
Oct 31
Trick and Treat

If you’ve witnessed Halloween with princesses and goblins of your own, you know how much candy a pillow case can hold. Always reminded me of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. That image of the Grinch hauling off a humongous bag of toys on a tiny sled. Don’t underestimate the strength of a fairy princess!
Who wants to admit they’ve raided their kid’s Halloween stash late at night searching for the “good stuff?” I preferred to plot my thievery. I participated in the best part of Halloween night with my kids. The sorting of the candy all over the living room floor. They never suspected their sorting partner was going to steal from them when their head hit the pillow. Oh well, they didn’t need to eat that anyway, right?!
The Evolving Swimmer: Beautiful Bubbles
Welcome to “The Evolving Swimmer” 6 part series!
Designed for any swimmer who isn’t totally comfortable in the water absent the security of a flotation device, a wall within arm’s reach, or a floor touching their tippy toes. Or maybe you want to add swimming to your fitness repertoire but have reservations.
In this series, you’ll learn how to be comfortable in the water, basic technique for fitness swimming (including a critique of a popular swim method), my favorite drills, my favorite swim workouts that will challenge your cardiovascular system, and land training to improve your swim strength.
I will share the number one on-line most awesome swim instructional site! A swim coach at your fingertips with endless resources to help you become a great swimmer!
I’ll touch on open water swimming and techniques I’ve used in triathlons as a mid-pack swimmer (the most challenging place to be!). If a triathlon is on your bucket list OR if you’ve panicked in open water, this series is for you. Read more
Just Cucumbers
Lighten up your Thanksgiving meal with a simple cucumber salad. Slice. Coat. Sprinkle. Stir. Munch. Read more
What Can We Learn When Our Heroes Fall
I saw the recap on the news of the 15th anniversary celebration of the Livestrong Foundation. The founder, Lance Armstrong, took the stage to address the audience of supporters. He admitted that the last two weeks had been difficult. With the recent sway of public opinion now believing he took performance enhancing drugs throughout his career, you could see the toll of the past year in his face. He did not apologize or elaborate on his claim of innocence. He only said that he has experienced worse times, referring to his battle with cancer that almost took his life.
It’s worthy of a look behind the cloaks and public personas to extract the lessons, if any, that can be found when one of our heroes implodes. When a role model disappoints or misleads us, we feel betrayed and even angry. Read more
Nathan Endurance Vest
Skitz Pick
If you enjoy being active for long periods, I urge you to consider purchasing the Nathan Endurance Vest. A fluid carriage system designed to keep you hydrated for extended periods.
★ Top 12 Life Notions I Wish I Knew at 20
As I approach my 49th birthday, I wonder how many more life lessons I still have to learn the hard way. Those mishaps that could be prevented if I knew better.
Some of us grow up as sponges while others are bricks. Being hard headed isn’t always bad. You forgo the opportunity to leap frog over obstacles others previously conquered. Rather, you choose to face each adversity head on and figure out your own way. The sponge moves ahead faster but may be less equipped to deal with life’s curve balls.
If you’ve read my Sid’s Sense series, you certainly know I’ve lived as a sponge. Adding 49 years of life experience to that borrowed wisdom is what motivated me to share this list. After decades of discovery, here are few life notions I wish I knew when I was twenty. Read more
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WAKE UP AMERICA! Raj Patel
Who is Raj Patel?
Raj Patel is a scholar, award winning writer and food activist. Having earned prestigious degrees from Oxford and Cornell, he serves as a research fellow at the School of Development Studies in Africa and the Institute for Food and Development Policy.
Patel is author of Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System as well as his New York Times bestseller, The Value of Nothing.
I chose to highlight Raj Patel in my WAKE UP AMERICA! series because he sheds light on the root problems within our food system that few people care to acknowledge. The system is corrupt and causes tremendous human suffering. How can we have 1.5 billion people who are overweight while we have a billion who are hungry? More importantly, what can be done to fix it? Read more
Chick’n and Pearls over Kale
To add nutritional value with fewer calories, sauté greens and then add your couscous, pasta or rice and protein. Not only will the greens have more flavor as part of the main dish but you will need less of the starch to complete the meal. Read more