Look, I love to ooh and ahhh over fireworks as much as anyone (actually, probably more; I’m a very enthusiastic pyrotechnics admirer). But I’ve met entirely too many people missing fingers in my lifetime, so here’s a quick fireworks safety PSA ahead of the holiday weekend.

It seems obvious to say, but here’s your reminder: fireworks can be dangerous— especially for kids, people with long hair, and those who maybe had a Yuengling or two or five along with their BBQ. Even sparklers can reach temps above 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Last year over 10,000 people were treated for fireworks injuries in the US, and two thirds of those happened within a month from July 4th.

29% of those injured were kids under the age of 15. Adult supervision isn’t enough to evade danger, either: half of reported injuries happened while an adult was supervising. Your best option is to go watch a professional display, but even then be careful if it’s a small show in relatively close quarters (I once saw a man’s jacket catch a spark and ignite during a fireworks show at a festival).

Doctors in the Comprehensive Injury Center at Cincinnati Children’s, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission give the following tips on fireworks safety via Newswise:

FIREWORK SAFETY TIPS

• Observe all local laws
• Never allow children to play with or light fireworks, even sparklers
• Older children who decide to use fireworks should always be supervised by an adult
• Only buy from reliable sellers
• Avoid buying fireworks packaged in brown paper, often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays
• Use fireworks outdoors only
• Always read and follow all warnings and label instructions
• Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks
• Only light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from the house, dry leaves and grass, and other things that may catch on fire
• Never try to relight “dud” fireworks that have not fully functioned
• Keep water handy (a garden hose and a bucket) in case of a malfunction or a fire
• Never experiment or make your own fireworks
• Light only one firework at a time
• Dispose of fireworks properly by soaking them in water and then disposing of them in your trashcan (wait 15 to 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water)
• Never light fireworks in glass or metal containers
• Never throw or point fireworks at other people, animals, or buildings that can catch on fire
• Never carry fireworks in your pocket
• The lighter of the fireworks should always wear eye and ear protection and never have any part of the body over the fireworks
• Stay away from illegal explosives
• Use long match sticks to light the fireworks, not lighters or cigarettes
• Never shorten or lengthen the fuse
• Families should attend professional fireworks displays rather than using fireworks at home.
• The AAP recommends prohibiting public sale of all fireworks, including those by mail or Internet.

Do you go to a fireworks show for the 4th or do you DIY at home?

Stock photos from depositphoto.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on those links.**

They’re here! They’re here! The Nano 5.0s drop today!

This new shoe enhances Reebok’s already successful Nano line, which I will tell anyone who asks is the best choice for CrossFit. I just wish they came in a wide size so Maverick could wear them too.

I’ve been in a very serious longterm relationship with my Nano 4.0s, which were a huge improvement on the 3.0s, so I’m excited to see how the next generation performs.

The Nano 5.0 features:

Enhanced Durability
Built with a Kevlar® DuraCage upper for lightweight strength so you can take on the toughest of workouts again and again.

Improved Fit &Natural Flexibility
Natural Last construction with an all-new molded heel and a fully contoured sockliner allows for an improved anatomical fit that keeps feet locked-in.

RopePro® +
Equipped with stronger composite materials, the re-engineered RopePro® Wrap provides bite and support against shoe shredding rope climbs.

And you can custom design your own, too.

Have you tried on the Nano 5.0 yet? What’s the fit like?

I was compensated for this post by HEX Performance. All opinions are my own.

Maverick and I try to make it to our CrossFit box at least 4x a week. We work hard. We sweat hard.

Some people will try to tell you that those of Asian heritage don’t sweat as much as other people. This is an outright lie, at least when it comes to me and Maverick. We are sweaty sweat sweaters. I like to say this means that our bodies are super efficient and superior at self-cooling, but mostly we’re just gross.

Now that the weather has skipped over spring and gone straight to the humid, oppressive, dog days of summer the sweat factor has increased exponentially, and we’ve narrowed down our preferred clothing choices to a few favorites. For me this means the shortest of shorts, tank tops only, and the most unobtrusive of sports bras. Mav sticks with the lightest fabrics possible.

Anyone who’s spent some serious time sweating knows that gear matters. Once you’ve owned some workout apparel in tech fabrics that moves with you, has strategically places seams and most importantly is lightweight yet durable, with sweat wicking capabilities you can’t go back. Cotton is rotten once it’s soaked in sweat.

The downside is that while these tech fabrics are awesome at transferring sweat to the outside, they are not so awesome at releasing sweat stench. And while it’s fun to watch your family recoil from you in horror after a sweatfest, realizing you smell before you’ve even begun your workout and suspiciously accusing the cat of peeing in your laundry isn’t quite as cool. (I don’t know who you accuse if you don’t have a cat.)

The cat pee/ammonia smell happens because you’re breaking down amino acids for energy, and it will probably be more pronounced after a really long/intense workout or if you’re not properly hydrated— a description that covers about 95% of my workouts. Add to that the fact that we’re basically wearing the same couple of outfits over and over… yeah. Stinktastic.

To get rid of the smell, I tried:

• rinsing out gear after class ahead of actually washing
• small loads of just our tech gear but the same amount of detergent (I hated doing this as it was probably shortening the life of our clothes)
• repeated washings between wears
• adding vinegar to the rinse cycle
• actually soaking the clothes in straight up vinegar before washing
• using more powerfully scented detergent (just smelled flowery on top of funky)
• using dryer sheets (this was a big deal! I never usually use dryer sheets)

Sometimes something would work for maybe one or two wears, then it would be back to funkytown.

But I’m not here to tell a tale of unsolvable woe, folks. All these sweaty selfies you’ve endured are not for naught.

I bring a solution.

There is life after stinkiness for your favorite workout gear, and it doesn’t involve potentially overabusing your expensive tech fabrics.

Get the funk outta here

No, seriously, this stuff works. Introducing the next gen detergent, HEX Performance!

Developed by major league lacrosse player Drew Westervelt, who presumably knows what it means to get a good sweaty stink on, HEX is high performance detergent with long-lasting odor eliminating technology. It’s the first and only system designed specifically to clean and protect today’s performance gear and apparel while staying gentle on fabric and skin.

• free of dyes, perfumes, and optical brighteners
• naturally antistatic and restores fabric wickability. No need for dryer sheets and fabric softeners
• for those who are hooked on that “clean laundry” smell, HEX Enhance+ Performance Booster (used in addition to HEX Power+ Laundry Detergent) adds a fantastic, clean fragrance— that isn’t overwhelming or cloying, trust me on this, I’m picky— without compromising your gear’s ability to wick, breathe, and move.
• HEX Tech creates a unique, bonded barrier that protects gear and apparel with odor-fighting technology, giving them long lasting protection from odors typically associated with bacteria

My favorite gear is back in business.

It doesn’t stink. It doesn’t smell like B.O. covered in fake flowers. It’s just sort of crisp and nice. And my hyper-sensitive skin didn’t react to it. ALL THE WINNING.

Plus, it’s eco-smart

This is important to me. The design of the package means a much smaller carbon footprint: 80% less warehouse space, 80% less landfill space, 80% less wood for pallets and paper for corrugates, and 75% less plastic when compared to the same size rigid bottles. And, HEX formulas are engineered to be eco friendly and biodegradable.

You can find HEX products in all Wegmans stores (first download this coupon for $2 off!). You can also purchase online here.

But I suggest you enter my giveaway! 10 will win a coupon for a HEX product. Ends at midnight on June 24th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I’ve always thought it was obnoxious when people said they were trying to “find themselves.”

I think part of that is because when I was younger, I had a pretty good handle of who my self was. I spent a lot of time in my own head. I read a lot. I put a lot of silly in the world, just because. I was lucky enough to be surrounded by people who let me talk a lot, who let me ramble on until my words became ideas and projects and passions.

Then I had kids, and I worked all the time, and I grew away from people, and I stopped doing the things that helped me to continually shape who I was. When I did get to spend time with people, even I was bored with what I had to say.

I stopped blogging because I didn’t feel like I had anything worth saying, let alone worth anyone else reading.

I didn’t do anything anymore. I didn’t think or write or create things. If I had spare time, I slept. Or I worried about the stuff I should be doing, or I watched TV to block out worrying about the things I should be doing. Sometimes I mutitasked and dreamt about the things I should be doing.

That’s no way to live. It’s not living at all, really.

Which is to say, I’m currently one of those insufferable people trying to find themselves.

My first step has been to do a lot of reading. I’ve gone back to reread the books that I’ve always considered to be the building blocks of who I am. I’m surfing Flipboard to find new things that spark something in me. I’m applying for jobs and opportunities that excite me. And I’m catching up on the bloggers who I used to read faithfully— binging on the several years of material that I’ve missed out on.

One of those bloggers is Seth Godin, and this passage (taken from this post) made my hair stand on end.

There’s a lot to admire about the common-sense advice, “If you don’t have anything worth saying, don’t say anything.”

On the other hand, one reason we often find ourselves with nothing much to say is that we’ve already decided that it’s safer and easier to say nothing.

If you’ve fallen into that trap, then committing to having a point of view and scheduling a time and place to say something is almost certainly going to improve your thinking, your attitude and your trajectory.

A daily blog is one way to achieve this. Not spouting an opinion or retweeting the click of the day. Instead, outlining what you believe and explaining why.

Commit to articulating your point of view on one relevant issue, one news story, one personnel issue. Every day. Online or off, doesn’t matter. Share your taste and your perspective with someone who needs to hear it.

Speak up. Not just tomorrow, but every day.

A worthwhile habit.

Annoyingly, it immediately earwormed that song Say Something by A Great Big World for me. And now, I’m sure, for you. You’re welcome.

Say something, I’m giving up on you—

I’m not giving up on me. I hope you haven’t yet.

I’ve got something to say, and I am saying it because I need it, and that is poetry. (Apologies to John Cage for morphing his quote, which I featured in the first blog post I ever wrote.)

I’m committing to articulating every day. My point of view. Refinding my voice. Getting silly. Getting noisy.

Say something.

Have something you’d like me to talk about? Hit me in the comments.