Food for Thought

  Local Fun with the Family One of the many reasons that I love Phoenix is the abundance of great family fun things to do.   In the spring and winter when the weather is a perfect 70 degrees you can go hiking, play at a park, go to the zoo, walk around downtown and shop, or stroll along Tempe Beach Park.   The summer and early fall however is a different story, and it can feel like you’re living in an oven.   Thankfully we have some very fun indoor activities to do as well that are great for people of any age.   One of my favorite place to go is a jump park, and Phoenix has many of them to choose from.   Most of them offer trampolines, rock climbing walls, obstacle courses and just this last weekend we went to one with an indoor go cart track .   Phoenix also has lots of museums and educational activities that are a fun way to beat the heat such as The Phoenix Art Museum, Childrens Museum, Natural History Museum, Heard Museum, and a Science Center. ...

  Not So Helpful Technology Commercial Analysis This ad begins with images of a common experience of having problems with internet Wi-Fi.   It shows several common household things that are connected to the internet and are glitching.   After our lockdown from Covid this is a familiar feeling for most who have had to rely on the internet for everyday things.   So many of us have had to work or attend school via online meetings.   I believe most of us have experienced glitching internet connections during this time.   This commercial is aimed at an ever-growing number of people who are using smart home technology to make life more convenient.   It makes you consider how reliant we are on this technology and the possibilities of what can go wrong with them because of connectivity issues.   At the end of the ad has a family coming home from vacation to find this technology has malfunctioned and caused damage to their home.   Most American...

  My Favorite Day Trip Spot This blog is for anyone who lives in the Phoenix area and is looking for a great place to visit for the day.   When it is 115 degrees outside, and you are looking for a place to go and get away from the sweltering heat you should consider heading north to the Mogollon Rim area.   Depending on where you live it’s should only take about 2 hours by car.   Once you get to that area you’ve got several great options to spend the day or camp.   You can drive to the top of the rim and visit Woods Canyon Lake where you can rent a small fishing boat for the day.   And if you don’t have any fishing gear don’t worry, you can rent that too.   The lake is stocked regularly with rainbow trout. If boating isn’t your thing, consider checking out one of the hiking trails at Christopher Creek or Horton Creek.   These are both great locations to go early n the fall to see the foliage change to the most vibrant pink, yellows, and bro...

  My Favorite After-Dinner Treat Image source Do you have a favorite candy that instantly brings back childhood memories?   I do, they are little balls of sugary joy.   You know the kind that comes individually wrapped and have red and white stripes going around it.   The ones you find in the little candy dish next to the cash register at your favorite Chinese food restaurant.   To this day whenever I see them in a restaurant it brings me back to my childhood.                                               Image source After sucking on it for a bit you bite down and it quickly melts in your mouth.   The flavor intensifies and takes over all your senses.     Your mouth and throat get a rush of cold when you inhale.   You swallow and can feel the cool refreshing liquid coati...

  Why I Adopted My Dog from A Shelter Hello everyone, it’s Marlena here with another blog for you.   I would like to introduce you to my dog Bella.   She is an intelligent, spunky, beautiful 7-year-old Australian Shepard mix who is fiercely loyal to her family.   I got her about 5 years ago from an organization called Halo Animal rescue.  I volunteered for this organization many years ago where I helped take care of cats.  I would get them fresh water, play with them, and talk to people who came in looking for a new pet.  This is something that left an impression on me and while I was not ready for a new animal of my own yet, I knew when that time came, I would be adopting from them.  Some of the benefits of adopting from a shelter include the medical attention the animals receive like shots and being fixed, staff who evaluate the animal and make you aware of any behavioral issues that they noticed and the ability to bring your family (fur...

 Entry #1 Introduction Hello, my name is Marlena.   Let me start off by letting you know a little bit about myself.   I am a house maker, mother, partner, and lover of all animals.   When I am not going on weekend trips with my family or hanging out with my nieces and nephews I like to spend time at the gym.   When I first started going to the gym it was very casual and I spent most of my time on cardio machines like the elliptical or stair climber.   I have now progressed to attending fitness classes several times a week, my two favorites being cycle class and body pump.                                                      Image source The first class I ever tried is called BeatBoss Rhythm Cycle .  I was nervous in the beginning and would sit in the back of the class.  The thing that ...

  Healthy Body and Mind Blog Reviews: For my blog reviews I chose two subjects that I enjoy, and feel are an important part of my life, that is physical fitness and traveling.   The physical aspect allows me the strength and stamina to keep up with my seven year old son and travel aspect keeps me happy while making memories with my family.   The first is titled “Realistic Ways to Eat Better, Workout Harder, and Get More Results” by Brad Borland .   It is a personal blog with a professional format because it has proper grammar and structure.   It has an inspirational and positive tone.   It included different sections about working out and eating better and was formatted with bullet points as an instructional guide to help you reach the goal of maintaining a healthier lifestyle.   I like it because it has a positive tone that resonates with me.   About three years ago I was very overweight and wanted to make changes in my life but didn’t know whe...