All posts by Beth Berger

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About Beth Berger

Hi there! Finding Delight is a lifestyle and lifelong learning blog written and curated by me in Alabama. Along the way, I attempt to tackle the rough real world with books, budget-livin', brainpower and all the beautiful stuff you can find when you really look. Won't you join me? The true delight is in the finding out.

mid-week round-up

Wednesday Links, , , , ,

dandelion

Happy Wednesday!!! As I type, we have a sausage and collards dish hanging out in the crockpot and let me tell you–the apartment smells amazing. I’m so ready to dig in (and to pair the meal with another epi of OITNB). Maybe after that I will tend to my plants. A few days ago, Chet surprised me with the cutest watering can IN THE WORLD. It is shaped like a bee (!!!) and looks all vintagey and adorable. Kind of in ❤ with it. Do y’all have any big plans for the weekend? We are brainstorming something fun to do during the day on Friday. But Saturday shall take the cake as I get to be in the trenches with my favorite photographer, Carrie, and help her shoot a local wedding. (Check out this wedding at Talon Vineyard I helped her with last year–it was a blast!) Beyond excited to get to see my photog-friend…she lives much too far away! Anywho, have a good one my loves. And enjoy these links…

The inner-child in me who was dragged to WAY too many museums deeply appreciates these snapchats.

Sometimes highschool students can be awesome.

Get to reading…so you can have the privilege of saying “the book was better, you guys.”

This dude seems fun.

A changing world for the starving artist.

The Pullout Generation. 

How guilty are you of this fantastic form of guilty pleasure?

My co-op gettin’ some press love.

One of my heroes and ultimate HBIC in a sari–Navdanya’s Blog.

A rad adventurer urban explores in Northern Ireland.

The big business of college sports.

Brainpower, Physical, , , , , , , , , ,

ukbball

What are your thoughts on college sports? Over the years, the business behind these amateur athletes has been of peripheral interest to me. Sure, I bleed blue and love the NCAA basketball tournament. But after Nerlens Noel tore his ACL in a game I read up on the lack of insurance against serious injuries afforded to these sport-stars and my interest was piqued. And all the regalia sold across the country to mega fans of various collegiate programs has always struck me as strange when they’re emblazoned with the names of unpaid participants. Not to mention the billion dollar renovation to the glorified basketball court where my local team tips off has become a hotly contested political issue. Wanting to delve deeper into HOW college sports in our country went from extracurricular to big business, I turned to my ever-faithful Netflix account and streamed “Schooled: The Price of College Sports.” The documentary provides the history behind this transition into a billion dollar enterprise built on the backs of unpaid young adults.

On the other hand, I worked my ass off while participating in a college extracurricular, too. I’ve never felt I should have been financially compensated for that participation. Yet, my university wasn’t making millions of dollars off of that informative speaking final at the Ball State Invitational so….

This is definitely a subject where my opinions have yet to be fully formed. Check out the documentary if you’re curious! And I’d love to know…Do you support this billion dollar industry? Are you in favor of paying college athletes? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Mini Pigs!!!

Every day life, , , , , , , ,

minipigs1

I frequently daydream about hypothetical pets. Do any of you do this? (I might just be a big weirdo.) I think about having a boxer named Bradley (Brad for short) and a husky named Adelaide–both girls, the former named for a Hey Dude! character, the latter a city in Australia. I think about having a slew of goats who would get in trees and assist me in starting some sort of fun cottage industry. I think about turtles and guinea pigs and baby ducklings. But my number one favorite pet fantasy is that of the mini pig. I’ve been coveting one of these lil swines for nigh on a lifetime it feels like. Which is why, when I saw this family’s story about choosing a pig as a pet, I LOST. MY. DAMN. MIND.

minipig2

 

minipig3

 

minipig4

Gah, don’t you just want a little Bacon Bit to call your own? For now, in  my little one bedroom apartment in the urb-burb of Chevy Chase, I shall be content with my one ACTUAL pet–Wink Moonshine Berger. He is all I can handle for now. But some day… *exits stage left to plan pig Halloween costumes and bedazzled carrying crates*

mid-week round-up

Wednesday Links, , , ,

roses

Happy Wednesday, folks! What are you guys up to this week? I have today and tomorrow off work so we have big plans to play in the container garden, work on various projects from the comfort of the Chevy Chase Starbies and maybe head down to Berea to do some hiking around the Pinnacles. Yesterday, we had David Chang-inspired ramen made from scratch. Which I’m looking forward to repeating…perhaps even tonight. ; ) Check out these fun links and have a fantastic rest of your week!

Am I the only person who hates this shit? And it is always Southwest. Always.

A very powerful Op-Ed: The majority of religion-based hate crimes occurring in the United States are against Jews.

These students got more than they bargained for.

Comedy specials available to stream.

Love these cheeky tea towels.

Sworn in on a Kindle.

Delicious science.

 #YesAllWomen

Someone (probably multiple someones) approved this sign.

Please research the safety of menstrual products. Thanks.

Got some giggles.

I can’t help but love some good abandoned building pics.

The most heated debate I experienced in a college classroom was about this. (The class was Southern Folklore and the professor loved every second of it.)

And the second season of “Orange is the New Black” premieres Friday on Netflix! Who will be watching? Get your sofa and snacks in order for a day of binge viewing! : )

Simple Cure: Drink more water.

How to's, , , , , , , , ,

Since (ALMOST completely) giving up soda about five years ago (I still have the occasional ginger ale or sprite as a rare treat), I’ve become borderline obsessive about water consumption. And because I really and truly believe it was the OMG DUHHH solution to so many of my problems, I will shout this simple cure from the mountain tops!

drinkmorewater

For me, it went a little something like this–

“Guess what! You’re not tired; you’re thirsty!”

“You know why your muscles are sore? You’re thirsty!”

“You probably aren’t hungry this often….yep, you guessed it, THIRSTY!”

Now–

Energy levels stay up, muscle recovery is quicker, non-sinus headaches are pretty much a thing of the past…

Still not convinced? Here are my top reasons why you should be toting a bottle around with you morning, noon and night:

1. Water keeps your skin looking fabulous. When you’re dehydrated, your body isn’t able to eliminate toxins through the skin and this can lead to all sorts of epidermal disorders such as dermatitis and psoriasis, not to mention discoloration and wrinkles. Chronic dehydration causes the bodies largest organ, it’s skin, to pretty much prematurely whither away.

2. Water can lower your blood pressure. When fully hydrated, your blood is about 92% water. When dehydrated, your blood gets way thicker which causes resistance to blood flow and higher blood pressure.

3. Water helps you digest your food better. Lack of water can lead to ulcers, gastritis and acid reflux.

5. Water lets you maintain an active lifestyle. All your joints have a cartilage padding around them which is mostly comprised of water. When you aren’t getting enough h2o, this cartilage gets really weak and joint repair slows way down, leading to all sorts of aches and pains.

6. Water fights off allergies and asthma. Your body will try to conserve water by constricting your airways. The rate of histamine you produce will actually increase as you lose more and more water.

Commit! Find a system that works for you and start chugging. I promise, you will feel the difference.

And to help you in your journey towards adequate hydration, I’ve rounded up some awesome vessels to store, transport and make it more fun to imbibe!

watercollage

For your nightstand:

Here, here and here.

For your hike:

Here, here and here.

For the gym:

Here, here and here.

For on-the-go sippin’:

Here, here and here.

For the dinner table:

Here, here and here.

and to up your game even further, learn more about watercure for a healthy body in the book “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water” by F. Batmanghelidj, M.D.

Happy sippin’!!! Cheers!

Shirley.

Media, Personal, , , , , ,

shirleydog

What’s your favorite Shirley Temple movie? Mine is “The Little Colonel” mostly because of this scene.

shirley

After Shirley’s passing earlier this year, my sister remarked, “When Shirley had breast cancer surgery in 1972, she had a dream where Uncle Billy told her to go back, she wasn’t done yet. They were best friends and now they’re tapping together again.” Sorta heartbreaking, huh? More than just a child star with 56 perfect curls, Shirley Temple was an amazingly inspiring woman who touched the lives of so many. If you’re interested in learning more about the little dynamo with the killer dimples I would recommend this biography.

Make-believe colors the past with innocent distortion, and it swirls ahead of us in a thousand ways in science, in politics, in every bold intention.

– Shirley Temple Black

1928-2014

DIY: Stitch a trip.

DIY, How to's, , , , , , ,

map1

Recently, my brother and his girlfriend moved from Danville, KY to Savannah, GA. Lucky lil ducks, I say. I decided to do a little DIY brainstorming for ways to commemorate their big move with a crafty gift. I settled upon a project which ended up being a super easy afternoon endeavor that I’m sure anyone could replicate. Simply hand-stitch a map from point A to point B. Honestly, the toughest part about this craft was finding a suitable map. This would be a great way to remember a meaningful vacation, study-abroad trip or long distance trail hike and would look so sweet hanging amongst other frames on a mixed-media gallery wall.

What you’ll need:

– Map

– Embroidery Thread

– Embroidery Needle

– Frame

And how it all comes together:

– Find a suitable map and cut it to fit your frame. My map was torn from a book of U.S. maps that I found in a discount book bin.

– Sketch out the route and embellishments with a pencil (very lightly). I went with the route, an “X” at point A, a heart at point B and initials.

– Use your needle to poke evenly spaced holes over top of your sketch. Erase any visible pencil marks.

–  Sew through all your holes using a backstitch. (In layman’s terms–Start by threading the needle from the back of the paper through the second hole. Then insert the needle in the first hole and pull through the third. Etc. Clear as mud?)

map2   map3

map4

-Frame and admire your handi-work!

map5

 

Make life a little easier with these free apps.

How to's, , , , , , , , ,

iphonenotebook

Like many young adults just on the other side of various quarter-life crises, while balancing “big people jobs” with mundane grown-up responsibilities, sometimes I’m barely holding it together–organizationally speaking. Fake it ‘til you make it! Since so many people who appear to have it all together swear by their technological solutions, I decided to do a little digging and see if I couldn’t research my way into some make-life-easier apps. And because I ascribe to the gospel of “Ballin’ on a Budget”, I gave myself one rule…they had to be free. Here’s what I rounded up! Feel free to leave your own suggestions in the comments below.

For seeking so you shall find:

Job Search- Look for jobs based on job description and location with Indeed.com’s search application.

Repairpal- Assists you in locating auto repair shops in your area.

Last.fm- Find the latest artists and albums.

Gas Bag- Locates the cheapest gas prices.

For staying organized:

Sticky Notes- Write reminders on virtual post-it notes and stick them on a virtual bulletin board.

24me- This app will keep track of bank and Netflix accounts, track how many cell phone minutes you’ve used, and log frequent flyer miles.

Smart ToDo- Keeps track of due dates and a detailed “To Do” list.

Evernote-Jot down notes via text, audio or picture. Everything you in-put is searchable later.

For a fitness focus:

MapMyRun- Keeps track of all your runs, including: pace, distance, route, speed and charts your progress over time.

Restaurant Nutrition-Lets you know the healthiest choices when dining out.

For getting out of a jam:

iTranslate- Combines voice recognition, translation and output to achieve the dream of a Universal Translator.

Law Dojo- Know your rights.

For PARTY:

Drinks and Cocktails- Spin the wheel and get a new drink recipe every time.

Birthday Reminder- Keep track of all your friends’ special days…and know when to expect the next party.

Perfect Date-Helps you plan a romantic evening out with your lucky gal or guy.

For making discoveries in your town:

Fandango-Find out what is playing at the local movie theater and how much the ticket will set you back.

Songkick Concerts- Lets you know when your favorite band will be rolling through your town.

iRecycle-Trying to be environmentally conscious? This app will tell you where the local recycling center is.

Pizza Finder-Find the best slice in town!

For shopping ‘til you drop:

Closet+-Keep an organized closet by cataloguing your wardrobe with pictures and descriptions.

Book Bargain- Alerts you to the best deals on Amazon and other online book sellers.

For staying up to date on current events:

NYTimes- Get news for free from a trusted periodical.

NPRAddict- News with a bit more quirk, this app also lets you download great podcasts which are wonderful for roadtrips and passing time on the elliptical.

For life-long learning:

Word of the Day –Expand your vocabulary and your GRE score.

Art Lite-Learn all about the artists, significance and history behind your favorite works of art.

SparkNotes- Lets you access Spark Notes for all the literary classics. Be sure to read the actual text too!

(iPhone illustration via here.)

mid-week round-up

Wednesday Links, , , , , , , , ,

hotairballoons

 

Hello lovelies! What a wonderful week it has been so far. Chet arrived from Lafayette last night (by way of a cray lookin’ cabin in Huntsville, AL) and we are super stoked to spend the summer having adventures, writing, building a garden, perfecting our crockpot culinary skills and checking a few things off my KY bucket list (like take a vacay here and check off some of these). Summer is always so full of possibilities, dontcha think? I hope everyone has a blast this week and here are a few links for your viewing pleasure!

Lisa Bloom’s 500 words of wisdom.

Consent is sexy.

4 women receive lab-grown vaginas in life changing surgery.

I love Mindy Kaling!

Glad this goat’s story had a happy ending.

A big change for Google. ; )

…speaking of Google, sign me up for one of these!

This Craigslist ad had me ROLLING.

You never know what will happen if you just get back up.

Someone made a sneaky change to the Sea World highway sign. (and good on them!)

To do: pick up books by these gals.

Welp, this fact is terrifying.

“Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.” Powerful and beautiful final tweet from Maya Angelou. RIP.

And if you’re in Lexington and lookin’ for some fun this Friday evening, Good Foods Co-op is having a Kick Off Summer event from 5-7pm! There’s gonna be a TON of free food, Marksbury Farm’s food truck and live entertainment by Restless Leg String Band. Come check it out!!!

 

 

 

In Defense of Beach Reads

Books, Brainpower, , ,

beachchair

I love to read and I love to learn and I love devouring dense non-fiction books about language and anthropology and history and psychology in my free time. But there is something to be said about a good ol’ fashioned guilty pleasure book. Just cracking the cover of a just-for-fun, literary jaunt is pure bliss. Summer is definitely my favorite season to get totally lost in stories that I know won’t be particularly edifying or enlightening–but it’s READING damnit so it’s still super good for the brain! This holdover from when Summer’s were a break from homework and English class reading lists still holds up…even though, in the working world, I now fill my Amazon wishlist based on actual wishes and not syllabi. Something about the long stretches of daylight, the road trips, the reclining on patio furniture…

To kick off this season of guilty pleasure reading I tore through “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and I’m about to wrap up “Mockingjay”. Apparently, serialized fiction that has been adapted to film is what I’m feelin’ this summer. Other go-to genres for my Summer months include: Young Adult fiction, romantic comedies set in Ireland, Historical Fiction that maaaaybe borders a bit on Erotica (sex scenes are FINE if they’re historically accurate, you guys), and true crime. What type of books go in your beach bag and carry-on items? What would you bring on a road trip across the country?

 

Looking for a summer-read recommendation? Here are a few of my past favorites:

 

Looking for Alaska by John Green

coming of age story. boarding school. first love. first loss.

 

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

memoir. colorful characters. unconventional upbringing. on the road.

 

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

female friendship. nineteenth century China. foot binding. Nu Shu (secret women’s writing).

 

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

comedic autobiography. based on one-woman stage show. princess leia. addiction recovery.

 

The Paris Wife by Paula McClain

historical literary fiction. hemingway and hadley. woman behind the man. lost generation.

 

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

historical polygamy. modern polygamy. POLYGAMY. NEED I SAY MORE???

 

I hope everyone is having a fantastic Summer so far and Happy Reading! Do you have any great reads you think are deserving of a spot on my list after I finish out this Hunger Games trilogy? I’d love some recommendations!