Thursday, September 11, 2014

From Bob Harper to Brownie Bowls: 8 Things I’m Loving Right Now

Here is the post where I share with you some things that caught my attention this week. Simple things - running and not - that make me happy. You may or may not care.

1. This free library. Do you all have these in your town, or is Longmont just a superior-ass city? Basically, a home owner can set up this little book house in front of their home. Others can come to take and leave books as they please. You all know I love the library, so I am REALLY loving this new fixture on our street. And, you don’t need a card. And, there are no late fees.

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2. This bread. I will admit that the only reason I bought it was for the runner on the front. I figure any food with a runner on it has to make me a better runner, right? I am a marketer’s dream. Anyway, this bread is good if you like a really seedy and hearty bread.  Makes you poop too, which is not something this girl needs help with.

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3. This song. Is it too good to be true that there is a song called Shut Up and Dance and that it is actually decent? I have contacted the band about a Shut Up and Run rendition. They said that was stupid.

4. This book: This was compared to “Gone Girl,” which I also really liked. Very suspenseful. And, I got it from the free library. Score!

5. This idea: How fun and easy is this? You can WOW your guests with your homemade brownie bowls (update: I tried to make this and it was a disaster. everything stuck to the pan and I ended up with a crumbly mess. sigh).

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6. This dog fight. Heidi vs. my parents’ dog, Kleo. I promise there was no blood, and it was in good fun. I think Heidi just lost an ear, a nipple and her dignity. No biggie.

 

7. This new addition. In October we will be welcoming an exchange student into our family!! He’s from Spain. He has no idea what he is in for. I hope he likes farts.

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8. This season premier. Tonight. You all know I love this show. Please tell me they are doing the marathon this year. Maybe an Ironman? Jillian is gone. There are two new trainers. The contestants are all former athletes. Cannot wait! But, please, could we avoid the first episode puking?

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Your turn. What’s a favorite new thing this week? Recipe, book, song?

Ever had an exchange student?

What book are you reading right now?

Will you be tuning in for TBL?

 

SUAR

28 comments:

  1. I actually WAS an exchange student. I spent my entire junior year of high school in the UK. It was the best year of my life, due in large part to my amazing host family. 25 years later we are still very close. Good luck, you have an amazing opportunity and adventure in front of you!

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  2. Loved The Good Girl. I just finished it this week. Holy sh**! What a good read. Did the ending completely shock you?

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  3. Boulder has Free Little Libraries. I just read "Big Little Lies," by the What Alice Forgot author. Intense! No exchange students or TBLs.

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  4. I just saw a little free library in my town the other day when I was running! I'll have to stop next time and partake.

    Unfortunately, I live in a cranky ass old people subdivision where such behavior would be frowned-upon. But in our clubhouse there is a pile of books stacked on a dresser that everyone can take. Same thing, pretty much.

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  5. I love those little free libraries! I first saw one when I was living in Jamaica Plain, MA which I still consider my home. I see them around here in Berkeley when I am out running and it makes me feel a little bit more at home here! I have to admit though, I have never taken or left a book at one. I'm always running when I see them and I don't want to run carrying a book!

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  6. My ex husband and I had an exchange student from Brazil when our kids were little and we were still married, obviously. It was a great experience and I still see her on Facebook and Instagram.

    No free libraries in Utah! Although we use to have one in the ICU I worked at. We'd bring in books we were done with and exchange, etc. It was pretty awesome.

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  7. We have those little libraries all over my city. Love them! Re-reading I Know Why The Caged Birds Sing. I appreciate the book more as an adult than I did reading it in HS.

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  8. Longmont is just way more cool than anywhere else.

    I'm reading The Power of Now. Mind-blowing!

    My favorite thing this week: Velvety Butternut Squash. Who am I kidding, I would say this about every week. http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2011/11/17/velvety-butternut-squash/

    How exciting that you are hosting an exchange student!

    No TV for me. I'm always cooking, reading, running, biking or sleeping. I don't know how people have time for that.

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  9. Little free libraries are popping up all over the country - I love them! We have two in our neighborhood, and my 4yo daughter loves to take walks to visit both of them every night after dinner to check if anyone has taken the books she's left. Such fun, and it gets us walking around our neighborhood as family in the evenings!

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  10. Jessie on TBL... yes! He is hotness ... I'd be on his team...
    That little free library is adorable!

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  11. I wanted to make a free little library because I think they are awesome, but if you go to the website to make it official, it costs money. And I am a cheapskate so I won't make one. - I live across a street from two schools right now so one would be perfect in my area.

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  12. I love, love, love libraries. Reading Golden Boy (never remember authors) right now about an intersex boy. Great drama.
    We had an exchange student for a year from Iceland and both my brother and I were exchange students for a year; I spent my Senior year in Belgium and he went to Sweden. Can't wait to host an exchange student when my boys get older. All around great experiences. Makes you appreciate your family tons and helps you learn that other families operate differently but it can work their way too.

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  13. I used to watch TBL but we just sort of lost interest. I don't think they should be running marathons.

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  14. Awesome on the exchange student. Speaking of farting and favorites, we just got a new dog. I LOVE him so much. He does fart quite a bit but the smell isn't so bad actually. I'm excited to run with him!

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  15. I would totally buy that bread with the runner on it. How could a runner resist? Great marketing right there.

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  16. I WAS an exchange student, I lived with a family in France for an entire year, and it was an excellent experience. If you can be open to his customs - like how often he likes to bathe, what time he goes to bed, etc., and also open him up, gently, to the idea of new things, it will be a wonderful experience and he will be like your adopted son forever. Good luck!

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  17. My mom has a little free library in her front yard. Unfortunately some neighborhood kids think it is fun to steal the books and throw them around town to be ruined in the rain. This has happened twice now. Once during the day after she started bringing the books inside each night. One of the policeman involved was very kind though and donated some books. I am reading The Heist by Daniel Silva

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  18. I have the same issue with the first episode(s) of the Biggest Loser! I refuse to watch them because I absolutely hate all the puking; I don't understand why the producers show it :(

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  19. I live in Berkeley (California, not the Berkeley neighborhood in Denver) and there are so many little free libraries around here (some official ones on the LFL website, some renegade ones) that I have visited over 50 different ones.

    Running in Boise, the total cost to register an official LFL is less than $40 and it's a one time fee (not an annual fee). I think it would be worth it because it puts your location on the official map which allows people to find your library easily, but you can have a LFL without paying the fee to make it official. If you don't want to spend the $40, don't let that stop you from having a library!

    We had a French exchange student in high school. He was super nice and our family enjoyed having him around, so it will be a great experience for you guys!

    While I am all for people getting in shape, I really dislike the way The Biggest Loser obviously wants the most visible results possible, hence overworking the contestants to the point of puking. You wouldn't take someone who can't touch their toes and force them into the splits, but somehow they think it's okay to tell the participants on TBL who aren't used to exercise to run for hours.

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  20. Love the free library concept... I've never seen/ heard of this before (In Australia). My favourite thing this week is SUNSHINE. It has been missing in action for the last three weeks, making training cold, sloshy and uninviting! Ps. I do a 'cake in a mug' in the microwave with ice cream on top - awesome, quick chocolate fix! :)

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  21. I love Walk the Moon! I just started reading "Touch and Go" by Lisa Gardner. I had to force myself to put the book down last night and to to sleep. Favorite thing this week: Taper Time for IMChoo. 12 days. I was in love with an exchange student my senior year in HS. He was from Germany. Wow, I haven't thought about him in a long time!

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  22. Best book this summer: Light Between Oceans...be forewarned--worth at least a 30 minute ugly-cry at the end.

    Favorite song for running right now is Awolnation "Jump On My Shoulders"...makes me cry on my long runs. (Why do I get so emo on my long runs??!!) At the end, the lyrics "It's not supposed to be easy, that's why it feels so F#$%ing good" Gets me. Every. Time.

    I saw TBL once. With a girlfriend who was hooked. I can't seem to stay up later than my 2-year old's bedtime, but maybe this season I can try to stay up until 8...check it out.

    Thanks for all the blogs. They're fun.

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