Gimme Some Oven

Currently

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Unbound

Celebrating my 2-year friend-iversary with Josefa, my favorite spunky 92-year-old from El Salvador. We were connected through Unbound — an organization that I wholeheartedly recommend checking out — and I was so thankful to receive her latest letter this week reporting that she’s feeling better lately after Unbound connected her with a doctor for some medical care, and (of course) asking when I’m going to get married already, and praying that I “would always be protected and that [my] dreams come true”. She really is the best.

Listening to these two live recordings on repeat. Turn on some good speakers and soak them up. :)

Reading this fascinating story of a journalist’s experience (spent working undercover as a teacher) in modern-day North Korea. Can’t put it down.

Cheering on this extraordinary athlete, and starting the countdown til Rio. Can’t wait!!!

Craving everything grilled right now, like this steak, this bread, this saladthis guacamole, and this easy dessert. Summer, please stay here forever.

Wearing hiking heels all the time lately. Although maybe not the kind you think. ;)

Watching my favorite French films (including this old fave) in preparation for my trip to Paris with Barclay next month. We’re going on this Viking River Cruise, then spending a few days in Bordeaux, and absolutely cannot wait.

Recommending this CC cream to all of my girlfriends lately. It’s organic, provides good coverage, and it still gives that natural “dewy” look for summertime. Highly recommend!

Getting ready to bring a new person onto our little team here at Gimme Some Oven. If you happen to love making videos, stay tuned for a pretty delicious job posting coming soon.

Talking constantly with friends this week — and reading, and listening, and searching — to try and learn what we can do care for all of the people hurting in our nation right now. This past week has been absolutely heartbreaking, and I feel like everyone I talk to is asking what we can all do that will actually make a helpful difference. I believe the answer to that is different for each person, and I urge you to invest the time to learn — even when the issues are complex and challenging — what steps you personally can take to courageously speak up and take action to help make this country a place where everyone feels loved and protected. But I also believe the answer to that is also simple — we must all do something. Do something today that feels good and true. Even if that’s as simple as smiling and saying hello and looking people in the eye as you pass on the street, or speaking up and not letting things slide if a relative or coworker makes an unacceptable comment, or bringing up these important conversations with your friends your family at dinnertime — these small “somethings” are so important. And they are essential building blocks as we all work together to lay the foundation for a more just, peaceful, hopeful, and loving country moving forward. So even when things are overwhelming, let’s not let that paralyze us. Start where you are, and do something, and let’s always keep learning from one another about how to better move forward.

Hope that you are doing well currently, and I wish you a hope-filled week. 

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9 comments on “Currently”

  1. Love that Juice Beauty CC cream! It’s the best. It has a good EWG rating too.

  2. My tween and I watched the women’s gymnastic Olympic trials and really enjoyed them. We wish Gabby had done better, We were happy with “Grandma” Aly and know she will do wonderful .Simone is a force to be reckoned with. Our favorite Ragan Smith is a tiny little thing but full of energy. Wish she could perform, if they went by the official scores she would have been on the team and not Gabby. Oh well a good lesson in life isn’t fair for my tween.

  3. I am so excited for Simone Biles and can’t wait to her give it her all on that floor! #teamusa .. Jessika

  4. I love that you are a sponsor with Unbound! I keep hearing about them lately….I want to check them out.

    I hope this means we get to see some videos from you soon! :) 

  5. Thank you for your thoughts about what we can do to make our nation a better place.  I so wish that we could all just accept others as being the same as ourselves.  One of the things I’ve learned from traveling around the world is that if you get to know people from other cultures, you discover that despite cultural differences, in every other way we are all the same.  It doesn’t matter what your religion is, or how your culture does things.  WE ARE ALL THE SAME.  I’m not an activist, but I sure can (and do) smile at others and say hello.  It takes almost no effort, and is hugely rewarding.  I hope many people have their eyes opened by reading this blog post.

  6. Please, please tell about the trip to France after you go! I am going on the exact same trip later this year and would so love to hear a first-hand account.

  7. Hi Ali! Great post. Thank you for sharing about Josefa! Can we share this on our social media channels?

  8. Oh, you’re travelling in my country !
    If by any chance, you come close to Vendée during your french trip, I would love to make you visit :)
    I love your blog for month and your articles about how hard it is to be single or 32 and dating are in my favorites and I read them from time to time when I’m feeling low and it fuels me up and give me hope that one day, things will change :) So thanks for that !! ♥