Ms. Cheevious in Hollywood

My Zany Years Spent Working in Tinsel Town

Pain and Suffering

Take Care of YOU – 5 Things You Can Do For a Better You

by

Ahhh.  The way to a better YOU.  We ALL need this information, trust me. Our planet is getting so stinkin’ toxic, I’m surprised we aren’t all glowing (and I don’t mean the good kind of glow that they say about brides.  I’m talking the nuclear reactor kind of glow).

To be clear, I am a student in this matter. So, under no circumstances am I claiming to be an expert in the field of health and wellness, and if you do these things and get sick, well – I’m not GOD people!  Just sayin’. But I’m still smart. So, listen up. Here’s another component of this post:

When you don’t feel well, get help, would you?

Here are some examples (not to be taken literally) of what I’m talking about when I say “don’t feel well”:

  • You’ve been feeling a little congested, and then you wake up one morning with a scratchy throat, OR
  • Your knee hurts off and on.  Not all the time, but it regularly bothers you and inhibits your from doing some of the things you like to do, OR
  • Your other knee hurts when the first one stops hurting, OR
  • You have a back ache, OR
  • Geez.  How many examples do you need?

I don’t know what it is people, but for some reason we put off seeking medical attention, or even health attention (massages, dentists, eye doctors, chiropractors, etc..).  We’ll go for weeks on end kvetching about our aches and pains, and suffer through it, but we just won’t make the call and make an appointment.

I did this recently, myself.  My back was hurting.  BAD.

I don’t get “back aches.” This was a new one for me.  I had one in the past, and went through weeks of chiropractic therapy after a car accident, so when I got my recent back ache, I was nervous.  I stopped working out for fear of further damaging my back or something else, or worse, not being able to do the workout because it hurt too much, thus wasting my time.  I wasn’t sleeping well because of the throbbing, and I took way too many prescription ibuprofen pills (which I had left-over from my surgery). Needless to say, I was doing that thing.  That thing I just talked about at the beginning.  I suffered for two weeks without making the call or making the appointment. Talk about loss of TIME.

Then I finally went in to my chiropracter and was whipped into shape (no pun intended – get it? Whip-lash? Whipped into shape by my chiropractor? Anyway.) within a matter of about two minutes. I’m not kidding. I talk about this in my related vlog “Take Care of You – Enjoy Every Day with Lisa Jey.”

And though I may not be an expert in health and wellness, I do consider myself to be an expert pamperer of myself, indulging in far too many — “indulgences” — often, and well – you get the idea.

Basically, I like to eat bonbons, and preferably hand-fed or served to me by hot, ripped men in boxer briefs.

So here’s the deal.  We are all like this.  We all procrastinate getting help with something, even to the point of inconvenience (my back ache was inconveniencing me all over the place… making working out, sleeping and so much else muddled if existent at all), so why even let it get to that point?  Let’s just take care of US, and be BETTER all around!

Mark my words, if we actually DO these five things, we’ll find ourselves much less inconvenienced, and far happier, healthier people who feel GOOD… basically BETTER.

5 Things You Can Do for a Better You

1.  Take a bath. Often. I’m not talking about the “quick bath to get cleaned up” kind of bath.  I’m talking about the “lady of leisure-luxurious lifestyle-bath salts or bath oils” kind. The kind that takes about an hour. DO IT.

2. Read something old fashioned. Sit away from the computer, in a quiet place, once a day and read something that is written by hand or typed on this stuff we call “paper”.  Anything.  Your favorite news paper (mine is the New York Observer), a stack of your old poetry or journals from years ago, a favorite magazine (one of mine is “Esquire”), even a guilty-pleasure-Harlequin Romance.  I don’t care what it is.  Just do it.

3. Get Active. Do something active at least three times a week.  Walk, park far away at the mall (so you have to walk more), take three different trips up the stairs to the same office appointment… just for the heck of it, or gee – maybe – – GO TO THE GYM?  But get active and get the endorphins going in your bod.

4. Get Outta Here. Get outside when the weather is nice.  This means you will have to STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER once again.  But that’s a good thing.  Even if it means driving someplace with the windows open in the car, or the top down.  Let the SUN shine down on you.  The sun actually causes us to access those endorphin thingy-ma-jigs…

5. Get GOOD sleep. If you must, take some Benadryl or something holistic like melatonin to help you, but get a GOOD night’s sleep REGULARLY. Sleep deprivation is a leading cause of illness. If you don’t take care of the sleep thing, and you get sick, don’t come crying to me.  You have been warned.

There.  That wasn’t so hard.  Now you are already on your way to a BETTER you.

PFFFAWWW.  As IF you needed to get any better.

And, if you do all these things and still get sick, or injured or an ailment?  Well then, GO SEE SOMEONE, geez.  That’s takes us right back to where we started from, now doesn’t it?

Love you people!!!!!!! Mmmmphhhhuuuhhhhh!!!

xoxo,

Ms. Cheevious

PS) Please check out and comment on my related vlog here.

———————-

Don’t Be Shy! Leave A Reply!

Register to receive my blog posts via email on the Ms. Cheevious Home page. (Be sure to confirm when you receive your email!)

BECOME ONE OF MY MANY FOLLOWERS (MWAH HA HA HA) IN ALL OF THESE GREAT PLACES:

FB Like Tumblr
Twitter     FB      Videos  Tumblr

You can also follow my man M.C. Nugget on Twitter

All Blog content copyright 2012, LISA JEY DAVIS aka Ms. Cheevious

Life is a Theatre – Invite Your Audience Carefully

by

The following is posted because of the very special request of a very special member of our Ms. Cheevious Community.  It’s someone who knows me and has been to my home, to see this very clip posted on my refrigerator.  I wish I could say I wrote the wise words below, but I did not.  A wonderfully insightful and wise therapist gave this to me when I was going through my divorce and rebuilding my life.  I expressed the desire to make wise decisions, because as a “giver” I had grown up with a bad habit of filling in the gaps for many, if not all, of my relationships.  I out-gave most everyone I knew, and I realized that things were out of balance.  I wanted to rebuild in a healthy way, and this is what she gave to me. I found it to be so “spot-on” and profound, well, after my dear friend suggested I post it, I agreed.

The author is anonymous, though I’d love to meet him or her, as these words are golden to me — often — and can be a source of strength for us all, especially as we come into this wonderful time of year – The Holidays.  It’s a time when we “givers” find it very difficult not to over-give, and it’s also a very fragile and emotional time for some, as relationships can be so sticky and sensitive.  I think we all should post this on our refrigerators, put a copy in our brief cases, note books, journals, whatever.  But without further adieu, let’s dive in:

Life is a Theatre – Invite Your Audience Carefully

Not everyone is healthy enough to have a front row seat in our lives.
There are some people in your life that need to be loved from a distance.

It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you let go of, or at least minimize, your time with draining, negative, incompatible, not-going-anywhere relationships and friendships.

Observe the relationships around you.  Pay attention.  Which ones lift and which ones lean?  Which ones encourage and which ones discourage? Which ones are on the path of growth uphill and which ones are going downhill?

When you leave certain people do you feel better or feel worse?

Which ones always have drama or don’t really understand, know or appreciate you?

The more you seek quality, respect, growth, peace of mind, love and truth around you, the easier it will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the fton row and who should be moved to the balcony of your life.

If you cannot “change” the people around you, change the people you’re around.

Here it is as an image as well.  Enjoy.

Life is a Theatre - Invite Your Audience Carefully

Know that regardless of the lack of attention you may be receiving from those you love, you are not the first, you are not alone, and there are many, many others sharing your experience underneath the very same great big sky.  We have all been there, if we are not there now, and on behalf of all of them, us, we…  I’m sending my love, warmth and grand applause for the you that walks this earth. Someone in your world notices.  Put them in your front row.

Love you people!!!!!  Mmmmmppphhhuuuhhhh!!!!

xoxo,

Ms. Cheevious

———————-

Don’t Be Shy! Leave a Reply!

Register to receive these posts via email!
Go to the Ms. Cheevious Home page, and enter your email address where it asks for it, then click subscribe. It’s that easy!

Follow me on Twitter. “LIKE” me on Facebook.

CHECK OUT MY NEW FACEBOOK PAGE APP! You have to “allow” it if it’s your first time there in Facebook!

Subscribe to me on Youtube. (Then please also “like” and “favorite” my videos! YAY!)

You can also follow my man M.C. Nugget on Twitter

Blog content copyright 2011, LISA JEY DAVIS a.k.a. Ms. Cheevious

Gotta love the Dog

by

Before I begin I don’t wanna hear anything about how NON Ms. Cheevious this post is, unkay? Trust me. I’m still creating fun, pleasure, frivolity and the enjoyment of life for all around, whenever humanly possible.

But Ms. Cheevious is entitled to have a heart too – so today I wanted to share this pic of me n my puppy (he’s ten now) Puggy.

Guess what breed he is? Ha! And, yes, my son, then six, named him. He was really bought for my son, but I arranged for the training and participated heavily (and of course, managed the puppy’s entire upbringing in his (and my younger son’s) formative years). Puggy became a part of our lives and our family, and we loved (and still do love) that snorty, spunky, squirrely little creature! I cannot recall a time in life with my son in first-fourth grade without Puggy jumping around when we walked in the door, or hiding because he’d torn apart the trash, or some other quirky behavior. Shortly after that Puggy went to live with my son’s dad because my work schedule made his alone time far too unfair to him.

He was recently diagnosed with skin cancer (or so my son says – he lives with my son and his dad out of state in NM now), so while I am here in NM visiting, I took some time to let the animal with the BLUE RIBBON stinky breath lick my arms and hands and face. Ew. But it was worth it.

Love the creatures and humans around you, people!  They are who/what make us the beautiful people we are!

20110618-093427.jpg

That’s all I got for now. Hope your week has been great and you continue the work of creating beauty, fun and yumminess all around you!

Love you people!!!!

Mmmmmpppphhhuuuhhhh!

XOXO,
Ms. Cheevious

www.MsCheevious.com

——————-
Don’t Be Shy! Leave a Reply!

Register to receive these posts via email!  (link will take you to the Ms. Cheevious Home page. Just enter your email address where it asks for it, then click subscribe. It’s that easy)!

Follow me on Twitter. “LIKE” me on Facebook (This way I can say “You LIKE me! You really, really LIKE me!”).

Subscribe to me on Youtube.  (Then please also  “like” and “favorite” my videos! YAY!)

You can also follow my man M.C. Nugget on Twitter

Blog content copyright 2011, LISA JEY DAVIS a.k.a. Ms. Cheevious

The Day I Worked for Food

by

So… I know what you’re thinking. How does THIS girl get herself in a situation where she has to work for food?

Well, first of all, let me ask YOU this:

How the heck do you think I EVER find myself in ANY of the whacky and zany situations I get myself into, PEOPLE?  Huh?!

Let me quickly remind you of a few here:

Hmmmm…  There’s the time I caught on fire in “I am on FIRE!“

Then there was the time that my man M.C. Nugget (PS – you newbies should be informed here that I change everyone’s names in Ms. Cheevious-land to protect their innocence – or lack thereof – ha ha) and I had a bang up time at Super Bowl in Miami, and ended up having to sleep in the car because we were too “toasted” in “SAINTS Bitch!“

Or, there is always that time I tried out for the Lingerie Football League, in “Lingerie… Football…That Is“

And then there is one of my personal favorites, where I paid homage to none other than, The Rabbit, in “Long Live The Rabbit“

Ahhh… memories.

But there is no time like the present!  And guess what?  I am a resourceful person.  When times are a little tough, or finances,  clients or  whatever seem to have DISAPPEARED… well, guess what?  I take care of business.  I suck it up, and I go and get help from whomever can help me through the rough patch — even if it means getting public assistance.  Hey, I pay my taxes, and then some – especially in the years of plenty!!  But also, I have no shame.  You, my readers of all people, should know this by now.

BUT… and there is always a BUT… for me, that particular situation has actually occurred more than once in my life.  First, when I was not yet nineteen, had just given birth to my first son, AND let go from my job at the same time.  I applied for and received welfare, food stamps and medical aid.

After that happened. I vowed I was never going to be in that situation again, and would work to become a successful, happy and fulfilled business woman — that I would have an impact on people, make my mark on society and provide a wonderful life for my kids.

Oy.  That was a LONG time ago.  Those goals and dreams (some already realized) are still true today, but believe it or not, I found myself in the very SAME tough situation again some years later — well, except for the newborn-baby-in-tow part…  But I was in business, had one gigantic client that monopolized all my time, and against my better judgment I relied heavily on the revenue they provided my business.  When that company downsized, they cut me from their budget.  This not only impacted me, but all that I employed.  It was a very difficult time. I went through the very slow painful adjustment process, while the rest of the country also underwent tremendous economic turmoil.

And by adjustment, I do NOT mean in finances, or in changes to my lifestyle (though that was inevitable).  I mean truly painful adjustments, MENTALLY.  I slowly was slammed into the mindset that I was NOT making the money I had been, or had planned for, nor could I spend like I wanted, but also I was forced to be WILLING to take work when and wherever I could create it.  I was forced into adjusting my expectations of what I could GET for the service my business provided, while I slowly and simultaneously exhausted all of my personal financial resources — my IRA, my savings, and as I maxed out every credit card I had  (and they had BIG limits, let me tell you).  I even came close to the point of ruin, when things started to turn around — I credit my attitude and my unwillingness to give up or stop trying despite the obvious circumstances for that, as well as a few very precious people in my life who were there to assist, cheer and support me along the way.

But toward the end of the grueling and long and painful process, I was forced once again to seek public financial aid.  In the last case, FOOD STAMPS.

When I got the approval, I learned that the rules had changed the second time around.  In order to keep receiving benefits, I was required to report to what they called Work Fare, and put in so many hours of work at various public facilities.  For me, it was the Veterans Administration Hospital.

So, though I dragged my feet to the last possible day to report for work, I went in.  Yup.  I showed up in my Uggs, yoga pants and sweatshirt, ready to pay my dues.  But you know what?  I worked with a few great guys who were so incredibly nice – and so happy to have me helping them, folding scrubs in the facility’s gigantic laundry plant.  These guys were so sweet, and happy.  Go figure.

I don’t know what I expected.  I guess I pictured some chop shop like out of the movie Oliver, where people were there slaving away, and unhappily taken advantage of.  But no.  These guys were some of the best people I’ve met in Los Angeles.  They’d go the extra mile for you without blinking an eye.  I was hot, because I didn’t know to bring a pony tale thingy… so they got a fan and put it on me…

Now — I know what you are thinking.  ‘Oh yeah… of course they gave you a FAN…’ with images of THIS in your head:

But come ON people.  Let’s get real.  Remember?  I was in my UGGS and yoga pants, a sweat shirt and my hair was curly – with the laundry environment causing it to get static electricity.  I looked more like Phyllis Diller in front of a fan… HA!

HA!

But really – honestly people.  I am trying to make a point here.  It’s that I was brought to a low place, having gone through the removal of several layers of ego and some pretty lofty levels of finances.  But I survived and am still here to kick some ass!  Aren’t I?

I suppose that is why I was able to walk into that laundry facility and sing R&B tunes and dance a little while I folded scrubs and finished my entire giant bin in my short time there. I felt so good after working two hours at the V.A. Hospital, it made me think about what we all do with our days trying to “enjoy” life.  How we spend so much of our VALUABLE energy and effort “trying” to make a “life” for ourselves — a life that we think is acceptable… and here, these guys were HAPPY, and kind, and TRULY did enjoy life.  It made me kinda jealous.

So for this holiday season – can we all take a minute and remember that we are NOT ALL THAT?  Not any one of us is beneath volunteering or putting our time in – especially when we’ve received public assistance!  And that brings up a point.  Not any one of us is beneath applying for and receiving public aid, or assistance from others.  Get real.  Get help if you need it.  And give back when you can.

Stay tuned next week – cuz I’ll be friggin FREEZING in a small town north of Boston for the holidays – and I’ll probably wanna’ kvetch!  YAY!

Love you people! Mmmmmphhhuuuuuhhhhh!!

xoxo,

Ms. Cheevious

——————-

Don’t be Shy!  Leave a Reply!

Register to receive these posts via email!
Go to the Ms. Cheevious Home page, and enter your email address where it asks for it, then click subscribe.  It’s that easy!

Follow me,  Ms. Cheevious on Twitter. “LIKE” me on Facebook (please? This way I can say “You LIKE me! You really, really LIKE me!”)

Follow my man M.C. Nugget on Twitter

Blog content copyright 2009, LISA JEY DAVIS a.k.a. Ms. Cheevious

Maven: Vibrant. Vivacious. Zesty. Full of Life.

by

Christian author Barbara Baumgardner quoted this fabulous anonymous quip about death:

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming, ‘Wow. What a ride!’ ”

She quoted this in her journal/article (book?) called  My Fantastic, Final Journey, about her final time on earth battling cancer. That saying became Barbara’s “slogan” until the day she died in 2005.

And that “slogan” epitomizes my sister, Mary Louise “Mimi” Sherwood Larimore (a.k.a. Maven here in Ms. Cheevious-land) who passed away on Tuesday, August 10, 2010, after almost 7 years battling Ovarian Cancer.  She absolutely, unequivocally LOVED life – with every ounce of energy she had. And she LIVED her life to the fullest – even when the cancer was at its worst.

Another sister, Blu and I were talking about it, just after Maven died, and Blu choked out, behind the tears, “And… she  had such a wonderful husband!!  He would have followed her to the ends of the earth!!”  I tearfully agreed, and as I pictured the happy couple that they were, I added, “Actually, she would have followed him too… that’s just how they were”  We both agreed.  What a rare thing to find these days.

So – I’m going to tell you a story that sprung from this. Believe me – I mulled over how to tell it – or whether to tell it at all.  But when I thought about my sister – who was my biggest fan and supporter… who planned to send messages about me to Oprah Winfrey every single day of her life, because she thought I should be one of the authors in Oprah’s book club…  just as soon as she felt better – well, for THAT sister, and because I knew Mimi would get such a laugh and a kick out of it – I decided this story had to be told.

It was in that moment, talking with Blu, that I also thought about just how lucky I, MYSELF, am.  I thought about how my man, M.C. Nugget would do anything for me.  He’s just that type of guy who comes from good stock… his mama brought him up right. He is loving, loyal and a true friend – to men and women alike.  If he knows of hard times in a friend’s life, and can do something about it – he does. It’s that simple.

So, in that moment I thought… ‘hmmm… that’s kinda how Nuggie and I are…’

Over the next day or so,  that very thought is what brought a smile to my face more than once – even in my pain. I felt so very lucky – and felt that Nuggie was pretty lucky too.

On one such occasion, when I had a silly grin on my face for no apparent reason, and Nuggie gave me a curious look, I retold the story to him — of how I knew he would follow me to the ends of the earth… with a few qualifiers, of course, like “Not that you would ever NEED to follow me to the end of the earth, honey…ha ha!”

And in a flash – in true M.C. Nugget form, he said, “Well, I might follow CLOSE.”

I laughed and added, “Yeah, and I might STALK you to the ends of the earth, if you’re not careful!”

He continued with the pièce de résistance, “Is there a BAR at the end of the earth? I’d follow you if there’s a bar!”

I laughed and said, “Ya’ gotta figure, anywhere I go, you can count on there being a bar, honey!”

“Well, if not, at least I would be able to SEE you from the BAR closest to the end of the earth.”

Ahhh… true love.

We laughed a lot from that, because that’s who we are.  We love to laugh.

And that was Maven and her hubby! They laughed, and joked, and enjoyed life.  Every ounce of it.  She CERTAINLY skidded to her death sideways, her body worn and tattered… but DEFINITELY able to say “WOW… What a ride!”

Her love for life and her spirit lives on in everyone she knew and touched.  Everyone who was privileged to joke and laugh with her… to dance with her at a party – when she would make fun of herself and try to look like a 60’s go-go dancer, or when she would razz people and get a chuckle out of it…. or talk baby talk and whine to get her way… then chuckle about it.  Anyone who knew her generosity, thoughtfulness and deep love and devotion for her close friends and family – well, they were all blessed tremendously.  We all knew it was just who Mimi was… warm, accepting… fun… and infectious.  And we all wanted to be a part of it.

Maven. Vibrant. Vivacious.  Zesty. Full of Life.

I hope to live life as full and as vibrant as Maven did.  I vow not to let things slide or put important things off for another day —  I promise to LIVE as if every moment is my last — and to make SURE everyone in my world knows that I love them.  I am determined to go after my own personal “bucket list” and not put it off for the last chapter in life.  I don’t know when that last chapter is, and I’m not taking any chances.

Mimi Sherwood Larimore - a.k.a. Maven

You live on forever in my thoughts and in my heart, and in the thousands of things that remind me of you, Mimi. It hurts my heart deeply and sharply to even say that.  I still don’t truly believe you are gone.  You were and are an inspiration.

Love you sissy!  Mmmmmmphhhuuuuuuhhhhh!

xoxoxo,

Ms. Cheevious

a.k.a. Your baby sister, Lisa

——————-

Don’t be Shy!  Leave a Reply!

Register to receive these posts via email!
Go to the Ms. Cheevious Home page, and enter your email address where it asks for it, then click subscribe.  It’s that easy!

Follow Ms. Cheevious on Twitter. Fan her on Facebook!
Follow my man M.C. Nugget on Twitter

Blog content copyright 2009, LISA JEY DAVIS a.k.a. Ms. Cheevious