Tuesday, June 28, 2005

I got another email from a kindred skipping spirit that I wanted to share...

I heard about iskip a couple of years ago, I think in a Costco magazine. At the time I had just started walking every day and I would burst out skipping and then of course giggling. It was a rather spontaneous thing but now I try to do it fairly often. I also make sure anyone who walks with me makes a skipping attempt if they are able. What a joyful thing to bring to people! Thanks for the smiles! -Skipperdoodle Nancy

Skipperdoodle.....Right on! Thanks for the reminder that skipping is a great way to spice up your walking routine. Keep in mind that skipping burns twice as many calories as walking, so for every skip you step you get a double bang for your caloric buck!

For those of you who are nervous about skipping in public, my advice is to start slowly. Try skipping just 10 steps at a time the next time you go on a walk. Ignore your inner critic when it tells you that people will think you are crazy....and let your childlike spirit freely express itself! You won't be sorry. Skip on!

Monday, June 27, 2005

I am sitting here at my office admiring a picture that is bringing back an amazing skipping memory.

As some of you already know, I am a book publicist who helps get authors and their books mentioned in the media. I work for an amazing company called New World Library that publishes books that are changing the world for the better. I have been in my current position since March and am extremely grateful to have found a job that I love as much as this one.

About a month ago, I went on a business trip to Illinois to work at a trade show for religious booksellers. While New World Library's books aren't exclusively religious, we do publish some amazing books in that area.

The trade show itself was pretty standard and uneventful...Except for one magical skipping experience. In a booth nearby where I was working, I met a nun whose positive, radiant energy lit up the room. I talked to her several times throughout the trade show...and really enjoyed her company.

At the very end of the show, right before we were packing up to go home, I told her about iskip.com and my quest to make the world a happier place through skipping. Her face lit up and she said, "Skipping!?!? I skip all the time!"

Before I knew it, the sister and I were skipping up and down the aisles. People who saw us just smiled and wondered what we were up to! One woman said she loved to skip too and joined in the fun! It was a truly magical moment...and a reminder to me that the joy of skipping is for people from all walks of life!

The sister's superiors asked that I not post our skipping picture on my website, so it is for my eyes only...But every time I look at it, it brings me such joy to know that my new nun friend could be out there skipping right now! Skip on Sister!

Friday, June 24, 2005

Last night I was lucky enough to get to work at a Marianne Williamson event in San Francisco. She is the author of A RETURN TO LOVE and one of my favorite authors of all time.

I was the microphone runner during the question and answer section of her talk....and was moved to tears several times. She talked about how important it is for us to live our dreams...To pay attention to our hearts and where they are guiding us..To not be afraid to let our lights shine bright....and how it takes time and patience for our dreams to unfold.. It was an awesome presenatation. She reassured me that I am on the right path....and that we can't go wrong as long as we listen to our hearts.

At the end of the evening, after she had signed her book for tons of people, she signed one for me. I told her about the skipping movement and gave her one of my iskip.com stickers. Her face lit up as I told her about it and she said, "I don't know if I even remember how to skip!" She took off her high heels and the two of us started skipping around the room! She skipped inbetween the empty chairs and we smiled and laughed. Wow! What an honor!

I LOVE skipping moments like that one. I LOVE watching people skip for the first time in years...What an honor to get to skip with one of the most inspirational authors and speakers I know! Right on, Marianne Williamson! Skip on! :-)

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

I love getting emails like this one from a 76-year-old who recently started skipping for fitness...

My son came by for Dad's day. He is fit as fiddle - does triatholones etc...I gave him 8 pounds of weight (two dumbells for his hands) and had him skip my very long driveway...He came back and said it was a much more strenuous workout thatn he thought it would be.

It's true that skipping is a great workout. Prevention Magazine reports that it burns twice as many calories as walking...and it has less impact on the joints than running does.

If you are just starting out skipping, try alternating skipping and walking for a while. Also, keep in mind that you will be able to go for longer distances if you stay low to the ground and keep the bounce in your step to a minimum!

Quite often adults who are just starting to skip again are very exuberant in their skipping...But you'll quickly see that it isn't as effortless as when you were a kid! Stick with a lower impact skip and you'll be able to go for miles!

Skip on!

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Last night I went to visit two old friends who I hadn't seen for five years! I believe it is a sign of true friendship when you can see someone after so much time has passed and feel like you never skipped a beat.

Charles and Curtis used to live in my apartment building, but bought their own place in 2000. At the time, I was so caught up in the skipping whirlwind that we didn't stay in touch when they first moved...and before we knew it five years had passed.

It was great to be able to catch them up on all that has happened in my life and the skipping adventure. It helped me get perspective on all that I have been through and all that I have learned along the way. We reminisced about the iskip glory days...about how it was a quite a phenomenon back in the dot com hay day ...about how the path hasn't ended up looking anything like I first expected it to....and about how I am proud to still be skipping through it all!

Charles was one of my first friends when I moved to San Francisco from Indiana ...and he is definitely not a Skipper type. Last night I got some insight into why that might be. He told me his skipping story for the first time.

When he was in second grade, his Mom got called into the school office because he was having a hard time mastering skipping and galloping. So after that, he and his Mom started practicing skipping together until he got it down. When I asked him if it felt great when he finally mastered it, he said it felt great to not be the only one who couldn't skip anymore!

I've met several people throughout the skipping adventure with stories similar to Charles'. People who were singled out in Kindergarten or elementary school for not being able to skip. Usually those people want nothing to do with skipping as adults, and I can understand why!! Since skipping is such a joyful thing, it makes me sad that little kids have to feel less than if they are slow on the skipping uptake!

There was a time when the skipping movement first started that I thought that everyone should love skipping as much as I do...But I quickly learned that skipping isn't for everyone. Back when we did group skips through the streets of San Francisco, I used to carry a meagphone to explain to people why we were skipping. What I said did a good job of sharing my realization that skipping isn't for everyone...and what I feel my big picture skipping mission is.....

"We are skipping activists who believe the world will be a much better place when skipping becomes an acceptable thing for adults to do. We don't ask that you skip, just that you are supportive of those of us who love to. Thank you and Skip on!"

Monday, June 20, 2005

There was a comment posted on one of my recent entries from someone named The Angry Republican. He said...

I tried some of that skipping.. A couple of guys looked at me funny so I had to stop. Do you have some kind of signs people can put on their backs to explain why we are skipping….AR

Mr. Republican...I think you might be onto something. Perhaps we should design t-shirts with an explanation on the back. The only question is what would your tshirt say? I skip to celebrate freedom!? I skip for joy!? I skip to make the world a happier place!? Skipping is great exercise! Skipping is fun!?

The fact that there are people out there who might look at me funny for joyfully skipping down the street is a big part of the reason I do it. I believe our world needs as much positive energy as it can get these days...and in my opinion, people who might look at me sideways for skipping are part of the problem and not part of the solution.

Given the state of our world today....which is crazier? Expressing your joy by skipping down the street....or doing something that would inhibit that expression of joy by someone else? I don't know about you, but I am tried of letting negativity and the fear of judgement from others rule my life.

Why not try skipping on despite a funny look here and there? You won't believe how energizing and liberating doing so can be. Skip on!

Sunday, June 19, 2005

Since today is Father's Day I feel inspired to give a shout out to dear ole' Dad.

When I first announced to my family that I was going to start a national skipping movement, my Dad likes to say that he thought I lost all of my marbles. But then, he tried skipping himself, and he loved it! I'm not surprised given the fact that he raised me with a philosophy that said life is a lot better when you lose a few marbles. It is short and is supposed to be fun.

Shortly after I graduated from college my Dad wrote and self-published a great book called The Edge Resume and Job Search Strategy. When I saw the book, I fell in love with it and convinced him to hire me to sell it for him. The project did quite well...and thus began my career in the book publishing industry.

Lately my Dad's passion has been fiction writing. He has written four novels and his energy and excitement for his craft are truly inspiring. You can read synopsis of his novels on his website at http://www.billcorbin.com. He also recently started a blog about his writing pursuits. Skip on over to http://billcorbin.blogspot.com/ to check it out.

I feel extremely blessed that I got Bill Corbin as my Dad! He's one of my best friends in the whole world...and I know that he believes in me with all of his heart. I feel the same way about him. What a gift!

Happy Father's Day Dad...I love you! Skip on!

Saturday, June 18, 2005

Back when the skipping movement was at its height, there were 70+ cities where someone had volunteered to the be the "head skipper" in their community.

Some head skippers organized weekly skipping/walking groups...Others did one big fundraising skip like a woman in Atlanta who skipped 100 miles to raise awareness for the animal sanctuary where she volunteered. Some head skippers passed out iskip postcards to spread the word...and others just skipped by example and told people about the website when they asked why they were skipping.

As you might imagine, keeping in touch with the goings on of so many skippers became a full time job...So much so that I quit my publishing job back then to focus on it full time. I naively assumed that if I leapt the financial net would eventually follow. I was wrong.

After a couple of years of recovering financially from that fact, I'm back in the saddle as far as writing a book about the benefits of skipping to the beat of your own drummer. The skip is back in my step and I believe the world needs skipping energy now even more than it did back in 1999/2000 when this whole adventure began.

If you are someone who loves to skip, I would like to invite you to play a part in the resurgance of the skipping movement. I have just recently started collecting email addresses for people around the world who want to help the cause...So far we have someone in Ponte Verde Beach, Florida...Oklahoma...and Australia!!

Being a head skipper is a fun, unique, and easy way to make a positive difference in our world that can use as much positive energy as it can get these days! And the only requirement is that you love to skip and explain why when others ask!

If this sounds at all intriguing to you, please send me an email at kimskips@peoplepc.com and I'll add you to the list to receive information as the skipping movement continues to move forward! Skip on!

Thursday, June 16, 2005

I decided to answer this email on my blog because this skipper asks some great questions....

This 76 year old kid skips now and then in his driveway. Question(s): regular running shoes ok for skipping? Do they wear out fast because of skipping (in running, it was the heels of course than worn down). ok to skip with light weights (3 lbs)? any ideas on how far "your people"--skippers tend to go (distance) for a decent workout? thanks. skippy

Dear Skippy, Yes, I've found regular running shoes work best for skipping..I try to find extra thick soles though...The balls of your feet will wear out faster than normal if you skip a lot....That is, of course, until we convince a shoe company to support the skipping cause by designing us our own shoes. :-)

As far as how long you need to skip to get a good workout...it really varies. Some people primarly walk and then incorporate skipping bursts for variety and to get their heart rate up...Others walk a block, skip a block, run a block, walk a block.....Skipping on the treadmill at the gym is also fun...I ususally set the pace at a brisk walking speed (4.2 or so) and ease into skipping a mile or two. Sometimes I skip a minute, walk a minute, skip a minute walk a minute.

Then there are the hard core skippers of the world! Ashirta Furman is training to set a Guiness World Record for skipping the fastest marathon. He skips for 15-20 miles at a time when he is training. He even had to create a plastic toe piece to go over his shoes because he was skipping so much and going through them so fast!

As far as skipping with light weights, I can't imagine that would be a problem..But if you are at all concerned about it, I'd check with a physical trainer or your doctor to be sure that will work for you.

I would love to hear more about how you are incorporating skipping into your life...and also would love to post your picture and a skipping quote from you on the website if you are interested! If I don't hear back from you, skip on!!! :-) kimskip@peoplepc.com

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

I am feeling really good right now! It's been quite a day.

After a really busy and productive day at work, I went to the Red Room Writer's Society (http://www.red-room.com) and made good progress on the book I am writing. On the drive back, I thought about how great it would be to go for a quick skip when I got home since I've been wanting to get my skipping groove back for quite some time.

When I got home I started doing what I've done for the past several months when it comes to exercise. I sat on the couch and thought about all the reasons I should to out skipping. I thought about how great it would make me feel to do it...I just sat on the couch and thought. Before I knew it half an hour had gone by and I hadn't moved a muscle!!

The difference between tonight and multiple others before it is that after about 45 minutes, I actually put my shoes on and went out the door! I put Queen's Fat Bottom Girls on my ipod and was off and skipping. I skipped down the huge hill that is near my house...and went for about five blocks. Then I turned around and climbed back up the hill....I skipped a few steps at a time on the way up, but in general uphill skipping isn't my favorite!

It felt great to go out and skip for no reason...Last night I went skipping, but there was somewhere I had to be. Tonight, I skipped because I love to skip...and it felt great! Skip on!

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Since I created the iskip.com website, I'm often asked how much I skip....Back when I was in top skipping shape the answer would have been at least a mile three times a week for exercise..and a little bit here and little bit there whenever the feeling struck.

My skipping quota these days has been far less...I still skip here and there...But my routine of skipping on a regular basis got lost along the way somewhere. It amazes me to know that someone can go from being called a fitness guru by People Magazine to not being able to motivate herself to workout!

I'm happy to report that I just recently broke through my wall of inactivity and have been starting to go out for longer distance skips again. My intention is to keep it up!

I live on a steep hill in San Francisco and love downhill skipping! So tonight I skipped all the way down a huge hill and through the financial district. I was able to go much farther than I thought I would....and when I came out of my skipping zone enough to notice was pleasantly surprised by the smiles I received from passers by.

Skipping is pure magic! It puts me in the most amazing, positive energy place. I wonder why it has been so challenging for me to get back in the habit of skipping on a daily basis. Why do we humans resist the things that makes us feel the best?

Oh well, at least I am finally over the hump.....I'm going to keep at it because I KNOW how amazing and magical my life becomes when I skip on a regular basis...I'm ready to let that magic in again.

Sunday, June 12, 2005

I recently read this quote from Abraham Lincoln in Jon Gordon's Weekly Energy Addict newsletter. It really resonated with me and reminded me that all I can ever do is my very best...."I am not bound to win. I am bound to be true. I am not bound to suceed, but I am bound to live up to the light I have."

Abe's quote is a great reminder for me that I can't control the outcome about whether or not the book I am writing (or this blog for that matter) will be well received...All I (or any of us) can do right now, in this moment, is focus on letting my light shine and enjoying the process as much as possible. Reviving my writing voice...that was so strong back when I created the iskip.com website in 1999...is what I am being called to do right now. Abe helped me see how that is what I need to be focusing on....instead of wasting mental energy worrying about whether my story will be published one day.

Back when the national media was telling the skipping story, people used to tell me how much they admired my courage for so fully putting myself out there. I never understood that because it didn't feel like I was being brave...I felt incredibly blessed and lucky! Now that I have skipped around the block a few times...and encountered incredible set backs and challenges, I know what they meant about it taking courage!

Somewhere along the way, I lost Faith in myself and my dream...and I have been searching high and low for it ever since...The past couple of months, the magic has started to come back into my heart and life...and as a result, my willingness to put myself out there...to skip boldly through my life...is coming back. It feels great.

What a long strange skip it continues to be! It feels great to be enjoying the ride again. Onward and upward!

Friday, June 10, 2005

My bloggin' brother tells me that for these things to work, I need to be writing in it all the time! Starting that new habit seems to be taking a while! Oh well, all in good time I suppose.

I received this email from a skipper named Adam and wanted to share it. He speaks the truth...Skip on!

I haven't seen iskip.com before and yet I assure you, as a 18 year-old male A-level student, I have been skipping for years in many many places. In fact one of my fondest memories of my marvy girlfriend Helena is of, before we were going out, skipping in-time down the corridors of school. I also have wonderful memories of us skipping together in HMV, down country roads, in the cinema and alongside a cycle path.

This is never planned, we just tend to sporadically burst into skipping. Before that, I have often encouraged members of my drama society to skip. We take a break half way through our 3 hour session to go to the local co-op. Almost every time I skip and I have managed to get up to five people to join me. Yeah!

Skipping is snazzily fantastic and it a great, fun and surprisingly fast way to get around. Honestly, people should have no reservations about skipping. None what-so-ever.