Mamavation Monday: Final Week, Earth Footwear & Special Guest Liz Neporent

August 21, 2010 By 911 Comments


This Monday is our last week with the Mamavation Moms: Jenny @Jennydecki and Lisa @ljenator. Time flies and this feels like the quickest campaign we’ve ever done. Because Lisa Johnson (@ljenator) came in as a pinch runner and only was able to get three weeks of the campaign in, I’m allowing her to apply again if she chooses to do so. And keeping with the spirit of Mamavation, both woman are going to be posting Mamavation Monday posts with everyone else for at least six months so we can continue to cheer them on. And they will also be required to run a 5K by or before the end of February. They will have their Smooth Fitness treadmill to help them with their training. So stay tuned…

Here are the dates for the next campaign:

Applications: September 27th to October 6th
Voting: October 11 to 18th
Mamavation Launch Party: October 18th
Campaign #6: October 18th to November 29th

If you are interested in applying to be a Mamavation Mom, you will have to create a video telling me why you want to be considered for the campaign and what you are going to do to motivate other women online to live healthy. If I were you, I’d get the video in very early just to be considerate. (I know I’m a pain, but whatev.) You will also have to join the Sistahood as a requirement and get to know the other girls, because this will be where all the magic happens.

I will also be announcing the winners of the Move It & Lose It Campaign sponsored by Earth Footwear. The person who loses the highest percentage of body weight from the time she applied and who is in good standing with the Sistahood will win $500 and a pair of Earth Footwear. And second place winner will also get a pair of Earth Footwear, but no money.  The winners will be announced during Mamavation TV towards the end of the show.

So don’t miss Mamavation TV this Monday because we will also have a special guest, Liz Neporent. 

Liz Neporent  is a regular contributor to AOL Health, That’s Fit, iVillage.com, retire.net and thirdage.com. She is also a contributor to the New York Times, New York Daily News, Fitness, Glamour, Shape, Family Circle, Men’s Health, and Cooking Light. She has authored and co-authored more than a dozen best selling health and fitness books including Fitness for Dummies (Wiley, 2011, currently in its 4th edition; nearly 400,000 copies sold); Weight Training for Dummies (Wiley, 2006, nearly 400,000 copies sold) and the newly released The Winner’s Brain (Perseus and Harvard Medical; School, May 2010.) She has appeared on numerous national radio and TV programs including The Howard Stern Show, Today, CBS This Morning, CBS News and The Food Channel. In addition she hosted her own radio show for several years and was a regular contributor to the Satellite Sisters and still contributes to several shows on Sirius Radio. She holds a masters degree in exercise physiology and is certified by the American Council on Exercise, the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. She’s also on the emeritus board of directors of the American Council on Exercise. In addition to being a writer and media personality, Liz is president of Wellness 360, a New York based wellness consulting company. When she’s not busy spreading the gospel about health and fitness, she’s chasing after her young (and beautiful) daughter Skylar and her somewhat older (but still handsome) husband, Jay.Follow Liz on Twitter, @lizzyfit.

And don’t forget about the Earth Footwear!!! We are giving away two additional pairs this Monday to the winners of the blogging carnival and Mamavation TV.

MAMAVATION TV: Join us Monday night at 7pm PST/10pm EST on Mingle Media TV.

SISTA OF THE WEEK: And a BIG congratulations to Shawnee Halligan @ShawneeH for being the Sista of the Week! Give her props on twitter girls!!!! The Sista of the Week will receive an EA SPORTS Active “More Workouts” for the honor.

BLOGGING CARNIVAL: This week’s blogging carnival is sponsored by Earth Footwear.  If you would like to enter the Earth Footwear Mamavation Monday blogging carnival giveaway, simply mention them in your post with a link back to their site. Then make sure to link your post up to Bookieboo so we know you entered and the other girls can give you some support. (Btw, I really like it when you comment on other Sistas posts as well, hint hint.)  


Link up to the Mamavation Blogging Carnival here.

SISTAHOOD: If you are interested in pledging to the Mamavation Sistahood, Monday is the time to do it. Please go here for instructions. Invitations are done on Wednesdays over twitter. (Or later if I get swamped)

GIVEAWAYS (You must attend Mamavation TV show to win):
1. Earth Footwear from @earthfootwear (1 winner)

(Yes, that is 2 winners total. 1 for the blogging carnival and 1 for Mamavation TV.)

To Enter (leave a comment for entry):
1. Hit the Linky
2. Tweet out this Message “Giveaways LIVE on #Mamavation TV win a pair of @EarthFootwear and get 3.7 degrees closer to wellness, http://bit.ly/9iQspz“  (Unlimited Entries)

Extra Entries (leave a comment for EVERY entry):
1. Download the Alexa tool bar, http://www.alexa.com/toolbar (this will help your Alexa rating go up and will help Mamavation too!) (1 entry)
2. Apply to open an Open Sky shop (2 entries)
3. Comment on a Mamavation Monday post. (1 entry for each blog you visit)
4. Tell a Sista this week WHY she is special on twitter using the #mamavation hashtag

Free shipping to the continental US only.

Filed Under: Mamavation Mondays Tagged With: ,

Sista of the Week~17

August 20, 2010 By 229 Comments

I am on time this week! WHOOP!

This weeks Sista of the Week is amazingly supportive! Every single blog comment I see from her is positive and uplifting. She knows what to say and how to say it to just lift your mood up immediately. Whenever I see a tweet from someone needing a positive word or a good kick in the rear, she is there….willing and ready! :) This sista is as sweet as they get people!

This Weeks Sista of the Week is…….

Shawnee!!!

1. Name(twitter ID) - Shawnee Halligan (@ShawneeH)

2. Location: West Linn, Oregon

3.Mamavation Goals:
My goals are to succeed on this get-healthy journey, be a better example for my family, and be an encouragement to other moms, both those that work inside AND outside the home. Getting/being fit is hard work, and definitely a balancing act!


4. What do you love most about being a Sista in Mamavation ?

I am so grateful for the support, the guidance, the free tools and information provided by Bookiboo, the Sistahood, and all the Mamavation sponsors. It’s a great thing to know I can get on Twitter, post about a bad day, and instantly hear from SEVERAL Sistas with support and encouragement. That means A LOT to me. I really enjoy a new sense of community that I didn’t have before, even with in IRL friends. =) I wish I could spend even MORE time on-line participating, but appreciate the warm welcome I get whenever I check in.

5. Why do you think support in the Sistahood is so important?

No one can succeed by themselves. We second guess, we struggle, we just get lazy. The Sistahood provides the boot in the bottom AND the hand up. It’s amazing. Thanks for letting me be a part!

Thank you Shawnee for all that you do for the Sistahood!

This post is sponsored by EA Sports. Sista of the Week will be receiving a MORE Workouts for the Wii. Thank you EA Sports Active!

Lori @gutimom

Filed Under: Sista of the Week, sistahood Tagged With: ,

Giveaway: Type A Mom Conference Pass

August 20, 2010 By 496 Comments

UPDATED: And the winner is….

Heather @ Not a DIY Life says:

August 29, 2010 at 11:06 am • Edit

Crack monkey tweeting again ;-) http://twitter.com/notdiyheather/statuses/22429756526

 

Congrats Heather! DM me and I’ll transfer my ticket over to you! I hope you enjoy your time at Type A Mom!

Conferences…conferences…conferences…I’ve gone to almost all of them this year. I was going to go to the Type A Mom Conference. I went last year and had the best time. I was so excited to go this year. I couldn’t wait to see more of my East Coast bloggy tweeps and make some new ones. But I can’t now. The amount of traveling I have done this year is more than I should have. My kids are going a bit nuts. And so is my husband. But this is good news for all of YOU. Why? Because instead of selling my ticket, I’m giving it away to one lucky person! Will it be you? Or someone you know? (Disclosure: I’m not being paid by ANYONE to give this ticket away. I’m doing of my own accord. I’m giving away a ticket valued at about $200. Well, that is what I paid for it. I’m not covering traveling or lodging. If you enter this giveaway you are assuming those costs on your own. )

Here are some details:

Type A Mom Conference: “Type-A Mom Conference is a unique mom blogging conference designed to help you take it to the next level. The conference will feature some of the most influential, admired and insightful mom bloggers talking about topics like power social networking, branding, blogging, finding your voice, and turning your passion for blogging into a real paycheck.” —from the site. Who: Bloggers, businesses, and social media junkies of all levels. What: Participate in hands-on tutorials and workshops, thoughtful discussions and keynote panels. Network and party with the friends and brands you love. When: Sept 24-26, 2010 Where: Asheville, North Carolina Why: Experts will take you, step-by-step, through their processes as you follow along on your own projects. Get ready to explore blogging, photography, PR, marketing, writing and more. Also, for those who don’t win, here is a special discount. When you use the code: MAMAVATION you save a GRIP of cash. Even better than the early bird price.

So here is how it’s going to go. Yeah, you guessed it…tweet to win. Tweet out this tweet as many times as you want. For every tweet you get an entry, but make sure to come back and comment with your twitter ID EVERYTIME so I know who the heck you are and that you have tweeted. (You don’t want ME to keep track of all that…I got enough kid slime on me…can’t even begin to track your tweets myself, cause the keys get all messy…yeah, gross…TMI…moving right along.) Tweet this: “SEND ME TO #TYPEAMOM @Bookieboo! I’m entering 2 win full conf pass to TYPE A MOM CONF on 9/24-26 & U can 2, http://bit.ly/bzwzoJ “ Anyways, this contest ends on Friday, September 3rd when I will draw a name from the comment section with random.org. Which is why the comments are numbered silly. And then I will announce on twitter the winner. Simple. Oh, and hit the linky, cause I’m anal like that…

Filed Under: Giveaways

BIG NEWS in this vlog! WHOOT!

August 20, 2010 By 304 Comments

HAPPY FRIDAY! There’s some great news that you’ll want to hear in this video! I actually edited it down some (not great editing, but shortening editing!). It was 8 minutes! It’s been a hectic week, but way to end it on a HIGH! :) Check it out!

Thank you, thank you Earth Footwear, Smooth Fitness, EA Sports Active, and Chef’s Requested for making Mamavation possible for moms like me!! Also, thank you to Pete Cohen for taking the time at almost midnight your time to chat with me! Thank you Dr. Renna, and Tracey Mallet for your help along the way!

Filed Under: Videos Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Sliding Into Home Base

August 19, 2010 By 121 Comments

You thought I’d run away to join the circus, didn’t you?

Come on – I know you’re all waiting for me to crack! (Paranoid much, Jen? Why yes, yes I am!) Naw, it’s okay, I’m a little disjointed but other than that I’m fine. I swear. You just need to tell the people following me.

So work has started and I’m kind of overwhelmed. I don’t remember if it used to be this overwhelming or if it’s a new thing. I’m pretty sure the anxiety is new. Ever since I started eating more it’s like my brain is trying to think of even more stuff – even faster. So it keeps crashing into brick walls of thought.

Now I’m being deep, let’s skip all the crazy and go right to the TOTALLY SANE video.

Thank you to:
@EarthFootwear
@SmoothFitness
@EASactivegirl
@chefsrequested

…….for sponsoring and in some ways even encouraging my acceptable, cringeworthy levels of crazy. You guys are the best!

Filed Under: Mamavation Moms, Videos Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Where Do You Stand?

August 19, 2010 By 171 Comments

Are you curious where you stand on the Move It or Lose it Challenge?

I have a update for you guys and the standings have changed since I took the weights from your application day!

Check it out!


Awesome job ladies!

The Contest is not over yet so get at it and get at it HARD!!! $500 and Earth Footwear is on the line!

Lori~ @gutimom

Filed Under: move it and lose it Tagged With:

A Day in My Shoes

August 18, 2010 By 208 Comments

I apologize, once again, for being late. Last night and today have been a very trying for me, and I just forgot. Again.

Hawk had surgery this morning. Last night, I didn’t get in from work until almost 7, and we had to make it to the AT&T store before 8. Hawk had an accident in his pants, so we ended up having to go to the store to buy new underwear and shorts so that we could go eat somewhere, and the only store open and close didn’t have shorts – Hawk freaked — we came home.
After we got home, Andy ran back out to Extreme Pita to get us some pitas. I think by the time we actually ate, it was 9pm (yes, bad, I know), and while he was out, Hawk fell asleep. We had to wake him to eat, because he couldn’t eat or drink after midnight. He was up several times wanting something to drink. :(


He did fine through the surgery this morning, but the anesthesia kicked his rear. Long story short, Andy went home to let the plumber in to fix the water heater, and when the plumber was almost there, the surgery was over. Andy had to ask him to wait so he could come get us. He was 20 minutes away.

I wish I would have not been so stressed this morning so that I could have remembered to put my Gruve on so that it could have recorded all of these calories I burned, but I didn’t. (I’m just glad I had on my Earth Footwear!)

After the surgery, Hawk was fine……….. until they had to take another xray of his teeth (another long story). He flipped. Literally.

He screamed LOUDLY for 30 solid minutes. He freaked out everyone in the dental office. I ended up having to go outside and stand with him (in the direct sun, probably about 100 degrees) while waiting for Andy.

He screamed, and kicked, and hit, and tried to flip backwards, and crawl up my shoulders, around to my back, and so on and so forth. The whole time, he was also pulling on his upper lip, because it was numb, and he did not like that at ALL! He didn’t want a “big lip”.

Once Andy got there, we strapped him in, and he was able to worm his way out of his seat, so we had to pull over. He unbuckled, climbed in the front seat with Andy and told him to drive. He had absolutely NO idea what he was saying or doing, but he was just… it was sad.

Andy ended up crawling in the back seat with him to calm him down while I drove. He’s fine now, back to his old self. Bad news is, he’s going to end up having an extraction soon, so we’ll be doing this all over again.

The good news is, we have HOT WATER!

I spoke with Pete Cohen this afternoon, and he made me feel a lot better about not losing a lot of weight. He also said that if I feel I need to eat something, the eat it (not OVER do it, but make sure I’m getting enough). Check out his latest vlog!

Anyway, I’m sorry this post hasn’t really been about me. I just don’t have much to update since Monday, except that I’ve been uber busy, and I’m trying to keep my Mamavation stuff in check.. and well, I’m not doing a very good job of it (if you can tell by my tardiness, once again!) Days like today remind me of why I’m part of Mamavation in the first place. I need to be healthy for my kids. Four months ago… who knows how today would have been. Would I have had the strength to restrain him the way I did today? Would I have had the will power to actually take him outside and be inconvenienced to sit in the heat so that others wouldn’t be bothered? Probably not.

I hope you all have a fabulous week. I really can’t believe it’s already Wednesday! (I just got a shipment of CHEF’S REQUESTED MEATS IN! :) THANK YOU THANK YOU! :)

Thank you, thank you Earth Footwear, Smooth Fitness, EA Sports Active, and Chef’s Requested for making Mamavation possible for moms like me!! Also, thank you to Pete Cohen for taking the time at almost midnight your time to chat with me! Thank you Dr. Renna, and Tracey Mallet for your help along the way!

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One More Reason To Slim Down: The Doctor

August 17, 2010 By 105 Comments

Being denied health coverage is something many of us deal with every day.

Paying to hear you can’t have surgery because your surgeon thinks you’re too fat, well, that’s a special kind of Hell reserved for those of us who weigh … I’m not sure there is a real cut-off for that, but if you look too fat, you will be judged. We’ve all had it happen, even those of us who aren’t really fat but maybe gained a little weight and those people around us felt the need to make a joke or point it out.

See, here’s the funny thing. I don’t walk, talk, look, or act 300lbs. when you see me in person. You would guess I was around 250-280lbs. (280lbs. on a really bad, sloppy day) but never over 300. Ok, after my weigh in yesterday I’m under 300 but you know what I mean. LOL

But the doctor, he looked at me and told me what I needed to weigh before I came back and got surgery. Without weighing me. Just looked at me and felt he knew me, knew my history, knew how I ate, knew how active I was.

Of course, he was dead wrong, especially since I started campaigning and then won Mamavation Mom. My lifestyle is NOTHING like he thinks it is…but he never gave me a chance to tell him that. I tried, but he interrupted me and told me, “I know hundreds of women like you.”

Hundreds.

Now before we all freak out and talk about second opinions again, let’s look at the reality of the world we live in. Overweight women are judged. Awfully, horribly, unfairly judged. Imagine if everyone decided to hate redheads. Sure the redheads could all just bleach their hair blond…but should they have to?

Yeah it’s a weak analogy, but not all fat people are inherently unhealthy just like all thin women are not inherently healthy. But try and tell that to anyone … just go outside and pick a random person and ask them if thin people are healthier than fat people. Everyone has pretty much been brainwashed into believing that fat people choose to be fat through sheer laziness.

As a woman who LOVES her body. Fat, thin, whatever. I’m thankful I have one and it works and I LOVE my body…I choose to lose weight not to make other people love me, not to make me love myself, but to MAKE MY LIFE EASIER.

Even if you don’t think you should have to lose weight, because face it, you shouldn’t have to do anything with your body you don’t want to do. I mean, no one’s life gets better being thin unless they were already okay with themselves beforehand.

But your everyday life will get easier.

Is it worth it? I don’t know.

Will I hate people for being kinder to me when I’m slimmer? Possibly. I know I’ll always wonder if they would have been friends with me if I was fat and I will never be friends with anyone who hates fat people “because they’re lazy and gross” no matter what size I am.

But if I have to choose between a lifetime of doctors telling me, “That’s broken because you’re fat not because you have a real medical condition.” and doing whatever it takes to lose some weight? If I have to lose 50 more lbs. for my surgeon to feel confident while cutting me open? You’re damn right I’m going to do 3 miles in intervals (which I did this morning) as well as a bonus half-hour core workout to get my waist size down. I’m going to eat so much fiber I’m going to poop TREES.

Because I may live in a world where I love myself, but I also live in reality, and reality means a slimmer life is an easier life, and I’m on board that gravy train.

Oooh…I said graaaavy.

Thank you to the sponsors that are helping me have a better, easier life: Earth Footwear, Smooth Fitness, EA Sports Active, and Chefs Requested.

Until Next Time (hope this one wasn’t too over the top),
Jennydecki

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Mamavation Monday: BlogHer & Boogie Wipes

August 16, 2010 By 758 Comments

I’m warning you…this post is another doozie. Last weekend was BlogHer in New York City and I have a bunch of pictures to share.

First off, I’d like to thank my sponsors, Boogie Wipes. While I was there we gave away two tickets to BlogHer 2011. The theme was “Where’s Waldo” and the idea was people had to find me at BlogHer amongst 2000 other bloggers and give me their business cards. Well, they found me so much that I started having panic attacks and ran up to my room for a couple hours at a time. I guess I found out that among that many people, I get kinda agoraphobic. Who knew? 

Other than the panic attacks, I  had a fantastic time. There were parties, old and new friends, workshops…..ah, okay, I’m lying. There weren’t any workshops. They were there, but I  don’t really go to those anymore unless I have a close friend that is speaking OR they are talking about something very dry and legal. Yes, the dry legal stuff that NO ONE cares about is something I will flock to. Cause I’m that paranoid about getting sued. And I was going to go to law school until just before it was time to take the LSATs. I opted to stay with my job at the time and get a Masters instead. Looking back at it, I think I made the right decision, cause I would have NEVER been able to stay home with my kids and work.

Totally babbling…

Let me post some pictures for you to see…Here is me and @greeblemonkey. We have a tight bond cause we went up in an air balloon together at the Evo Conference. Now she’s like my BFF.

BlogHer10_05

I didn’t bring a camera. I have so many friends that are photographers and I always find so many pictures of myself all over the internet, I don’t bother anymore. So if you ever see me at a conference, please take a picture of us together and post it on my facebook page. I will be forever grateful. ;) Here are some of those pictures…

Stephanie Schwab @socialologist and I
Getting hair done at the Getting Gorgeous suite

The Kendall-Jackson/Hilton Party where I got to meet the Kendall Jackson family. They used to be attorneys. Now they are doing something entirely better–making wine.

About to run the Tutus for Tanner 5K in NYC. Yes, that is a pink tutu I’m wearing. Funny thing about running in New York City with a pink tutu on–you would totally think that people would gawk at you, but in NYC…it’s not as big as a deal as it would be in LA. I was shocked. Okay, maybe a couple of snickers and looks, but in comparison to other places…nothing. 

The make-up artist at the Getting Gorgeous and Xbox/ELF event. I LOVED her!

Me attempting to dance to the Just Dance game from Xbox. I had so much fun.

Why does this picture look like I’m naked? OMG
Okay, enough about me and my silly parties. This Monday I’m going to go over some of my basic tips for moms who want to lose weight. Be it 5 lbs. or 100 lbs. I’m not going to tell you HOW to do it, that you can figure out with other guests, I’m going to explain the mind set you need to have to be successful. Yes, kinda like Pete Cohen, but in my own words. So let’s call it a “Sistahood Mindset 101 Show.” Hope you can join me!

MAMAVATION TV: Join us Monday night at 7pm PST/10pm EST on Mingle Media TV.

SISTA OF THE WEEK: And a BIG congratulations to Kimberly @christlikemommy for being the Sista of the Week! Give her props on twitter girls!!!! The Sista of the Week will receive an EA SPORTS Active “More Workouts” for the honor.

BLOGGING CARNIVAL: This week’s blogging carnival is sponsored by Boogie Wipes and  @boogiemom. Make sure to enter this one cause you will be getting a  “Put on your Boogie Chooz”  Saline Nose Wipe Giveaway Basket.

Link up to the Mamavation Blogging Carnival here.

SISTAHOOD: If you are interested in pledging to the Mamavation Sistahood, Monday is the time to do it. Please go here for instructions. Invitations are done on Wednesdays over twitter. (Or later if I get swamped)

GIVEAWAYS (You must attend Mamavation TV show to win):
1.  “Put on your Boogie Chooz” Saline Nose Wipe Giveaway Basket from Boogie Wipes (1 winner)

(Yes, that is 2 winners total. 1 for the blogging carnival and 1 for Mamavation TV.)

To Enter (leave a comment for entry):
1. Hit the Linky
2. Tweet out this Message “Giveaways LIVE on #Mamavation TV win a Saline Nose Wipe Giveaway Basket from @boogiemom, http://bit.ly/dp27P7“  (Unlimited Entries)

Extra Entries (leave a comment for EVERY entry):
1. Download the Alexa tool bar, http://www.alexa.com/toolbar (this will help your Alexa rating go up and will help Mamavation too!) (1 entry)
2. Apply to open an Open Sky shop (2 entries)
3. Comment on a Mamavation Monday post. (1 entry for each blog you visit)
4. Tell a Sista this week WHY she is special on twitter using the #mamavation hashtag

Free shipping to the continental US only.

Filed Under: Mamavation Mondays Tagged With: ,

Sista of the Week ~16

August 14, 2010 By 107 Comments

*Sorry for the delay in getting this post up. Hubby is on vacation this week and I seriously had no idea what day it was.*

This sista is always there. Whenever I see a tweet come through needed encouragement or a shoulder to cry on, she is always there to offer her love and support. A true definition of what a sista should always be. Her comment s on blog posts are always supportive and positive. She is also on a major high this week, reaching a awesome goal of losing 20lbs!

This weeks Sista of the Week is…..

Kimberly!

1. Name(twitter ID) – Kimberly R. (@christlikemommy)

2. Location: Virginia

3.Mamavation Goals: My long term goal is to be healthy! I want to set a good example for my kids, and the rest of my family. I have lost so many people close to me this year due to heart disease, which resulted from obesity, and I have made the decision that I will not let fat take my life! My short-term goal is to run a 5K by December 5th, and lose 40-60 lbs by my little sister’s wedding in March! I also plan on applying for the next Mamavation campaign!

4. What do you love most about being a Sista in Mamavation? All the other Sistas. You ladies inspire me SO much! I feel so empowered by being a part of the Sistahood and I know if I have a fitness/diet/life-in-general question, the sistas will be there to tweet all (or at least most) of the answers to my problems!

5. Why do you think support in the Sistahood is so important? I have not been a part of this group long, and I already feel like part of the family. I have tried to join other mommy groups, weight loss support groups, and other social groups in the past, but never quite felt comfortable, I always felt as if I was on the outside looking in. But with the Mamavation Sistahood, it is so different! These ladies are genuine and caring, they welcomed me with open arms, and that has helped me so much in continuing to push to become healthy!

Thanks so much to Leah, and all of her leading ladies! I really appreciate all that you do to keep this community up and running!

Thank you Kimberly for all that you do for the Sistahood!

This post is sponsored by EA Sports. Sista of the Week will be receiving a MORE Workouts for the Wii. Thank you EA Sports Active! Lori @gutimom

Filed Under: Sista of the Week Tagged With: ,