Online Exclusive

I find the book when I’m sweeping my bedroom, hiding halfway under the bed in a pile of dust bunnies next to my snoozing cat and a flat plastic case of winter sweaters. It’s my copy of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat Pray Love. And after retrieving it and dusting it off, I see that a page is folded to mark my place somewhere in the middle of India, where I stopped reading months ago. My apologies to book clubs everywhere, but the India section was a snooze. 

Don't fall off. Don't fall off. Don't fall off. That's what I kept telling myself as we — my husband and I — drove to meet Tim Inskeep for our first stand up paddling lesson.

When we arrived, I marveled at how Tim has converted an old bread truck into the perfect on-the-road office. I've always loved the water, and the thought having a new way to experience it intrigued me. I spend most of my time sitting at a desk and found myself needing a new perspective.

Some women bounce from one diet to another.

Not me! I love food way too much. That said, I compensate with my workouts. And I have discovered Nashville's best kept secret for a balanced workout that feeds the competitive spirit.

It’s always a good time to grow your own herbs. Growing any herb is incredibly exciting and rewarding. Herbs can be planted outside in your garden or inside on your windowsill to create an amazing balance of color and aroma. Plus, herbs are attractive to the eyes and nose, and when used as cooking spices, can ignite yet another sense: your tastebuds.  

When it comes to tacky, few towns can compete with Myrtle Beach. See that picture? The main drag of the coastal South Carolina city is a redneck's paradise of henna tattoo parlors, dirty arcades, gum-covered sidewalks, Ripley's Believe It or Not attractions, body piercers, hair wrappers, and trashy T-shirt shops. Last week, my family visited Garden City Beach, which is about 15 minutes from Myrtle Beach.

Marathon? Just saying the word out loud gives me hives. Century? OK, I have ridden my bike 100 miles in one day, but that was 10 years and 20 pounds ago. Triathlon? The stories of getting kicked in the face when you are swimming make me want to buy a diving helmet just to keep my nose intact. Did someone say 6K Team Trek? Run, walk, skip, jump, and dance your way to the finish line with friends? Now that sounds appealing!

On July 4, we Americans celebrated our independence. We were so thrilled about it that we roasted whole pigs, we flew flags, we lit up the sky with our delight. Yet the rest of the year, we single gals tend to bemoan our independence, pining for the day we’ll become one of two and start depending away into happily-ever-after. We’re so desperate to lock lips with another that we forget to relish the freedom of calling the shots, the peace and quiet of spending time with our thoughts, the strength we gain from fending for ourselves.  

My friend Tessa was getting married, and I'd heard that my ex was bringing his new girlfriend as a date. I had to tone up, and I had a month to do it. We had broken up three months earlier due to his wandering eye, but I digress. With aspirations of being the hottest bridesmaid my ex has ever seen, I joined a gym.