Here is a sample press release for a recent happening surrounding the Brookings Marathon. The name and quote used in this press release are fictional in order for me to execute a proper example of what a real press release of this nature might look like.
Mock Press Release for Brookings Marathon
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
A Week in the Zone
Embarking on a new diet plan can be a roller coaster ride on a nasty, unforgiving track. You start by riding the high to peak weight loss numbers, coasting through weigh in after weigh in wearing nothing but a bra, undies, and a smile. Then the plateau hits: the dreaded halt in even the slightest weight loss. You still bear all in the bra and undies, but now the smile is a frustrated frown. In an attempt to break through this slump you turn up the intensity during work outs, and cut out that extra square of dark chocolate you were secretly indulging on (in moderation of course). Still the scale is persistently delivering the same results right down the the tenth of a pound. This isn't the point of failure, oh no, definitely not. This however, is exactly when all efforts start to head south.
Your tired of it! Working you buns off in the gym, moping around the office starving because you have cut yet another chunk of calories from your day. Finally, you snap. At lunch you order the burger instead of the salad; at dinner you decide to call for delivery, since you miss your beloved pizza oh so badly; and to top it off, you surrender to the triple chocolate fudge mousse brownie ice cream you stashed way in the back of the freezer for desperate measures. Yup, I know exactly where you are.
As a Division I athlete I thought, "Meh, I can eat anything because I work out hard and often." It didn't take long for me to realize how ridiculously untrue that was. Sure, most people couldn't really tell I had put on ten pounds from the previous year. To me, other people didn't matter; I mattered and I could see it bulging everywhere. My ball pants got so tight that I could only snap the first of the two buttons for them to be somewhat comfortable in order to perform in a two-and-a-half hour practice.
I made great strides in the spring of my senior year, dropping fifteen pounds by eating "healthier" foods and applying moderation. I felt great and started looking even better. This inspired me to take up running, an exercise I never thought I would do considering running was associated with punishment in the world of an athlete. I was loving it and riding a high of confidence and self control. You could pull a pan of hot, warm, gooey brownies out of the oven and I would refuse to touch them. However, I was also riding that high of losing a pound to a pound-and-a-half every single week for the past fifteen weeks. Well, that ended.
After the initial stop in weight loss I figured I could re-tweak what I was eating to overcome this easily. That didn't happen; in fact, nothing happened. Out of frustration I decided that I was probably destined to spend my life at 147 pounds and just have to deal with it. My goal since day one had been to reach 140. Although I was, and still am, proud of my progress, the scale has never moved any lower than that 145 mark throughout the entire year.
I would never complain about weighing what I weigh. I am fine with it and appreciate my hard work and effort to get to where I am. At this point, unfortunately, I see myself caring less and less, and allowing myself to destroy a bag of Sun Chips or down a couple candy bars without the slightest bit of guilt. This is not the promise I made to myself to live a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy foods, whether I was losing weight or not. Something needs to change.
Today, after waiting nearly two weeks, I finally received my "A Week in the Zone" book. I had heard about The Zone diet and, to be honest, bought into it right away. The idea is feeding your body based on balancing your hormones. I like it. I like everything that it stands for and I like that fact that it appears to be simple. No, not just a little bit simple, really simple. I am excited to get started!
I plan to follow the weekly diet plan laid out in the book. So far, although only on page 23, I feel confident that I am learning great tools and facts to help me reach my goal weight while still adequately feeding my body what it needs. Throughout the week I will post fun facts from the book that provide substantial evidence that controlling your insulin levels is the key to optimal health. Enjoy!
Fun Fact For April 7: Keeping your blood sugar levels stable throughout the day results in your brain being constantly supplied with energy! No more afternoon crashes or mental haziness.
I recommend checking out this book A Week In The Zone.
Your tired of it! Working you buns off in the gym, moping around the office starving because you have cut yet another chunk of calories from your day. Finally, you snap. At lunch you order the burger instead of the salad; at dinner you decide to call for delivery, since you miss your beloved pizza oh so badly; and to top it off, you surrender to the triple chocolate fudge mousse brownie ice cream you stashed way in the back of the freezer for desperate measures. Yup, I know exactly where you are.
As a Division I athlete I thought, "Meh, I can eat anything because I work out hard and often." It didn't take long for me to realize how ridiculously untrue that was. Sure, most people couldn't really tell I had put on ten pounds from the previous year. To me, other people didn't matter; I mattered and I could see it bulging everywhere. My ball pants got so tight that I could only snap the first of the two buttons for them to be somewhat comfortable in order to perform in a two-and-a-half hour practice.
I made great strides in the spring of my senior year, dropping fifteen pounds by eating "healthier" foods and applying moderation. I felt great and started looking even better. This inspired me to take up running, an exercise I never thought I would do considering running was associated with punishment in the world of an athlete. I was loving it and riding a high of confidence and self control. You could pull a pan of hot, warm, gooey brownies out of the oven and I would refuse to touch them. However, I was also riding that high of losing a pound to a pound-and-a-half every single week for the past fifteen weeks. Well, that ended.
After the initial stop in weight loss I figured I could re-tweak what I was eating to overcome this easily. That didn't happen; in fact, nothing happened. Out of frustration I decided that I was probably destined to spend my life at 147 pounds and just have to deal with it. My goal since day one had been to reach 140. Although I was, and still am, proud of my progress, the scale has never moved any lower than that 145 mark throughout the entire year.
I would never complain about weighing what I weigh. I am fine with it and appreciate my hard work and effort to get to where I am. At this point, unfortunately, I see myself caring less and less, and allowing myself to destroy a bag of Sun Chips or down a couple candy bars without the slightest bit of guilt. This is not the promise I made to myself to live a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy foods, whether I was losing weight or not. Something needs to change.
Today, after waiting nearly two weeks, I finally received my "A Week in the Zone" book. I had heard about The Zone diet and, to be honest, bought into it right away. The idea is feeding your body based on balancing your hormones. I like it. I like everything that it stands for and I like that fact that it appears to be simple. No, not just a little bit simple, really simple. I am excited to get started!
I plan to follow the weekly diet plan laid out in the book. So far, although only on page 23, I feel confident that I am learning great tools and facts to help me reach my goal weight while still adequately feeding my body what it needs. Throughout the week I will post fun facts from the book that provide substantial evidence that controlling your insulin levels is the key to optimal health. Enjoy!
Fun Fact For April 7: Keeping your blood sugar levels stable throughout the day results in your brain being constantly supplied with energy! No more afternoon crashes or mental haziness.
I recommend checking out this book A Week In The Zone.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Keep The Smile Alive =)
I never really knew my cousin Katie. She was four years older than me, and because we were not first cousins, we did not get the opportunity to spend a lot of time together. I knew she gorgeous, with an infectious smile and beautiful emerald green eyes. Someone once said we looked alike and I had to laugh, for her hair was a dark chocolate brown and everyone knew she was a picture of perfection; certainly nothing I possessed. It's funny looking back on the missed opportunity to know such a wonderful person; yet, in the wake of her tragic death, I have learned so much about life.
Today is her birthday; she would be 27. She would probably be as happy as ever, teaching dance in a Chicago suburb to a talented group of young students. She would probably be dancing with her crew, a hip-hop dance group that performed at local events. She would probably be making a round of phone calls tonight to thank every single person who had given her a birthday card that day. Heck, she might even comment "Thank You" on every single "Happy Birthday" post she received on Facebook. No, she would personalize each response, because she to her a simple "Thank You" would never be enough.
Sadly, the cards will be delivered to an address where she no longer resides. No one will receive a phone call from the grateful girl, and no one will read her response of gratitude for the birthday wish. She will, however, be beaming down from Heaven, shining her light on this beautiful spring day and warming the hearts of all who mourn her loss.
Ironically this is the same month she passed away in. In just 13 short days the anniversary of her death will blanket us with sorrows, tears, sadness, and memories; for God took an amazing girl from Earth, but we all know she was made for Heaven.
I now know Katie, better than I ever knew her when she was alive. She is the inspiration inside every dancer. She is the act of gratitude that every daughter, sister, and friend express to their loved ones. She is the color green, a rainbow after a storm, and she is the sound of white. She is beautiful. She is courageous. She lives in every life she touched.
"Live. Always do what you love."
Today is her birthday; she would be 27. She would probably be as happy as ever, teaching dance in a Chicago suburb to a talented group of young students. She would probably be dancing with her crew, a hip-hop dance group that performed at local events. She would probably be making a round of phone calls tonight to thank every single person who had given her a birthday card that day. Heck, she might even comment "Thank You" on every single "Happy Birthday" post she received on Facebook. No, she would personalize each response, because she to her a simple "Thank You" would never be enough.
Sadly, the cards will be delivered to an address where she no longer resides. No one will receive a phone call from the grateful girl, and no one will read her response of gratitude for the birthday wish. She will, however, be beaming down from Heaven, shining her light on this beautiful spring day and warming the hearts of all who mourn her loss.
Ironically this is the same month she passed away in. In just 13 short days the anniversary of her death will blanket us with sorrows, tears, sadness, and memories; for God took an amazing girl from Earth, but we all know she was made for Heaven.
I now know Katie, better than I ever knew her when she was alive. She is the inspiration inside every dancer. She is the act of gratitude that every daughter, sister, and friend express to their loved ones. She is the color green, a rainbow after a storm, and she is the sound of white. She is beautiful. She is courageous. She lives in every life she touched.
"Live. Always do what you love."
FINALLY! A Resume I Can Be Proud Of
I finally have a resume I can feel confident in and proud to send out. It was a long battle, but I am finally excited about this one! I think it is important to believe in the work that you are sharing, especially to employers. However, I have done literally everything in my power and cannot figure out why I continue to have the bullet point on the second page. When I have the document open in word it does not even show that a second page exists. If anyone has any suggestions on how to combat this issue please feel free to help me by leaving a comment.
Genereic Resume
Genereic Resume
Misconception of Poetry Proven Wrong
This semester I am enrolled in a fun, challenging, yet completely irrelevant Creative Writing class. Although it is not necessary for meeting any of my graduation requirements, it is one I chose to take out of curiosity. I take pride in my writing skills, both scholarly and creative pieces, but I needed to answer a burning questions: "Am I really any good?" I had to validate my notions that I could in fact write, write well, and land a career largely based on my writing skills.
The first portion of the writing class saturated in constructing poetry. Instantly, with a disappointing reaction and a distaste for poetry, I think, "Well, I guess I'll need to find validation elsewhere and labor through this section." My ego took a back seat while I scratched and clawed my way through invention piece after invention piece struggling to find substance in a subject for a poem. Nothing seemed to tickle my fancy.
A trip to the Agricultural Museum on campus revealed the gem I was searching for. While sifting through artifacts of Esther Brown I discovered love letters from a man who deeply admired her. I let my imagination run while with a scenario of romance, love, betrayal, and torment. I loosely based two beautiful poems on their distant relationship and a love lost long before the man's departure.
The concept of poetry danced in my head for several weeks while composing my pieces. I started to feel the validation, not in the fact that I can write, but the fact that I can write in different genres and still have a voice; my voice. It doesn't matter if I am writing a research paper, a press release, a quick reflection of a reading or a piece of poetry, I have a distinct style that shines through in all of those works.
I am proud to announce that I have conquered my fears and erased my misconceptions of writing poetry and am excited to present my pieces inspired by the archives. Enjoy!
Eoan’s February DepartureFINAL
Remourse FINAL
The first portion of the writing class saturated in constructing poetry. Instantly, with a disappointing reaction and a distaste for poetry, I think, "Well, I guess I'll need to find validation elsewhere and labor through this section." My ego took a back seat while I scratched and clawed my way through invention piece after invention piece struggling to find substance in a subject for a poem. Nothing seemed to tickle my fancy.
A trip to the Agricultural Museum on campus revealed the gem I was searching for. While sifting through artifacts of Esther Brown I discovered love letters from a man who deeply admired her. I let my imagination run while with a scenario of romance, love, betrayal, and torment. I loosely based two beautiful poems on their distant relationship and a love lost long before the man's departure.
The concept of poetry danced in my head for several weeks while composing my pieces. I started to feel the validation, not in the fact that I can write, but the fact that I can write in different genres and still have a voice; my voice. It doesn't matter if I am writing a research paper, a press release, a quick reflection of a reading or a piece of poetry, I have a distinct style that shines through in all of those works.
I am proud to announce that I have conquered my fears and erased my misconceptions of writing poetry and am excited to present my pieces inspired by the archives. Enjoy!
Eoan’s February DepartureFINAL
Remourse FINAL
Back from a Blogging Hiatus
I know. I know. There is no room of a "blogging hiatus" in the world of job seekers and freelance writers. I was on such a roll, and loving it in fact, then life happened. Well, not exactly life; more like Christmas break happened. Christmas break brought a new relationship and all of the new, exciting, and time consuming things that go along with it. Spring semester delivered a highly anticipated (and even dreaded) travel schedule with SDSU softball.
OK. I am concluding my list of excuses with a vow of writing. I will blog at least once a day until I graduate in May. No more excuses- we all know what those are like anyways.
To kick-start my month of blogging I would love to give you all a little taste of just one reason why I let blogging fall by the wayside. I promise you will understand...
OK. I am concluding my list of excuses with a vow of writing. I will blog at least once a day until I graduate in May. No more excuses- we all know what those are like anyways.
To kick-start my month of blogging I would love to give you all a little taste of just one reason why I let blogging fall by the wayside. I promise you will understand...
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
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