I Put On For My City.
August 28, 2008 | Filed Under Fitness, kcato. | 2 Comments
Just got challenged by some friends in Cali. Is it game time? Most def.
Peedie, let’s go!
Running With A Purpose
August 28, 2008 | Filed Under Fitness, kcato. | 1 Comment
Last night, I ran 3 miles around Olde Towne East with Peedie and Sydney. After receiving some great running advice from Karen, I was ready to go.
Karen suggested I dedicate each mile to someone I love. This made a huge difference in my overall performance. I felt great thinking about the people that mean the most.
My first mile was dedicated to Shade, Peedie’s dog that passed away two years ago. Losing Shade inspired us to adopt Sydney. She’s now the love of our lives. 
My second mile was dedicated to a few people Peedie and I lost recently: my grandmother, his grandmother, and his Aunt Landie.
The last mile was dedicated to the people that helped shape our lives the most: my Mom and Peedie’s dad. These are our guardian angels, so it’s no wonder we ran the hardest and fastest to the finish line.
Now that I have this new running technique, I’m unstoppable. From now on, I will dedicate every mile I run to someone I love.
This Sunday is the Nike+ Human Race, the biggest one-day running event in the world. Millions of people worldwide will be running for their selected charities, loved ones, and friends. Peedie and I will be running 6 miles for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Each step we take will generate funds for cancer survivors across the globe.
Friday, we’ll do four miles. Sunday, we’ll make history with 6. Running with a purpose feels great!
Have You Seen Helvetica?
August 26, 2008 | Filed Under Design | 2 Comments
Last week, Peedie and I watched a lovely documentary about the most popular sans-serif font of all time, Helvetica. The font originated in Switzerland but has been an international typeface classic since 1960.
Helvetica is widely used by most graphic designers because of its modern appeal, simple yet bold construction, and most importantly, it’s easy to read on screen and in print.
As a designer, I’ve done some serious time with Helvetica. It’s one of two fonts I rely on when designing Web interfaces: Myriad Pro and Helvetica. Gotta love ‘em. They’re both powerful typefaces that can communicate messages seamlessly.
Look around you. How many logos do you see that use Helvetica? Until I saw this documentary, I never knew Helvetica was staring at me on a daily basis. On our road trip to IKEA, we counted over 20 logos/signs that used Helvetica.
Here’s a snapshot of Helvetica’s lengthy resume:
Can you think of anymore?
Let’s Get It In!
August 12, 2008 | Filed Under Fitness, kcato. | 3 Comments
My good friend and fellow runner, Karen, put me on to the Nike + iPod Sport Kit. Other than my bust-it-babies, I wasn’t a huge fan of Nike products. However, all that changed last weekend.
The sport kit is a sensor that’s made to fit inside the Nike shoe to track the runner’s performance. Since I’m rockin’ the Omni’s now, I had to purchase a small pouch to hold the sensor. Not a prob. The pouch clamps onto my shoelace and communicates perfectly with my Nano.
There are some sweet settings on this bad boy. The features include:
- A training coach. Choose a male or female coach to announce how far you’ve ran, and how much longer you have to go.
- Power song selection. If you’re losing focus during your run, your power song is only a click away. It’s a great method to get you recharged for the rest of the run.
- Build your own training program. Choose from Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K, 10K or Customize.
- Web action. The sport kit has a Web site companion that links you to runners worldwide.
- Your own mini. Create your own mini with cute Nike gear and accessories.
I just created my first training program: Gettin’ It In: 10K Style. I’m stoked. The training lasts 12 weeks. Everyday, there’s a new goal until I finally hit the 10K mark.
To all my running buddies, go cop this asap! It’s a great way to encourage each other and stay motivated to reach our marathon goals. As Peedie’s brother Quanus would say, let’s get it in!
What Mom Taught Me.
August 12, 2008 | Filed Under Music, kcato. | 7 Comments
My mom taught me how to be me. Period. For those of you that know me, you know music is my life. Well, I get it from my mama. Here are a few songs that only she could sing. These songs fill me up with complete joy because they make me think of her.
This is what mom taught me about music:
Anita Baker – One of the best. Anita is definitely one of my favorite singers. Mom always kept Anita’s catalog on rotation. The last Anita song we shared together was “I Apologize.”
Betty Wright – Betty is fabulous because she keeps it real. A household favorite was “No Pain, No Gain.” Mom could really tear this song up. Just like Betty, Mom didn’t take no stuff.
Soul II Soul – Mom threw a huge house party back in the 80′s that would’ve made Diddy change careers. Saturday mornings weren’t complete without Mom blasting “Back to Life” at 8am. I was irritated by the sleep deprivation, but the song was hot. “Back to Life” still reminds me of Mom’s ability to make anything fun.
Tina Turner – I remember Mom playing two Tina songs. “Let’s Stay Together” (Tina’s Al Green re-make) and “What’s Love Got To Do With It.” “What’s Love” gives me chills when the beat comes on. Definitely one of my favorites.
Jocelyn Brown – As a child, Mom really burnt me out with this one. “Somebody Else’s Guy” had to have been played at least 48 times a day. I absolutely love this song. Mom belted this one out from the diaphragm. Nothing but soul. I love it!
Frankie Beverly & Maze We listened to a lot of Maze’s albums together. The song that really sticks out is “Silky Soul.” Mom would play this one in the car on her way to work. She would drop me off at Grandma’s house and drive off with this on full blast. All this at 5am. Life was good.
James “D-Train” Williams – I know right. Who is he? Well, he was sadly slept on. I’m not sure how many albums he’s put out, but Mom loved the mess out of “Oh, How I Love You Girl.” We would ride around Columbus on Saturday mornings with Aunt Bernie listening to this one. It makes me laugh every time I hear it. Mom was quite hilarious.
Babyface – You know him, right? Cool. Babyface had a duet with Karen White called “Love Saw It.” Mom loved this one so much, she had my brother and I performing this around the house. It takes me back to age 7 when we lived near the bowling alley. All four of us (mom, my two older brothers, and I) were still living together. Those were the days.
Glenn Jones – He’s one of the greats. “We’ve Only Just Begun” was a Glenn Jones favorite. This song definitely helped groom my brother into the performing arts. Mom was notorious for making us sing songs she loved.
Kenny Lattimore – Mom started to dig the ’90′s a little more with this one. “For You” is a beautiful love song. My brother sung this to his bride as she walked down the aisle. Every time I hear it, I think of Mom’s face at the wedding. She was so proud.
R.Kelly – This list would not be complete without R. Kelly’s “Home Alone.” Right before Mom passed away, she had a Christmas party at the house. With a house full of family and friends, this song was on absolute repeat. Unfortunately, I don’t think I can listen to this song anymore. That’s how much we played it out that night. As mom got older, she partied harder. I loved that about her.
These are just a few songs that I absolutely love because of my mother. She taught me everything I know about music. When I hear these songs, I can see her singing, laughing, and doing her favorite dance.
She’s sorely missed. But, her spirit lives on through me and the music. I love you Mommy.
