As many of you know, I just got married. So far, so good.
A little housekeeping - a few people have told me they did not receive the first newsletter, although they should have. I have also had people signup that were already on the email list. After checking the list and the analytics, these people did receive the original email. My only conclusion is that this must be a Gmail filter/folder issue.
If you know anyone that would like to subscribe, please send them to YeeHaw.io to do so.
Taylor
[The good stuff]
ARTICLE - My alcohol of choice has long been bourbon, only because I think it tastes better than beer, wine, or other spirits. And though I have tried many kinds of bourbons, I don't really know anything about the stuff. I understand that it comes from corn and there are strict guidelines on what can be sold as "bourbon," but otherwise don't know what age does to the taste or what "straight" bourbon really is, amongst other things. This article explains these things and generally how to read bourbon labels. It also explains what bottled-in-bond bourbons are, which I had never heard of, and will try with my next trip to the liquor store. (7-minute read)
SANDALS - Growing up in Athens and going to UGA, I was overexposed to Chacos. It seemed that Chacos were standard issue for anyone that happened to drive an SUV. Eventually, I gave in and got my own and hated them. I got blisters, they were really heavy, so super inconvenient to pack for a big trip. Once my feet weren't getting blisters they were still uncomfortable. I recently picked up some Bedrock Sandals for my honeymoon. These are similar to Chaco's but way better. They are lighter, more comfortable, and their strap adjustment system makes it much easier to get them to fit snug but comfortably. I went with the Cairn Adventure Sandals ($98).
DNA TEST - I have always wanted to do a DNA / Ancestry Test and recently did so through 23andMe. For $200, they analyze a saliva sample that you mail in. They provide a ton of information including, where your ancestors are from, likely physical characteristics you have or may develop, diseases/conditions you may be predisposed to, amongst other things. Unfortunately, 23andMe tracks a relatively narrow set of conditions (although still a lot). Fortunately, there are other resources that provide more thorough analysis for free or very cheap online.
- For $5 Promethease will analyze your 23andMe dataset and will let you know if you are likely to have specific vitamin deficiencies, for example. But it can be a bit overwhelming. The online report tool is very detailed but not very user-friendly
- FoundMyFitness is run by Dr. Rohnda Patrick and looks at specific genes that she thinks most directly influence lifespan from your data set. Her report is free, though she does ask for a donation
The Promethease report is everything and the kitchen sink while FoundMyFitness is much more focused and easier to navigate the report for actionable info. I have learned plenty including that I have a genetic risk of vitamin D deficiency, 60% of my ancestors come from Britain and Ireland, and that I am a carrier of a Cystic Fibrosis variant, which could be passed on to my kids and may be an issue if Laura is also a carrier. Now I take a vitamin D supplement since my desk job isn't helping me out any.
MUSIC - My unaturally handsome friend Blake recently introduced me to (Sandy) Alex G. I classify Alex G. as a folk-pop singer-songwriter. He is from Philidelphia and his most recent album, Rocket, was released in May and covers multiple genres. Below I have included videos of my favorite songs on the album. They are super-solid so check 'em out!
MEME - Been a crazy month.
