Kaleidoscope Painter

I don't even remember how I originally found this awesome kaleidoscope painter, but I am really glad I did. It's easy and fun to create beautiful images, and is great for a child who is starting to learn their way around computers (so, probably a 2 year old since kids learn these things so quickly.) Hopefully some one out there will enjoy this website and I hope it will bring a little needed procrastination :)

Mini Babybel Light Cheese

Okay, so I write about food a lot. But this cheese is delicious, and doesn't have too many calories. Plus, you get to peel the wax off and that's fun :) They are a little pricey (at my grocery store I think they are $4 for 6 cheeses) but luckily my mom gives me coupons!

Blimps

I always get excited when I see a blimp. There is one flying by my window right now. I don't know why I think they're so funny, possibly because they seem so anachronistic or maybe because they are essentially giant balloons. Or perhaps because I associate them with football stadiums and other fun events. It also reminds me of this one time when I was little a blimp flew so low over our neighborhood that we could wave to the pilot! It was totally awesome.

Love Language

This video from the Jubilee Project not only has a great message, but it's really entertaining and enjoyable. The Jubilee project is a non-profit that makes videos for a good cause. According to their mission statement, their goal is to "make entertaining videos that will empower, enable, and inspire others to do good as well." Their videos are all posted on YouTube. Sponsors pledge donations based on the number of views each video gets. It's an interesting concept! Check them out.

Foam Roller

I love my foam roller. If you're not a runner (or some other form of endurance athlete) you may not have experienced the amazingness of a foam roller. Or maybe you tried one once at the gym and thought it was simply a form of torture. However, you would be mistaken. While it does hurt like the dickens, it is that good hurt, the hurt that tells you something is happening deep in your muscles. As someone who loves massages but who can't afford them all the time, the foam roller is the next best thing. It's an easy form of self-massage, allowing you to target the muscles that need a little extra love and attention. I especially love rolling on my IT bands. Heaven!

The Meat House

As a vegetarian, I never thought I would need to enter a place called "The Meat House." Luckily my parents explored it one day and my mom said, "I bet they have good fresh mozzarella." I ventured in last week for this potentially delicious mozzarella, and boy was my mom right. But not only that, they also have roasted artichoke hearts which I luuurve! So tender and flavorful. They also sell Stonewall Kitchen products, beer, wine, and Clear Flour Bakery breads (which I think are half off after 8pm). And, as if all of that were not enough, it's only a 5 minute walk from my place!! I have a feeling I will be returning to The Meat House often.

Finding Something You Thought you Lost

I don't like losing things; who does? So I doubly love finding something I thought I lost, whether it's a shirt, an earring, or even just a favorite pen. It's a good feeling!

Partly Cloudy

A friend just told me about a Pixar Short called Partly Cloudy. The premise is that storks deliver babies, but where do the storks get the babies? From the clouds, of course! As with all Pixar movies and shorts, it's fantastically done and comes with a great ending. Enjoy!

Sleeping In

I do not get to sleep in very often. As in, almost never. I'm usually up around 5am to get in a workout before work and even on the weekends I'm out of bed at 7am to go for a long bike ride or run. On the rare days when I get to sleep late, I really enjoy it. (And by late, I mean 8:30am! So crazy!!)

Motivational Clip from my Coach

I've been a little frustrated with my cycling progress, so in order to motivate me, my coach sent me this video. It reminds us that the important thing isn't that you fell, it's that you got up and kicked butt!

The RidicuList

I stumbled upon Anderson Cooper's RidicuList a few weeks ago and thought it was hilarious. The basic premise is that Anderson Cooper highlights something ridiculous (obvi) that recently happened in the news. The latest video is for anyone who messes with Matt Damon. Just go watch it. Trust me.

Blueberry Cake

I made this delicious blueberry breakfast cake yesterday. I used fresh blueberries and leftover buttermilk and it was really incredible. The photos on the recipe webpage are much more attractive than the one above that I took and really show the texture of the cake. I highly recommend making this for a brunch pot-luck!

Homemade Popsicles

For my birthday, one of my best friends bought me popsicle molds. This morning, I used this recipe to make strawberry popsicles. It was so simple and quick, and pretty healthy, too! I am looking forward to making other flavors in the future, like mango-orange or peach! YUMM!

Fresh Air (on NPR)

A good friend of mine recently got me hooked on NPR. I've since subscribed to several NPR podcasts and listen to them during my half-hour commute. One of those podcasts is Fresh Air. This program consists mostly of interviews and often concludes with a review of either a book, movie or album. I have learned a lot about very diverse topics, from cognitive function to the war in the Middle East; from dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti to a research study in the 1970s that tried to teach a chimpanzee human language. This list only covers some of my favorites from the last 2 weeks. I highly recommend checking out some of the stories. I can promise you that you will not only find stories that interest you, but also topics you didn't even know you were interested in!

Cornbread

Anyone who has been in close contact with me in the last 8 months or so may or may not have been the victim of my quest for a recipe for delicious, sweet, buttery cornbread. I have tried 5 or 6 recipes so far, with my favorite being this one from AllRecipes.com. In fact, I whipped up a double batch last night to bring to my final Spanish class tonight and to my friends' house tomorrow night. There is just something so comforting about cornbread. Yummmm!

Google Reader

I recently started following a bunch of blogs. Instead of having to go to each one every morning to look for new posts, I simply added them all to my Google Reader, which I have on my iGoogle homepage (or I could access it through my Google Reader app). It's just such a nice easy way to keep things organized and I am very appreciative.

This Bumper Sticker

I was in my car this morning minding my own business when I had to come to a stop behind this car. I thought this bumper sticker was so funny that I snapped a photo of it.


If you can't see what the sticker says, here it is in a close up.



It's funny because it's true in such a literal sense!

Thesauruses

I have to admit that I have some trouble spelling "thesauruses" but I love them nonetheless. Whenever I am writing a paper or a grant application or even a blog post, I often consult thesaurus.com when I am stuck unable to think of a word, or when I've used the same one 6 times already in the same paragraph. Such a useful tool!

I'm So Tiny

This website is entirely dedicated to clay sculptures that look like tiny versions of foods. They are so realistic looking that at first I thought I was looking at real miniature Peeps! The sculptures are so darn cute and so delicious looking. I love miniature things!

What to Wear Running Website

I love this website from Runner's World. You put in the current weather conditions, or the conditions predicted for an upcoming race, and it tells you what to wear! Especially around the turn of the seasons I get confused about what to wear. I often have to turn around to drop off or pick up extra layers if I dress wrongly. But with this website, I am always dressed appropriately. Except when I ignore their advice...

Thumbs Up for Rock and Roll

This is a video of a boy who just learned to ride his bike. His father pulled out the video camera to document the momentous occasion, and asked the boy if he had any advice for all the kids out there trying to learn to ride a bike. What followed was an impassioned pep talk that will make you smile.

Kashi Go Lean Crisp Toasted Berry Crumble

Kashi's Go Lean Crisp Toasted Berry Crumble is my new favorite cereal. It is addictive. I have had to force myself not to eat it for several meals a day, and I love it so much I've had it for dessert. I recommend it with vanilla soy milk. Tasty! :)

Bridesmaids

I just saw the movie Bridesmaids last weekend. I didn't hear much about it and the commercials didn't really catch my eye, but a friend wanted to see it. It was HILARIOUS. Seriously.

Old Men Smoking Pipes

I don't like smoking in general (in fact I hate it) but I just think it is hilarious when I see old men smoking pipes. They just look so chronologically misplaced and it makes me smile.

Witty Slogans

I love a company that has a sense of humor when coming up with a slogan. There is a dough company that delivers to a business near my school. Their trucks say "Rising to the Occasion." It makes me laugh every time. One of my all time favorite slogans, however, was for a port-a-potty company. Theirs was "We're Number 1 in the Number 2 Business."

Right After You Blow Your Nose

Having a cold stinks. But is such a great feeling right after you blow your nose when for one brief second you can inhale through your nose.

Guacamole

I know some people don't like avocados and guacamole, but it's delicious and I really like it. So there.

Snow Days

I don't really like snow too much, but I do love a good snow day. I prefer surprise snow days, when you get a phone call in the morning saying that school is closed. I love reaching over to turn off my alarm and snuggle under the blankets for another hour. I love sitting on the couch in sweatpants all day, watching terrible daytime TV, and cooking something delicious, and knowing that you don't have anywhere to be. I love drinking hot chocolate and watching the snow fall from the warmth of my living room. It's such a wonderful feeling.

Weird Family Traditions

For Christmas the last few years, while eating dessert my family opens these poppers which contain a joke, a prize, and a paper crown. We all put on the crowns and go around the table reading the jokes and laughing and exchanging prizes. My grandfather's crown is always crooked which makes me laugh. It's such a random tradition, but one that I absolutely love.