FEED bag – the perfect carry-on – looking good AND doing good!
As a sports and travel writer for The Blonde Side and other outlets, I am constantly traveling for games and other sporting events and throughout the years I’ve learned a few tricks (some the hard way, others just common sense). Here are a few of my favorite tips for which essentials to pack while traveling, particularly in your carry-on.
lululemon Vinyasa Scarf – Who doesn’t get cold on planes? This Vinyasa scarf is perfect because it doesn’t take up a ton of room in your carry-on and can be worn 10 different ways, depending your style or what level warmth you might need. (Pro Tip: If you’re traveling to a warm place and want to wear flip-flops or sandals so you’re ready to go once you land, just stuff a pair of ankle socks into your carry-on and wear those on the plane!) Any large scarves can become a makeshift pillow, a blanket, something to throw over your head to block out light, and probably even some other functionality. $58 (Note – hard to find online, but almost always available in-store with many different color/pattern options)
FULLY charged electronics (and bring the cords in your carry-on) – You never know what kind of delays you’ll experience once you get on the plane (or car), so it’s always a smart idea to be fully charged (why do you think the airport outlets are more coveted than a limited edition Louis Vuitton?) Plus, if you change your mind and decide you want to jump on your laptop and get some work done, you’ll need it fully charged, or if you want to listen to that new Beyonce track you downloaded on your iPhone. Pro Tip – invest in some noise cancelling headphones (like Bose) – they are a lifesaver. Another Pro Tip – bring some sort of non-electronic entertainment like a few magazines or a good book.
Water and Snacks – Having suffered a few setbacks during quite a few travels, I pride myself (at least now) on always being prepared. I either carry a reusable and easy to fill water bottle (obviously needs to be empty when arriving at the airport) and then filling it at a water fountain post-security. Especially during the summer months, a delay on the tarmac can be crucial and the pressurized cabins cause skin to dry out/hangovers to last longer/etc. so having water readily available is key. For snacks, I’m a big fan of Think Thin Protein Bars (Creamy Peanut Butter is my favorite), KIND Snack Bars (these are less likely to melt as opposed to the Think Thin ones), dried edamame, nuts and trail mix and other easily packaged items. Not only is it good to be prepared, but it will help you stay on track and not splurge on airport food, which is also quite expensive and usually not very good. Plus, it keeps you from getting hangry!
Toiletries and Essential Medicines – I always pack some kind of sanitizer – usually the wipes as liquids over 3oz aren’t allowed in your carry-on, as well as allergy medicine, aspirin, sleep aids and whatever else I may need. Just in case your luggage gets lost, these are vital to have on hand, including vitamins. I’m a big fan of taking Vitamin C while traveling (something like Emergen-C which pack 1,000 mg of Vitamin C) to help fight off all the yucky germs. Moisturizer is also a key on-board (again, under 3oz). And don’t forget the Chapstick/lip balm (Burt’s Bees is my favorite). Oh and if I didn’t mention hand-sanitzer already, BRING IT. Literally the last four flights I’ve been on (I’m looking at you United) either didn’t have a working toilet or running water, so come prepared.
Business Cards – It may seem obvious since most of my travel revolves around business, but you never know who you’re going to meet on an airplane (or in the grocery store for that matter). My business cards have saved me in the past by: allowing a quick/easy and semi-professional way to give a cute guy my contact info, a potential contact for this particular trip or something in the future, or think of the six-degrees of separation. Imagine if the person sitting next to me on the plane was the cousin of Peyton Manning or another notable athlete and all the while I’m trying to act and sound professional and then I have to scribble my email address/blog onto the back of an airplane puke bag. Odds are that card would never make it to Peyton or his manager.
Oh…and my favorite carry-on brand? Probably these FEED bags.
Follow The Blonde Side on Twitter & Instagram @jaymelamm and on FB for more tips on traveling and other completely random goodness.
The Blonde Side’s episode on Friday Night Lights Podcast
The Blonde Side was a recent guest (Episode 22) on the Friday Night Lights Podcast. This was a super fun interview and tells a pretty good story of how I came into my current career as a sportswriter and quite a few other things.
Examples of some of our favorite one-liners in this interview:
– It’s like when your hair is going wild and you throw random bobbi pins in to keep it in check, that’s how I am with commas…
– Hey I write this blog, no one reads it, but I’d like to interview you.
– If I was in a rush I’d just be in my bikini and stick my thumb out. Every Japanese tourist there thought I was Elle Woods from Legally Blonde. I would love to say I looked like her – she has a chubby face and so do I.
– They took their liberties entirely too far – I looked like a demon. Which asshole didn’t tell me I looked like that?
– No one has ever said this sentence ever: I think I have too many fanny packs. I own four fanny packs. And my friend said, “I kind of want to bitch-slap you for saying that.”
– This entire decision was based off this movie and I still don’t know the name of it.
– I guess I left when Human Resources told me to. It was a little bit of an awkward conversation. I think I might still be in that role today if I had kept my legs closed.”
Click here to listen to it (you can download it on your phone and other great ways).
Got other media opportunities for The Blonde Side? Give us a shout!
Wanderlust Austin is coming up November 6-9 and I couldn’t be more excited. This will actually be my first time attending (and covering as media) one of the many awesome Wanderlust events.
Austin is never at a loss for great events, but this is one of the most anticipated mindful retreats that will hit Austin this fall, bringing a dynamic combination of yoga (from some of the best), music (Austin is the live music capital, so this is high up on my list), speakers, adventure…oh and all the other stuff that Austin offers.
To purchase tickets for Wanderlust Austin (there are many levels to choose from pending your interests) click here.
If you’re going to be there (or are part of Wanderlust Austin and interested in being interviewed for my coverage here on The Blonde Side or Austin Fit Magazine), contact me via email (jayme [at] theblondeside [dot] com or Twitter.
For more details, check out the press release below:
Austin, TX (August 13, 2014) – Wanderlust, producer of the largest yoga lifestyle events in the world, is pleased to announce its return to Austin, Texas, November 6-9, 2014. Wanderlust Festivals gather together yoga enthusiasts, families, foodies and mindful adventurers to for a life-changing, unforgettable 4-daycelebration. Attendees can practice yoga from renowned instructors, take in music from today’s artists, enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, paddle-boarding, biking, and indulge in organic delicacies.
The local Wanderlust Yoga studio and music venue (206 E 4th St, Austin, TX) will play host alongside the neighboring Brazos Hall event space. The turn-of-the-century warehouse, unlike any other venue in the community, offers 10,000 square feet of space indoors and a 3,500 square foot rooftop deck that will take attendees from downward dog to dance party all with incredible downtown views.
Hit the mat with top tier yoga teachers providing festival guests the opportunity to choose from a variety of styles: Eoin Finn, Vinnie Marino, Kia Miller, Tiffany Cruikshank, Keith Mitchell and more. Local Austin teachers include Gioconda Parker, Leah Taylor, Ari Witkin,Malia Scott,Blake Hall, Jennifer Howard Brown, Mateo J. Daniel and Chris McClung.
In addition to its impressive line up of traditional yoga classes, Wanderlust Austin will also offer Boga Yoga Stand Up Paddleboard classes on Lady Bird Lake, guided runs on the Barton Creek Greenbelt Trail, electric bike ride expeditions, hooping classes and amazing Acroyoga demos.
What’s a Wanderlust festival without music—especially in Austin? Happy Happy James, LouLou Ghelichkhani (of Thievery Corporation) and DJ Raz Rashid will spin tunes and get ‘Lusters into the groove all weekend long for the most exciting block party of the year.
About Wanderlust:
Wanderlust Festival, LLC is a producer of large-scale lifestyle festival events focusing on yoga, music and wellness. The company encompasses Wanderlust Festival, the largest multi-day yoga and music festivals in the world; Wanderlust 108, a one-day “mindful triathlon” taking place in urban parks across the US; Wanderlust Yoga, a reimagination of the yoga studio experience; and the Wanderlust Teacher Training, a yoga teacher training program inspired by the Wanderlust festival experience. In 2014, Wanderlust will produce 15 events across the world centered around its core mission: creating community around mindful living. The company was founded in 2009 as a joint venture between Velour Music Group, C3 Presents and Starr Hill Presents. For more information, please visit http://wanderlust.com/yoga-festivals/
My LA-BFF definitely looks better in a bikini than me (Photo: Mario Barberio)
I realize it’s probably not “professional” to leave an interview with hopes of one day calling the subject your new Los Angeles BFF, but perhaps I’m not as professional as I once thought because I desperately want to refer to Bonnie-Jill Laflin as my new LA Bestie.
Yes, she’s that cool. The International sportscaster is down to earth, has a heart of gold, and according to most of the men I’ve met, she’s not bad to look at either. She’s what some would call the whole package.
At the age of 17, while still in high school, Laflin got her start as a Golden State Warriors cheerleader. “You’re supposed to be 18,” Laflin says, “but thanks to my mom, your typical pageant mom, she finagled my birth certificate (or something like that), so I was able to cheer in the NBA in high school.”
“I wanted to cheer at UT [University of Texas] and they were going to offer me a scholarship but since I had already cheered “professionally” you’re not allowed to cheer in college because you’ve already been paid, That’s one thing I wish I would have done was cheered at UT. They have such a great university – it’s ridiculous,” she says of the Longhorns.
Though she never donned the burnt orange cheer uniform, Laflin’s professional course is anything but lacking. She also spent two years on the sidelines of 49ers games, back when Jerry Rice and Steve Young were there (yes, she got a Super Bowl ring too). From there she moved on to probably the most notable cheerleading organization in the country – the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, where she even snagged the cover of the annual swimsuit calendar.
Though she was young, she knew she wanted to do more than watch from the sidelines. With determination to make sports a part of her life, she used whatever opportunities she could to meet people and build relationships. (You’d be amazed at some of the big sports names she considers actual friends…that makes my BFF offer a little weak, but I digress.)
“I just knew [cheerleading] was a way for me to get in these organizations and inside the sports world and capitalize on it. Right out of college I was able to get a job with ESPN (then Cold Pizza, now First Take), where I was a correspondent.”
Laflin, mostly known for being the first and only female scout in the NBA, is one of the most uniquely salt-of-the-earth women you’ll ever meet. Luckily it doesn’t deter her from going after the prize. “I’ve always been a go-getter, the more and more people tell me I can’t do it, the more and more I like to prove them wrong. Anytime you’re a female in a man’s world, you always have to prove people wrong,” she explains. “You’re always under a microscope, you’re always scrutinized and if you’re attractive, oh, forget about it!
“I think (attractiveness) hinders more than it helps.” She explains, “If they think you’re attractive, they automatically think we probably can’t speak, then all of a sudden you show you’re articulate and educated and you can put sentences together, and they think WOW. When I was a scout, I would see a lot of the guys who had been scouting since the dinosaur ages and all of a sudden they see me and all they’re hearing is ‘She was in Maxim‘ or ‘She used to cheer.’ If I wasn’t attractive, I don’t think they would have cared – sometimes it can hurt you, but it’s always pushed me to give more.”
Laflin admits many are still under the guise that her looks and her looks alone got her all these roles and have kept her in front of avid sports fans this whole time. “I think that happens a lot, but once people actually watch my shows, listen to my radio shows or get to know me, they start to realize “this girl actually knows more than me.” Perception is everything,” she says and something she’s battled since day one.
When asked about any career regrets, she laughs for a minute. “People always say, ‘Oh when you were in Texas you worked as a Hooters girl,’ but I think it makes you who you are. Have I made certain choices I might not have made in my thirties? I think we all do, but there’s nothing that’s been life changing I would take back. I have a lot of layers to who I am and I’m not just going to be one-dimensional because that’s what mainstream and corporate America want you to be. I feel like I’m going to be who I am,” she says with confidence.
As besties often do, we get on the subject of dating and men, and we go off record to bash men for a few minutes as well as Twitter trolls. “I could never date someone who didn’t know sports,” she says. “I know that sounds odd to certain people, because there’s more to life. I’m a total guys’ girl – I’m always the only girl. In certain situations, guys sometimes forget I’m a chick. A lot of my friends kinda forget I’m a girl because nothing offends me – they can curse, talk about the girls they’ve slept with. I’ve been around guys so much sometimes I feel like I relate better to them.”
When it comes to labeling Bonnie-Jill’s current job title, she laughs again. “I’m hard to label I guess. I live and breathe sports. I’ve always got the scouting mind – like college bowl games–I want to see how well these guys could do in the NFL. Everyone’s way into UFC, but I’m not. I’m old school – I love boxing.”
In no particular order, the wide-eyed brunette also loves horse races (she’s been to the Kentucky Derby 11 straight years and loves betting on the ponies), big sunglasses, men who open doors, big goals and bigger dreams, baseball (particularly the San Francisco Giants), her career, rescue dogs (check out her nonprofit Hounds and Heroes), fantasy sports, soldiers and heroes of all kinds, Johnny Cash (she even named her cat after him), skiing, and vegetables (she’s a vegetarian).
For now, Laflin says she’s incredibly happy and comfortable where she is in life and is in a full-court press pushing her career even farther than she once dreamed. Next on her list: to be a minority owner of the Giants.
Be sure to follow my LA BFF on Twitter. (But word to the wise before you click follow. “If you don’t like sports, animals, or the military, you probably shouldn’t follow me on social media,” Laflin says bluntly.)
This article originally ran in the sports section of CBS Man Cave Daily. Click here to see the original article (and yes, more pictures of Bonnie-Jill).
Smirnoff’s first-ever team branded bottle goes to…
So since the Cubs were the lucky first for a team branded bottle of Vodka by Smirnoff, are they trying to say Cubs fans need drinks more than any other team?
What about Cowboys fans? Well, I guess they are still living in the 90’s so maybe the Cubs are the obvious first choice?
(Image via Twitter – haven’t found any reports or releases on these new team branded bottles quite yet.)
You’re invited. To what? Only one of the coolest most unique events to hit the Houston charity scene, all in honor and support of a wonderful cause: AIDS Foundation Houston.
Sadly I won’t be able to attend, but I wanted to make sure the readers of The Blonde Side had the info for such a great evening.
Sometimes people forget the sports world – not limited to fans, cheerleaders, players, coaches, front offices, families and more – are often riddled with the same issues we are. This event puts a unique spin on a topic that many are afraid to talk about and bringing some big names to the table to show their support. Here’s your chance to show your support also. Spread the good word Houston.
*A lot of big names and companies are responsible for making an event like this happen (see at bottom of this post for the full list) – The Blonde Side is proud to see Bud Light as an official sponsor! So if you make it out to the event, go bid on some awesome art, grab a Bud Light, and snap a picture and send it to me on Twitter using #sport4Life.
Press Release Information:
Houston Sports Celebrities and Local Artists Team Up For
AIDS Foundation Houston’s “Sport4Life”
Join AIDS Foundation Houston, Inc. (AFH) and sports champion co-chairs Jolanda Jones and Carl Lewis for the fundraiser Sport4Life at the West Club in BBVA Compass Stadium on Thursday, August 21, 2014 from 6 -10 p.m.
Former Houston City Council Member and national track star Jolanda Jones will welcome fans to Sport4Life alongside nine-time Olympic gold medal champion Carl Lewis; Olympic gold medalists Leroy and Michelle Burrell; boxing promoter George Foreman IV; Olympian Floyd Heard; and track stars Ifoma and Henrik Olausson.
The fundraising event offers a new and unique play to the organization’s annual art auction by adding to its roster the help of professional and amateur athletes to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS, reduce the stigma of HIV in the sports arena, and promote healthy lifestyles to the public.
Guests are encouraged to gear up and wear sports attire while attending the fun-filled sports themed night with ballpark-style food, sports art and sports auction items. Guests will also have the opportunity to dance the night away as DJ Chris Luera spins during the evening.
In efforts to score funds for AFH, sports related art from exclusive art collections and original artwork by Houston’s top artists fashioned from various sports equipment will be auctioned off at Sport4Life along with exclusive sports memorabilia and surprises throughout the night.
Featured local artists contributing to Sport4Life include Joe Aker; David Aylsworth; Cara Barer; David Brown; Michael Crowder; Sharon Engelstein; Geoff Hippenstiel; Linda Hofheinz; Ted Kincaid; Austin Allen James; Terrell James; Erin McLeod; Mauricio Menjivar; Richard Nix; Patrick Palmer; Aaron Parazette; Nicola Parente; Josh Pazda; Patrick Renner; Ariane Roesch; Pahl Samson; Kaneem Smith; Shane Tolbert; and Charles Wiese.
This event is made possible with the support from sponsors and underwriters BBVA Compass; OutSmart Magazine; Outsports; Dynamo Charities; Houston Dash; Avita Pharmacy; Bud Light; AIDS Healthcare Foundation; Aker Imaging; Richard Ray; Jerry McNeill; Mixed Emotions Fine Art & Frame; Gwen Richard; Paula Sperber Siegel; John Spurrell; Gary & Mimi Wasserberg; Kelly and Steve Young; and Ziegler Cooper Architects/Jim Hanlin.
For more information on Sport4Life please visit www.aidshelp.org or call 713-623-6796.
Looking for media information? Contact Kim Padgett at The Padgett Group: kim@thepadgettgroup.com
Victor Ortiz taking it easy (Photo: Steven Schofield)
With Expendables 3 hitting the theatres August 15th, it looks like it may be time for Victor Ortiz to change his Twitter bio (@VICIOUSortiz) which currently reads: “I’m a champion. I’m a boxer. That’s it. Period.”
Now he’ll have to add “actor.” And a pretty damn good one.
For those who don’t know his telling story, Victor Ortiz is a living, breathing example of the ultimate American dream. The 27-year-old overcame numerous childhood challenges to conquer the world — both inside and outside the ring. Born and raised in Garden City, Kansas, Ortiz found himself on his own at the young age of 12 and by the age of 18 was already assuming responsibility by legally adopting his younger brother.
Having been awarded three boxing titles (WBC Welterweight Champion, WBO NABO Light Welterweight, and USBA Light Welterweight Champion) in his career already, Ortiz is now entering the world of entertainment by storm with his role as Mars in “Expendables 3,” alongside action greats Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wesley Snipes, and Harrison Ford. Stallone recognized Ortiz’s promise early on when the boxer went up against a few key established young actors during auditions.
Jayme Lamm: So tell me about your role in TheExpendables 3?
Victor Ortiz: In the role, my name is Mars, and I go off of being a weaponry specialist and in reality, I don’t know anything about weapons, so yeah, they gave me guns, gun training and whatnot. I’m one of the elite soldiers that’s pretty much willing to do anything for my team.
Thankfully, to memorize my lines, it’s not a hard thing for me. I have a very good memory. I know that might catch people off guard because I’m a boxer, but I’m also finishing my major at the University of Kansas, so my memory isn’t too bad. I think some of the coolest things I got to experience was hanging out with some of the big boys, like Jason Statham, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and just people like that. It was really cool. I think if there was one thing I could probably take and sum it up to you… I don’t know–the whole experience is awesome.
JL: You mentioned a ton of huge names in the movie. Was there one that really helped you out more than others? Did anybody take you under their wing?
VO: That was the good thing about everyone. Everyone was really positive–they’d give me their two cents, how I should act, what would be better, etc. so everybody was very helpful. Especially when I had questions. Being the first film, I guess it was kind of nerve-racking at times, but thankfully they just worked with me to keep me on my feet and say “Just look Vic, you can do this to make this better, you can do this, this, and that.’
JL: Was there anyone on the cast that just stuck out?
VO: Pranksters–there was Jason Statham, Antonio Banderas, Kellan, Glen, Ronda… we were pretty much the pranksters of the whole thing. So, we had a good time between us all.
JL: Out of all the guys in the movie, if you could fight any of them in their prime, who?
VO: I wouldn’t say “fight,” but boxing… boxing is a sport, fighting is just fighting. As far as boxing goes, who wouldn’t want to box Rocky Balboa?
JL: You think you could take him?
VO: Southpaw against a southpaw, I don’t know.
JL: Do you see any more action films in your future?
VO: Absolutely. Right now I’m working on a movie called Southpaw starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker, 50 Cent, which is Curtis, and myself. Quite a few names on that cast, so having a good time there. We’re in Pittsburgh doing that.
JL: For your first two movies, you have a very star studded cast to go along with you.
VO: Yeah, absolutely. I’ve been very blessed, very fortunate. Now, I’m not done with boxing, remember that. I’ll be World Champion once again, once my team of management and promoters settle their disputes, we’re going back in the ring. Titles, upsetting some people, then people will hate me even more.
JL: People hate you?
VO: Oh yeah, in the boxing world, I’m well-hated.
JL: Do you consider that a good thing?
VO: It pushes me more because I like to make people swallow their words. I’m not a bad guy, what you see is what you get with me, but in the boxing world, that doesn’t fly because you have to be the machismo, like yap-yap-yap, but I don’t yap, I just show you what I’m going to do.
JL: Do you get into any of the social media or mean stuff people say on blogs and articles–they just get vicious. Do you read that crap?
VO: I call people like that computer bullies, or computer gangsters. I actually had the privilege to see this guy that was on Twitter, he was yapping at me. I got to see him in New York, and I recognized him. One of the big loudmouths on Twitter. And as I was passing by, I make my way and he was doing this type of thing “effin this, effin that, you wuss,” but the worst of words. I hear him and I spot him. I go to that section and people want to take pictures of me, this and that, and he’s doing this *mouthing off*, but he won’t pick his head up. I finally go “Excuse me, sweetheart…”
JL: Wait a sec, you called him sweetheart?
VO: No, no, no, to this girl next to him. “Excuse me sweetheart, can you move real quick? Just for a second?” I grabbed his ass by his shirt, I brought him forward, said, “I know who the hell you are. You’re the guy from Twitter, right? You have quite the mouth on you.” I made him feel this big, and the guy’s about 6’2 or 6’3. And I was like, “You know, it’s funny. I get you and you’re like ‘No, it wasn’t me.’ I know exactly who the hell you are.”
And I was like “How would you like it if I put my !*(%in” fist down your throat. Would you like that?” When I said that to him, the dude is just $#!+ting bricks like “Oh my God, I’m just a fan and you just upset me time and time again.” I was like, “I don’t give a damn. Doesn’t give you the right to talk to somebody like me like that.” Had him by the shirt close to me, and I just shoved him back. The fans were like “Ooooooh, $#!+.” I was like, “Do me a favor. If you can, contact some lawyers and $#!+, and tell them that I harassed you.’
JL: Damn, you don’t mess around!
VO: I’m a very nice guy.
JL: Until you’re pushed to your limit, right? I’m very similar.
VO: Just don’t mistake my kindness for weakness. Because I will be the devil. Lucifer in flesh.
JL: You’re obviously very confident in your boxing skills. You’ve got titles to stand that up so does the criticism get to you?
VO: You hear it all. “You’re not the greatest. You’re a piece of this; you’re a piece of that. Oh my God, you’re the best pound for pound; you’re this, you’re that.” It’s like, just shut your mouth, let me work.
JL: What if you hear that same criticism with your acting? Are you going to feel differently because you’re still new at it or you just brush it off?
VO: I just brush it off, especially in this new career because I’m dipping my feet, and I’m doing a damn good job at it.
JL: Tell me something about yourself that would shock people?
VO: Well, a hobby of mine is working on older cars. Like 1970s, 65, 68 cars, rebuilding engines, doing bodywork on things. I don’t paint, but my boys. I surf, snowboard, skateboard.
JL: Where’s your favorite place to snowboard?
VO: Breckinridge.
JL: Tell me about your background as a kid. I know it was pretty rough, but I want to hear your story.
VO: I was seven years old. At the time my dad was still around, so I was a little fat kid that played piano, oh, and I was in the choir. Also had vocal coaching, did school solos and whatnot, so I got made fun of a lot, got called every name in the dictionary because of that. From there, I got beat up so much that I came home one day, my dad said “In this family there aren’t going to be any &*$$!%$.”
So they made me go to the boxing gym against my will, and pretty soon I was so good at it, but I hated it. I was seven and came home from school and my mom was gone. She left us. From seven to twelve, my dad was around, but he’d leave for a bit, come back for a little while, leave, and come back. I said to myself “I’m going to be something big one day in boxing.” So I took over. Of course, I watched the Rocky movies a few times.
JL: Which one is your favorite?
VO: I’d say the first one. He’s a street kid with nothing but a dream, and does something huge.
JL: If you were asked to be in a Rocky remake, would you do it?
VO: No. You don’t mess with that. That’s Rocky Balboa at its finest.
JL: I heard you adopted your brother?
VO: When I was turning 18 years old, I filed for custody of my younger brother. Brought him out to California, I became his guardian; he was a pain in the butt. He scared me from having kids! To say the least, I can wait another 10 years without kids, I’ll be fine.
JL: Are you still close?
VO: Yeah, he’s my younger brother! He’s a pain in the butt for the most part. He’s finally coming to his senses; he just recently had a baby. She’s adorable, I haven’t met her, but I’ve seen pictures of her, and I Facetime with her. Beautiful little girl, her name is Sophia. I have two nieces and three nephews.
JL: What’s your focus right now?
VO: As of right now, the focus was boxing. And then they canceled my fight–back to back. I was like “You know what? You guys are just jerking me around so I’m going ahead and do what I need to do.” So in that case, I called my agency along with management and I said, “Give me whatever you guys can,” They got me on a couple movies back to back and that’s where I’m at right now. If I had a fight, I would be in training camp.
JL: Anything else you want to add about the movie or the experience or a message to your fans?
VO: Just enjoy the movie, and I hope you guys have a blast watching.
This article originally ran in the sport’s section of CBS Man Cave Daily. Click here to see the original article.
This is DEFINITELY a fun run (Photo: Women’s Health)
The first time I ever realized you could “draw” a shape while running using the Nike+ app was during the She Runs LA Nike “virtual” 10k Brandi Garcia invited me to.
Since I wasn’t in LA at the time, each person who signed up virtually for the 10k was given a letter to run in the shape of. Talk about a lost blonde in a pair of New Balance.
It was pure comedy. I literally ran up to a stoplight at Rice Village, made a left, then made a quick right, then ran diagonal through a parking lot and continued on in a rampant manner. I still don’t even know what letter I was instructed to create (although I think it was an “F”), but by the end, it was barely legible.
Anyways, there was this recent article in Women’s Health where a woman is doing pretty much the same thing, but better. As pictured, one of her runs looked a lot like male goods, but my favorite (at least the one most suitable for my mom who is probably reading this) is the middle finger she drew in honor of saying FU to cancer for her best friend.
So I plan to implement this awesome picture-drawing in upcoming runs – not exactly sure what I will attempt to draw, but who’s in with me? Comment on this post with some picture ideas I can run to.
https://theblondeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Screen-Shot-2014-08-10-at-10.48.27-PM.png471588Jaymehttps://theblondeside.com//wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1526998321020-300x192.pngJayme2014-08-10 22:59:302014-08-10 22:59:30Now THIS is a FUN Run
Jason, The Blonde Side and Miguel at the Texans Art party
Wednesday night was a sellout crowd of more than 60 women for our Texans Art night at Pinot’s Palette in the Galleria. It was actually so popular, we had to add another table and are already talking about another night.
Thanks to all our sponsors, ESPECIALLY Stella Artois for providing the beer and Lucky’s Pub for the pizza and salad. Seeing all the artistic ability from some of the biggest Texans fans in the city was awesome. Their individuality in each of their paintings was fun and we played games, Texans trivia, trolled Jon Weeks and Chris Myers on Twitter and much more.
*If you’re interested in hearing more about these events or becoming a sponsor/working with The Blonde Side, shoot us an email: jayme [at] theblondeside [dot]com.
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I don’t often write about my religious beliefs, although they are definitely a huge part of who I am and feel my success can be directly attributed to. It’s plain and simple – I wouldn’t be here right now with this laptop, these words or this sport’s column if it weren’t for the Grace of God.
About a month ago I reached out to my Pastor (Tim Liston) at New Hope Church asking if he’d be willing to grab coffee and just talk. Quite frankly I needed all sorts of guidance in life, love, friendships, motivation and honestly, sports – that is my career after all. I feel when one part seems to be off, nothing works quite the way it should. I had reached that point where I needed to refocus and just recharge.
After we chatted and prayed, I asked for recommendations on a daily devotional. We walked to the church’s bookstore and as we shopped, Pastor Tim introduced me to the woman in charge of the store. His exact words, “Can you help Jayme find a daily devotional – but not your typical women’s devotional, because she’s not your typical woman.” We laughed, but Pastor Tim was spot on. It’s important to note that Pastor Tim follows me on Twitter, so there really aren’t any secrets there.
As odd as it sounds, I was immediately drawn to the men’s section and one book stuck out: Guts Grace & Glory. It felt a lot like choosing a bottle of wine (gosh, can I even say that right now?) – the label is important and is the first thing that makes us want to pick it up and check it out. This devotional was no different – the font of the title was the ESPN font – as an advertising major, fonts are a big deal in my world. I looked closer and saw the foreword was by one of my favorite all-time NFL quarterbacks, Kurt Warner.
Sold.
You may think it’s silly to learn about and be reminded of religion by relating to sports, but it’s right up my alley and that’s what it’s all about. In life we go through many trials and hardships and sometimes we need something we can relate to in order to pick ourselves up and keep going. For me to read something and truly digest it, I have to relate to it – that’s just how I operate.
Sports are such a huge part of my life, why not read about Nike’s famous slogan Just Do It and how it relates to RG3? This particular section talks all about RG3’s stats how he lead Baylor to its first nine-win season since ’86 and passed for a new school record of 3,998 yards and 36 TDs (also rushing for 644 yards and 9 TDs). The story then goes on to say that Griffin kept perspective through it all by pointing to heaven after each touchdown and how he remained active in organizations like Friends for Life and the Special Olympics. He stayed humble and kept doing his job while showing all the fans out there that he was praising God throughout it all.
“I praise God, I thank Him for everything. Purposefully, you live every day for Him, and when He gives you the opportunity to speak up for Him or to do something in His name, you do it,” RG3 said.
Each nightly read ends with a “Game Plan” for you to ponder and pray about. The one with RG3 says that we all have “a stage to make a difference.” Clearly we’re not all professional athletes, but we don’t need to be. Maybe our stage is at work, in our community, at the gym, or with that nosey co-worker – it can be anywhere. But it’s a stage that God gives us, and we should use it.
Other stories come from Bobby Bowden taking criticism early on in his career and persevering and becoming one of the best college football coaches in history. The football parallels of some of the greatest games and how they relate to faith along with stories and quotes from some of your favorite all-time athletes make continuing to grow in your faith easy and fun.
Whether you’re a male or female in love with sports, or you’re looking for a birthday gift or Father’s Day gift for a sport’s lover, this is a great book. You can buy it here on Amazon.
Pro-tip: Since daily devotionals aren’t usually read more than once, I always hand my books off to a friend I think will also get great use of. My last devotional was for Florida State fans and I gave it to a new friend I met on the plane coming home from the (winning!) National Championship. Spread the word. Literally.
If you know of other great sports/fitness type devotionals or Bible verses or websites that stand out, please share them in the comment section – I’d love to check them all out.
