This is one of my friends/ colleague in the quest for being forever fit! Her name is Jean Karen Skinner. This pic is when she became "40"! I met her thru the gym and had a chance to work with her on a dance exercise video for 4 months! She supported me at the competition when I won "Overall" (which may have been all her cheering ...I heard ya loud and clear on the stage!) She amazed me when I found out she is a mother of 2 teen- agers. They both have captured her beauty. I enjoy her personality & charisma in the gym. She motivates me with all her hard work and time that she puts into everything that comes her way!   U GO GIRRRL!!!  **:)Thank you Karen!  Yo-gal, Maria:) 

Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2004 06:35:48 -0500
From: "Howard" Subject: Fw: Mayonnaise Jar
To: mdspeedy2001@yahoo.com   

A Professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in
front of him.  When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very
large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was.  So the professor then picked up a box of
pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The
pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked
the students again if the jar was full.  They agreed it was.The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the
jar was full.

The students responded with a unanimous "yes."  The professor then
produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire
contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the
sand.

The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to
recognize that this jar represents your life.  The golf balls are the
important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends,
your favorite passions--things that if everything else was lost and only
they remained, your life would still be full."

"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house,
your car. The sand is everything else--the small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no
room for the pebbles or the golf balls.  The same goes for life.  If you
spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have
room for the things that are important to you."

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.  Play
with your children.  Take time to get medical checkups.  Take your
spouse out to dinner.  Play another18.  There will always be time to
clean the house, and fix the disposal."

"Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter.  Set
your priorities. The rest is just sand."


One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer
represented.  The professor smiled.  "I'm glad you asked. It just goes
to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always
room for a couple of beers."