A Girl Named PJ

Print or digital?

January 22, 2014

I had to laugh at this 1981 news clip after seeing my dad read the New York Times on his iPad this weekend. We take for granted how easy it is to flip through our favorite newspapers and magazines online nowadays. Not the case 33 years ago!

Sometimes I imagine how much simpler my life would be if I canceled all of my print subscriptions and solely read the digital versions. We have stacks and stacks of unread magazines in our kitchen and living room that just create clutter. Digital magazines would keep the house neater — plus, I wouldn’t be tempted to tear out articles for “future reference” that I never actually remember to reference.

(What do people really do with all those tear sheets?)

Have you transitioned to digital magazines and newspapers? Or are you still partial to print?

PS – That time I met the Better Homes & Gardens team at Alt Summit one year ago.

10 products to get you through cold and flu season

January 21, 2014

It started with a tickle in my throat Sunday evening.

I slept poorly that night and woke up on Monday covered in sweat with a cough, sore throat, and congestion. A shower and some hot tea with honey and lemon helped, but by the afternoon, my exhaustion got the best of me. I napped on the couch, trying to rally because we had tickets to see Lewis Black at the Funny Bone that night with a group of friends, a date night activity I’d been looking forward to for almost two months.

Sadly, I couldn’t muster up enough energy to go, so we stayed home and ate chicken soup in our pajamas.

Fingers crossed this is just a cold and not the flu, which is now widespread in 40 states. (And peak flu season isn’t even until mid-February!) Time to break into the arsenal of products I used to ease my suffering when I battled a particularly nasty two-week cold back in November — especially since I couldn’t take any medicine.

Since there’s no avoiding cold and flu season, here are 10 products that’ll help keep you comfortable (and maybe even shorten the length of your symptoms) if you feel the dreaded throat tickle, too:

Crane cool mist humidifier
Puffs Fresh Faces saline wipes (the grown-up version of Boogie Wipes)
Honest hand sanitizer
Rosebud Salve lip balm
AHAVA Mineral hand cream (a necessity after all that hand washing)
Mustela Hydra Stick with Cold Cream (steal this from your baby and use it around your nose)
Naked Green Machine Boosted smoothie (better than orange juice)
Neti pot
Coldcalm tablets (check with your doctor if pregnant)
Neti pot salt

Not pictured: Spicy noodle bowl with chicken from Whole Foods, which, I swear, has medicinal properties.

PS – Baby’s first cold (so sad!)

Making room for baby (and Friday links)

January 17, 2014

This bookcase is currently a major source of anxiety for me. Its (unstyled) shelves are filled with books I haven’t referenced in years, random papers to be filed, and swag accumulated from blogging conferences. Once they’re organized, the entire bookcase needs to be relocated* because that’s the wall in the guest room/home office/new nursery where the baby’s crib needs to go.

The crib that Levi is still using.

Because I haven’t made any headway on transitioning his nursery into a big boy room.

My goal for this three-day weekend is to attack the bookcase shelf-by-shelf, tossing as much as possible and finding a new home for whatever I decide to keep. I feel encouraged that I can actually accomplish this project because my parents will be in town, and they can occupy Levi so I can stay focused. Also, my mom gets giddy at the idea of organizing anything and would be more than happy to ~~take charge~~ assist me with the project.

While I’m busy organizing and making room for baby, here are 15 links for you to explore this weekend:

Here’s why you shouldn’t get your professional photographs developed at the drugstore

Turns out, this old wives’ tale about coffee is just that: a tale

What a dog wants

Bummed this HBO series is coming to an end (why do so many people hate it so much?)

Don’t send you child to Hudson University, and other parenting tips from Law & Order: SVU

My dry skin is begging for this DIY citrus mint sugar scrub

This woman photoshopped her present-day self into her childhood photos

And this guy photoshops himself with celebrities

How to turn a bottle of wine into a lovely hostess gift

I had no idea this was how to reheat pizza

Her skin looks amazing, so Martha Stewart’s elaborate (and expensive!) beauty regime must be working

Six ways to be happier (note to self: work on #2)

The secret to making Chicken Pho Ga at home

What is New York style?

Love more, care less: a good mantra for 2014

Have a wonderful weekend!

Not only do I have no idea* where to put this bookcase, I’m also wary it would even survive a trip down a flight of stairs or two. It’s from IKEA, after all. Any tips?

How to dress for the gym

January 15, 2014

We’re halfway through January already (yikes!), and I still haven’t committed to any New Year’s resolutions. How are you doing with yours?

If you resolved to exercise more in 2014, I have a tip based on real-life experience to keep you motivated: Invest in a few stylish pieces of workout gear.

Midway through my first trimester, I decided to reacquaint myself with the gym after an embarrassingly long hiatus. The last time I regularly worked out was when I was pregnant with Levi, and I credit that commitment for keeping my body strong and my mind (somewhat) clear during my first pregnancy.

Since early July, I’ve been meeting with a trainer for two 30-minute sessions a week. Spending the money on a trainer helps keep me accountable, while ensuring that I’m doing the exercises properly (so important as my body changes).

To get me excited to return to the gym (because let’s be honest, exercising is not my favorite), I splurged on a new workout tank from Lululemon that I felt really good wearing. I had always admired the women who managed to look stylish in fashionable fitness clothing even while dripping with sweat. Compared to them, I felt like a slob in my old sorority t-shirts and shorts.

Unfortunately, it’s back to cotton maternity tanks and leggings for me, as I’ve just about outgrown my Lululemon top. But thanks to its blousy fit, I was nearly able to wear it for the duration of my pregnancy! It was so flattering that I recently purchased a second one on sale to see me through my postpartum exercising efforts.

If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to revisit the treadmill (or start a brand new workout regime), here’s how to dress for the gym so you stay motivated to work out:

PS – The best headphones for working out.

Being Pregnant: Catherine from Dear Vixen

January 14, 2014

Because every woman’s pregnancy is unique, our Being Pregnant series is a way to share a variety of maternity experiences on the blog.

Today we’re featuring Catherine Gacad of Dear Vixen, a blog born out of an advice column Catherine wrote for the University of Chicago’s newspaper while earning her MBA. Besides blogging about her life in San Francisco and her love of traveling, Catherine voices her opinions on finance, retirement, current events, and faith.

Catherine contacted me about participating in this series because she wanted to share her perspective on being pregnant after dealing with two miscarriages. Read on to learn about how she’s coping with this third pregnancy.

Q. Did you always know you wanted to be a mother? How many children did you imagine you’d have?

For the longest time I thought I’d never have children. Babies didn’t really cross my mind because my whole life was devoted to academics and career. I love kids, but they were never part of my future plan. I didn’t meet my husband until late in life, and it was only then that I came around to the idea.… READ MORE!

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*Not only do I have no idea where to put this bookcase, I’m also wary it would even survive a trip down a flight of stairs or two. It’s from IKEA, after all. Any tips?

Not only do I have no idea* where to put this bookcase, I’m also wary it would even survive a trip down a flight of stairs or two. It’s from IKEA, after all. Any tips?