SoMi Speaks » Replay

Replay

SoMi's Nilsa — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 09:39:13 +0000

It’s another Friday, friends, which means another dose of some of my favorite reads around the Internet!

Entitled! More and more, news stories piss me off, because we’ve lost a sense of compassion and humanity. I could probably write a whole blog post about this, but I haven’t taken the time. Lucky you, I came across a post that’s hard hitting and reflects a good bit of how I feel. Seriously, check it out! {source: Redhead Writing}

Solitude! I recently started following the online version of the magazine, Utne, thanks to a recommendation from Jen. One of the stories I came across this week is actually a speech given to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. It’s about leadership versus solitude and why good leaders must evoke times of solitude in order to be better at what they do. {source: My 33 People, Utne}

Freebie! Do you like chocolate? If so, you HAVE to head over to Nora’s blog to enter her giveaway. Hurry, the contest ends at midnight! {source: Walking with Nora}

Joke! My dad heard this joke from a 13-year old and I think it’s a good laugh for a Friday. Two nuns were painting the convent on a really hot day. They were sweating bullets under their habits. Since no one else was around, they decided to shed themselves of their habits and paint in the flesh. They were making good progress when there was a knock at the door. Scared, they looked at each other wondering what to do. The person behind the door knocked again and said, “Blind man!” The nuns shrugged their shoulders, figuring what the heck, he wouldn’t be able to see anything anyway. So, they opened the door. The man on the other side said, “Nice tits. Where do you want me to hang these?”

That’s all from here, folks (probably a good thing). Hope you have yourselves a great weekend and I’ll see y’all on the flip side.

Replay

SoMi's Nilsa — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 09:08:42 +0000

I can’t believe it’s Friday already! Where the heck has this week gone? Luckily, I’ve been adding to this post a little every day, so I’ve got a good batch of posts for you to read.

Motivation! I bet we all have things on our mental to-do list that we’ve put off completing. Whether it takes too much time or too much mental energy, there always seem to be things we can’t quite wrap our heads (and hearts) around. Ginger has been dealing with a lengthy to-do list of her own and finally came to some handy realizations for how to push through to completion. We can all probably learn a thing or two from her process. {Source: Ramble Ramble}

Inspiration! Ever had something absolutely horrible happen to you? Did you let it hold you down or did you rise above? I read a story about someone who faced extreme adversity and his attitude is, in the very least, inspirational. I wish everyone who faces adversity could feel as supported and loved as this man did while he made his pretty remarkable recovery. {source: missris}

Thirty! I’m not really a birthday kind of gal. Don’t get me wrong, I love the excuse to get together with family and friends. I love the cheer that comes with a birthday. But, I never get too wrapped up in the number, for better or worse. That holds true, except for my 30th birthday. I absolutely LOVED turning 30. It was, by far, my most favorite changing of the guard. There’s something about shedding all the insecurities of your 20s and lavishing in feeling settled in *this* life (whatever life that may be) in your 30s. Reading a post this week reminded me of what a great feeling it was. {source: Hannah, Just Breathe}

26.2! If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know I’m a marathon gal. I completed five marathons over the course of four years. There were certain things I learned about running during this time I won’t ever forget. I’m reminded of how much I remember when friends embark on their first marathons, because it’s my chance to impart some of the wisdom I’ve gained over the years. This summer, it was an absolute treat to watch one friend as she trained for her very first marathon. It’s extra special and sweet because she’s running her first marathon in Chicago this weekend. Good luck to megabrooke and all my other blogging friends who are completing marathons this weekend (Kim, Lisa, Amber and maybe even others I don’t know about!). {source: Running Sans Heels}

Shoes! Do you love shoes? Would you love to win a free pair of shoes? Then I suggest you go visit this new blog, devoted to the love of shoes! {source: The Shoeologist}

Alright, friends. That’s a lot to digest this week. I hope you found at least one thing of interest … and I also hope you have a fabulous weekend. I’ll see y’all on the flip side!

Replay

SoMi's Nilsa — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 09:32:23 +0000

Replay is the post where I pull some of my favorite finds in blogland and the Internet at large. Hope y’all enjoy!

Responsibility! Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed many of my often-read blogs are going through transformations. Some involve spiffy new layouts. Others involve a commitment to writing certain kinds of posts on a regular basis. And yet others have outright stated their interest in taking their blogs to the next level. Whether you fall into one of these camps or not, I think it’s important to responsibly host your blog. I’d devote a whole blog post to my thoughts, but someone else summarized some good ones. It’s worth checking out. {source: copyblogger}

Harassment! Have you followed the horrific stories about gay youth being harassed to the point they commit suicide? Two thirteen year olds and a college freshman are the latest losses. All over the past few weeks. It’s incredibly unfortunate, sad, frustrating and certainly worthy of action. We have to do something! Well, journalist Dan Savage is doing something. He’s launched the It Gets Better campaign on YouTube, which consists of gay adults offering hope to youth who feel trapped, burdened and lost. {source: Chicagoist, YouTube}

Sleep! Are you a good sleeper or a bad sleeper? For the good sleepers out there, what do you attribute to your ability to fall and stay asleep? For the insomniacs, what remedies have you tried to no avail? Check out this article for some surprising facts about what encourages a good night’s sleep … after reading it, I wasn’t surprised that I usually sleep like a log … I already employ a lot of their strategies. {source: Good}

Happiness! Have you ever thought about what makes you happy? One theory is spending on moderate indulgences will contribute to your happiness. And reading it from the perspective of a spend-thrift puts it in great perspective! {source: missris}

Celebrations! Seems like the last week or so have left me with reasons to celebrate. This week is no different. One of my favorite bloggers (and has become a dear real-life friend) is celebrating a birthday – she’s at an age that I really enjoyed (and hopefully she will, too). And another one of my favorite bloggers is celebrating her 2-year wedding anniversary. Besides it being such a special day, I also remember the year of her wedding well, because we were both planning for our nuptials at the same time. Sweets and I celebrate 2 years in just a few short weeks! {source: Walking with Nora; Kyla Roma}

Well, that’s all from here. Hope y’all have a great weekend and I’ll see you on the flip side!

Replay

SoMi's Nilsa — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 09:05:12 +0000

Two weeks in a row … I think we’ve wound back up from vacation and are back for another edition of Replay. Enjoy some of my favorites from around the web this week!

Wino! If any of you know this personable lady, then you’ll know she and her fiance have quite the taste for wine. They live in California, visit vineyards and even choose running races based on locations close to wineries (and finish lines that offer free wine). So, it should be no surprise that they are incorporating wine as a theme for their wedding. Check out this great DIY project on how to make wine bottles into flower vases! {source: Life According to Mel Heth}

Sharing! One of the biggest lessons we all learned in Kindergarten was how to share. Combine that important life lesson with saving Mother Earth and you come up with ideas like Zip Car and iGo, car sharing at its finest. Well, now cities are jumping on-board the bike-sharing programs, too. Kudos to Washington DC, Minneapolis and Denver for having wide-spread bike sharing programs. Given Chicago has invested so many resources in becoming a very cycle-friendly city, I want to know when we’ll be on the list, too! {source: Good}

Fall! There have been highs and lows this week. I’m not talking about my life, friends, but the weather here in Chicago. One day it’s over 90 and the next day, it’s in the 60s. That just means Fall is sneaking up, ready to unleash itself on the sun-kissed folks of the Midwest. A beloved blogger forwarded me a post all about Fall. It’s hilarious. And uses naughty words. And is full of snark. But, I kind of love Fall and most definitely love this post. {source: Timothy McSweeney with thanks to Hannah, Just Breathe}

Free! Nothing like finishing up a Replay post with a free offer for all you Chicago folks. There is a free night of theater being offered at a number of different Chicago venues in October. Check out the link and be sure to sign up, starting next Tuesday at 10:00AM! {source: Free Things to Do in Chicago}

That’s all from here. Hope y’all have a great weekend and I’ll see ya on the flip side!

Replay

SoMi's Nilsa — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 09:13:43 +0000

I’m back, folks! Replay took a late-summer vacation, but I started this week determined to revive one of my favorite ways to scour the blogosphere … doing so with you in mind! And you best be ready, because I picked up some great stuff this week!

Urbanized! Y’all know I’m kind of obsessed with the city and what makes it a great place to live and how we define our neighborhoods and whatnot. Well, I came across a great article about urban renewal. Rather than trying to lure back residents or entice businesses to build on vacant lots, cities may be better off finding totally new uses for land: large-scale urban farms, or wind turbines or geothermal wells, or letting large patches revert to nature. Instead of merely tolerating the artist communities that often spring up in marginal neighborhoods, cities might actively encourage them … {source: Boston Globe}

Skyting! It’s a new phrase I coined for skating in the sky. And that’s exactly what you’ll be able to do if you’re a local to Chicago or plan to visit here in early 2011! {source: Chicagonista}

Ballooning! Speaking of the sky, Amy discusses overcoming a fear by going for a hot air balloon ride. I loved this post, because my grandfather derived great pleasure from hot air ballooning, so I am tickled when other people discover awesomeness from it. {source: Just a Titch}

Introduction! It’s always exciting when big things happen to fellow bloggers. Although I started reading Erin’s blog when she was well into her journey of pregnancy, I feel no less thrilled for the recent birth of her girls. Congrats! {source: the state that i am in}

Inspired! There were all sorts of reasons to celebrate this week. Kate is an amazingly strong, determined woman who set out to run a 5K, even though she wasn’t a runner prior to this race. I have loved every step of her journey and might have gotten a bit teary eyed when I read her recap of her first race. Congrats! {source: New Life}

Celebrate! I’m not kidding you when I say this was a week of celebrations. Ginger recently celebrated her son’s first birthday. And what I love about her post is she talks about her own feelings on motherhood, not just about her son and cake and presents. {source: Ramble Ramble}

Fun! Let’s begin to wrap up this week with something fun, shall we? Michelle picked some great funnies from the site Stuff No One Told Me. The fact that Porn and Disney are worked into the same sentence made my day. Check our her blog for more! {source: Woo!}

Funner! Now that we’ve come to the end of Replay, I must leave you with a great video, care of Marty (not that it’s his video, but he pointed it out). To steal some of Marty’s spot on commentary, he said: Part pop, part gospel, part R&B and all potty mouth … It’s got a very catchy tune, all wrapped around the f-bomb being dropped in a very musically-accepting format. So, turn up your speakers while the boss is out to lunch and enjoy! {Source: Banal Leakage}

That’s all from here, folks. This weekend, I’m off to meet a new blogger who recently moved to Chicago, host another blogger who will be visiting from Boston and catch up with a dear friend from Dallas. Hope y’all have a great weekend and I”ll see ya on the flip side!