A Special Sunday Catch-Up Post

I must apologize to everyone that has sent me press releases, ad/text link inquiries, and other story ideas over the past month or so. Actually, I've been getting behind since the end of January. It's all for good reasons: the day job has been incredibly busy, I've been doing more volunteer work, and (the least fun) I had a NASTY cold and then a quick outpatient procedure the other day. Let's just say that I seriously am not ready for it to be the month of April starting next week.

Enough bellyaching - let's catch up on some info:

First off, I am trying to sit on one of those exercise balls whilst I write this. I have MANY colleagues that do this for health reasons. It's just not cutting it for me. I feel like I am on a surfboard and when that is the case my feet are not firmly planted but moving. You surfers out there can relate. I've been going on 5 minutes and I am ready to go back to a regular chair. We'll see if I can last through this post.

Fitness Magazine is where it's at! Not only do they send me awesome series information to post about, but their daily email newsletters with tips are really great. One newsletter had a great link to Real Women Success Stories depicting women that lost 100+ pounds and there was nary a mention of gimmicky, overpriced diets. Go ladies! Oh, and just in time for that upcoming bridal season, I got an email about a series of videos and instruction for looking great in your wedding dress called Bridal Boot Camp. Most everyone wants to look special on that big day and they even have specific moves for certain dress types. Finally, for the very busy bride-to-be, there is the 20 minute circuit training plan.

For the Masters junkies I thought I would pass along a little tidbit that I received about coverage being in 3D through Comcast on television and the internet.

ACK! Missed this but better late than never: What happens when you mix two global superstars from the entertainment world with two sporting legends from the game of tennis...? The answer: a celebrity tennis match of epic proportions. For one match only, happening on Tuesday March 23 in Miami, these two glamorous worlds are set to collide on-court, in an historic celebrity battle that is sure to be a tightly-contested showdown to the bitter end.
On one side of the net, multi-platinum selling music star Jay Sean will be joined by former World Number One Maria Sharapova. On the opposite baseline, World Number Two Novak Djokavic will line up alongside former Spice Girl and TV personality Mel B. See how our stars have been getting on, and their reactions to finding out who they partners were, for what will unquestionably be the most-anticipated match of the year – here at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami! Check out the teaser video here and the result here.

Angela's Coffee Shop has sent me some coffee and tea samples to review that I will get to this week. More on that when the post is up.

Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year! Chiney Ogwumike of Cy-Fair High School in Houston, Texas is the 2009-10 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year. The Gatorade Player of the Year program is celebrating its 25th year in recognizing elite high school athletes throughout the nation. Chiney was surprised with the news during an assembly by her sister Nneka Ogwumike, who earned Gatorade National Girls Basketball POY honors herself in 2007-08, and currently plays for the Stanford women’s basketball team. Nneka and the team surprised Chiney live via Skype, as the team was traveling for the NCAA tournament.

Since the Gatorade Player of the Year program began 25 years ago, no siblings have ever won national honors. Chiney joins her sister Nneka, as the only sibling duo to ever win the national title in the history of the program for any sport. In celebration of the larger 25th anniversary of the program, Gatorade will host 10 polls online that will allow consumers to decide who is the greatest all-time Gatorade Player of the Year in boys football, girls volleyball, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls basketball, boys baseball, girls softball, and boys and girls track & field. You can cast your vote for your favorite athlete of all-time once per sport, per day here.

Former notable Gatorade Players of the Year include:

• Peyton Manning, Super Bowl Most Valuable Player

• Lisa Leslie, WNBA all-time leading scorer and rebounder

• Alan Webb, Reigning American record-holder in the mile

• Emmitt Smith, NFL all-time leading rusher

• Cat Osterman, Softball Olympic gold medalist

In addition, make sure to enter the Gatorade Player of the Year sweepstakes where you could win a trip to the 2010 Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year Awards ceremony and the ESPY Awards. For more information about The Gatorade Player of the Year program and its 25th anniversary celebration, please visit this link.

Homeless World Cup Catch Up Press Release: We’ve been hard at work at the Homeless World Cup creating three new initiatives that invite you to take a stand to end homelessness through football. Here’s introducing…

The Corporate Cup, especially for corporates across the UK to challenge each other to win the chance to unite with 64 nations and take on the Homeless World Cup All Stars for World Cup glory on the global stage of the Rio 2010 Homeless World Cup;

The Football Box, a football coaching education program and equipment to reach homeless people in deprived parts of the world with the benefits of football;

Volunteer Rio: A 2010 Challenge, the opportunity for 30 individuals to raise funds to volunteer at the 8th Rio 2010 Homeless World Cup.

We'd love you to be part of it. Are you in?

Here’s how to take part:

THE CORPORATE CUP

The Corporate Cup invites organizations across the UK to compete for glory and take a stand to end homelessness. The champions will travel to Copacabana Beach, Rio, Brazil, to unite with 64 nations participating in the 8th Rio 2010 Homeless World Cup and take on the Homeless World Cup All Stars in an exhibition match in the 5,000-seater street soccer stadium. The Corporate Cup will be held on 22 May in Scotland and 5 June in England. To enter please contact Elliot Stroud, Homeless World Cup via elliot(at)homelessworldcup(dot)org.

FOOTBALL BOX

The Football Box, a football coaching education program and equipment, can travel to the far corners of the globe to deliver the benefits of football to homeless people in the most deprived nations of the world. One Football Box is only £500 and provides coaching education and equipment for five homeless people to work with 100 homeless players in their community. Football Boxes are right now winging their way to India and Uganda. If you’d love to buy a Football Box you can do that here or kick start a Football Box by making a donation here. Contact Robin Tatler on via robin(at)homelessworldcup(dot)org for more information.

VOLUNTEER RIO: A 2010 CHALLENGE

30 lucky volunteers will join 64 national teams of homeless players on Copacabana Beach, Rio, Brazil from 18-27 September 2010 for the Rio 2010 Homeless World Cup. In a 2010 challenge you will raise £2,300 in sponsorship to enable one homeless player to participate in the Rio 2010 Homeless World Cup and to cover your flight, accommodation. To find out more or register your place contact Lynn via lynn(at)homelessworldcup(dot)org.

I hope you're having a relaxing Sunday and getting energized for the upcoming week! P.S. I am still sitting on the ball but I can't promise for how much longer.