It's everybody's favorite disappearing blogger...

Dearest readers,

I have to apologize for my recent absence from the blogging world. Unfortunately, life has become quite crazy for me in the past month and I just couldn't squeeze in any time for blogging. But I hope all of you know that I miss writing for all of you and reading all your wonderful comments. One Happy Panda has become a part of my life that I've really grown affectionate of, and I hate to leave it just sitting like this.

I'm not sure when all the dust will settle and I will have the time and energy to start blogging again. I hope it is soon. In the meantime, keep checking back for updates. And thanks to all of you who have been reading and leaving me comments. I always love reading them.

~Amanda

PS: If any of you have comments/suggestions for OHP (things you like, things you hate, things you want to see more of) feel free to email me or leave them in the comments. That way when I do get back, I can start right off making OHP even better. Thanks!

Panda photo via Wikipedia.

Greenify Your Laundry

When it comes to greenifying my laundry routine, I was a little nervous. I tend to be choosy about my soaps and dryer sheets and I wasn't sure I wanted to throw my old, non-green favorites away. But after a single trip to the Whole Foods laundry aisle, I can just about promise you that I'm never going back. There were a ton of great, natural, affordable (and nice-smelling!) options there that I couldn't even start to go into them all. But here are two of my current favorite laundry products:
For laundry soap, I wanted something that would be effective at cleaning but not at all harsh on my clothes. Ecover Ultra Ecological Laundry Wash does the trick for me. It's nice to my clothes, doesn't fade the colors, and leaves them clean and smelling nice. The lavender scent is plant-derived (unlike the synthetics at the regular grocer which I actually hate) and I find it herbal but light. It's also a high efficiency product, which cuts down on product and packaging waste.

Dryer sheets are one of those products that aren't strictly essential, so if I really wanted to be green I could go without them. But I really like the way they make my clothes soft and non-staticky, plus their scent usually lasts longer than that of a detergent. I found true love in Mrs. Meyer's Dryer Sheets, which are biodegradable and the essential oil scents are strong enough that I only need one for a large load at the laundromat (vs. the two or three I used to use). I like the Lemon Verbena scent currently, but they also come in Lavender, Geranium, Baby Blossom, and Basil. And at $8 for 80 sheets, they're not too expensive to use frequently.

So there you have it, my new "green" laundry routine and I'd love to hear your thoughts or suggestions. :) Have you ever used "green" cleaners?

PS: If you aren't much for dryer sheets, you could scent your laundry by adding essential oils (like lavender) to your wash to lightly scent the clothes- just make sure whatever you add won't stain or bleach. You could also add a drop to a clean washcloth and add it to the dryer for the same effect without the waste.

Images: Laundry wash from Vitacost, dryer sheets from Mrs. Meyers Clean Day

Fitness Confessional: I Don't Stretch

Lately I read an article (which I promptly lost, or I'd reference it for you all) about the importance of stretching. We all know that stretching is good for us because it helps maintain flexibility and reduce muscle and bone injuries. But how many of us actually do it?

I, for one, rarely stretch. The last time I stretched regularly was a year ago when I still did daily yoga. Even before a run, I'll maybe spend 2 minutes stretching my calves before I head out the door. But just as an experiment the other day, I tried full-body stretching before my run, spending a good 10 minutes making sure my arms, legs, and shoulders were all loose and ready to go. Wow did it make a difference! I felt like I had SO much more energy at the start of the run, probably because I didn't need to spend the first five minutes warming my muscles up. Also, stretching out my back and shoulders after spending the day hunched in an office chair really seemed to help my posture (which is terrible).

So now I'm making the resolution to stretch more often, perhaps even daily. And I wanted to hear from you all: do you stretch very often before or after a workout? What about on the days you don't work out?

Comfort Food: What's Yours?

I've always had a thing for homemade potato soup. There is something so simple and familiar about it, and it always brings me back to when I was little and my grandma made it from scratch for me. If I'm ever craving comfort food, potato soup is my go-to.

Today I stumbled on the Wikipedia page for "comfort food" (there is a Wikipedia page for everything) and got to reading about comfort foods throughout the world. Potato soup isn't on the list anywhere, but chicken noodle soup was one of the common comfort foods in the States. Other common ones included pizza, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, and applesauce (mmm). Canada is similar to the States, while the United Kingdom prefers "bangers and mash" (sausage and mashed potatoes) and Ireland likes boiled stews, soda bread, and butter. Other popular choices include fried eggs with fries or rice in Spain and miso soup in Japan. You can read the full Wikipedia article here.

Also according to Wikipedia, comfort food is usually something simple and familiar that is associated with childhood. So I guess my love of potato soup isn't so far off after all.

What's your favorite comfort food? And, just for fun, do you think it's related to where you live?

Image: chicken stew via Cambell's Kitchen. Nom.

Local Goods (the Etsy way)

We all know that buying local is good for us. Local goods don't require as much packaging and fuel for transportation, making them green-friendlier. Plus buying local supports your city's economy and keeps small businesses afloat. The trick, of course, is finding local goods that you actually want to buy. Which is one of the reasons I'm in love with Etsy's "Shop Local" feature (thanks to my friend Hilary for introducing me to it!). Using their Shop Local search, you can buy handmade products (and some vintage too) made right in your very own home town, or at least very near by.

I did a search for my city and here are just a few of the things I found:
A cute clutch just big enough for summer essentials (wallet, keys, sunglasses, chapstick).
A mellow scent (the seller claims it can calm a rowdy 2 year old).
Black and white photography (my favorite)- this one is titled "blight 2007."
All-natural with an attitude. This tank is made from organic cotton, and the print is "inspired by the art nouveau movement and modern tattoos".

Go here to search for Etsy shops in your area. But before you do, tell me- do you ever try to buy things locally?

All images belong to their respective Etsy sellers (see links).

Let's Discuss: Birth

Has anyone been keeping up with the blog Pacing the Panic Room? The author Ryan Marshall recently wrote about his wife's at-home water birth, and I found it totally fascinating (you can check it out here).

I'll admit that I've never been much for the idea of at-home births. I've heard enough stories to know that even normal, healthy births often require emergency medical attention for some reason or another. Often the window of opportunity for that attention is mere minutes- meaning that even a quick car ride to the hospital could put off treatment long enough to put someone (mama or baby) in trouble. And while, yes, our great-grandmothers may have successfully given birth to 12 children at home, it's probably not a coincidence that their rates for infant mortality and birth complications were a lot higher.

That said, reading the Marshalls' birth story still has me intrigued at the idea. Maybe as our medical knowledge of birth and its risks increase (and as we develop medical technology that's easily transportable), safe home births will become a reality for more women. And being able to give birth in a comfortable, familiar environment versus a sterile hospital DOES sound a lot better.

I thought I'd open the floor up for discussion: what do you think of home births? How about the recent increase in birthing centers, which are designed to give the feel of a home while being close to medical help if needed? I'd love to hear opinions! Just remember to keep it nonjudgmental, we're all friends here :)

Personally, I feel like we still need more impartial, unbiased information. What's the risk of birth complication in a normal pregnancy? How about a pregnancy with slight complications? Will being at home increase any of those risks or decrease them? If the risk of complication is low assuming there is a midwife present, then maybe home birth is a viable option.

Running Playlist

I never had a workout buddy until Ernie. All through high school track, I used to run solo, just me and the road. Then a couple of years or so ago, I found Ernie and it was love at first sight.

Ernie is my ipod.

I inherited him from Nathan, who moved on to a newer and better ipod. Ever since I got him, I've been totally addicted. I love having music that I can carry with me, especially when I'm running. It's like fast, upbeat songs make me forget (well, distract me from at least) my tired legs and side stitch, so I can run faster and longer. And it turns out I'm not making that up- some research studies have found that people burn more calories when they work out to music.

So in the name of calorie-burning, here's some of what I listen to when I run:

The Rolling Stones- Jumpin Jack Flash
Franz Ferdinand- Take Me Out
Franz Ferdinand- The Dark of the Matinee
Muse- Stockholm Syndrome
Muse- Hysteria
The Clash- Should I Stay Or Should I Go
The Mars Volta- L'Via L'Viaquez
Michael Jackson- Smooth Criminal
Modest Mouse- Dance Hall
Creedence Clearwater Revival- Fortunate Son
Queen- Another One Bites the Dust

...and that gets me through just about any workout :)

What songs do you listen to while you work out?

Image by Per Briehagen via Runnersworld