Long Time No See

Hi friends! I haven’t written in a while! Things have been different, but yet very much the same. 

Some fun things I did last year: 1) Visit Spain with my husband for our 2nd wedding anniversary 2) Drove to Philly with a friend to attend a Dancehall workshop class taught by one of our favorite dancers 3) Complete my inner refocusing to help manage my anxiety 4) Got my first chemical peel 5) Discover my best curly self (check out my Instagram dedicated to curly hair: @ToCurlsWithLove_).

Work still keeps me super busy, but I’ve been trying to challenge myself in more areas to ensure I always keep growing and learning. My fitness journey is still going pretty strong. I make sure to make time for myself at the gym during the week. It’s good “me time”.

I’m sure 2019 will bring some interesting changes and developments. I don’t deal with best with change and it can cause my anxiety to go crazy. But, I’m learning to manage, take things as they come, and enjoy all of the moments, good or bad. Or at least find the silver linings in moments that are harder. 

Here’s to an exciting 2019 and to all the interesting moments in between. My advice? Take mental health days, eat some kale, then eat some ice cream. Be bold, be you! 

Just Say NO…

…To saying yes.

This is how I imagine myself when going against the popular opinion.  Mmmm, I’m pretty cool.

I need to learn (and am learning) to just say no.  If you know me, you know I’m a talker.  I always have something to say about something.  I like to make silly quips and make people laugh.  I try to inspire and create with my words.  I write poetry and prose.  I write thousands of words every week.  But, one word I don’t say enough is “no”.

I am always saying “yes” but I’ve found it’s not always for the best.  I say yes because it’s easy and convenient.  I’ve learned that I HATE conflict so much that I usually agree with everyone around me just to avoid an argument.  But, in the grand scheme of things, that makes me a pushover.  A doormat.  The easy way out.

Sometimes, I surprise myself when I get into heated debates/arguments.  I gasp and say “JUANA!  You saucy little thing, you!  Look at yourself, defending your beliefs/ideas/opinions,”  As a journalist, the worst thing I could be is a follower.  Why always follow the masses, when I am one in a million?  I have lived a life that no one has ever lived.  I have experiences and relationships different from anyone else.  So, why do I always need to agree with others, just to avoid awkwardness.  Why make it easy for myself?  When someone asks me to do something I don’t want to do, I should just say no.  No excuses, just no.

When I have a different opinion, I will let it be known.  Maybe you’re wrong and I have the right answer.  I will tell you about it.  Perhaps, you made me mad and you’re better off knowing it rather than me stewing in my quietness just so I don’t make you uncomfortable.

I am JUANA!  Hear me ROAR!

Foodie Update!

Wellllll, the first three days of cooking my own meals has been going well.

And you might says, “Geez, Juana, three days isn’t long enough to tell if you’ve made a difference!”

Well, my friends, I beg to differ.  Usually, hours after my grand proclamations to cook and stop eating out, I start craving fast food.  But, I haven’t eaten out in the past few days.  Not even wanting  it, really.

Sunday night, I made a Turkish dish with basmati rice, mint-cucumber yogurt, pita bread with red pepper hummus, and kofta.  The kofta and yogurt was especially great because I made them from scratch.  I added breadcrumbs, an egg, seasonings, and and fresh mint to ground beef and put it in the blender to mix it up.  Then, I cooked them in olive oil on the stove.  It was so good, I had this three meals in a row.

My second dish was a simple pasta dish with cheese and tomato sauce, penne pasta, and hot Italian sausage.  I also cooked the asparagus I bought over the weekend.  My co-worker, Sarah, who graduated from culinary school, gave me tips on how to cook the asparagus since I’ve never done it before.  I boiled them for 3 minutes, took them out of the water, sprinkled with sea salt and pepper and then sauteed them in butter.  I’m so full, I can barely move off of the couch.

 

I can’t wait to share more of my homemade dishes!  Onward, homecooked meals!  Onward!

 

My Body is a Temple

Hi, my name is Juana.  And I’m a junk food-aholic.  And a fast food-aholic.

Anything with lots of cheese and salt that I didn’t have to cook or clean up.  My mouth waters just thinking about delicious McDoubles, thick shakes, greasy waffle fries, and oily beef tacos.  All of which I can get for a few bucks here and there.

But recently, especially since I got my own car (which means easy access to fast food chains), I realized that I hardly ever – and I mean EVER – cook for myself.  The items in my fridge consist of weeks old milk that I never even opened, spoiled veggies that I swore I’d saute into healthy stir-fry, butter, and leftover pasta that I proudly cooked a week ago.  My dishwasher never gets used, but my trash cans is always filled to the brim with greased spotted paper bags that held my fast food dinner.  My car is filled with receipts from Mickey D’s, Sonic, and 7-11.  And my bank account?  Don’t get my started on my bank account!  I could probably have saved hundreds of dollars a month by driving right past the places that so often call my name enticing me to partake of their foodie goodness.

But looking into my bleak fridge, watching the pile of receipts float into the wind as I open my car door, and my sluggish nature makes me wonder how I could change my eating habits.  I’ve figured three things contribute to my current habits:

1. Convenience (It’s easy; there’s no cleaning involved!)

2. I don’t like cooking for just myself, so I only cook when I’m entertaining others

3.  I really do love eating at restaurants

But, I realize that keeping my body clean will help energize me and protect me against sickness.

I was inspired tonight to go grocery shopping and buy ingredients to cook my meals for the week.  I ended up spending what I would probably spend on three or four days of fast food purchases.  I bought plums, peaches, a bunch of asparagus, sausage, ground beef, and fresh mint among other things.  I couldn’t wait to get home to cook!

Due to the late hour, I didn’t make a whole meal but instead made mint cucumber yogurt (my take on something I ordered at a Turkish restaurant last week) and basmati rice.  For convenience sake, I wanted my food to be prepared for when I actually want to eat it.  I added butter to the rice cooker to flavor the rice.  Everything has been neatly stored in my fridge.  And I’m happy to see my fridge is shaping up.

Later in the week, I plan on making several small ground beef patties with fresh mint and parsley pressed in.  I’ll add it to the rice and mint yogurt for a filling, but light meal.  I also look forward to a pasta dish with penne, tomato rosa sauce, and spicy sausage meatballs.

Do you have a favorite dish that you swear by?  I’d love to know what it is!  And are there ways to keep from eating out too frequently?  Share your tips with me 🙂  I want to be continually inspired to cook on my own and not depend on the convenience of fast food.  I’m sure my body and wallet will thank me.

Here’s to new healthy habits!

Staying Strong: Story of Help in Virginia Beach

It was a lively night in the dining hall of Regent University.  Students gathered to perform inspiring melodies and raw spoken word.  This open mic night, called “Hope ‘N’ Mic, was held to raise awareness of self harm, depression, suicide, and mental illnesses.  Rachel Migliore, a Regent graduate, along with her friend Gwenna Hendrickson, helped organize the event in hopes it would shed light on a very real issues, especially an issue that affected Regent students and Virginia Beach locals within recent years. Kayleigh, a high school student in Virginia Beach, was one of these locals.

Kayleigh was struggling with the stress of high school and feelings of unworthiness.  Kayleigh says, “It was my first year in high school, my grades were horrible.  I had always been on honor roll, last year I went to mostly Ds and I didn’t really fit in.”  The slip in grades and new environment was a lot to handle and, for Kayleigh, the only way to cope was to self harm.  Self harm involves bringing physical pain to oneself in order to focus on that pain instead of emotional and mental anguish.  Self harm often means taking a razor blade and making cuts on the arm or stomach so that the scars can be hidden easily.  Many times, it is this painful catharsis that helps release emotional pain.  This was apparent in Kayleigh’s response:  “I was feeling like I wasn’t really worth much and didn’t have people that really cared about me.  Over all I just hated myself and I thought it was the only thing that I could do to make myself feel anything.”

This year alone, at least thirty-four reports of suicide in Virginia Beach have been recorded and reported by The Pilot Online.  So, how do Virginia Beach residents cope with self harm and suicide awareness?  In 1988, the S.O.S Hampton Roads was founded by Chris Gilchrest, L.C.S.W. in order to provide an outlet for those who have lost a loved one to suicide.  Last year, S.O.S Hampton Roads held their eighth annual Out of Darkness walk and are preparing for the ninth walk in September.

Rachel and Gwenna felt that Regent University needed to be more fervent in awareness and prevention of self harm and suicide.  Rachel says, “I’ve long since dealt with mental health issues, and I was very aware that it was a growing problem on campus.”  She and Gwenna teamed with To Write Love on Her Arms, a national non-profit organization dedicated to “presenting hope for people struggling with addiction, depression, self injury, and thoughts of suicide while also investing directly into treatment and recovery”.  Their partnership brought a “Uchapter” to Regent in 2013.  Their Hope ‘N’ Mic night brought in one hundred guests and raised over two hundred and fifty dollars.  This was a success for the Uchapter as it raised awareness for various issues that were not being discussed openly on campus.  One of Rachel’s primary goals is to let people know they are precious and valuable to the world.  Though she has graduated, the Uchapter is still active at Regent.  She is optimistic that those in the Virginia Beach community and those at Regent will continue to raise awareness for mental health.  She says, “I hope that the Uchapter will really just become a staple of the Regent student community and a place where kids can come to receive support and advice for when they or a friend are going through something. I also hope that it will be a source of education for the community, to fight against the stigma so commonly associated with mental illness and create a culture where it is alright to admit that you’re struggling with something.”

Rachel (right) & Gwenna (left) at a TWLOHA event – photo cred: Lily Robinson

Kayleigh, who wants to attend Regent when she graduates high school next year, knows that there is a way out of the darkness she was once surrounded by.  Kayleigh understands the importance of raising awareness, especially after she sought help from a private counselor.  She follows the Stay Strong movement facilitated by actress and singer, Demi Lovato.  She says, “[Demi] just helped me feel not so alone and showed me how many people go through the same thing that I did.”  Kayleigh also wishes to get a tattoo of an infinity symbol wrapped around the words “stay strong” as a permanent reminder of how she found her way out of her struggles. As the Regent Uchapter, S.O.S. Hampton Roads, and brave students like Kayleigh continue to raise awareness for mental health issues in Virginia Beach, it is important to remember that mental illness and self harm can be treated and treatment starts with recognition.  Small, close-knit groups like Regent’s Uchapter and S.O.S Hampton Roads have begun helping Virginia Beach residents cope with this issue.  It is a great start for an issue that is misunderstood and needs to be discussed within the community.

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Why I Write

Blogging has always been an adventure for me. Ever since I started my first blog as a student blogger for Regent University, I’ve always felt it was away to pen my thoughts while simultaneously publishing myself. It does make me slightly nervous to others read my work, butwhat writer doesn’t?  A writer’s work is a reflection of their perspective and life.
With this blog, I felt as if a new chapter in my life was starting. I’ve finished grad school and am looking for new opportunities. It was time to refresh my blog and start anew.

I hope that when you’re here, you learn a little bit about me and a whole lot about yourself. I want my posts to reflect me, but cause you to think and question.

I’m ready for the adventure.

Taxi Cab Rides and the City that Never Sleeps…

…The city of lights….

…The city of dreams…

…The city of….

I spent my 4th of July weekend in New York with Stephen.  It was wonderful!  We took the bus down Thursday night and arrived Friday morning.  Stephen’s family had plans to go down to the Hamptons, but the weather proved to be too dreary so we stayed in Queens.  Naps were taken and chats were had.  I hadn’t visited his family in New York in quite a while, so it was nice to catch up and spend time with them.

On the evening of the 4th, we drove near the city to hang out.  By the time the sun had set, the clouds had dissipated so the skies were clear enough to see sparks of lights as the barges set off fireworks.  We had to park a whiles away from the fireworks show, but as we walked towards the park, I realized I could see the Statue of Liberty.  I was so excited because the last time I had seen the statue was 13 years ago when I visited Ellis Island with my family.  I think I was more excited to see the statue than I was the fireworks.  But, fireworks do have that certain something to make an evening magical.

The drive back to Stephen’s family’s house was extremely long due to the holiday traffic, but it was a chance to people watch.  The city is like a living organism, moving and growing in crowds of people, flourishing on falafel carts and late night clubs.  I liked to look at couples holding hands and wondered of their stories.  The lights and sounds of the city are busy but soothing; calm in the chaos.

I slept on the couch in the living room of the family’s house in Queens.  It was a great night’s sleep.  Relaxing knowing I was in a family home.

The next day, the women of the family and I went shopping for formal dresses for the wedding in August.  I haven’t found a dress yet and I’m dating a groomsman!  I need to hurry it up…

Later, we attended a BBQ and it was so nice just to sit and feel the breeze through the trees on a hot summer day.  A smoky chicken scent lingered in the air as children ran around and played on the carnival carousel in the corner of the park.

Stephen and I had plans to go into the city at night, but we ended up just sitting and eating beef patties together.  Sometimes, it’s just nice to sit and talk.

The following day was rushed.  The ladies were attending a bridal shower so I helped package cream pies and tied them up with pink ribbons.  Stephen tried to go bowling with the guys and I tried to attend the bridal shower, but in the end, we had to run to catch the bus back home.

**Side Note** I hailed my first taxi cab!  I stepped into the street and raised my right arm up high.  I waved my hand ever so slightly as taxis flew past.  Then, one came to a screeching halt.  It was as magical as I could have imagined 🙂

The bus ride home was typical with your chatty cellphone girl, loud headphone listeners, and sniffling babies.  Somehow, it was a fitting end to our New York weekend.

To Bear Arms

Venti caramel frappuccino, hold the firearms, please. This could be a phrase soon heard around the country as establishments like Starbucks, Target, and Chipotle ask their customers to not bring guns into the stores. These recent requests have added even more heat to the gun control debate. With recent shootings, like the one that occurred in a Las Vegas pizzeria and Walmart in June, establishments have become more aware of the uneasiness that guns cause. Thus, they have started to “ban” customers who bring their firearms into the stores. Yet, it is not a ban at all. In states like Virginia and Arizona, where citizens can open carry, the establishments cannot enforce such a ban. They can only request that those who enter the stores leave their firearms behind. In a press release, John Mulligan, Target CEO, said “Our approach has always been to follow local laws, and of course, we will continue to do so. But starting today we will also respectfully request that guests not bring firearms to Target – even in communities where it is permitted by law.” He continued by saying, “Bringing firearms to Target creates an environment that is at odds with the family-friendly shopping and work experience we strive to create.” As more national stores choose sides, the public wonders if the decisions promote gun sense or if it is a way to control gun laws, even in places where open carrying is permitted.

William [last name withheld], works as a police officer in Virginia Beach and carries a personal weapon when he is off duty. It helps him have a sense of security and safety. William said, “I would still go to Starbucks and Chipotle because I like their food, but I think their request is irrational. You can’t tell law abiding citizens to not bring weapons in knowing criminals won’t obey the request. It won’t keep us safe.” However, he noted he would conceal his weapon or not bring this weapon into the store as to not draw attention to himself.

William (on the right) and his friend display their open carry firearms

William practices at a gun range to promote gun safety

 On the other side of the debate, employees and customers may feel better about the decision to ask patrons to not bring firearms into the stores. Lanna Robbins, who worked at a Taco Bell in Suffolk, says she felt uncomfortable whenever patrons brought their weapons into the store: “It makes you jumpy when a guy walks in with a glock on his hip. I stayed real close to the emergency button.” This is not an uncommon fear. As citizens are learning from the actions of stores like Chipotle, the mere presence of a gun can cause uneasy feelings.

Yet, the fiery debate has not lost any flames. Shootings at public places causes gun control advocates to become louder with their opinions that guns should not be allowed in public places and that gun laws should be stricter. Requests like the ones asked by Target, Chipotle, and Starbucks make anti-gun control advocates push against opposing views that much harder. It seems that neutral ground won’t soon be reached.

Comment with your views, I want to hear your opinion – public debate will help us learn and grow.

The Big 2-5

I’m turning 25 in a few days!  Oh lordy, I can’t believe I’ll be 25.  I don’t think it is the actual age that is freaking me out, but rather the fact that I always wondered what life would be like when I reached a quarter of a century.

Would I be a college graduate?  A writer?  Journalist?  Would I be married?  Dating?  Have kiddos?  Perhaps, I’d be dating around.  Or a partier.  Would I live in a fancy apartment?  Or a cute little house?  Did I make my residence in the States?  Or did I decide to travel the world?  

Some of those things are true.  And I’ve learned to make the most of every situation, so that I’m never unhappy.  Without the unconditional love of the Lord and my family, I’m pretty sure I would have been a bit rougher around the edges.  I always worried that I wouldn’t be able to “make it” in the big girl’s world.  That I’d never truly find my way.  But it didn’t happen that way.  I moved across the country at 21.  I was scared out of my mind.  And here I am 4 years later, a college graduate (Bachelors and Masters, mind you), a writer, a journalist, not married (but fully loved by many in my life), dating a wonderful man, I’m not a partier (but a dancer), living in a nice apartment, and I live in the States (but looking to travel the world).  Nice to see you, 25.

Autism Awareness

I wrote, shot, and edited this news piece to bring awareness to autism.  I hope to use my gift of storytelling to write more news pieces like this one.  I want to reveal that each person has a story to be told, whether it is through feature stories or through traditional news articles.