Healthy Living
Preston McClellan
Posted: August 20, 2010
Image by compujeramey via FlickrOne of the main things I have dedicated the latter half of my summer to is maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Now, I'm not the most unhealthy person by any means.
However, I had let myself fall into a bit of a trap, eating out all the time and not getting ample portions of fresh, healthy food.
Believe it or not, eating poorly for an extended period of time really will make you feel unhealthy, negative, and unhappy.
That's where I found myself, deciding that I needed to start getting used to being healthy and making my habits more healthy.
We all know that habits are hard to break, so I knew I needed to make my habits, especially ones regarding my personal health, good ones. With the school year approaching, I knew I needed to get into some sort of health food and fitness routine before classes got started.
I'm happy to say it's been about a month and a half now, and I am still fast-food free (with the exception of a grilled chicken salad or two from Wendy's). I've dedicated myself not only to grocery shopping, but to shopping for groceries properly
I've forced myself to learn to like fruits like blueberries and grapes, so that my body will crave those kinds of foods when I'm hungry rather than a McDouble from McDonald's or a chicken burrito from Taco Bell.
It hasn't been easy, but it certainly wasn't incredibly difficult, either. Once you start making healthy choices, it becomes easier and easier. Now, I buy whole grain pasta and bread instead of the normal stuff.
Simple choices like that make a world of difference.
Now, along with any diet should come some sort of physical activity. Working out has never been something I have been able to maintain and be consistent with.Yet, I've been able to keep up with it this time.
As simple as it sounds, eating healthy makes working out easier. It's a system that builds off itself and gets easier to maintain.
A month ago I hated running and wouldn't touch a blueberry or grape. Now, I'm active and working out a few times a week and eating better than I have since college started.
I guess the point of this post is just to point out that changes can be made in your life. Don't tell yourself you can't do it and never try. It can be done. It just takes a little dedication.
Memphis Blues
Posted: August 17, 2010
Image via WikipediaFor whatever reason, the city of Memphis and the people living in it have developed a self-pity type of attitude.
I wish that people that live in Memphis and go to school here would take some time to step back and look at all the wonderful things this city has to offer.
Sure, I'm guilty of it sometimes, too. I've had my times when I've been completely fed up with Memphis. And, though I may leave someday, this place has been pretty good to me.
So, when people say that Memphis is boring, or that there's nothing to do here, or that it's nothing but crime and unkempt properties, it really irks me.
We have the University of Memphis, a rapidly growing and developing metropolitan research university with a burgeoning athletic program. Just in the two years I've been at school in Memphis, the new University Center has opened, the Living Learning Complex Dorms.
Tiger Lane opens this fall, which will be a serious improvement in aesthetics and gameday atmosphere around the Liberty Bowl.
And, of course there's Tiger basketball, which is one thing that always unites this city like nothing else.
Aside from the University, there are tons of other great things. There's Cooper Young, Jerry's Sno Cones, Harbor Town, Mud Island, The Peabody, Main Street, Central Gardens, Botanic Gardens.
The list could go on forever. And, since Mayor Wharton has taken office, a couple of ambitious redevelopment projects have taken place in the Vance neighborhood near FedExForum and in the heart of South Memphis.
The point of this post is just to say that people, myself included, should try to focus more on the positives that Memphis has. It's a good place to live, and if we work together, we can continue to make it better.
Lazy Sundays
Posted: August 15, 2010
Wake up.
Brunch.
Pool time out at my dad's place.
Afternoon Nap.
Frisbee with Lambda Chi.
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It's easy to see why Sundays have become my favorite day of the week this summer.
For me, most Sundays are the day when I allow myself to let go and completely forget about any of the current sources of stress in my life.
Everyone needs to have those kind of days. It's good for your soul, good for your body. In this day and age, we all too often let ourselves get consumed in whatever is currently prominent in our lives.
Whether it's work, school, a relationship, or something else, people all too often forget to step back and take time for a self evaluation, time to enjoy being yourself and figuring out what your relationship with yourself means to you.
That's why I've tried to make Sundays that day for me. This summer has been pretty crazy for me, and I've certainly dealt with more than what I've expected.
Things can get kind of overwhelming sometimes in life, and that's why Lazy Sundays are the perfect way for me to recharge and relax prior to the new work week.
Affiliate Marketing and Google AdSense
Posted: August 13, 2010
Image via WikipediaOf course, I was extremely skeptical at first, and still and to some degree. Yet, a lot of this stuff is actually pretty genuine. You just have to work to drive traffic to your blog in order to make money.
I started this blog a couple of weeks ago and now including this post I have 12 unique postings to go along with a little additional content on some other pages within the blog.
I've tried to update with something each day, hoping that would be enough to drive traffic to my site and thereby make some money though the Google Adsense application.
Google AdSense For Dummies
I couldn't have been more wrong. Simply updating content and pasting html Adsense code into your blog is nowhere near enough.
I've been trying social bookmarking so that my blog will show up on sites like digg.com and stumbleupon.com and have also built a couple of hub pages that help drive traffic to your site.
Aside from that, I've been trying to get my blog into as many social media news feeds as possible. I still haven't made a whole lot of money through the Adsense application, but my page impressions and clicks on the ads are slowly increasing.
Hopefully, at some point, all this will translate into some kind of tangible monetary gain, but I'm only cautiously optimistic at this point.
I will continue to post occasionally on my success or lack there of from using Google Adsense and let you know if it really is as easy to make money online as people say.
For those of you wondering how to get started with Adsense, I've included a good video that should help you get things started with your blog as well as some helpful links. Good luck!
A Practical Guide to Affiliate Marketing: Quick Reference for Affiliate Managers & Merchants
Make a Fortune Promoting Other People's Stuff Online: How Affiliate Marketing Can Make You Rich
Affiliate Programs: How to Make Money Online with Other People's Products
Make a Fortune Promoting Other People's Stuff Online: How Affiliate Marketing Can Make You RichAffiliate Programs: How to Make Money Online with Other People's Products
Moving Time
Posted: August 6, 2010
I've just finished settling into a new house that I'll be living in for the next year, marking the fourth move I've made in three years.
Luckily, each move has been an upgrade, a trend that I would certainly like to continue.
I first moved out when college began and took up residence in the always lovely Richardson Towers at the University of Memphis. While it was better than living at home under the supervision of parents, it was anything but homely.
From there, I moved into what would become my fraternity's party shack and dealt with a constant party for nine months.
Loeb Street was next in my path, as a I resided in a quaint house there for the past year.
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It's interesting to think about how much where you live impacts the person who you become. From Towers to Watauga to Loeb, each place will forever be associated with certain memories.
See, a house is like a song, recalls little vignettes of memories from your mind that you otherwise thought were lost.
It can take you back to a time when things were different, for better or worse. You know what I'm talking about--a song that you listened to constantly in high school comes on the radio and you briefly get that feeling of nostalgia for the glory days.
Your house can do the same thing for you.
I'll never forget the ever-blaring loud music of Richardson Towers, or the undercook breakfast potatoes. The Little Shop of Towers will always be remembered as the place to get late night Top-Ramen.
Whenever I see the house on Watauga, I think of dumb, crazy and fun decisions that the freshman version of myself made there.
Loeb Street will forever remain with me as the place where I was came into my own, really started to figure who I am and want my purpose here is.
Shotwell certainly has a lot to live up to, but I can't wait to look back next August and reflect on another year of memories.
Purpose of the Blog
Posted: July 29, 2010
I've lived in Memphis for 20 years now.
During that time, I've seen and done a lot of things throughout the city of Memphis, particularly with golf and athletics. I'm currently a junior at the University of Memphis majoring in journalism.
I intern in the Athletic Media Relations Office and serve as the primary contact for golf and rifle.
This blog will be used to show my thoughts of all things Memphis, particularly sports.
