Client Spotlight: Shentale Randall

My Lagree story began in July 2016. An ex-boyfriend took me out for a belated birthday lunch. I was lamenting to him how multiple sinus surgeries had not only left me sickly but had caused an enormous amount of weight gain that I could not seem to lose. I had never had weight issues prior to this. In short, the entire health debacle was depressing me. 

The restaurant was several doors down from The Studio (MDR) West. As we walked by, he remarked that maybe I should ditch the regular gym and try something like "that machine" (indicating the megaformer). Knowing that I was never the athletic type, he was actually joking. To his surprise, I decided to take up his "challenge" and have been on the megaformer ever since.   

I was in the beginner's class for several months before Lisa gently nudged me to move to Total Body classes. There, I learned to hold positions on the megaformer that I never thought I could ever achieve. I received a confidence boost I wasn't expecting. It reminded me of something I'd lost along the way: everyone's body is unique just like their journey in life. We all serve a purpose.  

I am a native Northern Californian, longtime (intermittent) resident of Southern California since 1994, having held various jobs mainly in the airline and entertainment industry. In 2002, I was laid off from a movie studio so I left the country for Tokyo, Japan where I worked for Japan Airlines (JAL) teaching flight attendants English. In 2004, I returned to California and gained another position at the film studio where I had previously been laid off. 

I give this brief work bio in order to say that I know a bit about change. Last year, though, was a major challenge for us all on a global scale. As a writer, I relate best to patterns in life. It's the living examples that teach us the most valuable lessons about real life thus allowing us to overcome some of the most staggering obstacles. 

What is one of the best lessons I've learned thus far? Having been a flight attendant for Northwest Airlines, there's a saying we relayed while performing the manual demo: "In case of a cabin pressure emergency, put on your own mask before assisting others." Before one can amply assist others, they must help themselves. Getting back to optimum health was the primary catalyst into my fitness and workout journey. However, I learned so much more along the way. Strength in one's body does translate to strength of one's mind.

Looking back, I've come to realize The Studio (MDR) is a rather unique environment. The staff and instructors all have their own unique way in encouraging you to "go the extra mile" without fear of failure.  This has helped me not only with my workout goals but has greatly inspired some of my most ambitious creative endeavors in recent years. 

As an artist, and being solidly antiwar, I always desired to do an artistic piece but in a unique, driving approach that would get people to really think about all the consequences of ongoing warfare. In 2018, I began work on an anthology of my travel essays: Drive Like a Peruvian. The inaugural essay was planned for release in April 2020, the 45th Anniversary marking the end of the Vietnam War. Looking at all the war images of devastation was depressing but I was determined. I discovered that holding "many" a resistance plank took my mind away from the devastation of war images and firebombings. The workout got me to focus on the task at hand. When the pandemic hit last year, I became proactive as opposed to stagnate and reactive. I learned to translate the burning of the workout into the fire of creative solutions. 

Instead of allowing my project to lay stagnate last year during the pandemic crisis, I decided to put my inaugural essay out as an "audio experience" with the assistance of a director I'd previously worked on a project. The result: Hot Vanilla Tea, the Audio Experienceis on SoundCloud. The director also encouraged me to post Hot Vanilla Teaon Medium (an online forum) as well as my blog. 

 Performing a strenuous strength training workout such as this builds confidence in a person that they can take and apply in other areas of their life. Don't get me wrong, this is an intimidating workout. However, if a hardcore bibliophile such as myself can do this, you can do this as well. To reiterate: I am not a gym rat by any stretch of the imagination. However, I do understand the value of connecting one's mind with their body and thus soul. 

 Lisa, the staff and the instructors all provide an environment based solely in encouragement leading into success. There is no judgement here, only a strong desire to see you achieve your fitness goals at your level best. And, change will come ... for the better.

Did not Shakespeare state: "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women are merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages." As You Like It

Referring to the aforementioned stage, I return back to The Studio (MDR) and what they have to offer ... Whether it's Total Body, Virtual, Arms & Abs, A*@# & Abs or the wonderfully relaxing Stretch Class ... in every endeavor and challenge there is a before stage, middle stage (where all the action occurs) and the final stage is merely the transformation to the next stage (mentally as well as physically).

In short, you are always in control. It's all about your perspective and how you react to life as it happens. Learn to define yourself. It all begins with keen discernment, focus and determination while never forgetting your health is everything. This includes mind, body and soul. A workout such as this, in a supportive and encouraging environment, is a key component to success in all areas of your life. The motto of The Studio (MDR) says it best: Look it. Live it. Feel it.

Using Science To Win At The Game Of Love

Lisa & Wendy

This month we had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Wendy Walsh at The Studio MDR for a conversation about the science behind love.  I know what you are thinking… there is a science behind love? Well we are here to tell you, YES there is! It is incredible, and everyone (single or not) needs to listen up. 

Dr. Wendy breaks down boundaries by getting real about love, because it is no walk in the park, even once you find it. With her help and methodical approach, by the end of the night we started to understand the mystery of “love”.

If you missed out, don’t worry, she gave us a little sneak peak into one of the best taboo topics of the night…. 

“WHAT IS A HIGH SUPPLY SEXUAL ECONOMY?

Anyone who remembers their "Econ 101" class knows the first lesson: When a commodity rises in supply, the price goes down. When supply decreases, the price goes up. But did you ever consider that this same principle applies to our love lives?

Today we are firmly planted in the information age, an industrial revolution where women have found themselves uniquely better suited than men for many jobs. I'll say it! We are better talkers, typists, and communicators. As a result, social psychologists are seeing a flood of high achieving women entering the mating marketplace. And this is impacting our relationships. Around the world, when women are economically disadvantaged, marriage rates go up, more children are born into wedlock, virginity is coveted, and uh, prostitution rates go way up too. That's because, when women can't fairly extract resources from the environment, that is, make money themselves, they have to monetize their most precious commodity, -- their lady bits.  When women are disadvantaged they either convince a guy (hopefully one they love) to sign on the bottom line and promise to support them and any offspring in a contract called marriage. Or, they rent those lady bits by the hour. No judgement here, ladies. It's basic human sexual economics. We are amazing survivors.

But what happens when women have their own money?

When women rise in economic power a new kind of freedom creates a new kind of trap. When women are financially free, they can finally enjoy the pleasures of their own bodies. With the advent of birth control and barrier protections from sexually transmitted diseases, and with the sexual double-standard waning, sex has become less of a high risk hobby for women. That's why so many women have put so much sex out into the sexual economy. But remember that economic principle! When something rises in supply, the price goes down. In 1950, the price of sex was six months of courtship and a wedding. In the 1980's it was three expensive dates. In today's high-supply sexual economy the price of sex has dropped to the barrel bottom price of one, well-worded text, as in  "You awake?" And with all this cheap sex, men are far less likely to make a commitment. Add to that low price, the increase in female competition for mates. These days women have to compete with sexy Instagram models, pornography, and, dare I say it, slutty girlfriends. Sigh. It's a tough mating market place disguised as sexual freedom!

If a woman wants a traditional relationship with a man who can make a commitment and hang around to raise children, she has to have a clear strategy. First of all, know this:  The highest price a woman can "charge" for sex is CARE and COMMITMENT. But how do you advertise that price and attract the right customer? I promise you, there's a method. Many women are still closing deals on traditional relationships. The wedding industry is booming. There are tips in my podcast MATING MATTERS. The episode is called SEXY MONEY.

Understanding the high supply sexual economy is like revealing the whole game board. You can't win the mating game unless you understand the rules.

(Dr. Wendy Walsh is a Clinical Psychologist who is obsessed with the science of love. She authored three books on relationships, hosts the Dr. Wendy Walsh Show on KFI AM 640 Los Angeles 4-6 on Sundays, and hosts the iHeartMedia podcast Mating Matters. Listen on iTunes, Google Play, the iHeartRadio app or where ever you get your podcasts.)”

Thank you, Dr. Wendy, for taking the time to educate us all.  Another special thank you to our vendors, Skinny Dipped, Sweets by Dawn, Kosas Cosmetics, and BEV for making our evening so perfect!

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