My letter to Horry County Council: You Guys Suck.

Dear Councilmen, 

I've been thinking. Is it just me, or are the zoning laws in this city a direct contradiction of  its mission statement and self described "family" atmosphere? 


The Chamber's site:  

“From arts and crafts fairs to cultural celebrations. Grab a blanket, and enjoy a soulful concert under the stars. Choose from a wide range of Myrtle Beach events and attractions, including arts and crafts, music, festivals, cultural celebrations, and sport events.”

Funny, they didn't mention the plethora of ways golfers can get their lap dances or the dozens of  XXX shops always open for our guest's shopping delight. I get it, I do. Strip clubs can be fun for locals and tourists alike. I respect all who earn their livelihoods in that industry. I hope it always thrives. However, you guys are doing it wrong.

We can't market Myrtle Beach as a “soulful” place to bring  kids with “cultural celebrations”, then let the main road in to be  lined with racy silhouettes of girls with triple D’s and devil horns. Children shouldn't see that all over a "family" beach. There's a reason Mickey Mouse  isn’t famous for his strip clubs. Don't use print adds to project unsullied wholesome images if you don't plan to do everything in your power to make that the reality. Just saying that you care is not enough when you don't act. The jig is up. We're onto you.

Tourism is our cash crop. Your job is to assist growth and make it blossom. Start using your powers for good. Instead of wasting resources keeping people out (cough, helmet laws, cough), try using them to help the citizens who pay your salary. Re-prioritize. We need new laws to better reflect upon this town, it's people, and it's goals. If we do, everyone's bottom-line will improve. With your efforts Myrtle Beach could one day fully capitalize on its exceptional innate beauty that now sits wasted as nothing but a backdrop for unmentionables.

Don't get me wrong. I’m not suggesting closing anything. We just need a face lift. "The Bunny Ranch” shouldn't be a well-known navigational landmark. No wonder we're called the "Red Neck Riviera." We're often seen as a joke by outsiders because, as it stands, we can't even take ourselves seriously. But there is good news, it's not too late. You have Eminent Domain for the purpose of solving these problems. Start using it. End the trashy  to spread the classy.




Cordially Yours,


A Very Concerned Constituent 

[Disclaimer: I wrote this off the top of my head to be funny, and at the time there was a lot I didn't know about the situation. With what I know now, I applaud Myrtle Beach City Council for their efforts 10 years ago, but it's time to forget the jurisdiction BS and work with the county council to fix this. Just sayin'.]

What Does Your Car Say About Your Personality?

-Convertibles 

Convertible Guy

People who drive convertibles are usually very adventurous. Since driving a convertible is known to fairly dangerous, people who drive them are usually pretty big risk takers. If you drive a convertible, there is a good chance that you can also be found bungee jumping, or. skydiving.  Usually, people who drive convertibles also like to impress others. This is especially true among guys, who think that any woman will fall for them just because they drive a convertible. 

The Sporty Old Dudes

Someone who drives a sports car is probably very similar in personality to someone who drives a convertible. Not only are they probably very adventurous and spontaneous, but they also probably like to impress others. However, one of the big personality traits that can be revealed by driving a sports car is a desire for youth. If the driver is not already young, he or she probably want to feel young again.
 

Minivan Mom

If you drive a SUV or Minivan, you are automatically looked at as someone who wants to start a family - or someone who already has a family, for that matter. Nowadays, you are also looked at as someone who wants to destroy the environment and use all of the gas at the station. Although people who drive Minivans and SUV's tend to be more family oriented, they also usually like to be in control. Since a SUV is bigger than other cars,and they are known to be better in unpredictable forces, such as bad weather, they offer a sense of safety to anyone who's the care giver type.

The Sassy Sedan Girl

People who drive sedans tend to be very well balanced. Not only do sedans often look fairly attractive, but they offer space, comfort and can be pretty decent on gas. People who drive sedans may be well balanced in almost every aspect of life and their personality may reflect that. Unlike some people, they might not be moody or happy all of the time.

Hybrid Owners

People who drive hybrids or other eco-friendly cars are probably good at budgeting. They will also usually have a very realistic view on life. People who drive eco-friendly cars also may care what people think about them. Instead of having people say, "look at that gas hog," they would rather have people say, "look at that Toyota Prius, it's so great that people drive hybrids!"

How I Lost 12 Pounds in 31 Days

 

How to Lose 12 Pounds in 31 Days:

So, you wanna know how to lose 12 pounds in 31 days? I can probably give some advice on that, because I just did it.

It all started 2 days after Christmas. I decided to make fitness, weight loss, and nutrition priorities in my life.  At the time I weighed in at 157.8 pounds, according to the scale that I’ve always had in my bathroom.  I calculated my BMI, and it said that I was “Overweight”.  I almost had a heart attack. I couldn’t believe it. I thought, no more excuses, this is unacceptable, the time to act is now.

I signed up for a trial week at Gold’s gym. I worked out 5 days that week.

“Eat to live, don’t live to eat.”

When it comes to weight loss, I realized that this is a battle of me , against me. I know what I want for myself, and I know what I have to do to get there, and the only thing that will keep me from getting where I want to be, is me.

Results were very slow to come. For the first two weeks I didn’t lose a single pound.

Here are things that I have done to help contribute to my success:

1) I bought 1 weight loss book, and I checked out 2 from the library.  I ready one cover to cove and I’m still working on doing the same with the other 2.

2) No fast-food, at all, under any circumstances.

3) I vowed to do exercises with my Wii fit as many days a week as possible.

4) I joined the gym at Pepper Gedding’s Rec center by my house.

5) I filled my fridge up with nothing but low-fat healthy food and lots of fruits and veggies.

6) I signed up for the weight-loss program/competition at the gym called “Choose-To-Lose”. I meet with my team every Tuesday morning. We weigh in and fill in charts to measure our progress and we swap stories and tips with each other. We are accountable to each other.

7) I got workout DVDs, a weight set for my house, and my grandma bought me a workout contraption that I can do while I watch TV.

8) I keep a log of everything I eat and all of the workouts that I do, and I share it every Tuesday during my group meetings.

9) My roommate and I made a pact to help each other be healthier. We watch out for each other and we take turns cooking healthy dinners.

10) I park far away everywhere I go, on purpose.

-In addition to what’s listed above, I have found that letting everyone know that I’m on a diet has helped me a lot, so has watching shows like “I Used to Be Fat”, “The Biggest Loser”, and “Heavy”.

And lastly, I’m going to end this post by saying that I plan on praising myself publically when I have success. That may annoy some people who might think I’m getting full of myself or showing off or something, but I don’t care. Eating healthy all of the time and working out 5 days a week hasn’t been easy or all that fun for me, and I’m going to celebrate my success whenever and however I feel like it.

So, 1 month down and 2 months left to go until Amiee reaches her goal. Wish me luck!