See Jane Move at Inspire Fitness

Sponsor Spotlight: Inspire Fitness

Gabe Rios will make you love Spinning!

On Friday, July 19 at 5:30 p.m. we’ll be having our next See Jane Move event. We’re taking a group Spinning class at Inspire Fitness, one of our sponsors for July.

If you’ve caught cycling fever watching the Tour de France, then this class will be perfect for you.

But maybe you’ve never attended a Spinning class because you’ve found them intimidating. Or maybe you prefer dance-based aerobics classes and you think spin will be boring. Well, I’m here to let you know that neither will be the case, especially with spin instructor Gabe Rios at the helm.

Gabe Rios is one of the co-owners of Inspire Fitness and is the scheduled instructor for next Friday’s class. Sure, most spin instructors play music during their classes but Gabe kicks this up a notch with music videos. Also, for Gabe the music videos aren’t just background noise. Whether we’re simulating jumps or climbing a hill, you can bet we’ll be moving to the beat.

So here’s what you can expect if you join us for class on July 19.

You’ll walk into the studio and Gabe will greet you warmly like you’ve come by his house for coffee. But you’ll look around and start to feel a bit uneasy because the other students have fancy cycling shoes. Don’t worry. The Nike, New Balance, or Saucony sneaks you’re wearing are just fine.

Then you’ll see people adjusting the seat and handle bars of the bike, which you have no idea how to do. Don’t freak out. Gabe or someone else on the Inspire Fitness team will help you get set up. Just be sure to arrive early. Also, remember to bring a towel and water.

Class begins.

The beauty of Spinning is that it’s a workout you can really make your own. You can make it as easy or as hard as you want with a simple twist of a knob. Turn it right to increase the resistance (which is the equivalent of making the imaginary hill you’re climbing steeper) or turn to the left if you need to make your ride less challenging. You can also change the intensity of your workout with your speed. And during some parts of the ride we’ll be in a standing position on the pedals and sometimes we’ll be seated (or “in the saddle” as the Spinning nerds call it).

Depending on the type of ride Gabe has planned for the evening, you may do sprints (during which you pedal as fast as you can) and hill climbs (during which you add as much resistance as you can). Gabe also loves jumps — that’s when you move from a seated to a standing position on your bike over and over. I won’t lie to you, this move is tough. But I have to say it’s my favorite. With Gabe’s music pumping I feel like I’m dancing with my bike and so I don’t care about my breathlessness or the sweat dripping from my nose.

Gabe is open to song requests, so if you have any leave them in the comments section of the post. But honestly, Gabe has a way of making you love any song he plays because he gets so into the music. Yes, he will sing along and don’t be surprised if at some point he takes his hands off his handlebars and starts dancing. (Don’t you try this. Remember, ladies, he’s a professional.)

Also don’t be surprised if Gabe plays your favorite 90s grunge song or your favorite hip-hop track from college or that he actually knows the words to that “Bad Boys” song.

From Mark Anthony to Macklemore, Pitbull to Prince, and Janet Jackson to Justin Timberlake, Gabe’s playlist is extensive. Beyonce or Shakira may make an appearance on the screen also to give you some extra motivation as you covet their toned physiques.

When the class is over you will have burned hundreds of calories and your clothes will be drenched, but you’ll feel like you just left a party.

Join us Friday, July 19 at 5:30 p.m. for Spinning with Gabe Rios at Inspire Fitness.  Arrive around 5:15 p.m. so you can set up your bike and be sure to bring water and a towel. You do need to pre-register for the class and spaces fill up fast. To sign up, visit InspireFitnessBirmingham.com and scroll through the schedule to find the special #SeeJaneWrite class. Drop-in classes are normally $15 but Gabe is offering us $5 discount. Just use the code seejanemove when you register. 

Why Writers Need a Professional Head Shot

One example of the many photos my hubster has had to take.

“I need you to take a picture of me.”

I say those words to my husband about once a month and not because I’m a fashion blogger or incredibly vain. Whether it’s for an article I’m being featured in or an advertisement for a conference at which I’m speaking, about once a month someone asks me to send them my head shot.

But I don’t have one.

So I make my poor husband play photographer, which is not fun for either of us because I hate having my picture taken.

“The more work you do and the more exposure you get, the more people will ask you for one,” said Alison Lewis, founder and editor of Healthy Travel Magazine and Ingredients, Inc. “It’s great to have in your back pocket!”

Writers may need a head shot for a book cover or blog or for speaking engagements.

“Even if you don’t need one regularly for work, your LinkedIn profile photo should be professional,” said Birmingham-based blogger Tanya Sylvan. “That’s people’s first impression of you, and you don’t want it to be negative.”

In addition to blogging, Tanya works in advertising and contributes to See Jane Write Magazine. She a busy and popular woman who probably needs a head shot. In fact, I even asked her for one when putting together the See Jane Write Magazine contributors page.

Sherri Ross Walters, a writer and the founder of Birmingham Girls Club, is another person whose portrait is probably in high demand.

“I have never had one, but the more connected and exposed people get and become, the more I’m finding a single, universal head shot is super helpful and convenient in recognizing people…myself included,” she said. “I need one!”

I need one too!

Enter Lynsey Weatherspoon, one of Birmingham’s best local photographers.

Lynsey has generously offered to meet with the women of See Jane Write for brief headshot sessions for the cost of only $75. She normally charges $350 for a head shot session, so this is the deal of a lifetime. The sessions will be held the afternoon of Sunday, July 21 on Morris Avenue in downtown Birmingham. (You’ll be sent more details on the location.)

You can sign up for your slot here.

Now go pick out your outfit!

Eric Guster on Being a Blawger

Sponsor Spotlight: Guster Law Firm, LLC

eric guster
Eric Guster
Being a blawger, a clever term used to describe a lawyer who blogs, can’t be easy. Trying to  explain the law in laymen’s language has to be tough. But Eric L. Welch Guster of Guster Law Firm, LLC, loves to blog nonetheless.
“I enjoy explaining the law and educating people about the law in layman’s terms,” Guster says. “There have been times when I’ve explained a complicated issue and people thank me for removing the veil and making it easier to understand. I believe if you know your craft, there’s nothing wrong with going that extra step to help others understand it.”
Guster’s Birmingham-based firm that concentrates on serious injury and wrongful death cases and criminal defense. Guster started his firm in 2001. Two years ago Guster started blogging about law cases on his firm’s website. In 2012 he became a legal expert for NewsOne and earlier this year he started blogging for NewsOne.com.
Guster Law Firm
If you follow Guster on Twitter @ericguster or on Facebook then you’ve seen his tweets and status updates about the highly controversial George Zimmerman trial. But Guster says he also uses social media to show his personality.
“I’m very personable and I’m dedicated to the people I serve. That personality comes through not only in my work, but also through social media and blogging,” Guster says, “Social media shows my serious and fun sides. I tweet, Facebook and blog about a variety of things. Usually, something I say is going to connect with someone.”
Learn more about Guster Law Firm here.

Join me at the July Alabama Bloggers Meet-up

From Bloggers Who Brunch, hosted last month by See Jane Write Birmingham



Blogging is hard. 

I know some people might disagree. Some people might believe that blogging can’t be too difficult since everyone and their cat (literally) seems to have one these days. 

But I believe that being a good blogger is no easy task. It takes creativity, consistency, and commitment.  And I believe it also takes community. 

In her book Writing Down the Bones Natalie Goldberg writes: “Writing is a communal act…Contrary to popular belief, a writer is not a Prometheus alone on a hill full of fire.”

Writers need community. This is why I started See Jane Write Birmingham and See Jane Write Magazine. And this is why I love groups like Alabama Bloggers. 

Birmingham resident Rachel Callahan started Alabama Bloggers in May of 2009 because she wanted to connect with more bloggers in her hometown. Rachel had made connections with writers all over the world, thanks to her popular blog Grasping for Objectivity, but she wanted to get to know the bloggers in her own backyard. Rachel first launched the group as an online community then took these connections offline with monthly lunch meet-ups. 

I’ll be hosting this month’s meet-up which is set for 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Friday, July 12 at Mix Bakery, 1819 5th Avenue North. Please RSVP by July 10. If you’re a member of the Alabama Bloggers Facebook group you can click here to RSVP. If not,  you can just RSVP in the comments section of this post. 

The hashtag for this and all Alabama Bloggers luncheons is #AlaBlogMeet. 

I leave you with more wise words from Natalie Goldberg. In Writing Down the Bones she also says: 


“It’s good to know some local people who are writing and whom you can get together with for mutual support…Kill the idea of the lone, suffering artist. We suffer anyway as human beings. Don’t make it any harder on yourself.”

Hope to see you July 12.