He had a real laugh-- a hearty, howl of a laugh that bellowed deep from his gut and echoed clear across the room.  It was his trademark, his thumb print, if you will, on life. His name was Colin Campbell, and Sunday he passed away, quite unexpectedly, quietly in his sleep. Suddenly, the laughter had ended, and with it my hopes of reuniting with this gentle bubbly giant. I met Colin more than 10 years ago through my best friend Anita. They both went to Morgan State University and he was the first person she met on campus. Months down the line, she introduced him to me and it seemed as if I had known him forever. He was so easy to like, so easy to talk to and so easy to laugh with. It's rare that you meet people like him. That's why it's so hard to believe he is no longer here. I will miss you Colin. I am so sorry our reunion (me, you and Anita) didn't happen, but I am so happy to have encountered such a beautiful soul. You are truly, beautifully, authentically human and your laughter and smile will live on in each of us that had the opportunity to call you FRIEND.  

Sometimes we all need a little push to get going, especially when it comes to a workout routine. Just the words alone have a negative connotation; so today, I'm going rename it "jumpstart." Did you know that if you jumpstart your day with excercise that you are increasing the endorphins (happy hormones) in your brain? I don't know about you, but I'd rather jumpstart my day this way than reach for the remote. That's why every morning, I jumpstart my day with exercise. The key is to do it before anything else in the morning. And yes that means BEFORE you turn on your computer,TV or check your voicemail. It's so easy to get distracted, so don't sabotage yourself with these common traps. And finally, for those of you who work a 9 to 5, try getting up an hour early to jumpstart your day with exercise. You'll be thankful for the effects this has on the rest of your day!

Oh how I'm loving the beautiful weather today! It's over 90 degrees in Philly today. And I hope you are being kissed by the sun wherever you are today. It's no secret how much I love warm weather, but as I bask in this sun, I give thanks for the joy I feel inside! Everyday God allows me to wake up is a sunny day! Regardless of the time of year, I feel sunny inside. And that's not to say I don't have my moments when I get down, but, I see the bigger picture, and that  big picture is the beautiful Sun-Rise I see every morning I wake. Even on the cloudest days of my life, I know it's there. You ever fly on a cloudy day? I have. And I am amazed every time by how bright and bold the sun is when the plane swarms above those dense clouds. That's how life is. You can't always see the rays of the sun on a cloudy day, but you know it's there. Don't let life's obstacles cloud your ability to have a sunny day.    

Just came back from Vegas today. I was at the James Malinchak "College Speaking Success Bootcamp." It was phenomenal! This conference was so much more than what the title implies. I've been reading PR, marketing and promotion books for years and never have I learned the tips that I learned this past weekend at this bookcamp. And you know what? It really was a bootcamp. Most days we were up from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. engaged in bootcamp activities. This was my first time in Vegas. And I must admit, I didn't get to see much of the city, nor did play any slot machines. But, I'm perfectly fine with that. The marterial I learned and the people I met were more valuable than anything the fast-paced city had to offer! By the way, special Vegas shout out to KELLY BOUCHARD (www.bouchardinternational.com) & TERRI LEVINE (www.terrilevine.com) for their support. It's rare to meet authentic people like the two of them....While there were many things that I learned, there is one that stands out foremost in my mind: Your time and expertise is valuable...LITERALLY. That lesson alone has given me new perspective on business & life. And you will see that change reflected very soon on this site. I hope you value your time too. And remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away!

Well folks, the book discussion/signing went well! And Borders sold all except one of the books! Yay!!!!! Even more important than that were the friends that came out and supported, even some administrators from my old alma mater Temple University came out! People were buying books for friends and love ones who couldn't be there. Very special thanks to my students who came out! I am so happy each of them are continuing on the journey to heal themselves from sexual abuse. And special thanks to Tito, Raymond, Lucress, Elba, Truman, Shayna, Norman, Joanne, Mara, Julie, BOBBEI, Zeek, and Mina for coming out and support me! Super duper thanks to my surprise "guest" Traci, a true angel who, along with her family, has given me unconditional love and support over the years...She is truly an authentic friend and sister. It was so nice meeting so many new people as well. I really had no idea how much my story impacted others. I wish each of you boundless blessings! 

My first official Borders Bookstore signing! I'm excited about this day for several reasons: 1) It's Sexual Assault Awareness Month and I get to spead the word about sexual assault awareness via my book

2) I get to reconnect with some old friends and meet some new ones.

3) This day represents a dream I never knew was possible. I never thought I would write a book, let alone end up at Borders Borderstore. How cool is that?!

Just goes to show you, dream BIG!

 

Borders Bookstore signing: 8701 Germantown  Ave., Chestnut Hill, PA, 7 p.m., Friday, April 17

Whatever happened to good customer service? Today, I order online from Papa John's pizza and paid for the pizza and tip with my Visa card. I will spare you some of the long details of what transpired next, but, the food was delivered to me by a man who appeared to be in his early 40s. He was very rude and witheld my food from me until I gave him his pen back after I signed the receipt. Puzzled by his strange behavior (I truly had NO intentions of keeping his pen),  I gave him a confused glance. As I closed the door he began yelling at me saying, "Why are you looking at me like that. You're the one with the problem!" I called the store and reported the incident to the manager who agreed to refund my tip. Two hours later, yes TWO hours later, my phone rang and it was the delivery person asking me to come downstairs to refund the tip. I went downstairs and held out my hand for the money. He immediately withdrew his hand clutching the money away from me. He then went into a lengthy, loud rant telling me: "he didn't need the money" and that I should "get the money back myself from my credit card." He then called me a "liar" and used some other explicatives I will not share. I maintained my composure through this clearly unprofessional behavior and asked him to give me my money. When he finally finished this verbal tirade, he literally threw the bill at me which rolled onto the floor. To say I was shocked is an understatement. I immediately called the manager back to explain what had transpired, and he gave me the contact information for Mr. Kumar, the general manager. Coincidently, the GM was not available for me to speak to, so I sent a letter to Papa John's online customer service. In retrospect, I'm glad I did not verbally or physically retiliate against this man in a rude manner. I could see he was looking for a fight, and it angered him I was not going to give him one. I'm sure you too have encountered people like this in your lifetime. Angry for reasons that have nothing to do with you. I know it's easier said than done, but try not to stoop to their level.  You can still stand your ground without losing your cool or dignity.

Last night, I spoke to my father for the first time in over 15 years! We had lost touch years ago due to the separation between he and my mom, and from our many moves. I received his phone number from a cousin we ran into a couple of weeks, but I didn't call him until last night. To say he was happy to hear from me is an understatement. He repeatedly reminded me of how much he loved me and prayed for our reunion. I was definitely overwhelmed by his declarations, and admit I am still processing that conversation, but, I am happy we re-connected. We reminisced over fond childhood memories like when he use to take me to the little "hole in the wall" diner in front of my bus stop for breakfast. The food was great, but I also enjoyed our personal time together over those meals. In fact, breakfast remains my favorite meal of the day, perhaps because of those wonderful memories me and him shared during those morning outings.  Last night, we stayed on the phone for almost 2 hours laughing and revisiting old memories. We committed to stay in touch, and agreed I would come visit this summer to see him and the family members I've never met in Birmingham, Alabama. And I must say, I'm really looking forward to it! 

Kanye West has a song on one of his previous albums called "Champion." In the song, he does what Kanye does best and pats himself on the back for being a "Champion." LOL! While some may be easily distracted by this self-righteous chant, I REALLY like the song! The chorus, which I believe is sang by Lauryn Hill, says: "Did you realize you were a Champion?" Echoed behind a booming baseline, this song really entrances you. But, I digress. It is a question we should all ask ourselves, "Did you realize you were a Champion?" Would it surprise you to know that someone right now can't live without you? That you have left an indeliable impression on someone? Perhaps your family. Your children. Even strangers. I realized this most recently teaching my sexual abuse class this past spring semester. One student said the class saved her life. And the class as a whole chipped in for an engraved gift to me that read, "Picture of Success." I do this work because I love it. That's why I volunteer my time there. Those accolades from my students remind me that I am a champion in someone's eyes. This is not a boastful declaration, rather it is acknowledging the power we ALL have to influence and heal. Last, but not least, there is another line of the song that packs an even more powerful message, where Kanye declares, "To me, giving up is way harder than trying." Think about, how many times have you given up well before the fight even started, or gave a less than ample attempt to exhaust all the possibilities to achieve that goal? I know I've been guilty of that! But, as I get older, I realize that it was fear getting in the way. At 33 years old, I no longer have the luxury of fear, because I am getting older. And as I age, I realize time really doesn't wait for anyone. If you're waiting for "the right moment;" stop. There is no such thing. That's just your fear talking very loudly. So I challenge myself and you to try. Even if it's one small step today, go back and work on that unfinished project. Give it a try. You just might realize that you really are that champion!

Finally, my new site. Yes, I did it myself. I'm just excited to have a web presence. Sometimes you have to take the plunge and create, be it a web site, new career or new route. I've found that if you over-obsess about things, they won't get done. So now I'm thinking about what's next? What else will I create? What else can I challenge myself to do? Well, I just started this blog, and I've never blogged before. Now, I think I'm going to design and layout my bookstore posters for my book signings. I've never done that before either, but you guys will be the first to see the results. What will you create today?