"A Body of Work"

Due to ESPN magazines upcoming "body issue" I was inspired to write the following... (more info/ words from me follow the piece.)

“A Body of Work” By: Eric S. Syty

From the hair or lack thereof upon their heads and the inset of their eyes.

From the bridge of the nose to the tip, then onto a set of moist, red lips.

From the pride of a Man or Woman’s chin to the strength of their shoulders.

From the bulging biceps of Man, sit pretty do the breasts of a Woman.

From hands that point to Man’s abs or hands that hold a Woman’s mounded stomach.

From the curve of their hips, wrap around the thickness of their thighs.

From a pair of locked or bent boney knees, over the flexed-humped calves.

From the bottom of the two pillars that hold them, Man and Woman work their soles…

Be not embarrassed by what you have been given or what you lack.

Do not be ashamed of your make, we all hail from a different mold.

Stand proud among all or all alone; with your chin held high—chest out.

Feel privileged with the outside, more importantly on the inside.

Never flaunt what you have, but do not be scared to show what you are.

Work to wear it proudly, there is no disgrace in what makes you—you.

No matter what size and or shape, the truth is that it is all yours.

Never ask for a trade, but if you must, make the change you yearn for.

Black and blue, chiseled and sculpted, wavy and wobbly it is you.

Whether bound by clothes made of cotton or free as the west wind.

Whether set in the motions of work or the liberations of play.

Whether as wide as a dozen red wood or thin as a toothpick.

Whether stretched out eight feet tall or compressed compact a four feet small.

Whether Woman lacking the wavy lines of a runway goddess.

Whether Man, scrawny, fashioned with visible markings of his ribs.

Whether Woman, blessed with a chest full of breast or a round behind.

Whether Man, tall dark and handsome, muscles on muscles head to toe.

Whether Man’s or Woman’s—each BODY is a perfect…mas-ter-piece.

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For those of you who do not know what the Body Issue is, you can either look it up for or continue reading for a little synopsis from me.

The body issue is an edition that ESPN has been doing since 2009, and once a year they have a photo shoot with a range of athletes from football and soccer players to fighters and roller derby girls. The purpose of the issue is not to boast or show off one's body, but to display it is art, or as a piece of someone. They take the time to show the time and effort that athletes into their bodies. While most of the athletes used are tone and fit, ESPN wisely branches to those with different body types, such as sumo wrestlers.

For a great mini preview in to the world of it, click the following link ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5fvd6sCCXo ) in which ESPN was inspired by Walt Whitman's poem "I sign the Body Electric".

For a while now I have found myself really fascinated with the human body, no matter what make or shape, male or female. I think that first seeing a bit of ESPN's work last year really set that in motion. And while I am not sure why, but there is something so beautiful about the human body.

Any ways, for those more interested the magazine issue comes out this Friday (October 7th.. i believe), or just go off and search the many videos, and photographs that ESPN offers up on the topic.

Quote of the day by me: "A dream is something any one can achieve, but making that dream a reality is something not all seek, believing you can achieve it is the first step to that reality."

Lottery!!

Have you ever thought about what your life would be like or what you would buy if you won big on the lottery?

Well Last night while I lay wide awake in bed for some odd reason I began this thought process for about an hour. While I knew exactly what I would do first (pay off student loans) it was my following plans that surprised me. Now, because it was only me hearing what I would do, I knew I was not trying to impress any one, so these were in fact genuine thoughts.

The first thing most people buy with their big winnings is most likely a car and/or a house. So I thought about a car and decided that I am perfectly happy with my car right now, while its nothing special, there is nothing wrong with it. So I'd probably not spend money on a car for a year or two... and what do I need a second car for? As for a house, I'm not ready to buy and live in a big house by myself so i'd probably find a loft or cool apartment some where... not sure where, maybe I would venture out of Buffalo for something new.

After a few other small purchases like a new computer, phone, and camera there really isn't anything else I can see my self buying other than clothes. I don't collect anything or at this point in my life need any "toys". And so this is really where my thought process stopped on just me.

However I did decide that it would be awesome to go on a family vacation like we used to do back in the good ole days, somewhere cool none of us has been of course.

Then I decided that I would buy my mom a new car, because she could use one. Not sure what I would get my dad... maybe a car as well, because he has always been into them. John would probably get season tickets to the Sabres with some killer good seats. And for Adam I would just give him a good chunk of change for either an awesome honeymoon or to do some renovating of his new house, because he is getting married next summer.

With my family covered I branched out to my past and pay-back/ thank those who helped me in my life. The biggest group that crossed my mind was Saint Francis University or at least the volleyball program, so I would donate some money to them for a trip or uniforms and what not. Also my high school volleyball program would get a donation as well.

As my thoughts began to simmer I realized that winning the lottery would be perfect, because it would solve my problem of not knowing what to do with my life (job wise) and even helped to realize how simple my life is. Even though I thought of myself first, most of my thoughts were about others and how I could help or make them smile. And really that is what is most important to me; sure I can smile at a flower or the moon, but smiling because I made some one else happy is by far the best reason. Its not the money that makes me happy, its the feeling of knowing some one else's heart continues to beat peacefully.

With the silence that 3Am has to offer one final thought crossed my mind. What if I died with all this money to my name, what would I do with it? Well I would take 20% of what was left and donate to a good cause (Roswell Cancer research center was first to my mind... because cancer is lame and needs to be taken out). As for the remaining 80% that would just get divided up equally between my family for them to have the time of their life...

The truth is maybe all this would change if I actually won the lottery, maybe I would go crazy for myself... maybe not, who knows?

But what would you do if you won some crazy amount of money? What is the first thing you would do with it?

Tip for the day: You don't need to be a best friend or even a friend to fix a broken heart, you just have to be willing to give an ear, time, some words and a shoulder.

P.S. I hope to slowly turn this blog into something other than me... soon.