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   

The Happiness Project

by Gretchen Rubin

I read this book to be a part of the #TwitBooks book club on Twitter.  Due to life happening, I did not finish it in time for the discussion.

In this book, the author decides she's not as happy as she could be, so she researches happiness and makes a years worth of resolutions to achieve happiness.  Each month she concentrates on a different happiness goal.  She also has '12 Commandments' that she tries to incorporate into her resolutions.  She even created a blog to ask readers about different thoughts and ideas she had and she also offers copies of her resolutions.

I've mentioned that I like the idea of this.  But I don't think I would ever do it.  I feel like I'm reasonably happy enough.  I don't have the motivation to run when I should so I sure don't have the motivation to start my own happiness project.  But if you think you could be happier then you actually are, then I would totally recommend reading this.  I guarantee you will get ideas you wouldn't have thought of before!


3.5 out of 5 stars.


Currently reading:  Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
 

Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me?

by Jen Lancaster

These books are quickly becoming my guilty pleasure.  I'm always looking for a new book by Jen Lancaster.  And this is only the 2nd book by her that I've read!  Anyway, usually you're supposed to be slightly embarrassed by guilty pleasures, but I'm not afraid to admit that.  These books are hilarious!  I love her self confidence!  So many people, myself included, think the way she does, but keep quiet about it.  It's refreshing to see someone who's not afraid to say what she thinks!

Jen Lancaster also has a blog, Jennsylvania.  If you like her books, I highly recommend checking it out.  It will make you laugh!

4 out of 5 stars.


**Special shout out  to Danielle Rocktaschel!!  She finished her first half marathon today!  Woo-hoo!!**


Currently reading:  Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
 

My relationship with athletics

I'm not just an elementary school librarian.  I do other things, too.  I'm a wife to a wonderful husband.  We're not planning on children, but we spoil our two dogs rotten.  For the most part, they have good manners around company!

I was an athlete growing up.  Played soccer from 4th grade though high school.  I wasn't very good, but I enjoyed it, for the most part.  I did intramural soccer in college and when I lived in Charlotte, I found an adult league that played in the spring and fall.  I have accepted that my soccer days are long over, but I still need to be active.  I ran track in middle school and did indoor track my junior year in high school.  Running was a part of playing soccer, but I never really took it seriously. 

When I first moved to Buffalo in the Fall of 1997, all I did was work, sleep and party.  That following Spring, I bought a bicycle... a $75 Wal-mart special!  I lived in a relatively bike friendly area, so I rode a lot.  I did my first charity ride in June 1999... the Tour de Cure to benefit the American Diabetes Association.  At that point, 30 miles was the shortest distance they had.  So me and several others I worked with at Channel 7 signed up!  30 miles seemed like a lot, but I did it!

Not long after that, I got into running with another co-worker, Charlie Wagner.  We worked the same schedule, so we met several days a week at Delaware Park and ran.  I'm not sure we ever actually ran the entire thing, but we were out there and doing it.

I moved to Charlotte in January 2000.  My bike moved with me.  I rode it a bunch in my first year in Charlotte, but not much after that.  I didn't live in very bike friendly areas.  And running never happened either.

My husband is a biker and a runner.  I returned to Western New York in August 2005.  That first full summer I was back, I suggested we do the Tour de Cure.  They had shorter distances, but since I'd already done the 30 miles, why would I want to do less?  Six of us signed up and did it.  I didn't train properly and I was miserable!  Didn't make that mistake again.  I did it again the next year or so.  Alone.  My husband moved on to the 100 or 65 miler (yes, he's crazy).  The last year I did the Tour de Cure, I also did the Ride for Roswell to benefit cancer research.  They're a few weeks apart and it was very difficult to raise money for both causes.  I had to make a choice.  The route for the Tour de Cure changed and frankly, it sucked.  The 30 mile Ride for Roswell was such a nice ride!

This is my 4th year doing the Ride for Roswell.  I haven't tried a distance other then 30 miles.  The ride is just so nice!  What if the next distance sucks??  I ride in memory of My Aunt Rene.  She passed away in November 2008 from ovarian cancer... a day before my husband and I got engaged.  She was taken way too early, so I ride to help find a cure.  I will probably ride until a cure is found.  And then I'll keep riding until cancer prevention is part of every day life.  If you're interested in donating to my ride this year, please click here.  After the Ride for Roswell last year, I finally retired my Wal-mart special bike and got a nice Cannondale.  I'm looking forward to using it for the ride this year!

Last Spring (2010), I started hearing about Couch to 5K.  Several friends were doing it... friends that weren't 'athletes'.  I thought, "I'm an athlete, why can 't I do that?"  So I did it.  And then I trained for a 10K all summer.  In the mean time, I did three 5Ks in 12 days.  I didn't actually do a 10K, but I did do an 8K, The Turkey Trot.  I did my best trying to run this winter, but Western New York winters are brutal.  And I don't live where it's safe to run in bad weather.  I tried staying at work and running on the sidewalks there.  But they weren't maintained very well.  I tried the treadmill at work, but my footpod didn't seem to work, so I didn't know how far I was going.  It's very hard for me to put in the time and not know how far I was going! 

But the weather is getting nicer and the race calendar for the summer is out.  I'm planning more then three 5Ks this year.  I'm going to try a duathlon next month and combine my biking and running.  Last weekend, I did my first bike then run.  The transition sucked!  But I did it.  And I'll keep doing it.  I'm planning to actually do a 10K at the end of the summer.  And depending on how that goes, maybe the Niagara Falls half marathon in October. 

I had no plans to ever run more then 10K.  But then I heard that Oprah did a marathon.  It took her 6 hours, but she still did it.  And she's Oprah!  I know she had all the trainers and the nutrition people, but she's still built like Oprah!

Motivation is hard.  I started following Runners World on Twitter.  Last week, they posted a fabulous article, 101 Kicks in the Butt.  Some of them were kind of dumb, but for the most part, awesome!  So, I didn't exactly do #1 (this isn't a running blog!), but now that I've posted my plans and if someone actually reads this, then I'll have to actually stick to my plans!

People have asked me why I run.  I know I'm not fat.  I'm not trying to lose weight.  I'm trying to maintain.  My favorite things to eat are the worst for me!!  Loaded potato skins, loaded fries, nachos, ice cream.... yum!  As long as I run, I can eat what I want and not feel guilty!

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend

by Emily Horner

Another one where I wish I could remember why I thought it would be a good read... It was short.  That's about all that was good about it.  The end was better then the beginning, thank God!

This is the story of high school friends.  Cass, is awkward and really only has one friend, Julia.  The rest of her friends are really Julia's friends.  Then Julia dies and her middle school tormentor comes back to town.  Long story short, there is a lesbian love story, a bike ride from Chicago to Tulsa and a car trip the rest of the way to California.  And a production of a musical Julia was writing when she died.

This was just weird.  I didn't like it at all in the beginning.  Even told a friend it was 'horrid'.  It ended better then it began, but that's time I will never get back.

2 out of 5 stars.


Currently reading:  Bright Lights, Big Ass:  A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me? by Jen Lancaster

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak


This was a book club read.  The beginning was a little confusing.  Truth be told, this is not the first time I tried reading this.  I couldn't get through the beginning.  This time, I kept going.  Once I realized it wasn't really a person speaking, but death, it was easier to understand.  So yes, this book is narrated by death.  Don't think I've ever read a book like that before.  Narrated by someone who is dead, yes, but death itself, nope!

This is the story of Liesel... a little girl in Nazi Germany.  The story begins with Liesel on a train with her mother and little brother.  They are on their way to a foster home.  You see, Liesel has no idea who her father is, and her mother cannot take care of the children any more.  Anyway, her brother dies on the train and they have to stop in a random town and bury him.  Her foster mother is cold, but her foster father is just what she needed.  We lean about her neighborhood friends, the Jew in the basement and the neighborhood enemies.

This is about Nazi Germany.  It's not like I didn't know how that ended.  But I'll tell you this... Liesel doesn't die.

However, the end is disappointing.  I know Liesel survives the war and that she lives to a ripe old age in Sydney.  She has a husband, children and grandchildren.  But how did she end up in Sydney?  A lot of questions are left unanswered.  But overall, I liked this book.  I would definitely recommend it.

4 out of 5 stars.


Currently reading:  A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner