Social Media Update

Just a quick social media update. We’re trying hard to consolidate our fans and friends into one place. Well, 3 places actually. It’s taking a while but if you could please help us, we want to stay in touch. I want to stay in touch!

From here forward, A Girl Named Guy (or agirlnamedguy) will be the official active social media names. So, if you follow ModernSage, Modern Sage or Who’s On Deck on any social media outlet, please consider following:
@agirlnamedguy on Twitter,
A Girl Named Guy Productions on FB or Leah Guy
Leah Guy or A Girl Named Guy on YouTube

We are working out the rest. Thank you, always, for your support!

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Food Fads vs. Real Health Concerns

If I’ve learned one thing over the years [working in the “lifestyle/natural health” arena], it’s that there’s not one diet that works for all people. Food and nutrition are great reminders of how individual and unique we all are…and we shouldn’t try to fit into the same box—we just won’t fit!
Another discovery, the diet works for a period of time often doesn’t work forever. Our bodies and beings are growing, changing, adapting to environments…and it’s important to listen to what our bodies are telling us. I’m not suggesting to go on the yo-yo fad diet plan for 20 years. But if what you are doing isn’t working (namely, if you’re having any reactions/allergies/bowel issues/or even changes in mood) you may want to consider altering your diet.
I was vegetarian for 14 years, from the time I was 14 years old. It worked for me for a long time. I was committed, had the beliefs I had about it and didn’t suffer in any way by adopting this lifestyle. After about 12 years or so, however, my body started to change. My mind started to change. I’d moved to new environments and was taking in different elements of life. Stressors changed…all in all, being a vegetarian wasn’t suiting me any longer. It wasn’t a flippant choice. It didn’t mean that I was flakey or trendy. What I noticed is that my body and spirit was becoming out of balance. And for me, taking personal inventory again, visiting my Naturopath and re-evaluating my lifestyle included changing my diet.
I just shot a wonderful interview with Dr. Wald in NY about gluten – what it is, who should avoid it, what damage it can cause and lots of other great info. It is fascinating, whether you are currently gluten-free or not. I encourage you to take a peek, and if you’re so inclined, watch the follow-up about Surprising Foods that Contain Gluten! The links are below.

What You Need to Know About Gluten & If You Should Stop Eating It:

The Low-Down on Gluten Foods PLUS 5 Surprise Gluten Foods to Watch Out For!

Wherever you are on your journey, be easy on yourself. If something isn’t working for you, consider that the only constant is change. Embrace it and be free.

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My Day with Margaret Thatcher

One of the most embarrassing days of my life was the day I met Margaret Thatcher. I was still at a young, impressionable age around 18/19, and was so honored to not only meet Margaret Thatcher, but to actually have a semi-private dinner with her was very exciting! Being the “hands-in-everything” kind of person I am, during my first years at Samford University I was leading some kind of group (the exact group, I don’t recall…women’s leadership perhaps?) and we invited Margaret to the school for a luncheon. She accepted, so off to Ann Taylor I went for a blue skirt suit and some large fake pearl earrings to impress the Lady…
I don’t have the best memory (see above), but I remember this day as if it were yesterday. Margaret’s posse arrived to the event and began taking seats, shedding coats, the usual entrance meet and greet. I was to be seated right next to Lady Thatcher and I was first greeted by her assistant. Maybe it was a bodyguard, I have no idea. It was a gentleman I’d never seen before, and without foresight, I didn’t know I’d be seeing much more of him in the near future.
Thatcher came to my table and I turned to greet her and offer her a seat. I was so nervous but super proud and excited as I put my hand out for a polite handshake. As our hands connected, the big fake pearl earring on my right ear fell from my ear and landed right between my boobs. I’ll never forget the look on her face. The eyebrows went up at the exact time her head reared back and there was a gasp. It seemed like 3 months we stood there looking at each other, connected hand-in-hand and the earring laying in full view, nestled up by my breasts. I didn’t know what to do. Surely it wasn’t polite to grab at my breasts in front of Mrs. Thatcher. My first thought was, “If I didn’t have on this push-up bra, the earring would drop between my small boobs and out of vision. Oh my God, but that’s not what is happening, what do I do now?”
Luckily, after Margaret’s initial startle, she remained cool as a cucumber and gave me a gentle smile and a slight head nudge, which I took to mean “Go handle it dear.” So I did.
I raced to the restroom and ran through the door in near tears. As I flung open the door, I saw the gentleman from earlier holding his penis at the stall, urinating. I screamed, profusely apologized and ran out as fast as I came in. This was a comedy of errors, and at 18 years old, I was just convinced all of the United Kingdom would be laughing at me as soon as they heard these stories.
Finally I found the women’s room, got the earring from by bosom, took the other one out of my ear as a preventative measure, cried a little and went back to the table.
She spoke to our group, about which I have no idea. I was in a cloud of recovery, yet looked to this woman leader in front of me with awe, respect and gratefulness. After our “moment” it felt as though we connected on a deeper girl-power type of level, of which now makes me smile deeply.
Mrs. Thatcher was so amazing. Perhaps she didn’t do anything heroic, but making an insecure young college girl feel accepted for ordinary mishaps seemed extraordinary to me at the time.
Rest easy Margaret Thatcher. You made your mark on the world and on me.

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Worth the price

I don’t usually post here with product reviews since that’s a service on my other site ModernSage, but when I get really excited about something, I just can’t help myself. Maybe it’s spring fever, idk, but I’m falling in love with so many things this season and I want you to know!
I’ve been doing yoga off and on for 20 years. I’ve had my share of mats. Let me tell you, I’ve never had a mat, or any type of “equipment” that I love like I love the Manduka mat I recently got. It makes me WANT to get on it and do my practice. I think it’s perfect.
I’ve got the Prolite series (in yellow!) from Manduka and not only is it totally cool looking, it’s light enough but still has a great density to protect my knees. It’s made Eco-friendly and will last a seriously long time (if not forever), and it’s got a 100% satisfaction guarantee!!
The price ranges are around $80-$100. Now before you raise your eyebrows, think about the value. It’s the same for a great pair of boots. You can buy less expensive, less quality and keep buying mats (or boots), OR, buy quality that you’ll love and save money in the long run.
If you’re in the market for a yoga mat, check ‘me out- www.Manduka.com. It’s the perfect time to begin or enhance your practice this spring/summer and it’s totally worth the price!

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Spunk in My Step

Justin Timberlake. Green apples with almond butter. Provence, the south of France. What do these three things have in common? They are putting a spunk in my step and I love it. Maybe it’s spring fever, maybe one day I’ll be eating apples in the south of France and run into Justin. Whatever it is, the feeling of energy moving, heart opening, joy rising…these are wonderful and powerful things.

We all go through seasons that are difficult, dark or heavy. Sometimes we don’t even realize we’re in one of those funks until life is breathed back into our souls. That’s what I felt a few days ago when these stirrings began over the few things I mentioned above. Maybe the winter has been longer than I realized on me, or the pressures of work have gotten under my skin.

As crazy as it sounds, the awe of looking at amazing pictures from the Provence region of France (by coincidence) brought me to tears. I wanted to be there, in the lavender fields, the stone walled houses and cafes draped in greenery. Now I’m obsessed with the beauty and I research that area nightly! I recognize I need more of that in my life – simple, natural beauty and healing peace.

The perfect combination of tart and crunchy, sugar and protein of the simple apple and almonds makes me feel cleansed and nourished, and it wakes me up to my senses. My body is thanking me.

And Justin Timberlake…what a star on the radar right now. The energy and freedom he brings to his music and comedy just makes me alive with passion and reminds me to let my creativity loose – to raise my arms and dance, sing, paint and LIVE.

I say anywhere you can find life, live it. Spring is here, let yourself air out, blossom and wake up all there is inside of you to live your dream.

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Steven’s

Some pics from Steven’s Coop School in Hoboken, NJ. I was asked to speak for Literacy Week and was honored to do so. We had a super time and the talent I saw in these children really made my heart sing. Sesame Street’s Bob McGrath was also there, visiting his grand-daughter. What a wonderful soul he is!

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The Gift of…

I was asked to speak at Stevens Cooperative Schools in Hoboken, NJ for their Literacy Week. Yesterday was the day. I had an hour each at 2 campuses with 3rd – 5th grade students, about 100 kids total. What an eye-opener! The staff asked me to share my first book, Life’s a Gift…Open IT! and I decided to do an interactive task with the kids – to let them create their own “gifts” on paper and in illustrations. I tell you, kids amaze me. When we were sitting in a group, before I even shared my book, I asked them to tell me what they considered to be gifts in their lives. Not one of them answered with a product like an iPad or skates…. every hand I called upon (and boy are they eager!) shared something deep and meaningful: family, the ability to walk, good friendships, education, clean water. It floored me to be honest. It opened my eyes and my heart and humbled me. I was worried that they weren’t going to get my ‘gifts’ and think it was stupid. Instead, they gave me another gift.

I know it’s cliche to talk about the innocence of our youth, undamaged goods, sweet and pure children. But when I listened to them share and saw their excitement to create and share their gifts, I was in awe of the essence of who we are as human beings. Before we become experienced, tarnished, battered and bruised or “well-educated”, we are innately brilliant creatures that get life. Maybe in its simplest form. Maybe that’s best.

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How Boundaries Define Life

I shared these thoughts with a friend today who was struggling with grief, death and dying. It’s deep stuff but maybe it will be just as helpful for you as it was for him.
Except for wrinkles and weight, people want more of everything. More time, more money, more love, more more more. Have you ever considered, though, that it’s the boundaries that define your life. It’s the ‘less’ that gives you the ‘more.’ The limits are the very thing that add a value to what you are seeking. The greatest limit, death, puts a perspective on life that one could not appreciate in any other way, in my opinion. It’s what creates the inspiration for “No Limits” living. We operate and utilize the confines of the universe to make sense and order out of chaos. If you knew there was life after death for a fact, how much of this life would you let slip away? How much lazier would you be? Would you do those heroic acts of kindness or brave your emotions on intimacy? If we thought there were such a thing as immortality, what would become of good and evil? What would become of your final words to your dying father? We need the limits of our physical being to house our spirit and emotions and mind…. our soul. Without the limitations of physical, time and space in place, there would be no scale off which to prioritize, no understanding for much of our emotional existence like forgiveness, compassion, regret, sorrow. Memory would have little meaning. It is, then, the boundaries in life that give room for our ‘selves’ to soar. Our existence is an experience that can only be understood within the limits of our nature.
So when you’re feeling caged in, bored, powerless,afraid or otherwise limited in your life, it is at that time you can recognize the meaning and experiences that are actually happening in your life right now and you can use the boundary to define your next moments, ones I’m sure you will treasure beyond the years you can count.

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Inspiration to DO

I’ve written countless articles and blogs about New Year’s resolutions and inspiration. This year, I’m interested in something a little different. It’s great to have plans and goals, but what if we stopped talking so much about what we are going to do, and just do it? What if we conserved our energy and zone in on a focal point of actually reaching the goal? What if, instead of making plans for the grandiose results we think we’re going to achieve, we start with one step toward making the result a reality. I believe there’s truth to the old saying “…the wise need not speak…” or something along those lines… Maybe instead of the continual jabbering about what we’re going to do, we could actually just start on the project and let the results speak for themselves.
It’s great to have a plan, goals, dreams and fuel for inspiration. I believe you can and will do exactly what you truly desire to do. How about we let loose of the ideology of setting a resolution and just begin living in a way that is exemplary of our greatness, our goals. I’m excited to show you what I’m doing this year and I can’t wait to see what you have put your mind to. Every day is the beginning of a new year. Every moment. Don’t loose sight of who you are and what you will achieve by talking it to death or confining it to one day, week or month.
Find me on FB, email me, stay in touch. 2013 is going to be a great year, you just wait and see!

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Condolences

Through the suffering may we find the Light. Through the pain may we find Peace. It may be beyond this lifetime that either are achieved. Until then may we be compassion. May we be love. May we be vulnerable to healing. May God be with us and comfort us and hear the prayers of those who have experienced immeasurable loss.

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