Fearless and Female chit-chat!

7 yr old girl kicks, screams and SAVES HER LIFE!

2012-02-26T07:23:00.000-08:00

This is how quick it can happen.

2011-03-13T10:32:00.000-07:00

2009-02-05T15:05:00.000-08:00

2008-06-24T17:58:00.000-07:00

Hello my dear friends,
As promised, here is the information about the door stop alarms! This is the alarm that I spoke about during my programs in Wichita, KS this week. At the time of this blog entry the alarms were in stock and are $7.95. What a bargin! I have added the link below, so check out these wonderful gadgets.

http://www.preventsecurity.com/category.asp?sub=82

Canyon Lake Middle School

2008-05-06T16:36:00.001-07:00

Grace College

2008-05-06T09:18:00.001-07:00

Broken Arrow, OK

2008-05-06T09:15:00.000-07:00

Fallen tree in the midwest

2008-01-23T16:37:00.000-08:00

My sister lives in KS and a few weeks ago they had some really bad icy weather. This is a picture of her front yard and the "FUN" of winter in the midwest!

Wear your water socks!

2008-01-23T16:07:00.001-08:00

Remember these attractive foot adornments? I learned a very good lesson this week about choosing proper "gear" and trying to look "good."

So, I did the "New Years Resolution" thing and joined my local LA Fitness and I have been trying out all the different classes that they offer. I have been going to an "Aqua Fitness" class and really like it. I noticed most of the other people in the class have been wearing these little water sock things. The shoes aren't very attractive so I opted not to go out and buy any. So at the end of class on Tuesday the instructor put us in two lines and had us run, in the water, to one end and back to our line. The guy I am running against had to be 60-70years old. He was NOT going to beat me, hey, it's a competition! I was just leaving this guy in my wake! But, on the return trip I notice he is gaining on me and I am not going to be beat by an old guy! So, I kick it up a notch and run my hardest. I beat him, oh yea, oh yea(sad isn't it to be so happy that you beat a geriatric in a water aerobics class?) But the last laugh was on me. As I get out of the pool I notice great pain on the bottom of my feet. Yep, you guessed it, I tore up the bottoms of my feet! I guess that's what happens when you get too competitive with the "older kids!" So, I am now the proud owner of the most unattractive water socks in the world. Water relay anyone?

Cindy with Apprentice star!

2007-11-29T10:53:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in such a long time, I hope I remember how to do it! Anyway, I have been really busy this month speaking and going to seminars/workshops, basically having a BLAST! So I am at this one workshop and who should I see... Kristi Frank from Donald Trump's The Apprentice, Season 5. Remember the season with Omarosa? Now, I have a friend back in Wichita, KS that thinks it is so funny that I watch all these reality shows... Apprentice, Bachelor, Dancing With The Stars, just to name a few (it's my thing, I love it, get over it.) So, I just had to get my picture taken with Kristi and then send it to my friend! I see Kristi standing by herself and figure it's a good time to approach. She couldn't have been nicer. Then I ask if I can get my picture taken with her and she said she would love to. So far so GOOD. I hand my camera to a GUY standing close by and asked him if he would snap-a-shot of my good friend Kristi and myself. I was so happy to have a picture to send to my friend that I didn't even check the screen to see how it looked. CHECK THIS OUT!

Which one of us beauties do you think he was focused on????? But, if you look in the bottom right-hand corner you can almost make out my name tag... just so you know it is really me! He was young, she is beautiful, so I can understand how he got confused with my request to take OUR picture! Sometimes you just gotta laugh at life!

Peace, Love and Safety! Cindy

NHTI in Concord, NH

2007-10-30T18:04:00.000-07:00

KICK ALLY, KICK! Above you can see the spunky organizer of my visit to New Hampshire Technical Institute, Ally Steel. Ally, who is the President of Student Senate, has been working really hard on plans to bring me to NHTI for about a year now. All of her hard work and organization came together this week. These girls were so energetic and they asked some really great questions. NHTI recently added "Blue Lights" to their campus which is a great step toward keeping students, faculty and visitors safe while walking around this picturesque school. Here some of the girls are telling you that "NO MEANS NO!" Today the girls had various backgrounds in self-defense. Some of them had studied martial arts, some had taken classes while in high school and then there was the experience of having Big Brothers! Way back when, when your big brother was beating up on you, little did you know he was doing you a big favor. Take care and NHTI girls ROCK!
Peace, Love and Safety,
Cindy

Beautiful New Hampshire

2007-10-30T17:43:00.000-07:00

How pretty is that? Now that I am living out in sunny CA, I really miss the changing of the leaves and the 4 seasons. But, this week I have been in beautiful New Hampshire and my thirst for red, yellow and orange leaves has been quenched. I actually took this picture in the parking lot of a Sam's store! Keep your eyes open, there are beautiful sights everywhere you go.
Peace, Love and Safety,
Cindy

Fairmont Teachers ROCK!!!!!

2007-10-20T10:46:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I get home, Thur. afternoon, from a hectic few days of travel(not to mention sleeping on the floor of the MN airport) and try to get rested up because I am scheduled to speak the next morning at Fairmont Private School in Anaheim, CA. You always want to bring your "A" game to a presentation but when you are tired and stiff(thank you airport floor!)some mornings you wonder if it will all come together. That's exactly the way I felt Friday morning. But, as soon as I met Elly, the program organizer for Fairmont, I could just feel the energy creeping back into my body. I am getting set up for the program when I meet Mary, a teacher at Fairmont. She was very professional, really interested in personal safety and I could just feel this was going to be a great group of women to work with. I had no idea how teachers can LET THEIR HAIR DOWN! What an COOL group of women. They were cracking me up throughout the entire program. And Mary, that very professional, refined woman was a hoot! I totally forgot about being tired and stiff. Ahhhh, the power of surrounding yourself with positive, amazing women! There were some very TINY gals in the class, so we also discussed ways in which they would have to adapt the techniques to their size. If the energy in this program is any indication of what these teachers bring to the classroom... what a lucky bunch of students!!!Thank you ladies, I had a great time!

Peace, Love and Safety,

Cindy

St. Paul College

2007-10-18T05:10:00.000-07:00

This week I took off to St. Paul, MN to speak at Saint Paul College and what an interesting trip it turned out to be.(more on that in the next post) Pictured above are some of the last stragglers that attended my program. The students, pictured above, and I got so wrapped up in questions and comments that I totally forgot to get a picture of everyone that attended the program. So, I apologize for not getting a picture of everyone, but I enjoyed every single one of you! A great big thank-you to Janey Weber for putting my visit together. She worked around a flood in the building and tons of construction going on outside, so KUDOS to Janey! Also a big Thank You to Tim for helping out as my "Bad Guy." This was such an interesting and diverse group. We had students from the culinary, welding and sign language depts. and even the landscaping crew was represented! The program went well but read the next post to see what happened next!!!

SLEEPLESS IN ST. PAUL!

2007-10-18T04:57:00.001-07:00

What an adventure!!! This week I traveled to Minnesota and the Travel Gods were not working with me. Above you will see the glamorous side of travel. This is me and a few of my closest travel friends bedding down for the night in the St. Paul, MN airport. Keep your fingers crossed for me because as of 7:01am MN time I am still waiting for a flight out!
Peace, Love and wishing for a blanket!
Cindy

American First Credit Union x's 2!

2007-10-09T23:15:00.000-07:00

What a fun filled day! Today I spoke at American First CU in Buena Park and La Habra. The morning program was an energetic breakfast meeting and the afternoon program was a lunch-n-learn gathering. Everyone left the programs feeling empowered, strong and ready to live their safest lives possible. The ladies had good questions, there was lots of yelling and some really great bonding between co-workers today. Just take a look at these smiling faces...
Notice how BOB manages to get his mug in every shot! I think someone is practicing an "eye jab" YOU GO GIRL! Stay safe.
Peace, Love and Safety,
Cindy

The pretty RED lights!

2007-10-09T22:34:00.000-07:00

Once again, guess which way I was heading???? Yes, I was heading west, following ALL the pretty red tail lights! I was up at 4:30am this morning and hit the road early to speak at two different programs today. The traffic out here in CA is one thing that I just don't know if I will ever get used to. But, you do what you have to do and I had a great day so..........
It's ALL GOOD!
Peace, Love and Safety,
Cindy

"Lunch and Learn"

2007-09-27T21:51:00.000-07:00

What a good-looking group! Today I traveled to Irvine, CA to speak to this energetic group of employees at Allergan. A great big THANK YOU to Zeny(in the black and white stripped top) for putting this all together. And of course, THANKS to the two young men to the left of Zeny, for VOLUNTEERING to be my Bad Guys! I have to say, this group was one of the LEAST intimidated groups I have spoken to in a long time. They really let it rip when I asked them to YELL! I will never forget... "You are NOT my sugar daddy!" Stay safe and remember your
BRA! Be aware, Run Away!
Peace, Love and Safety,
Cindy

Guess which way I was heading?????

2007-09-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the Inland Valley(where I live) of Southern California had a little drizzle of rain, no big deal you say? Since So Cal isn't familiar with the concept of rain, the traffic goes crazy mad when we experience some precipitation. Needless to say, I only had to drive 62 miles, but it took me 2 1/2 hours! Looking at the picture above, guess which way I was heading? The morning drive was hectic but imagine my surprise and relief when it only took me 1 hour to get home!
Anyway, I was heading west to participate in the City of Huntington Beach, Health and Lifestyle Expo. I serve as the "Personal Safety Expert" for these Expos and I get to meet wonderful people and share my little nuggets of personal safety information. I think everyone enjoyed the practical tips that I spoke about and after yesterdays Health and Lifestyle Expo the City of HB will be a much safer community!
Peace, Love and Safety!
Cindy

An intimate gathering at the beach!

2007-09-03T16:31:00.000-07:00

I guess Labor Day isn't the day for a trip to the beach!

Where's Cindy???

2007-09-03T16:03:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the LA Fashion District! If you look right smack dab in the center of this picture you can see me waving to my husband. How fun does this look? It depends on who you ask. I loved it, my husband, well he was being a good husband and humored me this day! This was really just a small alley in the middle of the Fashion District, which consists of about 90 blocks. It was so much fun and I can't wait to go back! Next time I might have to tell him we are going to a Lakers game...

Shopping, shopping, shopping!

2007-08-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

This weekend my husband and I went to the LA Fashion District shopping for new t-shirts for Fearless and Female. He was such a trooper since big crowds and shopping are two of his least favorite things in the world. Me, on the other hand, I love the hustle and bustle of big crowds and the shopping and the browsing and the people watching! Anyway, we found a new t-shirt supplier and I am working on some fresh new designs for F&F shirts. This summer has been a time of change and growth for F&F. Stay tuned because I will be unveiling these changes in a few short months.
Peace, Love and Safety!
Cindy

Fairmont Health Expo

2007-08-22T09:56:00.000-07:00

Well, another great health expo under my belt! Yesterday I was in Anaheim, CA at Fairmont Preparatory Academy. As you can see above, Bob, accompanied me as usual. I met some wonderful teachers and administrators and a good time was had by all. One teacher shared some great ideas, that she uses, while running. Thanks Sheila!!! I will share her idea with everyone in the September E-Newsletter. If you don't already receive my newsletter, please go to my site at; www.fearlessandfemale.com and sign up! Can't wait to start sending you some tips that just might save your life!

Rear Choke hold

2007-08-02T21:45:00.000-07:00

Your's Truly in a choke hold! If you ever find yourself in this situation your first priority is to maintain a clear airway. Grabbing his arm and pulling down, turn your head toward the crook of his arm. Manuver your chin down into the crook of his arm making space for your windpipe. You are now in position for a hammer fist to the groin, a stomp to his foot or even a bite to his arm. Once you get a window of opportunity, RUN TO SAFETY!

Boeing Aerospace

2007-08-02T07:40:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I traveled to Huntington Beach, CA and had the pleasure of speaking to the women of Boeing Aerospace. This was my second visit to Boeing, and this time I knew all the rules and regulations! Boeing does not allow cameras on site, thus the stock photo above. Usually I post pictures of smiling faces of the women that participate in the program. So use your imagination, and envision a room full of women in business attire laughing, yelling and trying out some of my fave self-defense techniques. I invited one hesitant participant up on stage to try a palm heel to the nose and she had on these beautiful stiletto heels. I could see the wheels turning in the minds of the other women. "What great shoes and what great WEAPONS!" One lady started suggesting different ways in which these shoes could be used as an improvised weapon! It was a wonderful moment for me as an instructor to see these women really thinking about different scenarios and what they would do in that situation. Remember this "Know what you've got, and know how to use it!" Think of things around your home, car or office that you could grab in a moment of need to use as improvised weapons. Also, if you have mace or pepper spray, do you know how to use it? Have you actually opened it up and tested it to find out if you could operate it in a stressful situation? Set up a target in your backyard and give it a whirl.
I also want to send a huge "Thank You" to my two Bad Guys, Randy and John. You may never realize what a difference your time has made to the lives of the women that participated in this class! Thanks a million!
Peace, Love and Safety,
Cindy

4th of July

2007-07-04T08:11:00.001-07:00

What a beautiful sight! Take time to remember the men and women who fought for this country in years past and the brave souls that are fighting today for the wonderful freedoms that we enjoy every single day.

Happy 4th of July!

Random sightings

2007-06-30T08:46:00.001-07:00

OK, how random and fun is this? Last month I traveled back to Wichita, KS where I met up with my sister. We are in the process of selling our mom and dads house, since they both passed away in 2006, and what an emotional time all of that is! Anyway, back to the randomness and fun... whenever we would start feeling sad and overwhelmed, my sister and I would take a break and either go get something to eat or we would go shopping! So, this one afternoon we are in Dillard's kind of walking around in a sadness fog and I saw someone I recognized. I holler out to my sister "we know that woman" and I make a bee-line from the purses section over to the shoe section. By now my sister had caught up with me(I think she thought I had finally lost my mind) and was cautiously walking by my side. I walked up to this woman and asked her if her name was Cindy Haas? She looked at me (like she thought I had lost my mind) and said "it used to be." Oh my gosh, this is the lady that my parents named me after! I said "I'm Cindy Cushing" which was my maiden name. I haven't see her since elementary school but I still recognized her! This Cindy had been my dance teacher way back when I was 3yrs old through elementary school. She then turned to her friend and said "oh my gosh, her parents named her after me!" What a reunion. I was so caught up in everything that I had not even really looked at Cindy's friend when she tapped me on the shoulder and said "remember ME?" It was one of my Gamma Phi Beta sorority sisters, Diane Gans! Well you can just imagine all the squealing and hugging going on in the shoe department that day!!! So there we are above, in the Dillards shoe department, yours truly in the middle, Diane on the left and Cindy on the right. So, here's a cheer to good friends!

Happy Mother's Day to me!

2007-06-24T22:58:00.001-07:00

(A little late but I just got the pictures)

Some moms like to have a nice relaxing day on Mother's Day weekend. Yours truly spent Mother's Day kicking ASS. I spent the weekend getting certified in a new self-defense curriculum. I am now certified to teach "Fight Like A Girl" and "Girls On Guard." This is a wonderful program and I will soon be adding these techniques to Fearless and Female. I had a blast!

Funny sign!

2007-06-17T14:55:00.001-07:00

Sorry, but I just had to post one more picture from my Hawaii vacation. Watch For Falling Coconuts! How funny is that? I love this.
Aloha (last time for that too!)

Beautiful Sunset in Hawaii

2007-06-16T07:59:00.000-07:00

It was really difficult to leave Hawaii with a view like this. But, life was waiting for me back in CA. It was a wonderful trip with great friends and my husband. I have to give my husband many Kudos for planning such a nice trip, all by himself! We went to a traditional Luau, snorkled with Manta Rays, drove around the island sightseeing and he even endured a shopping spree! I can't wait until my next visit!
Peace, Love and ALOHA!
Cindy

Hello from Hawaii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-06-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

Here I am in Kona, Hawaii at a black sand beach. Hawaii is beautiful and a wonderful treat for this girl from Kansas! The black sand on this beach was sooooo hot but as soft a silk. We had to drive down a very steep dirt road to get down to this beach but it was so worth it. Last night we swam with Manta Rays. It was the scariest thing I have done in a long time but it was AWESOME. (Pictures to come) The dive was at night, so we had to carry really bright flashlights. Tiny fish would swim to the light and then the Manta Rays would swim up to eat them. These massive Rays were 15ft across and some weighed 2000lbs! It was such a rush when they would swim right up to you and then do a backward somersault within inches of your face. I have to admit I was screaming (in my mask) the first few times they circled under me but if you ever get the chance you must swim with the Manta Rays. We are heading to a Luau tonight and then back to the rat race late Wednesday. Aloha!

Memorial Day

2007-05-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

This is the first Memorial Day that I have been in Wichita, KS, since my move to CA three years ago. I visited the grave of my dear friend Julie Ladd, who is the spirit behind Fearless and Female. As I placed a single red rose on Julie's marker I vowed to keep up the fight, literally, and spread the word about violence against women. Julie will always be remembered, not for the way she was killed, but for the way she lived her life.
Peace, Love and Safety,
Cindy

Julie Marie Ladd

2007-05-16T12:28:00.000-07:00

30 years ago on May 15, 1977, Julie Marie Ladd was murdered in the basement of her dormitory on the campus of Wichita State University. Julie's life is now the motivation and driving force behind Fearless and Female. The purpose of Fearless and Female is to teach women of all ages the personal safety skills that Julie and I never had the opportunity to learn. Julie and I knew how to dance, swim and drive a car but we didn't know how to protect our bodies in dangerous situations. Here's to helping women empower their lives in ways they never thought possible!
Peace, Love and Safety,
Cindy Coughenour

Missing MVSU student

2007-05-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

Search for missing student takes to the air
By ELORIA NEWELL JAMES - Delta Democrat Times

WASHINGTON COUNTY - The Washington County Sheriff Department has expanded its search to the air for a missing Mississippi Valley State University student last seen in Washington County.Louis Scott, 21, of Tchula in Holmes County, was reportedly last seen about 12 days ago in the Leland area.Scott, who is in the Army National Guard and served a year in Afghan-istan, and some friends reportedly came to Greenville on April 21. After a time in the Port City, they began traveling back to Itta Bena. However, Scott never arrived back on the Valley campus, according to officials.Washington County Sheriff Milton Gaston said thanks to a local flying service, Edwards Flying Service of Leland, his department was able to search for Scott from the air on Wednesday. Scott was last seen in his white Chevrolet Monte Carlo with an Army National Guard tag. The vehicle's tag number is 041240.Anyone with information about Scott or his whereabouts is asked to call the Washington County Sheriff's Department at (662) 334-4523, Crime Stoppers at (662) 378-8477 (TIPS).

I spoke at MVSU on April 3rd. This story really drives home the point that both MEN and women are vulnerable to danger. Never let your guard down. Be aware Run Away. For the complete article please click on the link below. Keep this young mans family in your thoughts and prayers.
http://www.ddtonline.com/articles/2007/05/03/news/news3.txt

It's good to be home

2007-04-07T07:59:00.000-07:00

I am HOME! Where are the happy children running to meet me? The happy husband? Well, as you can see the first one to greet me was my sweet little dog Dude. He probably thought I had some treats in my pocket. Oh, and yes the happy children and husband did come to to welcome me home too!
Check out the PINK LUGGAGE. I never have trouble spotting it in baggage claim. And guess what? Nobody has ever accidentally pulled it off thinking it was theirs!
Peace, Love and Safety,
Cindy

Big "Mr. Bad Guy"

2007-04-03T19:04:00.000-07:00

Tonight I spoke to some wonderful Mississippi women at MVSU. My "Mr. Bad Buy" was by far the biggest attacker that I have worked with in a long time. I'm thinking 6'4"-6'5", if not bigger and, he was awesome! (see him pictured above) Mr. Randle heads up the Campus Violence Prevention Program and he was responsible for bringing Fearless and Female to MVSU.Not only did we have a diverse group of women in attendance, a local news station showed up to tape the program for the evening news! How cool is that? Way to go MVSU! These women were really fun to work with and they had some great questions. After the program I heard many of the women talking about walking out to their cars together! Way to go, again! I just love Safety Chicks! All I can say is, MISSISSIPPI WOMEN ROCK!

NOOOOOOOOO, GET BACK

2007-04-02T18:49:00.000-07:00

This morning was such FUN. I gave a Fearless and Female workshop at the National Conference on Student Leadership in Jacksonville, FL. As you can see from the picture above, there were quite a few guys in attendance, and they were a riot! I have to thank John, in the front row in the black jacket, he took video of the whole program. Thanks a million John! See the guy in the middle of the picture on the floor? His name is Nate and he stood in as my Mr. Bad Guy. What a great guy. He grabbed me, choked me and followed all my instructions to a tee to help teach everyone some wonderful personal safety skills.
Shortly after we started the hands-on portion of the program I noticed a young woman in tears. She was having some really bad memories of a time when she and her brother were confronted by a man that meant them harm. I was so impressed by this young woman as she told the entire class what had happened to them. What strength! And the really cool thing that happened next was the whole class burst into applause in honor of this young woman confronting her fears. I get chills when I think about it!
I get such happiness when I see the young women in my program hit the bag and realize what strength and power they have, but never knew it, and these women today had some incredible power.
Well, I am now in Mississippi getting some much needed rest before I speak to another group of students Tuesday night. Stay tuned...

Wild and crazy students!

2007-03-31T18:14:00.000-07:00

Knee to the GROIN anyone?

Hello from Jacksonville, Fl and the National Conference on Student Leadership. Looks like everyone is having a great time! Well, maybe not the recipients of the knee to the groin technique, but everyone else is having a great time. I am in Jacksonville, FL this weekend as an exhibitor and workshop leader for this popular student conference. These students are amazing, energetic and proud representatives for their college campuses. They will be attending motivational and leadership building workshops all weekend and then Monday morning they will come to my workshop for an empowering workout in personal safety. Keep checking back for more great pictures from Florida!
Cindy

Grace College

2007-03-30T09:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a bit of a traveling pain in the butt, as you will read in my last post. But as soon as the women of Grace College walked into the room, last night, I was totally re-energized by their spirit and enthusiasm. They were so much fun, and I might add, they hit really hard! I think a few of them enjoyed delivering the knee to the groin a bit too much. Here are a few of the girls that came to hear my program. Take a look at those sweet faces...... it is all an act, these women are dangerous! Keep checking back and I will post more pictures because I have some great shots! Girls, keep that wonderful spirit going. Love you all.

Peace, Love and Safety,
Cindy

Traveling woes

2007-03-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

All I can say is this... Thursday was the traveling day from HE double toothpicks! Get it? HELL.

Anyway, my morning started at 3AM, when I arose in CA, to catch a 6AM flight to Chicago. I had a stop in in Denver, and guess what? SNOW. Ok, I can work with that. But that flight was delayed from leaving Denver for 2 hours. Ok, I can work with that. Whew, finally made it to Chicago(2 hours late) and rented a car. I left O'Hare airport at 4:30pm (foresee any trouble with 5:00 traffic?) and started a 2.5 hour trip to Indiana. About 4:45pm I hit the Dan Ryan Freeway. Now, I don't know what anyone ever did to this Dan Ryan fella, but it was bumper to bumper traffic. Ok, I can work with that, hey I live in CA where traffic is king. Well, this 2.5 hour drive turned into 4 hours. OK now, come on, I drove 12miles in an hour and 45 minutes! Ok, I don't like it, but I can work with this. Long story short, I had to drive straight to my speaking engagement, with my "airplane sleeping hairdo" and the same clothes I started in at 3AM that morning. I did have time to run to the bathroom and brush my teeth and try to do something with my "airplane sleeping hairdo." By the time my program started I was so wired from all the caffeine and sugary granola bars, which I had been eating all day, that I was bouncing off the walls. Ok, I can work with that! Well, my point in sharing this hectic day of travel is this, try to keep a positive attitude and not get frazzled when things are going less than perfect. Just think, someday it might just be a funny story to post on your BLOG!

My mantra from now on is this "OK, I can work with that!" But hey, check back with me next week after 5 more days of travel and airplane connections and see how my attitude is then! Check out this great picture I took this morning, of the Chicago skyline.

Boeing, Huntington Beach

2007-03-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

On Wed. I had the pleasure to speak to the employees of Boeing, Huntington Beach. They were very interested in learning about living safe and everyone that received a B.R.A! sticker got a big chuckle out of it.

I will tell you one thing, if you think security at the airport is tight, try getting into Boeing! I was quite impressed with the process. They have a security desk that checks your name and photo ID and then you are escorted everywhere you go inside their facility. The only rule that threw a wrench into my day was the one that states, they do not allow cameras of any kind inside the facility. I love to snap pictures of women posing with Bob. Well, this was not happening at Boeing! Being a new digital camera owner, I just had to take this picture of the Boeing sign as I was RUNNING my camera back to my car. Yes, the security guard was very kind about it but he let me know, in no uncertain terms, that I was not getting past him with that camera. Cool, I can work with that, I am a rule follower. I hope it was OK to snap this pic. Don't tell anyone!

Peace, Love and Safety!

Watch out Bob!

2007-03-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

"Don't try anything funny, Mister." I think this Fearless Female is sizing Bob up for a future butt kickin! Today I met some wonderful women at Merit PM. They were very interested in my B.R.A! theory and I hope to see their stickers proudly displayed in their offices.
Don't forget to pass my newsletter on to other women. Pay it forward. If you heard something new and interesting about personal safety today, share it with another woman. Keep reading, I have posted more Merit pictures.
Peace, Love and Safety,
Cindy

More awesome Merit women!!!

2007-03-26T16:04:00.000-07:00

I love my job! I've said that before, but it is the truth. I get to gab with women endlessly, we share stories, tips and tears. And, I have to tell you, my heart is full! I hate to even call it a J.O.B. because that just doesn't give it justice. I hope to bring a smile to your face, hope in your heart and a knee to the groin to your bag of personal safety tricks! Here are more happy faces...

Bobs Beauties!

2007-03-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

Say "Hello" to Bobs Beauties! These are Bobs new gal pals and what a friendly group they were. Todays Health and Lifestyle Expo was at Merit PM and I enjoyed speaking to each and every one of you. Don't forget the practical safety tips I shared with you! Got to run and post some more pictures.

Happy Birthday to ME

2007-03-18T21:37:00.000-07:00

What a lucky girl! My birthday is March 17th, which just so happens to be St. Patricks Day. It is also my sisters birthday. How rotten, for her, to get a kid sister on your 8th birthday. But we are really close, even though she lives in KS and I am way out in CA.

Anyway, my husband shot me right into the techno future this year. He gave me an XMradio and a GPS for my car. No more Yahoo maps for this girl! The GPS is so cool. The nice lady tells you when to turn, merge and make a LEGAL U Turn. I always want to tell her "Thank You" when she gets me to the right destination. How did I ever get around without this thing? If you don't have one, and if you do much driving, you must get one. Well, time to come down from this birthday cake sugar high and get ready for a new year, one year older!

Hanging out in the OC!

2007-03-16T17:20:00.000-07:00

You gotta just love California! It is March 16th (by the way my birthday is tomorrow, St. Patty's Day!) and here I am enjoying the great outdoors and soaking up some rays! This is my table at the Health & Lifestyle expo today in Orange County. The following two posts include pictures of some of the terrific women in attendance.

Sip a Green Beer in my birthday honor tomorrow!

Peace, Love and Safety,
Cindy

Health Expo Pictures

2007-03-16T17:06:00.000-07:00

Another successful Health Expo today. Here you go ladies, your pictures with Bob, as promised. What a beautiful day. Thank you for stopping by to say hello and remember "B.R.A"

Be aware, Run, Away!!!!!

Word and Brown Health Expo

2007-03-16T16:40:00.000-07:00

Where else, but California, could you hold an expo outside on the roof of a parking garage in the MIDDLE OF MARCH? Being a girl from the midwest, this just blows my mind! Many of my friends back in Kansas are still wearing their heavy winter coats and here I am enjoying the sunshine and blue skies of southern CA.
I partner with a CA company, Health Dimensions, and serve as the "Personal Safety Expert" at their Health Expos held in Orange County. Todays expo was for Word and Brown and I met some awesome women on the roof of that parking garage. We shared some laughs, some sad stories and a heapin' helpin' of female bonding. Here are some of the beautiful women that stopped by to admire BOB. Geeezzz, he gets all the attention!

What I know for sure!

2007-03-10T08:18:00.000-08:00

New Jersey is cold, the highways are confusing but the WOMEN ROCK!!!
This week I traveled from CA to NJ to teach some butt kicking techniques to the students at Middlesex County College. Some of the women were a little quiet in the beginning, but midway through the program they started yelling and hitting and kicking like pros. There were lots of high fives and hugs going around which is the beauty of working with a room full of women. I love the encouragement and enthusiasm that fills the air during a Fearless and Female program.

I want to thank Salvador for his help and standing in as Mr. Bad Guy! He had some great tips for all of us as well. Remember girls, stop by the martial arts program on Saturdays and try it out. Keep training and learning about personal safety. I still attend self-defense programs from time to time for a refresher.

The only snafu was when I misplaced my digital camera before the program! I put it in a pocket of my suitcase in a place where I couldn't lose it and guess what? When it came time to snap pictures of these awesome ladies, I couldn't remember where I had put the dang camera! I apologize that I didn't get a pic of everyone, but these are some of the cool women that hung around after the program to ask questions and share stories! Remember to give AUDREY a great big hug when you see her for putting together a wonderful week of empowerment and education for women! Thanks again Audrey.

Thank You, Health Dimensions!

2007-02-07T17:21:00.000-08:00

A huge Thank You goes out to Health Dimensions for putting together a wonderful Health and Lifestyle Expo today!
This is Lisa, with Health Dimensions, and she was working hard to make sure eveyone had everything they needed for a great expo.
I might add this, everytime Lisa passed "Bob" she couldn't keep her hands off of him! I could tell she was ready to kick some serious BUTT!
Thanks again, Lisa, for all the hard work today!

Hanging with the women of the OC

2007-02-07T16:54:00.000-08:00

Today I spent some time with the Fearless Females of the OC! I participated in a Health and Lifestyle Expo for the employees of the American First Credit Union in La Habra, CA. As you can see, "Bob" was attracting quite a crowd. The women at the CU couldn't wait to get their hands on "Bob" and try the EYE JAB. Thank goodness Bob is such a good sport, most guys would get tired of the jabs to the eye, palm heels to the nose and knees to the groin!

Safety at any age!

2007-01-31T07:47:00.000-08:00

Personal safety is important at any age. Whether you are 12 or 72, taking control of your personal safety is a significant gift to give yourself. The lovely woman in the background of this picture is 72! She was wonderful and spunky and participated in every technique that I taught. What a great example she was for the younger women in the class.
I have a new role model!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marissa Marie Graham Rocks!!!!!!!

2007-01-21T17:38:00.000-08:00

Good news for the family of Marissa Marie Graham. She escaped from her abductor when he stopped at a convience store. I heard on Fox News that she ran from the car yelling at the top of her lungs and then ran to safety inside the convience store. What an amazing little girl. She waited for her window of opportunity for escape and then ran to safety. Marissa, YOU ROCK!!! Please read article below.

TEXHOMA, Okla. — Marissa Marie Graham was found in New Mexico Friday after she escaped from the back of a car when her kidnapper stopped at a convenience store for gas, officials said.
Oklahoma police issued an Amber Alert for the 10-year-old girl earlier, after she was reported missing in Texhoma in Texas County Thursday night. Police have a suspect in custody.
"She took the opportunity to bolt from the car and into the convenience store and identify herself as the girl everyone was looking for and give the telephone number for the Texhoma Police Department," said State Amber Alert coordinator Gene Thaxton.
The suspect was arrested at the store by New Mexico State Police and Clovis police, Thaxton said. His name was not immediately released.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...

Be aware, Run Away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Safe and secure?????

2007-01-20T08:08:00.000-08:00

By now, if you have been following Fearless and Female, you know the story of my childhood friend Julie Ladd. Julie was murdered in the basement of her dorm on the Wichita State campus. Julie was on her way to a vending machine in the basement when she was murdered. Now, WSU had security that made frequent stops at the dorms and the front doors of the dorm were locked at all times. Sounds safe right? Well, not exactly. The young women living in the dorm would, innocently enough, prop a basement door open so if they forgot their key or if they had friends coming over they could still get into the dorm. (this is how Julie's murderer got into the basement) That is what I refer to in my program as "risky behavior". We should be able to prop our doors open, leave our homes unlocked and walk around without fear everyday, but that is not reality. I tell you this, not to throw you into a tailspin of fear or to find fault with your behavior but to remind you to think about your actions, as they can have consequences not only for you but also for those around you.
One of the things I like to do when I speak at a college that I have never been to, is to take some time and walk around and soak up the campus atmosphere. I also try to speak to the women on campus and get their take on safety. I hear about all of the safety plans and procedures that their school has in action. Some of the dorms have 4 or 5 safety checkpoints that you have to pass through before you actually get into the dorm. These checkpoints can be such things as a security guard checking your school photo ID, a door key, an electronic key pad, a slide card entrance and so on. Pretty impressive and a great effort on the part of the schools. But, on one college visit, as I was soaking up the campus atmosphere I saw the back side of one of these safe and secure dorms. I snapped this picture and wanted to share this image with you....

This school had 4 different security measures, in place for this dorm. But, as you can see a ground floor window has been left open for anyone and everyone to peer into or easily, crawl into. Not only is this unsafe for the students that live in this particular room, but it is also unsafe for all the other students living in this dorm. Think about your actions every single day.
YOUR personal safety begins with YOU!

Peace, Love and Safety,
Cindy

Gadget Girl

2007-01-15T18:42:00.000-08:00

Door Stop Alarms!

As promised, here is the information for the Door Stop Alarms.

The door stop alarm will sound if the unit is moved or if the door is opened. You can use this alarm too block a door from being opened. If anyone tries to open the door, the 125db alarm will sound. There is also a movement sensor with adjustable sensitivity to activate the door stop alarm if tampered with. Uses one 9-volt battery.

These alarms can be ordered at the following website.

www.personalarms.com and then go to Home Alarms

Loma Linda University School of Medicine

2007-01-14T20:22:00.000-08:00

Today I traveled to Loma Linda University School of Medicine to kick butt with some of the doctors wives! Don't let these sweet faces fool you, these girls were real Fearless Females. Here Kira is demonstrating an eye poke and Melissa is delivering a perfect palm heel to the nose. In addition to all the hitting and kicking there were some great questions as well.

One of the questions hit close to home for me. So, which should you do first? Put your children in the car first then the groceries or groceries first, then the kids? I struggled with this question many times while walking to my minivan with a preschooler, a toddler and an infant. Which should you do first??? I have tried it both ways and have felt vulnerable each time. One way, your children are in the car while you are loading groceries the other way you are loading groceries while your children are in and around the cart. Either way you do it you are spending a certain amount of time working on those darn grocery sacks and your attention is taken away from your children. My solution??????? I request a carry-out boy everytime! I don't care if I only have 3 bags of groceries, I still ask for a carry-out. I am soooooo over worrying about what people might think of me. This way, I put the children in the car while he works on the groceries. And get this, I also ask him to wait until I get the children and myself safely locked in the car. Remember this, there is safety in numbers. I have even gone as far as to request a carry-out at stores such as Wal-Mart. Just a reminder, awareness, prevention and intuition are the keys to your personal safety. I guess I should add, awareness, prevention, intuition and a carry-out boy!

Peace, Love and Safety,

Cindy

Quiksilver

2007-01-12T20:51:00.000-08:00

This week I had the opportunity to speak to some of the employees at Quiksilver in Huntington Beach, CA. What a cool place to work! Out of the corner of my eye, I kept seeing something fly down the halls, but I couldn't see what it was for sure. Finally, much to my surprise, the object flying down the hall was an employee ON ROLLERBLADES! How cool is that? I must admit that I would be the employee WITHOUT wheels strapped to my feet.

Fearless and Female was invited to be part of a Health Expo that Quiksilver provided for their employees. I spoke to quite a few young women that shared stories of "scary experiences" and "bad dates". It has almost become an accepted part of a womans life experiences to have had these bad dates and scary situations. I am not OK with that! I also find it very interesting that when these women tell me their stories they usually admit that they have told very few people, if any, about these situations. That is the really sad part of this whole thing, not talking about it!!! We have to keep the dialog going. We have to keep talking about sexual assault, harassment and any violence against women. Since this subject isn't talked about openly, women that have had these experiences think they are the only person that this has happened to, so therefore they feel they are somehow responsible. Lets keep talking, sharing and caring. You are not alone.
Peace, Love and Safety
Cindy

University of Maine at Augusta

2006-12-06T13:39:00.000-08:00

This week I spent two days, at home in CA, looking for my winter gloves. Why? you ask. Because, on Tuesday I left sunny and WARM southern California to travel to Maine to teach women the importance of personal safety. If you love 17 degree weather, then Maine is the place for you! The cold weather couldn't stop the hospitality of the program organizers at the University of Maine at Augusta. Starting from the left is Rose, Ann and Melissa. Not only did they put together a wonderful Women's Wellness Day for the students at UMA they also treated me to a homecooked luncheon. How cool is that?
My hands-on program took place in an open lounge area and let me tell you this, there were 4-5 male students who stopped by the program who were more than happy to stand in as my Mr. Bad Guys. They all had some wonderful tips and suggestions to share with the women attending the program. Many, many thanks to these "good guys". It makes me so happy to see men that are aware and willing to step up to the plate and help stop violence against women.

Thank you to all the people who made this day possible for the women at UMA. Keep up the good work, you are making a difference!

National Conference on Student Leadership

2006-11-19T21:05:00.000-08:00

Say hello to some amazing student leaders! This was another great shot of everyone showing off their favorite self-defense moves. I think the guy in the light blue shirt behind me was about to try something! Did he not see me demonstrate the knee to the groin???

Disney World

2006-11-19T19:30:00.000-08:00

Disney World will never be the same! This past week energetic college students, from all over the country, landed in Orlando, FL to attend the National Conference on Student Leadership. On Saturday, as a workshop leader, I shared some of my favorite self-defense moves of all time. These students were so pumped and the energy in the room was amazing! My "bad guy" volunteers were so helpful, not to mention a ton of fun. Hooray for the good guys in this world! It touches my heart to see these women walk into my program with worries and questions about their personal safety and then to see the strength in their eyes as they hit the pads I hold. Thank you for all the kind words after the program! Amazing how a few palm heel hits and some knees to the groin really bond women. Stay safe!!

Welcome to Widener University!

2006-11-14T19:21:00.000-08:00

Tonight I spoke to an awesome group of women at Widener University in Chester, PA. Here they are showing off some of the new KICK BUTT moves that they learned. I must tell you this, never underestimate the power of a tiny woman. The smallest girl in the group really let me have it! She had such power and she unleashed all of it tonight. A huge thanks to Jacqui Wolf for putting everything together and another person responsible for the evening, Ryan Riley. Ryan and I met at a leadership conference in San Diego, CA. He took my information back to his school and the rest is history. There really are some great, good guys still around and Ryan is one of them!

Brittney and Bob

2006-11-10T08:49:00.000-08:00

Meet Brittney and my partner, Bob! I met Brittney in San Diego, CA at the National Conference on Student Leadership. Being a fellow Kansan, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw her Fort Hays State University t-shirt. We had an immediate bond and chatted for quite a while. I spoke to tons of young women and some really great guys last month at this conference and they were all very interested in making their campus as safe as possible for fellow students. As I told them, your personal safety begins with YOU! Be pro-active, don't wait for someone else to protect you from violence. Learn how to be a really BAD TARGET of crime. Be aware of who and what is going on around you, and if
something creeps you out, get the heck out of there!
"Bob, put a shirt on!"

Dedicated to Julie Ladd

2006-09-24T18:01:00.000-07:00

Fearless and Female is dedicated to my childhood friend and next door neighbor since first grade, Julie Ladd. The summer after our freshman year at Wichita State University, Julie was murdered in the basement of her college dormitory. To read more about Julie, please go to
www.fearlessandfemale.com and read my dedication page.
This past weekend, I found this photo of Julie and myself all dressed up for a school program. It was "Grandparents Day" at school and we were starring in the 2nd grade program. I am on the left and Julie on the right. We were standing in my front yard and you can see the grey brick wall of Julies house behind us. I can remember the morning that this picture was taken just like it was yesterday. Such happy times. I will always remember that beautiful smile!

Gotta love that knee to the groin!

2006-09-10T21:43:00.000-07:00

I love teaching this powerful technique.
The women attending my classes love to
practice this move over and over and over
again!

Update on Casey Crowder

2006-09-04T14:41:00.000-07:00

Update on Casey from the site - www.caseycrowder.com

Casey Crowder's body has been found. Casey was found in the general vicinity of the Pendleton bridge in a wooded area. Your information is needed to help bring this child justice. We are asking for your help! If you were around this area at the time of the disappearance please contact The Arkansas State Police or your local law enforcement agency.
Toll Free Tip Line - 1-888-688-8549

Another child lost to violence. Talk to your children about safety EVERYDAY! Teach by example. LIVE AWARE!

Casey Crowder

2006-09-02T08:27:00.000-07:00

17 year-old Casey Crowder, a senior at Watson Chapel High School, disappeared along a busy Arkansas federal highway after running out of gasoline last weekend, August 27th. Crowder's car was found along US 65 south of Dumas, with her purse and cell phone gone but a softball bat and glove left behind. US 65 is a major route - mostly two lane - between Little Rock and Natchez, Miss. The car was out of gas, and its emergency flashers apparently had run the battery down. Casey had called her mother early in the morning and indicated she was going to walk to a nearby gas station.
Casey has blond hair, green eyes, is 5'1" and weighs about 105 pounds. She also has a pierced navel. If you have any information please call the Desha County Sheriff's department at (870)877-2327 or you can visit http://www.caseycrowder.com

Fearless and Female extends our thoughts and prayers to Casey's family and friends.

My nightly walk!

2006-08-26T21:34:00.000-07:00

Just when you thought it was safe to go for a walk in the neighborhood... I am so tired of irresponsible pet owners. I try to take a walk every evening and it never fails at least 2-3 times a week I encounter a pet running loose in the neighborhood. As you can see from the picture last night I was almost eaten by this wild beast! Seriously though, I have started carrying a stick, yes it is pink, but it is a stick just the same. You can see how this four legged attacker knows I am the one in control. I'm sure it would have the same effect on the two legged attacker as well!
Actually, this is my cute little dog "Dude" (don't ask, my sons named him) posing for this picture. I really do carry the "Pink Stick" when I walk. It sends the message, "I am in control and I am prepared".

Passionately Pink

2006-08-17T13:46:00.001-07:00

Know someone with breasts?? October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. I encourage you to visit the Susan G. Komen site, www.komen.org for great ideas for your school, business or organization to get involved in the promise of the cure for breast cancer. One by one we can make a difference!

OUCH!!!

2006-08-02T08:06:00.000-07:00

I think shes got it!

Here I am, with an awesome Fearless Female, receiving a knee to the groin. Kathy has coordinated THREE Fearless and Female programs for her church so I thought it would only be fair to let her demonstrate her favorite technique! Ouch!

Third times a charm!

2006-08-02T07:58:00.000-07:00

The women of East Heights United Methodist Church continue to amaze me! In July I traveled to Wichita, KS to teach a class at EHUMC. This was the third Fearless and Female program EHUMC has sponsored. The women were a ton of fun and I look forward to my fourth visit!

Friends from Kansas

2006-08-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

Taking time to reconnect with friends is a wonderful gift to give yourself. Last month I traveled to Wichita, Kansas for a speaking engagement and my high school reunion. Let me tell you this, between the empowerment from my Fearless and Female program and all the fun I had at my reunion I flew home without the plane!