Ginger x Sunshine: 2015

Black Gingers: We're Not Unicorns

Tuesday, September 08, 2015

After a long hiatus, I know you've been wondering where I've been. To be honest, I've been around, just not blogging. As a lot of you know, I moved to NYC in January 2015, so not too long ago. I'm in month 8 and I could not be happier.

I have a really bad habit of letting things get to me. When one thing goes wrong, my life crashes down. The first year in NYC is the hardest but I haven't given up yet. Lately, things started to look up when I got the following email about two weeks ago.

Yes, my friends. I got my very first position within the entertainment industry! Yes... I'm an assistant. But I'm really excited to say that this is a stepping stone toward better things. I even put a nice speech on Facebook.

Why stop blogging? Well, when nothing is going right in my life, everything kind of stops. I guess that's one of the flaws. It's an ENFJ trait.

"ENFJs define their self-esteem by whether they are able to live up to their ideals, and sometimes ask for criticism more out of insecurity than out of confidence, always wondering what they could do better. If they fail to meet a goal or to help someone they said they'd help, their self-confidence will undoubtedly plummet." - 16Personalities

That 5K I was training for? That was a lost cause. Nothing will come out of that.

The best thing that came out of this hiatus was a great sense of who my friends are, the power of patience, and how perseverance really works in your favor. I called my friends crying multiple times about how everything sucked. I called my family members asking them for money so I could get by. My patience would run thin and the only song that kept me going was "All Right" by Allen Anthony. The perseverance that woke me up every morning was fueled by all those that have inspired me or I have inspired. Life is a series of peaks and valleys, but it's all beautiful.

Ending on a happy note, although the 5K was a bust, I signed up for kickboxing classes at Hip + Fit kickboxing. We'll see how that goes. I'm not the violent type but I love being hip and fit. Things are definitely looking up!

fitspo

Training for a 5K

Wednesday, July 08, 2015

music

Artist Spotlight: Tink

Tuesday, July 07, 2015

ManicMonday

My Morning Commute

Monday, July 06, 2015

This is just a taste of a typical Monday. And it sucks.

I remember the days when I had to do was drive to work. Yes, there is a thing called traffic. And sometimes, it's not as bad you think. In retrospect, I was used to it. Just you and the open road. Windows up, air conditioner on high and blasting your favorite song. Which is the best!

In NYC, you can have a car but you're asking for trouble. Have you heard of defensive driving? Drive at your own risk; I think it's going to take a little bit more than that for you to survive. There are ultimately 3 to 4 things that can ruin my peaceful commute in MTA.

Let me set the scene so you can understand. Every morning, I walk down to the subway. I make my way down into the cellars of the mole people. And I pass the Soldier of Jesus stating, "Jesus said REPENT for your sins." I greet him every morning. He really is a nice guy. (One of these days I'll actually have a conversation with him.) After I pass him, I stroll deeper into Mole Land and pass the booth. I swipe my card, walk pass the gate and I wait. If I'm lucky, the train will come within 5 minutes of me entering the train station. I get a corner seat and wait for my stop. Everyone is pretty quiet. I put on my earphones and listen to tunes. Sometimes I eat my scone and drink my coffee. I'm comfy on my ride downtown. The trains run smoothly and I get to midtown in about 40 minutes.
How many times does thay actually happen? Maybe once a week. There is always something that could ruin my commute or just make it terrible.

1.) Being loud and obnoxious at 8AM. If there is a person sitting right next to you, why do I hear your whole conversation at the other end of the train. Be courteous. Some people may just want to rest their eyes before they start their day. Nobody wants to hear you. So, just shut up!

2.) Holding the doors. If the doors are closing and you rush in trying to hold the doors, I'm going to ferociously hate you. If the doors are trying to close and you're holding them open because it's funny, I'm going to push you on the tracks. When you hold the doors, it creates "Train Traffic" meaning that trains are going to run behind because of your stupidity. Don't do it.

3.) Certain grooming activities. I see people put on makeup or maybe take down their hair. I don't mind if you do that. Especially if the train isn't crowded. But shaving, clipping your toe nails and even picking your nose?? That should only be done at home. It's gross. The train car is not your bathroom. Stop being gross.

What annoys you about your morning commute? I want to hear all your stories and woes!

"But alas, it's just another manic Monday

I wish it were Sunday

'Cause that's my fun day

My I don't have to run day

It's just another manic Monday."

lifestyle

NYC Pride 2015

Friday, July 03, 2015

ManicMonday

Manic Monday #1: Unprofessionalism

Monday, June 15, 2015

You hit your snooze alarm 3 times before you roll our of bed. You drag yourself to the kitchen, turn on the coffee machine and make your way to the shower. Before you know it, you're all clean and awake. You head to the kitchen, prepare your coffee just how you like. May grab one of your homemade morning glory muffins? Scrambling around the house, you find the perfect suit and heels. Something that screams, "Hire Me!" But you are not just anyone; you print out your resume on special paper, write notes about the company, research your possible interviewer and look up recent articles to get a feel for what's happening in the industry. Making your way to the subway, you get the perfect seat. You grab your phone and blast some tunes to pump you up for the interview that you've been waiting for. Getting off at the stop, you turn on Google Maps making sure you got the address right and walk to your destination. Walking to the office building, sometimes you have to show your ID, maybe not. Either way, you go the elevator, make your way through those doors. And might I say 15 minutes early. Bam! You did it. How can you not be the happiest person in the world? You got it all right! You sit and wait. You have paperwork you have to fill out or they appreciate you coming early. You are ready to be interviewed.

That's the perfect scenario.

It doesn't always happen that way.

Please employers, just hear me out. Professionalism is a two-way street. It's the basis of respect in an office setting. If I don't get it when I give it, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Here are a couple situations where I have been left in awe and irritation.

1.) I get to the interview 15 minutes early. I have to wait an hour for you to interview me. Bonus: You act like its okay how my times has been wasted.

2.) I'm sitting in the room where I'm interviewing. You bring in a full-course meal and eat it in front of my face.

3.) I am in the middle of answering an interview question. Instead of giving your undivided attention, you feel the need to check your email, take a phone call or even worse, nod for no reason.

Trust me, I understand. Every field is different, sometimes things happen. Maybe you need to eat or answer an email. Some industries are more demanding. I get it.

But sometimes an explanation or apology can go far. You are representing your company. I don't want to work for an unprofessional company, because your reputation can rub off on me. Remember, guilt by association? Just as much as employers would like their interviewees to take their opportunity seriously, we expect the same.

People, I beg you. Please be professional. Respect each others time. You never know what you've lost or gained by presenting yourself in the wrong light.

"But alas, it's just another manic Monday

I wish it were Sunday

'Cause that's my fun day

My I don't have to run day

It's just another manic Monday"

music

Artist Spotlight: DJ Snake

Friday, June 12, 2015

fitspo

Getting Back on the Saddle

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Courtesy of InspireMeThin/Tumblr

Being healthy is best thing that you can do for yourself. You only have one body and you have to take care of it well. Food should be used as medicine, not abused as a drug. There are so many things that I could say about health. I've read all the tabloids, books and online articles about weight loss.

I've watched friends lose weight. I've watched friends gain it all back plus some. The fact is that our bodies were made to be worked. Back in "the mother land", food was prepared each day. Now, we are constantly on the go. It seems to be harder to eat right and exercise. Being in a big city can help, it's walkable. You don't drive. For one, it's a waste to have a car. And for two, think about all the beautiful things you are passing by like a hole-in-the-wall boutique.

Let's say you get on the saddle. You did good for 3 weeks and now you're starting to slip back into your old ways. When you are changing habits, your body being rewired. It's like when you wear your part on your right side of your head. After a while you realize, the left is actually your good side. Or when you change your cards in your wallet, everything is in a different place. However, they way it's organized, it better for you. That hump you feel, is your body rewiring itself to want or crave exercise or that healthy choice of broccoli over french fries.

What do you do? How can you get back on the saddle or start our way toward a healthier life style?

Nike had it right: Just do it. The worst thing you can do for yourself is to put off your health. It's easier said than done. You work all day, come home, throw something in the microwave, watch Netflix, sit on the couch with your kids... I get it, you have your days set. But this is something you can incorporate into your life. Instead of watching Netflix tonight, take a walk around the park for a half hour.

I'm not perfect, I am still trying to get back on the saddle. I fell off in April. Although my eating habits are still in tact, I need to exercise more. We can all motivate each other. And to start, I give you this. A stretch workout to do every morning.

Courtesy of Darebee.com

Rome wasn't built in a day and neither can abs. It's like those color blocks from elementary school. Just take it one block or habit at a time. You build too fast, they all come crashing down. But I believe in myself and everyone else. We can get fit together. We will be healthy together.

TheJobSearch

The Job Search: New Ball Game

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

fitspo

Find Your Soul

Tuesday, June 09, 2015

The words on the walls of the 92nd West SoulCycle Studio

I was offered a free class from the SoulCycle team. For those of you that don't know, SoulCycle is an indoor cycling class. It's extremely fun. With the combination of upbeat music, a supportive coach, and really cool lockers... It will leave you wanting more.

I woke up at 7:35am slamming the snooze button at least 8 times before rolling myself out of bed. Slushishly walking across my wood floor towards my mirror, I see my headband and biking outfit all in place. In retrospect, my last bike ride was probably in 2006, around the time that I started high school. I had no idea what to expect but I did expect to get sore.

I take the A train to the 1 train and walk toward 92nd Street. At the top of the store you see SoulCycle with a bright yellow wheel. It just screams "fun" and "cycle". What a sight!

The SoulCycle Logo

Everyone was so inviting and welcoming. The SoulCycle staff were extremely encouraging and excited for me to be there. I met the coach named Michael, a real athletic guy; tall, dark and handsome. If you needed a reason to work harder, he was it. After the warm welcome, I was given cycling shoes and taken to my numbered bike (31). I clicked shoes into the pedals and away I went! My coach was super inspirational. There was never a dull moment, I felt as if I could go forever. The music was perfect. It went with every kind of cycling we did: intervals or speed training. Don't be fooled, this was a full body workout, they added small 3 pound weight to use for upper body strength. It doesn't seem like much but when you're tired, it's enough. They even give you a towel for when you sweat. Nice, right?

It being my first time, I was tired. All I did for the rest of the day was sleep. My body was not used to it. However, it was nice to break out of my normal routine and do a completely different workout. I will say, I was sore and felt it for a couple of days thereafter. To be transparent, because I was new to this workout, when the coach asked us to turn the dial up for resistance, I did not. I didn't want to exert myself or hurt myself in the process. But as you can tell, no resistance was enough for me.

Would I recommend it to friends? Absolutely. If you're looking for something different from your normal workout, I think this is for you. Instead of happy hour at the bar, why not do this with your girlfriends. It's a fun, healthy alternative that I think everyone will love. I've already recommended it to my sister. When my mom comes to visit, I'll ask her to tag along. Check it out and let me know what you think!