Working Hard for Hearts!

<3*Heart~Walk*<3

Today, on a brisk day in terms of the temperature, but most certainly heart-warming, a few of my fellow interns and I, along with our supervisors, participated in the Heart-Walk at Dietz Stadium in Kingston. 

Along with encouraging walkers and volunteers, we also acted as the "voice" of the event, whether it was recognizing and celebrating survivors of any and all heart-conditions, or naming the winners of our various raffles. 

Being at this event today, helping-out volunteers, promoting Townsquare Media, along with raising awareness and funds for the American Heart Association, solidified my already fervent love and appreciation for philanthropic endeavors and events! 

The Story of Team Hoyt @ ESPY's 2013 - Jimmy V Perseverance Award (Stand...

I could watch this video, over-and-over again, and never take away the same, incredible lesson about love, learning, and LIFE!!! THANK YOU, DICK & RICK HOYT!!! =D <3 =D 

A Lovely Lunch!

Inspiring? Definitely. Humbling? You bet. Enlightening? Absolutely. 

Just two days ago, my mom and I had the incredible privilege of meeting-up with two extraordinary individuals for lunch:
Tom Damoulakis, whom we had met in September at a road-race benefiting
the BIA-MA, and his soul-mate, Laura Chagnon, a survivor of a vicious attack
more than 20 years ago which left her near-dead.    

Not only did we enjoy the company of these two wonderful people, but Laura, who is a gifted poet, also concocted a special poem for me, which she presented to me this day.

"At Last We Meet"

Laura is a newly-published author at Mascot Books, with her first book of inspiring poetry, "Never Touched a Pen", due to be released shortly. This, too, was one of the things that you could say "connected" me to Laura; as I have plans of writing my own book, which will be published through the same company!!! =) 

"WHY me?!" ... "WHY >NOT< me?!"

To be quite blunt, I have never really had a high-tolerance for complainers. To be perhaps even more frank, I don't see the point of "moaning&groaning". WHY waste your time and energy, while simultaneously annoying and bothering everyone else around you? What will you accomplish by doing that?!

Looking over the videos I have shared on this blog's Facebook-page, I'm filled with a great sense of disbelief and pride.
"Was I really that bad?!" and "Look how FAR I've come!" are the two phrases that pop into my *three-times-operated-on* brain.

As the month of March is Brain-Injury Awareness Month, I would like to dedicate the last part of this entry to some of my fellow *SURVIVORS*!!!

And finally, a face you all should probably recognize (with her "Skull~Baby~Twin", the lovely Miss Sally Beach!)

This is *REALLY* happening!!!

EVEN MORE WAYS TO "FOLLOW" & "LIKE" !!!

In keeping-up with all of the technology we have at our disposal, I have just created a Facebook page to coincide with this blog: https://www.facebook.com/RLFMindOVERMatter

I hope you'll check it out; I'm going to be creating a Twitter account, as well! =] 

The ~Milestones~ Keep on Coming!

I never check-out the little tab on Facebook that shows you what you were doing, or what had been posted, one year ago. Today, though, was different... and I'm so happy it was!

The month of March is Brain-Injury Awareness Month. Because I'm a Survivor-Speaker for the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts, I was given the opportunity exactly one year ago today to have my first-ever blog post published on its website: 
http://braininjuryma.wordpress.com/2013/03/06/mind-over-matter/

Reading that post, seeing the corresponding photo, brought about a rush of differing emotions upon leaving my favorite class [Advanced Screenwriting]. Astonishment, nostalgia, and most prominently, *PRIDE* swelled within me. I was astounded by my appearance: clearer complexion, less-obvious "googly-eyeball", a tad bit thinner. I was nostalgic in regards to how far I've come, in terms of my writing style and capability. More importantly, I was proud of my dedication to the mission of the BIA-MA! 

Just a little intro!

       For starters, I would like to thank you all for visiting my long-awaited blog-site! I'll be graduating in three & a half short months, and am currently completing my Senior-Year Internship. (... Since WHEN did I become a "big-kid"?!) 

            As a part of my Capstone-Project, I am going to be keeping-up this blog, posting any and all news, updates, and fun&interactive media, mostly relating to my internship.
Although I've been interning at Townsquare Media of the Hudson Valley since the start of this semester, I couldn't think of a better time to start this blogging "journey" than today. "Why?" you ask? Well, it is because less than 24 hours ago, I was fortunate enough to be a guest at the ~iHOPE HAVE-A-HEART & SAVE-A-BRAIN Dinner~ right in the heart of New York City (Times Square, of course!)            

            

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that
you have lived and lived well.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson