SlimKicker: A Health, Fitness, Weight Loss Game!

Last week I got an email from Christine Chew, the developer of the SlimKicker App/Website. She had emailed me a year a got to see what I though about a website/app that allowed users to compete in a gamer-type way by making wise fitness/food choices and earning points toward levels and prizes (like gift cards! I <3 gift cards!)

Christine: What do you think?

Me: Dude-ette, wow!!! Why hasn't anyone thought of this yet? Do it, and let me know when you do.

Christine: Thanks...

(Tick-tock, tick-tock, one year later)

Me: Ugh. I feel fat! Darn Christmas cookies. Why won't you come off?!?

Christine: Guess what? It's ready!

Me: You are da' bomb! Thank You, Lord for Christine!

Now I'm on SlimKicker (friend me @NicoleLRivera) and so is the mom-ster (@Sandy) and we are competing to win not only prizes but better health/weight loss. (Okay, so mom is a workout junky and she discovered eating broccoli is worth like a gazzillion points, so she's kickin my booty.) Still, I've never been more motivated to make wise food choices--set down the Oreo's and everything will be fine--and exercise (gasp!). I loathe exercise, but now that I know I get points (and possibly prizes) just to strap on my sneakers and take a walk, it's not so bad.

Anywho, check SlimKicker out and, if you like, sign-up and be my friend (@NicoleLRivera). Maybe you can join mom is kicking my butt too :)

Disclaimer: I advocate a whole-foods, plant based diet (no not just veggies, geesh...fruits, legumes, whole grains, anything that didn't once have a pulse or excrete from something that had a pulse). SlimKicker leaves diet choices open and customizable to each and every user. Don't be afraid to edit your settings and customize calories, carbs, proteins, etc. to your licking. If, like The Hubby, you don't know a lick about calories, carbs, proteins, etc. I recommend reading Skinny Bitch (women) or Skinny Bastard (men), The China Study, and/or The Food Revolution. These are all available at the library or click on them and go straight to Amazon.

Happy days & Many blessings!

Nicole

16 & Pregnant Scares Me

Okay, so I have a slight addiction to 16 & Pregnant--kind of funny because we don't have TV (long story--I go to my parent's house for my weekly fix).  Anyway, the new season started yesterday with back-to-back episodes. By the time I had finished watching the girls go from peppy teens with big dreams to tired, sad, eeyore-esk women with no lives, I had to ask myself--Could I handle mommy-hood?

Now before you go freaking out (mom), I am NOT pregnant. Nor would I drop a bomb like that via blog--until the hubby and I had told the rest of the fam. Anywho, the show got me thinking--man, am I going to have enough time to write, read, or (heaven forbid) eat chocolate-peanutbuttery creations on a regular basis when/if I take the plunge into mommy-dom?

Granted, I am not 16 & Prego. I am 26 and un-prego, but still. This is scary stuff. Is it possible to both have a writing career and deal with a newborn/rapidly-growing/spit-uping child?

I tell myself, "Nikki, calm down. You're 26. You have your degree. You have a stable life. You're married. Child-rearing will be a synch." And then myself tells me, "You're delusional. You're not going to sleep for months (gasp). You're not going to have time for anything but poopy-diapers (ick!). Get a life. Adopt a puppy."

Don't worry, you'll still get your grandchildren (mom). I just needed to get that off my chest and ask: What say you, moms of the blogging world? Is it possible to do both--write and...all that icky stuff?

Livin' On A Prayer

As an aspiring author, or an aspiring anything, we all go through periods of time when we are literally living on a prayer. Times are tough in the beginning. We fail more than we succeed. And, more often than not, it seems the easiest thing to do is to give up, stop caring, and dedicate our lives to a 9-to-5. At the same time, we know if we just keep on taking that next step, we'll eventually make it. So, to all those out there in the deep end of their dreams with no life preserver in sight, just keep prayin' and kickin', you'll get there. 

Livin' On A Prayer lyrics
Songwriters: Bongiovi, Jon; Sambora, Richard; Child, Desmond;

Tommy used to work on the docks
Union's been on strike, he's down on his luck
It's tough, so tough

Gina works the diner all day
Working for her man, she brings home her pay
For love, mmm, for love

She says we've got to hold on to what we've got
It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not
We got each other and that's a lot
For love we'll give it a shot!

Oh, we're half way there
Oh oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand, we'll make it I swear
Oh oh, livin' on a prayer

Tommy's got his six string in hock
Now he's holding in what he used to make it talk
So tough, mmm, it's tough

Gina dreams of running away
When she cries in the night, Tommy whispers
"Baby it's okay, someday"

We gotta hold on to what we've got
It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not
We got each other and that's a lot
For love we'll give it a shot!

Oh, we're half way there
Oh oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand, we'll make it I swear
Oh oh, livin' on a prayer
Livin' on a prayer!

We gotta hold on ready or not
You live for the fight when it's all that you've got

Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it I swear
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer

Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it I swear
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer

Whoa, we're half way there
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it I swear
Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer
[| From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/b/bon-jovi-lyrics/livin_-on-a-prayer-lyrics.html |]

Skinny *itch

I just read Skinny *itch and Skinny *itch Bun in the Oven (no, Mom and other relatives, I am not pregnant nor am I planning a pregnancy in the near future. I simply read this because one day, in the distance, I would like to have a child. Relax.) Back to the review...These books are not only hilarious they are packed full of info that we all need to know.

So what are the books about? Straight from their website www.skinnybitch.net:

If you can't take one more day of self-loathing, you're ready to hear the truth: You cannot keep shoveling the same crap into your mouth every day and expect to lose weight.

Authors Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin are your new smart-mouthed girlfriends who won't mince words and will finally tell you the truth about what you're feeding yourself. And they'll guide you on making intelligent and educated decisions about food. They may be bitches, but they are skinny bitches. And you'll be one too-after you get with the program and start eating right.

Rory Freedman, a former agent for Ford Models, is a self-taught know-it-all.

Kim Barnouin is a former model who holds a Masters of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition.

They have successfully counseled models, actors, athletes, and other professionals using the Skinny Bitch method. They both live in Los Angeles.

Why did I first start reading them? First and foremost, I have major stomach issues. The doctors have put me on an array of medication and nothing has worked. I've been a vegetarian for 8 years, but I knew my issues had to do with my eating. I knew, after doing the 21-day Daniel Fast and feeling the relief of my stomach issues I was going to have to make the plunge into vegan-hood. I loathed the idea of it at first, but couldn't continue to feel sick all the time. The Skinny *itch method worked for me. I hope it works for you, whatever your reasons may be for getting healthy. 

Many blessing, 

Nicole

Betty's Books & Hooks

I started my own online book and stuff (that's the hooks) store. Essentially, whenever I find bargain books or other things that I think people will like I will upload them to either Amazon or Half.com. If you're interested you can buy.

In this day and age we all need to watch our pockets and keep expenses low. I hope Betty's Books & Hooks will be a place where you can find deals and conserve your mula.

To see what I have up for sale so far (I'm just now building an inventory) you can check out the store by clicking HERE for the Amazon store or HERE for the Half.com store.

Many blessings,
Nicole

**This photo is not my own. It was procured from a Google Image search.**

Movies with Charm

In my attempt to master the craft of story I've been devouring stories, which tend to go down faster in movie form. (Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
 is a wonderful tool for studying story in any form. I suggest anyone and everyone in the "story" business should get a copy for their personal library. I have all three books on my Kindle so they are with me at all times.) In that pursuit I rediscovered my love of Meg Ryan movies and, more specifically, You've Got Mail. What lover of words and story wouldn't fall in love with this movie? I think I've watched (or played in the background while I work) this movie a hundred times in the past few months.

Funny story (or so I think). I borrowed You've Got Mail from the library sometime in say October (I can't remember the exacts. Then I re-borrowed it so many times in a row I had to have my husband take it in and check it out under his account. In short, if you live in South Florida and have been trying to check it out, I'm sorry. Fear not, my mother gifted me the 10th Anniversary edition and I will no longer horde the libraries copy.

I can't promise the same for The Shop Around the Corner, the 1940's film in which You've Got Mail in based on. I watched it for the first time today and I fell in love with the characters and story in a whole new way. I wonder if I can check it out till my birthday (May)...hmmm.

More importantly, any suggestions for my story pursuit (film or novel)? (That reminds me, I finally broke down and read The Hunger Games Trilogy
 {had to before the movie comes out}. It is officially one of my favorite stories of all time. I was glued to the pages/screen. I could hardly tear myself from the fast past drama, and Katiness Everdeen's voice...If you haven't read it, do.)

What are your favorite stories of all time?

Don't Let Crocky Bother You...

I grew up on a reptile farm. Yep, totally not pulling your leg. It's weird in a way because nothing about that sentence sounds odd to me. It's like growing up with a pool all your life, you never think, "Oh, maybe there are houses without pools." I've always had reptiles, in masse, and so did my best friend (our father's met in the reptile breeding circle) and most of my dad's friends. I often totally forgot to warn unsuspecting friends of the fact that they'd be encountering hundreds of snakes and other reptilian creatures by coming to my home, because it never dawned on me that, that might be weird or slightly frightening to them. Oops :P

The other day as the hubby (who's terrified of lizards and all reptiles...didn't tell him either when he arrived to take me on our first date) and I were brushing our teeth, getting ready for another day, I started laughing hysterically. He gave me the odd, have-you-officially-lost-your-mind look. When I was able to speak all I said was, "Don't let Crocky bother you," and he started laughing too.

We have this running joke, thanks to my cousin. You see, when he first got married he made the grave mistake of brining his new bride to my parents house to introduce them (I was yet to be conceived). He too did not fully warn her of what she might be facing in her seemingly innocent visit to her new husband's family's home. Unlucky for her she needed to use the bathroom during her visit. My mom politely showed her the way, and right before leaving her to do her business she had the foresight to say, "Don't let Crocky bother you!"

Who's Crocky? My parents pet baby crocodile that resided in the guest bathtub. You can imagine my cousin's wife's surprise.

This story has made me think: How often do we take things that are seemingly normal in our lives for granted? For instance, I live in the Sunshine state. Everywhere I go there are palm trees. They grow like weeds. But, when my friend from Ohio comes to visit she's constantly snapping photos of them like an out of control chinese tourist. Before I harass her, I remind myself of the awe I feel when I'm in her neck of the woods and drive down the road gazing upon all the Christmas trees. I refuse to call them pine trees because they look nothing like the pines we have here and I only ever see these trees (priced at, at least sixty bucks a pop) during the holidays with a big sign declaring them "Christmas Trees."

What do you take for granted?


P.S. - Picture from Google. Crocky is no longer a pet.