Monday, May 16, 2011

Back Again

I have not posted on the Dulcet Dialogue in a very long time. Life became busy in the middle and I shoved the blog to the very bottom of my priority list. However, I have come to realize that my posts do not have to be perfectly written and easily comprehensible to readers. Perhaps I can simply post for myself and while doing so maybe helpful information will automatically surface.

My change of mind is a result of a leadership conference I attended last weekend. It was called MYlead. Composed of the most phenomenal speakers I have listened too and lectures on financial literacy and success, the seminar proved to be exceptionally motivational and educational. Yet those are things you expect from a leadership conference. What you do not expect is an emotional and spiritual eclipse experienced with complete strangers. On the second day of MYlead I shockingly found myself red nosed and pouring tears seeking the hugs and comfort from a group of individuals I have met just 24 hours earlier. I met people from all over Michigan who have experienced hardships similar and alien to my own and learned and felt things I never thought I could let myself feel. I was more vulnerable than I have ever let myself be with a crowd of strangers and it felt good. I don't want to splurge into further depth because my words and sentences would risk becoming an endless essay, but I will say that I never would have expected to ever experience such a complete eye-opening revelation on the raw reality of human compassion.

The ability to freely give and feel human compassion is the substance which empowers great leaders. Vulnerability is not a weakness, it is a strength.

So now I will be finished oozing deep disclosures. Instead, on a lighter note I will explain what kind of leader I am. I am a blue leader:

I need to feel unique and authentic. I am enthusiastic, sympathetic and personal. I look for meaning and significance in life. I am warm, communicative and compassionate. I need to contribute, to encourage, and to care. I am idealistic, spiritual, and sincere. I value integrity, and unity in relationships. I am peaceful, flexible and imaginative. I am a natural romantic, a poet, and a nurturer.

I'm blue. Ama dee Ama da.

Goodbye for now. I will be back soon.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Sweet Talk

Fall has finally blown in, along with the leaves off the trees, and while I’m sitting at home in my sweatshirt and slipper socks sniffling and choking down Echinacea tablets I must apologize for not posting for such a long period of time. Much has happened in my world since the beginning of school, keeping my schedule demanding and from posting on the Dulcet Dialogue. But at last, for I am home with nothing but time and a tissue box, I am sitting down at the keyboard to write.
            One sweet, literally, piece of news that I will write about is my establishment of a baking company.
            The business is called Bite Me, and I bake mainly cookies and cupcakes. I embarked on this adventure because of two reasons: I am good at baking and I want to make money. I have always been known as “The Cupcake Girl” because I often bring in my new creations to school for my friends to try. Whenever people take a bite, the rest of the cupcakes soon vanish and satisfied, frosting mustached smiles appear. So I figured, why not start a small business and earn some money for all of this baking! Thus, Bite Me Bakery was born.
            This endeavor has proved to be helpful in more ways than one though; In addition to the profits I’m making, I am also learning how to manage a business. My parents have helped me get started; they bought the first bags of flour and assisted in setting up a fancy chart to keep track of supply costs, profits, customers, and things of the like. Other than that, however, I’m running my baking company solely by myself. I’m doing well so far, in the first week I have had multiple jobs and even have some large catering orders for a birthday party and a community event.
            Despite my new-fangled cupcake wages, however, I’m still baking for my friends and will continue to do so. After all, they’ve always been my trusty guinea pigs.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Bicycling

The bittersweet winds of autumn have began to stealthily slip into my summer mornings. As I bundled up for my usual morning bike ride today,  I felt a bit of sadness creep into my bedroom window; it was a chilly breeze forcing me to sport a long sleeve under armour shirt, a fleece pullover, sweatpants, thick socks, and finally my sneakers. I love biking, especially over the rolling hills displaying the frequent horse farms and the woodsy forest areas, but as the weather turns colder here in Michigan and the stressful busy schedule the school year brings along approaches, I know that my morning bike rides are going to be reduced to evening rides maybe at most three or four times a week.
Now I mention biking because exercise is of immense importance to type one diabetics. Physical activity is so vital because exercise uses glucose as a fuel; it is an efficient way to manage blood sugar levels. Exercise has an insulin-like effect on glucose, enhancing its uptake into cells and offsetting elevated blood glucose levels that commonly occur after eating. By exercising, the quantity of insulin injected for controlling blood glucose can be lessened in those in type 1 diabetes. Also, for me, biking is a fitting form of exercise because it offers great cross-training for a dancer as it is aerobic and doesn't put too much stress on joints in the body.
So I encourage everyone to hop on their bicycles to get some exercise and enjoy the freedom that rushes through your hair and the thrill of the speeding wheels rotating beneath you.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Summer in the City

About two weeks ago, I came home from one the most wonderful adventures of my life. I was living in New York City for 6 weeks spending my days dancing at the Joffrey studios for their summer intensive and spending my nights exploring the streets in search of some thrill, food, and shopping. Now, obviously like any parents hopefully would be, my mother and father were hesitant about dropping me off in the Big Apple with my suitcases and wild heart, but I proved to be capable of taking care of myself (possibly from having the everyday task of managing my diabetes).
I stayed at the Amsterdam Residence on the Upper West side, where I cooked all my own meals, shopped at nearby markets (especially the Fairway Market which carries all of my favorite organic brands), did all of my own laundry, and every morning and evening got on and off the subway.
In addition to having to take care of my meals and dirty clothes, this stay in the city was also testing how well I could keep track of my diabetes. It wasn't easy, not at all. With balancing the intense physical activity of the dance intensive and the overwhelming masses of delicious gelato, frozen yogurt, Starbucks and bakery treats on every street corner my blood glucose levels did fluctuate. However, overall, I managed to treat the lows from the excessive exercise and covering the sweet treats with extra doses of insulin without much trouble.
My roommates also adjusted well to my diabetes, as it can come as a shock to most people I meet who don't know much about the disease that I have to prick my fingers and give myself shots multiple times a day. But they were curious yet kind, and it was easy to just go about my own business without them having any trauma.
I have learned more about myself, dance, and life from those six weeks than any other six weeks of my life. I will treasure my memories and stories from this summer forever. I love New York City and always will, for as long as I live.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

First Post of The Dulcet Dialogue

Introducing myself into the world of blogging has been on my To-Do list for quite some time now, and finally I am here!
First things first, I would like to explain the intent of this particular blog.  I am going to write primarily about being a type one diabetic. About three years ago, my life dramatically changed when I was diagnosed with type one diabetes. The chronic disease, previously known as juvenile diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. In type one diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Only 5-10% of people with diabetes have this form of the disease. With the help of insulin therapy and other treatments, I am able to live. Insulin therapy keeps type one diabetics alive, but it is not a cure. Fortunately, researchers across the globe, especially the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, are contributing everyday to finding a cure.
While the search for a cure proceeds, I exist  maintaining my health by checking my blood glucose content with finger pricks about 5-8 times a day, by giving myself injections of insulin about 4 times a day, exercising, and eating well.
My blog will discuss all of these areas to hopefully educate others on type one diabetes and to help fellow diabetics in their personal pursuit of health and happiness.