Author: maryhelenc

My name is MHC. I am a single mom of three, a freelance writer, a blogger and awesome.

Sometimes It’s Not About The Number

by maryhelenc, posted in Fitnesslicious

Its been a long, hard six weeks but I have finally finished phase three of my program.

Strength is probably the hardest phase IMO. It’s tiring, long, and painful. There’s also weight gain as fat turns to muscle so its discouraging. There’s no loss persay and you go home hurt and tired. Not so fun.

I’m struggling to remind myself that it’s not about numbers on the scale, it’s about inches & how your clothes fit. I’ve managed to go down to a size 14 for most of my clothes so I can claim a small victory.

The problem is that when people think of weight, they think of a number on a scale, not inches. It’s frustrating because the number doesn’t decrease but I know I must be losing, right?

So how does one learn to let go of the scale and focus on fixing your body? I really don’t know. I am really the last person to answer this question, as I have the worst body image ever. My BFF asked me if I owned a mirror and I replied that when I asked it who was the fairest, it tells me that I suck. It’s another one of those situations where you know it’s irrational but yet, you still look to the scale and that number for validation.

How does one let go of that number & simply track the progress? I would love an answer as I simply don’t know.

Weathering Storms & Life Is Not a Fairytale

by maryhelenc, posted in ASH Photography, Relationships

Yesterday, ASH Multimedia had the pleasure of shooting a wedding.

Fortunately, I had the pleasure of attending this wedding, as the bride is a dear friend of mine. I’ve known this friend off and on for seven years, we’ve painted each other’s houses (and toenails), laughed together, cried together and I was honoured that I was able to attend her special day.

Keep reading this post

It’s Friday!

by maryhelenc, posted in Celebrity Fluff, Just Fun

Poor Rebecca Black, she just wanted to sing.

Granted, her song “Friday” is horrid, but you have got to give the teenager credit; she tried. After all, the biggest star on the planet started his 15 minutes of fame on YouTube, so why couldn’t Miss Black do the same?

Unfortunately, the music industry has become so watered down that anyone thinks they can be a multi-platinum artist simply by existing (Kim Kardashian, we’re looking in your direction). Celebrities are always recording terrible music to the delight of no one, giving hope to the equally untalented, making them think that they can be pop stars too.

Rebecca Black simply tried her hand at fame the same way everyone else has: record a catchy tune and go viral. While the song isn’t that great, you’ve got to give the girl props for trying. She had a dream and took a chance. Maybe it didn’t go the way she hoped, but she can look back on this experience and know she tried.

How many armchair critics can say the same? I know I can’t. Yes, I lived my dream of editing a magazine for awhile, but I didn’t send my portfolio to a major magazine. How many of us actually apply for that promotion or that dream job? Most of us leave the application on our desks for months, never trying.

So, give Miss Black credit for having the stones to put herself out there. She wanted something & made an effort to get it. It’s probably more than most of us have done.

No Flowers For you!

by maryhelenc, posted in Relationships, Seriously WTF?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2011/03/16/nb-riverview-florist-1009.html

This story caught my eye and I felt compelled to say something about it.

Obviously, same sex marriage is a hot button issue for many people, even though we live in a society where homosexuality is part of the norm. So much so, that Glee’s Kurt & Blaine can share a sexy liplock on primetime & nobody bats an eyelash.

This issue particularly stuck out as for the last year, I have been helping a friend plan her wedding to her longtime partner. One chapel refused to conduct the ceremony but otherwise, no one has said “boo” about it. Obviously ASH Multimedia will shoot a same sex wedding, as we support all relationships, as long as they are positive.

Which brings me to my point. Religious beliefs are great, everyone needs to believe in something and kudos to you for finding what works for you. However, when you open your doors as a business, I don’t care if you worship Snuggles, the German speaking cat, your religious beliefs cannot affect your business.

Let’s reverse the situation; say these flowers were for a funeral & the widowed spouse was the same sex. Would this florist turn them away again? What about date night flowers? Does this florist check the gender of the plants’ intended? For all she knows, hundreds of her sacred Christian blossoms have gone to *gasp* the gays!

The Bible is man’s interpretation of God’s words. While it’s an excellent guide to follow, it’s not finite. Many animals have shown to engage in same sex unions, so who are we to say that it’s not just another part of the norm. We are not God, nor do we truly understand his feelings on any one subject. All we SHOULD do is continue to love one another until whatever higher power chooses to tell us what’s what. The flowers are already cut, does it really matter who carries them in their final hours?