Courtesy Marriott
My wife and I recently returned from an incredibly relaxing, four day getaway to Marriott Cancun, the company’s first of several upcoming all-inclusive resorts.
We really enjoyed the classy commons areas, cozy room, inviting pools, spectacular beach, and fresh, high quality food (such as fresh guacamole and produce).
Overall, we both felt it loved up to the Marriott name and was surprisingly affordable, making it a great value, especially if you have unused reward points lying around.
Either way, I highly recommend it for couples, families, and non-party goers alike.
Courtesy Unsplash
I recently booked a $6 Uber in a foreign city. Once it arrived, I hopped in the car. The chipper driver said “Hi,” then flipped a uey. Seconds later, he pulled over. “Did you know you were only two blocks when you booked this ride?” he asked with a smile. I did not and was pretty embarrassed by my goof.
Oops.
Had I taken a few extra seconds to see just how close my destination was, I would have saved a few bucks, not to mention my embarrassment. Thankfully I didn’t lose too much on the deal. But there are actually a lot of ways travelers routinely waste money when venturing abroad, whether domestically or internationally.
Let me count the ways: Continue reading…
Courtesy Shutterstock
A friend recently asked if I thought all screens were equally addictive. More specifically, she asked if I took issue with the amount of laptops and computers being used in classrooms today.
“Not really,” I responded. “When used correctly, computers are mostly creation and productivity machines — like F150s, hammers, or pant brushes of the digital world. They can certainly be abused. But they are excellent educational tools and workhorses that actually prepare most kids for the same amount of computers they’ll use in their careers.”
In that way, smartphones are measurably more additive. They’re mostly consumption devices that when used in excess, behave like digital depressants. Desktops and laptops, on the other hand, are often stimulants. They are better creative machines.
Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. I’ve written 5000 word articles with only my iPhone on an airplane, and I used to be addicted to my laptop in unhealthy ways. But the advent of smartphones more than doubled, if not tripled, the amount of soul-sucking screen abuse, by my estimation.
The always-on, bottomless, and infinite scroll handhelds we always take with us are the much larger, more depressing problem for all involved. Consequently, that’s where the majority of our focus and restraint should be on.
As we head into the holiday, I challenge each of us to set boundaries on our phones, such as gutting our notifications, deleting distracting apps, and self-imposing screen limits. It’s the best way I know to live heads up.
See also: 8 ways to conquer your smartphone obsession
Courtesy Dreamworks
I recently watched two fantastic movies in theaters. Wild Robot started a little slow but is a wonderful take on what it means to be human, adapt to changing environments, and parent. There’s even some magnificent religious undertones inside. My favorite line: “Fly like you, not like them.” Love it: 4/5 stars.
Courtesy Universal
Similarly, Conclave has even more impressive cinematography and better acting. It touches on so many themes; politics, power, corruption, ambition, gender equality, faith, doubt, mystery. I was in awe of it—best move I’ve seen all year. 4.5/5 stars.
Both come highly recommended.
This guest post is written by Iris Thieme, and I endorse everything she says.
1. Eat a large, healthy breakfast and lunch
Studies have shown greater success in weight loss when the bulk of calories are consumed earlier in the day, by waiting 4-5 hours between meals, and by waiting 12-15 hours between dinner and breakfast the next day. However, most parties and dinners happen in the evening, so on the days when there is no party, focus on eating more in the daytime and less in the evenings. Also, if your household is like mine and wants to eat non-stop from the time they get home from school until they go to bed, you might need to find other things to do to avoid joining them – brush your teeth, chew gum, eat some fruit or go for a stroll. Continue reading…
Thanks for reading (and sharing) my latest batch of stories:
In search of fresh pie, my family recently visited Village Inn, which typically bakes around 40-50 pies on site per day. The idea was to taste and rank every slice of pie they served, which is precisely what we did.
Long story short, we ate a dozen different pies, and the crusts, fillings, and award-winning freshness did not disappoint. The service from Jen (the generous store manager) and Dylan (our waiter) didn’t either.
Better yet, each big slice costs no more than $4.75-5.50. “That’s so much cheaper than the other dessert places my friends and I go to,” my teenage daughter remarked. “We’re coming here next time!”
No wonder the all-day breakfast and pie joint enjoys 4.5 stars from thousands of reviews. These were our favorite pies, ranked from best to “I’d still eat it.”
1. Country Apple
I thought Apple pie was boring until I tried this, Village Inn’s second best-selling pie. The crust was perfect—crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside where the sugary apple slices had moistened the dough. I loved it. The only pie that scored “perfect” from all seven of us.
Continue reading…
Many years ago, I read that you should never skirt around death with softening words like “he passed” or “is no longer with us.” So I’ve said death and dying ever since, as in, “He/she died.” No one has ever taken offense from it.
Nevertheless, “I think that people in America see death as a failure,” says one death doula. “Look at the language we use – “she lost her battle with cancer.” “He bravely fought his disease for many years.” Death is not something that needs to be denied or fought against, however. It is a natural part of life.”
The sooner we accept that, the better off we’ll all be.
Courtesy Disney Cruise Line
One island isn’t enough.
That’s the thinking behind Disney’s Lookout Cay, a new, three square mile private beach at the southern tip of Eleuthera, Bahamas. Made exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests traveling on 3-15 night Atlantic itineraries, Lookout Cay is a $400 million dollar, picture-perfect property in the sun-soaked comforts of the colorful Caribbean. It opened this summer to positive reviews and lots of promise.
After visiting the island myself this fall aboard Disney Magic, I gotta say: Lookout Cay is more than positive—it’s phenomenal. Not only is it the most stunning Caribbean beach I’ve ever vacationed on (having visited over a dozen), Lookout Cay is essentially Disney’s love letter to Bahamian culture and the endearing people that make the 3,000 island nation what it is today.
Why should you care? Here are five good reasons. Continue reading…
I broke my nose playing soccer last month. I headed the ball. My opponent headed my nose.
As you can see on the left, it was crooked and my left nasal passage was partially blocked, which impaired my breathing.
A few days later, I went to the doctor. After shooting up my face and nostrils with incredibly painful anesthetic shots, he re-broke my nose with a giant metal rode that he shoved up my nostrils. The pressure, proximity to my brain, and crunching bones are something I’ll never forget.
He handed me a mirror and asked what I thought. Better, but still a little crooked. He went back at it again, which was unnerving.
Moments later, he handed the mirror back, and it looked straight, albeit swollen and still with some biodegradable gauze still shoved inside (right photo). Nevertheless, I could breathe out of both nostrils for the first time in days, which was a relief.
Although the procedure was NOT fun, I’m deeply grateful for good medicine and doctors that fix me up. I nearly cried walking out of the doctor’s office but couldn’t because my face was so numb.
For the record, this was the sixth broken bone. I previously broke my left hand (football), left foot (soccer), lower back (twice; bad genes), and right ankle (soccer).
I suspect it won’t be the last bone I break either. Thankfully bones heal and doctors can set them.
This 23 year-old true but unbelievable story is a great long read. “What Johnson knows, perhaps better than anyone else, is the capability of people, given certain circumstances, to do absolutely savage things to each another. It’s a good bet that someone in that restaurant with us that day was probably wishing someone else was dead. Perhaps it was the drab little man in the corner. Or maybe it was the slightly overweight woman sitting at a table with friends. “I am always here for them,” says.” Love it.
I’ve never met a puffer I didn’t like.
Warmer, lighter, and more packable than a hoodie or traditional coats, they are the perfect everyday cold weather jacket.
The new Stretch Down 2.0 by Stellar is seriously the best puffer I’ve ever worn. At $350, it’s on the expensive side. But the stretch, matte fabric and reduced cold spots feel extra cozy and don’t swoosh as much as other puffers.
I love it.
My latest for Marriott Traveler: “If you want to get the most from your vacation, off-season travel is the way to go. Also known as “low season” travel, this trip-planning hack can help you avoid the high travel rates, low (or no) availability, long lines and bigger crowds associated with “peak” or high season.” Continue reading…
Courtesy Shutterstock
There is a Brazilian wonder on my son Max’s soccer team. His name is Eduardo. He moves like a World Cup player. And is clearly the best on a very strong team.
But that’s not what I like most about Eduardo. More than anything else, he seemingly always makes the right decision or pass, regardless of if it’s too a weaker teammate or not. I’ve never seen him take matters into his own hands like superstart athletes often do. I’m in awe of his maturity.
It’s almost as if Eduardo has made the decision beforehand to always trust in the system and do the best he can, regardless if he’s teammates won’t always see the right play through. I admire that.
Moral of the story: you can always trust in making the best decision. You can always trust in the system, even if it doesn’t always work out. You can always trust your teammates, even if they sometimes let you down.
It’s liberating to admit that. Because trusting in the imperfect system always leads to better results that trusting in our imperfect, and smaller-sample size selves.
See also: 6 ways to be a more confident athlete
Courtesy Shutterstock
While writing for Outside: “Let me establish my tourist bona fides before we go any further. I am a 47-year-old white man who has lived in the suburbs for the vast majority of my existence. I have spent a grand total of one week camping. I consider emptying the dishwasher to be hard labor. I don’t know how to pitch a tent, build a lean-to, start a fire without matches or a lighter, or climb any rock higher than three feet tall. I am not hardy. The only other time that Outside asked me to write for them, it was to review bathrobes, which are generally not worn outside. I own both cargo shorts and a fanny pack.” Continue reading…
Courtesy Shutterstock
When I was in my early twenties, I was determined to make a fortune. Like everyone else my age (or at least the ones at the ambitious university I attended, aka rookies!), I viewed riches as the quick fix to happiness. So I set my sights on money over passions that excited me (which, coincidently, would actually lead to more money than just blindly chasing money — but that’s another story).
Two experiences in college, however, deeply changed my opinion, if not cliche and shortsighted approach to adulting and fulfillment. Continue reading…
Over the last decade, I’ve written and published hundreds of travel stories for CNN, National Geographic, USA Today, LA Times, Washington Post, Lonely Planet, Fodor’s, Expedia, Orbitz, Frommers, and Travel Weekly. For the same period, I was the weekly travel columnist for Paste Magazine, which took me to all 7 continents, over 50 countries, an equal number of national parks, and hundreds of cities.
For recent clippings, click here. For some of my personal favorites, take these:
Best of 2024
- My Journey to Antarctica with National Geographic (Paste)
- A fanny pack is the only travel bag you need (Washington Post)
- You don’t hike” Utah’s Fiery Furnace. You get lost in it. (LA Times, syndicated on Aol)
- How to keep phone service while traveling abroad (Lonely Planet)
- Sailing Scandinavia on the most “Viking” cruise in the world (Paste)
- The Grand America hotel lives up to its name (Paste)
- Hollywood basics: Tinseltown’s top attractions (Paste)
- 5 lessons learned after visiting every country (Blake Snow)
- 5 reasons to sail Greece and Turkey with Royal Caribbean (Paste)
- Eating my way through Chicago’s most famous foods (Paste)
- Why can’t I poop on vacation? 5 ways to avoid travel constipation (Paste)
- Ski resort in summer? Montage Deer Valley delivers (Paste)
- Classic Cairo: 5 Things to Know Before Visiting The Pyramids of Giza (Paste)
- 11 things to do in Las Vegas with kids (Marriott Traveler)
- Cancun, Cabo, or Vallarta: Which Mexican resort is right for you? (Washington Post)
- Eating my way through Detroit’s most famous foods (Paste)
- Garden of the Gods: I can’t quit Colorado’s top-rated park (Paste)
- Is it safe to travel outside of America? (Paste) | 5 ways to sleep on planes (Paste)
Continue reading…
Eating well is hard to do. Here are a 13 lucky food strategies I follow to keep extravagance at bay.
- Never order a cheeseburger. I said never. “But, Blake,” you ask, “Don’t you like cheese and beef?” Yes. Both are bursting with flavor. But there’s no sense overdoing it when each are good on their own. “I really wish this delicious burger had cheese on it,” said no one ever. “I really wish this grill cheese had meat on it,” also said no one ever. Pick one and enjoy.
- Hold the mayo and sour cream. Speaking of burgers, my wife and I made homemade ones over the weekend. Mine was topped with red onion, lettuce, tomato, Dijon mustard, and ketchup on a Texas toasted bun. It was a taste explosion, even without the mayo. Same goes for the tacos we had tonight. Beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, on a freshly cooked tortilla. No sour cream required. Again, sour cream and mayo are delicious, but there’s no sense in adding them to an already heavily-flavored meal. Continue reading…
Courtesy Unsplash
Thanks for reading my latest travel dispatches:
Courtesy iStock
A friend recently asked what he should tell a youth group his pastor asked him to address. He had this grand idea about explaining all the ways the world is more challenging and complicated than before, especially for youth. He was then going to articulate several points on how to combat each complexity in deep detail.
Although my friend’s heart was in the right place, he was overthinking the issue. “Just acknowledge that life is hard, then reiterate how daily prayer, scripture reading, and church attendance draws us closer to God than any other habit.” Upon telling him this, he looked at me with newfound clarity and determination. “Thank you,” he said. “I’m gonna try this.”
When I saw him the following week, he approached me with a big smile. “It worked!” he exclaimed. “The kids loved the simplicity of the message.” I was happy to hear this.
But the truth is these three habits work for more than just youth. They are for anyone who feels overwhelmed by temporal challenges, moral dilemmas, or the spiritual demands of religion in general.
In short, daily prayer, scripture reading, and weekly church attendance has blessed my life and nurtured my faith more than any other spiritual habits.
- Let go of fear. Play for yourself, never others. Play for fun. If it’s not fun, you won’t play well. So learn how to play freely for yourself, don’t hold back for fear of judgement from others, and have fun.
- Play efficiently, not perfectly. Accept that you will make mistakes but commit to reducing them instead of getting frustrated when you mess up. Accept mistakes as opportunities to learn and get better instead of something to fear or get overly upset about.
- Harbor confident, self-talk thoughts. Think, “I’m a good player and will only get better the more I play. I can do this. That mistake will not define my play today. Chin up, low and slow is the tempo, follow through, etc”
- Focus on the process, not the result. If you’ve trained hard, remind yourself that the hard work has already been done and now you can play freely.List the things you’re good at and things you need to work on.
- Practice like it matters instead of just going through the motions. Simulate in-game maneuvers over lazy warm-ups that teach you nothing.
- Visualize your next successful play. Tell yourself what you’ll do to make it happen.
Following last year’s The Breakers, my new five song “extended play” hit all music stores today. Just in time for fall, it’s my most organic, soulful, serious, folksy, acoustic, and country-ish release to date.
My daughter Madison is the cover art, featuring a giant carp she caught at Utah Lake this summer.
The first song is my shrug towards pessimists, the second an autumn love song for my wife, the third is about my mom going it alone after my dad died, the fourth (and my personal favorite) is a love letter to living in Utah, and the fifth and final song (which the record title comes from) is about how bad we are at communicating sometimes.
I hope you love the 18 minute record and all the unique instruments I used—ukuleles, accordions, Spanish guitars, upright basses, and honkey tonk electrics.
Thanks for listening.
This summer my family loved watching the American and European soccer championships, The Olympics, my kids swim team, and my boys runner-up winning baseball team. But after two exciting collegiate and professional seasons last year, I’m very excited for football. Let’s go!!
PS—I cheer for these teams in this order for these reasons
Courtesy Shutterstock
Chris Guillebeau of Portland, Oregon never intended to travel to all 193 officially recognized countries in the world—at least not originally. But 11 years and an estimated $130,000 later, he did.
The accomplishment is eye-opening. It’s also incredibly rare. Although there are no records for number of people to have visited every country, it’s safe to say that Guillebeau, a best-selling author and explorer, is in extremely limited company.
“I worked as an aid worker in West Africa for several years and became comfortable traveling in challenging environments,” Guillebeau says. “So when I came back to the U.S., I set a goal of visiting 100 countries.”
As he neared completion of that first goal, however, Guillebeau realized it was easier (and cheaper) than he expected. “So then I decided to go for all 193 by my 35th birthday,” he says, which was eight years away at the time.
What drove him to such a logistical, expensive, and time-consuming undertaking? “The ability to overcome a challenge,” he answers. “The sense that if I failed I’d be disappointed, but if I didn’t attempt I would deeply regret,” he adds.
Continue reading…
Courtesy Reebok
They’re called Club C Grounds by Reebok but I like to call them Club C “Sambas,” due to their low gum profile and bold looks. Either way, I love ’em. ★★★★☆
It’s been a minute since my last email. Okay, it’s been half a year. So in an effort to make up for lost time and hopefully inspire some offline awesomeness, please enjoy my recent writings:
- Why the Internet is hard to put down
- 12 foolproof ways to start a conversation
- Remembering Lucy: Our loyal family dog of 10 years
- 40 ways to change the world with small acts of kindness
- What Oklahoma tornadoes taught me about survival
- Winning time: 7 ways to crush your calendar
- How to change the weather to your liking
- Fast food, hard work: What I learned at Chick-Fil-A
- Top 10 life lessons (profound) | Top 12 American foods
- My most recent published works | How I became a writer
Thanks for reading. Live heads up!—Blake Snow
PS—My new record “Come Clean” hits all music stores on Sep. 6.🤘
PPS—I’ve been doing a lot of tech and consulting writing lately. If you or someone you know needs help in those areas, please let me know.
- When you’re angry or upset
- When someone else is venting
- When you’re negotiating
- When someone else is grieving
- When you don’t have all the facts
- When you’re tempted to gossip
- When your words will only fuel the fire
Courtesy Shutterstock
I was talking to my kids the other day about what I call the three pillars of healthy living. They are as follows:
- Eat clean. Think from scratch foods prepared at home and mostly comprised of fresh produce and raw foods. Usually simple, rarely indulgent, but still full of flavor with the right seasonings.
- Move more. Schedule regular exercise, especially on things you tend to avoid (leg days, etc). Always take the stairs unless it’s a skyscraper. Walk more. Invest in your body by using it.
- Sleep well. 7-8 hours people. More if you’re a growing teenager or child. A little less if you’re in the second half of life. When done well, sleeping well is a super power and legitimate fountain of youth.
Easier said than done. But it’s not rocket science. It is hard though but if we can all keep our momentum and stay in the groove, the above three habits are very much sustainable and fulfilling.
An Oklahoma tornado courtesy of Shutterstock
Before moving to Georgia in my adolescence, I lived in Stillwater, Oklahoma for the first 12 years of my childhood. It was a wonderful place to grow up as a boy.
There were flat streets for my brother and I to skateboard all around town, lots of arcades for us and our friends to dump quarters into, and fishing at Theta Pond. Oh, and chili cheese dogs on Washington Street.
But there was also a harrowing threat of living in Oklahoma, especially in the summer. That’s because the state is home to more tornadoes than any other place in the world—right smack in the middle of Tornado Alley. And I distinctly remember many close encounters with them, if not once every other summer.
My first memory of a tornado was watching a slow and calming funnel cloud form directly over my house on Admiral Street. It was this giant, swirling, but graceful thing that looked like it could explode into a tornado at any moment. My family and I all watched from our front yard. No one said it, but I’m sure all of us we’re thinking: “Please don’t touch down. Please.” We didn’t run because it wasn’t violent looking, and the sirens hadn’t gone off yet. In other words, when you live in Oklahoma, you learn to live with the threat of tornadoes every summer. And you don’t scramble for cover or storm shelters until you can feel, observe, and hear that something violent is about to happen. Continue reading…
My friend’s daughter is an aspiring writer and recently interviewed me. This is what I told her:
1. Do you work for someone specifically or do you have an agent or have to find someone new to write for after you finish a project?
I own my own freelance writing business and spend around half my time asking people if I can write for them and the other half actually writing. I don’t have an agent.
2. What kind of writing is it?
Tech and travel writing for websites, newspapers, and Fortune 500 companies. I’ve also written a couple of books.
3. Do you enjoy it?
No. I LOVE it. Doesn’t feel like a job. More like a calling really. I have no plans of retiring and intend on writing until I die, I like it so much. 😃 Continue reading…
These were shared with me without an attributed author but are spot on:
- Time passes much more quickly than you realize.
- If you don’t take care of your body early then it won’t take care of you later. Your world becomes smaller each day as you lose mobility, continence and sight.
- Sex and beauty may fade, but intimacy and friendship only grow.
- People are far more important than any other thing in your life. No hobby, interest, book, work is going to be as important to you as the people you spend time with as you get older.
- Money talks. It says “Goodbye.” If you don’t plan your finances for later in life, you’ll wish you had.
- Any seeds you planted in the past, either good or bad, will begin to bear fruit and affect the quality of your life as you get older — for better or worse.
- Jealousy is a wasted emotion. People you hate are going to succeed. People you like are going to sometimes do better than you did. Kids are going to be smarter and quicker than you are. Accept it with grace.
- That big house you had to have becomes a bigger and bigger burden, even as the mortgage gets smaller. The cleaning, the maintenance, the stairs — all of it. Don’t let your possessions own you.
- You will badly regret the things you didn’t do far more than the things you did that were “wrong” — the girl you didn’t kiss, the trip you didn’t take, the project you kept putting off, the time you could have helped someone. If you get the chance — doit. You may never get the chance again.
- Every day you wake up is a victory. It’s never too late to become what you wanted to be or might have been if you start now.
Thanks for reading and sharing my latest clippings:
Chick-Fil-A
I want all my children to work fast food someday. Why would I subject the little darlings to low pay, hectic dinner rushes, rude customers, demeaning work, ignorant coworkers, monotonous tasks, slippery shoes, and stinky clothes?
The short answer: Life is filled with the above, so you might as well expose ’em while they’re young. The long answer: Much of what I learned in business I learned from fast food. Not the creative stuff. Not sustained rejection. Certainly not cerebral problem solving.
But working fast food taught me the essence of hard work—livelihood’s version of basic training. After two years as a low-level cooking, toilet cleaning, truck unloading, chicken suit wearing, stench absorbing, fry serving, drive-thru calling, and overly perspiring wage-worker at Chick-Fil-A, here’s what I learned about business, customer service, teamwork, and life: Continue reading…
Courtesy iStock
I love food. I love America. Put the two together, and you get these, the 12 most iconic American foods:
- Hamburger. Classic. Fantastic. Our biggest culinary export. The perfect example of our super-indulgent, informal, on-the-go style food.
- Tex-Mex. Mexican is the greatest Latin American cuisine and arguably better than even Spanish cuisine. But bastardized American-Mexican is just as good. Believe it or not, chimichangas, nachos, fajitas, burritos, hardshell tacos, and “American tacos” filled with seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and cheddar cheese were all invented in America, not Mexico. They all rock.
- Pizza. Originally invented by Italy, but perfected in American with flimsy, foldable New York style, deep dish Chicago style, and rectangle, focaccia Detroit style. All three are delicious!
- Fried chicken. Roast chicken is one of the most savory things you will ever taste in your life. Fried chicken is like roast chicken on “carb-o-rated” steroids. So unhealthy but so, so good.
- Peanut butter and jelly. I freakin love these things and still try to eat one a month. I ate one nearly every weekday as a kid.
- Bar-b-que. Brisket. Pulled pork. Dry rub. Dripping wet. Vinegar based. Mustard based. It don’t matter. They’re all scrumptious.
- Chocolate chip cookies. Although not our most popular dessert (see below), it’s my personal favorite. Thank you, Toll House!
- Ice cream. Need I say more?
- Brownies. It is a cake or chocolate cookie? Both!
- Macaroni and cheese. Pasta cooked in milk and mixed with gooey cheddar cheese? Yes please!
- Hot dogs. Although a known carcinogen, these little sausage rockets topped with mustard, relish, and onions are worth eating every now and then.
- Popcorn. Is there a greater finger food? Probably not.
Honorable mentions: Thanksgiving dinner, pumpkin pie, cornbread, clam chowder, mashed potatoes, apple pie, biscuits and gravy, key lime pie, clam chowder, tater tots.
Courtesy Shutterstock
The phrase, “Golf can be learned in an afternoon,” has never been said. Not once. Ever. For most people, the game truly requires a lifetime to master.
There are some things you can do, however, to tip the scales in your favor when playing an opponent. Some of them are obvious—more helpful reminders than anything. But others less so. Either way, all will have a positive effect on the outcome of your next round.
So after years of research — and by that I really mean a single afternoon of thinking really hard about it — I give you the best eight ways of beating someone at golf: Continue reading…
Although Americans don’t think of them as such, peanuts are vegetables. And boy are they delicious! Grown underground as a legume and not actually a nut, this commonplace superfood is half fat, quarter protein, and quarter sugar. They were first discovered over 7,000 years ago in Peru, before spreading to the rest of the world. In 1890, America invented peanut butter, which quickly became chocolate’s favorite condiment. In the 1950s, America sent lots of peanut butter to combat famine in West Africa, which they used to invent Peanut Soup with tomatoes that is absolutely fantastic. Peanuts can be dry roasted, boiled, blended into a butter, or my personal favorite, cooked in oil (aka “cocktail” peanuts). They are crunchy, nutty, slightly oily, and dare I say timeless. They get a bad wrap for being boring. But I eat them nearly everyday. Like potatoes, I admire them for their versatility. ★★★★★
Over the last 18 months, my family has doubled down on a mostly vegetarian, part-time vegan diet. We eat meat only once or twice a month, usually on holidays or special occasions. Same goes for desserts, usually on major holidays or birthdays.
Since my wife doesn’t like eggs, which is one of the best affordable superfoods, we eat a lot of oatmeal (boiled and baked), beans and rice, veggie pastas, lentils, peanuts, mixed nuts, hummus, big green salads, popcorn, oils instead butter, yogurt, macaroni and cheese, and plain ole carrots. We eat fruits in moderation, usually bananas, apples, and whatever’s in season.
Since becoming mostly vegan, I have never felt better. But I’ve also learned that eating healthy doesn’t have to be bland or expensive. In fact, I think we spend less on home cooked meals now than we did before, which really helps since the cost of food has skyrocketed over the last few years.
Either way, I love food more than ever and it feels great to feel better while still enjoying it.
See also: 26 secrets to eating healthy on a budget
Courtesy Shutterstock
“A student once asked anthropologist Margaret Mead, ‘What is the earliest sign of civilization?’ The student expected her to say a clay pot, a grinding stone, or maybe a weapon. Margaret Mead thought for a moment, then said, ‘A healed femur.’ A femur is the longest bone in the body, linking hip to knee. In societies without the benefits of modern medicine, it takes about six weeks of rest for a fractured femur to heal. A healed femur shows that someone cared for the injured person, did their hunting and gathering, stayed with them, and offered physical protection and human companionship until the injury could mend. Mead explained that where the law of the jungle and survival of the fittest rules, no healed femurs are found. The first sign of civilization, then, is compassion, as seen in a healed femur.”—Ira Byock, American physician
Asking the below is sure to elicit a much better response than inquiring about the weather.
“What are you excited about?”- “What’s the best dining experience you’ve ever had?”
- “What’s been the best part of your week?”
- “What hobby have you always wanted to pick up?”
- “What’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said about you?”
- “Do you have any good book, music, or movie recommendations?”
- “Would you rather be a time traveler or a mind reader?”
- “What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned recently?”
- “How did you learn to be so good with your (talent)?”
- “If you could do anything without worrying about money, what would you do and why?”
- “What’s your perfect Saturday?”
- “How would your best friend introduce you?”
Courtesy Shutterstock
No one can predict the weather. But you can bend it to your will sometimes. Here’s how:
- Fly to a different climate. This is the most expensive option but arguably the most effective. Hop on a flight and enjoy a totally new season in mere hours.
- Go swimming. The most fun, if not affordable option. Only works in summer. Bonus points for making you feel like a kid again.
- Condition your air. Ya know—jack up the A/C, turn up the heat, start a fan, light a fire. Within a few minutes, you can reverse the outside weather.
- Head for cover. This is the fastest, might time-tested option. Could be an umbrella, under the shade of a tree, or cozy shelter. In life and in bad weather, there is no place like home.
- Change your attire. This may be the most overlooked, if not easiest option. In many cases, there’s no such thing as a weather problem, only an attire problem (i.e. you over or underdressed for the elements).
How you like them, life hacks?
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More car crashes, wars (really!), bugs, asthma, wildfires, crime, marital strife, and sunburns. Other than that, it’s awesome! ☀️😎❤️
My Idaho-born father will cough in his ashes for saying this, but baked potatoes are boring. They need a lot of salt, toppings, or dressings to make them interesting. They have a hard time standing on their own. Although traditional, mashed potatoes are like baby food for grown ups. I’ll eat ’em, mind you. But I don’t think I’ve ever savored a bite of mash potatoes. In go the mashed starches! That said, potatoes take on a magical quality when thinly cut, battered, and fried. French fries, hash browns, even scalloped potatoes are pretty darn fun. And I’d be remiss not to mention funeral potatoes. But again those are mostly cheese, butter, onions, and cornflakes. The potatoes are just the vehicle to deliver those richer ingredients. If I sound a little harsh, it’s because I am. There are just so many more exciting vegetables in life. But what potatoes lack in flavor or texture, they more than make up for in versatility. ★★★★☆
With her high school diploma AND associate’s degree. She even won a big Taco Bell scholarship. I’m so proud of her.
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Thanks for reading and sharing my latest published work:
If you’re able to organize your life without a calendar, I have two things to say: 1) You are a miracle; and 2) The following does not apply to you.
For everyone else, I have some proven advice that will help you get the most from your daily, weekly, monthly, and even annual schedule, while helping you free up precious time and prioritize things that are more important to you.
In no particular order, they are as follows:
Continue reading…
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In recent years, the queues to board commercial airplanes have gotten noticeably longer, chaotic, and sometimes testy. This is largely due to increasingly restrictive bag policies and sold out planes, which inadvertently encourage more passengers to board as early as possible to ensure their place on the plane.
Understandably, this causes a lot more gate stress for all involved, from economy passengers and gate agents, to first class fliers and anyone heading to a different gate. Is there a better way?
The answer is an enthusiastic “Yes!” according to the many self-proclaimed “Final Call” fliers I recently spoke to; the seemingly brave but still confirmed passengers who wait until “all rows have been called” and the lines have vanished before boarding. Better yet, all those I spoke to reported that neither their bags nor themselves had never been left behind, so long as they arrived at the gate at least 30 minutes early.
In other words, you don’t have to wait in line to confirm your place (or your bag’s place) on a plane. In fact, the pros of delayed boarding far outweigh the cons, according to those I spoke to. This is what you can expect while doing so. Continue reading…
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“The reason websites continue to load, bank transfers go through, and civilization persists is because of the thousand or so people living aboard 20-some ships stationed around the world, who race to fix each subsea cable as soon as it breaks.” What a story!
For several months this winter and spring, my soon-to-graduate daughter submitted one scholarship application per day. Outside of some partial academic scholarships she won from accepted schools, she was rejected for each and every private scholarship she applied for.
Except one. The biggest one. The one she wanted most. The Live Mas Scholarship from Taco Bell, which she was awarded this month. Click on Utah to see her name. This was her touching and winning application that she wrote and edited all by herself.
I am so proud of her.
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Wanna change the world? Here are 40 mostly easy things you can do everyday to make a difference while serving those around you:
- Smile and say hi to everyone
- Help your family by doing one of their chores
- Send an encouraging note
- Deliver treats to someone in need
- Look for someone alone and genuinely ask how they are doing
- Invite friends or family to dinner and ask how they’re doing
- Always hold the door open for strangers
- Give one sincere compliment each day
- Pay for the person behind you in a fast food line or a restaurant
- Text a family member to say I love you Continue reading…
