Thursday Thoughts - time cast a spell on you but you won't forget me

1. As the title indicates, another week with time spent down the Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham rabbit hole. If I had a dime for all the time spent down that over the course of a lifetime...

2. In case anyone was wondering if I managed to cure my smize behind my mask over the pandemic months...I did not. Thanks to Kristi for the summer juj on my hair!

3. Getting back into a rhythm of a few days in Philly every week is going to take me right through September adjustment-wise, and then I'll be back to mostly full time at the shore. There's so much shit in this house. We've gotten rid of a lot and there's just freaking more. I pre-ordered The Afrominimalist's Guide to Living with Less by Christine Platt and it publishes next week so I cannot wait. 

4. My cooking rhythm is better in Philly though. Always has been. Last night I made breakfast burritos to freeze and power breakfast muffins to freeze for the first time in a long while. 

5. But wait, there's more! I made tacos and ensuing taco salads and grilled london broil to serve with little creamer potatoes and salad. This is the salad before I dumped the glorious Ken's Thousand Island on it. We only have this one life and mine has full fat dressing in the amount I want it in. 

6. MFD has been at the shore, so I've been on dog duty 100% and we've done a lot of sleeping. Most of us have not sat directly on other people on purpose though. 

7. We still have a problem recognizing what privilege is and who has it in this country, and what not supporting expansion of voting rights for all is actually doing, which is just propping up systemic racism. It's never too late to think critically and learn what privilege is, who has it, and why they might want to hold onto it for dear life even if it means things like not supporting democracy. Which is nonpartisan, by the way, democracy. We all know that, right? If one party in a democracy is trying to limit voting rights, that is partisan though. 

Also. It's never too late to stop watching Fox News.

8. This is a pretty accurate representation of Tuesday from like 2 pm on. Sometimes Tuesday's gotta fucking Tuesday even more.

9. Reminder: 

10. ecards

What's happening in your neck of  the woods?

What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac

The five best energy boosters for fitness

When you need a booster to get you off your backside and finally workout, you need the best food and drink specifically for this purpose. That means, food that is easily digestible, drinks that will sit well in your stomach and possibly supplements that will be short and sharp. There is a multitude of options, some of them that have been around forever and some of them that have taken the fitness world by storm recently. Let’s see how each of these five could help you.

Coffee

Good old caffeine, it works every time. This has been a key ingredient in many energy drinks because it gives your body a quick boost of energy and is usually quite clean. Caffeine is known to heighten your alertness, so it's not just that you’ll want to run further and workout longer, but you’ll be more cognitively aware of your coordination. It also raises your heart rate, which is the key to burning fat. 

Oatmeal 

Oats have always been a fantastic source of energy. These slow-digesting carbs have been found in the knapsacks of uncovered Roman soldiers. Oats are cheap and they can be stored anywhere. The iron in the oats will help to transport oxygen to your muscles. Oats also have an abundance of vitamin B, which helps the body to convert food into energy. A small bowl of oatmeal can be eaten 30-minutes to 1-hour of a workout and you’ll have energy all the way through. It's a favorite of professional athletes for a reason. 

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Chain amino acids

Look for supplements that have chain amino acids like the Charged-AF. You can try it out for almost nothing, as each sample is a few dollars. Pour the supplement into water and blend it. The amino acids will help your body to make more glycogen which is the energy source your muscles use.  

Chocolate 

Chocolate bars are a cheap way to give you an energy boost before your workouts. Sugar will be the main ingredient that gives you that boost, but cocoa is also valuable. It will reduce inflammation which is why runners eat dark chocolate before an event. Chocolate also tastes great, so it will give you a mental boost in satisfaction. If you have trouble getting out of bed to workout, knowing you have a chocolate bar waiting for you if you do, is a great motivator.

pixabay 

Eggs

Eggs have always been a brilliant way to boost your energy. Most of all, eggs do it cleanly. The white has plenty of healthy protein and the yolk has fats which your body will burn quickly, as they are easily digestible. The yolk also contains many vitamins (A, D, E & K), omega-3 and minerals to help your muscles and bones grow strong.

These 5 energy-boosting foods and drinks have ingredients that have stood the test of time. Anybody can afford a bag of oats, most of us can tolerate a small cup of coffee and who doesn’t want a chocolate bar before a workout?

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This post was written with the Life According to Steph audience in mind

Show Us Your Books June 2021

This came up fast, no? 

Happy birthday to my co-host and longtime friend of over 25 years, Jana (it was Saturday). 

Happy Pride Month!

I am not a book challenge person, but if you are, please check this timely and important challenge out: One of our regular linker uppers, Dara from Not in Jersey, has gotten together with a group of bookstagrammers to celebrate Jewish authors with The #JEWnish Book Challenge. With anti-semitism on the rise around the globe, there is no better time. Click here to read her instagram post and find out more on the challenge, which is super simple: reading a book by a Jewish author this month and sharing. 

Here's what I've been reading since the last linkup. 

Engrossing Reads

Hostage by Clare Mackintosh - I blew through this, a Memorial Day Weekend read. Suspension of disbelief required and some why is that in here but otherwise interesting and kept me tied in. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, comes out June 22.

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland - This reminded me of Dirty Dancing, so how could I not love it. It definitely touched on some serious issues, but it also managed to be lighthearted and the kind of funny you don't laugh out loud at but find yourself smiling when you're reading. The Catskills as a setting, two Jewish families intertwined in business and more. It was hard to pick a favorite character. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Passed the Time Just Fine

Thicker Than Blood (Zoe Bentley Mystery #3) by Mike Omer - I enjoyed this series a lot - I think it's over, but not sure-and will read more by Mike Omer. He has a few other series books as well. Paperback, own, bought used

One Two Three by Laurie Frankel - Here's a story no one cares about. I read 9/10s of Frankel's massive hit This is How it Always Is and the story was important but I literally put the book down with less than 100 pages left. It is a massive book and felt so fucking repetitive and I had no appetite for that at the time - I was reading it right after Geege died in 2017. It's probably the longest I've read a book/closest in proximity to the end when I quit. Fast forward and this book was totally fine, an interesting premise and characters, and I know people will love it. I just...it's doing too much again. I think Frankel is a good for you, not for me author. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid - Not my favorite of hers. Something was missing. Feeling? Still compulsively readable but I didn't finish it and want to tell everyone about it. I did discuss with Nadine and Heather on the gram, but not in an OMG we loved it way LOL. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review 

Under the Magnolias by T.I. Lowe - This was a little draggy in parts but a solid coming of age tale in the south in the 80s with mental health and community and being seen all strong themes. Austin was reminiscent of Kya from Crawdads in fleeting ways. . Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

One Small Sacrifice by Hilary Davidson (Shadows of New York #1) - I am not sure where I heard about this book, I assume from this linkup? Or how I acquired the paperback copy I found on my shelf, or how long I've had it...but I did find it and read it and was unsure of it for a while but I didn't mind it. I know that's not a rousing go read it but it's all I can muster at the time. If there are more in a series, I'd read them. Is that better? Paperback, own, unknown origin

Not Worth It

The Serial Killer's Wife by Alice Hunter - his felt a little repetitive. I had high hopes based on the title and this had a lot of potential, none of which panned out how I thought it would. There are avenues left unexplored that would have been rad. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Photographer by Mary Dixie Carter - This was a shorter novel so I sailed through it, but the story telling itself was slow in pace until the end. You have to sort of suspend all belief in what people would actually do in real life. I liked the writing though and would read another by Carter. Free advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Did Not Finish

n/a

Linkup Guidelines:

This link up is the second Tuesday of every month. The next linkup is Tuesday, July 13, 2021. 

1. Visit and comment with both of your hosts, Jana & me, and check in with as many in our reading circle as you can - give some love to the later linker uppers! 
2. Link back to us in your blog post - if you want the button you can get it from that link

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

TWTW - the extra long one

Wednesday after work we hit the boards for dinner at Opa, go carts, some arcade games, and a nice night. I worked when we got back. MFD picked up Jared who flew up from FL as a surprise for my brother's birthday.

Thursday I was supposed to be off, but had a meeting in the afternoon so I ended up thinking about that before it and after it and come on. It was a nice beach day when I wasn't thinking it would be. We did apps for dinner and Aubrey, Stephen, and Jared took the kids to the boards while me, Dad, and Carol stayed home and Dad dressed up like Stephen and we were roaring laughing. MFD was back and forth to Philly for work. 

Friday My brother's birthday! National Donut Day! I picked up a nice dozen from Nauti Donuts and we did some heavy sampling. Aubrey's parents came down for the day and the ladies did some Asbury Ave. shopping, then we hit the beach. Aubrey made a big spaghetti dinner and a cake for Stephen and we sang multiple times. Boardwalk was out as it down poured for over an hour. 

The sun shower was cool though viewed from the porch, as was the resulting rainbow and sunset. 

Saturday was an amazing beach day. We were down by 10 and stayed down until 4. Jared and his brother were a huge help in the beach wheelchair, fetching and moving, and kid entertainment game. 

The driveway BBQ was not as smoky as the Great Smokefest of Labor Day 2020. Dad manned the grill and we had salads and hotdogs and hamburgers. MFD caught a big striper Tuesday and he did some of that on the grill and in the air fryer. The guys went up to the boards except for Dad and we stayed back and watched Raya and some dragon thing. MFD, Jared, and I took Baby Stephen, Bruce, and Ben to the bay for the sunset, then sat on the porch for a while. It was a lovely day and night.

Sunday I made Mimi's bacon breakfast muffins. Justin took off early to go the Sixers game and the rest of us headed to the beach while MFD went elsewhere to fish. We got Jared an uber to the AC airport, wolfed down some food, emptied the house, and Dad and Carol headed home while the rest of us headed to the boardwalk for some last rides. It was crowded as hell. Stephen, Aub, and the kids left and I slunk onto the couch like a shell of myself LOL. I painted my nails and toes, started a new book that I cannot even recall right now, and fell out. 

Happy happy birthday to my brother on Friday, and to my BFF Kim on Saturday. 

It was a great long stretch of time together and I'm glad we got to do it thanks to the beach wheelchair and the people who pushed it on the actual beach. 

Show Us Your Books tomorrow! See you here for that!

Four practical tips when planning a couple's getaway

Image by Arthur Brognoli from Pexels.

 

Have you decided to go on your first trip with your better half? And you have no idea where to start?

You might be married for several years, and you want an escapade to reconnect. A getaway is a great way to relax, spend more time, and bond more with your partner. 

Truth be told, the idea of ecstasy can turn sour, and some of your plans might go awry if not well pulled off.

Fortunately, you can note the following four tips to have a perfect and romantic getaway.

Plan Your Trip Together

A couple’s trip will lose its meaning if you do not plan it together since one of you might end up following the other around engaging in activities that do not interest them. As a result, this will surely affect the mood of your trip due to arguments.

Sit and jot down your desired destination, preferred activities, and your budget. Additionally, discuss the type of holiday you want as a couple, whether it is a quiet resort-centered vacation or an exciting trip.

Try New Activities Together

Trying new activities can spice up your trip. You might consider going fishing or paragliding over the gleaming water, and there are many fun things to do in Myrtle Beach to make your trip more exciting.

Getting out of your daily routine and trying new experiences together can help tighten your bond. Both of you will create memories since you can look back fondly on your getaway.

Furthermore, there are numerous travel websites where you can research to get better ideas on where to go—there are various activities for every couple.

Include Time for Rejuvenation and Relaxation

It is crucial to remember that the trip is focused on your relationship. Nurture that by sparing some ample time to wind and rejuvenate.

You can do that by arranging for a side-by-side massage session while reminiscing about the first time you met. Regardless of how enjoyable your destination is, prioritize having deep conversations and connecting with your significant other.

The best thing about couple getaways is that they can help rekindle that spark in your relationship, and you can connect and bond without destruction from work, kids, and even your daily routine.

And for that reason, it is a recommendation to do it more regularly.

Get Personal and Plan Surprises

Surprises never age. Including little fun and impulsiveness elements is an excellent way to rekindle your passionate connection with your spouse.

 These can be small acts like a bouquet or creating a mixtape of songs that you often listen to together, to something more detailed like a special dusk cruise or an elite luxury dwelling.

 If you are not an imaginative person and are poor at surprises, you might consider reserving a resort with a vacation suite!

Conclusion

A couple’s getaway is indeed an excellent way to explore and bond with your significant other away from work and daily commitments. You can consider short weekend getaways for starters, and then you might include destinations far from your place afterward.

Consider going on trips together and build a happy and healthy relationship.

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This post was written with the Life According to Steph audience in mind