So Whatever Happened To Melissa Dilan?

For those of you who were following the "craddle-snatching" love story of TJ Sinavage and Melisa Dilan-Hernandez here's the rest of the story.

The case of Melissa vs. TJ was adjudicated and she did NOT go to jail.  She did get married though to a man in the US Air Force.  (His name will not be released as he has nothing to do with the prosecution of the case).

Melissa and her new husband have moved about an eight hour drive from TJ making visitation very difficult.

 From my communications with TJ I believe that he would be the first to say that he has made a number of mistakes in his life.  If you are or ever were young once, I'm sure that you realize that missteps and bad choices are often a consequence of youth.

While I never met, knew, or spoke with Melissa her actions and words seemed manipulative.  She did not seem to make decisions from a mature vantage point. Let's face it Melissa had more life experience and should have been able to walk away from such a relationship once she learned TJ's age.  Instead, she insisted that TJ lie to others about her age because she knew it was LEGALLY wrong.

TJ acknowledges he was no angel but Melissa never saw herself as anything other than the victim in this relationship.  In the end it is the child that pays for the decisions that have been made.  That seems to be a point that some people forget.

Crappy Run

Crappy run this morning.  I ran a different route and part of it had me dodging cars and jumping into the shrubbery for about a half a mile.

*  I ran 5.82 miles pace 14:11 min/mile
*  Russian crunch 38 reps
*  1 legged seated shimmies 16 reps each side
*  V-crunch 18 reps
*  ab crunch 18 reps
*  Single legged v-ups 8 reps each side
*  Single leg drop 18 reps
*  Reverse crunch 16 reps

All the crunches are leading me on with their promise of having a Victoria Secret body, but in truth while I may be working out like an Angel I feel like the Devil when I'm through.

Step-By-Step Progress

Today's post is about making progress step-by-step.  My relationship with GOD is one that I must continue to work on each and every day.  I've placed a morning Bible study on my schedule forces me to incorporate time with GOD in my day.

Today's Bible study involves Proverbs 3:5-6.  

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6.

GOD reveals HIS will as we trust and obey HIM day by day.  GOD does not drop down from heaven a simple blueprint for our life from heaven.  As we walk with the LORD he shows us the way.  It is like walking in the dark with a powerful flashlight.  As we walk forward we see the way ahead.  From time to time GOD gives a flash of light that allows us to see miles ahead, but normally we walk in step by step obedience.

Keeping track of my exercise is helping me see progress.  I realize that if I'm really serious about making a healthy change in my life and get in shape then I MUST track my progress.  It sure makes me feel better than stepping on a scale every morning and agonizing any upward movement l might see on the scale..  

With that in mind here is my work-out for today:

* stair stepper - 2.08 miles - 1.90 calories

* Row machine - 5.09 minutes - 35 calories
* 30 pull-ups
* Pec fly - 25 lbs - 25 reps
* stationary bike - 15.06 minutes - 71 calories
* lateral raise - 20 lbs - 25 reps
* Dual cable - 12.5 lbs - 25 reps
* torso rotation - 20 lbs - 30 reps
* ab crunch - 20 lbs - 30 reps
* Nitro ab 35 lbs - 30 reps

Got the car today

Hebrews 13:16

English Standard Version (ESV)

16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

I had the car today so I went to the gym:

* stair stepper 25 minutes 2.09 miles 190.5 calories
* elliptical 15 minutes 1.35 miles calories 120
* ab crunch machine 20 lbs 30 reps 
* nitro ab machine 35 lbs 30 reps 
* ab crunch MTS machine 10 lbs 25 reps 
* torso rotation machine 30 lbs 30 reps 
* dual cable machine 15 lbs 25 reps 
* overhead triceps machine 20 lbs 25 reps 
* chest press machine 30 lbs 25 reps

Second Glance

Who knew that Grand Prairie had so many desperate men.  Today after Darryl and I had loaded the groceries into the car, I walked the buggy to one of the stalls located in the parking lot.  I came back to the car and the first words out of Darryl's mouth were, "That guy was checking you out." 

I laughed a little.  After all I am 54 years old.  Let's face it NO ONE gives women of my age admiring glances from admiring glances from the opposite sex.  Needless to say the fact that my husband said some man swiveled his head to watch me go by took me by surprise.  I kind of wondered if I had toilet paper dragging behind my shoe or my clothes were on inside out.

Then I remembered the guy at Kroger who was so anxious to help me find my car in the parking lot.  He even drove his car over to me after he finished loading his vehicle to ask me if I'd found it.  I had indeed found it so I laughed and said, "Thank you for being so nice to try to help an old lady find her car."  His whole face lit up  he smiled.  "Oh you're not old at all." he said.

I didn't tell Darryl about this because I considered it a fluke.  Now after today's incident, I wonder if that means that all this working out has actually done some good and perhaps I'm not as invisible as I might. believe.

Win List

At the close of every year, I enjoy posting all my wins for the year.  It helps motivate me for the year ahead.

Here are my wins for 2013

January

* $20 Subway gift card giveaway. (Blog Win)
* $100 Shop Cowboys GC (TX Lottery Second Place Win)
* 4-night trip for two to New Orleans, LA, Jan. 31 - Feb. 4, 2013, to participate in the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show and attend a private Pepsi Party; includes $500 spending money (ARV $7,000).
* $5 Target Gift Card. (Pinterest Win)
* Coming Out In New York by D Luis Meyer (Autographed) $12.98
* Readers' edition of Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald (ARV $5)
* 40 MyCokeRewards points
* Free Large one-topping Pappa John's pizza
* $3 McDonald's Arch card
* $50 Visa Card From Dollar General

February

* $100 Open Table gift card and $30 Fandango bucks (ARV $130).
* Digital IHOP gift card (ARV $5).

March

* Digistal IHOP gift card (ARV $5)
* Autographed Plankton print signed by voice actor Mr. Lawrence (50 cents)
* I WON a Coupon redeemable for one free 10.5 or larger package of OREO cookies (ARV up to $4.49).
* Mr. Potato Head toy
* $25 Turkey Gift Check (Pinterest win)
* Digital IHOP gift card (ARV $5)
* $10 Walgreens gift card
* Digital IHOP gift card (ARV $5)

April

* Starbucks e-Gift Card for $10 (Pinterest win)
* Digital IHOP gift card (ARV $5).
* Todd May Rickenbacker Girls CD
* 1 year subscription to Better Home and Garden Magazine
* t-shirt at Pink Impact

May

* SavagePeace Justice CD
* Free 1-year subscription of Ladies' Home Journal Magazine

June

* Music First Song Download Music Download(s) from Universal Music Group. $0.99 value (bud light scan)
* Music First Song Download Music Download(s) from Universal Music Group. $0.99 value (bud light scan)
* Music First Song Download Music Download(s) from Universal Music Group. $0.99 value (bud light scan)
* Music First Song Download Music Download(s) from Universal Music Group. $0.99 value (bud light scan)
* Music First Song Download Music Download(s) from Universal Music Group. $0.99 value (bud light scan)
* Music First Song Download Music Download(s) from Universal Music Group. $0.99 value (bud light scan)
* Music First Song Download Music Download(s) from Universal Music Group. $0.99 value (bud light scan)
* $10 Live Nation® Concert Cash® in the Music First Game. (bud light scan)
* Music First Song Download Music Download(s) from Universal Music Group. $0.99 value (bud light scan)
* 2 tickets to Empire of the Sun on August 1, 2013 at Austin City Limits Live at Moody Theater in Austin, TX. $395 (bud light scan)
* I won a music download from Coors Light!! $0.99 value (text)
* $25 Live Nation® Concert Cash® in the Music First Game. (bud light scan)
* 10 Song Music First Download Music Download(s) from Universal Music Group. $9.99 value (bud light scan)
* I won a music download from Coors Light!! $0.99 value (text)
* I won a music download from Coors Light!! $0.99 value (text)
* I won a music download from Coors Light!! $0.99 value (text)

JULY

* I won a music download from Coors Light!! $0.99 value (text)
* $50 Live Nation® Concert Cash® in the Music First Game. (bud light scan)
* Latin Grilling by Lourdes Castro
* 100 Kellogg's rewards points (twitter)
* Monster DNA™ Headphones $199.95 (bud light scan)
* Two tickets to see the Rangers vs. the Angles (text) $88
* International Delight Iced Coffee tumbler (ARV $5)
* I won a music download from Coors Light!! $0.99 value (text)
* I won a music download from Coors Light!! $0.99 value (text)
* I won a music download from Coors Light!! $0.99 value (text)
* I won a music download from Coors Light!! $0.99 value (text)
* I won a music download from Coors Light!! $0.99 value (text)
* $10 Live Nation Concert Cash code.
* I won a custom cheese board & chalk set plus a can of Delights With Cheddar in the Fancy Feast® Cheese Affair Pin to Win Sweepstakes! (Pinterest)
* code for a FREE music download from Coke & Church's Chicken.
* First Prize winner of the Win the Shirt off 1D's Back sweepstakes! (Ritz t-shirt) (Twitter win)

AUGUST

* I won a music download from Coors Light!! $0.99 value (text)
* code for a FREE music download from Coke & Church's Chicken.
* code for a FREE music download from Coke & Church's Chicken.
* $100 Visa Gift Card - blog win
* I won an order of Chips & Queso from Taco Bueno®!
* Jane Iredale Facial Primer & Brightener and Jane Iredale Forever Pink Just Kissed Lip & Cheek Stain [$25 ARV) won on Twitter
* free flowers from FTD (Facebook win)
* The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism - book
* Digital fine art download; Text message (ARV $5 each)
* Spiritual Formation in Emerging Adulthood - book
* Bottle of Dial Hello Kitty Hand Sanitizer (ARV $3).
* Inner Compass - book
* The Stingy Minion - book

SEPTEMBER

* Coupon for H-E-B Tortilla Chips,
* $100 Visa gift card - blog win
* Coupon for H-E-B Big Chip Cookies
* My Basmati Bat Mitzvah (book win)

OCTOBER

* Bliss (book win)
* Won a JCPenney coupon of $10 off $50
* BOGO Culvers coupon
* A PURELL Pal with an 8oz bottle of PURELL Hand Sanitizer
* A free HD movie download of
* The Hunger Games (2012) at Amazon Instant Video.
* Luxury trip to Germany!!! Doesn't include airfare but it is still a big win $5200 worth!

NOVEMBER

* We Own The Night from The Wanted
* Touch & Go (book win)
* $50 VISA Gift Card
* A free HD movie download of
* The Hunger Games (2012) at Amazon Instant Video.
* $25 Zaxby's Gift Card & Official Chicken of College Fanz T-shirt ($35)
* $100 Visa Gift Card
# I won a Music Download Code from DD_Rocks
* The Gift of a Legacy (book win)
* $100 Visa Gift Card

DECEMBER

* Dear Mr. President ... Reagan/Gorbachev and the Correspondence that Ended the Cold War (book win)
* The Duke and the Decoy (book win)
* My Name is Rapunzel (Book Win)
* A year of papa Murphy's pizza (text win)
* Congratulations, you are the winner of the Cockspur Rum prize pack which includes: one (1) Small Black T-Shirt and one (1) Beach Ball (twitter win)
* Violet CD by Shauna
* Congratulations on winning a copy of my EP, Endlessly!
* $100 American Express Gift Card
* free copy of Ten Women - book win

Acclaimed Jerusalem Film Debuts at Fernbank Museum’s IMAX® Theatre

Jerusalem is a place like no other: sacred to half the people on earth; fought over more than any other site in history; conquered and destroyed, rebuilt and reinvented repeatedly over 5,000 years. Now, for the first-time ever, a new giant screen film adventure immerses audiences in a spectacular cinematic journey—soaring high above the Holy Land and plunging deep into the vibrant Old City—so they can experience as never before the iconic sites cherished by billions.

Jerusalem, opening at Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s IMAX Theatre on January 3, 2014, is a breathtaking new film that explores on a grand scale the intersection of science, history and religion in this ancient, enigmatic place.

Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch ("Star Trek into the Darkness," PBS’s "Sherlock"), Jerusalem gives audiences a rare glimpse of the storied city, as well as exclusive access to iconic holy sites—including the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Jordan River, the Sea of Galilee, and the mountain fortress of Masada—and to little-known parts of the region.

Special access is one of the unique aspects of the film. Filmmakers were granted permission to capture aerial images over the Old City of Jerusalem, and throughout the Holy Land. A strict no-fly zone has existed over the region for many years, restricting low-altitude filming. Once secured, the filmmakers launched a major campaign in both Hebrew and Arabic to notify the public weeks before filming began.

“Jerusalem embodies National Geographic’s commitment to tell visually compelling stories that foster greater understanding and appreciation of world cultures, history, science and geography,” said Lisa Truitt, president of National Geographic Entertainment, the film’s distributor.

"Through the unrivaled beauty, visceral nature and incredible technology of giant screen cameras, we were able to compose the images and move the camera in a way that makes you feel as if you are experiencing Jerusalem first-hand," said Daniel Ferguson, Writer/Director. "We were thrilled with the opportunity to provide audiences with the story of the Old City on this grand scale, and offer unique perspectives, aerials and access to this part of the world in a way you could never get in any other format."

Jerusalem presents the story from many perspectives—interviewing a prominent archaeologist and following real-life inhabitants of the ancient city to explore the enduring appeal of this unique crossroads of civilization.

With thousands of archaeological sites, Jerusalem is one of the most excavated cities on the planet, with so much more waiting to be discovered.  Since 2010, the Jerusalem production team has followed several of the most impressive excavations in and around Jerusalem, documenting their progress as well as the tools used to uncover and understand the past.

The film features renowned archaeologist and religious studies professor Dr. Jodi Magness* of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who explains the many layers that chronicle this important crossroads of civilizations.  In the film, Dr. Magness leads a group of students through an ancient water tunnel beneath the biblical-era city of Jerusalem, which conveyed water from the Gihon Spring outside the city walls to the residents of the city in the event of a siege by an invading army. She also gives audiences a tour of excavations around the Western Wall, marveling at one of the greatest feats of engineering in the ancient world.

Audiences will also meet three teenagers who call Jerusalem home—Farah Ammouri, Revital Zacharie, and Nadia Tadros—from each of the three major world religions that share the Old City.  From the Damascus Gate and the Dome of the Rock, to the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the girls each reveal the Holy City from their own perspective.

For those of the Jewish faith, Jerusalem represents their homeland.  Every synagogue in the world faces Jerusalem, and three times a day, Jews pray towards the temples that once stood here above “the Kotel” or Western Wall. They believe prayers pass through the Kotel to God.

For Christians, Jerusalem is the place where Jesus was arrested and sentenced to death nearby in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Via Dolorosa, or ‘Way of Sorrows,’ is said to be the path Jesus took on his way to crucifixion.

For Muslims, Jerusalem is the city of the prophets. Muslims believe that Mohammed was taken on a miraculous journey from Mecca to Jerusalem where he ascended to Heaven on a ladder of light, which they associate with the “Dome of the Rock."

Using the highest resolution cinematography in the world, Jerusalem captures each of these beloved places and takes audiences there as never before. For thousands of years, people of different faiths have been drawn to this Holy City. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Jerusalem.

The 43-minute large format film was executive produced by the late Jake Eberts, legendary producer of movies such as “Gandhi,” “Chariots of Fire,” and “Dances with Wolves”; produced by Taran Davies, George Duffield and Daniel Ferguson; and written and directed by Daniel Ferguson. Large format industry veteran Reed Smoot, ASC, is Director of Photography.

Jerusalem shows daily at Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s IMAX® Theatre from January 3-April 3, 2014. IMAX tickets are $13 for adults, $12 for students and seniors, $11 for children 12 and younger, and $8 for museum members. Add a museum ticket as part of a Value Pass for extra savings (See Value Pass prices at fernbankmuseum.org).

Fernbank Museum of Natural History and the 5-story-tall Rankin M. Smith Sr. IMAX Theatre are located at 767 Clifton Road NE in Atlanta. Tickets and visitor information are available at www.fernbankmuseum.org and 404.929.6300.

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*Limited interview opportunities are available by request with Dr. Jodi Magness on January 24, 2014. Contact Brandi Berry at brandi.berry@fernbankmuseum.org for press requests and availability.