Jul 25, 2012
Tahmina Kohistani is the only female athlete representing Afghanistan at the Olympics this year — and just the third Afghan women to ever compete in the Games. She’s really quite awesome: leopard head scarf, optimistic attitude, brilliant smile, and an unshakeable belief in going after our dreams. Watch her interview with Meredith...
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“Dreams Can Come True”
Jul 25, 2012
From July 22 through July 28, I’m going to make it my job to be as fit, healthy, and well-rested as I can be. Because I’m curious… How much time does it really take to make health and well being our number one priority? And how much awesomer will I feel if I do it?
Read all about my Spa(ish) Week 2012 plans here.
Day 3 Recap
I had trouble falling asleep on Day 2, then I woke up way too early on...
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Spa(ish) Week: Day 3 Recap
Jul 24, 2012
What’s as delicious as Sunbutter + strawberries? What’s as badass as burpees + box jumps?
Patrick Stewart + the Olympic Torch
Seriously. How freakin’ great is this?!
And now I’m just going all the way down the geeky rabbit hole. Join...
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Two of My Fave Things!
Jul 24, 2012
The Olympics are coming! And as I confessed in my previous Tuesday 10 devoted to the Olympics — which you can read right here — it’s practically a holiday around our house. Or a quarantine ward because we catch serious Olympics Fever. Dave, Smudge, and I have a date to watch the opening ceremonies on Friday, and we’re having a British food viewing party. (Recipes coming this week in case...
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Tuesday 10: Olympics Countdown
Jul 24, 2012
From July 22 through July 28, I’m going to make it my job to be as fit, healthy, and well-rested as I can be. Because I’m curious… How much time does it really take to make health and well being our number one priority? And how much awesomer will I feel if I do it?
Read all about my Spa(ish) Week 2012 plans here.
Day 2 Recap
This was one of those days that starts out one way, then kinda takes on...
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Spa(ish) Week: Day 2 Recap
Jul 23, 2012
From July 22 through July 28, I’m going to make it my job to be as fit, healthy, and well-rested as I can be. Because I’m curious… How much time does it really take to make health and well being our number one priority? And how much awesomer will I feel if I do it?
Read all about my Spa(ish) Week 2012 plans here.
Day 1 Recap
Sigh. The first day of Spa(ish) Week wasn’t the wonderful,...
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Spa(ish) Week: Day 1 Recap
Jul 22, 2012
Oh, the webbernet! It gets me all riled up with dire news and mainstream idiocy, then blammo! it hits me with something so awesome, it must be shared. Welcome to this week’s collection of Rants & Raves!
Rants
Monthly hormone poisoning? Check. Thyroid hormone frustration? Check. Temperatures above 95F? Check. Annoying stuff on the internet about health and fitness? You betcha!
It’s like...
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Rants & Raves – 07/22/12
Jul 20, 2012
A few weeks ago, my neighbor Stef and I had a conversation about her amazing aunt. I’ve never met Auntie (which is how I will now forever refer to her) but in my imagination, she’s like a character played by Meryl Streep: a woman of a certain age who is comfortable with her beauty, is wise, has a sharp sense of humor, and refuses to conform to what other people want her to be. I don’t...
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Spa(ish) Week 2012
Jul 20, 2012
In my quest for lean superhero-ness, I’m following the Wendler 5/3/1 strength training program. Twice a week, Dave and I are hitting the craptastic gym in our Converse to lift heavy and crank through a mini-metcon.
Dear Bench Press, I love you.
This week has been a mélange (I really love the word mélange.) of knife skills practice, moodiness, sunshine, homemade food, pizza cravings, dark...
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Strength Friday – 07/20/12
Jul 19, 2012
I’ve had two appointments with Dr. Sebring in the last week to discuss my lousy-high level of Reverse T3. That is a lot of driving (an hour each way) and new info to process. I’m doing said processing by lying on the couch with a Dick Francis novel and hiding from real life for a while. I’ll give you a full update on all that’s transpired when I’ve got it all straight in my...
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Scenes From The ‘Hood: A Story In Photos
Jul 18, 2012
Here’s the kicker about this life: sometimes a sweet surprise materializes right in the middle of the ordinary, presenting us with a reminder to be open to magic and to be filled with gratitude.
Yesterday was “Run-Walk Day” on my training plan. That means I walk for the first half of the 4-mile loop around the lake, then run 1:00 intervals, followed by 2:00 recovery for 24 minutes, then...
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Sweet Surprises
Get your hands on Well Fed goodies: bracelets, knee socks, bulk cookbook orders, and more!
Melissa "Melicious" Joulwan • melissa@theclothesmakethegirl.com
Reading right now...
The Redbreast: A Harry Hole Novel
The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million
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.
