Weekend Dispatch

Last week was rough after Sunday's news about Kobe Bryant's untimely death. I tend to do two things when I am upset: clean and exercise. So, on Monday morning, I went to the gym for my usual workout but hopped on the treadmill and ran for a whopping seven miles. I never run that far, but I was so jacked up and emotional that I just released it in the form of a good, solid run. I felt great afterwards and am going to try to make it a regular thing. Unfortunately, I expended all my emotional energy during my run that I had none left for cleaning. So, there's that. This week I am trying to finish up a book I am reading, and I'm trying to knock You off my viewing list, but this season has been difficult for me to get in to (anyone else?), and it's taking me a while to watch.

Here's what else I am up to this week:

I held off subscribing to Apple TV+ for as long as I could. Do I really need yet another streaming service to add to my already long list (Netflix, hulu, Disney+, and more)? But I did subscribe once I realized that it was the only place I could watch The Morning Show with Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. In it Jennifer Aniston plays a seasoned anchor who learns that her co-host has just been fired for sexual misconduct. I'm only two episodes in, but it didn't take long to get hooked. The show addresses the #MeToo issue very well, albeit very reminiscent of the Matt Lauer scandal at The Today Show. Also, I knew I had to watch when Aniston won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for her performance in The Morning Show.

This weekend the big news was the coronavirus. It's pretty scary stuff, so I set out to learn a little more about it. If you Google it, there are lots of articles and it can be overwhelming finding one with solid and trustworthy information. So, I went straight to one of my favorite podcasts when it comes to all things science, Science Vs. While I am not a regular listener as there's content that just doesn't interest me, I do find that the episode that are of interest to me, are good. They are educational and informational. And in most cases, I don't need to research beyond the podcast episode. The most recent episode covers everything you need to know about coronavirus in less than 30 minutes. Listen here.

I workout most mornings during the week. Two days per week I run 5-7 miles each day. Two days I do a Stairmaster workout for 60 minutes. And then one day in the middle, I do yoga for an hour and a brisk 3 mile walk on the treadmill or I ride a few miles on a stationary bike. My workouts are rigorous. I break a serious sweat, and I know how important a good recovery is to maximize the benefits of my workouts. The problem is I'm not hungry after I workout. In fact, I can't eat solid foods for at least 1-2 hours after I workout, but recovery is important within 30 minutes of finishing your workout. I've been turning to smoothies to aid in my recovery. Sometimes I'll grab one from my gym's cafe. It's quick and easy, but not very cost effective. I've been pinning a bunch of recipes to a Smoothies board on Pinterest, and one of my favorites is this raspberry coconut smoothie. I love shredded coconut in smoothies. It's a natural sweetener, and adds a ton of flavor. And this recipe doesn't require a ton of different ingredients.

If you are local to the Jersey shore and are into yoga and beer, Beach Haus Brewery in Belmar is hosting a special Beer with a Yoga Bend event this Saturday, February 8th from 11 AM - 12 PM. $15 gets you an hour of yoga followed by a flight of beer. Bring a friend or go alone and make a friend. More details can be found HERE.

So, tell me. What do you have planned this weekend?