Well the only thing I accomplished from my list of three things to accomplish this week was to do something nice for myself... BUT I think that was a pretty important one. On Monday morning I went and had a pedicure and the girl always winds up talking me into letting her do my nails too (I think because she's always horrified by their condition and takes personal responsibility for my horrible nails- both hands and feet). While I was relaxing away I vaguely remember her saying something about my nails being "shiny" and I must have nodded while watching a morning talk show on the nail salon's TV because before I knew it I had a pretty intense layer of glitter polish on top of the chosen color :-). So here is my tip of the week - pay attention when someone is doing something that affects your appearance! I'm pretty easy going about my nails though and knew I would mess them up promptly and have to remove it all anyway so I said what the heck - a sparkly week it shall be!
Other than that I read a few books for a workshop I'm going to on Saturday about books for teens but I think I will wait and blog about them as a group after the workshop. I always enjoy the books for this workshop but I'm also always happy to go back to reading things that aren't "assigned". Though I must say I read my first John Green book for a workshop and that certainly was worth it and created a groupie/ bit of a crazy stalker fan out of me :-)
Not sure I'll make any goals for the weekend-- it's going to be a pretty busy one. My other half has a birthday coming up and a high school reunion this weekend on top of a visit to my dads and work happy hour tonight... so aside from all the scheduled events I think my goal will just be to sit back, relax, and breathe.
Have a great weekend!
daffodils
Friday, October 21, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Fake Blogger
I'm definitely feeling like I'm not a really blogger... this page hasn't been updated in months...AND when I look at my "101 things to do list" it's pretty much at the same level of completion as it was all those weeks ago. I wish I had some great excuse but I really don't. Life just gets in the way - and when that happens it is generally the day to day mundane life getting in the way that doesn't exactly spark creativity.
So here we are again...at least I'm a consistently bad blogger - I feel like this is the gazillionth "I'm terrible at this" post since I started this thing :-) Maybe I need to make an appointment with myself a few times a week to do this.
Anyway - Like I said - not much accomplished on the list front. In fact I just went back and read through the list and some of the things left on it are sounding dreadfully boring to me at the moment. I think I already picked all the low hanging fruit, and tackled some of the more fun stuff... and now I'm left with things that generally sound like work. Hmmm, not sure that was really my intention when starting this project.
There are a few things though that I am interesting in accomplishing in the short term: 1. Read Gone With the Wind (it's downloaded onto my nook - I have a vacation coming up in November - I have NO excuse!) 2. Take a dulcimer lesson. As soon as kickball season is over and I have another weeknight free I think I'm gonna give this a real go. In fact I think I will put it on my goals for the week to make the phone call to set it up!
I have actually been doing some running in the past few months... I'm still not running solid lengths of time but even with walking breaks I can see that I'm getting faster and as long as I see progress I'm happy with baby steps!
I've also been doing a fair amount of reading - though nothing on my list. I've been reading bunches of Teen Romances for a workshop I'm facilitating at this weekend and I'm also in the middle of The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. I have a feeling that when I do finally finish this book it will inspire some blog posts. The books is exactly what it sounds like - a woman takes a year of her life devoting each month to a theme/goal for becoming happier and writes about it. Not all of it is earth-shattering, but even the stuff that should seem like common sense is good to be reminded of and think about once in a while.
I think that about catches everyone up. So here are my goals for the week:
1. Call about dulcimer lessons.
2. Blog again on Wednesday and Friday mornings
3. Do something nice for myself. This is sort of cheating -- I already know that as soon as the place opens at 10am I'm going to sneak in a pedicure before work today :)
So here we are again...at least I'm a consistently bad blogger - I feel like this is the gazillionth "I'm terrible at this" post since I started this thing :-) Maybe I need to make an appointment with myself a few times a week to do this.
Anyway - Like I said - not much accomplished on the list front. In fact I just went back and read through the list and some of the things left on it are sounding dreadfully boring to me at the moment. I think I already picked all the low hanging fruit, and tackled some of the more fun stuff... and now I'm left with things that generally sound like work. Hmmm, not sure that was really my intention when starting this project.
There are a few things though that I am interesting in accomplishing in the short term: 1. Read Gone With the Wind (it's downloaded onto my nook - I have a vacation coming up in November - I have NO excuse!) 2. Take a dulcimer lesson. As soon as kickball season is over and I have another weeknight free I think I'm gonna give this a real go. In fact I think I will put it on my goals for the week to make the phone call to set it up!
I have actually been doing some running in the past few months... I'm still not running solid lengths of time but even with walking breaks I can see that I'm getting faster and as long as I see progress I'm happy with baby steps!
I've also been doing a fair amount of reading - though nothing on my list. I've been reading bunches of Teen Romances for a workshop I'm facilitating at this weekend and I'm also in the middle of The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. I have a feeling that when I do finally finish this book it will inspire some blog posts. The books is exactly what it sounds like - a woman takes a year of her life devoting each month to a theme/goal for becoming happier and writes about it. Not all of it is earth-shattering, but even the stuff that should seem like common sense is good to be reminded of and think about once in a while.
I think that about catches everyone up. So here are my goals for the week:
1. Call about dulcimer lessons.
2. Blog again on Wednesday and Friday mornings
3. Do something nice for myself. This is sort of cheating -- I already know that as soon as the place opens at 10am I'm going to sneak in a pedicure before work today :)
Monday, August 1, 2011
August!
I was born in August. It's a good month but where oh where did the summer go?
So where am I with my 101 list of things to do... well I accomplished a few more things... none of them exciting :/
17. crochet something for self to wear - I made some hand/arm warmers on our recent road trip...they're not perfect but it kept me busy for a while in the car... and they will keep my wrists warm this winter in the library (but still allow me to type!)
61. repaint molding in corner of basement - I sanded down the damage and put a fresh coat on... it took about 15 minutes from start to finish but apparently I had to think about it for 6 years first :-)
71. use and develop underwater cameras-- I finished off the film with my nephew at the beach in June... but it took my husband to actually take them in to be developed... can't wait to see the pictures from the snorkeling in Key West we several vacations (and years!) ago.
Short Term Goals -
I got away from running for a few weeks and I'm feeling it now but I ran this morning and I supposed getting back at it is what really matters. Losing endurance is really frustrating but I will get back at it.
Goals for the week:
Run 2 more times
Go to the gym at least once
Conquer my to-do list (short term things - phone calls etc)
Read a book
So where am I with my 101 list of things to do... well I accomplished a few more things... none of them exciting :/
17. crochet something for self to wear - I made some hand/arm warmers on our recent road trip...they're not perfect but it kept me busy for a while in the car... and they will keep my wrists warm this winter in the library (but still allow me to type!)
61. repaint molding in corner of basement - I sanded down the damage and put a fresh coat on... it took about 15 minutes from start to finish but apparently I had to think about it for 6 years first :-)
71. use and develop underwater cameras-- I finished off the film with my nephew at the beach in June... but it took my husband to actually take them in to be developed... can't wait to see the pictures from the snorkeling in Key West we several vacations (and years!) ago.
Short Term Goals -
I got away from running for a few weeks and I'm feeling it now but I ran this morning and I supposed getting back at it is what really matters. Losing endurance is really frustrating but I will get back at it.
Goals for the week:
Run 2 more times
Go to the gym at least once
Conquer my to-do list (short term things - phone calls etc)
Read a book
Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares
Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares
I'm going to pay overdue fines for this book. It was due the end of last week and so it had gone unread and unthought of for 3 weeks... but the day I was going to return it I noticed a conversation about the book happening on facebook. Friends were talking about how it wasn't what they expected and that there was a plot twist they wouldn't have guessed but that it was well worth the read. This exchange drew me in just enough to decide to give the library the 75 cents or so and read it over the weekend.
I loved the teen series Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I enjoyed all the characters (though I have always been most fond of Lena) and the reads were fun trips through memories of friendships that I still treasure today. Following this girls into their 30th year sounded like great fun...nothing in the book jacket description would lead you to believe otherwise but that couldn't be further from the truth. Don't get me wrong.... I loved this book but if you are looking for a beach read that won't make you think, feel uncomfortable, and explore hard emotions with these characters than perhaps it should be set aside for a rainy day instead of a day with your feet nestled in the sand.... but pick it up and read it one day...it's worth it.
SPOILERS AHEAD - Don't read further if you haven't read the book and intend to do so ..............
Once I read on facebook that there were some plot twists I had a feeling that something happened to one of the Septembers... I thought perhaps we would find out in the beginning of the book that one of them was sick and the book would explore their relationship together as the illness progressed... I was fully expecting Tibby to announce an illness when the four arrived in Greece and the turn of events did surprise me. After a while however I did figure out that there was more going on and that she must have been ill before the incident. It didn't actually bother me to know this before the characters... it wasn't like figuring out a mystery before then end of a suspense novel ... This book was more about the characters and how they worked through their grief and their relationships than it was about plot details to me.
I have a hard time reading about death and grief...it makes me think of people I love that I've lost and this book was no different. I wasn't actually sure I had it in me to keep reading after the first few chapters... I think some of this stems from great writing and evoking of emotions just as must as it does from being a weeping prone individual!
I marked some pages as I went and I want to share a few passages that particularly struck me. This is just as much for myself as for sharing so that I can come back to these few lines in the future... long after I've returned the library book.
pg xii Growing up is hard on friendship.
pg 66 She forgot everything instantly, as though she had no memory apparatus at all. But in a sick-feeling way, she also knew her eyes and ears were taking these things in and keeping them. These images and words would be there waiting for her, settling into some deeper layer that would someday resurface...and make her feel crazy and scared.
pg 228
Her vision of the world under the water represented a beautiful stillness, a version of heaven. It was the lost city of Lena, her alternate universe, the life she yearned for but didn't get to have.
Lena's grief experience most closely matched my own and so I think her sections stood out the most to me throughout the book, but following each persons individual experience and growth as a result of it was very touching and rewarding in a sort of way. I really wanted these characters to find their way, both in life and back to each other.
This certainly wasn't a happy light read, but readers will take comfort in the ending, and will feel better for having read it.
I'm going to pay overdue fines for this book. It was due the end of last week and so it had gone unread and unthought of for 3 weeks... but the day I was going to return it I noticed a conversation about the book happening on facebook. Friends were talking about how it wasn't what they expected and that there was a plot twist they wouldn't have guessed but that it was well worth the read. This exchange drew me in just enough to decide to give the library the 75 cents or so and read it over the weekend.
I loved the teen series Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I enjoyed all the characters (though I have always been most fond of Lena) and the reads were fun trips through memories of friendships that I still treasure today. Following this girls into their 30th year sounded like great fun...nothing in the book jacket description would lead you to believe otherwise but that couldn't be further from the truth. Don't get me wrong.... I loved this book but if you are looking for a beach read that won't make you think, feel uncomfortable, and explore hard emotions with these characters than perhaps it should be set aside for a rainy day instead of a day with your feet nestled in the sand.... but pick it up and read it one day...it's worth it.
SPOILERS AHEAD - Don't read further if you haven't read the book and intend to do so ..............
Once I read on facebook that there were some plot twists I had a feeling that something happened to one of the Septembers... I thought perhaps we would find out in the beginning of the book that one of them was sick and the book would explore their relationship together as the illness progressed... I was fully expecting Tibby to announce an illness when the four arrived in Greece and the turn of events did surprise me. After a while however I did figure out that there was more going on and that she must have been ill before the incident. It didn't actually bother me to know this before the characters... it wasn't like figuring out a mystery before then end of a suspense novel ... This book was more about the characters and how they worked through their grief and their relationships than it was about plot details to me.
I have a hard time reading about death and grief...it makes me think of people I love that I've lost and this book was no different. I wasn't actually sure I had it in me to keep reading after the first few chapters... I think some of this stems from great writing and evoking of emotions just as must as it does from being a weeping prone individual!
I marked some pages as I went and I want to share a few passages that particularly struck me. This is just as much for myself as for sharing so that I can come back to these few lines in the future... long after I've returned the library book.
pg xii Growing up is hard on friendship.
pg 66 She forgot everything instantly, as though she had no memory apparatus at all. But in a sick-feeling way, she also knew her eyes and ears were taking these things in and keeping them. These images and words would be there waiting for her, settling into some deeper layer that would someday resurface...and make her feel crazy and scared.
pg 228
Her vision of the world under the water represented a beautiful stillness, a version of heaven. It was the lost city of Lena, her alternate universe, the life she yearned for but didn't get to have.
Lena's grief experience most closely matched my own and so I think her sections stood out the most to me throughout the book, but following each persons individual experience and growth as a result of it was very touching and rewarding in a sort of way. I really wanted these characters to find their way, both in life and back to each other.
This certainly wasn't a happy light read, but readers will take comfort in the ending, and will feel better for having read it.
Friday, July 15, 2011
GUYKU: A Year of Haiku for Boys
GUYKU: A Year of Haiku for Boys by Bob Raczka with art by Peter H Reynolds
This book is clever.
I giggled and smiled a lot,
Illustrations rock!
This book is clever.
I giggled and smiled a lot,
Illustrations rock!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Beach Running Has Spoiled Me
Well I didn't get two more blog posts written in June... it's certainly not that I don't spend enough time on the computer... I've just been uninspired I suppose. I did however accomplish the other two short term goals... I am currently reading a new book (I'll review it here when I'm done) and I accomplished my goal of running a mile outside.
I did my first mile outside on the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland. An early morning run with the beach and waves to my left and the wall of hotels and t-shirt shops to my right. I actually ran a mile plus a block... just to be sure I actually completed the task.... didn't want to find out later that I didn't run far enough to check this off my list :-) After the first mile I walked a few blocks and ran a few quarter mile intervals. Whenever I try to run again after taking a walking break I never manage to make it very far in those second or third bursts.
A few days after breaking through the barrier of running a mile outside I decided to try something new and did some running on the sand (the nice wet packed sand at the edge of the water) and said what the heck and gave it a go barefoot. It was fantastic! Don't get me wrong... running on the sand and barefoot is harder than running on solid ground with supportive shoes... but it was also so much fun! I think if I lived where I could run like this everyday I would. There was just something freeing about running with the sand between my toes, splashing my toes in the water when it came close enough, and dodging shells to the rhythm of my favorite running tunes. Now whenever I go to lace up my shoes I have a pang of sadness that I'm heading out into the neighborhood or worse, into my basement to the treadmill instead of out along the surf. I wonder if there are any beach 5ks.......
I did my first mile outside on the boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland. An early morning run with the beach and waves to my left and the wall of hotels and t-shirt shops to my right. I actually ran a mile plus a block... just to be sure I actually completed the task.... didn't want to find out later that I didn't run far enough to check this off my list :-) After the first mile I walked a few blocks and ran a few quarter mile intervals. Whenever I try to run again after taking a walking break I never manage to make it very far in those second or third bursts.
A few days after breaking through the barrier of running a mile outside I decided to try something new and did some running on the sand (the nice wet packed sand at the edge of the water) and said what the heck and gave it a go barefoot. It was fantastic! Don't get me wrong... running on the sand and barefoot is harder than running on solid ground with supportive shoes... but it was also so much fun! I think if I lived where I could run like this everyday I would. There was just something freeing about running with the sand between my toes, splashing my toes in the water when it came close enough, and dodging shells to the rhythm of my favorite running tunes. Now whenever I go to lace up my shoes I have a pang of sadness that I'm heading out into the neighborhood or worse, into my basement to the treadmill instead of out along the surf. I wonder if there are any beach 5ks.......
Monday, June 13, 2011
Long Time, No Blogging
Sigh... it's been a while since I managed to get a blog post written. As usual I have no legitimate excuses except I just didn't have anything to say/ didn't feel like it :-)
I haven't checked too many items off the 101 things to do list... a few boring things were completed-- wearing contacts and eating breakfast at home but nothing earth shattering or so life changing that they warranted a blog post. Probably the most noteworthy news about the list is that once again I've decided to edit it (I know that's probably not how these lists are supposed to work but I don't care -- it's my lists and I will do with it what I wish!). Some of the items on the original list were just so BORING or for some reason or another just aren't important to me anymore so I crossed out five more items (in red - the color I use for "I've changed my mind") and added five slots to the bottom of the list. I'm going to ponder what to add in those slots so if you've got any exciting ideas send them my way.
As far as short term goals I have actually been doing pretty good: I read another book (still a long way from my goal of 50 for the year though!), I've been running (aka jogging/walking) several times a week and going to the gym pretty regularly and in general trying to take care of myself. I had a goal for the year of running a mile and I've accomplished this on the treadmill twice but I've yet to make it happen outside so I'm holding off calling this a success (hopefully not for too much longer) but it was still a pretty exciting benchmark for me.
I'll be heading to the beach this weekend with my pops so I'm looking forward to some quality family time and also giving the boardwalk a try for running. Its straight and flat so I'm hoping it's a good run (plus the view will be better than my treadmill or neighborhood) even though I have no idea what running on boards will be like. I'll probably also eat lots of delicious foods like chocolate covered strawberries from Candy Kitchen and Boardwalk Fries... that's what the running is for I guess --to counteract all those calories :-)
My goals for the coming week/weeks:
At least 2 more blog posts in June
Read another book
Run a mile outside
I haven't checked too many items off the 101 things to do list... a few boring things were completed-- wearing contacts and eating breakfast at home but nothing earth shattering or so life changing that they warranted a blog post. Probably the most noteworthy news about the list is that once again I've decided to edit it (I know that's probably not how these lists are supposed to work but I don't care -- it's my lists and I will do with it what I wish!). Some of the items on the original list were just so BORING or for some reason or another just aren't important to me anymore so I crossed out five more items (in red - the color I use for "I've changed my mind") and added five slots to the bottom of the list. I'm going to ponder what to add in those slots so if you've got any exciting ideas send them my way.
As far as short term goals I have actually been doing pretty good: I read another book (still a long way from my goal of 50 for the year though!), I've been running (aka jogging/walking) several times a week and going to the gym pretty regularly and in general trying to take care of myself. I had a goal for the year of running a mile and I've accomplished this on the treadmill twice but I've yet to make it happen outside so I'm holding off calling this a success (hopefully not for too much longer) but it was still a pretty exciting benchmark for me.
I'll be heading to the beach this weekend with my pops so I'm looking forward to some quality family time and also giving the boardwalk a try for running. Its straight and flat so I'm hoping it's a good run (plus the view will be better than my treadmill or neighborhood) even though I have no idea what running on boards will be like. I'll probably also eat lots of delicious foods like chocolate covered strawberries from Candy Kitchen and Boardwalk Fries... that's what the running is for I guess --to counteract all those calories :-)
My goals for the coming week/weeks:
At least 2 more blog posts in June
Read another book
Run a mile outside
Matched by Ally Condie
Did I love this book? No. Do I think it would be popular with a certain group of teen readers? Definitely. I gave Matched by Ally Condie 3 stars on goodreads.com.... but only because half stars aren't an option. For me it was about 2 1/2. Very middle of the road...I didn't really like it but I didn't hate it and certainly see its appeal. In the dystopian society that Cassia lives in teenagers are "matched" with their mate sometime in their 17th year and Cassia is matched with her best childhood friend (being matched with someone you know almost never happens) but briefly catches a glimpse of another young many she knows on her match card... confusion/ angst/ coming of age abound. This story had all of the right ingredients for me to really like it but it lost me in one place... I never actually started to like or care about the characters. I can't put my finger on why but I didn't and because of that I never really cared what happened next and getting through the book was really tough. I'll still recommend this title to teens ... i think it could have broad appeal (though the cover is sort of girly) but there is certainly better dystopian teen lit out there.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Glam bands and Librarians and Food... Oh My!
OK... so the three things in my blog title aren't all a part of one great story I'm going to share... but they could be!
Just over a week ago I was at the Maryland Library Association conference in Ocean City and had a great time! I got to room with an old friend and a new one, caught up with some fantastically fun librarians from around the state, ate some great food and learned a thing or two along the way! There's something really cool about coming together with peers, sharing ideas and having a common desire to better libraries for our communities... and also, I don't know if you've noticed but librarians aren't stereotypically boring but actually quite a bit of fun to hang out with.
Along the way we ate at some tasty restaurants and one that I would HIGHLY recommend is Liquid Assets. It appears to be a liquor store/bar at first glance but they also serve some amazingly delicious food. I had the deluxe grilled cheese (spectacular) and shared and order of their donuts for dessert... the glaze was out of this world.
After spending time away from home for a few days last week...this weekend was all about some quality time with my husband and a plethora of 80's rock bands. We went to the M3 Festival on Friday and Saturday and rocked it out with Firehouse, Lita Ford, and Whitesnake. You can tell by the link that there were lots of other bands there but in my opinion those are the three most worth mentioning. By the way... I think that if you are going to tour again 20 years later and were once known as a "hair band" that you should still have long crazy hair... or fake it (Firehouse - I'm talking to you!) It just wasn't the same experience watching a few of the bands with shorter manes... just saying. Props go to Lita Ford and Whitesnake for keeping the long locks in great shape! In between the bands I had a great time people watching...people wear, say and do pretty silly things at rock concerts and I never got tired of just sitting back and taking it all in.
Unfortunately I don't have much to report on my 101 things to do list... I accomplished some things (I ordered fish a few more times in restaurants and knocked that off the list and went to a few more classes at the gym) but nothing earth shattering or terribly exciting. I'll get back to it this week... I hope to get to the gym a few times, get some outdoor running in, and hopefully squeeze in a trip to a state park with my happy hound.
Just over a week ago I was at the Maryland Library Association conference in Ocean City and had a great time! I got to room with an old friend and a new one, caught up with some fantastically fun librarians from around the state, ate some great food and learned a thing or two along the way! There's something really cool about coming together with peers, sharing ideas and having a common desire to better libraries for our communities... and also, I don't know if you've noticed but librarians aren't stereotypically boring but actually quite a bit of fun to hang out with.
Along the way we ate at some tasty restaurants and one that I would HIGHLY recommend is Liquid Assets. It appears to be a liquor store/bar at first glance but they also serve some amazingly delicious food. I had the deluxe grilled cheese (spectacular) and shared and order of their donuts for dessert... the glaze was out of this world.
After spending time away from home for a few days last week...this weekend was all about some quality time with my husband and a plethora of 80's rock bands. We went to the M3 Festival on Friday and Saturday and rocked it out with Firehouse, Lita Ford, and Whitesnake. You can tell by the link that there were lots of other bands there but in my opinion those are the three most worth mentioning. By the way... I think that if you are going to tour again 20 years later and were once known as a "hair band" that you should still have long crazy hair... or fake it (Firehouse - I'm talking to you!) It just wasn't the same experience watching a few of the bands with shorter manes... just saying. Props go to Lita Ford and Whitesnake for keeping the long locks in great shape! In between the bands I had a great time people watching...people wear, say and do pretty silly things at rock concerts and I never got tired of just sitting back and taking it all in.
Unfortunately I don't have much to report on my 101 things to do list... I accomplished some things (I ordered fish a few more times in restaurants and knocked that off the list and went to a few more classes at the gym) but nothing earth shattering or terribly exciting. I'll get back to it this week... I hope to get to the gym a few times, get some outdoor running in, and hopefully squeeze in a trip to a state park with my happy hound.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
The Cruising Life... Ahhhhhhh
A few thoughts from vacation:
1. I could probably live on a cruise ship... you know if it weren't so expensive and I didn't have to work for a living.
2. Being "off the grid" for a week was actually a pretty liberating experience. Don't get me wrong... I'm not giving up my gadgets and social networking addiction but I thought I would feel disconnected and antsy to get online but that wasn't the case at all.
3. I wish my bed in my house would rock me to sleep at night the way the ship did.
But alas - now I'm back at home, and back to work, and my bed doesn't rock me to sleep... but that does mean I am back online (yay!) and can publicly take stock of where I'm at with goals and with my 101 things list.
First off -- I had 3 goals in my last general (non book review) blog entry: clean out my car, attend a centergy class at the gym, and read a book. I'm excited to say I accomplished all three! In fact I read 3 books so check out my blog entries about them.
As far as the 101 things list goes (you can see the list - link on the right side of the screen) here is what I accomplished:
29. Order fish in a restaurant 5 times - I checked off one more time after having a dish with both Halibut and Salmon while out with the inlaws last night. It was a surprise dinner out - they were at my house when I got home from work... apparently my husband scheduled the dinner with them about a week ago and forgot to tell me... not surprisingly my house was not clean... oh well.
38. Take Centery class at the gym at least 3 times- 1 down - 2 to go. I will probably continue on even after 3... I really enjoyed the class but the yoga/pilates fusion is much more difficult than I expected...I learn exactly how flexible I am not!
86. Go on a Cruise - Bermuda was beautiful by the way and the people were SOO friendly.
96. Do not check work email from home. What a lovely thing! I like to be informed even when not at work... but when I'm on vacation or off for a few days I ALWAYS regret checking work email...not having internet for a week was fabulous in this way.
104. Travel outside the country ... and I'm already contemplating the next use of my passport ... The Lake District of England is calling my name!
All in all I've been pretty productive in my relaxation activities and since I've been home (a week now) I've even managed to move forward with some general goals... I was at the gym twice last week and ran 3 times... which unfortunately was entirely necessary after eating cruise food for a week... maybe living on a cruise ship is not such a great idea... at least not unless I get very well acquainted with the gym and the jogging track on the top deck.
Goals for this week: finish the biography I'm reading, run at least twice and get to the gym once. I'm going easy on myself because my week is full of out of town meetings.
1. I could probably live on a cruise ship... you know if it weren't so expensive and I didn't have to work for a living.
2. Being "off the grid" for a week was actually a pretty liberating experience. Don't get me wrong... I'm not giving up my gadgets and social networking addiction but I thought I would feel disconnected and antsy to get online but that wasn't the case at all.
3. I wish my bed in my house would rock me to sleep at night the way the ship did.
But alas - now I'm back at home, and back to work, and my bed doesn't rock me to sleep... but that does mean I am back online (yay!) and can publicly take stock of where I'm at with goals and with my 101 things list.
First off -- I had 3 goals in my last general (non book review) blog entry: clean out my car, attend a centergy class at the gym, and read a book. I'm excited to say I accomplished all three! In fact I read 3 books so check out my blog entries about them.
As far as the 101 things list goes (you can see the list - link on the right side of the screen) here is what I accomplished:
29. Order fish in a restaurant 5 times - I checked off one more time after having a dish with both Halibut and Salmon while out with the inlaws last night. It was a surprise dinner out - they were at my house when I got home from work... apparently my husband scheduled the dinner with them about a week ago and forgot to tell me... not surprisingly my house was not clean... oh well.
38. Take Centery class at the gym at least 3 times- 1 down - 2 to go. I will probably continue on even after 3... I really enjoyed the class but the yoga/pilates fusion is much more difficult than I expected...I learn exactly how flexible I am not!
86. Go on a Cruise - Bermuda was beautiful by the way and the people were SOO friendly.
96. Do not check work email from home. What a lovely thing! I like to be informed even when not at work... but when I'm on vacation or off for a few days I ALWAYS regret checking work email...not having internet for a week was fabulous in this way.
104. Travel outside the country ... and I'm already contemplating the next use of my passport ... The Lake District of England is calling my name!
All in all I've been pretty productive in my relaxation activities and since I've been home (a week now) I've even managed to move forward with some general goals... I was at the gym twice last week and ran 3 times... which unfortunately was entirely necessary after eating cruise food for a week... maybe living on a cruise ship is not such a great idea... at least not unless I get very well acquainted with the gym and the jogging track on the top deck.
Goals for this week: finish the biography I'm reading, run at least twice and get to the gym once. I'm going easy on myself because my week is full of out of town meetings.
The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
The second book I read on vacation was The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. I loved this book. I haven't felt this way about a book since the first time I read Looking For Alaska by John Green. If you know me at all and are aware of my complete devotion to that book and its author you realize this is a big deal.
The Sky is Everywhere is a beautifully written first novel (in both poetry and prose). It's main character, Lennie, is working through the grief of the sudden death of her older sister. Lennie is far from perfect and she managed to earn my sympathy, anger, and joy throughout the novel. The exploration of grief in my opinion is so well done and realistically portrays a girl going through many stages of grieving and of living. I won't lie... I certainly had moments of tears while reading this book but I also had moments where I caught myself smiling or even laughing out loud. The characters (all of them, not just Lennie) make this book and I felt like I knew each of them personally by the end.
This is definitely a book I can see myself revisiting and that I would highly recommend to anyone who will listen. When it was over I just wanted to hold it in my arms and stay with the characters for a while....
The Sky is Everywhere is a beautifully written first novel (in both poetry and prose). It's main character, Lennie, is working through the grief of the sudden death of her older sister. Lennie is far from perfect and she managed to earn my sympathy, anger, and joy throughout the novel. The exploration of grief in my opinion is so well done and realistically portrays a girl going through many stages of grieving and of living. I won't lie... I certainly had moments of tears while reading this book but I also had moments where I caught myself smiling or even laughing out loud. The characters (all of them, not just Lennie) make this book and I felt like I knew each of them personally by the end.
This is definitely a book I can see myself revisiting and that I would highly recommend to anyone who will listen. When it was over I just wanted to hold it in my arms and stay with the characters for a while....
Vacation Books...Insatiable by Meg Cabot
One of my favorite spots on the cruise ship was a comfy chair next to a big window:
I was able to use some of the free time while at sea to catch up on some reading and finished two books.
The first one I read was Insatiable by Meg Cabot. The quick synopsis is that Meena Harper is a young single writer (for a soap opera) and has the "gift" of being able to see how people will die (not so much fun). The powers that be at her TV show want to take the show in a new direction with a storyline about vampires... surprise.... at this point some real vampires make their way into the storyline of the book. Meena of course falls in love with the leader of all of the vampires and much action/romance/melodrama ensues. With murdered girls being found in the city --- vampire hunters enter the plot and a sort of battle moves the story forward. I actually would have like to see more exploration of the relationship between Meena and Alaric (vampire hunter). This was a good book to read on vacation... it was fast paced and I generally like Meg Cabot's writing. In the end though I didn't love the characters (which I usually do with Cabot books) and in turn didn't love the book. If you want to read a Meg Cabot book with supernatural aspects I would recommend the Mediator Series which I really enjoyed (it's a teen series but I read it as an adult).
The first one I read was Insatiable by Meg Cabot. The quick synopsis is that Meena Harper is a young single writer (for a soap opera) and has the "gift" of being able to see how people will die (not so much fun). The powers that be at her TV show want to take the show in a new direction with a storyline about vampires... surprise.... at this point some real vampires make their way into the storyline of the book. Meena of course falls in love with the leader of all of the vampires and much action/romance/melodrama ensues. With murdered girls being found in the city --- vampire hunters enter the plot and a sort of battle moves the story forward. I actually would have like to see more exploration of the relationship between Meena and Alaric (vampire hunter). This was a good book to read on vacation... it was fast paced and I generally like Meg Cabot's writing. In the end though I didn't love the characters (which I usually do with Cabot books) and in turn didn't love the book. If you want to read a Meg Cabot book with supernatural aspects I would recommend the Mediator Series which I really enjoyed (it's a teen series but I read it as an adult).
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Sweetgum Knit Lit Society
I was having a bit of a reading dry spell but I broke it on Friday when I picked this book up off my desk (where it has been sitting for several weeks) during lunch time and made myself start it. I'm glad I did. The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society by Beth Pattillo was exactly what I was looking for this weekend. It was a cozy story about a group of very different women in a small town who come together each month to talk about books and share their knitting projects. There is not a lot of action in this book so if you are looking for fast paced - this one won't be for you. I would say this book is more of a character study of the women in the group and is made more interesting by the fact that they don't all particularly like one another. The story begins when the town librarian brings one of her "strays" (a teenage girl lacking in the parents department -- well at least in the good parents department) to a meeting. The characters seemed real to me, each with her own individual strengths and flaws and perhaps that's why I enjoyed the book. I've seen it categorized as Christian Fiction but it was never preachy (actually the only hint of Christian Fiction I saw was that they meet in a church) so don't let that get in the way if you usually don't read that genre.
A nice, quick read for a cloudy day!
A nice, quick read for a cloudy day!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Blondes have more fun...
The jury is still out on whether blondes have more fun... I'll have to get back to that one after I've lived as a blonde a little longer...
Maybe they have so much fun, they can't find time to accomplish any goals. That seems to be the current case for me :-)
Accomplishment 1: I did manage to attend another Zumba class and it really is a lot of fun but I think I will trip over my feet a feel a little awkward no matter how many times I go to class. I have added it to my “classes I go to” list though. I can’t seem to get into a good schedule about going to the gym at certain times each week so I just sort of have a mental list of classes I am willing to go to and hope that one of them is available on the day/time I want to workout.
I did not however manage to make it to the gym 3 times a week like my goal stated.... in fact I haven't made it there at all in April yet. I will blame some of that on injuring myself in last Saturday's kickball game and not wanting to push it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
I also haven't read anything at all since my last post (at least not books - of course I've read things like package labels/ mail/ emails etc). I have a lot of books on my mental list (and goodreads list) to read but I haven't managed to take the plunge with any of them yet.
Accomplishement 2: I did complete one other item from my 101 things list by attending a lecture about National Parks at Johns Hopkins last night with the hubby and some friends. I don't think my husband learned anything new about the parks - he's a self taught expert in this field but we all enjoyed ourselves and it was nice to do something different. The lecture was really interesting and for the first hour I was excited to be back in a classroom setting but by the end I was glad it was done and relieved to not have any homework or studying to do. My favorite part of the lecture was when she talked about what influenced people around the time of the birth of the National Park System to want to spend time with nature and to view the land and the experience of the parks as a benefit to the American people. She spent quite a bit of time talking about how landscape painters and poets/writers of the time had a big influence on this. Made me look up some of my favorite Wordsworth while drinking my coffee this morning…..
In honor of the lecture here is one of my favorite National Park photos from one of my favorite vacations...do you know where it is?
Some goals for the short term:
START a book. I’m going to think smaller this time!
Take a Centergy class at the gym (a combination of yoga and pilates).
Clean out my very messy/bordering on disgusting car.
Maybe they have so much fun, they can't find time to accomplish any goals. That seems to be the current case for me :-)
Accomplishment 1: I did manage to attend another Zumba class and it really is a lot of fun but I think I will trip over my feet a feel a little awkward no matter how many times I go to class. I have added it to my “classes I go to” list though. I can’t seem to get into a good schedule about going to the gym at certain times each week so I just sort of have a mental list of classes I am willing to go to and hope that one of them is available on the day/time I want to workout.
I did not however manage to make it to the gym 3 times a week like my goal stated.... in fact I haven't made it there at all in April yet. I will blame some of that on injuring myself in last Saturday's kickball game and not wanting to push it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
I also haven't read anything at all since my last post (at least not books - of course I've read things like package labels/ mail/ emails etc). I have a lot of books on my mental list (and goodreads list) to read but I haven't managed to take the plunge with any of them yet.
Accomplishement 2: I did complete one other item from my 101 things list by attending a lecture about National Parks at Johns Hopkins last night with the hubby and some friends. I don't think my husband learned anything new about the parks - he's a self taught expert in this field but we all enjoyed ourselves and it was nice to do something different. The lecture was really interesting and for the first hour I was excited to be back in a classroom setting but by the end I was glad it was done and relieved to not have any homework or studying to do. My favorite part of the lecture was when she talked about what influenced people around the time of the birth of the National Park System to want to spend time with nature and to view the land and the experience of the parks as a benefit to the American people. She spent quite a bit of time talking about how landscape painters and poets/writers of the time had a big influence on this. Made me look up some of my favorite Wordsworth while drinking my coffee this morning…..
In honor of the lecture here is one of my favorite National Park photos from one of my favorite vacations...do you know where it is?
START a book. I’m going to think smaller this time!
Take a Centergy class at the gym (a combination of yoga and pilates).
Clean out my very messy/bordering on disgusting car.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Crossing things off!
It's fun when I can write a blog post with news that I have actually managed to accomplish a few things on my list!
Here's what I managed to get done:
19. Make 3 pieces of jewelry out of current supplies -- last night I just decided to do this... I've been wanting to buy some new jewelry so hopefully I filled the need by making three new pairs of earrings. They were super simple to make but I really like the way they turned out. A half hour well spent.
29. Order fish off a restaurant menu 5 times - 3 completed. The hubby and I went out to dinner Friday night and I had stuffed salmon. It was good... but not great...a little too rich for me. Next time I will go with a simpler fish dish. We also had sushi as an appetizer that was yummmmy.
37. Take the Groove or Zumba class at the gym at least 3 times -2 complete. I took the "Groove" class once before and didn't love it. I tried Zumba this time and it actually was a lot of fun. I plan on crossing this entry completely off my list tomorrow morning when I hit Zumba again... maybe this time I will have the moves down a little more and not be quite so out of step with everyone else!
In Other News:
I played kickball again on Saturday and this time I actually made it to first base! I was so excited that I promptly lost all logical thoughts and totally screwed up. I tried to run to second after the ball had already been caught from the next players pop up. Ooooops. The team had a good laugh at my expense and I was happy to provide some comic relief. To be honest I didn't think I would ever make it on base at all so messing up trying to get to second doesn't bother me too much though it might have bothered my teammates a bit :-)
Goals for this week: Get to Zumba tomorrow, go to the gym at least 3 times this week, clean out my car, read a book!
Here's what I managed to get done:
19. Make 3 pieces of jewelry out of current supplies -- last night I just decided to do this... I've been wanting to buy some new jewelry so hopefully I filled the need by making three new pairs of earrings. They were super simple to make but I really like the way they turned out. A half hour well spent.
29. Order fish off a restaurant menu 5 times - 3 completed. The hubby and I went out to dinner Friday night and I had stuffed salmon. It was good... but not great...a little too rich for me. Next time I will go with a simpler fish dish. We also had sushi as an appetizer that was yummmmy.
37. Take the Groove or Zumba class at the gym at least 3 times -2 complete. I took the "Groove" class once before and didn't love it. I tried Zumba this time and it actually was a lot of fun. I plan on crossing this entry completely off my list tomorrow morning when I hit Zumba again... maybe this time I will have the moves down a little more and not be quite so out of step with everyone else!
In Other News:
I played kickball again on Saturday and this time I actually made it to first base! I was so excited that I promptly lost all logical thoughts and totally screwed up. I tried to run to second after the ball had already been caught from the next players pop up. Ooooops. The team had a good laugh at my expense and I was happy to provide some comic relief. To be honest I didn't think I would ever make it on base at all so messing up trying to get to second doesn't bother me too much though it might have bothered my teammates a bit :-)
Goals for this week: Get to Zumba tomorrow, go to the gym at least 3 times this week, clean out my car, read a book!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
I'm a bad blogger but I'm mostly ok with that :-) I have no witty lead ins... so here are my updates....
101 Things to To Do:
Once again I have crossed off absolutely nothing on this list since my last post... I did however update the list a little bit... I took off a few things that don't interest me anymore and added a few others ( I was inspired by a co-workers bucket list). Here's the list if you want to check it out. I might make more changes over time... my original list had a lot of things on it that I want to get accomplished (and I still do want to accomplish them) but not quite as many things that are truly out of my comfort zone which is the way I am currently leaning. I am not exactly a risk taker or adrenaline junky and I will admit to wanting to hide in my comfortable little corner of the world... but surprise surprise... doing different things can be fun :-)
Yesterday I played on my first sports team in 20 years. Granted it was an adult kickball league (we're not talking tons of skills necessary) but I was a little nervous my first time up to the plate. I really intended to be an extra girl in case I was needed (you must have a certain number playing each game) but that happened at our very first game and it turns out I had a great time. I didn't contribute much to our win (I played catcher and barely ever even had to touch the ball - and kicked two pop ups that were immediately caught) but it was still fun... and I think I will play every week - whether I have to or not. As I said on facebook I accomplished my 3 goals: 1. actually make contact between my foot and the ball, 2. don't fall in the mud, 3. don't get hurt. Maybe my goal for the rest of the season should be to get on base.... that's a lot of pressure though :-)
Books:
Silent Sorority by Pamela Tsigdinos - I won't get into all of my thoughts about this book... for me it's a bit too personal to share with the world at large -- in fact -- I contemplated not adding it to goodreads or to my blog but I think it's an important book for anyone out there who might be seeking a book on the topic so here it is. My quick overview is that this is biography of sorts about a woman's (and also a couple's) struggle with infertility that doesn't turn out peachy in the end... in other words its about how she reacts/deals with life when none of the intense/painful/expensive treatments work. There isn't really much out there on this topic... most books on infertility are simply about getting to the final goal... and not about how your life turns upside down when you realize your future has to be different than you imagined it. I'm happy to chat with anyone who wants to know more about the book or my personal thoughts/feelings on the subject but I think that's enough for the blog :-).
Totally other end of the spectrum I also ready DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger. I had this in advanced reader copy form on my desk for ages and finally took it home a few weekends ago. It's a teen novel and it was a quick read. I was invested enough in the characters to want to finish....but I didn't love it either. The reader reviews of it on goodreads are pretty good so maybe I just missed something?
Resolutions: I have made it to the gym a few times ( I forgot how much I love the kickboxing class)...and I actually took my running outside once last weekend on a pretty day instead of hiding in my basement on the treadmill. It's much nicer outside (though the hills are not my friends) and the time actually goes faster. I still haven't managed to get into a routine of going at set times throughout the week... life always seems to get in the way of that.
Goals:
Try once again to update this blog before an eternity goes by
Complete one thing on my 101 things list
Try the Zumba class at the gym.
Run outside again.
101 Things to To Do:
Once again I have crossed off absolutely nothing on this list since my last post... I did however update the list a little bit... I took off a few things that don't interest me anymore and added a few others ( I was inspired by a co-workers bucket list). Here's the list if you want to check it out. I might make more changes over time... my original list had a lot of things on it that I want to get accomplished (and I still do want to accomplish them) but not quite as many things that are truly out of my comfort zone which is the way I am currently leaning. I am not exactly a risk taker or adrenaline junky and I will admit to wanting to hide in my comfortable little corner of the world... but surprise surprise... doing different things can be fun :-)
Yesterday I played on my first sports team in 20 years. Granted it was an adult kickball league (we're not talking tons of skills necessary) but I was a little nervous my first time up to the plate. I really intended to be an extra girl in case I was needed (you must have a certain number playing each game) but that happened at our very first game and it turns out I had a great time. I didn't contribute much to our win (I played catcher and barely ever even had to touch the ball - and kicked two pop ups that were immediately caught) but it was still fun... and I think I will play every week - whether I have to or not. As I said on facebook I accomplished my 3 goals: 1. actually make contact between my foot and the ball, 2. don't fall in the mud, 3. don't get hurt. Maybe my goal for the rest of the season should be to get on base.... that's a lot of pressure though :-)
Books:
Silent Sorority by Pamela Tsigdinos - I won't get into all of my thoughts about this book... for me it's a bit too personal to share with the world at large -- in fact -- I contemplated not adding it to goodreads or to my blog but I think it's an important book for anyone out there who might be seeking a book on the topic so here it is. My quick overview is that this is biography of sorts about a woman's (and also a couple's) struggle with infertility that doesn't turn out peachy in the end... in other words its about how she reacts/deals with life when none of the intense/painful/expensive treatments work. There isn't really much out there on this topic... most books on infertility are simply about getting to the final goal... and not about how your life turns upside down when you realize your future has to be different than you imagined it. I'm happy to chat with anyone who wants to know more about the book or my personal thoughts/feelings on the subject but I think that's enough for the blog :-).
Totally other end of the spectrum I also ready DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger. I had this in advanced reader copy form on my desk for ages and finally took it home a few weekends ago. It's a teen novel and it was a quick read. I was invested enough in the characters to want to finish....but I didn't love it either. The reader reviews of it on goodreads are pretty good so maybe I just missed something?
Resolutions: I have made it to the gym a few times ( I forgot how much I love the kickboxing class)...and I actually took my running outside once last weekend on a pretty day instead of hiding in my basement on the treadmill. It's much nicer outside (though the hills are not my friends) and the time actually goes faster. I still haven't managed to get into a routine of going at set times throughout the week... life always seems to get in the way of that.
Goals:
Try once again to update this blog before an eternity goes by
Complete one thing on my 101 things list
Try the Zumba class at the gym.
Run outside again.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Brown Chicken Brown Cow
The title of my blog post really doesn't mean anything in particular to me but it's the hook from a silly country song on the radio I heard while driving to my dad's yesterday and I simply can't get it out of my head... so I urge you... go find the song on the internet, listen to it, and then get stuck with the earworm like I am :-)
I didn't cross anything of of my 101 list of things to do list in the past week. I did attempt to take a carriage ride while in Williamsburg this weekend but when we got to the stand they were already booked up for the day... so if the thought counts ... :-)
Even though it's not on my list I did read a book I have been meaning to: Band Geek Love by Josie Bloss
As a former band geek the corny title caught my attention. I can't even remember how I heard about it (AACPL doesn't own it) but I have had it on my to-read list for a while and finally got around to ordering from another county and it was a super quick read over the weekend. I didn't love the book ... but if you were ever in the marching band the book would be amusing to you... there's lots of marching band terminology and it brought back good memories. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else though because I'm not sure that everyone would get the basic band lingo and aside from the reminiscing I did I don't think the writing or story was very strong.
As far as my "new years" goals go - I have been heading to the gym at least a few times a week and I got a lot of walking in while away in Williamsburg this weekend AND I managed to write this blog post before too much time went by :-)
Speaking of our time in Williamsburg just a quick shout out to the Sherwood Forest Plantation - home of President John Tyler. This house is not generally open for tours but you can make them by appointment and as the wife of someone who likes to see anything related to history and the homes of all the presidents it has been on our list to see for a while. They had another couple interested on Sunday so we were able to pair up with them for a tour. It was a FANTASTIC tour. The first sort of unbelievable thing is that John Tyler's grandson still lives in the house (yes -- the men had children late in life making this possible) AND the great great granddaughter and her high school friends were hanging out in the yard throwing around a lacrosse ball. The Tyler family dogs (there are quite a few of them) greeted us at the front steps and followed us around for much of the tour and inside this fantastic house full of amazing antiques and historical artifacts was a yappy little chihuahua. The tour guide was a family friend and the stories that were told (which is possible because the grandson has passed many family stories and versions of historic events on) were fascinating and the two hours we were there went by so fast. If you ever have the opportunity I would highly suggest it (it's not cheap but so worth it if you are interested in history).
So that's my story for the past week or so.... some goals for next week:
1. get to an actual class at the gym
2. read the Bible at least 3 days
3. Blog
4. Go through my 101 things to do list and update (yes it might be cheating - but I am of the mindset that I can take things off the list if I'm not actually interested anymore and add new goals to it if I want to. It's MY list and I will play by MY rules :-))
Happy Thursday!
I didn't cross anything of of my 101 list of things to do list in the past week. I did attempt to take a carriage ride while in Williamsburg this weekend but when we got to the stand they were already booked up for the day... so if the thought counts ... :-)
Even though it's not on my list I did read a book I have been meaning to: Band Geek Love by Josie Bloss
As a former band geek the corny title caught my attention. I can't even remember how I heard about it (AACPL doesn't own it) but I have had it on my to-read list for a while and finally got around to ordering from another county and it was a super quick read over the weekend. I didn't love the book ... but if you were ever in the marching band the book would be amusing to you... there's lots of marching band terminology and it brought back good memories. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else though because I'm not sure that everyone would get the basic band lingo and aside from the reminiscing I did I don't think the writing or story was very strong.
As far as my "new years" goals go - I have been heading to the gym at least a few times a week and I got a lot of walking in while away in Williamsburg this weekend AND I managed to write this blog post before too much time went by :-)
Speaking of our time in Williamsburg just a quick shout out to the Sherwood Forest Plantation - home of President John Tyler. This house is not generally open for tours but you can make them by appointment and as the wife of someone who likes to see anything related to history and the homes of all the presidents it has been on our list to see for a while. They had another couple interested on Sunday so we were able to pair up with them for a tour. It was a FANTASTIC tour. The first sort of unbelievable thing is that John Tyler's grandson still lives in the house (yes -- the men had children late in life making this possible) AND the great great granddaughter and her high school friends were hanging out in the yard throwing around a lacrosse ball. The Tyler family dogs (there are quite a few of them) greeted us at the front steps and followed us around for much of the tour and inside this fantastic house full of amazing antiques and historical artifacts was a yappy little chihuahua. The tour guide was a family friend and the stories that were told (which is possible because the grandson has passed many family stories and versions of historic events on) were fascinating and the two hours we were there went by so fast. If you ever have the opportunity I would highly suggest it (it's not cheap but so worth it if you are interested in history).
So that's my story for the past week or so.... some goals for next week:
1. get to an actual class at the gym
2. read the Bible at least 3 days
3. Blog
4. Go through my 101 things to do list and update (yes it might be cheating - but I am of the mindset that I can take things off the list if I'm not actually interested anymore and add new goals to it if I want to. It's MY list and I will play by MY rules :-))
Happy Thursday!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Monthly Updates?
Maybe my single goal for the next month should just be to blog weekly... even just to say "hello". I am definitely not in the habit and then I find myself a month later trying to figure out what they heck I have accomplished in the last month.... it would be much easier to remember a week at a time! I have no good excuses... sure I've been busy but it doesn't take more than 10 minutes or so for a quick blog post. Ah well... there is always room for improvement :-)
What I've accomplished from my 101 list of things to do list:
3. Read 5 Children’s Novels - This one is now complete... I read this years Newbery winner Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool and I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend it! Check out the link to goodreads to find out more about it and to read my review.
I also tried 3 new recipes for a total of 9. One more new recipe to go! I made some Paula Deen Pork Chops and Mac and Cheese. I made a few adjustments... for starters I just fried the pork chops in a little bit of olive oil on both sides and then finished them off in the oven while the mac and cheese was baking... I DID NOT fry them in six cups of vegetable oil. I also used whole wheat flour when breading them. With the mac and cheese I used what I had on hand which was low fat buttermilk and sour cream so I saved on a few calories maybe. Even with that said I think that the mac and cheese especially is a "once in a while" recipe. It was SOO rich that I can't imagine making it regularly. It was delicious in small portions though. The pork chops were delicious with the modifications... they were so moist and I almost always dry out pork!
The last recipe that I tried was a bean soup recipe from the same Paula Deen cookbook as the mac and cheese but we didn't love it... My husband actually said it tasted like hot dog soup (maybe the smoked sausage in it?) and he hates hot dogs so that's not a compliment by any means. I couldn't find the recipe online to link to and it wasn't so fantastically wonderful that I feel the need to type it all out for you sorry :(
As for my goals in general - I have been to the gym several time in the past few weeks and also on the treadmill... its supposed to be nicer this week so maybe I will even try to sneak in an outdoor run (run/walk!). I have read a little more of the Bible but this is a goal I definitely need to get better at!
All in all - January/February has been an "ok" month(s) so far... but I am so ready for spring!!
Type at you again a week (or month!).
What I've accomplished from my 101 list of things to do list:
3. Read 5 Children’s Novels - This one is now complete... I read this years Newbery winner Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool and I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend it! Check out the link to goodreads to find out more about it and to read my review.
I also tried 3 new recipes for a total of 9. One more new recipe to go! I made some Paula Deen Pork Chops and Mac and Cheese. I made a few adjustments... for starters I just fried the pork chops in a little bit of olive oil on both sides and then finished them off in the oven while the mac and cheese was baking... I DID NOT fry them in six cups of vegetable oil. I also used whole wheat flour when breading them. With the mac and cheese I used what I had on hand which was low fat buttermilk and sour cream so I saved on a few calories maybe. Even with that said I think that the mac and cheese especially is a "once in a while" recipe. It was SOO rich that I can't imagine making it regularly. It was delicious in small portions though. The pork chops were delicious with the modifications... they were so moist and I almost always dry out pork!
The last recipe that I tried was a bean soup recipe from the same Paula Deen cookbook as the mac and cheese but we didn't love it... My husband actually said it tasted like hot dog soup (maybe the smoked sausage in it?) and he hates hot dogs so that's not a compliment by any means. I couldn't find the recipe online to link to and it wasn't so fantastically wonderful that I feel the need to type it all out for you sorry :(
As for my goals in general - I have been to the gym several time in the past few weeks and also on the treadmill... its supposed to be nicer this week so maybe I will even try to sneak in an outdoor run (run/walk!). I have read a little more of the Bible but this is a goal I definitely need to get better at!
All in all - January/February has been an "ok" month(s) so far... but I am so ready for spring!!
Type at you again a week (or month!).
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Stumbling already?
Well... I guess I've already proven I can't be trusted to blog weekly :-) It's ok... I'm not going to be too hard on myself-- I'll just try harder next time... really... I promise! The last few weeks have been full of dreary weather, stomach bugs, and general blah. But I did read some great books! I read two more Children's books toward my goal:
The Keeper by Kathi Appelt
The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan
I enjoyed both of these books but I LOVED The Dreamer. It's a beautifully written "fictional biography" of Pablo Neruda. I think adults who enjoy poetry should definitely give it a shot even though it's written for kids.
I've also read a few other books towards my goal of reading 50 books this year (you can check out my goodreads page if you are really curious) and one I especially enjoyed was Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I enjoyed the characters - all of them, not just the main characters and the love story was well done and not cheesy--a lot of the moments felt very true to teen life and while the plot was nothing groundbreaking the quality of writing makes this book stand out.
Surprisingly I did manage to try a few new recipes so far this year as well. I made this Chicken Noodle Casserole which was quite good - though a little bland (might have to play with some spices) and also a Cauliflower Hamburger Casserole which was not delicious in the least (I used the ingredients search on the website and searched for ground beef and cauliflower because I had some of each that needed to be used- there aren't many recipes with both and I think now I know it's for a good reason).
As far as my 2011 goals I have been reading my ten pages of The Bible as many days as I can - I admit that a few days of oversleeping got in the way (I like to read it in the morning when I first wake up). The 10 minutes a day of exercising which seems so easy has gotten done maybe half the time and as I already pointed out - I haven't exactly been blogging weekly. So the good news is that there is so much room for improvement! If I had aced the first few weeks it would have all been down hill :-)
For the coming week or so:
I hope that when I blog next I will be able to say that I have drug myself to the gym (that gets the benefit of my money monthly without me actually walking through the door on a regular basis) a few times, gone for a few runs, read another 50 pages or so of The Bible and finish my goal of reading 5 Children's novels (from my 101 things to do list).
The Keeper by Kathi Appelt
The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan
I enjoyed both of these books but I LOVED The Dreamer. It's a beautifully written "fictional biography" of Pablo Neruda. I think adults who enjoy poetry should definitely give it a shot even though it's written for kids.
I've also read a few other books towards my goal of reading 50 books this year (you can check out my goodreads page if you are really curious) and one I especially enjoyed was Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I enjoyed the characters - all of them, not just the main characters and the love story was well done and not cheesy--a lot of the moments felt very true to teen life and while the plot was nothing groundbreaking the quality of writing makes this book stand out.
Surprisingly I did manage to try a few new recipes so far this year as well. I made this Chicken Noodle Casserole which was quite good - though a little bland (might have to play with some spices) and also a Cauliflower Hamburger Casserole which was not delicious in the least (I used the ingredients search on the website and searched for ground beef and cauliflower because I had some of each that needed to be used- there aren't many recipes with both and I think now I know it's for a good reason).
As far as my 2011 goals I have been reading my ten pages of The Bible as many days as I can - I admit that a few days of oversleeping got in the way (I like to read it in the morning when I first wake up). The 10 minutes a day of exercising which seems so easy has gotten done maybe half the time and as I already pointed out - I haven't exactly been blogging weekly. So the good news is that there is so much room for improvement! If I had aced the first few weeks it would have all been down hill :-)
For the coming week or so:
I hope that when I blog next I will be able to say that I have drug myself to the gym (that gets the benefit of my money monthly without me actually walking through the door on a regular basis) a few times, gone for a few runs, read another 50 pages or so of The Bible and finish my goal of reading 5 Children's novels (from my 101 things to do list).
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Resolutions... i never keep 'em.
It's true... I can't remember ever accomplishing new years resolutions... but that's ok... it's good to think positive and plan for the future. I'm going to make them again this year anyway and see how it goes. I'm going to try to make them easier to attain and also easier to keep track of and more specific. No I'm going to "eat healthy" and "exercise more" and "be a nice person" ya da ya da ya da. So here are my goals for 2011
1. Read 10 pages of the Bible everyday. I usually have at least a half hour in the morning before getting ready for work when I drink coffee and play around on the internet... I think I can devote some of this time to this goal. It's on my 101 things to do list to read the Bible in it's entirety and hopefully this will put me on the right path.
2. Write on this blog weekly. I'm thinking I will try to write on here once a week about what I have accomplished that week and what my hopes are for the next week...sort of like a system for checking on myself. Every now and then I might have something exciting happen that makes me want to write more often (but judging by my past record - this might not happen very regularly :-))
3. Exercise 10 minutes daily - This is a tiny little goal - I can accomplish this by walking the dog around the block or walking for a few minutes during lunchtime at work.and some daysthat might be what it amounts to! Hopefully though some of the days will include longer stretches (so I can get actual use out of my gym membership). For me I have realized that exercise is important to my mental well being (as well as being obviously important to my physical well being). I deal with stress a heck of a lot better when I am exercising regularly so I really need to make this a commitment.
4. Read 50 books. I was sort of disappointed in the amount I read this year. It was a busy, stressful, often times crummy year and I just didn't read as much as I like. 50 will be my goal and we will see how well I do. I'm not going to do anything special like try to read a certain number a month or make sure I keep pace. I will just try to carve out time for my favorite hobby (made even easier with my new Nook!) and check in on goodreads.com next December to see how I did.
5. Run a mile. This will seem like such an easy goal to most but I don't think I have ever run a complete mile without at least walking some in my entire life. I was TERRIBLE at running in gym class as a kid and therefore HATED it. I had bad asthma and it's hard to enjoy running when you can't breath. The asthma has subsided for the most part in my old age and I actually enjoy doing a little jogging (lets be honest when I say running I really mean jogging!) but at this point I am still alternating short bursts of jogging with walking... by 2012 that will not be the case!
Hope everyone else has had a few minutes to reflect these past few days on 2010 and think about all the possibilities 2011 holds for us. Have a great year!
1. Read 10 pages of the Bible everyday. I usually have at least a half hour in the morning before getting ready for work when I drink coffee and play around on the internet... I think I can devote some of this time to this goal. It's on my 101 things to do list to read the Bible in it's entirety and hopefully this will put me on the right path.
2. Write on this blog weekly. I'm thinking I will try to write on here once a week about what I have accomplished that week and what my hopes are for the next week...sort of like a system for checking on myself. Every now and then I might have something exciting happen that makes me want to write more often (but judging by my past record - this might not happen very regularly :-))
3. Exercise 10 minutes daily - This is a tiny little goal - I can accomplish this by walking the dog around the block or walking for a few minutes during lunchtime at work.and some daysthat might be what it amounts to! Hopefully though some of the days will include longer stretches (so I can get actual use out of my gym membership). For me I have realized that exercise is important to my mental well being (as well as being obviously important to my physical well being). I deal with stress a heck of a lot better when I am exercising regularly so I really need to make this a commitment.
4. Read 50 books. I was sort of disappointed in the amount I read this year. It was a busy, stressful, often times crummy year and I just didn't read as much as I like. 50 will be my goal and we will see how well I do. I'm not going to do anything special like try to read a certain number a month or make sure I keep pace. I will just try to carve out time for my favorite hobby (made even easier with my new Nook!) and check in on goodreads.com next December to see how I did.
5. Run a mile. This will seem like such an easy goal to most but I don't think I have ever run a complete mile without at least walking some in my entire life. I was TERRIBLE at running in gym class as a kid and therefore HATED it. I had bad asthma and it's hard to enjoy running when you can't breath. The asthma has subsided for the most part in my old age and I actually enjoy doing a little jogging (lets be honest when I say running I really mean jogging!) but at this point I am still alternating short bursts of jogging with walking... by 2012 that will not be the case!
Hope everyone else has had a few minutes to reflect these past few days on 2010 and think about all the possibilities 2011 holds for us. Have a great year!
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