HURRICANE RITA HITS!!

OH NO!!! Here we go again! Classes are moved to other rooms across campus and the coliseum is "Special Needs" facility again! The nightmare has started over. This has been one tough semester for everyone. It is much worse as far as the victims go that are living in the coliseum! They are fighting, hollering, and screaming at each other. They even tore up some things and we have had several things come up missing! It is so depressing! This time I feel anger built up inside me. I continue to pray for relief and peace!

I Am Exhausted!

I have been taking care of evacuees for the past 2 weeks. It makes me feel good to give. The stress we are all under is killing us softly. I visited the Evacue cite in Monroe and brought one to see the doctor. It made me sick and depressed seeing the children and people with nowhere else to go. I hate going to my office at the University and working. It is so sad. Students are helping give items and food and clothing to the victims. At our first home football game, victims were allowed to get in free if they showed a southern ID. Lee Greenwood was a special guest who sang his hit song "God Bless the USA". Fireworks lit the sky and many prayed in silence for peace. It couldn't have been planned any better.

HURRICANE KATRINA HITS!

On the way to work this morning I was listening to the news on the radio. They were talking about people evacuating still from a terrible hurricane. I was lecturing in my 8:00 am class when a strange lady came into the room and interrupted me telling everyone that they must LEAVE!! I told her that my boss has not told me anything yet. I tried to continue with class as normal. Looking at my students faces as I lectured, I could tell something was wrong. My boss came in shortly afterwards to inform us that all classes at the coliseum in the University have been canceled today due to evacuees coming in from Hurricane katrina. The coliseum was being used as a "Special needs" facility. My class was dismissed and as I walked out into the hallway there were National Guard personal everywhere. People were setting up cots in rooms, desks were being moved out, supplies were being brought in. Doctors and Nurses were setting up there equipment. It was crazy! By the end of the day, thr place was full of evacuuees in wheel chairs and other needs. I was still allowed to work in my office but it was hard to concentrate. I kept my door closed. No students were allowed in. I had to check in and out with a Guard who sat at the door making sure noone was coming in and only certain people were going out. I was in shock along with other staff members. Our classes were relocated in other areas across the campus over the next week and a half. In one of my classes, Personal & Community health, we were beginning to talk about STRESS! We spent a great deal on Post Tramatic Stress Disorder. The class discussions went well with students beginning to open up and share their stories and feelings on Hurricane Katrina. Some of my students lived down south and were effected by this very much. Their parents lost their homes and jobs. Some students couldn't even find their parents for a couple of weeks.

Sofa Went Through The Window!

A Pile of Trees!

Mudpies Left By Katrina!

Relatives Living Room!

OMG!! Look at the MOLD!.....YUCK!!

Marina Pileup!

Leaks in the Superdome!

I can't tell you how many times I have been in here! I feel like my two favorite places: New Orleans & Biloxi have been taken away from me!

New Orleans Superdome!

Palace Casino! Biloxi, MS

I loved to go to Club "Z" here and dance all night long!

Woulda Been Hard Rock Casino in Biloxi

I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for this Casino to open. I was so excited to find out it was going to be so close to the Beau Rivage! I don't know if they are going to rebuild this or not yet??

Exercise & Nutrition Seminar!

This week has been very busy! My office has been painted and I have almost finished getting it ready. I still lack bringing alot of books but my credentials and pictures are up! It's looking great! This has really helped keep me occupied and helped keep my mind off of working out. Honestly, I don't know when I would have found the time to actually work out this week. It has been very busy! Today I went to Premier Rehab and gave a lecture on Nutrition & Exercise. It lasted 2 full hours. The staff seemed to really listen to what I was saying and asked lots of questions. Alot of the staff had recently just started working out so the timing was good. I met a doctor who had competed in bodybuilding up North somewhere and had written a book. I didnt bring enough business cards with me so I will have to come back. It went very well and made me feel good about my work.

ULM Fall Semester 2005 Starts Today!

I have been so busy the past few weeks getting ready for my new job. I am working full time in the Kinesiology department at the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM). I will be teaching 7 classes: KINS 102 Aerobic Fitness (2 sections), KINS 221 Concepts of Wellness, KINS 241 Personal & Community Health, KINS 305 Techniques in Group Exercise Instruction, KINS 355 Lifetime Sports & KINS 419 Modern Fitness. I have spent a lot of time preparing going to classes and meetings and working on projects, power points and making out tests and course syllabuses. I am so excited to be working here and starting on my PH.D. I am going to get settled here first before actually taking classes myself.

Dwight Yokum Concert!

Well, I have been Personal Training and I hate it right now. It's like giving candy to a baby and telling him you can't eat it........I hate going to the gym and not being able to workout. It is TORTURE!! I don't look forward to my work right now......I am hoping this feeling will pass soon. I decided to go out tonight. I forgot that there are no chairs at this out door concert so about half way into it I started hurting and went out to the truck to rest. I listened to the concert from there. I musta fallen asleep cause I was awaken by everyone later. I had a good time seeing people I haven't seen in awhile.

Dwight Yokum Concert!

Modeling before the concert!

Going To Visit Amy!

I decided it was time for a break....well, actually my body insisted it was time for a break. I went to Biloxi to visit my best friend Amy. We went out to eat a few times, watched movies, went to a show at the casino and had a great time catching up. I am having a hard time dealing with not being able to work out.........I keep remembering the Doc's words " you will recover quickly as long as you don't talk, move or breathe. Sometimes people can take a year or long to heal from broken ribs depending on how well you take care of yourself!"......This gives me nightmares Driving home from Biloxi I had to sneeze a couple of times. This was the worst thing I coulda done! I gripped the steerring wheel cause it hut so bad and then I just freaked out and punched my window and CRACKED IT!! WOW!! I thought windows were hard to break, especially the front glass! This behavior actually scared me. You never know how much exercise really is a stress reliever and how much exercise really does help control anxiety and fight depression until you can't do it. I was going crazy!

Going to see Vegas Dancers at the Magic Casino!

My Best Friend Amy & I!