Dare You To...

Checking in for some news you can use!


Remember last week when I dared  you to break out a board game?
Well, the SilverOak Blog has heard my cry and created an epic
chart to help you find a perfect board game for YOU!
Dare you to check it out by clicking here and find which game it recommends.

Bone Broth is getting super popular these days,
so I thought I'd remind you that you can make it from home!
It's so much simpler than it sounds: here's how.

This post by Carla Birnberg just made me giggle, so I have to share.
Give it a read and take a moment to reflect:
What's in YOUR bra?

Whatever your health-related resolution,
the FitFluential blog has you covered:
First, a beginner's strength workout,
and then
tips to build a green smoothie + 10 green smoothie recipes

The New York Times Well Blog answers:
Can Compression Clothing Enhance Your Workout?

Finally, watch this five-minute video to clear up
some VERY common myths and misconceptions about exercise,
and avoid making …

Work started up again for me today, after a relaxing and productive two-week holiday.  As much as I love my job, I get so much out of the time off to recharge my batteries.

Some of my favorite memories from this break are the times spent playing games!Games are a great way to de-stress, have fun, and connect with others. A good game will get you totally immersed in the moment, and that's where the magic happens.


One snowy/rainy night, we broke out a classic Monopoly board at my parents' house and got to competing.


It's been so long since we've played Monopoly--well over a decade, for sure!  I barely remembered the rules, but I may have been alone in that.  When Eric asked how much play-money we were each to start with, my father amazingly recited from memory exactly how many of each bill we should receive.  When we finally found the instructions, it was confirmed that my dad's memory was impeccable!


The night was spent in laughter, a fun time had by all!

PS: If you…

It's the return of Friday Features!  Lately, I've been seeing more and more articles promoting some research findings that I've been living by for a while. Vindication! Love having a quick link to send to my friends, family, and YOU that unearths and explains some important science that impacts your life.



"Light emitting e-readers detrimentally shift circadian clock" The American Association for the Advancement of Science recaps a research study's findings about the negative impact of e-readers' light on participants sleep quantity and quality, as well as their alertness and functioning the following day!!

Yet another publication has caught up to the times:
"Nutritional experts say it's time to stop fearing fat."
The article as a whole is tentative, as the title indicates
by placing responsibility on the "nutritional experts."
It goes back and forth, asking expert after expert about their take
on a recent research study.  Some advice…

{Last week's Neon Dash Giveaway winner is... Leigh!  Congratulations!} 
On my birthday bucket list is the dare to PAINT, and that's just what I did last night!


You see, I always loved art when I was younger, and I would draw and paint right through my senior year in high school.  Then... nothin'.  Somehow life took over, and my sketchbook ended up in a cabinet in my bedroom in my parents' house.  Nowadays, whenever I do find myself doing something artsy or involving paint of some kind (like a paint-your-own pottery type place), I get such a creativity high that I'm sad when it ends and yearn for more!

Art is an enjoyable form of PLAY for me,  and play is good for us!
So that's how "paint" ended up on my list, and a no-hassle way to dip my toe back in was by taking a class.

My friend Becky and I went to Painting Lounge in Brooklyn (there's also a Manhattan lounge--which is BYOB), where we were set up with easels, canvases, paint, brushes, and a mo…

Quick note!Don't forget there's a book review and giveaway going on! Click here to comment and enter.

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Earlier this month, for my birthday, I made a bucket-list of sorts, various tasks I desired to complete throughout the year.  Basically, I had been somewhat saddened looking upon my previous year and how I spent it focused solely on work, and didn't go out of my way to make time for play, and play is important!  Looking ahead, I've decided that this year of my life will be different.  I will schedule in unscheduled time.  I will do things just for fun.  I will work to be better at my job while also ensuring that my sanity remains intact.  I want to stay young, to reduce stress, to enjoy life, and to remember that it's okay necessary to make room for balance between work and play.

At first, I shared my list with just a couple of friends on my birthday, but I planned on mostly keeping it to myself.  Just a week or two later, Alec posted her 27 before 28 list t…