Let’s warm up January

Not many people know that I sell jewelry. I have an online boutique and I’m an independent representative for Silpada Designs. I was doing a little brainstorming on how I might share more information about the jewelry that I sell. I like to have things around me that have a meaning and a purpose if possible. I decided to start a series of informational post about the jewelry that I sell which highlights the history and legends of a particular gemstones. It will give me a chance to educate myself as well as you all. I hope you enjoy.

You know….it’s a ironic that this month’s spotlight gemstone is the Garnet. The Garnet is also the birthstone for January. It represents eternal friendship and trust. I joined Silpada because I wanted to meet people and make friends and it’s funny but I’ve done just that. I’m smiling warmly right now.

Now, there are many legends and stories about the healing powers of gemstones and the Garnet gem is no exception. It is said that if you wear a gemstone during its assigned month it increases the healing powers of that stone. Garnets are also believed to aid the blood, heart, and lungs and is known to promote romantic love, passion, sensuality, and intimacy. Now who couldn’t use a bit more passion in their lives. I know I could.

The earrings you see above made it’s debut in our Fall 2013 catalog and it’s called “Get Glowing”. It features a faceted Garnet gemstone and delicate Pearl in a Sterling Silver setting. It’s a truly sophisticated piece and looks great with any outfit.
The beautiful earring above have a necklace and both retail for $49 each before tax/shipping.

Until next time, Smooches!
Marsha
Marsha’s Silver Boutique

LaLa, The Warrior Goodess

Soooooo. Every year it seems at about this time, I reflect on the past year and what I can do differently in the new year. Each year the subject of my weight comes up and how I still have not achieved my goal. I’m holding on to ‘baby weight’ from 1995. Yep, you heard it right. 1995!! Who says that. At any rate, my last baby is headed toward 19 and I’m still wrestling with my weight.

I said to myself that this year was going to be different and guess what it has been so far. But I can’t say that it started on January 1, 2014. It actually began last year.

My BFF Angela suggested we start bike riding. Hmmm, I don’t have a bike but I went to a great little store here in St. Louis called Trailblazer Bikes. I went in with some cash burning a hole in my pocket and a mission to find me some “wheels”. The shop is located in Florissant, Mo and the owner opened in April of 2004. It’s a locally owned shop. Love that! The sales person was awesome, asking me questions about how I planned to use the bike and how often, etc and picked out some options for me. Well I settled on a Hybrid Specialized 29 inch wheels. I like to sit high in the saddle. I ended up also purchasing a bike rack for the back of my car or I would of had to ride the bike home.

The only blah moment, was the day I took my bike out for its inagural ride. I let the sales guy talk me into trying my ride with the factory issued seat. Bad idea. It would be inappropriate to discuss the ‘parts’ that were hurting. But I’m sure you can figure it out. You can’t see me in this photo because I had to give my buns a rest.

Well I made a bee line back to the shop to get what I call the ‘catcher’s mit’ seat and OMG….What a world of difference.

My bike’s name is LaLa even though she’s a man’s bike, she is my warrior goddess chariot. I love her dearly because she reintroduced me back to my childhood feelings of being free on my back and free to go where ever I wanted. Little did I know LaLa was the beginning of “Project Get Healthy” Did someone say, so what’s the point? The point is you got to start somewhere. And for me it was riding my bike. I realized that I really enjoyed being outdoors and that it was possible to be active without killing yourself. And now today, I work out everyday, I’m eating much better and the weight is finally starting to fall off. I do yoga, YOGA!

Find something you enjoy and in the immortal words of Nike, Just do it! You never know it may just be the kick in the pants that you need. Have fun and smooches!

Commitment Day 2014

So I was chilling on the couch on New Year’s Eve surfing Facebook, specifically the “Black Women Do workout” page, looking for weight loss inspiration. Wow, these women look great!

Well any-who, something called Commitment Day is all over the pages and photos of participants from Commitment Day 2013, so I want to see if there was an event happening in St. Louis. And to my pleasant surprise there is one happening the next morning of course. I immediately go to the site and sign up for the 5k. I’ve been doing a spin class 3 days a week since August so I feel pretty optimistic about participating. I don’t typically run or walk long distances because of my knees. Repaired meniscus in left and a need to be repaired meniscus in the right.

So, fast-forward to the next day, New Years Day 2014, it’s 20-something degrees outside in St. Louis — I’ve dressed for the occasion, 4 shirts, 2 pair of pants, hat, gloves and warm socks. LOL! I got to the race very early which has gotten me a spot at the very front of the pack. By starting time, I’m surrounded by about 500 other racers all present and accounted for. I’m pumped. I’m excited, and I’m ready to go!!

The race starts on time at 10am and I am immediately passed up by those who are running the race. Gulp! Did I say that I decided to walk. I’m afraid if I run, I won’t be able to walk the next day. But my 3-days a week spin class has my knees feeling pretty good.

So the race has started and I’m walking and walking and walking and don’t even see passing the 1-mile marker but around that time I realized that I could use some music so I was probably fiddling with my phone around this time. I’m rocking out to Alice Smith SHE great album by the way and I’m finding my stride. The cold is slowly replaced by heat and I’m thinking, “man, I’m overdressed” Note to self for next year. I’ve got it together by the 2nd and 3rd mile marker and before I knew it, I could see the finish line.

Crossing the finish line was the best part of the race. As I’m nearing the finish line, I hear a voice over the loud speaker say, ” Let’s give it up for Marsha, way to go Marsha!!” How cool was that! I throw my arms up in the air like Rocky at the top of the stairs and I can feel a big ole smile come across my face. I felt awesome!!! My PB was 49:44, that’s my time to beat.

I plan to do more 5k’s this year and I also want to do a century (100-mile) bike ride this year as well.
God willing I will be at Commitment Day 2015 even healthier and happier.

Take care and God Bless!

Not giving up, Just starting over…

I’m meeting with my lawyer today for some last minute issues before going to court next Monday to finalize my divorce.  I’m in the process of ending my second marriage in the span of 20 years.  I was married the first time back in 1993 and when I was 33 years old, we divorced.  I have always told myself and anyone who asked that we simply grew apart.  My first husband was handsome, stylish, and funny when I met him but in my opinion he didn’t grow up and we grew apart.  He is actually 2 years older than me chronologically but probably 5 years younger figuratively.  We have 2 sons together and I have an older child from a previous relationship.  Maybe we were too young when we married, maybe we just weren’t meant to be, or maybe we didn’t fight hard enough to stay together.  Lots of maybe’s that I felt I learned from.

Well here I am again more about 10 years later, going through the same thing again with my second husband.  A man I met online while waiting for my 1st marriage to end.  My second husband was handsome, sexy, charming…really charming, stylish and funny.  However, what I felt was different was that he was a grown up.  He was 8 years my senior and a real go-getter.  He didn’t wait for things to happen he made them happen.  He took control and made my life as a single Mom much easier.  He worked hard, played hard and adored me.  We travelled, we enjoyed each other’s company immensely.  He was everything to me.  I was in love.

The problem with my second marriage, was that it was all based on a lie.  And we disagreed on how many people should actually be in the relationship.  I thought it should just be me and him.  He thought it should be me and a few more women.  Ha!  Well we dated about 5 years before we actually tied the knot and before I discovered his ability to lie without reason and with the greatest of ease.  EVERYTHING he told me about himself was a lie and yet he told me that he felt that I was too good for him (yeah right!) and he didn’t want to risk losing me by telling me the truth.  (Really?)  Did I mention that he is extremely talented in the art of persuasion.   So, long story short, I believed him and overlooked his cheating as a temporary lapse in judgment.

In 2009, about a year after I discovered the “real” story, after undergoing surgery on my knee, I developed a blood clot in my lungs and found myself near death recovering in a local hospital.  I had a lot of time to think about my life up to this point and realized that I could have been dead and that life is too short to not spend it doing the things you enjoy and with the people who add to the rich texture of your  life.  I decided to truly forgive him, put our problems behind us and said yes to marrying him.  At the time I wanted to be happy and thought that being with him would make me happy.  And it did for a while.  But I was unable to completely forgive and unfortunately, he truly never changed his behavior.  He just got better at hiding it.  Earlier, this year, I discovered, that he never ended the relationships with the other women and had even started up some new ones after we were married.  I had had enough and asked him to leave and stay gone this time.

And now it is September 2013, 4 years later on the eve of ending my second marriage and I’m sad, but well learned, and excited about what’s next.  And just what is next, you ask?  Well frankly, everything.  I decided it was time for a complete overhaul and life reinvention.  I left my corporate job of 13+ years and have decided to make a go of it on my own.  I plan to become a life coach working with women such as myself, I’ve decided to become healthier by taking much better care of me me (mind, body, & soul), I’ve decided to become a writer (starting with this blog) and ultimately start over.

So, how am I feeling, well I am so hopeful and grateful for the opportunity to start over and reinvent myself.

Life is filled with so much possibility and I could never give up on the possibilities.

Next week, I’ll be officially single again.

Look out world….Here I come! 🙂

Ms. Negative Nelly

On Friday, I decided to go see Lee Daniel’s The Butler, the new Oprah and Forest Whittaker movie.  I went to one of my favorite theaters in my town, the dine in type.  I found myself sitting next to a lady who unbeknownst to her I’ve named the Negative Nelly.  She made a comment to her server that she didn’t realize that she was so close to the screen.  And when the server attempted to bend over backwards to make her happy by searching the theater for a seat a little further back from the screen, she shot down every attempt made by the server.  She went on to say.  “I not in a good mood and I’m 2 seconds from cussing somebody out.  Okay, who does this?  Why was she already pissed off and why rain that negativity down on unsuspecting victims.  Why say you’re not happy and then not even want to take the time to make the change.  She seemed content to stay unhappy and then blame everyone else for not fixing it.   Quickly, I felt my space start to turn sour and suffocating.  I made the decision recently to remove toxic people from my space and in this case it meant finding a new seat.  I asked the server to find me a new seat which she did and it was perfect.  I had a great movie going experience.  At the end of the day, if you don’t like something.  Instead of suffering in silence, make the change people.