Auld Lang Syne

Like Michelle Williams from Destiny's Child, New Years Eve is the subject of neglect amongst winter holidays. As I do with most underrated aspects of culture, I've deemed New Year's Eve as my favorite holiday. Other than the renowned New Year's Eve ball dropping in Times Square, there's a lot of creative freedom for you in inventing your own traditions to ring in the New Year.

Although our traditions may vary on this holiday, it seems that there's an overarching clarity on this night for one and all. In the first minutes, days, weeks, of 2014 we're most inspired to make the "could-have's" in years past into "will-be's" for the year ahead.  

While my whereabouts on the last day of December have always changed from year to year, I've always relied on listening to 'Auld Lang Syne' as the year comes to an end. When Lea Michele made her own rendition of the song a couple years back, somehow 'Auld Lang Syne' became even more festive. Have a listen, as you create memories tonight that will pave the way for 2014. 

Continue to find inspiration, and keep your wine glasses full this year. 

Cheers. 

Book Review: Mrs. Kennedy and Me

On the night of Nov. 22, 1963, Jacqueline Kennedy emerged from an Air Force One aircraft in Washington D.C. shedding her position as First Lady of the United States, and adopting widowhood. Following the bronze shroud of her husband, Mrs. Kennedy donned a pink Chanel suit with blood-red indications of where she coddled her husband’s head earlier that day. The 35^th President of the United States had been assassinated and the reverberations would resound throughout the nation for years to come.

Last month marked the 50-year anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. While President and Mrs. Kennedy have garnered regal, celebrity-like statuses in America, their contributions to the nation went far beyond their photogenic qualities.

With a working insight into the life of Jackie Kennedy, Clint Hill, the Secret Service agent assigned to Mrs. Kennedy’s detail for the Kennedy administration, along with journalist Lisa McCubbin, recounts Mrs. Kennedy as a bold leading lady for her family and beyond in the biography, Mrs. Kennedy and Me.

“At the time, I don’t think Mrs. Kennedy realized the tremendous influence she had, but for those of us around her, it was impossible not to recognize. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy had become a star,” Hill writes in his portrait of Mrs. Kennedy.

From her playful humor, to her well-cultured perception of the world, Hill’s writings enable readers to accompany Jackie Kennedy in satisfying her curious heart. Be it on horseback with her children Caroline and John in Virginia, or as a tourist in France, Italy, Greece, Pakistan, Italy, etc. unaware of the indelible traces of diplomacy she left from place to place, Hill's memoir depicts the actions that Mrs. Kennedy made with genuine intentions, no matter the setting.

Forever more, Mrs. Kennedy will be paired with her timeless elegance as First Lady of the United States. It's a trait of her that continues to gleam from tabloids to television screens, but her fluidity as an intellectual and a leader cannot be silenced. And sentiments from the man sworn to protect her, Special Agent Clint Hill, serve as a reminder of Mrs. Kennedy’s dimensionality as a woman, beyond that tragic day in Texas. 

Order Mrs. Kennedy an Me on Amazon.com here.

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Winter Trail Runs: Pollock's Bench

Feasts of the festive season may be coming to a close, but your lack of motivation for running in the cold is unwavering. With many weeks between New Year's resolutions and the warmth of spring break, there's no sense in waiting for 'ideal conditions' for running.

If there's snow on the ground, taking to the streets for a run during the winter is a daunting task. Instead of hurdling icy patches on neighborhood sidewalks, try out your favorite local trails.

This week, I took to a trail that my soles have long ago memorized - Pollock's Bench. In my hometown of Fruita, Colo., there are a host of trails in the fingers of the Colorado National Monument. Laden with a layer of snow, the trail relieved me from jumping over ice and mud. You might have to work a little harder to trek through the snow, but it's worth it if you think back to that second helping of grandma's dessert last week.

Winter isn't exactly our ally in running endeavors. But with moisture-wicking layers and a handful of regular running regions, you can make your own ideal conditions.

Running Tip: Dress as if it's 10 degrees (F) warmer than it is outside, and you'll be more comfortable during long runs.

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Square One in Style

In many of my favorite films from my teenage years, if there was a young protagonist, I could be sure that they would be rebellious in some form another. Lindsay Lohan in Freaky Friday defied her mother in all of her gothic glory. Even Violet, in The Incredibles was too suave with her jet-black hair to be bothered by her parents for much of the movie.

While I did have a head of frizzy hair that could have easily set a scrawny teen off balance, I didn’t not attempt any acts of rebellion as a kid. Instead, I expressed myself with what I wore. In the rural town of Fruita, Colo., I was at an advantage against my peers who opted for Wrangler denim or Volcom tees. Although, I was an offender of donning four-too-many pairs of skater shoes without any ability to maneuver a skateboard.

Thankfully, my sense in style has progressed. To add to that, I’ve recently found a blog, titled Scout Sixteen, which features current, young fashion. One of the most noteworthy aspects of the blog is that the author of the blog, Justin Livingston, understands the versatility of his readers. Adventuring as a twenty-something can’t always call for a suit and tie, and his blog posts address this fact with looks that include denim, sweaters, and the like.

Drawing inspiration from Justin Livingston, at Scout Sixteen, I’ve added a ‘Style’ dimension to A Furled Brow. And if your own style staples include sweaters from your granddad’s era to layering outrageous graphic tees, I hope you’ll follow along. 

Check out my favorite post from Scout Sixteen here.

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Songs to Add to your Workout Playlist

Ankle-high socks, moisture-wicking shirts, knee-high socks, single or double-knotted shoes. When it comes to running gear, I’m not one to have very many stipulations. In fact, I only have one stipulation and that is: I will not run with headphones in, thus I do not run with music.

Because of this, I often daydream of an alternate running universe where running with headphones isn’t so bothersome for me. In celebration of this alternate universe, I’ve recently made note of a few songs that I’d add to my running playlist if I had one. These songs may never accompany me on my own runs, so perhaps, they’ll find a home with you.

For a quick pace: 212 by Azealia Banks

For the fast runner, or the runner with a short stride, I imagine this might be your anthem. With quick beats to set your stride to, this upbeat hip-hip anthem will help you keep pace, as long as you don’t mind Banks’ potty mouth.

For the casual run: White Teeth Teens by Lorde

If you’re not racing the clock, or the setting sun, Lorde’s smooth vocals and secondary instrumentals might be the perfect background noise for your run. This young, Kiwi has a knack for poetic lyrics and a calm, raspy tone that might not be enough to get you pumped up, but it’ll keep you engaged as you make progress along your pre-destined or impromptu path.

For the classic runner’s sole: Real World by Matchbox 20

With an ever-present guitar strum, this ‘90s hit from Matchbox 20 might encourage you to wear a scrunchie or that throwback pair of neon Nike running shorts once belonging to your hip dad. Don’t stop yourself from singing along, either. It could help with your ability to control your breath. 

Theoretically speaking, I would think that a workout playlist of any kind should match the tempo you're trying to keep. Faced with a uphill slope, fatigue, or ideal weather, the music you listen to should aid in keeping you going. As for me, I'll continue singing the choruses of songs in the confines of my own mind.

Check out this article, "The Top 10 Workout Songs for November 2013", from The Huffington Post. They weigh in on the best tunes to listen to during your run with artists ranging from Rihanna to the U.K. band, Bastille.  

Happy trails.

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Bleachers to Bruises: Rugby fan joins CSU Club Team

With fair skin and a likeness for wearing dresses when the weather permits, McKenzie Kimball is getting accustomed to showing a couple bruises as a rookie on the Women’s Rugby team at Colorado State University. After years of adoration for the sport of rugby, the Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism senior has traded her fandom for a team jersey.

Growing up, Kimball spent her childhood in Silverthorne, Colo. and her adolescence in Fruita, Colo. With a small town upbringing on either side of the state, her interests were shaped by her surroundings. In Fruita, like many other regions of the United States, rugby is a lesser known sport alongside football and soccer. Her first exposure to rugby took place in Silverthorne, but it wasn’t until her collegiate career that Kimball would don a pair of rugby cleats all her own.

During her first year at CSU, Kimball walked out of the rugby interest meeting in a fit of intimidation. Two years would pass before she deeply considered joining the team.

“It’s the sport that tough girls play, and one that people have respect for but its always on the outskirts,” Kimball says of rugby. Though she was content with her involvement on campus, and with her academics, Kimball says she entered her third year at CSU “ready for something that really scares me and pushes me out of my comfort zone.”

Seated in an office chair, the rugby newcomer can’t help but to look approachable as she hugs her right knee to her chest and swings her left leg rhythmically. It seems like a misplacement to imagine Kimball with her pixie-cut, blonde hair out on a field, where physicality has few limitations. She admits that she had her reservations, as well.

Up until her first game, a scrimmage against the University of Wyoming on the CSU intramural fields, Kimball can’t recall having any “physical responses to stress”.

“I fell silent about an hour before the game,” Kimball says. “Typically, I’m reserved before games and the like, but I was thinking ‘shit what did I get into?’”   

After about 60 ‘scrums’—where teams vie for possession of the ball by pushing against their opponents in a head-to-head huddle—her mentality began to change.

Like a mass of humming bees from flower to flower, the two opposing teams are in constant motion whether the ball is or not. As a forward on the team, Kimball is continuously at the center of the swarm with a few specialized roles. If she’s not following allowing with the referee’s cadence of, “crouch, bind, set” to dig her cleats into the ground towards the ball in a scrum, Kimball is helping lift the jumper in the air in a lineout to catch the ball.

“I was surprised that I could actually lift and tackle girls,” Kimball says between giggling. But the surprises didn’t stop there.

Aside from her ability and budding love for the sport, Kimball was equally surprised by the amount of camaraderie within the women’s rugby team.

“There aren’t very many of us, which is part of this sport,” says Kimball. “It’s a family. They want to know about you and support you like a family does”.

Nov. 3, signified the end of the fall rugby season for the CSU club team, with a loss to the University of New Mexico. With a record of one win and two losses, the team looks forward to a spring season that will begin again in the New Year. As the snow makes its last flurries for the winter, the women on CSU’s rugby team will play one last game against Air Force Academy, and begin preparing for regionals and nationals according to their season performance.

“I don’t really have much opportunity to rest, or to think about stuff which is kind of good because it forces me into a rhythm,” Kimball says with an intonation that suggests she’s realizing more about herself as she finishes her sentence.

“Leaving my first game, I was exhausted. It was really fun, it was terrifying, it was brutal, and it definitely made me fall in love with the sport”.

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Recover, Rest, Re-charge: Post-run care

Sweat drips from your temple and onto the sidewalk below as you slow your pace into a walk—a movement that suddenly seems foreign for your body. Finishing a run, and stopping the time on your stopwatch does not always indicate the end of your workout. In order to stray away from the soreness and lactic acid build-up that has haunted you time and time again, try implementing some variation into your cool-down process.

One of the best ways to supplement your stretching routine is with a foam roller. Like an inanimate masseuse, the foam roller can target most any body part you’re experiencing soreness with. Most often, I put my ankles on the roller, holding my body up with my arms, and roll up to my hamstrings. Additionally, the foam roller is good for treating shin splints.

As a long-term recovery method, you can elevate or ice your legs. Elevation can promote blood flow back up towards your heart, and “eliminate waste products”, according to, “Your Best Rest”, from Runner’s World.  This article also suggests bags of ice, or ice baths (up to 15 minutes) to reduce inflammation and achy joints.

Bettering your recovery routine makes for genuine strides and more productive training. 

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Polygamy in Shoe Brands

Have you run the one you love into the ground? When your favorite pair of running shoes has reached its maximum mileage, it might be time to try, not only a new shoe, but a new brand on for size.

From triple knotting shoes to listening to the type of music that could only belong to pre-teens during a warm-up, runners have the most unique of quirks. Yet, there’s something to be said about the inherent and obsessive shoe quirk within runners. If there were a set of norms—commandments, if you will—in the running subculture, they might include matters such as, he who eats pasta on the eve of race-day shall perform best, and running brotherhood is to nod at passersby on trail runs. Of these, the tenth commandment of running would likely read, thou shall commit to one brand of running shoe and never turn back.

Come race day, Andrew Goodman, a collegiate runner at Colorado State University, sports racing flats belonging to the College’s athletic sponsor, Under Armour. During training, Goodman admits that for four years he, too, was an offender of commitment when it comes to running shoe brands. Up until the summer of 2013, he pledged his feet to a certain Nike Pro shoe from season to season and he’s gained the run-down pile of shoes in his closet to prove it.

Up until now, you have probably dipped your foot into the pool of a couple of different brands looking for the right one. No doubt, a process reminiscent of Cinderella’s own shoe wear, runners have been dabbling in the wrong fairy tale plot.

Megan Price, a 39-year-old career woman, says running is both a release and helps her refuel her mind. "I've learned, though, that if I want to use running as my primary release, I have to take care of myself," Price says. "Whether that means taking days off, or equipping myself with the best gear, you can't enjoy something when it gives you pain."

“Runner’s have to know that the shoe is going to be your best friend or your worst enemy,” says Thomas Hecker, Doctor of Podiatric Medicane at the Orthopedic Center for the Rockies (OCR) in Fort Collins, Co. As a practicing doctor on the biggest team at the OCR, the Foot and Ankle team, Hecker has gained years of insight in his foot injuries amongst runners.

“Be it injuries blisters, it’s all the same in the eye of a runner,” Hecker says. “They want a brand that they know is going to take care of them, and I have to coax people into seeing why different shoes will help them perform better”.

Although the fourth commandment in running may read all pain is curable through an ice bath, not all commandments can stand the test of time. A runner’s most valued tools are the feet. And when the only shield you can offer them is a shoe, concerning yourself with optimal fit versus renowned logo will allow for longer trail runs and many more race days ahead.

“Every little thing I can control, I want to control. It’s a mental aspect and I want to know that my shoe is a good fit when I get on the line and race,” Goodman says.

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Fourth Meal: 3 Great Snack Ideas

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee on any morning is enough to pull you from your bed to the kitchen. After your senses have been shaken awake and your bed-head has started to lay flat, however, you might not crave a hot cup of Joe. In order to get a midday fill of energy, open your cabinets to one of the following snacks.

1. Hummus on wheat crackers: A mini meal, hummus with your preferred wheat cracker, like Wheat Thins or Triscuits, will give you an appropriate dosage of protein and fiber. This is a heavier snack that can help you re-energize if you have a more intensive workout on a particular day. (280 calories for 3 oz. hummus and 8 crackers)
2. Popcorn (Unbuttered or lightly buttered): For the salty snack-lovers in need of something filling and low in calories. (80-100 calories for 2 cups, popped)
3. Fruit Popsicles: If salty is your second choice, and you’ve got a sweet tooth to satisfy, reach for a store bought or homemade fruit popsicle. For a homemade recipe, use your favorite low-sugar lemonade or juice and mix in sliced fruit for a more filling snack. (75 calories for every 3 oz.)

For a complete list of 25 snacks for a runner's appetite, check out this article from Runner's World. 

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Lorde performs hit song, ‘Royals’, for U.S. Television Debut

You don’t have to be a churchgoer to be entranced by New Zealand’s latest standout star, Lorde. At 17 years old and with a sound all her own, she’s defying the boundaries of her island homeland and gaining listeners on an international level.

On Tuesday night’s show of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Lorde sang her hit song, ‘Royals’, and baptized the first of many stages in America. The kiwi’s debut studio album, ‘Pure Heroine’, became available for purchase on iTunes Sept. 30. At $9.99, the entire album features ten tracks of Lorde’s smoky voice that manages to engage listeners song after song.

While her growing fan base can attest to her fresh and strong sound, the young star has made few television appearances. Tuesday night gave Lorde a new medium to grab the attention of the masses not only with her raspy voice, but with her bold appearance, as well. Revealing her youth and her mane of curls, Lorde swayed into the tempo of the song as she sang.

It’s apparent after her performance on Late Night that her fans aren’t the only ones who get lost in the rhythm and poetic lyrics of her songs—she, too, connects with the music. From co-writing her songs and gaining traction in New Zealand, Lorde offers tribute to the traditional journey towards fame. And if she continues on this streak of passion and lyrical depth, her fans will surely sing along. 

Check out Lorde's U.S. television debut above or click here ---