafe 50′s, new love, farmer’s markets, gin & tonics, film festivals, art galleries, book stores, raw food, fake snow at The Grove, castings, meditations, chanting to the Lotus Sutra, chance meetings, and plenty of sunshine…except for today!

I have been on quite the journey these past 4 years …from Chicago to NYC to Los Angeles. I have met a great deal of people – people who proved to be who they said they were and of course people that have shown their true colors. I have learned by chartering my own course, making my own mistakes, and celebrating the successes along the way. The one thing I know for certain, is that I have never been alone. I have been blessed to have great friends, excellent mentors, and fans that lift my spirits on even the rainiest of days with a little message of love and support – these things I have never taken for granted.

The truth is, that I am still trying to figure out my purpose – like many of you. We are all given certain gifts, talents, and challenges to overcome – that is the beauty of life. We grow stronger through our experiences and we find our calling – our voice. We look to those people around us to help us cultivate our dreams and see them manifest in the world – to share in our creative visions. But, it is also very important to learn how to remain open to the world of possibilities while protecting yourself at the same time. There is positive and negative energy flowing around us each day, but it is up to us whether to choose to live in light or fall victim to the dark. I don’t believe in good or evil, but rather high and low energy vibrations.

When we choose to live life honestly, openly, and with compassion – we attract the same. But, if we fall victim to the negativity of those around us – that energy can consume, distract, and prevent us from moving forward … in other words, we get stuck until we can learn the lesson. I personally fell victim to a few individuals who were living in darkness – and soon found that my energy was dimming. I didn’t know how to break free of that energy that was consuming me – until it was seriously affecting my health and I had no other choice. I’m thankful for the experiences, and to have learned the lesson – so not to make the same mistake again.

Living in large cities my entire life I have had to acquire street smarts – to be able to read situations rather quickly and determine fact from fiction. Also, being a model/actor that is openly gay – I have had to grow a much stronger backbone. There is still very much a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in Hollywood … so I admire my peers that are brave enough to sacrifice a fat pocketbook by “coming out”. Sometimes I giggle to myself and ponder, “what if all the actors that identified as LGBT had a coming out day” . . . would there still be such a huge stigma? Would Middle-America gasp for a moment and get over it, or would they stop buying movie tickets and watching their favorite programs? Would the gay characters on television finally stop being the stereotype/token gay or could we actually have a mainstream show that focused on a gay couple – raising their family … much like when America was introduced to an everyday African American family with The Cosby Show.

My political mind is always considering the social landscape – wondering will we finally reach a day where Gay is OK again? A day where we can stop focusing on how we are different, but rather focus on all the cool things that we share in common as Americans, as citizens of an increasingly Global Society, as human beings. Time is too short to be constantly dividing ourselves from others – now is the time to recognize that we are all connected. 2012 is a year of evolution, not a physical one – but a spiritual one. When we are born into this world we are connected to everything, but we are soon taught by our family, our community, and our governments that we are different – that we must act, talk, or dress a certain way to fit in – that we have allies and enemies – that we can or cannot do something based on our class, gender, religion, or sexual orientation. For better or worse, these are all limits that we as a human populace set in place to make sense of chaos – to avoid the fact that we all die one day – and to obtain and maintain power/control – it is a constant struggle.

Personally, I’m tired of being “Gay”. I just want to be Ronnie. Instead of fighting for rights and trying to persuade other people that my lifestyle is not that much different than theirs; I want to focus my time on improving our educational institutions, how to solve the problem of homelessness, how to ensure that every citizen has health-care, and how to bring our loved ones home from war. These are common causes that need our attention and they transcend any trivial label that we can place on one another; it is time to stop preaching hate and to promote love and acceptance. But, I understand that there is a great deal of money to be made by the leaders of HATE groups – they brainwash an entire population – capitalize on their fear – and wield that power for personal political power. It all comes down to money – in my humble opinion. Even the most well-known conservative members of the Republican Party don’t care who I fall in love with, but they have to outwardly pretend that they do – because this is the rhetoric they have preached for so long … and they could not be seen as a hypocrite.

The sad reality is, that LGBT identifying men and women are taking their lives each and every day because they feel alone, worthless, and see no point in continuing on. They are being kicked out of their homes, disowned, abused physically and verbally, and many of them turning to drugs and prostitution to escape reality and to simply survive. No one should ever be made to feel like their life is worthless – no matter who they are and where they come from. It is time for our Governments – local, national, and global to finally stand up once and for all to end divisive legislation … to not tolerate discrimination …and unite citizens to foster healthier, happier, and more connected communities.

Now that I have rambled on sufficiently about politics – LOL – I would just like to close by taking the time to say thank you for all that I have been given. I am looking forward to what tomorrow holds …and I hope that each of you will continue to share your thoughts and stories with me via Facebook, Twitter, and my personal blog. I appreciate your taking the time to listen to my thoughts and support my work. We are all on our own personal journey towards self-discovery, we each have a story to tell, and there is so much to learn!

Stay tuned for my next film project, “Scrooge & Marley” and also my blogs with Haley Star & Davey Wavey from Life Ball in Vienna Austria on May 19th!! Also, if you are ever in the Los Angeles Area, please think about scheduling an Angel Reading session with me!! Until then, I hope you realize just how special you are and that when you are smiling – your positive energy is contagious – you can change lives each and every day …keep shining!!

Warmly,

Ronnie

The Kentucky Derby is the most anticipated time of year for Louisvillians who spend the preceding months in preparation of the “Run for the Roses.” Known for the fantastic Mint Juleps sipped beneath Churchill Down’s Twin Spires, spectacular Oaks and Derby hats, strategies for picking the winning horse, and the brunches, balls, galas, and “Tastes” that accompany it – Derby takes over the city like a whirlwind – leaving nothing untouched.

Beginning with the Kentucky Derby Festival – Thunder Over Louisville, a mini/marathon, the Chow Wagon, Hot Air Balloon Race, Fillies Ball and more… we begin to brace ourselves for the the busiest few weeks we’ll have all year.

This being my Third Derby season- I’ve learned a few things…

1. Mint Juleps are good, but water is better… you don’t want to look tired/get out of control.
2. Hats are mandatory for the track, but please avoid putting 10lbs of feathers on them
3. Save the pink attire for Oaks (Breast Cancer awareness), and get creative for Derby
4. A cab ride will cost you a pretty penny ($40+/person, 1 way), but its worth it to avoid getting a DUI (thankfully I haven’t, but the stories are rampant)
5. Oaks Eve, Oaks, Derby Eve, Derby, Derby night, and “the day after Derby” are all different, meaning that for the most part, you’ll need a different outfit for each (1-2 nights of black tie, 2 outfits for the track, etc).

My Favorite Derby/Derby Festival Events: Thunder over Louisville (April 21); Taste of Derby Festival (April 25th); Bacon Ball (April 27th); Taste of Derby, Celebrity Derby Poker Championship, Derby Soiree (May 3rd); Oaks Marriott Bourbon Brunch with Guy Fieri, KMAC’s Oaks Brunch, Kentucky Oaks, The Julep (May 4th); Brunch (location varies), Kentucky Derby, Down & Derby (May 5th); Brunch to close out the weekend (May 5th); Rest/Recover (May 6th); Begin the count down til Derby 139 (May 7th).

With only 1 week until the Derby Season gets rolling – we continue to prepare our closets, wallets… and livers, for the fun that awaits!

- JM

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week (MBFW) – Fall Collections 2012

For fans of The Devil Wears Prada, attending Mercedes Benz Fashion Week offers coveted insight into the fashion world. Walking up the steps to Lincoln Center is, itself, a runway show. With the tunes of “Suddenly I See” playing in the background (of your mind)… you enter into a world of street style photographers, celebrities, and designer after parties. But, the BEST parts of MBFW are certainly the clothes. Outfits that are such beautiful works of art you can’t imagine a mortal being wearing them.

But before I could enter the most stylish tents in the country, I first visited my own fashion mecca: Woodbury Commons, an outlet in Central Valley, New York, I didn’t know what temptation was headed in my direction.  Prada, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Theory, YSL… the maze of designers never ended. For those of us on a budget… this offered items that were out of our reach otherwise. According to many people, Woodbury Commons is a destination in itself for savvy shoppers, who will come by plane and bus with empty suitcases to shop for a weekend.

My finds:

Theory: Black Suit (that fits like a glove and is so comfortable I never want to take it off), and a matching pair of grey slacks

Prada: a beautiful bright blue & green silk Tartan skinny tie

Dolce & Gabbana: skinny blue leather belt and navy and grey polo

Colors of Benetton: Button up and long sleeve sheer cotton top

Total Cost: under $800 …. The Theory suit alone should have retailed at $900 = what a steal!

The morning of my first show came, and Todd Calvert, of Glasscock Boutique, and I hailed a cab to Lincoln Center for the Ruffian runway show. The show introduced me to many of the trends I would see throughout the rest of the week. Woman’s perfectly tailored suits, leather detailing and accessories, and sumptuous patterns. Leaving slightly entranced, we went to the Porter Grey showroom, where we saw a more relaxed yet intricate line including leather skirts and shorts, belts, and patent leather flats. Two shows down- it was time to refresh, make a mini-costume change, and head to our next show- Christian Siriano.

Siriano’s Runway show, held in Chelsea warehouse, showcased his bat inspired Fall 2012 line. The music, mixed by boyfriend Brad Walsh, offered tunes by Hustle Roses, whose lyrics “I’m in the business of being alive. I will not falter, I’ll never die” made for the perfect background as models walked the runway. As Siriano’s show came to a close, it was time to hail a cab, as not to miss the Monqiue Lhuillier runway show at Lincoln Center. Lhuillier’s pattern printed lace dresses were to-die for, while offering yet another example of leather detailing that was such a hit throughout the week.

En route to PhD at the rooftop of The Dream Hotel in the Meatpacking district, we readied ourselves for the Siriano After Party. Making our way to the covered terrace that overlooks the city- we met members of Siriano’s family, models off the runway, Hustle Roses (who gave us a copy of her songs from the show), and an endless supply of champagne and drinks to keep everyone happy! To hear the fantastic Siriano Fall 2012 Collection soundtrack go to http://tinyurl.com/sirianofall12

The following morning came far too early, but my NFocus co-worker and Tonya and I made our way to Lincoln Center to meet Todd, find a latte, and see the Lela Rose runway show. Looking across the catwalk, we spotted Brad Goreski, who was later joined by Pretty Little Liars Shay Mitchell after his interview with Zanna Roberts Rassi of Marie Claire. Rose incorporated bold prints, hues of deep red, and stud-encrusted tops to create a collection that offered something for every occasion.

Monday brought about an entirely different realm of fashion inspiration: Barbie’s Dream Closet was setup specifically for Fashion Week, and allowed visitors the opportunity to digitally wear a multitude of Barbie and Ken’s most beloved looks. Life-size Barbie mannequins in gowns, row upon row of pink high-heels, and a Barbie café all offered a once in a lifetime opportunity for Barbie lovers. After procuring our Dressed-as-Barbie photos, my friends and I crossed the street for the much-anticipated Zang Toi Fashion show. Sitting second row with Todd, we quickly spotted fashion photographer Nigel Barker in front of us, and Miss Universe (in custom Zang Toi), Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA across the way.

1 hour. That’s all the time we had to hail a cab after Zang Toi, head across town, visit Barbara Tfank’s showroom, and make our way back for the Reem Acra runway show. Sitting front row at Reem Acra was quite a treat. As the models walked down the glossy jet-black runway, each detail of the hand-adorned gowns was visible, along with the tiny gold stones that occasionally fell to the floor. Slightly entranced after the show- we hopped across the street for a snack and drink before returning for the Betsy Johnson show, which was by far, the most theatrical and entertaining of the bunch. Ending the show with silver clad cheerleaders, Betsy Johnson didn’t let the audience down as she performed acrobats, finishing her routine by cartwheeling into the splits before skipping behind stage.

Tuesday, with only one show left before the trip home, we gathered at Lincoln Center for the Naeem Kahn runway show- which couldn’t have been a better way to end our MBFW experience. Each ready-to-wear look was stunning; translucent pantsuits and shimmering floor length gowns offered silhouettes that captivated viewers. As the last model left the catwalk, a standing ovation signaled the end of our MBFW… but, we look forward to many more Fashion Weeks in the future.

Another year came to an end, I’m utterly confounded as to the person I was, am, and will one day be. Currently I feel like a shell of myself. I feel like I’m suffocating, drowning, being pushed and pulled by the under-toe of life.

I can’t keep lying to everyone and myself. I honestly feel as if I am just going through the motions and not really living. I fear that if I don’t do something [in terms of real accomplishment] that I may fall ever deeper into what is undoubtedly the onset of an unmanageable and debilitating depression.

On the surface, it pains me to say that I’m purely a facade of smiles and uplifting cheer for those around me. I’m a people pleaser, always have been. It’s kinda weird, essentially I’m happy when I can make others happy. I don’t know anymore. However that is just the external face I’m choosing to show the world I guess. I’ve never wanted to become a worry to anyone, but truth is I feel insignificant in the scheme of things. That nothing I’m doing is worthy of acknowledgement.

Often I don’t think what I have to say is worth mentioning… I save my breath for other people who tend to smarter than me and at the end of the day I don’t want to sound utterly ignorant.

If it’s something I’m passionate about, then yeah I’ll open my mouth, but yeah it all comes down to that I have smart friends whom I respect and learn from my silence is me trying to learn and keep up I think its the dyslexia, but yeah I’m trying to be better.

I often think of how the lives of others might be better without me. I try so hard to fight these feelings of inadequacies and put on a “brave face.”  I have always felt that way. That other people would have  the power over me through knowing my weaknesses, and in some instances it’s true, however in the moment you don’t feel so alone. Does that make sense. I don’t know anymore.

There have been times in the past in which I’ve felt on the verge of greatness only to have the dream become but a walking shadow of things so close yet so far.  I feel like every step in that particular moment feels like that shining glimmer of hope, that after basking in a moment then turns into a crippling bog of emotional disappointments.

I’ve come to the realization that I’ve only ever really wanted four things out of life.

1. To be a REAL girl… ie to fully transition undergoing SRS and everything in between. There’s a plethora of other variables of course but for time sake I’m leaving it at that.

2. To make a living doing what I love… to perform. I’ve yet to find an outlet that makes me feel a fraction of what I feel when I perform.

3. To fall in Love and have a family. This is actually the hardest of all in that I have to learn to love, I mean really love, and allow myself to love and love myself.

and 4. To get to a personal place of pride and accomplishment in my body. In essence it goes along with number one, so yeah at the end of the day it all reverts back to that feeling of being incomplete.

I think at the end of the day it really is a matter of me learning and allowing myself to grow ever more.

Recently I’ve decided to take another leap of faith, moving back to Lala Land, but this time I have to make it on my own. No one crying back home for help, because apparently I’m selfish [in accordance to one of my most trusted people] I understood where this person was coming from and yes it hurt, but I’m taking it as a challenge.

In other news, he who I shall not name of which my first entry was centered, I will say that I truly love him and I know that nothing will ever happen with him. So as much as it pains me, I have to close that door. He was actually one of the reasons that I stayed for the hope that something, anything that could happen a romantic gesture, I don’t know. Honestly it was a clusterfluff with his random texts, thoughtful picture message, loving music video link, it really made my heart soar, but I was in love with the idea of him and the fantasy versus the reality of the situation. However, like Adele sang Nevermind, I’ll find someone like you.

Hello everyone, it’s been a while since I have been able to contribute to this forum. Last year was one of many great changes in my life (professionally) and that directly affected my time and committment to my other loves and interests. My new job comes with a great deal of responsibilities and expectations. I threw myself into this new career venture 100% in order to prove myself to a new boss, and proudly took on the leadership role given to me by the powers that be.
Not only was ‘I’ in a new job, by wonderful partner (of 15 years) also made a career move at the same time, which not only changed our personal schedules, by dramatically altered our free time with each other and our commitments to our church, family and friends. While we are both pleased with our new jobs we found that as the holidays came and went we were constantly fine tuning calendars and communications… almost to the point, that our standard means of exchanging information became memos and frequent calendar print outs of each other’s itineraries. This month my devoted beau is doing a great deal of travelling (related to his work), while I finally have a few moments to ‘exhale’ for a bit.
While JD was away on his most recent business excursion, I had some time to arrange a ‘boys night out’ with five of my oldest and dearest friends. (We have known each other and kept in regular contact for the past three decades). We get together twice a year…once with our respective partners, wives and families…and once with just the boys. Last night was just for the boys.
It was a sheer delight from the beginning to the end of the evening. I arrived at the home of one of the five, that was hosting the evening. (We all contribute to the gathering with a dish and/or beverages). I came in, and dropped of my dish in the kitchen, and was the second of the five to arrive. There were the customary hugs of hello and we immediately launched into our regular patter of chit-chat for the evening. The last two arrived shortly after me and our circle was complete.
During the course of the evening with cocktails, small plates of appetizers, all the way to dinner and dessert, the conversation never lagged. We caught up, with every issue on the planet, starting with the acknowledgement of the absent spouses and children (for those of us with kids), and seamlessly sequed to religion, politics, gay and straight relationships…and for a brief moment while one of the other guys was sharing his most recent happening, I went into my head for a moment and thought….
How incredibly blessed I am to have this powerful circle of men in my life! Gay, straight, Christian, Jewish, African-American, Puerto Rican, business owners, business partners, husbands, fathers, sons…Brothers! Brothers all! And we …we ‘choose’ each other’s company. We pick up from where we left off each time we see one another. We share our dreams, talk about our fears and laugh until we cry over so many memories.
I think many of you are familiar with the expression, “We don’t choose our families…” Well, that may need some modifying, for I have chosen this brotherhood of men to be part of my family and knowing them is one of the greatest successes in my life. I hope the year ahead and life in general brings you such success.

Every New Year, I always find myself coming up with a new theme for life. Sometimes it’s the year of adventure, another year could be devoted to moving on from painful memories, and yet another could be all about living my life to the fullest. Over time, each of these themes level out and balance each other, enriching my life in ways that I had never thought possible!

As I tried to come up with a theme for this year, it had hit me: the year of making my dreams come true. In years past I have always tried to accomplish this goal along with my theme, but never quite hit the mark. But that didn’t deter me. Every year would come and go, my bigger dreams always failing to meet their mark, yet still very much alive. Fortunately, 2011 may have changed the game.

With a sense of determination & confidence, I started last year trying to figure out what I truly wanted out of life. My writing had taken a back-burner to work, fatigue, & day-to-day chores. Playing the piano overrun with more gigs and commitments than I could imagine. This needed to stop.

It took a lot of work, but things became a lot clearer once I started allowing time for the things I loved. Writing became the solace I needed to do in order to function. (Maybe not publicly to all of my readers, but at least to try and quiet my busy mind.) And when we moved into our first home, I found myself sitting down with my sheet music, blazing through each piece like I had never lost my touch.

2011 had also become a year with more time with good friends, a few getaways with my boyfriend & most importantly: having the chance to take a vacation with my best friend to Hershey Park for a concert (and some sweet rides!) There was more time spent with friends & family, more memories made outside of a gig, and what I had come to realize….more opportunity than I realized.

I took more personal pictures, branched out my music tastes, danced harder, sang louder, challenged my writing skills with new ideas and by the end of it all embraced everything I stood for. The end of 2011 was full of promise and hope for the upcoming year….ringing in 2012 meant a New Year to fill with even more wonderful moments & people!

But getting back to my original thought, while I have all of those wonderful things, I still want to reach my dreams. And with everything going in such a positive direction (since negativity got the boot last year), it’s about time I grab for something even bigger. So here I am, in 2012, writing anything and everything I can down, especially with my new music column for Stylewhipped.com (which I will share with you in another post), expanding my knowledge of different music genres through iTunes & Spotify, and giving myself an honest to God chance to prove that I can do it all.

I may say this every year, but I do believe now more than ever: This is my year.

~Jenn
(aka, aspiring music writer)

During the weeks leading up to New Years Eve, you often hear the question “What is your New Years Resolution?” My reply is “I don’t make those.”

It’s not that I don’t think there could be a value from making a New Years Resolution, but at the end of the day, I believe you should work to improve your life everyday, throughout the year. If I’m going to join a gym, I’ll do it when my schedule is conducive to creating a routine. If I need to diet, I’ll do it when appropriate and necessary.

Logging onto FB today, one status said ” [] is getting a late start on my new year’s resolutions. I’ll start tomorrow, lol.” This status was responded to with ” Me too” and “I gave up on mine on January 3rd!” Why do we put so much weight on a resolution, when reality proves that for a majority of people, they are unsuccessful? If we desire to create change but don’t actually anticipate achieving results, why pretend?

Alternatives to the “New Years Resolution” that I think have merit-
1. A list of goals for the year – something comparative to a bucket list. These would be things you see as achievable, but also work to motivate you (this could be as small as “I want to try eel this year” or bigger to push yourself “I want to skydive during 2012″)
2. A retrospective look at the past year – What did you do that you want to change in the year to come? What do you want to continue and improve? What needs to be expelled from your life to improve your efficiency, happiness, or health?

As the New Year begins- I couldn’t be more ready to return to a routine of work, school, the gym, and time with friends. Work at NFocus- where we will prepare for a slew of events beginning in March. School- 6 credit hours at Indiana University SE (including Micro Econ- not my strength). Gym- Proformance on River Road- where they offer bootcamp, personal training, and workouts for those who need a flexible schedule.

I look forward to a year of wonderful experiences, interacting with new people, trying new food & wine, and hopefully a trip or two to Fashion Week (Spring & Fall) in New York City.

xoxo JM

The brilliant work of Byron Katie…this is a must watch!