Happy 2013! I’m so excited about what I’ve accomplished this year! No, that’s not a typo. As you may have noticed (though possibly not), I was away for a long time in 2012. It was a tumultuous year, and not one of my best, though the last quarter was much, much better than the rest. [...]
Hitting the Mental Reset Button
At some point during the Great Recession, my default operating mode became one of anxiety and cynicism. While I initially thought of this as a defense mechanism, it’s probably more likely that I just tend towards pessimism in tough times. However, I realized about a month ago that I was tired of being so worried [...]
A Brief Explanation
Some of you may have noticed that there has been quite a lull on this site. I apologize – I didn’t mean for it to happen, but there are some good reasons why. I’ll start with the car accident. It happened at the beginning of the month – Good Friday, in fact – and it [...]
New Obsession: Reflexology
I really need a massage. Of course, I’ve never had a professional one before. They’re pretty expensive, and I have this weird thing about people seeing me less than fully clothed. (For those that would point out that I wouldn’t be revealing more skin than I would in a bathing suit, I’m nervous about that, [...]
“Me Time” on the Cheap
When was the last time you took time for yourself? I know you’ve heard that plenty of times. I have too. It’s easy to get desensitized to it, especially when you see it on the cover of supermarket magazines, in the self-help section of the bookstore, on daytime TV, in commercials, scenes in movies…the list [...]
A (Sustainable) Place to Call Home
As a casualty of the Great Recession, I know that my chances of buying a home in the near future are fairly low. Houses are expensive, after all, and I’m currently working an hourly job that covers expenses, but not much else. It can be depressing, but I try to counter that by daydreaming about [...]
Food Tuesday – The Inaugural Edition
Welcome to Food Tuesday, a new ABL column dedicated to food news, recipes, nutrition and other tasty tidbits. I’d like to say that I came up with the idea for this series after much thought and planning, but the truth is that I’m exhausted after a few late nights and can’t seem to concentrate on [...]
Recipe Remix – Scottish Oatcakes
I love oatcakes. My mother found this recipe for oatcakes a while back, and I make it every chance I get. It’s incredibly simple – there are a total of seven ingredients – and they pack plenty of healthy grains, especially if you use whole wheat flour. Sadly, that’s not all they contain. While I love [...]
Changing the World, One Product at a Time
Ever wondered what you can do to make the world a little better? Consider replacing your lipstick. No, really. There has been a lot of talk in the news recently about lead in lipstick, but today I came across an article that was even more troubling – it seems that a broad spectrum of cosmetics [...]
Fresh Tips for the Farmers’ Market
Farmers’ markets are popping up across the country, and they’re a great way to support your local community. I’m fortunate enough to live in an area surrounded by markets during the growing season, but I still know plenty of people who are unfamiliar with how they operate. Here are a few things I’ve learned after [...]