Archives for October 2009 | theclothesmakethegirl

Oct 23, 2009 Posted by Mel

Art Alert: Color Photography from Russia in the Early 1900’s

This has nothing to do with working out or eating clean, but food for the spirit is important fuel, too.Check out this collection of Russian photos from the early 1900s. I can’t get enough of the rich colors and patterns in their clothing, and the contrast between the stark landscape and the ornamentation of the native costumes, the hats, the door, and the palace. The photographs of Russian chemist... read more

Oct 22, 2009 Posted by Mel

Thrusters and Med Balls and Burpees… Oh, My

You’re kinda required to listen to this song while reading this post. Come on: rock out! When I heard October at CrossFit Central was going to be devoted to the benchmark workouts – those vicious girl and hero workouts that are both an honor and a nightmare to muddle through – I asked Crystal if we could do “Annie Are You OK.” I’ve only done it once, so I don’t know how it... read more

Oct 21, 2009 Posted by Mel

Girl Eats Bear: News at 11:00

The Bear Complex is (mostly) made of movements that I dislike immensely. In fact, those very movements are included in my master roster of arch nemeses: cleans, thrusters, front squats, back squats. Eeeww. But stick ‘em all together, light a fire under my ego, and voila!… Bear Complex, one of my favorite CrossFit workouts. Go figure.The last time we did Bear Complex was Memorial Day. We did... read more

Oct 19, 2009 Posted by Mel

Mission 17 and Heavy Lifting

This weekend, Dave and I did a little bit of a re-set on our life. All of our “extra” commitments are over. We’ve been to lots of rock shows, took two weekend trips, started recording our St. Joe’s Choir CD… now it’s time to batten down the hatches until Thanksgiving. My plan is to sleep soundly, eat cleanly, train hard, read, and play music — that’s ALL... read more

Oct 17, 2009 Posted by Mel

Fat Jokes: Are They Funny?

I never expected to find myself so firmly in the Jessica Simpson camp, but here I am, burning to dig out my Rollergirl uniform, gather my other tough girls around me, and go bust some heads to defend her honor. Read on and please, join me in my outrage. That’s Fit ran a story yesterday about a recent NFL Sunday cartoon that mocks Jessica Simpson’s weight. Here’s the offending... read more

Oct 16, 2009 Posted by Mel

Happiness on a Stick!

I know I should be repulsed by this, but I’m attracted because it’s got three things that I love: French fries Hot dogs Food on a stick It’s not that I want to eat one… not an entire one, anyway. I would just really like to be somewhere with someone who would buy it and let me have three bites. See more photos and read the story of the glorious FRENCH FRY ENCRUSTED HOT DOG ON A... read more

Oct 15, 2009 Posted by Mel

Where’s Mel? CrankyTown. But Thanks, Truman.

The corporate overlords have chained me to my computer for the next two weeks, so I’m barely keeping my dino-chow and workout habits on track. Quickly, here are my top 10 complaints: 1. My right shoulder hurts. I’ve been trying to rest it, but rest and CrossFit workouts are sort of at opposite ends of the spectrum. 2. See above re: corporate overlords and chains. 3. My pants are feeling tight... read more

Oct 13, 2009 Posted by Mel

Cake That’s NOT Poison

I’ve seen – and eaten! – many desserts in my life that were works of art. But this one really, um… takes the cake… pink cake that’s a feast for the eyes and won’t bust your commitment to Dino-Chow. It’s Cakeland! An art installation by Scott Hove that reminds us life can be very sweet indeed. Cakeland is a sculptural installation resembling a collection of perfect... read more

Oct 9, 2009 Posted by Mel

Oh, Temptation

The Great Fitness Experiment has a good post today about sugar, temptation, and finding what works for keeping cravings in check… along with a ridiculously adorable video that I encourage you to watch. To the end. Take the two minutes and treat yourself. Guaranteed to make you smile.Sugar Bombed: The Cheat Day Debunked For more on the topic of how to get a little dirty with your diet without... read more

Oct 9, 2009 Posted by Mel

That’s Fit: Bear Crawl For Tight Abs

Y’all know I love the bear crawl. And one of my goals for my writing at That’s Fit (a fitness and nutrition blog in the AOL network) is to share info about the cool stuff we do at CrossFit to inspire That’s Fit readers to try something new. Today, with some help from the always-fabulous Crystal McReynolds, my post is about bear crawls. Pretty exciting! (Forgive me the title. A cursory... read more

Oct 8, 2009 Posted by Mel

Don’t Eat Egg Salad From A Vending Machine

I’ll be away from the computer this weekend, but wanted to give you something to chew on while I’m gone. Michael Pollan is the author of In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto and The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. When he asked for readers’ favorite “food rules,” he received more than 2500 responses. Now The New York Times has made a neat... read more

« Previous Entries Next Entries »

reading is sexy
Reading right now...

The Redbreast: A Harry Hole Novel
I'm about two-thirds of the way through this detective thriller, and I'm hooked. It's set in modern Norway with flashbacks to WWII (catnip for me!) and features a somewhat grim hero that engenders empathy. I can't help pulling for the guy as I watch him struggle with his case and his life. The cast of characters is a realistic but motley crew, and it reminds me of other favorites set in cold, snowy climes: the Millenium Trilogy and Smila's Sense of Snow.
Recently finished...

The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million
I picked up this book after reading an interview with Lee Child (author of the Jack Reacher thrillers). He referred to The Lost as "the book of the century" and since I devour as much as I can about the Holocaust to try to make sense of it all, I decided I needed to read it immediately. Part memoir, part detective tale, this book was thoroughly engrossing. It's intelligent, annoying, moving, frustrating, and ultimately, rewarding and beautifully written. It challenged me in ways I didn't expect, and I was sad when it was finished.