Where to Find Yoga Mama:
Blog URL: http://ramamama.blogspot.com/
Category: Lifestyles, Fitness, Personal Interests

A Yoga Mama Is A Rama Mama

To understand the true meaning of this blog and its title, it helps to understand the meaning of the word “rama” in the title—that meaning being essentially, “joy.” In effect, this blog is about a ‘Mama’ who has found joy through her yoga practice…joy and inspiration that she hopes to share with her readers.

A Yoga Mama Is A Rama Mama – Why You Should Go

This yoga mama, Marjie Goodman,  is one who has found many benefits and comforts in the practice of yoga; a practice, as many practitioners and even a good number of non-practitioners know, is about more than fitness or exercise (even if that is your initial motivation), and is really about a whole life of balance and positivity. This is a lifestyle that has taken firm hold in the life of this blogger—a corporate “worker bee” by day, fulfilled yoga instructor by night, and full-time mother—throughout all aspects of her life.

The blog itself is obviously about yoga, the practice, related topics of interest, and about the many benefits of it, but it is also about that holistic part of the practice, and the peripheral benefits and inspirations like positivity, appreciation, and joy, and living a life of joy and contentment.

Summing Up A Yoga Mama Is A Rama Mama

A Yoga Mama Is A Rama Mama is a place to learn and to grow, to share your own love of yoga and experiences with it, to connect and share and be inspired. The peaceful yet down-to-earth nature of this blog is inviting and relaxing. All in all, this blog is an excellent place to come to add a little (or a lot) of centering, focus, and joy to your life.

Go here to check out A Yoga Mama Is A Rama Mama.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2012

Where to Find All Scrubbed Up:
Blog URL: http://allscrubbedup.blogspot.com/
Category: Health, Professions, Personal Interests

All Scrubbed Up

As patients in need, we tend to revere our doctors; and in so doing, we tend to forget that our doctors are people, too. People, that is, with opinions and personalities, frustrations, angers, and even senses of humor. That is the side of the profession that this blog is aiming to bring to light—the humanity of the medical profession.

All Scrubbed Up – Why You Should Go

All Scrubbed up is the team effort of one (understandably anonymous) doctor (SA Doc) in South Africa and IT expert Andy Hadfield. Their description of the blog is probably the best summation of what it is:

“What’s under the gown in the South African Medical Fraternity? Doctors, Surgeons, Practices, Hospitals and the funny, sometimes controversial stories that go with them.”

This blog is a behind-the-scenes look at the humor and controversy that is life in the medical profession. Of course, opinions expressed are those of these two contributors and any guests they might invite into the blog, but they do give a very good idea of what many doctors might be thinking or feeling in regards to the humorous stories and controversies that surround the practice of medicine and society in general. Those are opinions that many might be sharing, and worth following for a comrade in opinion arms (although if you don’t like strong, unwavering, truthful, in-your-face opinions you’ll probably not like this blog).

And by the way—did I mention humor? Because there are lots of medical funnies here, from the regular Old Time Medicine posts to jokes and cartoons and beyond. Along with the funny there are also serious posts, though, of either commentary or useful facts and resources for the public and the medical community.

Summing Up All Scrubbed Up

All in all All Scrubbed Up is puts a very human face on life as a doctor, and all the trials and triumphs that brings. It might just help you to connect a little better with the real people behind the medical masks that you entrust your care to.

Go here to check out All Scrubbed Up.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2012

A quick round-up today as last week’s was so large.  (You can see last week’s blog review list here for many more.) Last week’s largely fitness and health influence carried on into this week, and then it was off to matters of food and frugality.

Week In Review, August 15, 2009

• First stop, an appointment with the Workout Mommy.  Workout Mommy Lisa is a trained professional personal trainer and fitness instructor who is now working hard to find the balance of her roles and attend to both good health and good parenting…and working to help you do the same.  Get fit with Lisa at Workout Mommy.
• Kelly Rigotti says she’s not quite frugal yet, but she’s working on it.  You can work on becoming more frugal and saving for the better things in life, too, at her blog, Almost Frugal.
• From Frugal to Food and travel, blogger Caitlin Fitzsimmons, a native Aussie like our own Sean Rasmussen, is sharing her tales from the road of world exploration and all the great foods and places that go along with life abroad.  Catch up with Caitlin and her Roaming Tales.
• Perhaps Caitlin and our Dining DC blogger will meet somewhere along that traveling road, as Dining continues to eat, enjoy, and review all of the top 100 restaurants in the Washington, DC area.  Get the real goods on the best of the best in DC dining at From Komi To Marvin.

And that’s if for our week, but we’re diving right back in tomorrow.  I’ll see you there!

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2012

Where to Find From Komi To Marvin:
Blog URL: http://www.fromkomitomarvin.com/
Category: Food, Entertainment, Dining Reviews

From Komi to Marvin

From Komi to Marvin might most succinctly be described as a restaurant review blog for the Washington, DC area; but it is much more than that—it’s an adventure!

From Komi To Marvin – Why You Should Go

From Komi to Marvin is the blog chronicle of one blogger who has made it a mission to eat at every restaurant in the respected Washingtonian’s Best Restaurants of 2009 review list—in just one year’s time. And yes, this blogger is aware that that equates to about one restaurant every three days. It’s an adventure in food, fun, and sometimes fiascos that shouldn’t be missed, particularly for those looking for the real best dining experiences around Washington DC.

To date, only about 43 restaurants appear on the list. That means that the blog has reviewed approximately 57 of the best restaurants in and around the Washington DC area, all the while also chronicling the stories behind the stories and the tales of each experience.

Summing Up From Komi to Marvin

So do these restaurants measure up? Are they worth their weight in media gold? There’s only one place for answers like that, and that is this blog. Come for the good eats and story treats, and get the real scoop on the best of the best of Washington DC eateries and restaurants.

Go here to check out From Komi to Marvin.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2012

Where to Find Roaming Tales:
Blog URL: http://www.roamingtales.com/
Category: Travel, Food, Lifestyles

Roaming Tales

Roaming Tales is a very interesting dual-purpose blog by traveling journalist and food lover Caitlin. It’s the best of both worlds and then some at Caitlin’s blog.

Roaming Tales – Why You Should Go

Caitlin is technically an Australian (a title she is surely proud to bear), but she is more like a citizen of the world. She has spent five years living, working, and exploring in London and the nearby regions, and now has moved on to San Francisco, California, USA for more exploration and adventures flung near and far. Her work as a travel journalist makes living her life and dreams easy. Her blog of personal tales of travel gives her a place to present it all and educate the world along the way.

Caitlin has two main loves—travel, of course, and food. Previous blog versions had the two separated, but recognizing that that is not truly accurate, she married both at the Roaming Tales blog platform, and instead thoughtfully designed her blog so that the division is made easy for her readers, regardless of what your interest is. Caitlin makes it easy to find her travel stories and posts, to read food and cooking-only posts, or to enjoy both naturally as they come along. She also hosts a section expressly for her more formal professional writing, enhancing the informational value of the blog even more.

Summing Up Roaming Tales

Many blogs that attempt such a varied and shared approach to blogging end up in a mass of confusion, but not so at all at this blog. Caitlin is not only a knowledgeable reporter and writer with loads of thoughtful insight and information to share, but has also mastered tying together a lot of interesting, useful information on her most favored topics, delivering to her readers all that they desire to know, and usually much, much more.

Go here to check out Roaming Tales.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2012

Where to Find Almost Frugal:
Blog URL: http://almostfrugal.com/
Category: Money, Finances, Personal Interests

Almost Frugal

There is probably not one of us reading this who at some point did not wish that we could be a better master of the arts of frugality. After all, we see them featured on the evening news—those people who can squeeze two dollars out of two cents and consistently get more for less. We think if they can we can, but that’s not always the case.

Almost Frugal – Why You Should Go

Kelly Rigotti, an American ex-pat living in France with her husband and children, is no master either, but she’s working her way towards more frugal living. In part, it’s in the interest of paying off college debts, and in part it’s for the accomplishment. Either way, there’s no arguing that Kelly is better off keeping more of her family’s hard-earned cash.

Her blog is her journey toward frugality. She says she’s not quite frugal yet, but she’s always progressing and learning new things along the way; new things that she shares with us on her blog for our benefit and for hers and in the interest of building a community to help each other along toward their frugal goals. She offers many tips and tricks, loads of information, and even a “Quick Start” guide for newcomers.

Summing Up Almost Frugal

Kelly finds herself in a place where many of us do—wanting to develop better spending and money management habits for our own good, but not quite at the level of frugal mastery. This being the case, hers is a blog many of us can learn from and feel comfortable calling home.

Go here to check out Almost Frugal.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2012

Where to Find Workout Mommy:
Blog URL: http://workoutmommy.com/
Category: Fitness, Parenting

Workout Mommy

For blogger Lisa motivating herself to work out and be fit and healthy was never the problem. That is, until she had children. That’s when (as any parents can relate) her life changed and working out and exercising became much more of a challenge. That is the challenge she is rising to meet at her blog, Workout Mommy.

Workout Mommy – Why You Should Go

Working out and staying fit and healthy was always a part of Lisa’s life. Before kids, Lisa was a personal trainer, fitness instructor, and self-described “fitness junkie”—all titles she intended to keep when she became a parent. Of course, that is where the real challenge started.

Once her children arrived on the scene, Lisa became acutely aware of just how difficult it could be to balance parenting and children and fitness. But knowing how important good fitness was to her health and well-being, she wasn’t ready to quit, either. Out of her effort to be fit and find time for exercise, her blog grew. Today the blog is a top-shelf resource for parents to not only deliver information about fitness and exercise (from an obviously qualified source), but also to learn to balance that effort and find the time and motivation.

Lisa’s experience is not so different than that of any parent, but her blog is here to help both moms and dads to achieve and maintain good fitness and health:

“I struggle with finding the time each day and making myself stay fit. It’s a struggle, I won’t lie to you. But it is one that is worth it. My goal with this blog is to provide motivation, inspiration, and ideas on how to fit in exercise, fitness, and health in your busy mommy day. After all, a fit mommy is a happy mommy!”

Summing Up Workout Mommy

Lisa is in a unique place to really help parents stay fit and healthy with her combined experience as a trainer and parent. Offering hers as a blog of “fitness and exercise tips for busy moms and dads,” this may just be the blog that helps you strike the balance and maintain your good health.

Go here to check out Workout Mommy.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2012

It’s actually been a bit since our last Recap Review.  So without further ado, let’s get caught up on all the great Digg blog reviews!

Recap Review August 9, 2009

• You’ll find everything you need for good health and beauty at Beauty and Personal Grooming.  From home remedies to beauty tips, it’s all here for you to live your most beautiful life ever.
• When you want to pump it up, either for strength training goals or just to tone and feel better, we’ve got a couple of great blogs for you.  The first is this blog, The Diesel Crew Blog.  The next is Project Swole.  Both will lead you to more effective and rewarding strength training programs.
• On a mission for lifelong learning?  This is your blog–the one that will deliver the best of the free and continued learning resources for almost any interest.  Visit Mission to Learn.
• Love food?  Like to play in the kitchen?  So does blogger Ben of What’s Cooking.  His phots and recipes will send you on your way to new cooking adventures.
• Can’t follow the latest and ever-changing trends in real estate and business?  This is the blog that makes sense of it all.  Join the knowledgeable team at the Clozing and you’ll go far whether you are buying for pleasure or profit.
• Interested in an exciting career?  Try Travel Nursing!  Here’s the blog to get you there.
• Here’s a blog that’s celebrating both the Saudi and the medical experience.  Learn more about life in Saudi Arabia and about the medical profession (physician) at Saudi to the Core.

As of there’s not enough reading material here, there are even more blogs and topics of interest in the last Recap Review of July 27.  Join us!

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2012

Where to Find Saudi To The Core:
Blog URL: http://www.sauditothecore.com/
Category: Personal Blogs, Professions, Personal Interests

Saudi To The Core

Sam Sall is a female physician living and working in Saudi Arabia, the home country of which she is intensely proud, as she should be. Her blog is a combination of all of those things that are important in her life.

Saudi To The Core – Why You Should Go

As said, this is a blog about all of the things important to Dr. Sam Sall—her career in medicine, her country which she loves with a strong patriotism, and her life in general. She writes about all of these things in part to widen the understanding of her country and her culture and to help people to enjoy her home country more. She also uses her blog as a place to comment on the progress and change that her country has been experiencing in recent years. This in itself is an excellent reason to visit this blog, as it lends a very interesting perspective on what most consider progress, while also highlighting the pitfalls of modern change.

Summing Up Saudi To The Core

Sam Sall’s blog is one of interest for many reasons. Her personal stories, her stories and illustration of Saudi Arabia, and her perspective from her experiences in her career make for a very interesting and enlightening blog.

Go here to check out Saudi To The Core.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2012

Where to Find Project Swole:
Blog URL: http://www.projectswole.com/
Category: Fitness, Health, Personal Interests

Project Swole

According to the online Urban Dictionary, to be “swole” means

“The state of being very muscular and/or buff and in good shape.”

It is this state that blogger Steve of Project Swole set off to achieve at the beginning of his blog. His project is proving to be highly successful, too—not only in terms of his personal success, but also in terms of the success of his readers thanks to his blog and support.

Project Swole – Why You Should Go

Steve just wants what about everyone else does:

“To be functionally strong, agile, and flexible; to be able to defend myself in a brawl; to be able to run for miles in the case of an emergency; to be able to climb nearly anything if necessary. Essentially I want to be prepared for any situation that might involve an extreme physical effort, or a fight or flight response. Oh, I also want to look good naked.”

All kidding aside, though, Steve dedicated himself to a course of better health, fitness, and living, and put it all out there on the web so that, sink or swim, we all could see. What grew from his goals is a blog where any man or woman can come and learn to be fit and healthy by building muscle and losing fat through weight lifting, diet, and if desired, through the use of safe and approved dietary supplements.

Steve is qualified to give this advice for two reasons: one, his experience as a personal trainer, and two, his personal experience by “walking the walk”. Steve has proven himself as a trusted source and wealth of information, and always willing to help his readers and others as they, too, reach for their own personal fitness goals. He offers a variety of different free workout plans, training routines, diet and nutrition advice, tailored to the specific goals of different types of people with different goals for their fitness and weight loss.

Summing Up Project Swole

Project Swole is another definite destination for the person seeking better health and fitness. Regardless of your intentions and goals, you’ll find the information that you need to achieve them here. If you don’t, give Steve a shout, he’s always happy to help.

Go here to check out Project Swole.

Mary Ward
Do You Digg It!
Blog Review Team
Do You Digg It! © 2012