I want to look...um, I mean,...feel good!

Contrary to popular belief, I am quite shy! EXTREMELY shy! So, what I am about to embark on is outrageous for me!


Yesterday, January 23rd --- one month after my 44th, I have decided that I am not serious enough about my health issues. You see, I am a DNA Defect :) I have major issues that are there...but, not overly serious....except, my Blood Pressure. (We'll talk about the others sometime later.) A year ago, my blood pressure went "stroke level" high and I have not been able to drop it. I had to *Cough* go on Meds. UGH! Major disappointment!

Sooooo, I am going to "kick-start" into making me healthier. Drastic never worked for me. Gradual always successful...except now! So, what I am about to do...will kind of be a drastic Move That Butt into gear! I'm getting older, times a tickin' and I have so much more to do in life --- why not do it with comfort?! Plus, I want to comfortably wear a bikini this coming summer...and, want to be energetic for New York City. Oh, not to mention...if I get my pic taken with Anderson Cooper...I don't want to "look" twice his size! I have competition - Kathy Griffin - damn her for looking beautiful!

With the help of my friend, Kimmer...I am going to whip my bad habits into good ones (fingers crossed) and share my thoughts & photos with you. This, too, will be an adventure. I love to Blog but can become lazy at it...so,....

1, 2, 3....JUMP! Here I go!

My name is Donna. My lifestyle is not the healthiest & I love FOOD.....pasta and chips and sauces and gravies! I am 44 and slightly overweight. OK...a lot overweight. I have High Blood Pressure and Asthma and I snore. I used to be a dancer, do aerobics, gymnastics, workout, bike & WTH happened?! Life got in the way and I misunderstood. So, here I am! In front of ALL of you.....

Donna Exposed!
I have no goal. I am just going "To Do It!" Please stay tuned for details!!!! :D

Any encouragement is welcome! Hold the advice till later...not looking for any. Just encouragement as I embark on a transformation!

Article in The Northern Light - Bathurst, NB *Kira Isabella

From The DH Files...

Every year, on a ranch near the tiny community of Holstein, they hold one of the best Rodeos - brought to you by the Egremont Optimist Club. It takes place every mid-July and they just celebrated 10 successful years. Country 93 has been with them every step of the way...and part of the involvement is the Country 93 Stage. You'll hear great Canadian Artists, upcomers, locals with New Country, Classics, Bluegrass & Gospel.

The Holstein Rodeo is where I found myself a daughter...well...I call her my adopted daughter. She is barely 17 & she is extremely talented: Kira Isabella from Ottawa.

It was another crazy & great year in Holstein and Kira Isabella was so nervous about performing...after all, The Road Hammers would be watching her! Tommy Gilham, another great artist, discovered and introduced Kira to The Holstein Rodeo for exposure. She and her parents were hanging out for the day when all of a sudden Kira's Mom freaked out - both Kira and her Mom were so excited and I think they even had tears in their eyes. Hmmm...had no idea my son had that affect on women. [Insert smiley face] You see, they ran into a young man that looked exactly like their son/brother. Again...enter my oldest son, Kyle. Apparently, Kyle is almost a duplicate of Kira's brother whom they had not (at that point) seen in a few years. He lives out in BC and they thought he was flown in to see her perform.Kyle, by the way, did not mind the attention or getting back stage. [Another Smiley Face] From that moment on, we formed a special bond. To me, she is my daughter - borrowed.

Since Holstein, Kira Isabella has been signed to Sony Music Canada, and she's been to Nashville recording. Her first single, Love Me Like That, hit the charts with a bang and her video got in circulation on CMT. She even wore her "video" dress to the CCMAs in Hamilton. Her second single, A Real Good Radio, is sure to catch your ear. It is also doing well on the charts!

If you want to check out my daughter (borrowed)...I mean...Kira Isabella, she is on the social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Her official website is www.kiraisabella.ca. You may even want to consider taking in The Holstein Rodeo. Come visit! Check things out at www.holsteinrodeo.com

Donna Henry, former Bathurst resident & CKBC Announcer, currently On Air for Country 93 - Mornings/Middays/Emerging Artist Coordinator in Owen Sound, ON.

Enjoy life....there are no re-runs!!!

Do you know what Pain is?

Well,...I certainly do! Thought I would take a different approach to my regular Blogs - which have NOT been regular - And, I want to talk about something that has been bothering me...A LOT!!!!!

Pain. Sometimes you look at someone and they look fine. Yes, just like all those postings on facebook. You can't "see" the pain...so...you figure the person is A-OK. That isn't always the case. For those of you that really know me...you know I suffer. And, I try not to say too much about the pain...but, well, um...it damn well HURTS!

I'm assuming it is a combination of my dancing/gymnastic/tomboy-ish days along with old age. Just add a couple of DNA defects there, too. 
I have mild scoliosis...a kyphoid spine...injuries from tree falls, and dancing and gymnastics. And, basically, it is all catching up! My Nana warned me...I can still hear her say it....almost 40 years ago! Oh...to top it all off: I have hyper joint flexibility mobility.

I have exercised all my life....maybe not as much in the past 3 years...I know...I need to get back into it! But, don't tell me it'll make the pain go away. It doesn't! I can remember pain ever since I was 9 years old...continual pain. You just learn to live with it. Except lately...it hits me at night. All night. Last night was bad! Up every hour...and the pain is a constant ache. I hate taking meds and lately I have been giving in...which makes me "expand" which puts more weight on my joints and causes more pain. See the cycle?! I have tried the "natural" and "holistic" ways...and they aren't working, either.

The one thing I have also learned is that when I am in a "bad" situation...I hurt. No,...I am not unhappy...I just hurt. My body tells me! Will I ever be pain-free...yeah, when I die....but, I'm not looking forward to that at the moment. I still have a LONG LIFE to live - just putting it out there to the Universe :) !!!

So, if I happen to snap at ya...which I NEVER mean to do...it could be how I am feeling inside! Just sayin'!

My Co-worker KILLS me! Careful...language may offend.

Co-Worker: Hey...have I shown you my new phone?! [Super excited]

Me: No.... [thinks anything is more exciting than my phone]

Co-Worker: Come check it out!!!! [almost runs to the studio]

[Pulls out phone. Talks to it:]

Co-Worker: Text Donna

Phone: What do you want to say to Donna Henry

[My eyes widen....crap...this is super cool!]

Co-Worker: Hey Donna it's Cory I just want to let you know you are a whore...smiley face.

[I walk out to my phone....sure enough...I have a text....it reads:]

Text: Hey Donna it's Cory I just want to let you know you are a core :)

[WTH???? Obviously "Phone" does not like bad language! Beep beep, beep beep! New text...]

Text: Whore

In my industry, I get to participate in a lot of extremely cool things. And, well....sometimes I have to really go-out-on-a-limb! For instance, Painting a picture when my best painting - EVER - may have been from Grade 5 (and, that's a stretch.)

It was 3 years ago that I saw something unique on facebook. It was introduced to me by New Brunswick Country Music Recording Artist - Chris Cummings. It prompted an interview with Chris that led me to an introduction to Tim Fox in Fredericton. So, this year I have finally come out of my shell and sent in my painting.

It is A Brush For Hope, a fund-raising project for The Kidney Foundation of Canada where celebrities from across Canada put brush to canvas to raise funds for Kidney Research. These paintings are then auctioned off on eBay.ca - this year being Oct. 20 - 30th.

Kits are sent out early in the year (paints, brushes, canvas, etc.) and then it is up to the "celebrity" to paint whatever he/she would like to display to the world. I have no idea how I have been deemed "Celebrity" status but, I certainly am OK with helping the Kidney Foundation.

Paintings will be auctioned October 20 -30th, 2011 on eBay.ca so please stop by and check them out! All you have to do is type "kidney foundation" in the search field and bid on the painting!

Some of the Celebrity painters are: Chris Cummings, Myself (Country 93 - Owen Sound), Jason McCoy, Clayton Bellamy, Mike Myers, Brent Butt, Natalie MacMaster, Faber (Faber Drive), Julian Austin, Justin Trudeau, Paul Brandt, and Steven Sabados (Steven & Chris of The Designer Guys)...with many, many more. My initial idea was to paint a Maritime ocean scene, as I love and miss the ocean. However, my skill level at painting dictated that I paint a portrait of my Portuguese Water Dog - Port Colborne's Finn. He is almost 18 months old and the "baby" in my life. Please check it out on ebay.ca...and check out all the other fabulous paintings while you are there!

My link: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Donna-Henry-Original-Painting-Kidney-Foundation-Brush-Hope-Dog-/110761637613?pt=Art_Paintings&hash=item19c9e876ed

Column for The Northern Light in Bathurst, New Brunswick...

FanFest at the CCMAs in Hamilton, ON with Doc Walker...

From The DH Files:

In the words of Carolyn Dawn Johnson, let me introduce myself...or re-introduce myself to you. Born, raised and having lived most of my life in Bathurst, NB...it'll always be considered my home, and I thought I could share some of my DIVA DJ experiences with you. [Insert Rolly eyes here.]

It has been 9 years since I moved out to Owen Sound, ON....where I work as a Morning/Midday On Air Personality for Country 93 - Bayshore Broadcasting Corp. - see, Al Hebert...you influenced me! I have to admit, I love my job! And, I love working with independant artists. Yes, I am also an Emerging Artist Coordinator.

What in the world is that, you may ask?! Well, with the support of my station, I help Indie Artists (especially in Country music) try to survive in the music industry. If I can help an Artist/Musician gain some "airplay" or "popularity" or get extra "gigs"....that makes me happy!

Last year was HUGE for Indie Artists seeing Victoria Banks win Female Vocalist of the Year & Gord Bamford winning Male Vocalist of the Year at the 2010 CCMAs (Canadian Country Music Awards), with both up for the Awards again this year in Hamilton, ON. I have to say: I felt like a proud Mom. Both were very deserving of their awards.

A Muskoka girl now living in Nashville, Victoria Banks is a sweetheart full of soul and one of the best Songwriters in the industry. Her latest CD, Never Be The Same, is about empowerment and I love each song and the stories behind them.

Born in Australia and having moved to Lacombe, Alberta at age 5, Gord Bamford knows how to throw out - or throw in rotation - one great song after another. 2011 sent Gord into Eastern Canada on his Rowdy Boys Tour, which started in Owen Sound, with Aaron Pritchett & Marshall Dane. All 3 put on a great show, and I hope you got to see them.
If you are an Emerging Artist...what are you waiting for???? GET IN TOUCH! And, if you have an interest in Canadian Country Artists and have access to the net...I welcome you to listen in to Country 93 for our WHATS NEW program with Bob Bannister & myself, Saturdays 7pm & Mondays 10pm (NB time) at http://www.country93.ca/ By the way, I'm Donna Henry, former Bathurst resident currently On Air for Country 93 - Mornings/Middays/Emerging Artist Coordinator in Owen Sound, ON.

Johnny Cash Tribute with local Artists....

Ya know......

It sure has been a while since I had the time to chat with y'all...so, thought I would take a moment to mention One of my recent MC gigs....I met Johnny Cash when I was 4 and have always been a fan to an extent (I am always a fan to an extent :)...)

I loved the humour that Brian Moniz & The Oulaws brought to the stage! Just remind me to NOT wear a similar outfit next time! Ha ha ha!

Thanks to The Painted Wardrobe for the beautiful dress, btw! Another great Joseph Ribkoff fashion!