V.L. Locey's Blog, page 58
September 18, 2015
Gotta Love a Bad Boy Blog Hop & eBook Giveaway!

Bad boys, bad boys, what 'cha gonna do? Well, if you're a fan of romance novels you're going to read all about them! As an author, my heroes run the gamut from great guys you would love to take home to mother to men who are so cutting and venomous it's a wonder anyone can love them. I have a few bad boys in my stable of compelling heroes. Let me introduce you to a few:
Petro Shevenko

Petro is one of my Wildcats, a sexy rough-and-ready hockey player. Petro has a dark past and an eye for the ladies, but once he meets his soul-mate, this Russian Romeo gives up a life of debauchery and becames the man Margarite knew he could be. If you love young romance, then get to know Petro and Margarite in Language of Love, book #5 of the To Love a Wildcat series.
Amazon
Victor Kalinksi

If you like your heroes acerbic then Victor is the man for you! Vic plays hockey for the Cayuga Cougars and is involved with his teammate, Dan Arou. While Dan is warm and sweet, Victor is the polar opposite yet somehow these two make it work. Victor has a new book coming out any day now, so fans of M/M hockey may want to keep an ear open forGame Misconduct updates! You can pick up Victor's first book, Two Man Advantage, now and be ready for the second novella when it arrives.
Amazon
Jovan Zuric

Oh Jovan, I just know you are going to be one huge problem in my Venom series. Jovan is a fast-skating enforcer who can score a goal just as quickly as he can throw a punch. It's hard to say which he enjoys more. I can say that Jovan, the instigator and the archenemy of Bobby Fovea, the Wildcats new captain, will be a leading man in one of the Venom books. Which one? You'll have to wait and see.
Decker Law

I'm all sorts of giddy to introduce Decker to the world! This badass biker will be the leading man in a novel that I'm planning to write for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) this year. Decker will be trying to revive the defunct 1% motorcycle club, Satan's Guides, in Legacy, Ohio. If you liked Sons of Anarchy (Who didn't?) you'll want to keep an eye out for Legacy - Resurrection. I am so antsy to begin working on this book. Come on November!
Thanks so much for visiting my blog during this great hop! I'll be giving away one digital copy of any of my backlist books to one lucky commentor. All you have to do is tell me what it is about bad boys that make them so darn attractive to you! That's it. No jumping to this page or that to like. Just comment and leave your contact information. If you don`t leave your email then I will be forced to pass over you. I hate to skip folks but I simply do not have the time to track down people on the internet. So make sure you leave that contact info and good luck! I'll be picking a winner early tomorrow morning.
Make sure you visit all the other authors who are taking part in this hop. Thanks to Jean Joachim for setting up and hosting this wonderful hop!
Joachim Books
Published on September 18, 2015 06:00
September 17, 2015
Throwback Thursday Tune
I would be remiss to not include one of my favorite singers of all time in this folk music festival! Although Cat was featured before I had to bring him back. His songs and voice never fail to move me no matter how many times I listen to them.
Published on September 17, 2015 02:00
September 14, 2015
Tuesday Tales - Steel
Hello! It`s time for Tuesday Tales.

Today we the next issue in my historical M/M romance, Dear Jon, which is set in 1945. Every issue of this serial will be under 1500 words so they're quick reads. Our word prompt today is 'Steel'. This story contains mature language and gay sexual situations. If that offends now would be the time to move onto another Tuesday Tales offering.
Don`t forget to visit the other talented Tuesday Tales authors. Thanks for stopping by!

The lawyer was a fat man in a blue suit who reminded me of a blueberry about to burst. “I have the lad’s birth certificate here as well as the last will and testament. I`m assuming you and your sister didn`t discuss the responsibilities that come with being in loco parentis.”“Uhm, no, we never discussed anything about the boy,” I whispered and tugged at the knot strangling my adams apple. “She and I – Well, we had a falling out many years ago. I- Uhm- She never told me she was expecting. Where`s the father? I mean- She did know the father, right? Where the hell is the bastard? Why didn`t he step up and marry her?”“The father is named as one David Randolph Brooks. He enlisted and served in the Army until his unit came under fire. He is now listed as missing in action and presumed dead.”“Shit,” I coughed weakly, lunging for the coffee set resting on a cherry teacart. Andrew peeked at me and mouthed the word ‘shit’ as his steelbus ran forward and back. I poured some coffee. The lid on the china pot rattled loudly. Brown liquid slopped over the sides of the delicate teacup. I tossed the brew back as if it was a double shot of whiskey. It tasted like ball bearing grease and had the same consistency as it slid down my throat. “What do I do with him now?”Mr. Bartlett and his blue suit leaned forward. I heard his chair cry out at the movement. Andrew was still whispering ‘shit’ repeatedly. I contemplated leaping through the window in a desperate suicide bid but we were on the ground floor. “Well, we can handle this a few ways,” Attorney Blueberry grumbled, obviously displeased with me. He couldn`t be more displeased with me than I was. “Since you are legally named the boys guardian until he reaches his majority you could, of course, keep him as you sister wished. Barring that, you can offer him up for adoption or take him to the state home for orphaned and unwanted children in Grayson Corners. I know a wonderful couple that would love to adopt him." Jesus, the home for orphaned and unwanted children . . .Was I really contemplating putting my nephew into a place like that? I stood up. Andrew jerked his gaze from his toys. I began to pace, rubbing the back of my neck so vigorously it hurt. Nothing could be heard but my footfalls on the hardwood, the steady tick-tock of a cherry clock on a cherry shelf, and the whisperings of a child. “There is no rush to decide right now, Mr. Porter,” Bartlett interjected into my circuit of his office, “The funeral will be in three days. Let`s get Betty interned properly, take a few days to recover, and then come back here say next Monday?”My head bobbed up and down. “Fine, fine,” the lawyer mumbled, rearranging more papers atop his cherry desk. I wondered if his crapper was crafted from cherry wood. “I have a folder here for you. Some basic paperwork, copies of Betty`s will, outstanding debts, banking information, etcetera. Martin`s Funeral Parlor will be handling the service tomorrow. Please take a moment to look over the papers I`ve given you. Inside,” the blueberry pushed to his feet and shoved a manila folder at me. I took it as though it might turn into a scorpion, “you`ll also find the letter Betty instructed me to ensure you got. If you do nothing else tonight, please read that. It might explain things for you. Here`s the key to her bungalow. It`s out along Route Six, four miles past the poultry farm.”I stared at the silver key resting in my right hand. It was cold on my palm. I looked over at Andrew. He was sitting there, his sandy hair plastered to his head with more Brylcreem than I use in a year and his green eyes round and unsure. Stuffing the house key into my breast pocket, I plopped my hat onto my head and offered the kid my hand. He gave the lawyer a long uncertain look.“Go ahead, Andy,” Bartlett cajoled, “This is your uncle Jon. He`s come to take care of you.”Take care of him? Shit, I couldn`t take care of myself let alone take care of-That tiny hand slipping into mine about undid me.
Copyright 2013 ©by V.L. Locey
*~*~*
Click on the link below to return to the Tuesday Tales main blog for more great reads from the Tuesday Tales authors.
Tuesday Tales
See you next week!
Published on September 14, 2015 20:00
September 13, 2015
Monday Author/Book Spotlight-Jean Joachim`s Devon Drake- Cornerback

Sports romances! Yay! I do love them so. And I am quite fond of the lovely lady visiting us today. Jean is a good friend and one hell of an author. Today she's visiting to share some info about her latest book in the First & Ten football series, Devon Drake-Cornerback. I recently finished reading Devon's book and loved it! I bet you will as well.

BOOK INFORMATION TITLE – Devon Drake - CornerbackSERIES – First & Ten SeriesAUTHOR – Jean JoachimGENRE – Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance
BOOK SYNOPSIS Devon Drake, star cornerback, has it all: hot super model girlfriend and pro football career, or does he? A childhood friend wanders back into his life, upsetting his ideal existence. Is it finally time to tell her the truth about what happened fifteen years ago?Stormy Gregory is on the run from an abusive man. Her best friend offers her a safe place at the shelter for abused women and children. Grateful to be out of harm’s way, Stormy helps with a charitable event, not expecting to run into Devon Drake, her friend’s brother. Will she run again rather than face rejection?Cracks in his perfect world threaten the cornerback’s starting lineup status. An unwelcome surprise short-circuits Stormy’s attempt to build a new life. Can they pull together or will the secret that separates the former friends keep them on a downward spiral?
BUY & TBR LINK S AMAZON KINDLE US – http://www.amazon.com/Devon-Drake-Cornerback-First-Book-ebook/dp/B014RGVP4W/KOBO – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/devon-drake-cornerback-1BARNES & NOBLES NOOK – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/devon-drake-cornerback-jean-joachim/1122532029;jsessionid=0DBF0E0B8E4C02D4A4C0D7CAE24E212C.prodny_store01-va03?ean=2940152280821ITUNES – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1037099216
EXCERPTS
#1Devon Drake’s thoughts focused on the little girl, now a woman, who had been his kid sister’s shadow in high school. Two years older, Devon had looked at the girls as little kids back then. Now, he was thirty, and he knew a beautiful woman when he saw one, even if she had a bruised face.
#2Devon plopped down on the couch and rubbed his neck, attempting to ease the tension in the muscles. The Kings had fought like wild men to reach this point in their quest to capture the Super Bowl for the second year in a row. Coach Bass, usually relaxed around the team, had been increasingly moody and tense as the day of the big game drew near.
The footballer chuckled to himself. Coach was getting married after the season ended. Maybe that’s making him nervous. Jo Parker, Coach Bass’s fiancée, was one beautiful woman. He got goofy around her sometimes, making the team snicker and tease. The cornerback’s thoughts turned to his girlfriend. Why don’t I behave like that around Jackie?
#3But the last thing Stormy wanted was to hang around Devon Drake any longer than necessary. He had filled out since high school with pure muscle. Like Chutes and Ladders, Devon Drake had taken the big ladder from handsome to gorgeous. Hanging around might mean the revival of old feelings, leaving her vulnerable to rejection again. It was destined to happen, since he had a hot, high-powered girlfriend. Stormy needed to watch her step. He wasn’t available, but nobody had told her heart that.
He sat up, his gaze glued to her. She hummed the tune “The Stripper” as she unzipped and peeled off her jacket. The man slid his chair closer to the window. She began to dance slowly. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see people on the sidewalk had stopped moving. She took a deep breath and eased her sweater up as slowly as possible.
Now, the man in the headphones was gesturing and talking. The others in the room turned to stare. Stormy kept humming and dancing. She was getting into it. Ignoring the cold, she pulled her sweater over her head, twirled it around, and flung it at a man standing nearby. He caught it and applauded.
#4The cornerback changed his clothes, slammed his locker shut, and turned toward the workout room. The loud bang stopped all conversation. The men shut up and stared. “What? What? What are you looking at? I didn’t lay a finger on that girl.” He yanked the door to the weight room open.
“We know, Dev. We know,” Griff Montgomery put in.
Devon heaved a sigh, stretched his shoulders, nodded to the quarterback, and went to work out his problems on the machines. Stormy. Perfect name. She’s like a tornado in my life. Damned annoying. But if I don’t help her, who will? Where’s Jackie? Living it up on the West Coast. She could confirm I’m not violent. Women.
CHARACTER BIOS
Devon Drake - Devon Drake spent his childhood running, playing and hanging with his little sister, Samantha, and her friend, Stormy. When he hit junior high, football became his passion and he moved on from his young, adoring female friends. With hard work and determination, Devon became a star. Always the fastest runner on any team, he chose to become a cornerback. His huge high school success led to an offer, after college, from the pro team, the St. Louis Sidewinders. In St. Louis, he earned the reputation as a “shut down cornerback” – the guy who could out run, out-perform any wide receiver. He opted to join The Connecticut Kings. At a charity event, he met Jackie Lawrence, a super model. They dated, much to Devon’s surprise. A humble young man, he never quite saw what she saw in him. But super models don’t achieve success hanging on the arm of attractive football players. So Devon had to content himself with a long distance relationship.Fifteen years after his last encounter with Stormy Gregory, they meet again. Devon knows his behavior to her at their last meeting had been atrocious. Maybe now he could make amends. His former childhood friend had turned into a beautiful young woman who was fleeing an abusive man. Devon’s heart was touched. Could he make it up to her for the bad way he had behaved? Devon Drake discovers that old feelings don’t die. Can he convince Stormy he’s sincere? And what about Jackie? Read Devon Drake, Cornerback, book 4 in the First & Ten series and find out.
Stormy Gregory - Life hadn’t been easy for Stormy Gregory. The fighting between her parents drove her to seek the friendship of the two kids down the block, Samantha and Devon Drake. Stormy continued her friendship with Devon and became Samantha’s shadow in high school. Until he broke her heart. They went their separate ways. After getting her degree in nutrition, Stormy found a job far from home in Bolton, Illinois. She worked part-time in two senior centers, planning meals. She found success and friendship there with the older crowd, and a little romance with the director. An old acquaintance from high school looked her up, seeking help finding a job and a new start. She did what she could, but resisted his advances. He became hostile, then violent, forcing her to flee. Not knowing where to turn, Stormy contacted her old friend, Samantha Drake. Sam made space for her friend in the shelter where she volunteered. During an event, she bumped into Devon Drake. Stormy hadn’t expected the encounter. It had been fifteen years since she’d seen him. Instead of hating him for past hurts, warm feelings resurfaced. Stormy pushed them down, figuring she couldn’t compete with a super model. Simply being near Devon Drake made her pulse jump. She needed to get away, but the man who had hit her showed up at her door. She had nowhere to go, or did she?
AUTHOR BIO Jean Joachim is a best-selling romance fiction author, with books hitting the Amazon Top 100 list since 2012. The Renovated Heart won Best Novel of the Year from Love Romances Café. Lovers & Liars was a RomCon finalist in 2013. And The Marriage List tied for third place as Best Contemporary Romance from the Gulf Coast RWA. She was chosen Author of the Year in 2012 by the New York City chapter of Romance Writers of America.Married and the mother of two sons, Jean lives in New York City. Early in the morning, you’ll find her at her computer, writing, with a cup of tea, her rescued put, Homer, by her side and a secret stash of black licorice.
AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – http://www.amazon.com/Jean-C.-Joachim/e/B001ITRQKY/ WEBSITE – http://jeanjoachimbooks.comBLOG - http://jeanjoachim.blogspot.com FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jean-Joachim-Author/221092234568929 TWITTER – http://www.twitter.com/jeanjoachim GOOGLE+PINTEREST – http://www.pinterest.com/jeanjoachim/GOODREADS – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/334810.Jean_C_Joachim
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Published on September 13, 2015 21:00
Sunday Ramble - Happy New Me (And Maybe You) Part #2

Last week I shared how my weight had slowly crept up to over 300 pounds over the course of many years. Being heavy is nothing new to me. I have always battled with my weight. So when the combination of getting older, a sedentary new career, giving up the cancer sticks, and a health condition that does not allow me to work out strenuously, finally caught up with me, I was so large I could not squeeze my rump into public seats.
I knew that I needed to get things under control, or all the good things that I had done (quitting smoking, giving up carbonated beverages) would be for naught. Once I got my mind set I then began doing two things differently. Yes, just two things. Here's what I've done over the past 3 months:
1-Eating portion controlled meals.2-Doing yoga daily.
Yep. That is it gang. No fancy shakes or purges, no starvation diets, no eating only twigs and spinach for a month. No drink additives or pills, and no silver bullet because there is none. You cannot eat 5000 calories a day and expect to stay slim unless you're a hockey player. Stop listening to the snake oil salesmen telling you that this powder or pill alone will have the pounds falling off of you. If that magic capsule really existed we would all be thin, now wouldn`t we?
Losing weight is hard. You will probably feel hungry when you cut back. Make no mistake. Yes, there are times that I am hungry, or at least I think I am. Truthfully, I'm not hungry, not really. I just want something. Yeah, you know what I mean: a little love in the form of a bag of Doritos or some Little Debbie snack cakes.
I now eat two portion control meals a day. I have been purchasing enough Weight Watchers and Lean Cuisine meals for my lunch and dinner for six days. Both are quite tasty, low-calorie ways to enjoy foods that you love. The Lean Cuisine line has a macaroni & cheese dish that tastes exactly like my mother-in-law's homemade! I'm now trying to incorporate more homemade food into my menu so I can slowly stop purchasing so many of the frozen meals.
Breakfast is a bagel with cream cheese simply because that is the only thing that I can eat early in the day that does not make my GERD act up. Yogurt, fruit, Italian ices, and some delicious low-calorie snack packs of cookies or Special K bars are tasty desserts. I do not eat anything after 5 PM anymore except for Sundays, which I'll get to in a second. Not snacking after dinner also helps keep my GERD under control. I spend roughly twenty to twenty-five dollars a week on my meals and low-calorie desserts. If I stopped at McDonald's, a pizza parlor, or any other fast-food grease pit just twice a week I would spend the same amount if not more. I have to think that my arteries thank me for spending my money on better food. I know that my waistline certainly does!
Sunday is what I call my 'Gluttony Day' where I cook a big meal like the one I used to cook every day. We now eat at 1 PM on Sundays this way we can work off the calories before we go to bed. As a reward to myself, I have a small bowl of cereal for a Sunday night snack, either raisin bran or shredded wheat, to try to keep it healthy. As of this post, I have lost 26 pounds over three months. But, most importantly, I am slowly changing my eating habits.
The reason that I have one day to eat what I want is because, for me, if I forgo foods that I am craving for too long, I overindulge. So instead of gobbling down 6 slices of pizza I can have two slices if I crave it, with a side salad. My craving is met and I have still stuck to my goals. Also, I refuse to use the word "diet" because it has so many negative connotations. I much prefer to say that I'm making life changes. It just sounds so much better to my ears.
I know many people will scoff at my weight loss saying it's too slow, that I should be losing more weight faster. For me this is a perfect way to trim down. If you wish to drop the weight faster, then by all means do something more drastic or dynamic. There are many people out there like me, who because of health reasons, cannot or should not be on radical diets or pounding themselves into foam at a Zumba class.
I'm not telling anyone they have to do what I do. That's not me. I'm just putting this information out there because several people have asked me what I'm doing to lose the weight. Feel free to use it or not, my friends. Next week, I'll chat a little about yoga, how I found it, what I'm doing, and how much progress I'm making since I started 3 months ago. I may also gush a wee bit about how much I love it, so be prepared.
To help me stay on track, here is something that I haven't seen in over three years, my wedding band fitting comfortably on my finger. The little things make the biggest impressions.

Published on September 13, 2015 01:30
September 10, 2015
In Remembrance
Published on September 10, 2015 21:00
Throwback Thursday Tune
One of the legends of music, Ms. Joni Mitchell. What more must I say beside enjoy!
Published on September 10, 2015 02:00
September 7, 2015
Tuesday Tales - Picture Prompt
Hello! It`s time for Tuesday Tales.

Today we have another snippet from Dear Jon. It`s our picture prompt and the excerpt must reflect the image and be under 300 words. Don`t forget to visit the other talented Tuesday Tales authors. Thanks for stopping by!

Cherry closed in on me. Every damned bit of wood in Theodore Bartlett`s office was cherry. Even the window frames and the legs of the chair my nephew sat in were cherry. I ran my finger around the damp collar of my shirt.
The kid was quiet, I`ll give him that. He just sat there in his knickers, matching grey jacket and bow tie, playing with a set of steel cars and trucks, the arm of the ostentatious leather chair his highway. Was I ever that young? When had I changed from being Jon Porter the son to Jon Porter the freak? I think I was born this way. Popular theories disagreed. It was hard to look at the boy running a steel school bus up and down his thigh and imagine him already having his sexual preferences locked down. He looked up at me. My throat got tight.
“. . . wife and I were more than happy to have him until you arrived.”
“What`s his name?” I asked and died a little inside. My own sister`s kid and I didn`t know his name. Attorney Bartlett seemed to think I was a bastard as well. I could tell. His fat lips compressed slightly.
“Andrew,” he informed me. The kid glanced up from his silent play at the sound of his name. His silence was as spooky as a foggy night in one of Bela Lugosi's movies.. “Andrew David Porter, born on the fifteenth of June, nineteen forty-one to one Elizabeth Jean Porter,” the lawyer said, shuffling some papers to draw my stare from Andrew back to him.
Copyright 2013 ©by V.L. Locey
*~*~*
Click on the link below to return to the Tuesday Tales main blog for more great reads from the talented Tuesday Tales authors.
Tuesday Tales
See you next week!
Published on September 07, 2015 20:00
September 6, 2015
Monday Author/Book Spotlight - Jennifer Labelle`s Bitter Sweet

Today's guest is the lovely Jennifer Labelle who is here to tell us all about her book, Bitter Sweet.

★★#OneClick★★
Bitter Sweet by Author Jennifer Labelle is available on Amazon!
✯ #oneclick →→ http://amzn.com/B00YYFVIDK✯ Publisher: LIMITLESS PUBLISHING
★✯ SYNOPSIS ✯★
An accident on a rain-slicked highway leaves Jenna Baker alone…
Jenna is scarred, confused and vulnerable after surviving an accident that took her husband’s life. After a year of mourning Tyler and struggling to raise their son on her own, Jenna’s best friend whisks her off to fulfill her lifelong dream of visiting Ireland. She never dreamed her trip would include a self-appointed tour guide in the form of a sexy Irishman with piercing blue eyes and a smile that promises to fill her empty heart.
Brady Connelly is irresistibly drawn to the lovely, broken Yank…
As the weeks pass, Brady comforts and supports Jenna, convincing her to live and chase her dreams. His attraction to her grows and their chemistry ignites, but Jenna isn’t sure she’s truly ready to move on. How can he convince her to release the past and take a leap of faith…with him?
The impossible happens, and Jenna’s world is thrown into chaos…
Tyler is alive and re-enters Jenna’s life, burdened with guilty secrets. Jenna knows she has to try to make things work between them, if only for their son’s sake, but she’s blessed—or cursed—with vivid visions of Brady. The visions begin to consume her and leave her questioning her sanity and the bittersweet nature of her marriage.
Jenna’s dreams of Brady become her lifeline as she questions the boundaries of fantasy and reality.
Is her one hope for happiness waiting for her somewhere across the sea?

★★★★
EXCERPT:
“Tyler, wait.” She was breathless, and self-consciousness swept through her as he undressed her. Her body wasn’t the same since the accident. She was thinner from the horrible hospital food and being in a coma. She had scars from her surgery, and she was still tender in other spots, even though she didn’t look half as bad as when she’d first come to.
“What is it, Jenna?”
She blushed and felt a little silly all of a sudden. Since when had she ever been shy with him? The answer was never. “I’m different now,” she whispered. “With the scars, it’s probably not going to be very pretty to look at.”
He didn’t answer. Instead he continued to undress her until she stood before him completely nude. “Come with me.” He moved her in front of a long mirror and lifted her chin so she was forced to look at herself. “You’re beautiful, Jenna.”
His lips were close to her ear, and his breath was warm and soothing. It gave her a chill as she leaned into him. “I’m glad you think so.”
“You’re trim.” He continued trailing his hands from her hips up to cup her breasts. “And perky, perfect. God, Jenna, your breasts are just right the way they lay in my hands.” He tested their weight in each as he fondled them, stroking his thumbsacross her hardened peaks.
“Tyler, don’t stop.” Breathless, and weak in the knees, she leaned into his embrace while he teased and tweaked her nipples. She reached back to stroke him, but he moved to stand in front of her instead.
Starting with her feet, he gazed up her entire body with lust. Once he reached her eyes again, he said, “The scars are still healing and barely noticeable. You’ve been through hell, and you’re still so damn sexy.”
★★ Meet the Author ★★Jennifer Labelle
Jennifer Labelle resides in Canada with her husband and three beautiful children. After her third child she became a stay at home mom. In her busy household Jennifer likes to spend her down time engrossed in the stories that she creates. She is an active reader of romance (especially historical), mystery and anything paranormal. With an education in Addictions work she's decided to take a less stressful approach in life and hopes that you enjoy, as she shares some of her imagination with all of you.
Find her on FacebookAnd Twitter
Website: http://www.jenniferlabelle.comBlog: http://labellebooks.blogspot.caFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Jennifer-Labelle/168414043184292TSU: http://www.tsu.co/LabelleBooksTwitter: https://twitter.com/1JenniferLabell
Published on September 06, 2015 21:00
Sunday Ramble - Happy New Me (And Maybe You) Part #1

It's amazing to me how we continue to grow and change throughout our lives despite adages about old dogs and tricks. If anyone ever tells you that you're too old to change, ignore them, or kick them in the shin. You are never too old to do anything! Go out and investigate things that you have always wanted to no matter your age and wear purple while doing it!
There are a hundred and one ways to find a new you; sometimes it just requires a wake-up call. Over the past few years I've changed in ways that I think are for the better. I became a published author, which is fulfilling one dream. I quit smoking and gave up drinking soda. Now I am working to become a more fit me. As usual, the path that I am taking is not one that the masses take. Which is cool and groovy because I like to do things differently, as anyone who knows me will attest to.
I'll start at the beginning of my journey to a better me. It was last fall during my trip to NYC to see the Rangers. When I got to my seat, I could barely fit my backside into it. Now I know they cram as many seats as possible into those large stadiums to pack fans in. More seats equal more money and that's fine. What wasn't fine was how wide my rump was. And how uncomfortable I was. That stuck in my mind for months, but I still wasn't ready to do anything about it. Then, after going to the local theater with my family - an activity that I love - I found that the seats there were also growing too tight.
Something had to be done about my weight gain. Yes, I am an author and that is a sedentary job. Yes, I quit smoking and that added about 30 pounds to me. And yes, due to my GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) I cannot engage in strenuous exercise. So people telling me to just 'Get up and exercise!' really wasn't doing me any good. I can't. Jumping up and down, walking briskly, jogging, anything that is jarring sends me into a GERD flare-up that makes me sick for days. So what was the answer?

For me it was two things. Simple things really. Things that I suspected would work if I just had the guts to start doing them. Next Sunday I'll share the first of the two changes that I have implemented into my life that has helped me drop 26 pounds to date. I hope to lose more over the course of the next few years and I honestly think that I can do it this time! See you next week for part two and my new eating plan. (It's simple, trust me)
Published on September 06, 2015 02:00