About Knee-L

Knee-L, Knee-Yell, Danielle without the “Da”….yah, that’s how you say my name–Neyal. I used to hate it growing up because it was different and no one could ever say it right. But, now that I’m older I love it and appreciate it for it’s uniqueness.  Thanks mom!

I have a Masters degree in public health (MPH) and am a master certified health education specialist (MCHES). I work as a public health educator and develop and implement national health education and promotion programs.  I live, work and breathe science, health and medicine and am always learning about what to do to live healthily–physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. And you know what? It’s a lot of work and no matter what you do,  the most important thing in life is to be happy! And just like being healthy, I think you also have to work at being happy.  Everything is just a matter of perspective. I wanted to start blogging because despite everything I know and do to be healthy, I still struggle every day with not being the ideal weight. I spend a lot of time and energy trying to be physically healthy, but I also want to concentrate on growing as a person and loving the life I live now and loving the person that I am. I like to share a lot of great inspirational quotes  and also want to share with others what I know and learn from others who also strive to be healthy in all facets of their life. I also really like to cook and since New Year’s Day 2010 I have stuck to my New Year’s resolution of cooking at least one new recipe a week, so I’ll share what I’m cooking each week.

Things I love: Having fun, laughing at myself, Zumba, yoga, sarcasm, iced tea, honesty, taking pictures, my husband,  sincerity, traveling, Arabic  food, my family, kindness, my job, gardening, reading, how excited my dog gets every time my husband or I walk in the door, the elliptical at the gym, The Cure,  staring up at the clouds and deciding what they look like, hot tea on a rainy day, healthy recipes, the fall,  Ziggy (remember, the comic!?), peanut M&Ms, and people watching.

Other random facts: I still write letters to people and cover the envelopes with stickers when I mail them. I met my husband on a blind date. One of my greatest accomplishments is writing and publishing a children’s book which my husband also illustrated called In Mommy’s Garden: A Book to Help Explain Cancer to Young Children. I’m really good at keeping secrets. I hate bugs and I’ve never been stung by a bee. I love the Pittsburgh Steelers and the West Virginia Mountaineers. I’m awesome at Connect 4.  I’m allergic to bananas.  I like to make up songs on the spur of the moment that rhyme.  I truly, with all my heart, believe that everything happens for a reason.

Here I am with my husband Chris, aka Apple Pie and Baklava (since he’s your all-American white boy and I’m an Arabian princess).

I love playing in the snow!

And I love my dog Riley, who I can never say “no” to b/c of those sad puppy eyes.