What to do when you're stuck inside

Whether you're stuck inside on a series of rainy days or due to quarantine, you need something to do. I don't think I've ever said I'm bored in my life. As I've aged, I've watched less and less TV/movies and will typically do almost anything aside from that so while we all know watching is an option, let's pretend we've run through the ol' Netflix queue in its entirety and find something else to do. I can always recommend purging and organizing what's left or cleaning, but I can only do those things for so long. And of course there's gardening, but we're just getting into that season. Let's go with three that can be done every day of the year to start. 

Reading

Hello, have you met me? Of course the first thing I'm going to suggest is that you take up reading. Think of it as a more active and imaginative version of watching Netflix and other streaming services or TV channels. It’s like watching TV in your head, but you have to imagine it. There's no one telling you exactly how it has to be or how you should see it. Your imagination takes over and it’s fantastic. 

I am firm in the belief that many people dislike reading because they have not yet found the books they want to read, and I'm firmer in the belief that there are books out there for everyone. It will be easier to get into reading if you hold firm to two things: 1. You can put a book down at any point if you are not enjoying it, whether it's 30 pages in or there are only 30 pages left. 2. Just because everyone else loves it doesn't mean you have to and just because everyone else hates it doesn't mean you should. 

Cooking

Have you ever thought about taking up cooking? It’s a fantastic hobby to have because it means that you can feed yourself and your bank account can have a break from the local takeout. It can also be a lot of fun to learn new recipes such as this ninja foodi baked potato recipe from GrillingMontana.com. It might take a while for you to master cooking, but you have plenty of time and you can always keep trying until you get it right. There is no time limit on how long it takes to get a handle on cooking, and even the most professional chefs still get things wrong sometimes. We bet you even Gordon Ramsay gets things wrong every now and again and he probably curses himself out too. 

Working Out

If you don’t like the sound of either of those and you want to do something a little more active, then working out could be a good choice for you. It’s not true that you need a lot of gym equipment in order to complete an effective workout, and in fact you can do a basic one right in your living room. If you want a visual guide then you can use YouTube (I like Leslie Sansone), join the crew at FuelCycleFit for virtual workouts (or in person outdoor workouts if you're in the Philly area), or if you want to follow an online list of what to do check out something like muscleandfitness.com to have a plan that you may want to follow. Whatever works for you, but this can help you release a lot of the stress that you are holding onto. I like Leslie Sansone on YouTube and a few different strength training routines. I am writing this paragraph to encourage myself to get back to both of those. 

In what ways do you occupy your time and refuel yourself? 

Thursday Thoughts - I throw my hands up in the air sometimes saying ayo gotta let go

1. MFD battled a serious illness over the past eight days. It's called Game of Thrones and there is no cure. He watched all seven available seasons in just over one week and I’m pretty sure 99% of our conversations now contain references to the show so I am mostly in the dark about what we’re actually talking about at any given time since I only caught snippets here or there. Marital communication level: poor.

2. Evidence that getting up an hour early would really benefit my life: Wednesday morning I did two loads of laundry, folded two other loads, emptied the dishwasher, fed and played with the puppy, and washed my hair before work. It's a miracle. One I could repeat regularly if not for the siren song of sleep and frantic rush to get out of the house 20 minutes after waking up.

3. I've been ignoring Christmas decorations. Maybe tomorrow night?

4. I’ve taught Bruce to sit for a treat and fetch. If I can teach him to stop jumping like a wild jackal you may call me Cesar Milan. Pugs are notoriously hard to train.

5. After much dithering and testing of phones and pep talks from android users (thanks Kathy), I upgraded my phone to the iPhone 8 Plus. In the end I didn't like navigating around the android phones. The camera is awesome which is what I'm really interested in anyway.

6. A standby favorite: Essie merino cool to replace my Friday nail polish job that was chipped by Sunday night. Grrr. I got my Sephora order from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and I'm happy to report I love the Urban Decay Vice TMI lip color.

7. Further evidence the president is mentally unfit to serve: makes a crack about Pocahontas while  honoring Navajo code talkers who served our country in WWII, retweets anti-Muslim videos from very crazy far right people. Attempting to list his daily insanity here is not going to change anyone's mind and it's wearing me the fuck out before I even get to talk about the important shit like saving net neutrality or shredding this bullshit tax scam. Literally all he had to do at the Navajo ceremony was smile and thank them and take a fucking photo. He can't leave it at that. And all he had to do on Twitter was not retweet a fascist group from Britain - of course, the group then thanked him and said God bless you trump, God Bless America. I read that a lot, people who clearly hate others based on their skin color or religion or ancestry saying God Bless, which is weird given that it doesn't seem like there are many godly notions in those viewpoints. I'm done. Every time I think of people saying I love how he says what he thinks and is not a politician I feel like screaming. I clearly do not love someone with no decency, diplomacy, or awareness of time/place/tone in the motherfucking White House. Oh, and on net neutrality...google it, while you still can without someone else deciding what information you are allowed to access. I'd link it for you but blogger is being an asshole and who even knows if we'll be allowed to google freely after December 14 anyway. Guns aren't power. Knowledge and access to information are power. Do what you can to demand net neutrality: https://5calls.org/issue/defend-fcc-net-neutrality
And how what started as a tax cut could change American life: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/29/business/republican-tax-cut.html

8. There is always a silver lining. All of this insanity has forced conversations about systemic racism and misogyny. It's uncomfortable but so awesome to see that people are stretching even though it's painful.We must continue to challenge the notions that are embedded so deep within all of us that we don't even know are there until we react to a situation in a way that we can't believe is actually ourselves sounding like an old ass woman hating racist. We will learn the most in the moments we misstep, and in the moments we're most honest with ourselves. There's not one of us who is free from having said or done bad things. We can't change the past or discard all the previous versions of ourselves, but we can realize we don't have to be those people anymore, that we can be different and better going forward. We can give each other grace as long as we all work towards a cultural shift in norms and behaviors. The common denominator is that every one of us has the capacity to change if we make the choice to do so.

9. Reminder: Every day can be a great day.

10. E-card of the week: Still and probably forever perplexed by the bathroom selfie with toilets in the vicinity. Why? 

Thursday Thoughts - Marchy March Marchy

1. The coveted Reese's peanut butter egg (best shaped Reese's, hands down) was supposed to be in this picture as well, but MFD horked those down. It's the most glorious time of the year for candy.

2. Sometimes I think I make things just so they can serve as vehicles for ketchup. I adore ketchup. Heinz only.

3. Now that I've gotten the fatassery out of the way, let me ask you a favor, kind friends. Next time I decide to be a lazy asshole and stop exercising, please remind me how hard it is to start again, and how it gets much much harder to start back up again as I age. Why do I do this?

4. Last night I went to Zumba only to get there and have it cancelled, so I filled up my car with gas - why I did not do that Tuesday when it was 60 degrees is beyond me - went to Home Depot, and popped in to see my shiny happy pretty niece Lola Jean. After a day of reading a lot of hate on the Interwebs that made my cheeks hot and my hair stand on end,  it was a solid end to the day.

5. Did you do a February Wallet Watch? Tomorrow is the day I'm reporting in on mine. I don't have a good idea of how many people out there did it but I think I'll provide a way to link up even though I didn't mean to do an actual link up.

6. I believe we're a sum of all of our experiences and interactions.

7. File under things I did not know: dogs can get pink eye. Gus had some serious eye shit going on on Monday that I did not notice before I left for work. Luckily MFD did and had some time in the early afternoon to whisk him off to the vet. Freaking pink eye. I cannot adequately describe how grossly hideous and vomit inducing the inside of his eyelids looked on Monday night. So to recap, since Friday we've had dogs pooping in the backseat of a moving vehicle, dogs opening peanut butter jars, and dog pink eye. Dog Show.

8. On my way to the library on Tuesday, I noticed that the dinosaurs in front of the Academy of Natural Sciences look like they're making the beasts with two backs. Right? I usually cut over and around Swann Fountain so I never noticed this before. I laughed like a 10 year old.

9. Show Us Your Books is this Tuesday, March 8. In case you're looking for something to read, here's a list of the top 10 most challenged books (as in ban this shit) from every year in the 2000-2014 time period. Maybe pick one of those as a way to give the middle finger to people who think they should tell you what you can and can't read.

10. E-card of the week...what does "let" mean? It's a concept I'm largely unfamiliar with.

Too legit

too legit to quit

hay haaaaaaaay,

TWTW

1. As of 8 p.m. Friday night, our heat was restored. Can I get a FUCK YEAH? Then MFD bullied me into going to the gym. The gym...who are we? Raise your hand if you think we've been body snatched. My hand is raised, FYI.

2. My boys rarely lay like this anymore, especially on weekends when they're hot to get up and be President and VP of the A-hole Wakeup Committee.

3. Michelle and I had an awesome super early lunch at Pho Saigon. Philly friends, go there. And make sure you get the coffee Vietnamese style. We hit Ikea and Marshalls too. It was a fabulous girls day out that I didn't even have to shower for.

4. No fun awaited me back at home. The basement was torn apart from the heater situation, so I had to put that all back together. I ended up getting rid of a bunch of crap and packing my car up for a Goodwill donation this week. I also finally ditched all the DVD cases to make room for freaking Star Wars displays. And yes, this is the 1996 cinematic masterpiece Mother May I Sleep With Danger? starring Tori Spelling as Laurel. It's okay to be jealous of it.

5. Putting away the rest of my goods (towels from IKEA), realizing I forgot to actually put something I needed in the cart there, tea, and watching the first episode of the second season of The Fall rounded out Saturday night.

6. Sunday morning was a rainy, icy shit show. We slept in, changed sheets and put the new duvet on, and then just relaxed. Not as much as the dogs relaxed though.

7. While MFD was at church, I sat down to put together my IKEA cart with Gus's help. As soon as MFD got back, he was called in to finish it because putting shit together is not in my wheelhouse.

8. We're avoiding the processed food for the most part this month. This week's breakfast: hard boiled eggs (the brown spots on the pic below are from baking them - it's easier and they don't taste any different) and power breakfast or spinach muffins from the freezer. This week's lunch: spinach chicken orzo soup. Dinners are broiled tilapia, roasted carrots, and brown rice; broiled salmon, steamed cauliflower, and roasted sweet potatoes; chicken and brown rice with butternut squash and sauteed spinach; ground turkey with tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms; and eggs scrambled with mushrooms and spinach.

9. We took MFD's Gram to dinner at Garden of Eatin on Sunday with the early birds. I hadn't been there before and it was good.

10. I closed Sunday out by finishing up laundry, laying my clothes out for the week, then getting in bed with a book and the dramatic flair of my Sunday night love, Downton Abbey.

Yikes...second weekend in a row I didn't use my real camera once. Not a good look. I pledge to do better in the future. Probably. If I feel like it.

For those of you that have off today, well...not only do I not have off, I have to be in early. So please, make your enjoyment a double for me. And take a minute to think about the life of the man we're observing today - someone who strove for equality and peace, who thought about how his actions impacted others and was mindful of improving the world around him. We could all take a page out of his book.

Linking up with Biana at B Loved Boston for Weekending

When it comes to weight loss, let's go back to basics.

A good Saturday to you, dear reader. A while back I asked people to let me know what they wanted to see on this blog, and one of the answers was fitness stuff. I am not a guru on that, so I went straight to the source, my friend Kathy at Vodka and Soda. Kathy fucking rocks and she's really knowledgeable about fitness, clean eating, and weight loss. She totally kicks ass. And uses the term fitness boner to describe when work out things go awesome so hello you know you'll love her, sickos. So sit back, relax, and enjoy. And follow her on her blog, she's been doing Fitness Fridays. Get your fitness fix from the source. 

Visit Kathy at Vodka & Soda / Twitter / Instagram

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Hello amazing readers of Life According to Steph! I’m Kathy and I blog over at Vodka and Soda.  I’m a 38 year old mother to an adorable and brilliant 5 year old, a total geek at heart (I work in the IT industry) and an avid lover of all things health and fitness.  Today, Steph was crazy enough to let me take over this space so we’re going to talk about something that gives me a major boner – fitness.  Listen up fast because I’m about to impart some mad wisdom in your faces.

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It’s the end of January and a lot of people have started weight loss challenges or making positive changes in their lives.  All of this – whether you’re a newbie or a guru – is awesome because any change, no matter how small it is, can make a difference.  And here’s where I get on my soapbox to say what needs to be said:    All that shit you read or hear on the TV/internet about this diet or that diet or juicing or detoxing or whatever – IGNORE IT.  It’s nothing but dumb marketing schemes put out by marketing companies who want nothing but to take your money.  Do not buy into their shit!

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In my personal opinion (and experience), when it comes to weight loss, we need to go back to the basics - no fancy blenders or juicers.  No powders or meal replacements or pills.  No diets that cut out major food groups or restrict food consumption.  No food that comes out of a box, bag or can - just the basic stuff:  fresh, wholesome food and exercise.  That’s it. 

There is no magic behind weight loss. Nothing that any marketing company can put out on the shelf will make you accelerate or burn fat any faster than your body will allow which is why I say to avoid all those fad diets and crazy machines – your body will burn fat if you return to the basics, make the right choices and exercise.  All you need to do start and then give it time to work.

And carbs – what is with all the demonizing of carbohydrates?  Time and time again, I read about women cutting out carbs because “that’s the reason i can’t lose weight.”  This is one of the biggest misconceptions of all! Carbs are NOT the reason why you can’t lose weight – bad choices are the reasons why one can’t lose weight.   Yes, carbs are caloric dense but are also is a great source of energy.  Cutting out carbs will do nothing but make you feel tired, miserable and crazy.  Our bodies need carbohydrates to function so instead of eating the white, starchy kinds, just select healthy alternatives like sweet potatoes, quinoa or whole grains. Eat them in controlled portions, eat within your caloric range for weight loss and you will lose inches and weight.

The biggest challenge for anyone wanting to lose weight is making the change; the starting point.  You’re now changing the way you eat and changing your daily routine which is instead of sitting on the couch, you get up and exercise. Who said change is easy?  It’s not!  Humans are naturally resistant to change because it’s different from what we do on a daily basis.  We also put too much pressure on ourselves to become fitness gurus or healthy in a couple of weeks when really, it takes at least a month to feel and see the changes.  Did you know that it takes humans on average 4 weeks to form new habits?  This means that we need to repeat an activity at approximately the same time every day for at least 4 weeks in order for it to become a habit.  So give yourself a break; if you’ve just started a healthy change or a new workout program, give yourself time to adjust and adapt.  Be patient.  Go back to the basics of clean eating and exercise.  Most of all, remember that it’s not the outside that only counts but what’s happening on the inside that counts most.

Are you currently working to make a healthy change in your life? 

Kathy - Vodka and Soda

We can't be good at everything

I am fierce with myself. Like everyone, I show my strengths more than my weaknesses, but that doesn't mean I'm unaware of the places where I fall short or the character flaws that I have.

This blog naturally gravitates to a lot of things that are my strengths: productivity, organization, cooking, saying no, dissing Justin Bieber. A lot of people have said to me,  "How do you do all the shit you do on a weekend?" To them I say, "How do you take a spin class at 5 am or run a 5k or divide a check by seven without using a calculator?"  Your triumphs could very well be one of my hot mess disasters. We can't all be good at everything, and if we were all good at the same things, that would suck. Because who would assemble furniture for me? I actually hate when people say, "Stop! You CAN do it!" One, let's be honest: I don't really want to. Two, no, I can't. Just like I can't hop on my purple Unicorn Wanda and take a quick ride to the moon.

If I try something a few times and don't get better at it, I say good day to it. Some things you just know in your gut you're not ever going to get the hang of, and when that happens to me, I'm okay with it. I don't beat my head against the wall or try it 59 more times. I'm not going to be good at everything I do. Part of life is playing to your strengths and knowing your weaknesses so you can avoid them. These are some of mine.

1. I am not arty or crafty. I am afraid of hot glue guns. I spaz when creation is in the air. I like to pin shit on pinterest and imagine myself standing calmly before my assembled materials, wearing crisp white pants and a slim finely striped button down accessorized by a complementary chunky necklace, with my hair in a topknot I effortlessly fashioned myself. I gaze around serenely and pick up a tool to begin. Then I wake the fuck up and go look at something someone else has made.  Because it isn't happening. And I'll never wear white pants.

2. Blow drying my hair. My arms get tired, I always have resulting Uncle Larrys, and I'd rather just skip it. So I skip it. Every day.

3. I am very very bad at dealing with weak people and attention whores. I feel like punching them in the face. Sweet Brown ain't got no time for that.

4. Getting up at the crack of dawn to exercise. I lack the willpower and desire, and I am not going to be acquiring either of them. I can't even walk a straight line that early. Once I busted out some Billy Blanks at 6 a.m. and nearly broke my face and some glassware in my living room. I'd rather stay in bed for my own safety and to preserve my belongings.

So would Geege. Obviously.

5. My self pedis leave a lot to be desired.

6. I am unable and unwilling to keep my dogs off of furniture and beds. I'll deal with the hair, and so will you if you come over.

7. I can't hang anything worth a damn. Michelle has hung pretty much every picture and curtain rod in my house. The ones that are crooked are my masterpieces.

8. Using power tools. I'm like a baby trying to pilot a rocket ship.

9. I know every word to a lot of songs, but you don't want to hear me sing them. It's not a pretty sound.

10. My gift wrapping is an atrocity. Bags are my friend.

11. 5 + 3 x 12 = hand me the calculator. Math is a foreign language to me.

12. I'm impatient to the max and will lose my shit over it.

So there you have it. Some of my shitshiney qualities. And I'm okay with being bad at stuff. I like to know and acknowledge my blind spots so they don't bite me in the ass. Then I spend 98% of my time accentuating the positive: the things I'm good at doing, my natural proclivity for certain tasks and ways of thinking. I hope you do too.

It's sunny  here today in Philadelphia, the first time since last Wednesday? Or Tuesday? I can't even remember.

Have a good one!

Linking up with Helene for Tell Me About it Tuesday.

I smell something burning. Rog, is that your underwear?

Sorry Dee Spencer, it is not Rog's underwear. It's the smell of the weekend getting close.

I personally can't wait. I will finish planting my spring and summer bulbs, do a lot of work for Relay For Life of South Philadelphia, make a kick ass yet healthy creamy cauliflower soup, see a lot of friends, and probably have a hangover on Sunday. Ok definitely on the hangover. I'm not as spry as I used to be. Recovery is not swift.


T H U R S D A Y  T H O U G H TS

1. As you can see from the forward, I do not have off tomorrow. In Dream World B, I would have all the bank holidays off. Dream World A is where I win the lottery and have every day off.

Thank you, veterans. I appreciate your courage and your service. We are the land of the free only so long as we are also the home of the brave.

Courage is almost a contradiction in terms.  It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die. 

~G.K. Chesterton

Along those lines, happy birthday to the USMC. Semper Fidelis. Thank you.

2. My second day hair is brought to you by got2B fat-tastic dry shampoo. Ladies who say you can't go a day without washing your hair, I feel you. I have oily hair and I said that for 20 some years, until my fabulous stylist Kristi Morgan at Sensational Scissors said really, you CAN go a day or more between washings, and your color will last longer. Now I actually think my hair looks best on the second day I don't wash it. Thank you fat-tastic dry shampoo. Find it at Rite Aid. Once a month they run buy 1 get 1 free sales. I always buy two and am happy as a flipping clam.

3. Today is my little nephew's very first birthday. Happy birthday Jax! I love you.

4.Yesterday five Christmas gifts arrived in the mail. I am officially more than halfway finished Christmas shopping. Tick tock, mofos. Lots of awesome online deals out there.

5. I don't understand why so many movies are being made in 3D. I have motion issues, 3D makes me ill. Stop it, Hollywood.

6. Revenge and Modern Family didn't air this week due to the CMAs. I'm thankful this is my complaint for the day.

7. Dunkin Donuts near Track 1 at Suburban Station, please be speedy with your renovations. Where's a girl to get her morning coffee on Fridays without having to tramp through the urine filled underbelly of the station?

8. Brace yourself - I have not made a dish containing mushrooms this week...and I don't plan to. Earth shattering, I know. Is everyone ok? Counselling will be provided for those who need it. The first person to name the type of mushroom in this photo in a comment will receive a $5 Dunkin Donuts gift card in the mail.

9. I'm afraid to go to my sculpting class this afternoon. After class two weeks ago, I couldn't walk downstairs without looking like Forrest Gump with his leg braces on. Nor could I sit on the toilet without bracing myself. TMI? It's my blog. I'm not Bobby Brown but it is  my prerogative.

10. I am lifting this ditty pretty directly from my facebook status this morning. I cannot tell a lie.

I'm confused by the Joe Paterno supporters lamenting over what's being done to him. Most of those statuses say nothing about the victims. What if your kid was the next victim because he didn't do enough? Let's be real - he was the most powerful man in Happy Valley. He could've blown the lid off of this and had it handled another way. For a man who holds so much power, taught conservative family values and is a father himself, he should have done more when he saw nothing was being done by the AD. When there is a far reaching coverup of of this magnitude, EVERYONE must go. When you're the boss, it starts with you. No, he's not going out with his head held high. None of those kids left the showers with theirs up either.

Sandusky is a vile being. Those who stood by and didn't do enough are not in the A+ column. In his FB status, my friend PJ Katz opened with this quote, which is so very relevant to this situation: "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." THAT is why Joe, and hopefully the rest of the people who knew about this, are being removed.

To those who say we don't know everything: No, we don't. But we do have 23 pages of a grand jury report that tell us what happened. We do know after that report came out, 20 more victims came forward. We know that Paterno himself says in hindsight he wishes he did more. What more do we need to know? The unwillingness of anyone who witnessed something to follow through and make sure this predator was dealt with appropriately makes them culpable as well. To do what is required of you legally does not in any way mean you did what was required of you morally, and that's what makes you unable to sleep at night.

To PSU alums and students: Your institution is famous for its football program, but it is certainly not defined by it. You have many things to be proud of that don't have anything to do with a football field. Don't take it personally when the world at large puts your icons on blast. Find solace and strength in your numbers. You still ARE Penn State. Current students, go back to class. Learn, grow, make the world a better place.

To those that still want to argue: imagine the boy in the shower was your child, and someone walked in on him being raped and didn't shout or attempt to intervene physically. And the people in power who knew about it didn't follow up to find that boy, or to make sure it didn't happen to another little boy. How staunch are you now in your support of the coaching and administrative staff who had knowledge of these heinous acts? If you say you still support them, I call bullshit.

I simply can't understand the sympathies expressed for the adults who knew about the abuse instead of the victims who endured it. It sickens me.

Blast off,

SMD