There comes a point of commitment in almost everything we do and before that point there is a lot of weighing, waffling, and worrying.  I guess that is the stage I am in right now.

Recently I took my kids to Disneyland and we were trying to get my daughter to commit to riding the Tower of Terror.  It was a long line and as we shuffled along slowly she would look at me and say, “I don’t know about this mom.”  And I would reassure her and tell her that not only would she be safe, she would also have fun.  But you  know how those lines are.  There are the signs that warn of back injury or heart attacks and there are moments along the way with the ominous music playing in the background, that give you the option to leave the line and ditch the ride.  And then after sometimes a very long wait,  you get to the point of commitment.  You either have to get on the ride or go down the stairs and take your wimpy self off the ride even before it has begun.

That very thing happened the last time we were at Disneyland and we went on the ride without her and I was bummed because I knew she would have liked it.  She just psyched herself out and let her fear get the best of her.  This time though was different.  The fear was still there but this time she didn’t give in to it.  She sat right next to me and screamed and let me hold her hand tight when I got scared.  And when the ride was over, she could not contain her excitement, her exhilaration, her elation.  And I was so happy for her and us for getting to have the experience of the ride together.

So, right now I am at the edge of this new life.  I have all of these options now and decisions to make along the way.  And I know there are dangers, I know there are pitfalls, I know I could get hurt.  But I also don’t want to watch life pass me by while I sit in my house night after night and day after day.  I DO SO want to live.  And lately I have been in line so to speak.   Waiting for that moment of commitment.  I have met this truly great guy and we are getting to know each other.  And I don’t know how long this wait will be…you know this line.  We talk everyday.  We chat and we share.  But I know there will come a point where I have to decide…am I going to go for it and get on this ride?  Or am I going to opt out.

I  have to admit that I’m glad I don’t have to decide yet.  The wait is kind of fun in and of itself.  But if I had to make it today, I would probably go for it because who wants to miss out on something that could be very good just because of fear?  We’ll just have to see.

DoshDosh: 11 ways to influence people online and make them take action; http://j.mp/5JcRPA (via @ramskill)

If you have time today, travel over to Booshy’s website and read what I and others sent in to her to be posted about what we are thankful for this year. 

Here was my list:

This year has been rough on most of us – jobs lost, living on unemployment, trying to make ends meet.  But the beauty of this year is that you can’t possibly question what you have to be thankful for.  This recession has taught us to go back to the simpler things in life.  So, here is what I’m thankful for:

1.  I have more food in my fridge and 2 freezers than I know what to do with. 
2.  My pantry is full.
3.  My car runs and is safe for me to use.  On top of that, I love that car.
4.  I have the love of the most wonderful man I’ve ever known.
5.  I have lots of books to read.
6.  I can see beautifully since my eye surgery.
7.  I am learning to appreciate my body and use it as it was intended.
8.  I am thankful that I have all of my limbs and they all work.
9.  I am pretty darn happy with my life.

Yes, I am thankful for the simple lessons that the recession is teaching me.  Instead of thinking about what I don’t have, I am able to focus on what I do have.  And I have an abundance of love, friends, hope, happiness, and yes, even things.

Here is what I posted on Crackbook today:

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. I am so thankful for each and every one of you. Reconnecting with so many of you through FB after so many years has been a true joy this year. Making new friends through FB has been so much fun. Remember: “No person is a failure who has friends." It is, indeed, a Wonderful Life.

And more:

• I have a place to come home to – many actually, including my mom’s house and friends’ homes. 
• I have a warm bed to sleep in at night, next to the man I love.
• I have the most wonderful cat in the world, who continues to amaze me with her love.
• I live in a country with the greatest volunteer armed services in the world.
• I have wonderful blog readers. 
• I have become good friends with many of my blogger pals and I am so grateful for that.

Beyond ALL of that, I am incredibly thankful for:

1. My trainer, Ashley.  She kicks my butt and has also become a friend. 
2. My WeightWatchers group and my leader, Kay. They are so much fun and so supportive!

What are you thankful for this year?

~ Percy Cerutty

Guys, I was bad and I did not work out again tonight.  Future Hubby just really wanted me to stay home  and snuggle tonight.  He doesn’t plead his case like that very often, so I felt as though I should honor his request.  The gym is open until 1pm tomorrow, so I’m going to try to get in there and bust out a mile, which is all I have left to take me up to 10 miles for POTM. 

On to the food!!

Actual/Goal:

• Calories:  1971/2000 – Woot woot!!
• Fat (g): 98.2/65 – better than yesterday
• Cholesterol (mg): 160/300 – no eggs today
• Sodium (mg):  28662400 –  I’ll take it!!
• Total Carbs (g):  213/130 –Hmmmmm….
• Fiber (g):  32.8/35 –  2 pears today!!!
• Sugar (g):  96/35 – Hmmmm
• Protein (g): 70.4/136 – not a lot of meat today
• Vitamin A (%): 221/100
• Vitamin C (%): 607/100
• Calcium (%):  133/100
• Iron (%):  158/100

WW Points:  44/42

Pretty darn good eating day, I think!

I’ll be back tomorrow with

• Some thoughts about what I’m thankful for this year
• Article about cholesterol
• A workout recap ?

Until then, if you are traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday, please be safe!

RUSNANO and AmBAR Announce the Business Plan Competition of Nanotech Projects 

    AmBAR creates a unique platform to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and business contacts between technology entrepreneurs, professionals, and investors. The organization is also dedicated to accelerating access to capital for innovative projects and developing technology partnerships between Russia, Ukraine and other FSU countries and the United States. Through various seminars and conferences AmBAR provides educational programs that help entrepreneurs refine their business plans, and advance their product development and marketing efforts.

Ambar’s Mission:

·       To provide a networking platform for technology entrepreneurs, venture capital investors, and other business professionals from Russian, Ukraine and other CIS countries who are interested in innovation and commercialization of high technology products.

·       To educate, showcase, and support entrepreneurs in Russia, Ukraine and other CIS countries as they seek equity capital, corporate partners, and grow their companies globally.

·       To enhance all aspects of technology partnership between the United States and the countries of the former Soviet Union. 

SVOD Conference is right around the corner and we have an amazing lineup of speakers! Register today and don’t miss out on this unique networking opportunity!

 

    This is a not to be missed event for the entrepreneurs and the Venture Capital community. This year’s theme will drive a very exciting Agenda exploring “re-invention” as it affects the startup process on multiple levels — technologies, business models, financing, monetizing and team building.

 

 

• Vinod Khosla, Founding Partner, Khosla Ventures
• Charles Giancarlo, Managing Director, Silver Lake
• Steve Blank, Serial Entrepreneur; Founder, Epiphany; Lecturer, Stanford University, Graduate School of Engineering
• Sergei Beloussov, CEO, Parallels
• Ron Conway, Founding General Partner, Angel Investors LP
• Jason Pressman, General Partner, Shasta Ventures
• Adam Lashinsky, Editor at large, Fortune magazine; regular panelist and business commentator for Fox network programs
• Esther Dyson, Director, 23andMe, Principal, EDventure Holdings (sold to CNet), investor in Flickr and del.icio.us (both sold to Yahoo!) & Medstory (sold to Microsoft)
• Jeff Crow, General Partner, Norwest Venture Partners
• Vivek Mehra, General Partner, August Capital
• Ping Li, General Partner, Accel Partners
• Kittu Kolluri, General Partner, New Enterprise Associates
• Franklin Pitch Johnson, Founding Partner, Asset Management Company
• Peter Loukianoff, Partner, Almaz Capital Partners
• Guy Kawasaki, Managing Director, Garage Technology Ventures
• Pavel Pogodin, Partner, Sughrue Mion LLP
• Dmitry Dubograev, Partner, Femida LLP
• Leonid Gozman, Board Member, RUSNANO
• Mikhail Chuchkevich, Director, Project Office, RUSNANO
• Dmitry Vasuytinsky, Managing Partner, Allianz Asset Management
• Yan Ryazantsev, Investment Director, Russian Venture Company
• Bo Parker, Managing Director, Center for Technology and Innovation, PriceWaterhouseCoopers
• Phil Libin, CEO, Evernote
• Vlad Shmunis, CEO, RingCentral, Sequoia-backed company
• Matthew Trevithick, General Partner, Venrock
• Eric Buatois, General Partner, Sofinnova Ventures
• Vish Makhijani, COO, Zynga
• Vimal Solanki, Vice President, McAfee
• Evgeni Utkin, CEO, Kvazar-Micro, acquired by Sitronics, voted the Best Ukrainian Entrepreneur
• Greg Shenkman, General Partner, Exigen Capital, formerly CEO of Genesys, sold to Alcatel for $1.9B
• Mike Selfridge, Northern California Region Manager, Silicon Valley Bank

Whether you are looking for a deal flow, funding, information or networking – SVOD 2009 is the place to be! - WWW.SVOD.ORG 

 

 

Date: December 9-10, 2009

Location: Computer History Museum, Mountain View, Silicon Valley, CA

To Register: http://www.svod.org/

 

Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (RUSNANO) and American Business Association of Russian-speaking Professionals (AmBAR) announce the Business Plan Competition cor projects and companies working in the field of nanotechnology. Origination of the project may come from any country or person all over the world, but its implementation or some part of implementation has to be completed in Russia. In 2009 the nominees for the contest are pre-selected by AmBAR among the participants of the Fifth Annual High Tech Investment Conference SVOD 2009. For more information, please go to: http://www.svod.org/ or e-mail to info@ambarclub.org

The projects are evaluated by the following criteria:

• nanotechnology application;
• scientific and technical feasibility of the project;
• quality and feasibility of the business-plan;
• steps already made towards project implementation.

The winner of the competition receives the RUSNANO award and the prize in the amount of 300,000 rubles (~$10,000).

For more details, please see the Contest terms and conditions (in Russian)

~ Herschel Walker

Though I am not working right now, I am just as sensitive to the s-l-o-wdown that occurs around the holidays.  I started thinking:

1. You know, I could take this week off from working out.
2. Working out, I’m just not that into you (right now).
3. Working out, we need a break. You go to your family for Thanksgiving and I’ll go to mine.

But, I knew that I owed it to my body to go work out tonight.  It’s kind of like when you start shaving your legs – once you start, you have to keep going or the hair just keeps coming back.  Or something like that. Ooo, or it’s darker and thicker!!  Or something like that.  Anyway, since my body is now used to working out, it wants it and it gets sore and stiff if it doesn’t get it. 

Now, in order to get my mind on board, I had to do some negotiation.  And so no treadmill tonight, just Circuit #2.

Two circuits

I ended up running out of time to get my new FitPoint Assessment last week.  Ashley and I are going to do it sometime next week instead. 

On to the food!!

Actual/Goal:

• Calories:  2319/2000 – Woot woot!!
• Fat (g): 129/65 – blech
• Cholesterol (mg): 310/300 – eggs today
• Sodium (mg):  3452/2400 –  blech
• Total Carbs (g):  222/130 –Hmmmmm….
• Fiber (g):  27/35 – not bad
• Sugar (g):  50/35 –Super yay!!!!
• Protein (g): 85/136 – eh
• Vitamin A (%): 116/100
• Vitamin C (%): 63/100
• Calcium (%):  46/100
• Iron (%):  86/100

WW Points:  52/42

Not a bad day, especially on the sugar, cholesterol and fiber totals.  How cool is that??

Speaking of cholesterol, I’ll be sharing some new information on it – and the bad rap it has received.

Have a great rest of your day!

I have to say, I have taken some time to get to know some of the candidates in the contest better lately and, as a result, I have been quite pleasantly surprised.  I have seen more quality and depth to some of the people in the contest than I first thought.

Some of my fellow contestants I chalked up as just being another pretty face.  I was so wrong.  I have been so busy with all of my commitments lately that I have not taken very much time to get to know other people.  That changed as I reflected and took time today.  Just simply took time.

That’s what I used to do before all of my commitments started becoming so massive.  I took time to explore, adventure, and meet people.  Get to know other people.  Have conversations.  That was what today was about for me.  Getting to know others better.

I will have a good start to my week now.  Especially in light of the fact that I have made some awesome new friends!  Thank you, MRI competition, for helping me take time to reflect and think and be thankful for others in my life!

WHY THE SEX STOPS WHEN THE RELATIONSHIP BEGINS

Well I was the one who opened my big mouth and said I had all the answers and oh em gee was I put to the test. Someone asked me, “Hottywood, why is it that people stop having sex once they’ve gotten into a committed, monogamous relationship?”

Not only was I left dumbfounded by this astonishing question that makes absolutely no sense, I also broke the golden rule of answering a question with a question – “What the…???”

I went back and forth in my mind on how I would approach this. I decided to start by giving some statistics: Research indicates that over 55% of partners are not interested in having sex once a relationship has been set in motion.

I’ve spoken with a ton of men and women and have learned that the problem is generally not a lack of sexual desire – it’s that they are not interested in sex with their partner for one reason or another.  Though there is no definite answer to this question, I’m going to give you a few ideas of what the hell the problem is with these idiots who want to give up the most fun part of being in a relationship.

Before I break it down and kick some knowledge to you, let me begin by telling you the school-book definition of two fools who are determined to sleep back to back every night. Yes, there is an actual definition for this bullsh*t.

The technical term is Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD); defined by the American Psychological Association as “a deficiency or absence of sexual fantasies and desire for sexual activity, producing marked personal or interpersonal distress, but not the result of alcoholism, a general medical condition or substance use (medication) or abuse (street drugs).”

Sexuality in long term relationships is the result of loving energy flowing between two people. If something is blocking this energy, the sexual energy between them often gets blocked as well. 

There are a few reasons why the well has gone dry, and these reasons are not as complicated as you may think.  Follow along and learn something:

One of the partners in the relationship is one lazy mutha SHUT YOUR MOUTH!  Get off your ass and clean up.  Help with the dishes.  Put away your dirty underwear.  Take out the trash.  Put down those chocolates.  Get off the damn phone.  Pick up the kids once in while. 

You’re making your partner angry by being so lazy.  It’s good to have some skills under the sheets, but if you can’t do a damn thing else but f*ck, then your ass need to be demoted to a booty call. There is a reason why people say, “I can do bad all by myself.” 

No affection.  Believe it or not, people actually appreciate conversation.  It’d be nice to have a little small talk before you start stripping.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the right away get down, but people, especially women would like for someone to get into their mind before you discover their Victoria’s secrets.  Cuddling, or as I like call it – “spooning”, could also earn a few brownie points.  It’s okay to go the extra mile.  No one else will know besides you and the person you’re humping.   

Lack of Communication.  Communication is key!  If you don’t talk to each other, and ask the real questions why the bed is so cold, then you’re going to continue masturbating while you’re partner is not home or taking a long, cold shower.  Get to the bottom of this nonsense and do it quickly.  CHEATING is on both of your minds, and trust me, that’s a whole nother problem you probably aren’t ready to deal with.   

Too needy.  The bottom line is that this is a turn off for anyone.  Most women are turned on to a man when he is in his power and feeling good about himself. Neediness is not a turn-on. Men, too, are often not turned on to a needy woman; a woman who needs him to make love to her for her to feel safe, worthy and lovable. 

Man, woman, gay or straight…get this sh*t together.  Chances are you weren’t a needy prick before things became official.  So now you’re going to add “liar” to your list of reasons why you aren’t getting any?  If you really are needy, then you need to check that quickly or else you’ll never get laid again.   

You are now too comfortable.  Ut oh…you and your partner have become so comfortable with each other that you are no longer “get it” material.  You’re more like siblings. 

Unless you’re into incest, you can pretty much hang it up.  You’d better invest in a blow up doll, a dildo or a paid escort.   

You’ve let yourself go.  Face it, you’re not going to get any if you stop making the same effort it took to bag your partner in the first place.  Men, shave your wolfed out beard.  Ladies, shave your armpits.  Try not to get 40lbs heavier than you were before your relationship became official.  Personal hygiene is a plus and a nice outfit won’t kill you.  Let your partner know that he/she is worth you getting all jiggied up for.   

Boredom.  It isn’t uncommon for sex to become routine.  This is a sure way to lose interest.  You don’t want to know what to expect each time you lay down for the grown-up.  Explore new positions and places to be intimate.  Hell, if you have to, invite someone to watch or join in.  No, I’m not promoting infidelity or orgies, but if you aren’t getting laid right now, are you really going to rule out all the options? 

Poor self esteem – If you don’t feel good about yourself you’ll find it difficult to see yourself as a sexual person. Your partner will be seeing a very private side of you and that takes confidence.  Get a backbone and stop being such a wuss.  Up the prescription meds on your wacked out self esteem issues and stop holding out.  You can’t expect anyone else to feel good about you if you don’t feel good about yourself.  This is worse than being needy.  

Someone can do it better.  I’m going to say these phrases once and let them marinate: ‘For every one person who’s good at something, there’s always someone better.’ AND ‘Someone is always willing to do to/with your partner what are you aren’t willing to do.’  POW!   

Your partner just isn’t into you anymore.  You could be as sweet as grandma’s apple pie, but it could be terribly possible that you just aren’t attractive to your mate any more.  There’s not much you can do to fix that.  Once someone is turned off by you, they won’t miss you until you’re gone.  And IF they miss you and reconnect, chances are you’ll remind them why they stopped being attracted to you in the first place.  It’s harsh, I know, but it’s also reality.  Deal with it.   

To put it mildly, you or your partner are f*cked up and you really need to get your sh*t together.  You may get some ass every now and then if you’re lucky, but it’ll be more like a chore than a privilege.  And that one or two times you get that horse shoe out of your ass will not solidify a lengthy relationship.

Sex is too much of a beautiful thing to be deprived of it.  Meet your lover half way and talk about what your real issues are. 

Meanwhile, here are a few tips for increasing sexual desire:

• Relax. This is the most important thing you can do. Have a bath, use deep-breathing techniques or buy a relaxation tape, and drink PLENTY of alcohol. 
• Check your environment. Be sure there are no distractions to you becoming aroused and that the atmosphere suits your mood.
• Enjoy being sensual before you’re sexual. Take your time and allow your body to focus on the pleasurable sensations of touch.  In other words, masturbate.  This may even turn your partner on…it’d be even better if you’re doing it for each other.  When all else fails, oral sex is a total winner!!!
• Change your view. Get sex into the forefront of your mind by reading or watching something more raunchy than you’d normally choose. PORN PORN PORN!  Hey, it’s a form art. 
• Focus on positives. If there’s something about your partner or yourself you don’t like, don’t think about it. Force yourself to look at and think about the positives, instead.  Basically what I’m saying here is picture yourself with someone else.  This may be crude, but if you aren’t willing to grow some balls and end the relationship all together, then you can get a fantasy going inside that warped out brain of yours. 
• Stimulate your sympathetic nervous system. Exercise, watch a scary movie, go on a roller coaster – anything that will speed up your heart rate. Research suggests that 15 to 30 minutes later your body is more sexually responsive.

Here’s a little humor for all you married women who just aren’t into it right now. Raise your hand if you can relate:

“I give birth to your kids and you complain we don’t have sex? How do you think they were born, osmosis? Who takes care of them, drives them to school, picks them up for after school activities, drives them to sports, takes them to their friends houses, plays chauffeur, cleans, cooks, goes to PTA meetings and then caters to your sorry whiney ass when you get home. To top it off, after you eat, fart and burp, you walk out the door to go out with your buddies.

You want sex? Go  f*ck yourself!  I’m too tired.”

Well kids, 90% of any effort is getting started.  So hop to it! 

Quote of the week:       “In the sex war, thoughtlessness is the weapon of the male and the vindictiveness of the female.”

Follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mrhollywood2009

Yesterday was indeed packed.  Today’s focus will be practicing for the LeCharm competition, styling for the upcoming Bliss Couture show on Saturday, working on the blog, and attending a wedding.  Straton and Lucinda, some of the first people I met in Second Life, are taking the plunge this evening and I look forward to being there to wish them well.  Straton’s friendliness and generosity toward me, in spite of me being such a newbie, was outstanding and a wonderful example to me in my first days in this world.

Congratulations on your decision to make this commitment and take this step Straton and Lucinda.  Best wishes for a happy and full future together.

Commitment in Second Life means different things to different people.  The exchange of vows, sharing of time together, becoming exclusive to another person – all pieces of the puzzle in my mind that make up commitment.  Everyone’s puzzle looks different though.

Thinking of commitment.  When I make a commitment in Second Life, I take it seriously.  Be it to another person, to a modeling agency, for a show, or to complete a task for someone.  I keep a calendar with my appointments and check my calendar before committing to things to assure I can keep the commitment.  I think some people think, since it’s only Second Life, they don’t have to keep commitments.  It is just a game after all, isn’t it?  Interesting.  What do you think?  Is it just a game or is your word as good in Second Life as it is in real life?

~ Japanese Proverb

I was all set to work out tonight, but when I went down to my car, it became clear that this would not happen.  Glinda (my beloved Accord) apparently became ill between my errands earlier today and tonight.  So, no workout tonight.    Hopefully we can get her in early tomorrow and they can get her all fixed up.

This stresses me out on so many levels, as aside from not working out today, I had more errands I wanted/needed to run tomorrow.  I have some things I need to get before we head out on Romantic Getaway.  UGH!!

Okay, on to the food.  Again,  I tried to keep the calories down by sticking to my Amazing Grass bars where I could. 

Actual/Goal:

• Calories:  2276/2000 – Woot woot!!
• Fat (g): 109/65 –eh!!
• Cholesterol (mg): 124/300
• Sodium (mg):  4488/2400 –  blech prepackaged foods
• Total Carbs (g):  228/130 –Better….
• Fiber (g):  27/35 – Better!
• Sugar (g):  115/35 –Better….
• Protein (g): 67/136 – hmmmm…
• Vitamin A (%): 214/100
• Vitamin C (%): 134/100
• Calcium (%):  94/100
• Iron (%):  47/100

WW Points:  51/42

Not a bad day food-wise. 

Hope you had a great day!!

I’ve been away for a while, the truth is I’ve been trying out Tumblr.

One day I might bring the blog posts over from there to here, but I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you. It’s a good site, but at the end of the day I think it’s aimed at people who want to be a damn sight more creative than I do, at the end of the day I just want a blog.

So what have I been up to? Plenty, but I wont bore you with the details, suffice to say it’s been a busy period in my life and it’s about to get busier.

I think that’s one of the reasons why I want to start blogging again. I think that speaking to, and seeing a couple of friends who I know also blog, and reading their entries has reminded me of how cathartic I find it, and how much I enjoy getting my experiences and thoughts out into the world in some form.

I’ve made a couple of decisions in the last few days, mainly around my training. I’m going to stop messing about, basically. Despite the fact that I’ve had a damn good year for training in terms of general fitness I have managed to drift for more than 12 months without actually having a serious goal, or, indeed, any goal.

I don’t think that’s good enough, so I’ll be looking for a few 10Ks in early 2010 and then trying to get into the pool and out on a (hired) road bike with a view to maybe some sprint Tri mid year or some half-marathons, moving on to a marathon sometime around October.

I love running, and haven’t been doing enough of it lately, I think that’s the first thing that needs to change. I have a 5 miler planned on the treadmill tomorrow, but that’s not the sort of running I’m talking about. I mean getting out there, in the wind and the rain, braving the elements and the dark and really doing it, I miss that. I miss the sense of adventure and achievement that go with that, I need to get that back.

Although, first things first, I have a 2 week holiday in Australia starting on Friday, once that’s out of the way it’ll be time to get some new trainers and hit the roads.

Time to get some focus, time to take control back and stop drifting.

Time to walk on the Average Side again.

In reflecting on the contest today I am thinking of what it would mean for the winner.   A lot of gifts and prizes, yes.  A title, indeed, and one to be proud of because it goes so much deeper than just the beauty of the avatar.

However, there has to be more as well.  As a potential spokesperson, and thus member of the MPI team there would be commitment involved.  Commitment to continue living life, even in Second Life, in a refined manner that would make MPI proud.  A commitment to be part of a team that would rely on their spokesperson to be an example and to continue working each day to support MPI and their goals.  Just as writing this blog post each day is a commitment and a challenge, I am sure the title would bring it’s own unique commitments and challenges as well.

Some models expect to win titles and work in shows without doing anything else in return.  They feel they are such beautiful and talented people that others should feel honored just to have them involved at all.  Let alone ask them to do anything above and beyond walking down a cat walk or doing a print ad.

The world is full of give and take.  You get out of something what you put into it.  If all you do is take, then you will feel empty and lost inside.  If you learn to give something of yourself, however, you will also learn that you will feel rewarded and respected.

Have you taken the opportunity to give back to someone or something?   Is there something you could be doing to help others today?