OK, For Real This Time...

So, it's been more than a year since my last post.  And in that last post, I vowed to do better when it comes to posting.  So, I'm not making any such promises this time.  Let's just see what happens.

Since my last post, I've been mostly unfulfilled in my reading life.  Most of the books I've read have been ok, but nothing fabulous.  A few exceptions:

           
Yes, they're all children's or YA chapter books.  But they were excellent reads.  I'm still searching for an adult read that is as good as these!

My running career has been pretty exciting.  In March 2012, we (me, Maria and Mary) had the bright idea to run a half marathon.  We picked the Mighty Niagara in September and training began in April.  Considering I had never ran further than 6.2 miles and I now had to do a little more than twice that, I was less than optimistic that this would actually happen.  But I paid and trained and race day came.  I was as ready as I was going to be.  My goal was to finish in less than 2:30.

I woke up and it was pouring.  Literally raining buckets.  And it was cold.  I trained in the rain.  But rain and 80 degrees.  Not rain and barely 60 degrees!  This had the makings of the worst day of my life!  I was so upset!  But I paid the money and trained for 5 months.  This was not the time to not show up.  So Maria and I went.  Just as the race was starting, the rain stopped.  Yippee!!

I started slow.  For a while, I could count the people behind me on one hand!  But I gradually started passing people.  I ran the entire race without having to stop and walk.  I missed my goal by less than 2 minutes!  But I finished.  I had run a half marathon.  13.1 miles! 

It's all about the sticker!

Time has passed and I'm ready to do it again.  September 21, 2013 is the Mighty Niagara Half Marathon and 5 weeks later, October 27, 2013 is the Niagara Falls International Half Marathon.  I'm aiming for both!  I probably don't need 5 months of training, but it worked for me last year and I was really prepared, so I'm going to do it again. 

It all begins April 16th!

What did you read over break?

That's what a 3rd grade teacher asked me in the hall the other day.  So I started telling her about all the books I brought home from school to read.  New books I bought and put out right away for the kids, so I never had a chance to read them.  As I was telling her all this, she stopped me and said, "No.  What ADULT books did you read over break?"  After having to think about it, I had to laugh.  I read 6 kids chapter books and 1 adult book.

I like this teacher a lot and she did laugh with me when I had to think about the adult books I read.  The sacrifices we make for our kids...

Anyway, the only adult book I read was Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner.  I've read several other books by her, and like those, this one did not disappoint!  She has a way of telling stories about multiple people who seem to have nothing to do with each other, but as you keep reading, you see how their lives are intertwined.  If that sounds like something you'd like, check it out!

Getting on with it...

So I haven't posted since August.  I didn't stop reading.  I just didn't really read anything that inspired me to blog.  I'm going to give it a try again this year.  But I'm not going to just do books this time around.

On goodreads.com, I did a reading challenge last year and I read more then 135 books.  I do count the books I read at my job as an Elementary School Librarian.  I don't think that counts as cheating. My goal for 2012 is 150 books.

Anyway, I'm also trying to be a runner.  I'm pretty sure I've mentioned that before.  I've done a bunch of 5K's, a few 10K's and a duathlon.  I want to do more!  On dailymile.com, I've accepted a challenge to run 366 miles in 2012 (a mile a day).  Looking at my running mileage for 2011, I was just under 300 miles (the counter also counts bike mileage).  I didn't want to pick a challenge that was unrealistic and this one seems attainable.

So the plan for 2012... I'll blog about books I love and books I hate.  I'll also blog about successes and failures in my running life.

Wish me luck!  :)

Love and Other Impossible Pursuits

by Ayelet Waldman

This is the 2nd book by her I've read.  I really like her!  Both books have made me cry.  A lot.  They felt so real.  If I wasn't the main character, I felt like she was my best friend and I was experiencing everything along side her.

***SPOILER ALERT***

This is the story of Emilia Greenleaf.  She is the second wife of Jack Wolfe, step mother to 5 year old William.  William is very smart, but incredibly sheltered.  She tries to like him.  She tries to do fun things with him.  But something wrong always happens and William tattles to his mom, who then calls ranting ang raving about how Emilia's trying to kill her child.

There is something going on in the background that we don't know about.  As the story goes on, we kind of know, but aren't sure.  Two months before, Emilia gave birth to a beautiful, healthy daughter, Isabel.  Isabel died of SIDS on her first night home.  As devastating as this is, there's still more that we don't know.  Emilia's life is spiraling out of control.  Her marriage to Jack is strained.  She and William have good days and bad.  Things finally hit the fan and this is when we learn the rest of the story.  Read the book to find out!

I would recommend this to someone who doesn't mind having a good cry.  Someone who likes books that feel real.


4.5 out of 5 stars.


Currently reading:  The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley

My Fair Lazy: One Reality Television Addict's Attempt to Discover If Not Being A Dumb Ass Is the New Black; Or, A Culture-Up Manifesto

by Jen Lancaster

I finished this one a while ago and never got around to writing about it.  Like the others, I enjoyed this one, too!  At some point, I will read every book by her. 

In this installment, Jen decides she isn't cultured enough and sets out to rectify that situation.  She watches movies, reads books, goes to the opera and other live shows (plays, dancing, etc.), as well as partaking in cultural dining.  Basically, through any means possible.  It all started with her attending function with socialites and having nothing to talk about except what happened on the latest  reality show or a 1980s John Hughes movie.  And apparently, socialites know nothing about these topics.

I appreciate that she realizes she's not as cultured or as classy as she'd like to be.  And at certain events she doesn't feel as though she fits in.  Who among us hasn't felt that way at some point?  Let's face it, those who think they're classy, do everything to make the rest of us feel like dirt, which in my opinion, isn't very classy...

If you've read other Jen Lancaster books and enjoyed them, I'm sure you will enjoy this one, too.


4.5 out of 5 stars.


Currently reading:  The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

by Stieg Larsson

This was a book club read.  I wasn't at the previous meeting, so I had no say in picking this.  I have to admit that I was a little disappointed when I saw that this was the book.  Oh well.  I read it anyway.

I'm glad I did.  Now, it wasn't my favorite book.  Far from it.  But I didn't hate it.  I liked it more then I thought I would.

It was a little strange.  I think it held my attention because I had no idea what was going on for so long.  And all the Swedish names were a little hard to follow.  On a whole, this book was very wordy.  In case you didn't know it, Sweden is very cold in the winter.  Now, I knew very little about Sweden before I read this, but I knew it was pretty cold there.  And this book makes sure we never forget that!  When we talked about this book at book club, we had to wonder where the editor was.  There's a whole lot of nothing going on for a while.  But when things start to happen, holy crap!  Some things happened that I should have seen coming, but didn't.  And then things happened that there was no way I could have seen coming!

This is a mystery, which isn't normally my thing.  It's the first book in a trilogy and I haven't really decided if I'm reading the next two.  This one ended kind of abruptly, but not with a cliff hanger.  I put the next one on hold at the library for my Nook and I suppose I'll decide when turn comes up. 

Don't read this expecting it to be the next Twilight or Hunger Games because it isn't.  Was it worth my time?  Yes.


3 stars out of 5.


Currently reading:  My Fair Lazy: One Reality Television Addict's Attempt to Discover If Not Being A Dumb Ass Is the New Black; Or, A Culture-Up Manifesto by Jen Lancaster   

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

by Christopher McDougall

I loved this book!  Immediately after finishing, I declared I was never eating meat again and I was running barefoot!  If you know me, you didn't really believe me.  And you shouldn't have.  But still.  It was eye opening.  If you're not a runner or into running, don't read it.  You won't get it.  But I'm trying to be a runner.

It was a little slow getting into this, which is why it took me so long to read.  Plus, a lot had been going on in life, too.  The thing that got me about this book is that they've known for decades what causes all these running injuries.  And nothing has been done about it!  All these technologically advanced running shoes are causing all our injuries.  We're meant to run like we ran when we were kids.  Basically, barefoot or with minimal footwear.  And this was known BEFORE Nike made all their money selling us crazy expensive running shoes!  The more cushion a shoe has, the harder our feet work to find hard, solid ground.  These injuries didn't happen back when all these crazy shoes didn't exist!!  How was this not publicized??  How was Nike (and all the other shoe companies) allowed to tell us we'd be better runners if we spent all that money?  Blatant lies!!  And they knew it!!

Ever since finishing this book, I look at feet at every race.  It's amazing the different foot attire I see.  No shoes.  Those minimal shoes with the toes.  And the people with the crazy expensive cushiony shoes that are supposed to be better for you.

There was more to this book... a tribe of people in Mexico who run.  Long distances (like 100 miles!).  In sandals.  And there was a big race at the end between some of their best runners and some of our best ultra runners.  I don't remember ever hearing about that.  Oh, and I also learned that women are better ultra runners then men.  Not that I'm going to go run 100 miles or anything.  But good to keep at the back of my mind!

4.5 out of 5 stars.

Currently reading:  My Fair Lazy: One Reality Television Addict's Attempt to Discover If Not Being A Dumb Ass Is the New Black; Or, A Culture-Up Manifesto by Jen Lancaster