Life, Liberty and Your Individual Pursuit of Happiness

“Live Your Best Life”… is what Oprah says and everybody knows that when Oprah speaks, we listen, intently! What happens when we aren’t necessarily happy with our best lives? We think we’d be better off with our co-worker’s best and our neighbor’s best because their best seems so much better than ours.

Once you understand that happiness depends on your individual definition, then you’ve just won the first battle. Let’s say that you were to attain your co-worker’s and neighbor’s best life; would it really fit into the fabric of your life? Everyone is different, we’ve all heard that before, what makes your neighbor happy may not necessarily even keep you interested and vice versa. “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” are our unalienable rights in accordance to the Declaration of Independence and for all intent and purpose our forefathers definitely had the right idea, LLPH gave us a guideline that is still followed to date. Today, I think the interpretation is much different; LLPH should now read: Life, Liberty and Your Individual Pursuit of Happiness.

As a young adult or adolescent, we all had some sort of vision of how we wanted our lives to be as an adult. That vision was what we looked forward to; we took steps to go down the road that led to our perceived happiness. As a teenager, I envisioned becoming an accomplished dancer (I attended dancing school from ages seven to eighteen), possibly dancing with one of the popular dance companies in New York City, Alvin Alley maybe, graduating high school and college and going on to law school and becoming a powerhouse attorney. I saw myself marrying an attorney like myself, living lavishly in an upper class neighborhood with two kids; one boy and one girl. Needless to say my life didn’t turn out that way, but it’s been an amazing ride getting to the point I am right now.

The truth is, there is nothing wrong with my life as it is, but my individual pursuit isn’t over by a long shot. How about you? What is your individual pursuit to happiness and how has it changed over the years?

Martine Chevry received her B.A. in Communication and Culture from the CUNY School of Professional Studies in June 2011. She currently works as an Assistant Editor and lives in Queens, New York. She is a devoted mom, daughter and girlfriend, as well as an up and coming indie writer. She enjoys kickboxing, shopping, reading, writing and her guilty pleasure is reality television.

Are We Becoming Flattened by Technology?

Are you an optimist or pessimist?

There’s only one way to find out.

I find it amazing that so much has progressed in our society—medical, education, economics, and even in technology.  The experience I’ve had thus far has surprisingly helped me.  I say surprisingly because with knowledge  comes more responsibility.  I guess I’m a bit torn with how certain processes are given more clout over others.  More importantly, how people’s jobs are being eliminated every day through these processes.  For instance, the payroll accounting clerk’s position is being stream-lined to one position, which would normally take two people to handle. The merging of organizational models can cause people to lose their jobs.

But, as I’m finding out, the world is emerging into newly uncharted waters which will only allow for minimum human interaction through face-to-face communication.  The wave of the Internet can be attributed to this fact.  The Internet has helped to create a new world where anything remotely is possible. The once needed jobs of previous years are becoming a distant memory.   How do you tell a worker that has dedicated their life to a company for 40 plus years that they’re no longer needed?  Or how do you make sense of the term “outsourced?”  Streamline, outsource and cutbacks backs can only mean one thing—fewer jobs.

The new ways in which company models are being reorganized are quite alarming.  Everything is being digitized, and the need to process paperwork are diminished by an idea of “becoming more efficient.”  So what does that really mean?  The term globalization has a lot to with it.  You see, the great minds of this world are working non-stop to find ways to communicate and collaborate beyond time and space while using fewer resources.  There used to be a time when you called up a company seeking assistance on a legitimate business matter and you’d actually talked to someone in your neck of the woods. But that model is becoming a thing of the past by today’s standards.  For example, if you happen to call your telephone company, don’t be alarmed to find that the voice on the other end is actually someone in India!  I understand that the wave of the future is technology, technology, technology, but I’m also sensitive to the way people’s lives are affected. Someone will more than likely lose their job because of it.

There is a book that actually explains how globalization has affected how we currently conduct business and our future endeavors to come. The World is Flat is a book written by NY Times columnist, Thomas L. Friedman.  In his book, he describes several factors of his theory of why the world is becoming flattened—I’m convinced he isn’t off the mark one bit.  The concept of “flattening is a process where all global economies are inter-woven,” as he explained in an MIT class forum.  Countries that were once too far removed to do business or even exchange ideas with are literally our next door neighbors.

Technology is at the center of it all.

I play a role in this wave of the future by attending online classes part-time at CUNY’s School of Professional Studies.  If technology creates a successful educational epidemic, there will come a time when universities across the country will shut its doors for good.  I’ve never seen any of my professors, classmates, or faculty personnel  to date.  The convenience of technology has a nice ring to it, but I still enjoy the company of people every now and then.  Will it make us better as a people? I’m not sure.  Will it help us communicate with others in a more innovate and meaningful way? I think so.  I also like the fact that I can meet people within a similar educational platform in order to stimulate my mind.

I have learned new ideas and techniques that were designed to make one better at what they do, whatever that may be.  Incidentally, the industry that I work in has transitioned over the course of ten years steadily.  It’s a tricky market, but one that has taken a beaten overall while creating new advances in technology.  Economically, my industry has taken huge losses.   Revenue has steadily declined.  We haven’t figured out all of the answers, but for the most part there is success ahead.

I want to give a big thanks to Professor J. Driver for giving me additional tools that will help my endeavors throughout my academic  journey.

Sources:

The World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman

MIT Video Clip

Photo Image:  Technology

Silently Waiting

The ruthless brutality which humankind has been known to unleash upon their fellow humans throughout history seems unrelenting and in fact almost unbelievable when considered in hindsight. For example, the Holocaust, the Trail of Tears, the Middle Passage, and the Great Purge – all events of historical significance, centered around a human ethnocentric desire to prove that their particular race (or idea) is better than another. What seems even more startling is the fact that such events are usually not talked about – and are even more rarely thought about. It almost seems as if we make a subconscious effort to push our knowledge of these events far away so we don’t have to think about them or consider the tragic outcomes. I know I have. However, recent events forced me to dredge up my knowledge of man’s inhumanity against man and reconsider those who have been forced into submission and now…..silently wait.

While out for an afternoon drive, a bumper sticker caught my eye because of the message it carried. Stuck on the back of an old dark blue Chevy, the sticker read “Terrorizing Native Americans Since 1492.” Jolted, in my mind’s eye I was transported to another era. I was forced to consider the implications of those words and how much Native Americans – and indeed Native people of many lands – have been terrorized. America was a place inhabited by many peoples who – long before America was “discovered” in 1492 and any earlier expeditions – had established their own systems, languages, cultural knowledge, and expectations. However, their way of life was slashed, ripped to shreds after the discovery of the “New World” ushered in the era of colonization which somehow resulted in the Native people playing the role of ‘slave’ while the colonizers played the role of ‘master.’

My trip back through the horrors of time continued when I stumbled across a portion of “USA Today” (a newspaper) and flipped through it, planning to throw it away when an article entitled “Recognizing Slave Burial Grounds” caught my eye. Essentially, construction crews clearing land for other purposes have stumbled across numerous ‘slave cemeteries’ – some of which have been horribly desecrated. For example, in areas where plantations once stood and in regions where sugar was grown and harvested by slaves, constructions workers have found remains of those who were never properly buried – their lives never respected nor admired nor really talked about.

The silence is understandable. No-one wants to know what happened to all those people who bore the brunt of human brutality. Justice is blind (and apparently mute and deaf as well) – it is far easier to ignore the traumas of history than face them. After all, before this newspaper article and before catching sight of that bumper sticker, I had never spared a thought to what happened to the people who were slaughtered senselessly in the Holocaust, to those who were worked to death on plantations and covered with dirt until their remains were buried under landfill only to be happened upon years later, to those who dropped during forced marches, or executed in concentration camps. What happens to those people – their memories, their children, their way of life…… and when the horrors they were forced to endure are unveiled by accident, what happens to history?

Works Cited:

Jervis, Rick. “Recognizing Slave Burial Grounds.” USA Today 14 February 2012: 3A. Print.

Choices and Trade-offs…Why I Chose CUNY School of Professional Studies

Hi everyone, my name is Coy.

The year 2011 was a year of opportunities, challenges, and new experiences. My first semester as a CUNY SPS student greatly expanded my perspectives as I found myself introduced to the vast amount of resources we – students, workers, and citizens of a digital world – all have at our disposal. Now that 2011 is at a close, I find myself with an opportunity to reflect back on what drew me toward the CUNY SPS community……..

For the majority of Americans, acceptance into a university is considered a milestone – a portal of sorts that allows graduates entrance into a successful career and fulfilling life. University life is viewed with awe as hopeful high school graduates contemplate the schools they will attend, the courses they will study, the clubs they will involve themselves in, the people they will meet, and the knowledge they will exit with. The prospects of university life are often made better when it is considered that as college freshmen they may live on-campus and thus practice ‘real-life skills’ – such as meeting deadlines, budgeting, and time management – away from home. When the four (or more) years have been completed, the new graduate proudly displays their degree and promptly walks into a job which highlights the skills honed at the university. Although, current economic times render these oft-held expectations of university life improbable, many hopeful college entrants entertain such dreams. Up until July 8th 2011, I was one of these many college hopefuls, albeit, one with a slightly different story.

I am a tennis athlete who has always preferred homeschooling. Like many of my same-age peers with whom I grew up, I imagined myself playing for whichever university offered me a scholarship. I saw myself on the pristine courts of universities known for their tennis accomplishments such as UCLA or USC. Throughout my early years as a tennis player, prospects seemed good. I consistently played tournaments, amassed several tournament wins, and generally finished in the top ten of my respective age division. Things seemed to be on the right track until I was injured. Before I knew it, tennis had taken a backseat and my scholarship plans were halted. It was clear I would need to find an alternate method of attending a university.

Since my dreams of a college scholarship would not be fulfilled as I had hoped, I began taking community college courses. In the beginning, I had merely hoped to augment my high school education. However, as I took more and more community college classes, I began to consider the idea of transferring my units to a university and begin pursing a baccalaureate degree in earnest. I had gathered approximately seventy units and was anxiously researching universities to determine where I could go. I did not want to leave home so the program would have to be online; yet, I also wanted a rigorous instruction that would build upon the knowledge I had gained and challenge my ideas. By chance, I discovered City University of New York School of Professional Studies. Further investigation revealed that SPS offered online baccalaureate degrees and would accept up to ninety units. It seemed as if I had found the right program.

I contacted CUNY SPS and began the enrollment process. I tracked down transcripts, composed a personal statement, completed applications, and impatiently awaited a letter of acceptance. I received it July 8th and shortly thereafter began to correspond with my Academic Advisor. She proved very helpful as I secured my classes, responding to my questions and concerns in a timely and informed manner. I soon became acclimated to my classes and enjoyed a highly successful first semester as an SPS student. As the Spring Semester approaches, I am looking forward not only to my upcoming classes but also to engaging with the wider CUNY community through our Community Blog.

Get ready, get set, go!

2011 is behind us and now we’ve embarked on a new year, 2012.

Last year was a pretty good year, especially for me in academia.  As many students can attest, the beginning of a new semester can bring with it, new challenges, fresh perspectives and even elevated stresses.

In my experience, as a mom, full-time employee and part-time online student – organization is key.  (Notice how I rated all of my responsibilities).

First, before registration begins, I discuss my registration options with my academic advisor.  Who in my view, is a pretty awesome lady!  I know sometimes we feel that we’re capable of doing the basic things on our own such as applying to the classes of our choice – but in order to fully take advantage of your highest potential,  it’s always a good practice to seek out help from an advisor who can view your strengths and weaknesses before making a recommendation.

This tactic proved to be very successful thus far.  And while I can’t say there weren’t times when I wanted to give up, my adviser was there to lead me in the right direction.

Second, communication is vital.  Communication is a means by which two or more people interact.  If you find there’s trouble lurking or that you’re not quite sure how to get an assignment completed, talk to your professor – they’re the first point of contact.  The staff at SPS are truly great at responding to the needs of their students.  Being an adult can  sometimes make you feel like you shouldn’t ask for help.  Well, I couldn’t disagree more.

That’s the whole point of communicating!

At times home life, work and school can wear on you as an individual. But the way to come out on top is to ask for help when it is needed.  I’ve also found that communicating with classmates has proven to be fruitful.  For the past two semesters, I’ve met some really nice people on blackboard.

Third, networking is essential.  Find at least one classmate in every class that you stay in contact with, in case you’re unable to attend class or have to travel for work or family related issues.  This can serve as a backup plan.  Remember, we’re adults and should be able manage our schedules accordingly.  (Especially since we do it for our children and jobs)!

Don’t neglect your responsibilities.

Fourth, stay on track with all assignments.  Again, this is as essential as any other item I’ve listed.  Staying on track with assignments will keep you focused and also help you to remain in sync with quizzes, tests and projects, to which a portion of your final grade can/will be affected.  I’ve found, when I see myself falling behind, I remain in contact with my professor.   Look things happen, this isn’t a perfect world we live in.  It’s the professors decision to delay or extend a due date.  At most, they’re willing to help to if you keep them abreast of the issues.  If that isn’t feasible, ask your professor if they’re assigning extra credit.  I recommend all students take advantage of these extra points, since you never know what may happen down the road.

Points do add up!

Your experience is what you make it. Get ready, get set, and go!

What’s Your Story?

I ran onto the bus just as the driver was about to shut the doors. I reached into my jacket pocket and pull out my Metro Card, only to find out there was not enough money on it to pay my fare.  Sigh.

I looked at the driver, and gave him the please don’t embarrass me and kick me off the bus for not having any money look.  He shot me back a dirty look and gestured for me to go on ahead without paying.

“Thank you” I whispered.

As I made my way through the cluster of people who insisted on standing at the front of the bus, I saw an old friend I hadn’t seen since high school; Roberta Smallwood.

Roberta was very troubled back then, she was in and out of jail for robbery and she used to smoke crack. But from what I saw,  Roberta had cleaned up nicely.

The seat next to Roberta was free so I decided to sit on the tattered blue upholstery that clearly had a set-in stain. After awhile, as a New Yorker, you become a master at differentiating a set-in stain that will have no affect on your clothing from a stain that’s fresh.

Roberta immediately recognized me and we laughed and reminisced about our high school years. She opened up about her prison days and rehab. She had been clean for five years and worked as an administrative assistant for the MTA. Every now and then her eyes would wander off out the window when she spoke of her past. I guess some memories were still very fresh for her and she was still healing.  I was happy to see that she is doing so well.

The bus finally reached my destination, the subway.  Roberta and I exchanged phone numbers and emails, vowing to stay in touch, but would we really?  People often run into old friends and have every intention of staying in contact with each other, but life’s routines always seem to get in the way.

As I hopped off the bus, I was painfully reminded of the annoying blister I had on my pinky toe that would hurt every time my sandal strap would rub it.  As I thought about Roberta on the train ride into NYC, I realized that everyone has a story; there is something that happens in everyone’s life that makes them who they are.  What is mine?

Martine Chevry received her B.A. in Communications and Culture from the CUNY School of Professional Studies in June 2011.  She currently works as an Editorial Assistant and lives in Queens, New York. Martine is currently planning on self publishing her first novel in Spring 2012. She enjoys writing, working out, shopping, reading and reality television.

Network Like a Pro

I recently attended an SPS Career Services workshop and networking seminar lead by career expert Arlene Newman. Newman is the President of Career Bound Success and has an extensive background in Human Resources across multiple industries. Newman emphasized the importance of networking in career endeavors and divulged techniques that are useful for successful networking. I will highlight the key points of the seminar and share with you some of the points I think are effective.

Before embarking on your networking journey, it is necessary to devise a clear plan by outlining your objectives, profiling your unique personality, and highlighting your strengths. It is fundamental to ask yourself these questions so you can offer a thorough presentation and give others a clear vision of who you are and what you have to offer. This is also known as an “elevator pitch”– a 30 second to 2 minute clear, concise and carefully planned description that summarizes your personal brand.

From here on, your focus should be on building rapport through the following networks:
• Friends & Family
• Work and Professional Organizations
• Classmates, Alumni Groups and Professors
• Community, Political and Religious Organizations

It is very important to have a positive and enthusiastic attitude in your communication with others. No matter what mood you are in or if you left your last job on a negative circumstance, ensure that your comments are positive. You also must be prepared–this means having a business card ready for all networking events. Your card can display “student” and your major, and if possible, list skills on the back of the card, or even an inspirational quote that is a reflection of your principles. Follow up with every individual through e-mail or a phone call. If there is no answer, always leave a voicemail.

Keep in mind that technology is not 100% reliable, so if you do not get a response the first time, it is okay to send a second e-mail.

Research your field, as well as individuals and organizations pertaining to it. This will prepare you to participate in conversations and become aware of trends and events.

Networking has become an extremely broad concept through our technological evolution, as we now have the tools to increase our networking capabilities. Companies, graduate schools and organizations, are fully aware of this and using online search tools to investigate candidates. Newman stressed the importance of maintaining a professional online presence. To prevent the possibility of a negative image, Google yourself regularly and interact in social networks with your professional image in mind.

Key words for networking:
Authenticity- Be proud of who you are, your background, your skills and your traits. Use this to your advantage- it makes you unique!
Consistency- Your ideologies should remain the same anywhere you are visible
Credibility- Build trust by being honest and upholding integrity with each person that you meet.
Unique – In a competitive job market, it is vital to display what makes you different, in order to distinguish yourself from the rest.
Visibility – In order to network, you must be noticeable to the world – achieved through attending events and sustaining a public online presence.

Following these networking guidelines are a start to building long lasting relationships with individuals that can assist you in building your education and career. With every person you meet, you should treat the interaction as a potential opportunity. You should also incorporate philanthropy in networking by approaching it as a two way street- expect to receive as much as you give out.

Don’t worry if you missed this workshop, you have an opportunity to attend Ask The Expert this Wednesday 11/9 at 6pm.  This SPS Career Services program and networking event features a panel of Human Resources professionals answering all your questions about job search and careers.  There’s still time to sign up!

Nivia Martinez is a senior undergraduate student at the CUNY School of Professional Studies, majoring in Communications and Culture.  Upon graduating, she plans to continue her education by pursuing her Masters in international studies and sociocultural anthropology.  In her spare time she enjoys attending cultural events and attending sport events with her 11 year old son, Esteban. 

Satire and Humor?

With all the mayhem that’s been going on in Washington, D.C. and across the United States, you’d think politicos would use some measure of wisdom.  I’ve been reading articles, watching news reports and tweeting stories, which I feel has some semblance, contrary to all the madness.

Yesterday was Halloween and I read an article on the New York Daily News’ website, which said a “Virginia county GOP sent out a mass email depicting an ugly and disturbing image of our president of the United States.”

A 2006, copyrighted AP image of Obama was created by Virginia GOP committee, which showed him as a skeletal, one-eyed man with a bullet piercing his head.

Now, I’m all for free speech in this country and abroad, but I do believe there are certain actions, which cannot be tolerated nor endorsed.  Any image portraying a sitting president of the United States in a derogatory manner, whether one agrees or not with their policies, is just unacceptable.  No one will ever totally agree with every policy a president or political figure believes in.  But the blatant disrespect of the highest office on earth is unfathomable.

There were policies that our 43rd president didn’t seem to have much wisdom in, but I certainly wouldn’t revert to name calling of any sort for his lack thereof.

Democracy is one of our country’s crown jewels, but relegating to such childish antics only chip away at the very fabric most Americans hold dear to.  Our right to free speech should never be used as a buffeting force as a means to dishonor any citizen – especially our President of the United States of America.

Poking fun at or using convoluted imagery to assault the commander-in-chief’s character only reveals how un-American one can be.

Here’s what I mean.

As a class assignment in my Digital Information in the Contemporary World, we were asked to address images and visual literacy.  One aspect of the assignment challenged us to “briefly check out one of five (assigned) sites listed, all of which use (and/or talk about) images and visualizations in different ways.  My group was given the charge of observing and critiquing the Smithsonian’s Ocean Portal.  I’ll submit two questions my professor posed to the class as a whole.

What is the source of the image or visualization? What do you know about how it was created and why? (Do you know enough?)

The sources of the images are from various photographers.  Ocean Portal either has the rights to use these images with permission from the owners or they’re the sole owners of these images.  I would gather these images were created to support the writer’s view on coral reefs and how they thrive in the ocean or not.

Question two: Have the images been manipulated or modified in any way? (Can you tell?) Does the modification, if any, enhance or distort? (Can you tell?

Yes, the images were manipulated to a degree to show the negative impact coral reefs can experience. For instance, the images show coral reefs in their highlight of vibrancy and full of color thriving in an ocean untouched by humans.  But in another screen shot,  high temperatures cause corals to lose the microscopic algae need to produce food, which feed other animals.  The high temperatures experienced in our oceans were due to global warming which shows our carbon footprint.

I also pointed out that, “the images were “distorted” to a degree with the magnification and added colors, used by the popular program photo shop.  This is the exact method that was used to distort the AP photo of our 44th President, Barack Obama.

How does my assignment have any connection to this article?

Well, as I stated earlier, visualization is one form of communication, which allows the artist, author, or blogger to get their point across.  In a book my classmate Fayola C. mentioned in her analysis of, Readings in Information Visualization: Using vision to think  she added “people think in images as much as they do in words.”

I’d have to whole-heartedly agree to that!

The derogatory image was immediately condemned by Virginia’s Governor Bob McDonnell and the Democratic Party of Virgina Spokesman, Brian Coy after which, the committee issued a public apology.

“The controversial image was first reported on the northern Virginia blog, Too Conservative.”

Even though the apology was issued, this group of free speech citizens wanted to justify their acts by declaring this in their statement, “[t]he Loudoun County Republican Committee yesterday sent an email to its members that represented a light-hearted attempt to inject satire into the Halloween holiday.”

I hardly call that humor.

Miranda A. Walker is currently in her freshman year in the B.A. in Communication & Culture program at CUNY School of Professional Studies.  She works in the multi-media industry as an Executive Assistant at the New York Daily News.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her children and reading immensely.  Her dream is to one day run her own company.

BlackBerry Blunder Transcends International Seas

A major interruption with communication has caused Black Berry RIM users to scramble.  Why do we rely on technology so much?  Because technology has proven to be a useful, efficient and inexpensive tool that allows intra-company communication and communication with outside clients.  The majority of U.S. companies offer blackberry devices to its employees as a means to stay in contact at all times.

But when technology doesn’t measure up, it can be detrimental and even costly.  According to the The Roland Martin Report “Mike Lazaridis, founder of BlackBerry’s Canadian parent company, Research In Motion, appeared this morning in a YouTube video to say, “Since launching BlackBerry in 1999, it’s been my goal to provide reliable, real-time communications around the world. We did not deliver on that goal this week. Not even close.”

Now, I  must admit I have relied (and still do) on my device to keep me in touch with work related emails and personal messages alike.   That’s a good thing. Technology has been monumental in many new arenas of our society, but with anything, nothing is absolute.

Our society has evolved dramatically in more ways than not – one being, the ways in which we communicate.  Twenty years ago, TXTNG was unheard of!  There was a time (before my time) when a boy and girl liked each other, they would write love letters back and forth.  That form of communicating as we know it is now outdated.

Businesses that rely on technological devices to increase productivity should use these mishaps as a learning curve to find ways to keep things moving, if this should happen again – hopefully it won’t. Otherwise, we’ll continue to experience these disruptions all over again.

RIM has provided a very useful service to many companies local and international.

I read an article in Thursday’s WSJ, by Will Connors, Ben Drummett and Christopher Lawton which said “hardware failure began in Europe, Mideast and Africa since Monday.  The company was forced to “throttle” data traffic through its world-wide servers in order to deal with the backlog, triggering fresh disruptions in previously unaffected markets, including Japan, Singapore and  – starting early Wednesday morning-North America.”

For many professionals, this is a must have.

“Service disruptions affected a wide array of U.S. federal agencies, including the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Treasury, as well as emergency services.”

During the email chaos yesterday afternoon, my boss hadn’t received one email since ten o’clock that morning.  But he didn’t mind.  Others that were affected, vented their frustrations on Twitter and Facebook instantly.

With dwindling sales of Blackberry devices, this serves as ammunition for customers to move to the iPhone and HTC smartphones.

Sources: Wall Street Journal, pages A1 & A2 (Thursday, October 13th)

Roland S. Martin’s blog:  http://rolandmartinreports.com/blog/2011/10/blackberry-outage-rim-apologizes-says-service-returning/

Miranda A. Walker is currently in her freshman year in the B.A. in Communication & Culture program at CUNY School of Professional Studies.  She works in the multi-media industry as an Executive Assistant at the New York Daily News.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her children and reading immensely.  Her dream is to one day run her own company.

Finding the Perfect Workout

I’m on my eighth week of the Extreme Home Fitness system P90X and I am so bored.  I started working out in 2007.  At that time I was in a transition period and I wanted to simplify many things in my life. Working out helped me to feel better about myself, while I dealt with a lot of personal issues.

I started off by doing free workouts on Time Warner’s Exercise TV On Demand.  As I got more into it, I decided to buy workout DVDs, as well as yoga DVDs.  My favorite cardio DVD workouts are TurboJam and TurboFire with Chalene Johnson.  Fast forward four years and many workouts, I purchased P90X. I stumbled upon the infomercial one day and always wanted to try it, so when I saw it on EBay for $39.95 I knew I couldn’t pass that deal up.

I really like the trainer Tony Horton; he’s knowledgeable, funny and keeps you motivated throughout.  Here’s my problem… too much weight training and not enough cardio. I’m a cardio junkie and I need to sweat buckets in order to feel like I’ve had a good workout.  Weight training, doesn’t bring my heart rate up enough.  There are cardio workouts in the P90X system, but they are far from the high intensity that I was used to doing throughout the years.  A definite plus about the weight training, is that I’ve definitely gotten very toned, but I’m feeling too bulky, my weight has gone up and I’m not burning any fat, just building muscle.  So how do I get the weight training benefits of P90X and still get my high intensity cardio?

I’ve come up with an idea off combining P90X and TurboFire workouts.  Both of these home workouts have a week to week workout schedule.  My plan is to do one week of weight training with the P90X and then one week of high intensity cardio with the TurboFire workouts, alternating weeks until I finish both programs.  This way my muscles never get a chance to get used to anything because I’ll be constantly changing my movements. Hopefully, I’ll get the results that I’m looking for, toned and lean muscles. I know it sounds like a lot, but I’m up for the challenge and I love working out.

If anyone else wants to join me in this challenge, let me know and we can keep each other motivated.  Wish me luck.

Martine Chevry received her B.A. in Communications and Culture from the CUNY School of Professional Studies in June 2011.  She currently works as an Editorial Assistant and lives in Queens, New York. Martine is currently planning on self publishing her first novel in Spring 2012. She enjoys writing, working out, shopping, reading and reality television.