Vacation!

A shoutout to my co-workers. We always sing this song to each other when one of us is headed out. Yeah, it's cheesy.
This time it's my turn.
Have a great week, Internet.

Quiz yourself on health

Take the quiz!

Organic: What does it mean?

This is a good piece about buying organic.
The thing that's frustrating about labels is you don't really know what "organic" might mean on a particular package.
The takeaway: Americans need to eat more vegetables and other greens and less meat.
Also check out the 15 foods that are already organic. Among them: sweet corn and onions.

Timely treasures

As much as I'm addicted to Facebook (and I am), when I come across deeper things like this I grab on as if on a life raft.
In case you're reading this after today, it's the April 21 post.
This happens to be written by someone I once knew in another city. And, it was Facebook that drew us back together. So thanks for that, FB.
Patty, I look forward to meeting again in person soon.

i-Ouch!

This is one weird--and sad--story.
Culprit got away.
Sad commentary on the price people can pay for having the latest thing.

Boston: It's a wrap

Imagine running a marathon in 2:05:51.
Kenya's Robert Kirprono Cheruiyot did it Sunday, smashing the Boston Marathon course record by 82 seconds.
The female winner was Ethipoia's Teyba Erkesso.
Read the story here.
I liked one of the comments after the AP story: "Moral of this story is let the boys from Africa (have) this fight and stay in for opening season of baseball or a nice episode of Friends."

Sporty dog

Check out the shoes!
Found this photo of this woman and her dog. The dog (and the woman) were about to embark (ha ha, bark!) on a long-distance hiking trip. ... In other pet news, Bisquick went a little nuts today because we had some visitors around. Strangers. One guy was outside for about 5 hours working on the house. Nailing and sawing and such. Then one of Michael's childhood friends came by to kill a few hours before playing with the local symphony.
After everyone cleared out, Bisquick commenced to whining and crying more than usual.
Poor thing got left out. Now napping.

Running in the Boston Marathon?

It's this weekend.
I suppose it's too late for you to sign up; but here's an interesting blog from Runner's World with some good features about Boston (the race, not the city).
Random tidbit: For cyclists headed toward Fort Benning on the Riverwalk, watch for patches of gravel in a couple places just south of Rigdon Park. They're doing some repair work.
Update: Patches have been patched. Drive on.

Test your mental health

Just for fun. Or maybe you'll learn something, as I did.
I would have taken the attention-span test but I didn't think I could focus that long.
Happy Wednesday, y'all.

Kitty Kelley: Unauthorized bio of Oprah

A really fascinating piece about the new book out about Oprah Winfrey. Kitty Kelley, who's also written about the Bushes and Frank Sinatra, was not able to land an interview with the TV icon, and explains how in this case it might be a good thing. As someone who does what she does on a much smaller scale, it's nice to have the cooperation of the person/group you're writing about, but it's not absolutely necessary. Sounds like Kelley did her homework. I look forward to reading it.
(But, safe to say, I doubt "Oprah" will be featured on her show.)

It's Phil, indeed

Way to go, Phil Mickelson.
What an emotional finish to an emotional year.

Mickelson: Change of subject

Great AJC piece out of Augusta, eg, the Masters.
Obviously, the winner today will be the one who posts the lowest score. But Mickelson could use some good news. So I'm rooting for him, and by extension his wife and mother.

Poor abused broccoli

It's true, as this article states, that broccoli has had bad press through the years. And that's not necessarily the press's fault. You could also blame Bush 41 for calling it out.
It's bland, for sure, but packs vitamins. (Hence the admonitions to eat your broccoli.)
In the Kennedy-Owen household, we like to add a special sauce to ours. It's a combo of mayonnaise, Durkees sauce, lemon pepper and lemon juice. While the mayo isn't heart-healthy, it sure helps the medicine go down.

Tiger Nike ad

Kinda creepy if you ask me. ... The main thing that's creepy is Earl Woods wasn't alive (probably fortunately) when Tiger did all his catting around. So his words ring hollow; they're out of context.
Also, here's a story from the Times from the Billy Payne press conference.

A shoutout to Auburn Holiday Inn

What I'm about to tell you has pretty much nothing to do with health and fitness; but it's worth noting.
I recently stayed in this hotel for one night for an assignment.
In looking for a hotel in Auburn, the main thing I sought was proximity to my assignment. Got it. When I checked in, the staff was very courteous. Went upstairs and put my things away. The phone rang. Front desk staff was making sure everything was to my satisfaction. Then, and this is the best part: Each time I left the hotel--to go to the event, to run an errand, the staff person called me by name. This is amazing to me on at least two levels: Sometimes I can't remember the name of a person I JUST MET FIVE MINUTES AGO (occupational hazard); and two, a place as big as the Holiday Inn (which that night was booked) has a lot of names on the roster. How they remember each name, every night, is a feat.
So I wrote them a thank-you note.
Got a nice one back from someone there today.
It's the little things, don't ya know.

Nostalgia: Lunch counters

So. A recent phone interview put me in touch with one Lauretta Hannon, aka the Cracker Queen.
Southern Living recently dubbed her the funniest woman in Georgia.
In our conversation, we lamented the slow but steady loss of lunch counters. The places where you can have and help create community. Unlike the family dinner table or church (if that applies), the lunch counter/diner is where you might learn the daily news; and share tales (tall or otherwise) from your own life, all the while enjoying the fare. (I'm also thinking of places that serve breakfast. It's not just a lunch thing.)
Mostly I blame the chain places that have knocked out the Mom and Pop's. Efficiency and largesse have replaced intimacy and charm.
Thankfully we still have a few of these where I live but they're definitely smaller in number than just 20 years ago.
What are some of your favorites? What makes them so?

Nettle tea: Medicinal purposes

Here's a tea I came across today.
Nettle tea.
Our pollen count is through the roof today. My editor, as well as others in the room and I, are suffering. So I went to Country Life and they hooked me up. (On Eberhart Avenue, Country Life is part restaurant, part food store.)
Directions: Steep a teaspoon of the tea in a mug of very hot water. Let it steep for 20-30 minutes. Do this twice a day.

Natural allergy remedies

Don't know about you but the allergies are out in full force for us at the Spin Cycle.
So I found this piece in Mother Earth News.
Some good ideas. ... I have been eating tsps. of locally "grown" honey a day; but might need more of these suggestions.
What works for you?

Loyalty to Tiger

Here's another piece on Tiger Woods, this one explaining how it's all about the loyalty.
First practice round of the Masters starts Monday.

Tiger takes

Here's a reaction to what some are saying are the reasons for Tiger Woods' "indiscretions": Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan.
Here's the longer piece on Tiger in Vanity Fair.
What do you think? Me? I tend to agree with the first columnist. You can be around the biggest cheaters in the world; you can go to Vegas and watch people do what they do in Vegas; and you can still avoid, say, cheating on your spouse if you have had solid role models and possess a moral compass.