During my stint as a dating columnist for another publication earlier this year, I became a bit of an expert in the art of the first date. Why? Because I attempted to go on as many of them as possible in thirty days… just to see what would happen (and maybe to create interest in my column). My first date blitz turned out much better than expected- I’m now shacking up with date number eight.
Going out on so many consecutive dates did make one thing clear – great first dates …

Last week, I revealed that I made the decision to run a 5K for my birthday in February – a decision that came after nine years of less than frequent exercise. My adventures in fitness continue below…
The first step toward completing my goal to run a 5K was to sign up for Shocker Fitness and I did that. I’m golden now, right? Well, not so much. In the two weeks since I started the workouts, there have been some highs and lows.
One low? I’ve skipped a couple of workouts in …

I’m compelled to frame this review with a few disclaimers: I don’t own any of Jewel’s music; other than one or two songs, I am not very familiar with Jewel (what can I say? Her music isn’t exactly played in heavy rotation on KCRW and KMUW, the public radio stations I listen to); I have seen her in concert once before.
Therefore, I went to this concert almost blind. But blind was fine for this concert because my takeaway was, “What a voice!”
Jewel was well rested after a day off (during …

Let’s face it, it’s the 21st century and there are countless ways to work out. But how do you know what’s right for you? Some people choose the conventional route of going to the YMCA or to Genesis. Others choose to take their dog out for a run and kill two birds with one stone. I tried the conventional way and even gave Shocker Fitness a chance for about a month this past year. I never really found my niche until this summer.
A friend of mine told me about “sweaty …

If you’re looking for a new hobby that’ll keep you fit, up your extreme factor, and provide an avenue to meet a ton of cute boys, give rock climbing a try. I realize Kansas isn’t exactly mountainous, but don’t get discouraged. Many flatland dwellers have found there are plenty of places to accommodate anyone’s need to reach some altitude.
Unfortunately, rock climbing isn’t something you can just dive into. It is absolutely imperative that you are supervised or receive the proper training. You won’t get a chance to talk to those cute …