Planning to be Spooktacular.

I'll admit it,  this time of year, I use ridiculous words like "spooktacular" as much as possible, because I can.


With the coming Holidays (Thanksgiving is this weekend, I get pumpkin pie, 'nuff said),  October is up there with the coolest months of the year.   It's a time when kids get candy, and get all dressed up like their favourite animal/character/ghoul.  It's also a time for adults to get dressed up crazy ridiculous and party... Something I am a-okay with.

I particularly like the Manitoba way of doing things.  Halloween Socials.

Growing up on the west coast,  I had no idea what a social was until I moved to Manitoba.  Now I love them.  You get to help out a cause while getting cheap drinks and dressing up to a theme!  Which is to say, it's all-around freakin' awesome.  

The flip side to this awesome coin, is finding a costume.  Sometimes it's a challenge.  Not to get too complainy, but once you've decided what you want to dress up as, you have to piece it together.  This is especially difficult for adults. 

Long gone are the days of my mom hand making me costumes that are custom-fitted, adorable and completely original.  If I had the time to sew (and could do it well enough)  I would make my own costumes.  Instead, I do the new age thing.  I scour stores like a crazed couponer and pick my way through the internet, site by site.  Plus I take stock of my closet and try to piece it all together like a fashionable puzzle.   This is time consuming, but it works. 

Last year I worked it out to 3 costumes for different occasions, and will do the same this year.

Zombie Katy Perry, Wayne, somewhat-alive Katy Perry

 It was a pretty solid year.  Those outfits were for a zombie walk, hosting karaoke, and hosting a family Halloween event.  Thanks to my jobs, I do awesome things like this all the time. 

This year CJ1240 is hosting a zombie walk where I'm currently working on a Zombie Punk Rocker look.  There's also a top secret group costume in the works for a Saturday Night social, and I will be hosting a karaoke night/halloween bash at the bar where I will be Minnie Mouse!  

The Minnie Mouse one I've got all worked out with pieces I found online, all of which I can use again, some in every day life:

super cute dress - check

accessories - check

shoes - check

So imagine those all together with black tights and black long sleeve shirt underneath. Voila!  Thanks to the internet, one of three costumes and it cost me about $75 (with shipping). 

Not too shabby! 

Have a Fright-tastic fall!  I'll be waiting for my costume building blocks to arrive at the post office!

Pop Culture Punch! Ep. 02 Bullies and Body Image

The Podcasting continues!

Kelly and I take on the video of a broadcaster who was brave enough to stand up to a bully.   It's gone viral and it's quite inspirational.

Ep. 02 of the podcast is in the pic!  (I'm fancy like that now)

Enjoy!  Let me know what ya think in the comments!

Running for a cause.

Here's a first! 

Since I started running, it's been all about me.   I want to be healthier, I want to get fit, I want to look and feel better.  That's why most people change their habits and lifestyle.  Today however, I ran for a cause. 

Cars, Stop! We're trying to stop Breast Cancer!

This is The Pas' equivalent to the Run for the Cure.  Personally I raised about $200 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.  There were people there who raised thousands. In total, $8197 was raised.   Almost 50 people showed up in support of the cause to walk, run, bike and be awesome.

A beautiful day to beat down breast cancer.

It felt really great to do this run.  5km is pretty far (I swear it felt longer than that...), but when it comes down to it, that's nothing when you consider what those with breast cancer go through each day.    To be a part of helping a great cause feels good, plus it's bonus exercise.  

Fall has definitely arrived in the last few days here in The Pas, though it hasn't been cold.  In my opinion, the conditions for running were basically perfect.  Sunshine, about 15 degrees (Celsius), and a lot of wind.   The wind is awesome this time of year, it really helps you keep cool while the sun beams down on you. and today, the wind was pretty wicked: 

What a lovely action shot... I swear my hair isn't a mohawk, that's the wind's fault (and yes, I realize my legs are still super white and summer just ended - I have a job, it's indoors ok?!?!). 

But seriously,  I just want to send out a big THANK YOU to everyone who donated to me for this run.  You are amazing, and don't forget it.  

I really feel like I'm getting in better shape every day, and I may just have to take on a few more charity runs in the future!  

Pop Culture Punch! - Ep. 01 Whedemsworth Day

Hi y'all!

It's been a while and now let's get back to talking entertainment! Literally talking...

Kelly Cortez (from 610 CHTM) and I have decided to start up a podcast!

We are calling it "Pop Culture Punch!" - When it hits you, you'll know!

Each week, we will look at something happening in the world of entertainment.  It could be movies, TV shows, comic books, celebrities, trending topics, etc.

This week, we nerd out over Joss Whedon and Chris Hemsworth, and their awesomeness.

Pop Culture Punch! - Ep. 01 Whedemsworth Day

That's the audio! Enjoy! :D 

I'm Baaaccckkkk

Hello Hello!

The last few weeks I was away and I didn't post - Why?  Because I was here:

Vancouver (and Surrey, Burnaby and White Rock)!

I had to go home for a visit and some serious R & R (read: Shopping).  Plus my Dad was getting remarried, so I guess that was important too. ( What matters is I looked good, more on that in a bit...)

It was just the break I needed, with two days blastin' tunes in the car each way. 

Sometimes, it got epic. 

I truly love driving, I do.  However, I hate driving when people suck at it (other people, not me, I'm awesome).  Let's just say gravel highways, construction zones and semi trucks lead to an irritable Alysha with a Stone Chip in her Windshield, UGH!

The trip went like this:

On the way there:

MOUNTAINS! I'm IN THE MOUNTAINS! YAYYYYYYYY

On the way back:

MOUNTAINS?!?!  WHAT HAPPENED TO MY MOUNTAINS?!?!?










For a minute, it was devastating, then I turned on my Adele CD for a good cry...

I like the mountains, OKAY?!? They're PRETTY! 

Eventually I got over it.  Anyways, recently, I've been blogging a lot about getting healthier and working out and what-not, so quick update.  

While on vacation, I still went for my jogs, did some crunches and punches, and even pulled out the skipping rope (You should know, I look absolutely ridiculous skipping and I did this outdoors).  

 

I was also pleasantly surprised when I arrived back in The Pas to see the Boxing Gym I go to had a face lift and new sign!

It's so bright!  It will be my beacon in the snow on my way to work and workout this winter. 

The health thing is working by the way, I feel much better, I have more energy and it is starting to show (according to my Mom anyway!). The reason I actually went to Vancouver this particular week was because of my Dad's wedding (it's weird, I don't even... whatever), but it's all good, because I looked awesome and got to see my family! 

From left to right: my siblings and Me. I know what you're thinking, and YES! I DID dye my hair to match my dress.  Seriously... I'm that neurotic sometimes.

 If you're wondering where the dress is from, it's from a great plus size site - Kiyonna - I totally love it!

All in all, it was a successful trip!  I got to see a lot of my friends and family that I haven't in a while, and it's always nice when you can talk to people's faces instead of just their facebooks.   

My little brother and I were super stoked to see each other or something, because this next pic I leave you with, may be one of the greatest photos of me ever taken.  Thanks for the assist Nikko... 

Who is this? Do I know you?

So that's it.  Back to routine and I'll try to update more!  Thanks for reading!

All Go No Quit - Write That Down

Sometimes life gets in the way.   <--- Worst.Cliche.Ever

This is what I looked like all week, just you know, I'm not an old white dude in a suit

Unfortunately it's true.

 This week was one of my favourite weeks of the year.   The Million Dollar Hole in One!

This event is super fun, I get to talk on the radio and tan (though I'm still pretty white..).  It also means that I end up working quite a few extra hours.    Since May, I've been working on a fitness plan to try and get healthier, and since then I've continuously been exercising at least 5 days a week.  Last week I didn't and I'm annoyed!

At the end of a long workday it's hard to go exercise on a regular basis, but at the end of a longer workday, it's much, much harder.

3 days in a row without exercise is too many.  Clearly I forgot the golden rule:

Just ask Eugene from Sweatshop Boxing... he knows.

I do feel better after going to boxing today.  I will definitely be going a few more times this week...

Now I want to watch Armageddon... So if I don't reply in the comments right away, that's probably what I'm doing.  Then I'll spend the rest of my days after that super irritated that I have "Don't Want To Miss A Thing" stuck in my head.

It's okay though,  I'll just throw on my 80s megamix while I run and it should clear my Aerosmith problem right up.  Back on the track to stay... and this time I won't stop - Cue the awesome upbeat inspirational jam:

Fitness With The Addition of Boxing

I started running about a month ago now.  (I have the proper dates on a Vancouver Canucks white board on my fridge, but it's far away).  I've made a plan and a commitment to myself to stay active, and I'm putting it all down on paper (read: the internet) - photo included.

Here is my official "Before" Photo:

Before Eugene from Sweatshop Boxing took this photo he was holding my camera upside down and asked me if I had a "left handed camera"

I had planned to take this picture, I took my camera to the session and everything - I just forgot about that until after class, usually my face isn't quite so red/sticky with sweat. (usually....)  Hey! At least I smiled! It's better than the stupid faces I have made in many a facebook photo. 

The thought process behind the before picture is for me not to get discouraged when I don't notice my results.   Most people don't notice their results right away, and I don't own a full length mirror right now.  So I will be looking back and comparing it to a new photo every 3 months.  For all I know, I may have already lost a little bit.  I definitely sweat a lot, if that counts for anything, I'm not sure.

My plan from here on out is to go out to fitness boxing twice a week and run 2-4 times a week.  Sometimes I get caught up in work and what not, but I need to do this for me and my health so I'm going to!  It also helps that Sweatshop Boxing is right across the street from the radio station I work for - CJ1240.

Fitness Boxing is a whole new animal compared to Jogging.  Oh. My. Damn.   It is a non-stop hour of pumped up motion.  You are hitting the bag then doing burpees (my own worst enemy), sit ups, pushups, sit ups, punching with weights, medicine ball exercises, stairs, skipping and many other pulse pounding activities.  Let's just say I've found my muscles, they do exist, and once they stop hurting, we may be able to see them (one day....).   But seriously, after one of these workouts, you will feel the burn people talk about, and you will like it (I swear it's true!).    Also, all those exercises I mentioned?  They're always done in different orders and at different times and in different ways, so it's always unexpected and fun.

This is what works for me and keeps me motivated right now.  It's also something I didn't really know existed until Jenn (from Sweatshop Boxing) told me about it.  I'm glad she did.  Random thought - I also think I might try Zumba next, I feel like it'd be an entirely new challenge to my lack of rhythm... oh, and fitness too I suppose.

So there, it's chronicled.  I will update this very blog 3 months today with a side by side picture comparison to see what progress I've made.

Thanks again to everyone who reads! 

See? Covered hands! I'm imagining they're wrapped.

One last note:

Every time I put on hand wraps,  I feel like a bad ass warrior/video game character.