Westside connection…

Connections. This has been the overwhelming theme for me over the past week. Whether it’s hook-up with old and new friends, finding out who can help you navigate through systems and whatnot, getting back into reality, getting in tune with your body, your culture, etc. All having their respective importance and place, but all very relative.
I decided to beef up my exercise plan again, because it went all downhill with the semester. I did hella cardio, weights, and abs for four days last week, and this week my body is deciding to whoop my ass! I think I fonked up my right shoulder (again), and now my left one is hurting too. Nice. All because I wanted to do was conquer Fat Frankie and the Calorie Clique. The funny thing is that I saw my nutritionist on Saturday, and I had only gained a pound since the last time I saw her, which was like a month ago, so I was doing a lot better than I thought. This had me thinking more about culture and body types. How for my culture (East Oakland folkers, and Houston kin folk), they tend to appreciate girls that are “thicker than a four dollar milkshake.” But when was the last time you saw a “healthy” looking girl on the cover of Cosmo or Vogue? Prolly Jet and Ebony, and maybe Essence, but how often does the mainstream pick those up? Or how having an ass and boobies are viewed more so for the freak-nasty, exotic, hypersexual quality, then for being just components of the entire person. It’s weird how girls fight for a Beyonce face and weave, Janet Jackson boobs and abs, Angela Basset arms (I’m talking “What’s Love Got to Do With It” year), and Serena Williams butt and legs… not saying that it can’t be done, but that they go above and beyond to make that happen. Is that ambitious? Or crazy? Maybe a tinge of both. But then again, maybe it would be better to look more like those lovely divas, then to look sickly and bony like Lindsay Lohan and Maria Shriver… some body needs to gives those girls a burger or too.
Again with connections, I met up with one for my former students for and impromptu lunch at Café Milano. Man, he is so focused and driven… it’s amazing! He was telling me about all the ideas and plans that he has for his future and for helping his community… some really innovative and amazing stuff. The convo I had with him reminded me about how important to stay connected with your commitments and ideas. For years, he has always expressed these desires, and he is ACTUALLY delivering. Dope. I’m sure I’ll see him again down the line when he’s doing all his advocating and activism… all which are desperately needed.
On Sunday, I went to a reunion for a program that I participated in last summer for cancer control research. It was nice to run into some old, and new, faces and hear what folks are up too. One person I was happy to see was a buddy that I got to know during the training. Outwardly, you might say we are total opposites – her being a Korean woman from the City, and me being a Black woman from the Eastside. But we both have similar passions and reasons for doing the health care work we do. When I spoke to her, she was telling me that she was really happy about all the work she is doing – providing direct health care service to veterans. There were a lot of things that struck me about her when she was telling me this: that she still had the same politeness and respect for others, that she was still down for making a difference, and that she loved her work and MEANT it. How many people, including ourselves, can say that? This week, I still need to work on some more connections – personally, academically, professionally, etc. But hopefully, the connections I have with my work out plan don’t break my ass again.