Rest Day/Theory

Washington state CrossFit affiliates not considered “instructional,” burdened with confusing tax. Maureen O’Hagan reports.

CrossFit Bellevue owner Leilani M. Cerrillo looked around one day and realized something: her clients were paying sales tax and her neighbors’ clients weren’t.

The gymnastics studio next door? Not subject to Washington state sales tax.

The cheerleading school? Not taxed.

But Cerrillo’s box? Taxed.

“I don’t see why my people are being charged sales tax and… Continue Reading

Patrick Miller is a typical kid from a working Midwestern town. This is his coming-of-age story in which there may or may not be a happy ending.

I am writing this brief article for a writing class that I am taking through a community college in my home town of Pontiac, Illinois. This is somewhat of a brief insight to the love and (passion) for the sport I have, but… Continue Reading

Can the uptight ever hang loose? Hilary Achauer examines her complicated relationship with surfing.

The paddle out was easy that day. I didn’t even get my hair wet. I sat on my board with my dry hair and forced myself to look at the ocean, at the sky. I looked at the people walking on the beach and made up little stories about the surfers around me.

For 15 minutes I tried… Continue Reading

Internationally known for his agricultural practices in Virginia, Joel Salatin calls it like he sees it—and there’s a lot he’s calling out.

Joel Salatin is possibly the most influential farmer in America.

He doesn’t work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Calling himself a “lunatic,” he’s most famous for his central roles in Food, Inc. and The Omnivore's Dilemma, as well as several speeches on the TED stage. Salatin abhors many commercial farming practices… Continue Reading

Best-selling author Eleanor Brown asks if the Internet is killing our ability to concentrate and analyze.

Something strange is happening to my brain: it can’t keep still.

And not in a good way. My mind is restless, hungry, desperate for a constant flood of input. At traffic lights, I reach for my phone to check Twitter. I click a hyperlink to an article that sounds interesting and give up halfway through because… Continue Reading

In this two-part series, Andréa Maria Cecil explores women in sports and what supporters and critics have to say about the contentious Title IX legislation. In Part 2, Cecil investigates the effects of Title IX on women and men and explains CrossFit’s approach.

Former U.S. Sen. Birch Bayh once said, “Title IX is rather simple: don’t discriminate on the basis of sex.”

But the federal legislation has been anything but.

While there is no shortage of people who credit… Continue Reading

In this two-part series, Andréa Maria Cecil explores women in sports and what supporters and critics have to say about the contentious Title IX legislation. In Part 1, Cecil investigates the past, present and future of female athletes.

In sixth grade, Jean Stewart hit a boy. And she didn’t just hit him; she “knocked his block off.”

Her father had taught his daughter a little about athletics and boxing. So when young Jean… Continue Reading

“Go ahead, shave me.”

It takes a certain amount of temerity to say it. But you probably should.

Granted, shaving is pretty common. For many, it's an essential part of daily grooming. They say three-quarters of all men shave their faces every day without giving the act much thought.

But when it comes to having someone else do the work? It can be a little daunting.

A rather discerning friend recently mentioned… Continue Reading