Team GLASA 2011 Chicago Marathon

With the official registration for the Chicago Marathon set to open on February 1, I have been looking to find a charity for which to run this year's race. On October 10, 2010, I made my marathon debut on the same streets Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain rolled to a world record setting performance eight years ago. This was just months before she raced to yet another world record shattering performance at the London Marathon. What a way to prove that her accomplishment in Chicago was not a fluke and what was to be expected of her each time she raced as I believe Paula has won every single marathon in which she has run. This does not take into account the marathons at the Olympics as Paula has struggled in those events, but in the 2008 race at the Olympics she did put to rest past demons even if she did not win. Prior to being inspired by the great Paula Radcliffe, I never considered running a marathon. Once I was moved by Lokelani McMichael to dream of completing an Ironman Triathlon, I knew a stand alone marathon would be a great achievement prior to chasing the dream of hearing the PA announcer call me an Ironman. To make the experience of my debut marathon special, I decided to attempt the 26.2 miles distance in my home town race. In addition to that, I chose to run it for a local charity. The Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association. As a member of Team GLASA, I received a complimentary entry in the GLASA Twilight 5K as well as being assigned a GLASA athlete on whose behalf I would run. In fact, I had the great privilege of running on behalf of two athletes. Sixteen year old twins, Elizabeth and Emily. Liz is visually impaired and Emily has cerebral palsy. It was such a joy to have strangers on the race course encourage me by yelling out how proud Liz and Emily must be for me. They were. I received the most beautiful touching note of gratitude from them shortly after completing the marathon. It was such a rewarding experience that I plan to run the Chicago Marathon once again this year. I hope to shatter my finishing time from last year while racing through the streets of Chicago on behalf of a great cause. I have given serious consideration to returning to join Team GLASA in 2011. I have also been considering selecting another of the non profits to which I know my friends feel close. I do not want to disappoint or let any one organization down, but I am having a difficult time deciding with which one to go. There are a few more days prior to the start of registration and even after then, I will have some time before the race reaches capacity. I hope to decide in short order.

For anyone wanting a charity for which to run, the Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association is a wonderful group which works with youth and adults with physical and visual disabilities. To read about the organization and to learn about the perks when joining GLASA for the Chicago Marathon, please log on to:

www.glasa.org

Cobar Collection Imperial Garden

It seems as though at every turn I am surrounded by wonderfully talented amazing individuals who enrich the world in so many different ways. One such person is a talented artist and clothing designer, Wanda Cobar. Her designs and clothes have been featured in showcases in the midwest. They have also been seen by audiences in New York. They have been right at home on the runways of Paris. Even as we enjoy the winter months, it is never too early to start looking towards the spring. More to the point, it is always a great time to view and buy Wanda's Imperial Garden Spring Collection!

Please visit the following site and check out Wanda's fabulous line:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/cobarcollection

Of Boys And Men Now Available

A few years ago in October 2007, I had the wonderful privilege to attend The Filmmaker Summit presented by the Chicago chapter of the Independent Film Project (IFP) where I was able to meet and network with so many wonderful individuals who have a passion for telling stories through films. One of the individuals I met that weekend was screenwriter and filmmaker, Michelle Amor. I had the great fortune of receiving ten minutes of wisdom from Michele as I signed up for a ten minute mentorship session which IFP Chicago offered as part of the various networking opportunities throughout the weekend. These ten minutes proved to be the start of a wonderful friendship as Michelle and I have remained in contact over the years. I have been able to pick her brain on writing. I have also simply listened and marveled at the way she tells stories as part of our conversations. There are times where she and I will talk as friends simply to see how the other is doing and not to speak on writing specifically, but I walk away from the conversation learning so much about telling stories, speaking my truth, and sharing myself. Over the years, Michelle has been a wonderful friend and writing mentor. She has given me wonderful advice and feedback on my scripts. From her, I learned that the best way to learn about screenplays is to read screenplays. The best way to better one's writing is to write and send copies to trusted talented friends who can then offer feedback.

This week, Warner Bros released the film, Of Boys And Men on DVD. It stars Robert Townsend, Angela Bassett, and Victoria Royal. It was written by Michelle Amor. For more information and to buy a copy of the movie, please log on to:

http://www.wbshop.com/Of-Boys-and-Men/1000151131,default,pd.html?cgid=DVD

Kate Bergeron Demo Reel

One of the most talented individuals I have ever met is Kate Bergeron. I met Kate almost seven years ago in an acting class in Chicago. From the first day I was lucky enough to watch Kate work her magic, it was clear to me I was witnessing an amazing talented woman who was destined for stardom. Kate has now been seen in various theater pieces, films, TV shows, commercials, and web series.

Kate's latest updated reel can now be seen at the Internet Movie Data Base. Here is the link

http://www.imdb.com/video/demo_reel/vi4226063129

If you wish to keep up with the latest projects with which Kate is involved, log on to her personal site at:

www.katebergeron.com