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. thinking out loud #22 .

March 14, 2013 by Amanda @ .running with spoons. 98 Comments

1. These are, hands down, the best beauty secrets that I’ve ever come across.

Tips to be Good Looking

2. And speaking of beauty, I’d like to introduce you to my beautiful lip balm collection…

Lip Balm Collection

… or at least most of it. I think. A tad excessive, you say? Nay! I really, really can’t stand having chapped lips, so I keep them at bay by making sure I have some lip balm within arm’s reach at all times. The best way to do that? Keep one everywhere. In all my purses. In my car. In my makeup bag. In the kitchen. In my office. In my nightstand. In each bathroom. In my closet. In my jacket pockets. Ev.ry.where.

3. I have a confession to make, although you have to promise me that you won’t think less of me when I shed some light on the darker side of my nature. Here goes… Whenever I see someone throw a cigarette butt on the ground, I secretly wish that I could pick it up and shove it down their throat. I really can’t stand it when people litter; and as if smoking weren’t gross enough on its own (sorry, but it’s true), I will never understand why people feel the need to make it even grosser by tossing their butts *left eye twitch*

4. On to something a little less sinister… I have no idea what it is, but I adore the smell of tomato stems…

Fragrant Tomato Stems

I have a slight inkling that it might be because it reminds me of summertime as a child. My mom used to do a lot of gardening when I was younger, and I remember spending a lot of time playing around the garden and breathing in all the fragrant greeny smells. Good times for sure.

5. That being said, I don’t think anything will ever replace coffee as one of my all-time favorite smells.

Kona Coffee Beans
Hawaii Sunrise

I brought some kona coffee back from Hawaii with me, and sipping on it definitely takes me back to the mornings I spent watching the sun rise over the ocean… *tears up* … Still not ready to talk about it…

6. It snowed last night; and it’s currently -17ºC (1ºF). That’s all I have to say about that…

7. I somehow managed to forget my wallet at home the other day when I went to volunteer, and since turning back was kind of out of the question because I was running kind of late, I took a chance and kept driving… without my license. Given my horrible luck with the police, it’s kind of a miracle that I didn’t get pulled over.

8. On one of my flights back from Hawaii, I somehow got sucked into watching Here Comes the Boom. The movie itself wasn’t anything special, but I loved it because it reminded me of a song that I used to be absolutely obsessed with…

[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufb6T-av-rU&w=560&h=315″]

9. Have you guys heard the sad news about Google Reader? Come July 1st, Google Reader will be no more. I’ve been using Reader for years now and I’m kind of at a loss over what to do… Looks like I’ll have to start getting more familiar with Bloglovin. Bah. I’m getting too old for all these technology changes…

Google Reader

10.  So today is pi day (3.14) and I really feel like I should be celebrating with some pie, but the thing is… I’m not a big fan of pie 😯 That being said, I do need to do some baking because, like I mentioned in my last post, I’m suffering from serious homemade goodies withdrawal. But what to make?! I’d love to share a recipe with you guys, so let me know if you’d like to see cookies, muffins, bars, or a loaf.

. – . – . – .

Do you have any collections? Did you collect anything as a child? I have a pretty epic Disney movie collection going, and when I was younger I collected stickers, Pogs, My Little Pony, and beanie babies.
Cookies, muffins, bars, or a loaf? 😀
What do you use to follow blogs? Google Reader? Bloglovin’? E-mail? Something else?

Filed Under: Life in General, Thinking Out Loud Tagged With: cigarette butts, coffee, collection, Google Reader, Here Comes the Boom, lip balm, memories, P.O.D, pet peeve, random thoughts, smells, thinking out loud, true beauty

Previous Post: « . what I missed while I was away .
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Trudy

    March 20, 2013 at 2:19 pm

    Ahhhhh! So many lip balms! I used to be like that…now I only use vaseline. Works the best!

    I know the weather here in Alberta is retarded…seriously,… haha

    Reply
  2. Chelsie S

    March 16, 2013 at 5:01 pm

    I once heard that cigarette butts make up something like 75% of all litter these days. I’m SO turned off by it. All of it.

    Reply
  3. Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli

    March 15, 2013 at 10:35 pm

    Oh my gosh, I about cried when that little alert popped up on Google Reader the other day…especially since I JUST reorganized it and got it all “pretty”! lol Thanks for mentioning Bloglovin’ because I was really wondering what I was supposed to do…I just CAN’T do the email subscription thing…my inbox gets bogged down and I start to feel claustrophobic within a day! 😯

    I really would love to see some bars! I’ve been in the mood for something kinda chewy lately!

    Finally, someone who’s chapstick collection rivals mine! Lol And yes, I keep them EVERYWHERE! At any given time, I have at least 3 in my purse, 2 in my car, and 2 on my nightstand…same with ponytail holders…can NEVER be without!

    I don’t really have any collections now…unless you count the obscene amount of food photography props (dishes, glasses, utensils, placemats, I really could go on and on…Lol!)…but when I was a kid, I was ridiculous! I collected beanie babies, trolls, POGS (wow, completely forgot about them until just now), and porcelain dolls. And I had a CRAZY amount of Barbies…which I actually still have! No shame! 😉

    I’m not much of a pie person either, but I DID make Laura’s (Sprint 2 the Table) Spaghetti Squash Pie for dinner last night…it was fantastic!

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      March 16, 2013 at 7:04 am

      I actually had a really hard time trying to get used to Bloglovin, but I checked out Feedly and I like that one a lot better! It’s basically -just- like Reader, and it’ll even import your entire Reader feed in 2 seconds without any hassle!

      Reply
  4. Jan @ Sprouts n Squats

    March 15, 2013 at 10:27 pm

    Loaf all the way!

    I used to collect stamps (extra nerdy), stickers, cutie clubs (these tiny dolls that had hair longer than them), my little ponies to name a few. My collection seems to be now of striped tops, I own so many tops with stripes on them and whenever I go into a store and see a top with stripes I’m compelled to look at it. 🙂

    Loving your lip balm collection mine is a lot less impressive.

    Reply
  5. Laura

    March 15, 2013 at 6:50 am

    Thank you SO much for addressing the google reader thing! I saw that and honestly started to panic, but no one else in the blog world seemed to notice! I’m glad there’s alternatives though….checking out Bloglovin now.

    Thanks girl!

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      March 15, 2013 at 7:04 am

      I’m having a bit of problem adjusting to Bloglovin, and if you don’t find yourself liking it either then I really recommend checking out Feedly. As an added bonus, you can basically transfer your entire Reader feed over without any problem.

      Reply
      • Laura

        March 15, 2013 at 7:27 am

        That right there might be the determining factor. Anything that helps me do less is a winner in my book.

        Reply
  6. Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes

    March 15, 2013 at 4:46 am

    I thought I was bad with my lip balm collection, but I think that you win hands down! 🙂

    Reply
  7. Katy

    March 15, 2013 at 1:35 am

    I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S THAT COLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The coldest we get here in Wellington, NZ is around -2 and that’s only at night time!

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      March 15, 2013 at 7:03 am

      Well rub it in why don’t ya 😛

      Reply
      • Katy

        March 15, 2013 at 4:18 pm

        OK. OMG IT’S SO COLD THERE WAAAAAHHH!!!

        Hehe kidding. Wrap up warm <3 🙂

        xxx

        Reply
  8. Sara @ Nourish and Flourish

    March 14, 2013 at 10:51 pm

    Hrmm…that lipgloss and chapstick collection look eerily similar to my own! Body Shop Born Lippy ? Check. EOS? Mhhmm. LUSH? Yep. Nivea? Oh yeah. Toss in a few fun Lipsmackers (I’m still six years old) flavors, and I’m set! Oh, and I keep them *everywhere,* too, because I get nervous when I don’t have immediate access. 😉

    You’re asking a tough baked goods question! I’d be happy with any sweet treat from your kitchen, however if I HAD to pick, I’d go with cookies. Because, well, nothing beats a warm cookie straight from the oven. <3

    Reply
  9. Amanda @ Diary of a Semi-Health Nut

    March 14, 2013 at 9:35 pm

    haha I definitely cracked up at your lip balm collection! I always have chapstick…in my car, multiple in my packpack, purse, makeup bag….

    Also I LOVE that graphic with the bible verses!! Pinning it!

    Reply
  10. debbie

    March 14, 2013 at 9:29 pm

    ugh, I’m livid about the Google Reader thing. LIVID.

    Reply
  11. Sunnie@moderngirlnutrition

    March 14, 2013 at 9:27 pm

    Haha I love your lip balm collection! I always lose mine- dryers, barn, hotels-you name it! Great post:)

    Reply
  12. Ellie@Fit for the Soul

    March 14, 2013 at 8:55 pm

    Awww amen to all those beautiful tips at the beginning of the post! Just out of curiosity and hope it’s not intrusive of me to ask–but if you don’t mind my asking, are you of any particular faith? I only ask b/c even if people talk about/post biblical verses I don’t want to assume that they have the same beliefs as I do. 🙂 And girrllll that’s a whole lotta lip products, lol! I used to collect erasers of alllll kinds as a child! I’m really weird with smells and have to smell everything in sight, and erasers were my favorite thing to sniff…don’t know why. So I had like, over 100 of them of all shapes, colors, characters, smells, etc. Oh, and I had a collection of fragrant stationery as well. I think I still have ’em! 😀

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      March 14, 2013 at 9:47 pm

      Not intrusive at all! I’m Catholic 🙂

      Reply
  13. Kate

    March 14, 2013 at 8:53 pm

    AAAH your lip balm collection looks just like mine!! I hate chapped lips SO much, you can never have too much lip balm. the Eos stuff is incredible! And I totally agree about the smell of tomato vines….we always grow them in our garden and going back there to pick them in late august…mmm. It’s hard to eat tomatoes in the winter, actually, they taste so different from garden fresh. And kona coffee….oh gosh, it’s my favorite kind. I’ve never had it directly from hawaii but some places (like Wawa!…so authentic I know haha) make kona-style coffee and it’s just the best – so rich. Oh yeah….not a fan of pie either. but hey, a baked good is a baked good! As for that….I think you should do muffins, they’re my personal favorite 😀

    Reply
  14. Emily

    March 14, 2013 at 8:05 pm

    Haha! It’s so nice to know I’m not the only one with a ridiculous chapstick collection. I literally don’t know what I would do without it. EOS and Burt’s Bees are my favorite, by far! I’ve heard a lot of good things about BabyLips though- I’ll have to try that soon.
    I don’t know what I’m going to do without Google Reader! I’m not mentally prepared to have a new blog-reading system and learn new technology. Boo!

    Reply
  15. kaity @ kaityscooking

    March 14, 2013 at 7:54 pm

    haha i have a collection of lip balms too ! all thrown in my bag to unfortunately so i never to what one i am grabbing. I was a huge collector in beanie babies (still have them all lol) stickers and pokemon cards. coffee is the besttt smell and i think always will be!

    Reply
  16. kristen @ verbs and vignettes

    March 14, 2013 at 7:12 pm

    i. am. WITH YOU about the cigarettes. so many of them toss them everywhere without even batting an eyelash. they seem completely immune, like it doesn’t count as littering. but, i might be holding more of a grudge because i just wish they wouldn’t do it. they’re not only hurting themselves.

    😉 but enough ranting. those “beauty secrets” are amazing. thank you for the share.

    Reply
  17. Picky Nicky

    March 14, 2013 at 6:30 pm

    The tomato stem thing is meeeee!!! Nobody I’ve ever told about it understands but it’s really one of my first “smell” memories :’) <3

    Reply
  18. Angela

    March 14, 2013 at 6:13 pm

    Ooh, what would you say is your fave lip balm out of those? I love the shape of EOS but in all honesty it’s really not that moisturizing at all .. I love babylips!

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      March 14, 2013 at 7:18 pm

      My favorite would definitely be Lush’s Honey Trap. When I put it on before I go to bed, I can still feel it on my lips when I wake up in the morning. It’s wonderful.

      Reply
  19. Matt @ The Athlete's Plate

    March 14, 2013 at 5:29 pm

    I’m so sad about google reader!

    Reply
  20. Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin

    March 14, 2013 at 5:16 pm

    Aww I love that first quote. So true!

    And geez girl, that’s quite a lip calm collection! I’m really boring and usually just get Blistex in the blue pots because it’s so effective! I’ve always wondered about other brands though. Do you recommend any ones from your collection in particular?

    I can’t really think of anything I collect right now other than seed/almond/soy nut butters. I have like 12 to 15 of them. Eek! It’s kind of sad haha.

    I just read blogs from my dashboard on blogger. But I’m hoping to (finally) change to WordPress and get my own domain soon, so I guess I’ll need to find another way to keep track of all the blogs I read!

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      March 14, 2013 at 7:18 pm

      Nut butters are a perfect thing to collect! As for lip balms, the ones I love most from those that I have are the Baby Lips ones and Lush’s Honey Trap. If you have a Lush store near you, I definitely recommend picking one up!

      Reply
  21. Brittany

    March 14, 2013 at 5:04 pm

    That picture about beauty is..well..beautiful! I LOVE IT!! I also love the smell of coffee, it’s like crack!! Uh oh on the Google reader, I use WordPress reader and then just hand stalk the other blogs I love haha.

    Reply
  22. K

    March 14, 2013 at 4:48 pm

    my vote is for a loaf !

    Reply
  23. Victoria @ Reluctantly Skinny

    March 14, 2013 at 4:22 pm

    I can’t go anywhere without chapstick…always on the top of my list of things to bring to a desert island. I’m sad about google reader. Actually, as I read your post in google reader, I tried to click where it said learn more and then realized it was an image. ha. I’m terrible!

    Reply
  24. Brittany @ GOtheXtraMile

    March 14, 2013 at 4:18 pm

    Coffee is hands down my favorite smell. Love it! I almost cried when I heard about google reader… luckily there is bloglovin and feedly! Not sure which one is better though yet.

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      March 14, 2013 at 5:01 pm

      I’m having a hard time getting into Bloglovin, but I’ve been hearing really good things about Feedly so I’m going to give that one a shot!

      Reply
  25. Ashley @ AlmostVegGirlie

    March 14, 2013 at 3:12 pm

    Lip balm is definitely a necessity, especially in the winter when it’s so dry and cold! I think I need a much bigger collection though, since I always run out when I really need some.

    Given your love for coffee, I suggest you bake something involving coffee. I know that when I’ve made coffee-infused baked goods, it makes my house smell ah-mazing! Coffee really is a wonderful smell.

    Reply
  26. Jess

    March 14, 2013 at 2:47 pm

    I need to start collecting lipbalms myself – I never bother with them and I always have such dry, chapped lips as a result.

    Smoking is just vile whichever way you look at it, and I don’t blame you in the slightest for feeling rather ragey when you see the combination of littering and smoking. I feel the same way! I also have a red mist descend upon me whenever I see someone spitting in public. Just. NO.

    I’d have to say bars out of the given options – I’m afraid I am a protein bar freak, even though I suspect that wasn’t the point of the question 😉 And I collected Pogs, Beanie Babies (still have ’em), My Little Ponies and Puppy in My Pockets (plus the cat variations). Oh, and I was utterly obsessed with both Tamagotchi (I presume the plural is the same as the singular…never really thought about it!) and Pokemon. God, I’m such a nerd haha.

    Bah, I’ll miss Google Reader. I’m trying to import my stuff over to Bloglovin’ but it’s not working. Curse technology.

    xxx
    P.S No worries about getting back to me! You were on vacation and you’re still getting back into the swing of things now – I didn’t expect a response!

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      March 14, 2013 at 4:01 pm

      Eeee! I remember Puppy in my Pocket – I had a huge collection of My Littlest Petshop, which I’m sure is still stashed away somewhere in my parents’ garage. Also, if you’re having trouble with Bloglovin, I’ve been hearing really good things about Feedly, and apparently you can transfer your whole Reader feed into it without any problem!

      Reply
      • Jess

        March 15, 2013 at 4:44 am

        Thanks 🙂 I’ll be sure to check out Feedly. I really need a life as opposed to being so bothered by the demise of Google Reader, but for now I’ll keep up with my blog addiction using other means 😉

        Reply
  27. Cassie @RedLetterDaye

    March 14, 2013 at 2:40 pm

    When I heard about the impending death of google reader, I thought, what is this BS? BOOOOOO! I just checked out Feedly, which I’d recommend, if for no other reason, because it automatically pulls in your google reader feed, in like 2 seconds flat. Good for me especially, since I have technology anxiety. 🙂

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      March 14, 2013 at 4:00 pm

      I’ve been hearing really good things about Feedly as well so I’m going to check it out asap.

      Reply
  28. Andrea @Pencils and Pancakes

    March 14, 2013 at 2:39 pm

    I never really use google reader…so I’m not too upset!

    Reply
  29. Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table

    March 14, 2013 at 2:27 pm

    I was freaking out about Reader when I saw Katy post about Feedly. I downloaded it for Chrome and am LOVING it! The interface is 100% better.

    Reply
  30. Shira

    March 14, 2013 at 2:07 pm

    I had a massive lip smackers collection.. including coveted limited holiday editions, stickers (!!), pogs (very short lived), and hot wheels.. my family friend and babysitter had 2 boys so I spent my toddler and young years playing with them.. fuelling the hot wheels and TMNT obsessions 🙂
    Oh, also, I just go to blogs… I don’t ‘use’ anything.. do most people? I don’t even know what a Google reader is haha.. I am the last dinosaur 😉

    Reply
    • Amanda @ .running with spoons.

      March 14, 2013 at 3:58 pm

      I [think] a lot of people use something to help them keep track of the blogs they follow, just so it’s easier to tell when one of your favorite blog updates. Whether it’s subscribing via e-mail or RSS, it saves a little bit of time because you don’t have to constantly be checking to see if a new post is up – it just tells you.

      Reply
  31. Nicole @ Fruit 'N' Fitness

    March 14, 2013 at 2:05 pm

    I love your beauty tips, so sweet. For #3, I will help you! Also whenever I see people throw trash out of their car it makes me furious. It’s just so rude and inconsiderate. I didn’t know it was pie day until I started reading blogs, my boyfriend loves pie, I should have known and been prepared to make something yummy.

    Reply
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Amanda

I'm Amanda - health coach, cookbook author, recipe developer, photographer, makeup junkie, and the blogger behind Running with Spoons - a blog dedicated to proving that healthy snacking doesn't have to be tasteless or boring, one delicious recipe at a time. More about Amanda →

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