A Building Block

Second half jump shot.

Tweet  
  The story was playing out just like it had in the previous two weeks. DMBC Dunkerque (my team!) had opened the game against Leon Tregor by VERY slowly mounting a lead. Tied after the first 10 minutes, we had a run to open the second to take a nine point lead. But just like the two games prior, we let our opponents back in, and took a three point lead into halftime.

  Last week, my coach and I had talked about how it takes us 15 minutes to build a 10-point lead, and then we somehow manage to lose that lead in the span of 2-3 minutes. That's a difficult thing to have happen. You can't work and work and work for a half, and then let all that work be undone in the blink of an eye. But that's what we were doing game after game.

First half fast break.

  The third quarter got underway, and we immediately lost our lead. Down by four, and with things somewhat spiraling out of control (turning the ball over, missing easy shots, allowing them open looks at the basket), we could have very easily rolled over and died. But thankfully, we didn't. 

  Instead we re-grouped, and re-gained our focus. Maybe I'm making too big a deal out of it, but hopefully it'll be a trend that we continue to see for the rest of the season. Instead of going our separate ways when things got tough, we came together, and we remembered
we needed to play as a team.

Mouse in the house.

  The fourth quarter was ours this time around. While things got dicey for a few minutes here and there, once we retook the lead, we never looked back. We got defensive stops when we needed, rebounded when it was a must, and hit our free throws to close Leon Tregor out. 

  The pre-game talk from our coach centered around correcting our failures from the previous two games. Changing our attitude, and changing the result. We felt that we had given away our last two games. You can accept losing a game if the other team is more talented, or a stronger team. But you can never
accept defeat when you give the game away by
making mistakes or quit playing.

Getting through the screen.

  Just like last week, we led the game for 30 minutes. But this time we also led when it counted most: when there were zeros on the clock. While you don't consciously think about previous games when you're out there on the court; you do draw on those prior experiences. We remembered how we felt after each of our last two games, and we did the things to ensure we wouldn't feel that way for a third straight week.

  So we learned. Maybe it took us a week or two too long, but we learned from our mistakes. That's all you can ask for, and that's how a team gets better. Hopefully the success from this Saturday will be a building block for our team, and we will continue to improve!

  Happy Halloween! ~ Sabrina

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." -- MJ

MJ w/the game winner.

Tweet
  After two consecutive weeks of less-than-stellar performances on the court, I decided it was time to seek out a little extra motivation.

  Basketball, like any sport (or life, I guess), is like riding a roller coaster. Nothing stays the same for too long. Just as you're starting to get comfortable, something comes along to shake things up and get you back on your toes.

  My team had won two consecutive games, so we were starting to feel pretty good about ourselves. And then BAM! Just like that, we're staring at a two game losing streak.

  It's equally important to not get too high with the wins, and not get too low with the losses. Maybe each person is different, but for me it's easier to hold onto the negatives, and forget about the successes you've just had. So in the effort to get my mind back on track, I looked for motivation from the best.

  Some of the best quotes I've seen regarding bouncing back from failure/defeat have come from Michael Jordan. When you think of MJ, you most-certainly don't think of failure. You think champion, competitor, success.

  But undoubtedly there were times in his career where he came up on the short end. Where he missed the game winner, where he didn't play up to par, where his team lost in the playoffs. But one of the things that made him the best ever, was that he always bounced back from those defeats.

"If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it."

                                                                                                            - Michael Jordan

  So if someone like Michael Jordan has had failures similar to yours, there's no reason to get down. He's proof that if you keep working, and learn from your defeats, you can turn things back around in your favor.

  I know that's what I'm going to keep in mind this weekend as I take to the court! Have a great one!

Pin It

Our Fear of Fat

Good vs. Bad Fats.

Tweet
  How many of you, when buying groceries, turn the box over and look at the food label?

  Great first step.

  It's important to know what's in our food. But what's the first thing you look at? If your first glance is at the fat content, stop it!

  Being afraid of fat is what's gotten us into trouble in the first place.

  Though the years, Americans have developed this fear of fat. That all fat bad for us, and we should stay clear of it at all costs. That couldn't be further from the truth.

  Fat does NOT immediately store in/on your body as fat! Fat is created on your body though stored energy, which is excess/extra calories!

  You know those low-fat/no-fat diets that were pushed for years and years? Turns out they might have made Americans fatter than ever before.

  The healthy fats (yes, there are healthy and necessary fats) have been cut out of our diets, and have been replaced with processed carbohydrates and refined sugars (that store in our bodies as fat after digestion). THAT is what has made obesity rates sky rocket. Along with rising rates of heart disease and Diabetes, low-fat diets have done a number on Americans' health.

  Meanwhile, a fear of fat continues to be instilled in us. The fear of fat has got to stop. Fat in your diet is not the enemy, and it never has been our enemy. 

Four Kinds of Fat

Trans Fat - What we should AVOID!

  There are four different kinds of fat, but they are far from equal. Only one of them (trans fat) should be avoided at all costs. The rest (saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated), if consumed within a healthy diet and normal caloric intake, are perfectly healthy to have!

Avoid
  Trans fat (the one we should avoid!!): This shows up on food labels as hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oil. These fats do NOT occur naturally, and are produced through a process where vegetable oil is heated up using hydrogen gas, making it more solid (called Hydrogenation).

  This process was intended to increase shelf life and improve the texture of processed foods.

  In a nutshell, trans fat wreaks havoc on our bodies. It has been shown that if only 3% of your daily calorie intake are trans fats, you raise your risk of heart disease by 23%!

  Trans fat is most commonly used in commercially baked goods, crackers, salad dressings, and fried foods. And just because it says "Trans Fat Free" on the box, doesn't mean there isn't any trans fat in the product.

  The FDA allows that label on anything that has less than a half-gram of trans fat per serving. Sure, a half-gram is nothing, but it adds up over time! So word to the wise: check the ingredient list. If you see hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil, put down the box and find something else to buy!

In Moderation
  Up until recently, saturated fat (found in animal fats/protein) has gotten a bad rap. It was widely claimed that saturated fat raised your cholesterol, and was so bad for you, it would kill you. Studies now show that, while animal fats do in fact raise LDL (bad cholesterol) levels, they help raise your HDL (good cholesterol) as well.

Trans fats break down of fast food fries and chicken.

  For that reason, it should be noted that you don't want to over-do it, and consume massive amounts of saturated fat. But there is no need to avoid meat entirely! Instead we should be on the lookout for trans fat and processed carbohydrates!

'Healthy' Fats
  Unsaturated fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) are essential to a healthy diet, and an optimally functioning body. It has been shown that fatty acids help our cells stay move-able and flexible, and also help build cell membranes.

  Fatty acids also benefit nerve function as fats compose the material that insulate and protect our nerves. Consuming healthy fats also slows the digestion process, allowing our bodies to absorb more nutrients. 

  Monounsaturated fats which are found in whole milk products, olive oil, sunflower and flax seed oils, red meat, nuts, and avocados, have great benefits. Fats are essential to brain function (the brain is composed of 60% fat!!), and aid in learning ability and memory retention. They've also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol levels.
  

'Healthy' fats.

  Polyunsaturated fats are found in most seeds and nuts, fish, leafy greens, and where we get the infamous Omega-3 fatty acids. These fats have been found to be naturally anti-inflammatory, are beneficial to heart health, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

  These fatty acids are also particularly important during pregnancy, as they are are critical to fetal brain development.

  The fact that these fats are 'healthy' should always be kept in mind. However it's not permission to eat an entire package of almonds, or go crazy with guacamole every night.

  After all, there are nine calories per gram of fat in food (versus four calories per gram in both protein and carbohydrates). The idea is to enjoy these things in moderation on a regular basis, within a balanced diet to aid body/brain function, lower cholesterol, and decrease the risk of heart disease.

  The stigma of fat, that it makes you fat and it is bad, needs to change! What will make you fat is excess calories that will be converted and stored as fat. Again, fat does not go directly into your body, and become fat on your body. So stop being scared of fat! Stop worrying about the fat content of foods, and start paying attention to the quality (no trans fats and processed carbs), and quantity of your food!

  Hope you found this helpful!

 




LINKS:
   Jillian Michaels Podcast 4/8/2011

Playing Your Efficient Best

Colorado bench - 2002-2003.

Tweet
  A competitor wants to be in the game as much as physically possible. Find a game anywhere in the world, and the most competitive people will never want to be on the sideline. Competition feeds something deep inside of you, it gets your blood boiling. A competitor also believes down deep, that by being in the game, you're giving your team its best chance to win.

  If the game lasts 40 minutes, I want to be on the court 40 minutes. I never want to sit out. Period.

  But there is a fine line between wanting to be in the game because you're ultra-competitive, and staying in the game a few minutes too long and causing your team harm. At some point, efficiency takes a hit. Obviously, you work to condition yourself to be able to stay on the court, and be effective for as long as possible. But you WILL get tired. In an intense, high-paced game, there WILL be a point where you tire, no matter how good of shape you are in. You get fatigued, and can no longer play as hard. Your legs get tight, and your reactions become a step slower. You lose your focus mentally, and you make some mistakes. Fatigue can arise in many forms, and when it does, it has the potential to cause a player to be counter-productive.

Subbing out in Germany - 2010.

  Once that fatigue hits, you always think you can get through it. You'll catch your breath, or your legs will come back to you soon enough. You always try to push to the next possession, or the possession after that. Or you try to find a place where you can rest on the court. But in hindsight, that's probably a selfish move, and exactly where you do your team more harm than good.

  In this situation, hopefully you have a coach that sees when you are trying to rest on the court, or heaven forbid, you just ask for a sub! I have been horrible with this throughout the years. Maybe it's a pride thing, but I HATE subbing myself out of the game. Sometimes, it might be exactly what you need to re-energize yourself, and raise your level of play for the remainder of the game. You have to trust your teammates enough to know they'll be able to survive without you for a couple of minutes. ;)

Sweden - 2008-2009.

  So the reality is, sometimes less really IS more. Fewer minutes on the court might result in playing 'better' in the time you are in the game. Better overall statistics, and playing a more efficient game. If instead of pacing yourself through 40 minutes, you only play 30, you're able to play your hardest the entire time you're on the court.

Even the best ever, Michael Jordan, didn't play the entire game. Over the course of his career, played an average of 38 minutes a game (NBA games are 48 minutes). That means he was allowed 10 minutes of game time to rest and re-focus on the bench.

  Now don't get me wrong, I still get mad when I am subbed out of the game (as all my coaches can attest to, I'm sure). Even though I know it's for the best, and will benefit me later in the game, I can't help myself. I've always wanted to be on the court every second of every game, and don't see that changing anytime soon.

Fast break in Germany - 2010.

   Call it what you want: maturation, experience, etc..but I've finally realized a little rest isn't a bad thing. To be at your best on the court you have to be allowed a few minutes to re-focus mentally, and re-gain your legs physically. But once that recovery has taken place, get me back out there coach!

  ~ Sabrina

A Bad Feeling of Deja Vu

Versus Roche earlier this season.

Tweet  
  Deja vu of the worst kind. For the second week in a row, my team led the majority of the game only to lose in the final minutes. Not a very good tendency to have: losing leads late in the game week after week.

  I don't even know where to start or how to explain what happened. Last week vs. Armentières we led by 11 points with 5 minutes to play in the game, and lost by 4. We turned the ball over constantly down the stretch, and essentially gave the game away as well.

  This past Saturday against Le Havre, we led by 5 with a minute to play and lost by 2. I always have a general feeling (during the game) about what aspect of the game hurt us the most. Versus Le Havre, I knew they killed us on the boards. They got countless second (and sometimes third) scoring chances. Statistics don't lie: we gave up 18 offensive rebounds, and Le Havre out rebounded us 43-28 as a team.

  Coaches all around the world will tell you if you get out-rebounded that badly, or turn the ball over too many times, chances are you're not going to win the game. It's an unwritten rule of basketball: you give the opposing team 'extra' scoring opportunities (through turnovers or offensive rebounds), you will lose. That adage has not failed this season.

Tip off versus Armentières.

  They keep an interesting team statistic here called 'time with the lead'. After our last two games, it's a pretty painful stat to look at. On Saturday we led for almost 31 minutes of the game. Last week against Armentières, we led for almost 33 minutes.

  Obviously, the only real statistic that matters is who is ahead when there are zeros on the clock. No matter how well you play throughout the game, it means nothing if you don't finish. So that's where we are right now. We play well in spurts, but aren't able to finish.

  I think our team has the potential to be really good, and that's what is the most frustrating right now. You look at our record, and you say we could/should be 4-2, not 2-4. But with basketball there are no 'shoulds'. All that matters is who wins the game. We didn't perform when we needed to, so we didn't deserve to win. Here's to hoping we are done saying 'coulda, shoulda, woulda' this season.

  Back to work! ~ Sabrina

A Little Help From My Friends

Royal Arch hike in Boulder.

Tweet
  In recent months, the urge to become certified for personal training hit me. Not necessarily because I want to become personal trainer (though it might just work out that way!). But because there are a lot of things about training, fitness, and the body that I am interested in learning more about.

  Undoubtedly, in my nine seasons as a professional basketball player, I have endured enough workouts to be somewhat competent in leading myself through an effective training session. (Now that I mention it, I wonder HOW MANY I've actually done!!)

  I know what works for me, what I enjoy, and countless ways to push myself. But I'm getting to the point where I want more.

  In the realm of training, my knowledge and experience probably doesn't even cover 5% of what is actually out there. I want to understand what the body is doing, how it is reacting, and why it is reacting the way that it is. I want to learn why certain techniques are better/more efficient than others. I want to learn different ways to train. You get comfortable with what you are doing, and all of a sudden, you are doing the same workouts and exercises you've been doing for the past five years!

  I want to chip away at the rest of the iceberg, not just be content with the tip.

Hiking the Multnomah Falls loop -- just outside of Portland.

  The first thing that I need to do is decide which organization to get my certification though. That's where it becomes slightly difficult, and where I need some outside input! In researching certifications, there are 14+ accredited organizations that provide services.

  Which ones are the most-widely accepted and recognized? What are the pre-requisites? What are the continuing education requirements to renew the certificate? I can do a lot of the research myself, but many times word of mouth and experience trumps anything you can read about.

After a workout at Red Rocks Amphitheater.

  So I am asking for some input and guidance from you all!! If you have any experience with certification, or have a friend that does, please let me hear from you/them!

  What certification did you choose, and are you happy with your choice? Have you encountered any limitations? If I'm going to become certified, I might as well be certified with the best!

  I'm looking forward to hearing from you! Thanks, and have a great weekend!

Three Generations in Berlin

With Nana & Mom at the Berlin Wall. March 2010.

Tweet
  It's been a while since I made an entry to the travel portion of the blog. Guess I got a little side-tracked by games, and various other topics. Needless to say, traveling is one of my favorite things to talk about. So we're back in the Euro-travel business today!

  I played in Germany during the 2009-2010 season. And during my eight-month stay there, one of the coolest things happened: my mom and my grandma came to visit.

  My mom (and dad) had last visited me overseas during my second year in Italy (2005). Nana had never been to Europe. She had never even had a passport. So when I signed to play in Wolfenbüttel in July of 2009, we tossed around the idea of the two of them visiting at some point during the season.

Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.

  Wolfenbüttel is a fairly small town located 2-2.5 hours southwest of Berlin (depends on how fast you drive on the autobahn!). Throughout the year, I managed to venture up there a few times. Once in December when the Christmas Markets were open (which were AMAZING by the way -- never experienced anything like them before), and another time when my team had a long weekend off.

  After seeing what Berlin had to offer, I knew it would be on the itinerary once my mom and Nana made it to Germany.

  At our first opportunity (first off day I had), we jumped in the car and headed to Berlin. I probably scared both my mom and Nana on the autobahn, but you know what they say, when in Rome..

  First on the list of sights-to-see was the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. I thought this was one of the most spectacular sights in Berlin.

  Originally built in the 1890s, the church was badly-damaged in a bombing raid in 1943 during World War II. The damage was never repaired, and can still be seen to this day on the old spire from the original church. It's even more incredible to see at night as it's light with purple and blue lights.

Kaiser Wilhelm Church at night.

  Outside of the Berlin Wall, the Brandenburg Gate is probably the most recognizable monument in Berlin. It is the only remaining gate of a series through which Berlin was once entered. The gate is the monumental entry to Unter den Linden, the famous street lined with linden trees in Berlin center.

  The plaza just in front of the gate is called Pariser Platz. During World War II, all of the buildings surrounding the prestigious Pariser Platz were destroyed. The only one left standing was Brandenburg Gate (though it was badly damaged, and since been restored).

  In today's Berlin, Pariser Platz has been rebuilt and is now home to the American, British, French, Russian, and Hungarian embassies, along with several museums, banks, hotels, and of course Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts (sorry, couldn't resist).

In Pariser Platz, with Brandenburg Gate behind.

Brandenburger Tor.

  Just outside the Brandenburg Gate, is the 'Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe'. The name leaves nothing to the imagination, and being in the the memorial is equally as haunting.

Inside the Jewish Memorial maze.

  The site is covered with 2,711 concrete slabs arranged in a grid pattern. Some of the slabs can be as tall as 11 or 12 feet (from what I remember), leaving you to feel very isolated and vulnerable when you're inside the maze. The memorial was recently constructed (finished December 2004), and is definitely worth a visit when you're in Berlin.

  A short walk from Pariser Platz and Brandenburg Gate is a portion of the original Berlin Wall in Potsdamer Platz. A plaza that was once bi-sected by the Wall, Potsdamer Platz now a bustling metropolitan area.

  Seeing the crumbling/graffiti-covered portions of the Wall amidst the brand new, modern buildings in the surrounding plaza is quite a sight. It keeps the history of Germany and Berlin (and the world for that matter) at the forefront of your mind.

Inside the memorial with the US Embassy, Brandenburg Gate, & Reichstag behind.

  The day we visited Berlin was a miserable day. It was rainy and cold. Since we only had the one day to sight-see, my mom, grandma, and I pushed through the nasty weather to see as much of Berlin as we could.

  I had already seen most of the sights in previous visits, but wanted my mom and Nana to
experience the same as I had.

The Berlin Wall at Potsdamer Platz.

  The real fun began when we got caught in a particularly bad downpour as we were making our way from Potsdamer Platz to Checkpoint Charlie.

  The easiest/most-efficient way to travel in a European city is by foot. Traffic and parking becomes too frustrating. So if you're able, your best bet is to walk. When the downpour hit, we had been on the go, and on our feet for most of the morning and afternoon.

  Even as Oregonians who are used to walking in a little rain, all three of us needed a break from the elements. So our eyes were peeled for any place we could take shelter, and rest a bit.

  Just when I think my 80+ year-young Nana had had her fill of walking, my mom spotted a Starbucks a few blocks away. We had found our rest-stop!

Checkpoint Charlie. Middle of a downpour, so no one else was around!

  After refueling, drying off, and getting our game plan together for the rest of the afternoon, we headed back out to see the rest of Berlin.

  Checkpoint Charlie, while not overly impressive, is a must-visit. It was the most-famous Berlin Wall crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War.

  It's funny how you hear names of monuments or events when you're growing up, but you really have no idea what they are. This was how I was with Checkpoint Charlie. So it was great to be able to put an image with the name I had heard so much about.

  Our walking continued on to Unter den Linden, the famous boulevard where two pedestrian malls are lined with linden trees. It's a picturesque walk in the heart of Berlin, where you can do some shopping and also visit numerous other sights. Needless to say our day had been a long and tiring one, so our tour was coming to an end.

Mom & Nana on Unter den Linden.

Berliner Dom. Built in the 1400s.

  But we had one last stop to make. You can't visit Berlin without making a stop at the East Side Gallery. The gallery is an international memorial for freedom and consists of 105 murals along the East Side of the Berlin Wall.

  The memorial lasts for 1.3 kilometers, and is made up of beautifully creative paintings by artists from all over the world. One of my favorite murals was the one with the American flag I have pictured above. We thought that was a great picture to take; three generations at the Berlin Wall.

  The East Side Gallery is a place you can probably spend hours, taking in all the paintings. For me, the gallery was one the most memorable things about Berlin. 

 

  There is so much more to see and experience in Berlin. But when you only have a day to do it, you have to hit the major attractions. The culture and the history that comes together in the city makes for an amazing and memorable experience. It was a special thing to be able to share it with my mom and grandma for the day!

   For me when I'm overseas, it's always fun to have family and friends come visit. They get to see what I do on a daily basis, and how I live while I'm in Europe. I love being able to show them around my 'home' for the time-being, and give them an experience they might not have otherwise had.

  The time I had in Germany with my mom and Nana was as extra-special, and something I won't soon forget! I was so glad they were able to visit.

A Tough Pill to Swallow

Pull-up J. My favorite.

Tweet
  Last week we stole one. This week we gave one away. The ups and downs of basketball I guess. After a come from behind win against rival Calais last week, my team had its second 'derby' game in as many weeks. This time we were matched up against Armentières, a team located just outside of Lille, about 40 minutes from Dunkerque.

   Armentières was a perfect 4-0 coming into the game, so it gave us a great opportunity to pull off a big win. A rivalry game at home, against an undefeated team. Nothing better.

  I had extra reason to be excited because a fellow Buff, Anna Nedovic, also happened to play for Armentières. Anna played at Colorado like I did. And even though we never suited up together, we had become good friends during the summers in Boulder. It had been several years since I had seen Anna, so I was looking forward to seeing her. And it's always fun to square off against a familiar face!

Got her on the lob.

  The game got underway, and we slowly took a lead. While we were playing well, my feeling was that would should have been leading by more. You know how you feel like you're playing well, but you look up at the scoreboard and you're only leading by 7? That's how I felt. I wanted to push the lead above double digits, and get a comfortable lead. But for whatever reason, we didn't quite have the focus and fire to make it happen.

Looking to make a play.

  Even with that being said, we DID have a 10 point lead when the 4th quarter opened. But at the five-minute mark, apparently we thought we had the game in the bag because we quit playing. We continually turned the ball over, and put Armentières on the free throw for the rest of the game. In the last five minutes we didn't score a single point, and lost the game by 4. Brutal, isn't it?!?

  Those are the kind of games you wish to have back. Or you at least want those last 5 minutes back. For me, losing is losing. Whether it's by 2, or by 30, it's a terrible feeling. But I think losing the way we did on Saturday is the worst way to lose a game. We had the win in our back pocket, and we failed to put it away. So now we have to learn from the mistakes we made, and make sure they don't happen again.

Frustration.

  As ugly as it will be, I'm sure we'll watch the video of the last quarter and see what we could have done differently. And hopefully we can become a better team because of it! Saturday's loss definitely put a bitter taste in my mouth. But the only way to remove that bitterness is to get back on the court and continue to work!


  ~ Sabrina

Just Label It

Tweet  
  Unless this is your first visit to Sabrina's Crossing, you're well aware that I have a very strong opinion about the food supply in the U.S. Reader's Digest version: I think it sucks (The Dangers of Soy, The Effects of GMOs, Do You Know What GMOs Are?). We shouldn't be afraid of the food that sits in our grocery stores, or question whether or not it is doing us harm. We SHOULD be able to trust our food, not grow more and more skeptical with every passing day.

  I'm aware it's not possible to eliminate the harmful GMO foods that contain chemicals and toxins in the short term. But at the very least, we should be able to easily identify which foods are doing us harm. Right now, we are unsure of the depths of the effects of consuming GMO foods. But until we know, without a doubt, that genetically modified crops are safe to eat, we should have a choice about whether or not we want to consume them; whether or not we want to participate in this grand experiment with our food and health. Don't we have the right to know what's in our food?!?

 40+ other countries worldwide (Australia, Japan, all European Union countries) label their GMO foods. Why can't the U.S.?

Graphic of GMO crops around the world. Bad trend in North America.

  From the first of October, until the 16th, thousands of Americans marched in protest from New York City to Washington D.C. to demand clear, honest labeling of foods with genetically modified ingredients. The protest was called the Right 2 Know March. The march ended in front of the White House with the World Food Day Rally.

Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, New York, October 1, 2011

  A second campaign has arisen in recent weeks as well. One that we all can contribute to. The Just Label It campaign has petitioned the FDA to legally require that genetically modified (GMO) foods be labeled. The campaign believes that "Americans have a basic right to know what they’re eating and the right to make informed choices about what they eat." Recent polls and surveys have shown that the vast majority of Americans agree (89%) that GMO foods should be required to be labeled.

  So how can you help? You can sign the petition, and send your comments to the FDA (Tell the FDA). AND, you can help spread the word! The internet is a beautiful thing sometimes. With the click of a finger, you can make a difference. Pass the petition details along to your friends and family (I know you're all on Facebook and Twitter non-stop, so use it for something good)! Labeling GMOs is a simple way to kick start the change in our food supply that is so desperately needed! To me, it's a no-brainer.

  Thanks for listening! ~ Sabrina

Pin It

LINKS:
October is Non-GMO Month 
Just Label It Campaign
Right 2 Know March

How Important Is It?

Tweet

  A friend posted this on their Facebook wall this morning, and I thought it was a good subject for a quick Friday blog. I would change one thing however: "If it is important ENOUGH to you, you will find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse."

 
  These are the things that we absolutely refuse to fail at. If we fail once, we'll give it another shot using another method. But we will not stop until we have a found a way. Obviously the most successful people are the ones who value accomplishing the little things just as much as they value accomplishing the big ticket items.

  Of course we have our priorities. It's human nature to value one thing over another. So the things that are of the highest importance will get done first, while the things that are least important probably WON'T get done.

  To me, importance and motivation are closely tied. The things we value the most, are also the things we have the highest motivation to accomplish.

  So here's my question: if we are trying to improve ourselves, how do we change what we find important, thus our level of motivation??? I definitely don't have the answer to that. But it's something to chew on over the weekend!

  What are the things you'll get done at any cost??

  Have a great weekend!