Furiously Writing

The American Heiress

2012-01-30T16:49:00.000-08:00

Daisy Goodwin's The American Heiress can be summed up in one word: meh. It was impossible to care about the spoiled titular character. I was more interested in her maid but that story was told in unsatisfying fits and starts. When I was in a MFA program, we were often encouraged to tell a story from another point of view. Those exercises are included (a chapter by the heiress' hat maker) to the story's detriment. This book could have been good, but wasn't.

Pasta Yum

2012-01-22T11:27:00.000-08:00

I was talking to a friend about easy weeknight dinners, and Pasta Yum immediately came to mind. It’s so good and really fast to make. My mom gave me the recipe, which my brother shared from Vegan Yum Yum. Though the ingredients are strange, together it is amazing. Just don't let anyone watch you make it.

The sauce does not keep well, so there's no making a batch and using a little here or there. While this will produce leftovers, they're not as good as fresh. So if you're making it for two people, I'd halve the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 box pasta (I like fusilli or rigatoni, but whatever you have is fine)

½ - 1 bag of frozen broccoli

A handful of sun-dried tomatoes (if you don't have any, it's fine without)

1 cup soymilk (I use plain)
1/3 cup cashews
¼ cup nutritional yeast (buy in bulk section at hippie store or Whole Foods, since you need so little)
3 T low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
2 T margarine (or butter, if not making vegan)
1 heaping T tahini
1 T lemon juice
1 t mustard
½ t paprika
1 pinch nutmeg
2-4 cloves of garlic (I use jars of crushed garlic or the tube of pureed)

Directions:

Put the water on to boil and gather all of the ingredients.

While pasta cooks according to instructions on box, put everything from soy milk - garlic into the blender and blend.

When the pasta is almost done, toss in the frozen broccoli. If you're crazy about broccoli like I am, toss in the whole bag, otherwise half a bag is fine.

Drain pasta and broccoli, and toss the sun-dried tomatoes in the colander so they get warmed too.

Put the pasta, broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes back in pot, stir in sauce from blender, and serve immediately.

2012-01-20T19:28:00.000-08:00

Today I am grateful for sleep, a working furnace, cuddles with Babyface, my slow cooker, old family recipes, a gift card for a lovely massage, listening to a great book where the narrator has an Irish accent, teaching a dad-to-be how to change a diaper and taking the mystery out of it, and that My Heart's Desire came home with cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcake.

Baby, it's cold outside

2012-01-19T15:21:00.000-08:00

One of my first quarter goals is to workout 20 times a month. I keep track on a spreadsheet and am doing well so far. The best time for me to workout is in the morning, when Babyface is still sleeping. However, not only is it dark outside (we're talking an hour and a half before sunrise), it's also cold. Despite the mild winter we've been having, it's still way too cold to go out in the early am darkness. So I've been doing DVDs, Yoga, and using the treadmill.

I'm considering psyching myself up to train for a 5K in the spring, though am so slow right now I really might beat my personal slowest time of coming in second to last. I'm also trying to remind myself that though I prefer to workout in the morning, I really can do it anytime. Last night I laced up my sneakers and went for an evening walk. It wasn't great, but it was something.

The Lost Wife

2012-01-14T05:29:00.000-08:00

I read so many books with wife in the title —The 19th Wife, The 9th Wife, The Senator's Wife, The Pretend Wife, The Pilot's Wife, The Time Travelers Wife, The Spare Wife, The Wife's Tale, American Wife — that I imposed a girl-cott on reading any others. I made an exception for this book.

Alyson Richman's The Lost Wife is historical fiction at it's best: well-written, intriguing, and educational. A Jewish couple who marry in Prague are separated a few days later when the bride refuses to leave the country without her family. This isn't a love story, it's what happens during the 60 years that they are apart, each having learned that the other was dead. The book starts at the end, where they meet at a wedding all those years later. I bought this book on my Kindle and could hardly put it down until I was done.

2012-01-05T07:53:00.000-08:00

Today I am grateful for sunshine, clean water, Netflix on Roku, fleece pants, gift cards, reading glasses, and a mobile phone that works.

2012 Goals: First Quarter

2012-01-02T06:07:00.000-08:00

What I really need to go is start at the beginning with almost everything. These are things that I think that I can achieve. If all goes well, my goals for next quarter will be a little more ambitious.

Here are my goals for January - March:

Writing
1) Know what's at least as important as actually writing? Submitting. My goal for this quarter is to do one mailing and submit polished work for publication.
2) Blog at least three times a week. I like doing it and sometimes it gets the ball rolling for other writing.

Healthy
3) It's time to get the booty moving! I agreed to share a google document with a friend to be accountable and commit to working out. I really feel better when I workout and I'm a beginner again. I'm going to log all my workouts and commit to 20 in 30 days.

Romance
4) My Heart's Desire and I will go on dates at least once a month. We will leave Babyface with a sitter and go out together. We haven't done this much since he was born, but I will make it a priority.

Community Service
5) Make a donation to a local food bank. I know they get a lot of donations around Thanksgiving and Christmas, but people are hungry in January too. When we go to Costco, I'm planning to pick up some things (peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, cereal, etc) to donate.

Parenting
6) It's really important for me to learn how to be a good parent. I've been taking parenting education classes and want to continue to do so. I learn a lot from books, but it's also important to learn from professionals and be around peers who are going through similar experiences.

UPDATE: These goals were mentioned in the National Endowment for the Arts The Write Stuff blog!

2012 Goals

2012-01-01T18:52:00.000-08:00

As previously mentioned, I've been mulling over what to do for the New Year. What I've decided is to set goals for every quarter, rather than annual goals like I did in 2010 and 2009. Last year I was so exhausted I didn't set any goals and barely blogged at all.
This year I'm going to set smaller goals in four month terms, which seems more attainable than setting big annual ones. I also do well when I can break a big goal into several smaller chunks. Wish me luck!

2011 Greatest Hits

2011-12-31T09:36:00.000-08:00

Oh, Boy!
My life changed this year. I had a beautiful son in July. I had a complicated pregnancy and he was delivered early. The rough start was scary but he is healthy and doing very well. My Heart's Desire and I are over the moon and love being parents to Babyface.

The first part of the year was consumed by getting ready for Babyface. We took lots of classes to get ready for his arrival. Once Babyface came home from the hospital, I felt like we were in a bunker. For months we were on his 24 hour a day schedule. Once he started sleeping through the night, I began emerging from the bunker little by little. I have continued to take classes and joined several groups.

I was so loved on my wedding day and thought that was the most loved I would ever feel, but I was overwhelmed with love and support when I was pregnant and when Babyface was born. People came out of the woodwork to love Babyface. I'm so grateful for all the love pouring into our new family.

It's All Relative
After Babyface was born, everyone in our immediate family traveled from far and wide to come and love him, including some relatives who hadn't been here in ages. It was wonderful to have family here and for them to meet him. Everyone brought or made food and took care of Babyface so My Heart's Desire and I could rest.

Books
My sister handed down her Kindle to me. I had been reluctant to use an E-reader because I love books and spend enough time staring at screens. To my surprise, it is very easy to read on and doesn't feel like reading on a computer screen, which I really don't like. Also, when I was on bed rest and couldn't make it to the library or bookstore, I still had reading material at my fingertips. I could download books and just carry the Kindle, which is lighter than a paper book. When we went to Florida, I just took the Kindle and it was the first time I had traveled with no books.

Family Traditions

My Heart's Desire likes to make Christmas ornaments with mementos from our year. This year we have a special frame to celebrate our baby's first Christmas. In addition, we have had professional photographs taken of the baby and our family. These photographs are family treasures!

Guilty Pleasure
Subscribing to HBO. We'd lived happily without any premium cable channels for years but I couldn't resist the siren call of True Blood. Lafayette steals the show.

Used Bookstore
The Friends of the Montgomery County bookstores. They have great books at bargain prices. Also I have found some books in great shape for Babyface.

Local Getaway

I won a night at the Morrison House in their Valentine's Day promotion of Facebook and it was wonderful. I was pregnant and tired so the night in a fancy hotel room across town was lovely. We could have done more around Alexandria but once we came across Girl Scouts selling Samoas, I was content.

Merry and bright

2011-12-30T08:10:00.000-08:00

This year we traveled for the holidays and the wreath was the only holiday decoration we put up. No stockings, no holiday linens, no lights.

At first I felt a little Grinchy, as I do love to make the house festive, but I really didn't need more things to do. I also didn't make Christmas cookies (gasp!), watch Christmas Vacation, or make a holiday music CD. It still felt like Christmas.

I managed to watch Love Actually, write Christmas cards, and bake loads of oatmeal cookies. I also played a lot of holiday music. Our travels were to see My Heart's Desire's 100-year old great-Aunt in Florida and I was glad we went. The weather was great and I also got to go for a traditional Christmas swim.

2011-12-17T21:12:00.000-08:00

Today I got up early and did chores, including cleaning two bathrooms, made a weekend breakfast of baked eggs on an English muffin with cheese, hung out with my family, did five loads of laundry and actually folded it all and put it away, combined two oatmeal chocolate chip cookie bars with disastrous (read: inedible) results, went out and got a much needed mani-pedi (my first one in months!) in Mademoiselle, made a half batch of oatmeal chocolate chip bars from the recipe I know is good, shared leftover pizza for dinner with My Heart's Desire, watched an episode of Arrested Development on Netflix (we are hooked on this show), and am going to bed early.

Grateful

2011-12-14T17:39:00.000-08:00

Today I am grateful for: my mentor, the clerk at Macy's who scanned a coupon and saved me $9 on a $44 purchase, having a tank full of gas, finally paying off my overdue library fines (My Heart's Desire is good at many, many things but returning things to the library isn't one of them) so I can check out books, brisk weather, community, and family and friends near and far.

2012

2011-12-13T11:05:00.000-08:00

2012 is just around the corner and I am mulling over what I want to focus on in the new year. In 2009 I set commandments, which were helpful but hard to measure the outcome. I set ambitious goals in 2010 and reported that I met some of them more successfully than others. What is it that I want to put into 2012? What do I want to get out of it?

The Night Circus

2011-12-11T04:59:00.000-08:00

The first chapter of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern was so intriguing that after reading it, I immediately bought the book on my Kindle and dove in. However, was was so intriguing in the beginning of the story became tedious by the middle. I couldn't wait for it to end. If it had been a library book, I would have put it down but since I paid for it, I finished it. The story is interesting and fantastic (A Night Circus! Magic! Love! A Game! Dreamers!) but it reads like a well-thought out script, rather than a novel. I also didn't really connect with the main love story. I have a feeling this will probably become a movie and it has the potential to be a really good one.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

2011-12-10T07:40:00.000-08:00

My sister gave me this recipe and it is really good! I liked it so much I doubled it and made pumpkin oatmeal bread too. The muffins also freeze beautifully.

I also made orange cream cheese to go with them since we were having company. That's right, sometimes I'm fancy. Mix 2T of orange juice concentrate with a half package of cream cheese and a little powdered sugar, then mix with hand blender until fluffy. It's best to make the cream cheese the day before.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup quick oats (I used old-fashioned)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins (I left out, I don't like raisins in food)
1/2 cup walnuts
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup milk
1 cup solid-pack canned pumpkin

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl; then stir in oats, brown sugar, nuts and raisins.

In a medium bowl, combine egg, oil, milk and pumpkin, blending well.

Stir pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients until just moist. Fill muffin tins with batter and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until tops spring back when lightly touched.

2011-12-08T07:08:00.000-08:00

Today I am grateful for holiday music, my new phone, having heat, the spirit of the season, books, and homemade granola.

Blueprints for Building Better Girls

2011-11-21T07:33:00.000-08:00

I heard good things about Elissa Schappell's related stories in Blueprints for Building Better Girls and had pretty high expectations. I'm the kind of reader that ordinarily will wait for paperback or get it from the library. For this book, I hoped for the best. And I was not disappointed. At once honest, sharp, and tender, I could not put this book down.

2011-11-20T08:25:00.000-08:00

Today I am grateful for my candy cane flannel pajama pants (which I have been living in lately), chamomile tea, hugs, old-fashioned correspondence, and my family.

Delicious & Easy Roast Chicken and Potatoes

2011-11-16T10:20:00.000-08:00

I made this for the first time last month and it was a big hit around here! I was very impressed with myself.

This recipe is just prep, assemble, then walk away as it roasts. It's done when the chicken is fully cooked and the potatoes are soft in the middle. Because it cooks so slowly, the chicken is really juicy. You could also do a million things with the leftovers.

One chicken, already cut up
Potatoes
Onion
2 T olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400* while you wash and chop potatoes and onions. Next time I'll make the potatoes a little bit smaller than pictured. Pour the olive oil, some salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a large roasting pan. Add the veggies and stir. Then season the chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika. Add the chicken to the roasting pan, skin side up. Set the timer for an hour and walk away. The house will smell really good as it cooks! Check it after an hour (use a thermometer). Last night's chicken was 4.5lbs and took 1 hr 20 mins to cook. And it was great!

View From A Room

2011-11-08T06:36:00.000-08:00

I love fall! And I have quite a view of it from my very own window. I love this time of year when the leaves are crunchy and it's just a little chilly. My CSA offers Honeycrisp apples, which became my favorite kind of apple last year. My Heart's Desire spent some of the weekend splitting firewood and our first fire of the season will be coming soon!

April Fools in Love

2011-04-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

On this day four years ago, I walked down the aisle to Barry White's "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" and married My Heart's Desire.

How to Bake a Perfect Life

2011-03-22T19:16:00.000-07:00

I picked up How to Bake a Perfect Life: A Novel from Target (yes, I had a gift card). I love books that are about family relationships between women and this book had complex relationships in spades, mother/daughter, grandmother/granddaughter, sisters, aunt/niece, and more. The book features three different points of view and was an enjoyable read. Since the mother owns a bakery, it also had recipes! (6)

Spring is in the air!

2011-03-19T20:40:00.000-07:00

Today I got up early and read, admired my blooming hyacinth, forsythia, and daffodils, met a friend for lunch (falafel salad, yum!), took a leisurely stroll, decided the out the door and down three stores line was just too long to stand in for cupcakes, hung out at home, and went out to dinner with My Heart's Desire.

Townie

2011-03-06T05:31:00.000-08:00

I heard Andre Dubus III read at a university event last year and it was my favorite reading ever. I went because of how much I liked House of Sand and Fog.

I got my hands on Townie: A Memoir when it was hot off the presses. Yes, it is in hardback so I used a gift card and a coupon. This memoir pulls no punches, is dark, violent and heartbreaking, and most of all is the story of a writer.

I really enjoyed (perhaps consumed would be a better word) this book and immediately shared it with my honorary Jewish grandmother so that she could read it too. (5)

Books I wanted to like but didn't

2011-03-05T06:30:00.000-08:00

I had high hopes for Karen Russell's Swamplandia!. Everywhere I looked, I saw good reviews. I had a coupon and a Groupon (!) so I bought this book in hardback. Hardback's not something I usually do. In fact, if you were to open most of my hardbacks and peek at the front page, you would probably find inscriptions on them since most hardbacks I have were gifts. Alas, this book did not live up to the considerable hype. (3)

I'll admit it, I liked Ann Brashares Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, Book 1). I even saw both movies in the theater. So I thought her novel for adults, My Name Is Memory, would be good. Instead, it wasn't. (4)

2011-03-03T20:38:00.000-08:00

Today I am grateful for comfy clothes, online newspapers, Green Monsters for breakfast, Barry White songs, books on CD from the library, Roku (My Heart's Desire and I are totally hooked), spring is 17 days away, already joined CSA so have fresh, local produce to look forward to, being happy for other people, costume jewelry, Girl Scout cookie season, and one of my favorite children's books, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

Perfect Getaway

2011-02-28T20:57:00.000-08:00

Before Valentine's Day, I entered the Morrison House's Facebook contest: Share your most memorable Valentine's Day and be automatically entered to win a Free 1-night stay. I happen to have a story for such an occasion.

For our first Valentine’s Day as a married couple, My Heart's Desire arranged to have a lovely orchid sent to my office. Unfortunately, there was a DC area blizzard and no delivery trucks could brave the roads. On February 15th, a dead orchid arrived on my desk. We still laugh about it.

And that story won the free night at the fancy hotel!

I received in the mail a package of hotel information and a gift certificate good for one year. I was not about to wait, I've been slightly stir crazy and need of a getaway.

After a leisurely Saturday morning at home, My Heart's Desire and I packed one very small bag and headed across town. We stopped first at the charming Del Ray neighborhood and bought some cheese and a fresh baguette from a cheese boutique, browsed at local shops and art galleries, tried key lime custard for the first time, and strolled in the sunshine.

We have been to the Morrison House before, for a wedding in September, and thought it was lovely. We checked in and found waiting in our room a selection of truffles, healthy juices, and an orchid as a gift! It really was above and beyond our expectations. The room itself was fabulous!

On Saturday evening, we walked around Old Town and had a light dinner. Many of the shops were closed, so after room service pancakes on Sunday morning, we resumed our walk. We visited the Torpedo Factory (former torpedo factory, now art studios and galleries), many small boutiques, walked around, had lunch, purchased Girl Scout cookies, and headed back home, relaxed and happy.

2011-02-15T18:00:00.000-08:00

Today I am grateful for: reading glasses = 98% fewer headaches!!! (and I can whip them off dramatically when I want to make a point), hot chocolate with mini marshmallows, good books, only 33 days until Spring, sound machines, Roku, and looking on the bright side.

You Know When the Men Are Gone

2011-02-13T05:31:00.000-08:00

One of the members of my writing group lent me Siobahn Fallon's You Know When the Men Are Gone, a collection of related short stories about the Army wives of deployed soldiers and what their lives are like. Well written and engaging, I sat down with this book and didn't get up until 90 minutes later when I was done, and wished there was more. (2)

2011-02-12T22:31:00.000-08:00

Today I woke early to the sounds of a wood chipper on my street, enjoyed pre-Valentine's Day pancakes My Heart's Desire cooked (all the tastier because I had nothing to do with making them), tided up the house a little bit, got a huge kick out of Cash Peter's Gullible's Travels: The Adventures of a Bad Taste Tourist (3) that my colleague lent me and now have a desire to go to the Museum of Bad Art, did laundry, talked to one of my favorite aunts, had friends over for Middle Eastern food dinner, played Bop It with their 10-year-old daughter (I got to 50!), nibbled on mini cupcakes and brownies, warmed myself by the fire My Heart's Desire made, chatted up the proverbial storm with my BFF, and now am going back to the fire.

Who are you calling cheap?

2011-02-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

I finally read Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture by Ellen Ruppel Shell, which explores where bargains come from and what the real costs are. The history of retail discounting and the far-reaching consequences are discussed, as well as the human and environmental costs of inexpensive goods and food. And it shows what, exactly, you are supporting when you buy a (practically disposable) coffee table from IKEA, cheap toothpaste from Wal-Mart, or eat all the shrimp you can at Red Lobster for one low price. Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture shows how quality and craftsmanship have been traded for fun design at low prices and how that affects workers, the environment, and American businesses. (1)

2010 Goals Report

2011-01-16T07:13:00.000-08:00

Read/Write/Blog

1. Read 100 books this year. Fiction, nonfiction, historical fiction, books on CD, I did it. My favorite book of the year was definitely Emma Donoghue's Room. The runners up were The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie and Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

2. My goal was to meet with my awesome writing group four times this year. We met at least that many times for workshops, coffees, dinner, and attending author readings. I'm really glad that we met more regularly.

3. Submit, submit, submit. That's right — to do three submissions mailings. I managed to do two submissions and complain a lot. I did the essay submission to Real Simple and also submitted poems to some literary journals.

4. Blog regularly. I aimed for 200 blog posts this year. I tried, but I ended up with 166 posts, which was close, but a lot more posts than 2009 (112).

Healthy

5. Participate in two races. For one of them, raise money for a worthy cause. For the other one, go outside my comfort zone. Participate in two races? In 2010, I participated in five 5Ks: Earth Day, Eating Disorder Awareness, Girls on the Run, Race for the Cure, and a Turkey Trot. I raised $615 for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. And I went way outside my comfort zone and trained all summer for the Philadelphia Half Marathon! I never would have even considered it but a healthy friend pushed me to sign up for the challenge.

6. Eat vegetarian food 90% of the time. I have not been keeping track of how often I eat meat, but I do eat a lot of vegetarian meals. Also, joining the CSA put a lot of fresh, local produce on the table for 24 weeks, and I felt good about that. Two other farmer's market near me sell eggs, chicken, and meat that are from humane family farms.

Fun & Friends

7. Try 10 new things. Some of the new things I tried included:

Visiting the "What Makes Us Laugh?" exhibit at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore
Going canoeing with My Heart's Desire at a local lake
Attending a conference for fun
New foods, including barbequed shrimp and beignets (in New Orleans), honey crisp apples and spaghetti squash (from the CSA), new recipes (including Pasta Yum, Hurry Up Alfredo with less mustard over pasta, the sauce is also great on steamed spinach), and several new restaurants
Taking a 2.5 hour walk/jogging tour of NYC
Giving out free hugs in Times Square
Visiting a charming town on the seashore for my cousin's wedding with my mom and My Heart's Desire
Cruising around Maui in a Jeep Wrangler (so fun!), where we hiked around different parks, took lots of photos, and admired the views from the volcano

8. Show that friendship is important. My goal was to make plans to see friends at least once a week. I almost always exceeded this goal, and found that making it a priority meant I was more likely to do it.

9. Have fun with My Heart’s Desire at least once a month. We enjoyed cooking, going out for live comedy, our 4th annual Independence Day barbeque, visiting museums, going on walks, trying new restaurants, traveling (Maui was just amazing), watching movies, and lounging by the fire.

10. Get a decent photo taken with My Heart’s Desire. It's true that we haven’t had a good one taken since our wedding. And I pretty much gave up on this idea for 2010.

While I did not meet all of my goals perfectly, I do feel great about the goals I did achieve. Having concrete goals was really helpful and gave me specific things to focus on (run two races, train for ambitious race) rather than vague generalities like be healthy or exercise more. And almost every month I posted a report about how it was going with the goals. I'm still mulling over my goals for 2011.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T08:07:00.000-08:00

Today I am grateful for: being home, having our traditional New Year's Eve carpet picnic with My Heart's Desire, sparkling apple cider, catching up on sleep, appreciating what I have, the long weekend, and lots of firewood for fires!

The Home Stretch

2010-12-31T12:07:00.001-08:00

My mom gave me Whoopi Goldberg's Is It Just Me?: Or is it nuts out there? book about how manners in our culture is almost extinct. A quick and funny book, I got a kick out of it. 92/100

On a flight I read Samantha Baker's The Other Mothers' Club: A Novel because of the "I really, really loved it!" blurb on the cover from one of my favorite authors, Marian Keyes. What I know now is that as good as a writer as she is, her blurbs are untrustworthy. Her books are some of my favorites. I particularly loved Rachel's Holiday. Not only was The Other Mothers' Club bad, it was almost unreadable. 93/100

I bought Your Best Birth: Know All Your Options, Discover the Natural Choices, and Take Back the Birth Experience by Abby Epstein and Ricki Lake for my BFF, who is expecting a bundle of joy later this winter. Yes, the same BFF who just got married this March. I read this book after I had to spend 6 hours in the airport and finished the book I brought and had checked my other books. Interesting, scary, informative, and also graphic, this book pulls no punches. 94/100

My brother gave me The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield for the holidays and I jumped right into it. This book directs more than encourages, and it was a good resource. Also a good motivator, though a lot of the book contained information I'd read in other books. 95/100

While at my sister's house, she asked how my book project was going and I told her I needed to finish out the year, so she (a new mom) gave me the fastest read ever, Jenny McCarthy's Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth about Pregnancy and Childbirth. Each chapter was barely a page and it took me less than an hour to finish it. 96/100

I picked up Living Life as a Thank You: The Transformative Power of Daily Gratitude because I like to read spiritual books sometimes. This was more like a spiritual book as written by Chicken Soup. Not my favorite, but I do appreciate the power of gratitude. 97/100

From the library used book sale, I picked up Write to the Heart: Wit & Wisdom of Women Writers, a collection of quotes about women writers about process, writer's life, books, family, transformation, and more. 98/100

Jennifer Egan's A Visit from the Goon Squad is less a novel and more a series of related stories. Interesting and well written, this book isn't like any other I've read for some time. Lots of characters, jumps around in time a bit, and even contains a chapter written in PowerPoint. 99/100

I finished the year with Thich Nhat Hanh's True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart. I knew it was good because as soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again. 100/100

2010-12-18T21:11:00.000-08:00

Today I watched some stand-up comedy on Netflix, snacked on pineapple (my fruit of the month), met my honorary grandmother for brunch, chatted up the proverbial storm, ran a couple of errands, came home, went for a late afternoon walk, had dinner with My Heart's Desire, watched a movie, and am going to read.

Fall/Winter Books II

2010-12-15T18:54:00.000-08:00

I consumed Margot Berwin's Hothouse Flower: and the Nine Plants of Desire (Vintage Contemporaries). This novel was another $2 find from the library used bookstore and it would have been a bargain at twice the price, as my Aunt would say. The book is about a thirty-two year old Manhattan woman still healing from her divorce when she decides to bring a plant into her all white studio apartment. What follows is adventure, love, magic, travel, desire, and more! 88/100

A good friend happily handed over The Birth House: A Novel (P.S.) by Ami Mckay and I was intrigued by this historical novel, set in Canada in the early 20th century, and the teenaged protagonist who is sent to live with the local midwife one winter when she's too old to stay in the one-room house with her brothers. Interesting story and good writing. 89/100

It's not often I can feel my IQ dropping, but reading Nicole Richie's Priceless: A Novel certainly did the job. If you're going to hire a ghostwriter, why not hire one that can actually write? You may be wondering why I would read a book like this (embarrassing to be seen with in public) and the answer may surprise you: Ellen Degeneres. My mom was in the audience of Ellen and left with this book. My mom was too embarrassed to have it in her house so she sent me home with it with instructions to leave in whichever airport I finished it in. 90/100

I picked up the audiobook of Jeff Lindsay's Dexter by Design: A Novel (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard) so that My Heart's Desire and I could listen to it on a car trip. We got through about a third of it, then I was hooked. I'm not usually fond of crime novels (particularly when the murderer is the good-ish guy), but I found this to be clever and the story held my attention. 91/100

2010-12-14T20:55:00.000-08:00

Today I am grateful for flannel sheets, being able to make healthy choices, reading glasses (yes, I am now officially old), the LA Dodgers blanket from my friend Carlos that keeps me cozy on chilly days at work, clementines, being prepared, hot tea on cold days, and enjoying the holiday spirit.

Little Stalker

2010-12-07T19:19:00.000-08:00

Yes, Jennifer Belle's Little Stalker was another find from the garden of inexpensive used books. This book started off well, and I had medium hopes, as I have enjoyed the author's previous works. However, the more I read, the less I liked. If it wasn't December, I would have abandoned it before the first third. Her previous books were more enjoyable. Either that or I crossed over on the wrong side of the age bracket that likes this type of book since I read her last one. I do wear reading glasses now so that very well may be the case. 87/100

When You Eat at the Refrigerator, Pull Up a Chair

2010-12-06T18:12:00.000-08:00

I came across Geneen Roth's When You Eat at the Refrigerator, Pull Up a Chair: 50 Ways to Feel Thin, Gorgeous, and Happy (When You Feel Anything But) at the library used bookstore and the price was right ($2) so I bought it. I hadn't read this book in a few years and liked it as much as I remembered.

The title refers to the suggestion of always sitting down while eating (though Roth does not encourage eating at the fridge), and eating alone the way that you would eat with someone else. And that reminded me of my personal rule not to eat anything (hot pockets, mac and cheese, ramen) at home that I wouldn't order in a restaurant. This book also contains good information about meditation and treating the self kindly, which I can always use. 86/10

Fall/Winter Books

2010-12-04T12:05:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth Crane's When the Messenger is Hot is a collection of amusing stories. I picked this book up for a song from the library used book store and read it on a flight. While the stories were kind of uneven, most of the writing was good. 80/100

I don't know if I didn't like Merrill Markoe's Walking in Circles Before Lying Down: A Novel because I read it when I was home sick, or if I just didn't like it. Then I remembered that last year I read her book It's My F---ing Birthday: A Novel and didn't care for it either. 81/100

Though science fiction's not usually my favorite, I loved every syllable of Margaret Atwood's The Year of the Flood: A Novel. I listened to this book in my car and found myself taking the long way everywhere. No talking on the phone while driving? No problem. This smart and interesting book had me thinking about how I see the world. 82/100

I picked up Water for Elephants: A Novel by Sara Gruen for fifty cents and could hardly put it down once I started reading it. A fast and very enjoyable read, this story about a veterinary school student who winds up joining the circus after being orphaned during the Depression. This book would have been worth full price. 83/100

My honorary grandmother lent me My Hollywood by Mona Simpson (which tickled My Heart's Desire since that is the name of Homer Simpson's mother). She really liked it and encouraged me to read it, which I did, but I couldn't really connect with it. The point of view alternates between the mother (a well-educated composer) and her nanny (a middle-aged mother who works to educate her five in the Philippines). 84/100

Lit: A Memoir (P.S.) by Mary Karr is a memoir about living and drinking, and living and not drinking. She pulls no punches are the results are honest, dark, and humorous. I had heard this book was good but until I started reading it, I had no idea just how good. 85/100

I Give Thanks For Sneakers

2010-12-03T19:55:00.000-08:00

Turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie get a lot of press around the holidays. But the real unsung hero of Thanksgiving is butter. Lots and lots of butter. Butter makes the turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and almost everything else on the table delicious. And My Heart's Desire's family does not skimp on the buttery goodness.

On Thanksgiving Eve, I checked the weather report and did some searching to see if I could fine a race within a reasonable distance. If I say: I'm going to workout, I might. If I plan on going and pay good money, I will definitely workout. I found a 5K a few towns over, set my alarm, and trusted the GPS to get me there. I was slow but steady and finished the race.

For the past month or so, I've been sporadic with exercising, but I don't fool around when it comes to the holidays. I feel so much better when I workout, especially when it's treat season. I laced up and walked the following three days as well. I kept up the momentum and have worked out the past four days this week. Feels good to be in an active groove.

I'm setting a workout goal for December: 26 workouts! I'm confident this is doable. Yoga, walking, swimming, workout DVDs - I'm planning on having an active month.

Labor Day

2010-12-02T19:37:00.001-08:00

One of my colleagues recommended Joyce Maynard's Labor Day to me, with the assurance I could read it in one sitting. It took me two sittings, but only because I picked it up late in the evening. This clever book could be a crossover novel for teens and parents. The fast-paced story is interesting, if a bit predictable, but what kept me turning the pages was good writing. You could pick up this book, consume the whole thing during a flight, then pass it on to another reader with a smile. 79/100

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk

2010-12-02T19:06:00.000-08:00

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. I bought David Sedaris' Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk when I first laid eyes on it at Barnes & Noble, reviews unread. I rarely buy hardbacks and this was the first one in years I'd purchased without a coupon. I'm such a big fan of his writing, I just gave Me Talk Pretty One Day to a friend with the promise that she would love it.

This tiny book contains animal fairy tale parables, of which a few were amusing. It's basically an illustrated pamphlet. Maybe if I had read them in The New Yorker I wouldn't have minded.

A few Christmases ago my sister got me a copy of Holidays On Ice, a classic, and he inscribed it to me: Amina, I am so mad at you. Well, David, now I'm mad at you. 78/100

Up From the Blue

2010-11-16T19:04:00.000-08:00

While perusing the aisles of Target with a gift card burning a hole in my pocket, I purchased Up from the Blue by Susan Henderson to read on a trip. It's the story of Tillie's coming of age in a family with a mentally ill mom and military dad. The book starts and ends with Tillie going into an early labor, with her husband overseas and reaching out to her father, who she hasn't spoken to in years. It was an okay book but not great. 77/100

2010-11-13T22:36:00.000-08:00

Today I sent out my Sunday School class curriculum, admired the fall leaves, went to meet a friend for brunch, got stuck in horrible traffic (repaving the parkway meant my 15 minute drive took an hour and a half!), showed up late, she was very understanding, caught up over a yummy vegan sandwich at Le Pain Quotidien, met a mentee for coffee, had tea instead, walked and chatted and enjoyed a perfect fall day, ran into some friends still tanned from their honeymoon, gave advice about which type of pots and pans to buy (the kind where the handles don't get hot! learn from my mistake, I really wish I had spent the extra money), went to My Heart's Desire's cousin house for family fun time, met an adorable infant, had dinner, and came home to get ready for tomorrow.

Room

2010-11-13T09:45:00.000-08:00

Wow. Emma Donoghue's Room is an amazing novel that I read in one sitting.

The ripped from the headlines premise is the story of Jack, a five-year-old boy and his Ma. They live in an eleven foot square shed and are captives of a man known as Old Nick. The hook? It's told from the Jack's point of view. Everything he knows - and loves - is in the room. His routine (breakfast before bath), and activities are all normal to him.

Shocking, tender, and unique, this book knocked my socks off. 76/100

2010-11-07T20:35:00.001-08:00

Today I am grateful for: family fun time, sleeping in my own bed, being able to be flexible, libraries, the candle that makes my living room smell good, Lincoln Park At Midnight (my current fave nail polish), La Brea Bakery sourdough, falling leaves, and independent films.

2010 Goals: October Progress

2010-11-05T18:15:00.000-07:00

I set specific 2010 goals so here's an update on my October progress.

Read/Write/Blog
1. I read 9 books this month, so that's 73 books from January - October. I'm on track to read 100 books this year.

2. My writer's group caught up over coffee and went to an author reading. We heard Andre Dubus III read from his forthcoming memoir Townie. It was a phenomenal reading, probably the best one I've ever been to. I loved his book House of Sand and Fog (read my review here). This was also a milestone year for my MFA writing program, so I went to an event to celebrate it and saw many of my former classmates, teachers, and mentor.

3. Yes, I am happy to report a poetry submission for October. I've been a bit sporadic in my submissions and I figure a little something is better than a lot of nothing. I average 50 rejections per acceptance, so if I want to get something published I need to get a lot of rejections first.

4. This is my 152nd post of the year, so all is on schedule for me to meet my goal of 200 posts this year.

Healthy
5. I met my goals of participating in 2 races, raise money for a worthy cause, and go outside my comfort zone. I have participated in four races: Earth Day 5K, Girls on the Run 5K, Race for the Cure 5K (where I raised money with my Furiously Walking team), and in September I participated in a Half Marathon! October was a lot more relaxed, with yoga, walks and some more walks.

6. My original goal was to eat vegetarian 90% of the time. This month I did not keep track of how many meat vs. vegetarian meals I ate. I'm still enjoying produce from the CSA and trying to cook healthy meals. I made spaghetti squash (based on Facebook suggestions) from the CSA and it was terrific. I made spaghetti squash from the grocery store and it wasn't nearly as good.

Fun & Friends
7. A new thing I tried in September was visiting the "What Makes Us Laugh?" exhibit at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. It was my first time at the museum and I really enjoyed the exhibit and laughed and smiled a lot. The museum features a lot of work by non-professional artists, mostly of the self-taught variety.

8. I exceeded my goal of seeing friends at least once a week. I went on walks with a friend, got a fancy pedicure with a friend, went to a baby shower, a new life/housewarming party, and attended an alumni event for my undergrad university.

9. My Heart's Desire and I had a pretty low-profile month. We went to a wedding (the last of the 2010 weddings, as far as I know) on a perfect fall day. We also enjoyed going on walks, watching movies, and made our first fire of the fall on Halloween Eve.

10. Photo taken of My Heart's Desire and I? No. Maybe we could get a decent photo of us taken in November but I'm not holding my breath.

Bonus! It's All Relative.
11. My father-in-law came down for a weekend and stayed with us one night. We all went out with My Heart's Desire's aunt and uncle and cousins and toddler for dinner (kabobs, of course). It was very nice that My Heart's Desire and his dad got to spend some time together.

2010-11-04T18:46:00.000-07:00

I liked The Magician's Assistant so much that I kept my eye out for other work by Ann Patchett. Then I read this article about her life and home in The New York Times that made me want to apply for the unofficial writer's retreat at her cozy home in Nashville. Or at least sit on her porch and drink tea.

I enjoyed her nonfiction book Truth and Beauty. It was good, but I was blown away by Bel Canto. I know this was a big book when it came out but for some reason I had been reluctant to read it. I got into it right away and read the whole book in one day (on two flights). Interesting story and really beautiful writing. 74-75/100

Last Night at Chateau Marmont

2010-11-01T21:26:00.000-07:00

I was looking for a light, fluffy read and Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger fit the bill perfectly. I did not like The Devil Wears Prada novel or read her other books, so my expectations were pretty low. Fine, Last Night at Chateau Marmont was on sale and you know I love a bargain. It's about a nutritionist who works two jobs to support her singer-songwriter musician husband, and his decade of hard work turns him into an overnight success. Success, fame, and paparazzi soon follow. For what it was - a gossipy, fast read, it was pretty good. 73/100

The holidays have arrived... in the mailbox!

2010-10-31T15:36:00.000-07:00

Last week My Heart's Desire and I noticed that the holidays have started to arrive via catalogs in our mailbox. We already have received at least a dozen catalogs, from Crate & Barrel to Heifer International. We have decided to save them all from now until Christmas Day and see how many we get, with a friendly wager. I bet that we will receive 44lbs of catalogs (oh, our poor mail carrier!) and he put his wager on 25lbs.

Promises to Keep

2010-10-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

I liked Jane Green's early books, like Jemima J, so much that I have read most of her books, hoping against hope for the good stuff. Alas, I'm still waiting. I got Promises to Keep from the library, having learned my lesson many novels ago that they aren't worth cold, hard cash or even warm, soft gift cards. 72/100

Hallelujah! The Welcome Table

2010-10-24T11:53:00.000-07:00

I listened to Maya Angelou's Hallelujah! The Welcome Table and was utterly charmed. Read by the author, I loved hearing her tales and found this book a real treat. Any reader will feel Maya's love for food, writing, and travel (from Stamps, AR to Italy). The only downside? Now I'm craving caramel cake. 71/100

2010-10-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

Today I am grateful for the lovely flowers My Heart's Desire surprised me with last night, a good night's sleep, magazines, beautiful fall days, honeycrisp apples, bargains at the library used book store (this week I bought 7 books for $16 - I used a coupon!), that it's almost flannel time, jazz, and knowing that the only constant in life is change.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

2010-10-23T11:51:00.000-07:00

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender is a novel about Rose, a girl who can taste what people are feeling when she eats what they've cooked. A gift or a curse, Rose fears what she'll find out in every bite of food cooked by someone she knows, and seeks out junk food made my machines. Rose has her own struggles growing up and a complicated home life. This book was pretty good. 70/100

The Magician's Assistant

2010-10-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

Ann Patchett's The Magician's Assistant is a beautiful novel that does everything right - characters, plot, action. Sabine is the title character, and Parsifal the magician was her companion and friend for 20 years. After Parsifal's lover dies, Parsifal and Sabine marry. When he dies (I'm not giving anything away, the first line of the book is "Parsifal is dead") she discovers he was not the family-less orphan he claimed to be. Tender, funny, and touching, this book was the best I've listened to in ages. 69/100

Om

2010-10-19T19:16:00.000-07:00

In the spring, when my half marathon training kicked off, I realized I wanted to be outside more. So I quit the gym, happy to be no longer paying the monthly dues, and saw the world as my gym. Well, the world and some workout DVDs I borrowed from Netflix. Considering what I paid for swimming and race fees, it probably worked out to the same amount of money, but because I had so many different experiences, I feel like I got a lot more.

Since I am done with the walk/run training (yay! but I do miss it sometimes), I've been keeping my eye out for something new to try. When there was a deal for 10 yoga classes for $29, I bought them. I've done yoga with Rodney Yee for ages. I had a VHS tape of his A.M. yoga, which I actually wore out after watching and rewinding it for years and years so I replaced it with a DVD.

The yoga classes I've taken before were either at my fancy gym in L.A., or at a hippie studio that smells like nag champa. So that's what I was expecting when I went to the fitness studio for my yoga classes. Instead, I found a youngish guy who said peace about 15 times in 50 minutes and we practiced yoga to Bob Marley. No nag champa, no hippies, not even a dreadlock!

Mama Said

2010-10-17T18:45:00.000-07:00

When I was in high school, I was surprised when my boyfriends (aged seventeen or eighteen) would be interested in playing video games with my little brother, who was then eleven or twelve. At first I thought they were just trying to get in good with the family by being nice to my little bro, then I realized that they were geniunely having fun.

My mom told me then that some guys, no matter what their age, are just big boys. The last three books I listened to proved her point.

Jonathan Lethem's Men and Cartoons: Stories wasn't my favorite. Some stories were clever "The Spray," being the standout. The rest of the stories were uneven. I was midly amused by You Don't Love Me Yet, which could best be described as lad lit with a touch of Details magazine. 66-67/100

The Way Home by George Pelecanos takes place in and around D.C., features a middle-class teenaged boy who lands in a reformatory for juvenilles, and when he comes out, he's not still a boy but definitely not a man. Overwritten and tedious, I only finished listening to this book because I couldn't get to the library. 68/100

2010-10-16T21:28:00.000-07:00

Today I got up early, made fruit salad, took it to a baby shower, aww-ed over tiny booties, tub toys, and onesies, visited a garage sale across the street from the shower, returned a cardigan, went purse shopping at Filene's (no luck), came home and made a spicy black bean/corn dip, went to a housewarming/new life together celebration for the youth minister at my church who teaches Sunday School with me, chatted up the proverbial storm, came home and shared Chinese food with My Heart's Desire and watched some guilty pleasure television.

2010-10-14T20:54:00.000-07:00

A Soft Place to Land by Susan Rebecca White is a good novel. Almost great. This book explores the complicated relationship between two half sisters who grow up together, until a plane crash tears their family apart. The younger sister is sent to live with her aunt in San Francisco, while her sister goes to live with her dad and his new family in southern Virginia. I read this book in 48 hours, then called my honorary grandma to tell her about it. 65/100

2010 Goals: September Progress

2010-10-10T05:50:00.000-07:00

I set specific 2010 goals so here's an update on my September progress.

Read/Write/Blog
1. I read 5 books this month, so that's 63 books from January - September. I am confident I will soon reach my goal of reading 100 books this year!

2. I met with half of my writing group in September, and we caught up over coffee and went to an author reading. We heard Carolyn Parkhurst read from The Nobodies Album. I updated my essay for the Real Simple's contest. And...

3. I submitted the essay to the Real Simple contest! Finally, a submission! Now, to focus on a submission mailing.

4. This is my 139th post of the year, so 200 posts this year will likely be here before I know it.

Healthy
5. My goals were: participate in 2 races, raise money for a worthy cause, and go outside my comfort zone. I have participated in four races: Earth Day 5K, Girls on the Run 5K, Race for the Cure 5K (where I raised money with my Furiously Walking team), and in September I participated in a Half Marathon -- way outside my comfort zone! My summer was a blur of long, early-morning Saturday run/walks and shorter training run/walks during the week.

6. My original goal was to eat vegetarian 90% of the time. This month I did not keep track of how many meat vs. vegetarian meals I ate. I focused more on healthy meals, eating plenty of fruits and veggies, and consider myself a flexitarian for now.

Fun & Friends
7. A new thing I tried in September was going canoeing with My Heart's Desire. Of course My Heart's Desire has a canoe (paddles, life jackets, etc.) and we strapped it to his car, picked up sandwiches, and drove to a local lake. For the first time ever, I went canoeing and we paddled around the lake. Then we ate our sandwiches on a bench in the sunshine.

8. Seeing friends. I met my goal of seeing friends at least once a week. I went to a lovely wedding, dined on paella with my honorary grandmother, went to brunch, and celebrated a friend's birthday.

9. My Heart's Desire and I did have fun this month (see #7). We also went for walks, hung out at home, and had weekend breakfasts together.

10. Photo taken of My Heart's Desire and I? No. I'm considering making this a 2011 goal.

Mercury in Retrograde

2010-10-06T19:25:00.000-07:00

Amazon recommended Paula Froelich's Mercury in Retrograde to me. After reading the reviews I decided to wait until I stumbled across it at the used bookstore. Lo and behold, I did and parted with $2 for the paperback.

It's easy to tell this novel is written by the former editor of Page 6 and is liberally sprinkled with horoscopes for the various characters, which wasn’t my favorite. $2 is the most I could part with for a book like this. Three stock heroines, a plucky journalist (is there any other kind?) of the Bridget Jones variety, a brave but scared attorney (professionally successful, personal life a blank), and the requisite socialite (financial cutoff from parents ensues shortly). If you need a book to read and leave on a flight for eight quarters or less, look no further. 64/100

2010-10-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

Today I went for a quick walk/jog (the first real jog since my half marathon two weeks ago), made a Green Monster for breakfast, for the first time in a long time, when I left for work I was chilly and needed a jacket, said hello to fall, worked, bought honey crisp apples at the farm stand, considered pre-ordering Mariah Carey's new Christmas album (I love holiday music and am already working on this year's mix), hung out with My Heart's Desire, and wished it was chilly enough to require a fire.

Operation Beautiful

2010-09-29T19:04:00.000-07:00

I really love the premise behind Operation Beautiful - change the way you see, not the way you look.

What a radical idea! I even participated in Operation Beautiful by leaving a note last year.

This self-love book is broad and covers a wide variety of topics. I'll always support messages that encourage women to love themselves and treat their bodies like friends, not enemies! I'd recommend this book for girls in late high school and college-age women. 63/100

Saturday

2010-09-25T23:04:00.000-07:00

Today I woke up and read magazines for an hour, stared at the lush green of the leaves outside my window, met some old friends and new for brunch, browsed at one of my favorite consignment shops, returned a book I couldn't get into to the library, picked up a birthday cake (carrot) for a friend's milestone birthday tomorrow, did some laundry, made an appointment for a decent (read: expensive) haircut, talked to Dad, had leftover Thai spicy eggplant for dinner (just as good on the second day), went for a walk with My Heart's Desire around the neighborhood, read, and am going to bed early.

Sneaking in under the wire

2010-09-24T18:20:00.000-07:00

Back in July, I mentioned that I was writing an essay for the Real Simple’s Third-Annual Life Lessons Essay Contest. I thought I would submit it in August, but I was too busy traveling.

I don't suppose it would hurt to mention that Real Simple is my favorite of all the magazines.

Tonight, I snuck in under the wire and submitted my (yes, revised) essay. Yay for deadlines!

2010-09-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

Today I am grateful for: bookstores, having a tiny commute, laughing at myself when I won't buy a drugstore mascara without a coupon, Trader Joe's Irish Breakfast tea, Spa Week coming up next month, pashminas, lovely weather, clean laundry, old school jams, sharpies, my self-care cards that my mom gave me about 10 years ago, and fresh fall apples.

A photo is worth a hundred blisters

2010-09-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

2010 Goal #5: I did my best

The Nobodies Album

2010-09-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

The Nobodies Album by Carolyn Parkhurst is a clever, thoughtful, well written whodunit, if a bit over literary at times. She explores the relationship between a mother (a successful writer who re-writes the endings to all of her books) and her estranged son, a famous rock musician accused of murdering his girlfriend. This book delves into their tragic past and intrigues the reader. Compared to her previous work, I enjoyed this book more than Lost and Found and almost as much as Dogs of Babel. 62/100

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

2010-09-18T04:34:00.000-07:00

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is a well written YA novel that will open your heart and break it. This semiautobiographical story is about Junior, a 14 year old growing up on a reservation near Spokane, Washington, who wants more. After a teacher recognizes the fire inside this often picked on kid, Junior transfers to the rural school twenty-two miles and a whole other world away. The only other Indian there is the school mascot. Junior straddles both worlds until he plays basketball for his new school against his old school. I read this short book (with illustrations) in one sitting and I'm still thinking about how good it is. 61/100

Fly Away Home

2010-09-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

Well written, honest, and touching, Jennifer Weiner's Fly Away Home was the best novel I've read since Moloka'i. My honorary grandmother lent it to me and she liked it at least as much as I did. This book went beyond the scorned political wife story and opened up the hearts and minds of three women (the wife and her two adult daughters) and what happens after. Each of the women finds herself in a difficult situation and has hard decisions to make. Finding out what choices they each make and why is captivating. 60/100

2010 Goals: August Progress

2010-09-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

I set specific 2010 goals so here's an update on my August progress.

As I mentioned, I was a traveling fool in August. I visited four cities — New Orleans and Phoenix for work and Denver and New York for fun. I did not blog much during my travels and then I came home exhausted. I'm very happy to be home and back to the usual. It really took me a while to become un-jet lagged and unwind.

Read/Write/Blog
1. I read 4 books this month, raising my yearly total to 58. I will post some more books that I've read soon. My goal of reading 100 books this year - I'm coming for you!

2. My writing group scheduled a meeting in September. I wrote an essay for Real Simple's contest. One of the writing group members critiqued it and I owe her an updated draft.

3. Submit... I had no idea that this would be as cumbersome a chore as it is. Well, I did not meet my goal of submitting once in August. But I'm on for September!

4. This is my 128th post of the year, so I'll take an educated guess that I'll post 200 times this year by Thanksgiving.

Healthy
5. I will be run/walking a half marathon later this month! It seemed so far away when I started training for it this spring and signed up for it this summer. My longest run so far was 11.6 miles on Monday and I was beat when it was over! And my feet! So sore! I think the sneakers I've been training in are shot. I'm going to do my best to break a new pair of the same style in so I can wear them in the race.

My workout goal for August was 31 workouts! I went for walks, I did Yoga, I swam, I went for walk/jogs, I worked out in hotel gyms, and at rec centers, and even went for a 7.5 mile walking/jogging tour of New York City! 31 was a very ambitious goal and I got in 26 workouts!

6. This month I did not keep track of how many meat vs. vegetarian meals I ate. I definitely ate way more meat than I have been and ate vegetarian meals a whole lot more than not. I'm still reevaluating my kibosh on eating meat regularly and trying to figure out how I can be healthier.

Fun & Friends
7. This month I tried new foods and lots of them. For the first time, I had barbequed shrimp and beignets, neither at all healthy but amazingly delicious!. It's a good thing I walked everywhere in New Orleans. I also took a big leap out of my comfort zone by signing up for a running (though in my case, mostly walking with a little jogging) tour of NYC through City Running Tours. It was great!

8. Seeing friends. Even though I was gone a lot, I still exceeded my goal of seeing friends at least once a week. Good times all the way around! I went to a bridal shower and saw lots of lovely ladies, saw a friend from college who I haven's seen in ages, went to a Mad Men-themed party at a museum, went to a cookout, and went to New York City for a super fun weekend with one of my friends! I love New York and came home with a moderate case of New York envy.

9. My Heart's Desire and I didn't see each other in August as much as we usually do. And we had to spend a lot of our time together doing errands or chores. We did have plans to go out to brunch at a new restaurant I've wanted to try for restaurant week, but I cancelled the reservation after I decided I'd rather stay home and lounge instead.

10. Photo taken of My Heart's Desire and I? Nope.

11. Bonus! It's All Relative.
I had family fun with my sister and her husband, my mom, my dad and stepmom. It was all terrific! I also got to see one of my favorite aunts who I hadn't seen in too long.

Heart of the Matter

2010-09-06T20:09:00.000-07:00

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin is an after school special for adults. Maybe you haven't heard breaking news— marriage is complicated at times, especially when there are children, private school and egos involved. I really wanted a light, fluffy, enjoyable read (which her other books were) but I was disappointed by this very special tale. 59/100

2010-08-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

Today I am grateful that I am done traveling for a little while, doing Yoga this am, a Green Monster for breakfast, not having to freak out when things don't go my way, making different mistakes, having health insurance and flexible spending, guilty pleasure magazines, having a homemade grilled cheese on hippie bread with grape tomatoes from the CSA for dinner, and for all of the awesome people I love who live far and wide who I was able to see and hug on my travels this month.

Double Digits!

2010-08-26T21:49:00.000-07:00

I've been training for a half marathon this spring and summer, though it's been more challenging than I expected due to the unprecedented heat this summer. I usually swim when it's too hot (I'm not running in heat advisories) or when it's pouring rain.

This weekend I went for my first ever double digit run - 10 miles! And when I say run, I mean walk/jog. I was going to do it on Saturday, but I woke up with a headache so I went back to sleep until it went away but then it was too hot. So I got up early on Sunday, everything was all laid out and ready. My water, Gatorade, and snacks were already packed and ready to go, and went out.

It had been over a month since my last long run (9 miles) so it was cooler in the morning. I didn't bring enough water for the last mile and a half so that wasn't great. I also walked a lot more than I usually do, but mileage is mileage.

The Last Time I Was Me

2010-08-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

The Last Time I Was Me by Cathy Lamb was an okay read with characters that almost broke through their stock expectations. Note to chick lit writers: enough with the shoes already. Rather a lot of sub-plots (one of which was foreshadowed throughout the whole novel which I found unbelievable), this was a sometimes entertaining story surrounded by random mishmash. 58/100

Traveling Fool

2010-08-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

No, I didn't fall off the Internet. I have been a traveling fool this month!

On the first flight, when I sat down in my airplane seat, I cracked open Laurie Notaro's Spooky Little Girl, which was $1 at the used bookstore. It was an adequate one-buck read, and I left it in the seat pocket for the next person to enjoy. 57/100

I often take cheap books with me on travels so that I don't have to bring them home. My Heart's Desire has pointed out that I could probably travel with just a carry-on if I had an electronic reader, and he's not wrong. But I hate the idea of reading books on a screen. I'm a tactile person, I need to feel the weight and heft of a book. I read mostly because I enjoy it, whereas staring at a screen feels like... work.

2010-08-09T21:04:00.000-07:00

Today I am grateful for: library used book sales, easy and inexpensive public transportation, single serving Honey Nut Cheerios that pass for an adequate dinner when the Subway flatbread sandwich is really bad, trashy magazines (even when I don't know who most of the people are), that CVS has an As Seen On TV section, comfy shoes (I broke down and bought a new pair after 2+ years with my old standbys), staying in touch with my favorite people, no matter how far away they are, songs that remind me of a specific time or event, that I live nowhere near homemade New Orleans beignets, and that the best things in life are free.

On Writing

2010-08-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

In January, my writing group decided to read On Writing by Stephen King, which is one of my favorite writing books. My copy was a gift from my mom.

In 2007 I got it from the library and listened to it (on a road trip to Gettysburg for a friend's wedding) but haven't read it since. Even though my writing group hasn't gone back to it yet, I wanted to give it another read.

King advocates four to six hours a day of reading and writing, every day. Which sounds about right, given Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 hour rule. 20 hours a week for 10 years is 10,000 hours.

I'm a big reader and always have been, I've easily read more than 20,000 hours as an adult. But writing? That's a different story. I wrote that much for the three years I was in my graduate creative writing program, but not since. I write for work, but for me that doesn't count since it's professional writing. This book definitely put a bee (and a clock!) in my bonnet. 56/100

2010 Goals: July Progress

2010-08-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

I set specific 2010 goals so here's an update on my July progress.

Read/Write/Blog
1. I read 7 books this month, raising my yearly total to 55. I'm almost done listening to another. I am confident that I will meet my goals of reading 100 books this year!

2. My writing group scheduled a meeting in September. I wrote an essay for Real Simple's contest and one of the writing group members is critiquing it for me, then I will revise and submit to Real Simple.

3. Submit... I had no idea that this would be as cumbersome a chore as it is. Well, I'm setting a goal: submit at least one piece one place in August. A little something is better than a whole lot of nothing!

4. This is my 119th post of the year, so I will easily post 200 times this year.

Healthy
5. I will be run/walking a half marathon! This is a really ambitious goal and I have been training, my longest run so far has been 9 miles. My weekly training consists of two short runs (for speed) and one long run (for distance). The last few weekends have been so very hot that I haven't been able to go for my long run. On those days I swim laps or do a variety of indoor cardio machines, like treadmill, bike, and elliptical. I'm also setting a workout goal for August: 31 workouts! Run/walk, swim, elliptical, yoga, walking - I'm planning on having an active month.

6. I exceeded my goal of eating vegetarian meals 90% of the time by eating veggie 96% of the time. I found out that replacing lean meats with dairy is not very healthy, which is what I have been doing, eating lots of cheese, yogurt (you know I love Fage), and milk. So now I'm reevaluating my kibosh on eating meat regularly and trying to figure out how I can be healthier. A hippie store near me sells clean meat, including organic, grass-fed beef and pastured poultry. Yes, it's expensive, it's also meat I can feel okay about eating.

Fun & Friends
7. The new thing I did this month was go to a charming town on the seashore for my cousin's wedding with my mom and My Heart's Desire. It was nice to get away and celebrate love.

8. Seeing friends. I saw lots of friends and family at our fourth annual Fourth of July cookout. I love this tradition! We host a fun, low-stress event every year with yummy food, great people, and celebrate America's birthday. Some people even brought patriotic desserts, which everyone got a kick out of. What could be better? I also went to a farewell brunch, had dinner with a friend at a hippie restaurant, had a friend over for dinner with my mom and me, went to a brunch with lots of wonderful girls, and took my honorary grandmother to see The Kids Are All Right, which I liked and she loved.

9. My Heart's Desire and I had a lot of fun this month. We both enjoyed the 4th of July cookout and the weekend away. We also went to a movie.

10. Photo taken of My Heart's Desire and I? Nope.

11. Bonus! It's All Relative. My mom came to town and I took a day off from work. We went shopping (and by that I obviously mean thrift), went out to lunch and to the movies, browsed for books, and had frozen yogurt. I also hung out with my aunt and uncle, cousins, and met my cousin's adorable sons.

Outliers: The Story of Success

2010-07-31T06:47:00.000-07:00

I had high expectations for Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell and I was not disappointed. I read the first half of this book in one sitting and finished it two days later. What did I learn about success? Context is everything. 55/100

2010-07-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

Today I am grateful for: good night's sleep, electricity (!) and all the things it allows me to enjoy (air conditioning, washing machine, dishwasher, stereo, TV, computer, etc), getting wedding invitations, spicy eggplant from my favorite Thai restaurant, having a short commute, accepting that I am a morning person, finding a bargain, email, plans to look forward to, and hanging out with My Heart's Desire.

2010-07-28T18:26:00.000-07:00

I listened to Steve Martin's The Pleasure of My Company and honestly couldn't remember if I had read it before or not. I didn't like his earlier work, Shopgirl, so I was a bit of a reluctant listener. While my disbelief had to be suspended many times, the book was read by the author and was a mildly enjoyable tale. 54/100

The Art of Eating In: How I Learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove

2010-07-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

The Art of Eating In: How I Learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove by Cathy Erway is the story of a Brooklyn hipster who swore off eating out in New York City for two years. She expanded her culinary horizons, found alternative non-restaurant group dining events (like supper clubs and cook-offs), and explored other non-traditional eating methods, like urban gathering and freeganism. Interesting premise but it reads very much like what it is -- a blog in book form. 53/100

I Love Leisurely Weekend Breakfast

2010-07-24T08:56:00.001-07:00

This morning I made french toast with Trader Joe's wheat bread (lightly toasted first so it doesn't get soggy). Then I covered some banana slices with cinnamon, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and cooked in the George Foreman grill. They pretty much fell apart.

Then I made french toast with the same ingredients, and added an egg and some egg whites. I cooked the toast in the George Foreman but I was using the wrong plate (should have used the griddle plate) so after a few minutes My Heart's Desire just cooked the french toast in a pan on the stove. I topped with the smushy bananas and some chopped pecans, with maple syrup on the side for dipping.

My Heart's Desire made fried eggs and toast for himself, and some veggie sausages for us to share. It was fabulous!

How I Live Now

2010-07-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

I listened to How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff because this novel was accidentally shelved in the regular fiction section rather than in young adult.

Regardless of the intended audience, I found the book engaging, well-written, and very suspenseful. This novel has a lot of elements found in sentimental literature: a motherless daughter with an evil stepmother, wartime, a taboo romance, struggle in the wild, and connecting to the pain of others as well as life-changing learning experiences. 52/100

In Halves

2010-07-19T18:15:00.000-07:00

My mom came for a visit recently and stayed at my home. She has many unique and endearing qualities, not the least of which is her fondness for half of something. In previous visits, she has offered me half a piece of gum and I'm not surprised when I find half a yogurt in the fridge.

"Just a half for me, thanks" she often says. I'm not sure where this came from, though thrift in general is a theme that runs steadily through my family. I also rinse out and reuse plastic bags and am not afraid to ask if an establishment has a coupon for those who forgot their coupon (this sometimes works!). On this visit, she asked if My Heart's Desire or I would share a Diet Coke with her.

After my mom's departure, I found half a piece of spelt bread in the kitchen and My Heart's Desire discovered half a dryer sheet in the laundry room. I knew he wouldn't eat the spelt bread (too healthy for him) but he wondered aloud if I had suddenly found dryer sheets 50% too big for my liking.

The Things They Carried

2010-07-18T15:14:00.000-07:00

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien was recommended to me by one of the members of my writing group. I'd read the title story in a fiction anthology in at least one class and found the rest of the stories almost as good as the first. Good writing and good storytelling. 51/100

Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang

2010-07-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler features more hilarious tales from the popular comic. I haven't seen her show or her stand up, so all of this material was new to me. I read this book in two sittings. 50/100

Big Machine

2010-07-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

Big Machine by Victor LaValle is an ambitious tale with almost more back story than, well, story. This novel features good writing and so many cinematic elements (drugs! secrets! family drama! cult upbringing! hustlers! secret societies! the supernatural!) that it reads like a very well fleshed out screenplay. I don't think I've ever said this before, but I can't wait for this book to become a movie. 49/100

2010-07-12T19:39:00.000-07:00

Today I am grateful for: hooky days from work, a great wedding weekend at the beach, sunscreen, big sunglasses, a charming hotel, fresh flowers, holding hands with My Heart's Desire, meals shared with family and friends, staying tobacco free, and being open to new ideas.

Race Announcement!

2010-07-04T06:10:00.000-07:00

I met the first part of my 2010 fitness goal, which was to participate in one race and to raise money for a worthy cause. The second part of my goal is to go beyond my comfort zone and do something more challenging.

After talking to my fitness pal and several others who have done what I want to do, and taking a big leap, I signed up for a 1/2 Marathon this fall!

I've started training (the run/walk Galloway method) and have been consistent. Every week I do two short runs (no longer than an hour) and one slow long run, where distance is the goal. Yesterday I went for my longest run ever, nine miles! My Heart's Desire insisted that I play "Eye of the Tiger" at least once during my long run, and it makes me laugh when I hear it.

My goals for this race are to have fun and cross the finish line injury-free.

2010 Goals: June Progress

2010-07-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

I set specific 2010 goals so here's an update on my June progress.

Read/Write/Blog
1. I read 7 books this month, raising my yearly total to 48. As usual, I started a lot of books but didn't like them enough to finish.

2. My writing group did not meet this month but I have given myself a homework assignment. I'm writing an essay for Real Simple's contest. We are also scheduling a time to meet again.

3. Submit... This really is a chore. I thought I would get to it this month, but I haven't. I know no publication is going to knock on my door and ask to read my work, so I need to get cracking on this!

4. Yes, I am a blogging fool. This is my 107th post of the year, so I am ahead of schedule for 200 blog posts this year.

Healthy
5. I met the first part of my goal, which was to participate in one race and to raise money for a worthy cause. Thank you again all who supported Furiously Walking! The second part of my goal is to go beyond my comfort zone and do something more challenging. This year I have been working on improving my running (and by that, I mean run/walking). A race announcement will be coming soon!

6. I exceeded my goal of eating vegetarian meals 90% of the time by eating veggie 98% of the time. I'm getting more into the groove of eating vegetarian meals. My CSA is providing fresh veggies every week that I am creating yummy meals around.

My Heart's Desire is also excellent on the grill. He grills burgers (veggie for me, meat for him) with fresh asparagus and corn or potatoes at least once a week. Yum! I'm also making summer salads for healthy lunches. My favorite now includes mixed greens, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, blue cheese, and pecans.

Fun & Friends
7. The Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure® was new to me and I did it with a friend.

8. Seeing friends. This month I saw friends a little bit less than once a week. I met friends for a mani-pedi, coffee, and a movie. I also had a tummy bug for about 8 days, which slowed me down and I cancelled plans with pals so I could keep it to myself.

9. My Heart's Desire and I had fun this month. We went for a nice walk, and the movies (Iron Man and Get Him to the Greek).

10. Photo taken of My Heart's Desire and I? Nope.

11. Bonus! It's All Relative. My Heart's Desire and I went to Delaware for some family fun with his family. And I went to Baltimore for my cousin's bridal shower.

The Girl Who Chased the Moon

2010-06-29T18:24:00.000-07:00

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen is one part Alice Hoffman lite and one part magical realism. A bit overwritten at times, it was a mildly enjoyable story that gave me a hankering for barbeque and hummingbird cake. It wasn't until I finished the story that I realized that, while it wasn't really my cup of tea, it was a pretty good YA novel. 48/100

2010-06-25T21:57:00.000-07:00

Today I’m grateful for air conditioning, healthy role models, seeing the wild bunnies in my neighborhood, Trader Joe’s, garage sales, and being able to grow where I am planted.

The Wedding Machine

2010-06-23T18:56:00.000-07:00

I picked up The Wedding Machine by Beth Webb at the used bookstore and wouldn't have finished this book but I was home with a bug. Imagine a humorless Steel Magnolias but more religious, dipped in saccharine, and took place in South Carolina. 47/100

CSA Box = Good Eats

2010-06-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

Been wondering what comes in my CSA box? Well, wonder no more! My Heart's Desire and I get a half share. We paid for it up front, so each week costs around $14.

Pictured is this week's bounty: peaches, cucumbers (regular and kirby), corn (picked that morning!), potatoes, tomatoes, and blueberries.

One of my favorite things about my CSA is that every week there are choices. First, I fill up a basket with veggies (so I can skip the things we won't eat), then pick a salad-y veggie (salad lettuces, spinach, scallions, cabbage), and finish off with a berry (right now the choices are strawberries, blackberries, or blueberries).

Tonight I made an appetizer with tomato slices, chopped basil from our front window, mozzarella cheese, drizzled the whole thing with balsamic vinegar and topped it off with freshly ground sea salt. My Heart's Desire grilled burgers (veggie for me) with corn on the cob (boiled, then grilled with butter and herbs), and asparagus. I roasted the potatoes and it was all delish.

The One That I Want

2010-06-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

I was really excited to read The One That I Want by Allison Winn Scotch. I really liked her previous books, including Time of My Life (read my review here).

It was more than similar to Time of My Life, it was almost the same. Everything that I found so endearing and original in the previous book, just followed the same formula in The One That I Want. The plot pacing, precious but flawed characters, the surprise (though is it really a surprise when you're waiting for it?), the big reveal, and the growth in this book just felt like... formula. 46/100

Last night's dinner is even better today

2010-06-20T11:13:00.000-07:00

Last night's dinner is today's yummy lunch. I took last night's leftover pasta with marinara and added a handful of chopped spinach, some crumbled goat cheese, a spoonful of pine nuts, and topped it with Parmesan. Perfect!

Women In Trouble

2010-06-19T09:58:00.000-07:00

Run, do not walk, to get your hands on Women In Trouble. The movie is an ensemble piece about 10 different women that takes place in one day in Los Angeles. I loved it! My Heart's Desire really enjoyed it as well. Don't watch any previews, just add to the top of your Netflix queue.