I am doing my first BlogHer review. I don’t typically do reviews on products unless (a) I think that it will somehow benefit my readership (THAT’S YOU) and/or (b) it is a product that I really do think is worthwhile.

In this case, I did a review on the new Acer Timeline Series Laptop. I really believe that computers should be made for the masses (i.e. affordable) and Acer is a company that works really hard at being accessible at a range of price points.  We’ve had ours for a couple of weeks with nary a problem at all.

As part of the review, I get to give a laptop away to one lucky devil. Check out the review and contest guidelines here.

Woot!

Okay, on to the news at hand.

I wish I could say that I’ve been really diligent about going to the gym, but I haven’t been at all. It’s been so hot here that finding the motivation to get EVEN MORE sweaty seems pretty ludicrous. Instead, I’ve really been trying to watch what I eat … staying away from the things that may have gluten in them. There have been mess-ups for sure, but for the most part two or three meals of indulgence does not mean a setback. In means that I am leading a real life.

I know I said that I would post a “progress picture” last week, but I really couldn’t get a decent picture of myself because (a) I don’t know how to use the timer function on my new camera and (b) I really need to invest in a tripod. Instead, here is a picture of my latest weigh-in:

You can imagine my sigh of relief knowing that I am down 2 lbs. from last week. Nothing increases your motivation like things trending in the right direction.

This week’s goal? Getting back into the gym routine.

So much to say and too much to cram into the one short post I have time for today. It’s been busy around these parts and I am getting ready to get my butt kicked by a busy week ahead.

The weather here in Seattle has been unreal. The picture above is of last night’s sunset on the ferry ride home from Vashon Island – which is just a 20 minute ferry ride from Seattle. I can’t say enough about how lovely it is out on the island and I often think about what it would be like to live in a place where the population increases exponentially between June and August because of people who “summer” there.  I’m sure it has its downside (like being a slave to the ferry schedule) but everyone I know out there has adjusted and couldn’t be happier.

But enough about that. I know why you are here. You want to know who won the Bacon Jam.

Liz from Queen of Wonder get’s to Bacon Jam on it! Congrats! I will email shortly.

I need to sign off for now, but tomorrow I will be begrudgingly update you with my weight loss progress. Egads.

Whhaaaa, you say? A post about bacon? A post about jam?

Is it a condiment? An entree? A dessert?

Yes to all of the above.

About a month ago, my friend Jonathan gave me a tin of this stuff. He does some work with the folks that make it and after cajoling him for about 3 weeks, he finally brought me some to try out.  He is a good person.

When you think of Bacon Jam, a whole bevy of ideas come to mind about what it is. Quite simply, it’s bacon that’s been rendered and then simmered for SIX HOURS with onion and spices.  The result is complete tastiness. If you don’t believe me, know that I am not the first one to write about the virtues Bacon Jam – just see Matt’s homage.

So much like Bubba from Forest Gump, I spent a day thinking about ways to prepare my first Bacon Jam dish. And because I am perpetually on a diet, I decided to enlist my friends Katharine and Haakon to join me on my first Bacon Jam tasting (a.k.a to keep me from eating the whole tin). At the end of the day we all decided what could be better than bacon on Bacon Jam action?

My only complaint was that we should have put more Bacon Jam on the sandwich.

Mmmm … mmmm …

And because I’m feeling all lovey dovey about all of you … I am doing a Bacon Jam giveaway. My first (but not last! more to come!) giveaway! Yay! I LOVE YOU MAN!

One randomly chosen BIME reader will have an 8 oz jar of Bacon Jam sent directly to your home so you too can experience Bacon nirvana. Just enter by leaving a comment (along with your name/email) on this post.

Comments will be closed on Sunday at midnight and the winner will be announced on Monday, July 27th.

If you can’t wait to try it, just order it here.

Sadly, I believe Skillet Street Food only ships domestically. That means if you are from Canada or Australia, as a good portion of you are, you get no bacon love this time. Sorry guys. xo.

PS. Skillet Street Food is not paying me to say this, nor are they sponsoring this giveaway. I would tell you if that were the case.