May 1st

I am sooooo happy it’s over and sooo happy with how it went. Let me quote what my young student friend at Arizona State University just wrote me…this is the sort of response that makes me know we need to keep doing this every year:

It’s 8:48 phoenix time and World Fitness Day just wrapped. Maaaaan, that was DOPE!! I loved it. I got up at 6 am to catch it live from the beginning. The chat was great. People from all over the world was online, UK, Russia, everywhere. Dr. Sanjay got on and was talking to us. Debbie Allen had me sweatin’ up a storm, so did Billy Blanks. The Pointer Sisters came on then LUDACRIS!!!! Damn, he’s fine! I wish I was there. The Pointer Sisters were singing “Jump” and I got a knock on my door (i’m at the dorms) they said that I was disturbing the people down stairs and for me to knock it off. I told this to the people in the chat room and someone asked me, “Did you invite them in?” I didn’t. They were pissed at me and I at them for interrupting my groove! I feel so energized and excited right now! I feel alert and pumped up. I tell you one thing, I’m gonna work out every day. World Fitness Day has inspired me to work out. Last Spring I joined the basketball team and boxing club. I felt good about myself and did well. Something happened, had a set back and stopped working out all-together. I noticed I get depressed and agitated easily since I stopped working out. It’s been 5 months. I’m gonna get back into it. No doubt.
Peace,
Kelly

There were 12 year olds and some over eighty…all working out together with Denise Austin, Debbie Allen, Billy Blanks, Richard Simmons and me. This celeb fitness team went above and beyond the call of duty, showing up, giving it their all, being nice and generous with everyone, signing autographs, taking pictures, giving me confidence. These are truly good people who are deeply committed to helping people get fit and healthy. It comes from deep in them. Everyone I spoke to said they had a blast, that they found it all very fun and doable, and want to come back next year.

The Pointer Sisters were incredible…they were the sound so many of us worked out to in the eighties (my boyfriend, Richard, produced their music!!) Their voices are still so strong and their dance moves…wow, still hot and amazing. Ludacris rocked everyone. It was so cool that he came from his busy tour schedule promoting his new album to perform for us in the Georgia Dome. It made a huge difference and it was a fun bonus to have the mini concert after the workout.

I gotta thank my social media maestro, James Andrews, for what he and his team at EVERYWHERE did to get us live streaming around the world on Ustream and Facebook and keeping us all up to date on how many people (1000s) and from what states and what countries were tuned in. James, by the way, is the person who convinced me a year and a half ago, to start blogging. He is amazing in his knowledge and use of social media.

I will be putting a lot more photos up over the next few days but, in the meantime, here are some shots from the patron part last night at the headquarters of the Arthur and Stephanie Blank Foundation. The Blanks together with Ginny and Charles Brewer were the co-chairs of today’s World Fitness Day.

The jumbotron at the Georgia Dome on Friday when we had a walk-through

Billy Blanks (dressed for the patron party). Benji who filmed the event for Darren Capik, producer, Denise Austin, and Sue Anne Morgan, our totally am

The stand in the mddle of the field from which the filming/live streaming took place.

Billy. What an amazing face.

Denise Austin with Sue Anne Morgan who was in charge of all the considerable technical aspects and who is totally amazing and unflappable. If I have been able to sleep these last months it was due to her abilities.

Billy practicing to see if his mike worked properly

some of our sponsor banners

Will Hobbs, tuckered out and not feeling great. Will is my agent at CAA for health and fitness-related activities. He represents most of the best known fitness people.

The step-and-repeat board still lying on the ground. This is what we were all photographed in front of as we came in today

All for N0ne refers to G-CAPP's committed to giving our all to eliminate teen pregnancy in Georgia.

With Denise Austin at the Blank Foundation Headquarters where the patron party was held last night.

And guess who joined us in what he called his Pepto-Bismol jacket?

Billy, Denise, Richard and me

Looking down on the live auction at the party

With the Pointer Sisters--Anita, Ruth and Sedoka

Richard helping Pam Yarborough with the raffle. Pam has worked with G-CAPP at our big annual events since our inception.

It was a good crowd

Richard just announced that Kathy Stayton won the raffle. That REverand Bill Stayton standing in a gray suit applauding

That's Rev Gerald Durley in the white suit. I asked him to give an opening prayer. I wanted our L.A. friends to know how it is in Georgia!

Many thanks to our sponsors who made it all possible: Delta, Coca Cola, Kaiser Permanente, Lionsgate, Health Compare, Exercise TV, Jeanette Jenkins, the Hollywood Trainer, The Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation, A Legendary Event, Grey Goose and Barefoot Wines and Bubbly.

See you next time…I’m going to take a nap. Tonight I am taking the winning team to dinner. Jason Sellards of the Scissor Sisters said he’s joining us. Truly nice guy.

James and his daughter Skye on the horses

James and I took and hour and a half walk early this morning and I got caught up on the progress of his new business which is called== “Everywhere.” He only recently went out on his own. He works with corporations and individuals on social media marketing and content development—His clients include Georgia Public Broadcasting, Citadel Media, Sanaa Lathan, The Bermuda Music Festival, Jermaine Dupri, Macy Gray, me, and others. Given that he comes from Atlanta I was impressed that at 7,000 feet he kept up with me. It takes some getting used to—like the high altitude flatulence we call “alti-toots” which afflict new comers to the ranch.

After our walk he, Sherrelle and their daughter Skye went riding. Then we spent 2 hours on a blog/twitter/facebook tutorial. Many of you blog friends have said nice things about my new tech-abilities but I am just a beginner and James has taught me a lot—like an easier way to reply to my Facebook and Twitter followers which I didn’t know how to do before. The Andrews family and Matt Arnett leave at 4am, tomorrow morning and tomorrow afternoon my sweetie, Richard Perry, arrives for 6 days. I’ve got lots planned for him. You gotta understand, this will all be totally new to him—ATVs, fishing, wilderness, etc. Stay tuned.

James Andrews on my horse

James and his daughter Skye on the horses

Sherrelle

Sherrelle and James

See you next time

From left to right, Elijah and Sherrelle on one ATV (All Terrain Vehicle), Matt, Viva and Malcolm on the middle one and, finally, James Andrews and Skye. They have packed a picnic lunch and are off to explore the ranch and camp out. It’s fun seeing the relatively urban Andrews family being exposed to the wilds of the high desert of New Mexico. They seem to like it. Swimming lessons at 5:00 and then a scrumptious dinner cooked by Sandra McDonald who just finished the Upaya retreat. Well, she had a day off in between.

And all the while I sit, glued to my desk, writing about sex. It’s hard knowing how much to say, how much detail to go into, how personal to get. As my daughter-in-law says, “You don’t want to lead the way to your door step,” meaning don’t get toooo personal.

My ranch hands cut all the trees that have grown up over the ten years I’ve been here which have blocked some of my view of the fields and river. This new more expansive view makes me very happy. So, I must say, are my regular blogging pals like Karen and Tim and Kelsey and all the others. I get such interesting feedback. Keep it coming. I’m not someone who has ever felt lonely but hearing from all of you makes me feel I’m not just talking to myself here.

Several very diverse people from Perez Hilton to the woman keyboard player in Richard’s musical have asked me to explain something I said  in the blog of a month or so ago when talking about Michael Jackson’s fear of death I spoke about my rehearsing for my own. I think I will write about that tomorrow. Stay tuned.

See you next time.

Hard to believe it’s already August 10th.

I walked with the dogs for two hours (my daughter’s dog Freaka who was bitten by a rattlesnake last week is ok now and came with Tulea and me) and then did physical therapy in the pool for an hour and have been writing ever since—writing and reviewing a wonderful book I’ve read several times—a book about relationships and sexuality. “The Passionate Marriage” by David Schnarch. I highly recommend it to those of who interested in deepening intimacy. (I’m still working on the chapter about sex and having a lot of fun writing it and reading about sex). It helps that I can talk to my sweetie without worrying about losing the signal. There was such a minute window of opportunity time-wise as well as signal-wise while I was at the retreat so this feels like a treat.

Matt Arnett, father of my grands, has been here. He’s an avid fisherman but can’t seem to get either Malcolm or Viva interested in the sports, something that saddens us both. James Andrews and his family just arrived from Atlanta and I will go be with them in a moment. I’ll also take a picture of them for the blog. A gorgeous family. Viva and Skye just came into my office to play with the dogs. James is the one who persuaded me to start blogging and has been an ever-present and helpful tech friend. Couldn’t/wouldn’t have done it without him. The other end of the duo is JJ in Detroit. I run everything past them both. JJ designed the blog and does the T-shirts which I sell in the “shop” to support g-capp.

Malcolm and Elijah

Matt fishing below the house

Viva and Skye

Malcolm, Sherrelle and Matt

Tulea and Freaka

Sherrelle

Viva and her Obama T-shirt

I’ve only had my MAC Book PRO for a month and still have lots of questions so this week I’ll ask James to tutor me.  Downloading photos from my new camera right now is an endless struggle. But I know that with James’s help I will “get” it.

It’s a perfect New Mexico evening, clear sky, no pollution (there’s never any pollution here), the sound of the river soothes, the hummingbirds dart and dive around our feeders. I feel blessed. My body hurts but I observe it and don’t identify with it. Life goes on.

See you next time.