Turn the Page... Tuesday

Hello November!    (and hello 11/1/11!)
It's the first Tuesday of the month... that means book review time with Adrienne and Turn the Page... Tuesday! 

You might be interested in knowing... I have an alarm set on my phone to remind me about TTP...T every month on the first Tuesday.  I was prompted to post at 7:45 this morning... I even went to read Adrienne's post, then get started on mine... then... oops... I got distracted (probably by something shiny) and didn't RE-remember to post till just now (7:43pm).

BUT, it's still Tuesday, so I guess I'm not late!

I'm in the middle of two books, again, this month. Two VERY different books, I might add.

hmmm, which to comment on first...

I know!  I'll talk about Born to Run by Christopher McDougall first.

www.chrismcdougall.co

This summer, I have had no fewer than three people suggest I read this book... including Arienne!  (a marathoner friend was another, and my Triathlon club, too)

I'm about 1/3 of the way through and so far, it seems to be more of a "hunt" than a book about running, tho I see where it's going because we have just met one of the amazing members of the "Hidden Tribe" and I suspect this is where the story is about to take off.

I've been running now for almost 2-years... I still don't consider myself a runner, but I do enjoy the calorie burn and the amazing physical change my body has gone through since starting it.  I'm hoping Born to Run has a few secrets to share about additional ways I can be a better runner... even if it's all in my head.  :)

I'm looking forward to finding out what happens in the rest of the book.  Stay tuned!



Also, I'm reading Catch-22 by Joseph Heller.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch-22

I thought I had a copy of this on my book shelf, but after a couple days of searching (not 48-hours of searching... I would check the shelf, not find it, leave, go back, check again), I came to the conclusion that we didn't own it.  I wasn't sure I wanted to own it, so I did something I haven't done in a LONG time... I went to the public library!

Side note... WOW, the library has changed a lot since I was there last.  I used self check-out... where you just place the books on a little "scale" and *POOF* the computer lists the books you are taking home and posts them to your account.  NEAT-O!

So, after I got over the euphoria of borrowing books the new-fangled way, I started Catch-22.  Set during WWII, the main theme of the book is the ass-backwards reasoning and bureaucracy of government and war.  For example, you can't fly bombing missions if you're crazy, and only crazy people would WANT to fly missions.  But if you ask not to fly you're obviously NOT crazy, so you have to fly them... and things like that.

I'm not loving it.  I understand the power of the story (the insanity of war) and why it made such an impact on the literary world... but I'm not devouring it like I have other books.

Side note #2... 2011 is the 50th anniversary of Catch-22, so that's kinda cool.

Anyway, I'm reading Catch-22 for our Book Club meeting next month.  I'm wondering if the discussion will change my feelings about the story, or if it will just reinforce my current opinion.

I may rent the movie before our meeting later this month... I read that Alan Arkin does a great job as Yossarian (tho he didn't really think so), and that it's quite a good adaptation of the book.

HOWEVER... I'm not finished with the book, so who knows, maybe things will change before I'm done.  I'll have to let you know next month.

Till then, happy reading!

Turn the Page... Tuesday

My entry for this month's Turn the Page... Tuesday (brought to us by our good friend, Adrienne over at Some of a Kind - Thank you, Adrienne!) should be pretty short and sweet.  Not because I haven't been reading, but because you already know the two books I read in September - I mentioned them in last month's post.

First, I finished The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet (pronounced deh-zoot).  From the Author's website, a summary of 'Jacob' is as follows:

http://fujiland-magazine.blogspot.com

The year is 1799, the place Dejima in Nagasaki Harbor, the “high-walled, fan-shaped artificial island” that is the Japanese Empire’s single port and sole window onto the world, designed to keep the West at bay; the farthest outpost of the war-ravaged Dutch East Indies Company; and a de facto prison for the dozen foreigners permitted to live and work there. To this place of devious merchants, deceitful interpreters, costly courtesans, earthquakes, and typhoons comes Jacob de Zoet, a devout and resourceful young clerk who has five years in the East to earn a fortune of sufficient size to win the hand of his wealthy fiancée back in Holland.
But Jacob’s original intentions are eclipsed after a chance encounter with Orito Aibagawa, the disfigured daughter of a samurai doctor and midwife to the city’s powerful magistrate. The borders between propriety, profit, and pleasure blur until Jacob finds his vision clouded, one rash promise made and then fatefully broken. The consequences will extend beyond Jacob’s worst imaginings. As one cynical colleague asks, “Who ain’t a gambler in the glorious Orient, with his very life?”

I found the story to be quite interesting.  Life at the end of the 1700's was full of so much struggle and change; placing the story in this location showed, yet another perspective of this.  As always with historical fiction, I am fascinated and disheartened by all the politics of the world.  So many games people played.

The characters were extremely vivid.  There were the obvious "bad guys", but each one (good and bad) were quite realistic.  Mitchell did an excellent job with the language, as well... For example, the dock workers spoke in their "lower" language", there was the interplay of language between the interpreters, and (of course), the political language between the parties.

I must admit, early on in the book I was a little overwhelmed by the details of the story.  Mitchell obviously took painstaking effort to describe the trading world between Japan & the Dutch... my book club felt the same way.  The strange thing is, at the end of the story, there's a lot of "glossing" over the details - like he lost steam and just wanted to finish the book.  (I honestly didn't mind that, but it seemed quite a contradiction from the beginning).

Speaking of book club - one thing that came up in the discussion that I didn't catch while reading was the use of poetry, namely Haiku.  I have never been up on poetry... I'm just not geared that way, I guess... but I can respect it.  When Jackie & Jen mentioned the Haiku's scattered throughout the book I was blown away.  THIS is why I love book club, I learn things from others that I would have never gotten from the book alone.

The group gave the book an average rating of 3.5 (out of 5, 5 being best).  I would say if you're interested in historical fiction about life in a very politically controlled area of the world in the late 1700's/early 1800's, this book is something you'd like to read.

wikipedia.org

Second, I completed Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley.
This book has been on my shelf since I got married and it was on my hubby's shelf since high school.  I have always wanted to read it.
I got my chance this month because I am leading the discussion for Book Club on October 19th!  YEP, the group chose it as a selection!

I flew through this story.  It's a short book, only 209 pages, and it moves pretty fast.  If you've only known about Frankenstein from the movies or TV, then you DON'T know the story. at. all.

I knew a bit of what the story was about (btw, Frankenstein is the scientist, not the monster); I knew it was a sad story, that the monster wasn't really a "monster", but that was about it.

That said, there is still SO much to talk about... and my post is already REALLY long. 
Let me try to sum up the millions of thoughts in my head about this book (and it's author).

wikipedia.org

- Mary Shelley had a roller-coaster of a life up until the writing of Frankenstein (at age 19) - she grew up without her mother (her father was not very involved with her either), she eloped with a married man (Percy Shelley) at age 16, her first child died, her 1/2 sister committed suicide, and Percy's wife drowned.
- The story of Frankenstein is marketed as a Horror story... but I see it as a tragedy.
- The question of "Just because you CAN do something, does it mean that you SHOULD?" comes to mind.  This, knowing that scientific research has lead to remarkable discoveries... Mary seems to be posing the question of "Are there discoveries that shouldn't be made?"
- The creature... could he have lived a good life if Frankenstein had reacted differently to him as a being?
- I can't help but be drawn to the thought of bullying - such a prominent topic these days - I'm not exactly sure why.  I think it's because I sympathize so greatly with The Creature.  His words throughout the story are gentle and compassionate.  He is intelligent and simply yearns for companionship and love.  He becomes "a monster" because he is shunned by his creator and the world of humans, banished to live in the snowy mountain caves... alone.  Maybe it's the isolation and misery he feels that strikes the bullying chord in me.

I highly, highly recommend Frankenstein.  It's a heart-wrenching story, but one that makes you think.  It's wonderfully written by a unique woman who got the idea after spending many days hanging out with Percy Shelley & Lord Byron... being taunted into writing a "ghost story".


So much for short and sweet this month... sheesh.
Hope you read some good stuff recently, if you haven't go get Frankenstein... NOW!  ;)

Turn the Page... Tuesday

It feels like Fall today.  It's crispy cool, there's a chance of rain, and I'm all snuggled up on my pillow seat talking about books.  So nice.
It's also Tuesday, September 6th - the first day back to school for many of the kids I know. AND... it's Turn the Page... Tuesday (brought to you by our good blogger-friend, Adrienne).  Check out Some of a Kind to learn more, or to join in each month to talk about the book(s) you're reading.

So what did I read in August?
As usual, my eclectic tastes took me all over the world (and the time-space continuum).

I finished Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson.  It was the final book in his Sprawl trilogy based in the future where people jack into computers to live (and trade and steal) in an alternate reality.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, it's The Matrix meets Blade Runner... and so much more.  I quite enjoyed the final chapter in this series, happy endings for most of the characters and a nice wrap up of the plot lines.  I'll admit, Gibson's writing style is not the easiest to follow all the time (it feels like you've walked in on conversations sometimes - missing the important explanations so you have to "catch up" while reading), but this challenge adds to the intensity of the stories.
If you're into sci-fi dystopic worlds, read this trilogy... it won't let you down.

I was let down, however, by the second book I read... Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors.

www.pbs.org

From the Author's website -

Set at the height of the Mughal Empire, Beneath a Marble Sky recreates the remarkable lives of those responsible for the Taj Mahal's existence. From the famous lovers who inspired it, Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, to the architect who designed it to the man who sought to destroy it, Beneath a Marble Sky recounts the stories of those who oversaw the rise of the world’s most famous building. 

Maybe I shouldn't say 'let down' - more like 'not wowed'.   

This book had been on my shelf for at least two years.  I don't remember if it was a hand-me-down from a friend or if I picked it up in a book sale... but from the blurb on the back cover it seemed to have an interesting story to it.  I had hoped this could be a book I recommended to my Book Club.  It sounded like it had everything we all love to talk about - historical fiction, character interactions (the political side of romance, for example), and a setting unlike the one we live in.

It just didn't seem to grab me... it felt predictable and unoriginal.  I didn't LOVE any of the characters or root for them to succeed.  I wished I had been given that feeling, but it just didn't happen.

After Marble Sky I had to make a choice... read one more book that I could use as a Book Club recommendation or move on to The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell (our September Book Club selection).  I tried to do both.

I started Jacob de Zoet.  I'm a few chapters along in it.

I also started Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.  

We all "know" the story... but do we really know it?  I've never read the book, but I hear it contains a lot more than the story of the crazy doctor who creates a monster.  It's about the struggle of life and acceptance, the quest for immortality and the conflicts in science.  I'm also curious to read it because the author is a women.  Writings like this, by women, were very rare in the early 1800s.  I want to know (and want to talk about) Mary and why she created a story like this.  I hope it's selected by the Club, but if not, I'm certainly going to read the story on my own.

That's all for this month, thanks for stopping by.  I think I'll go make some tea, snuggle up with the dog & a blanket and read for a while.  Hope you have a chance to do the same. 

Turn the Page... Tuesday

Oh my gosh... it's the first Tuesday in July!
It's Turn the Page... Tuesday with Adrienne!

It was a mish-mosh month of reading... two books that probably couldn't be more different.  The first was a recommendation from a Book Club buddy, the other from my hubby - a sci-fi guy.   Tho very different, the social commentary from both authors was quite thought provoking.

So here's what I read in June...

www.tchevalier.com

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

I didn't know this was "historical fiction" when I started reading.  How pleasantly surprised I was when I found out.  I found the story interesting, albeit a bit depressing at times. How hard it must have been for these scientific women who lived in a time when social class and gender were such limiting factors.  Tho I don't know how much of the "relationship" side of the story keeps to reality, I get a sense that it's probably pretty close.  I can imagine the challenges the "old spinster" and "young working class girl" face when dealing with their need for love and affection, again, in a world that makes it so difficult to find (or act upon) love.

Here is a summary from Tracy Chevalier's website:
In 1810, a sister and brother uncover the fossilized skull of an unknown animal in the cliffs on the south coast of England. With its long snout and prominent teeth, it might be a crocodile – except that it has a huge, bulbous eye.
Remarkable Creatures is the story of Mary Anning, who has a talent for finding fossils, and whose discovery of ancient marine reptiles such as that ichthyosaur shakes the scientific community and leads to new ways of thinking about the creation of the world.
Working in an arena dominated by middle-class men, however, Mary finds herself out of step with her working-class background. In danger of being an outcast in her community, she takes solace in an unlikely friendship with Elizabeth Philpot, a prickly London spinster with her own passion for fossils.
The strong bond between Mary and Elizabeth sees them through struggles with poverty, rivalry and ostracism, as well as the physical dangers of their chosen obsession. It reminds us that friendship can outlast storms and landslides, anger and and jealousy.


From 1810, jump to "the future" with...

Neuromancer by William Gibson
I believe this is the first "Cyberpunk" novel I've ever read.  Written in 1984, the year of the story is uncertain.  There's been a big war (WW III?) and technology is everywhere and in everything.  People are "jacked in" to the Matrix and have the ability to buy tech-implants and enhancements to their bodies and minds.  Computers are an essential part of daily living - and in this story, there are two AIs (Artificial Intelligences) that need an intervention.

Imagine movies like The Terminator, Blade Runner, The Matrix, and Escape from New York (if you're not into the Cyberpunk genre), this will give you a feel for what Gibson's world of Neuromancer & The Sprawl is like.  Interesting possibilities for the future, if you ask me.

Here's a bit from Gibson's website:

http://www.neuromancer.org/

Case was the hottest computer cowboy cruising the information superhighway--jacking his consciousness into cyberspace, soaring through tactile lattices of data and logic, rustling encoded secrets for anyone with the money to buy his skills. Then he double-crossed the wrong people, who caught up with him in a big way--and burned the talent out of his brain, micron by micron. Banished from cyberspace, trapped in the meat of his physical body, Case courted death in the high-tech underworld. Until a shadowy conspiracy offered him a second chance--and a cure--for a price.... 

BTW - Gibson, from what I understand, is credited with coining the word "cyberspace" - which shows how influential his stories have been in the technology world.

I'm in the middle of "Count Zero," the second novel of Gibson's Cyberpunk trilogy right now.  It's loosely connected to Neuromancer.  We'll see if there's more as I get further along in the story.

That's it for this month.  See you in August.  Happy reading!

My Fitness Pal: A Review

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter

A little over a month ago, a friend introduced me to "My Fitness Pal" a website and app for my phone (she introduced me to a LOT of apps that day, but that's another story).  MFP had become her best friend for weight loss: tracking calories and exercise, so she didn't have to.

Now. I'm not "dieting".
I don't believe in it.
I think diets are really terrible ways to make people feel like their doing something good for their bodies, when in many cases, people are starving themselves or going through some strange nutrient-deficient 10-day "cleanse" blah blah blah.
No.  I believe that in order to lose weight, your calories in must be less than your calories out.
Oh, and in order to not have our bodies go into starvation-mode, there cannot be too huge a deficit.

I also feel that I need to lose some weight.  Not much, but since the scale has been slightly on the rise these last few years, I thought having a tool that could help me figure out my calorie imbalance might be useful.

Useful?!  THIS APP ROCKS!  Everyone should use it.  I'm totally serious.
Why, you ask?
Here's what I love about this app...

It's SO easy.
To start, you input your height, weight, age, goal-weight, and activity level.  Then, it calculates what your average daily calorie consumption should be (with details on how many carbs, protein, and fats).

From there, you track your foods and exercises.
This is a little time consuming at first (for foods) because you really want to measure everything.  Is that a tablespoon of salsa or two tablespoons?  How much peanut butter are you REALLY putting on your sandwich?  Is that steak 6 oz or 8 or 12?  Those things are important to know.

But as I mentioned... this is EASY.
For example, once you know that you've eaten 4-Tbsp of Tostitos All Natural Chunky Salsa, you just do a search on My Fitness Pal and voila! you know how many calories (and other nutrients) you just consumed.

Click on the pix to see a large screen-shot

You do this throughout the day, and the tracker keeps you up-to-date on where you stand for calories (consumed & remaining).  You can plan the rest of your day accordingly.

Here's what my food intake looks like for today:

I haven't had dinner yet, but you can see that I've got 954 calories to "spend" for the rest of the day.  I'm excited... I might have ice cream later (and not feel guilty).

You'll see at the bottom of the Food Diary shot that there's a message to me (*You've earned 540 calories from exercise today.)

Yep!  I did!

I ran for 45 minutes this morning, then took the dog for an hour-long walk.
So, not only is this easy, but the program is SMART!
It can calculate (a rather good estimate, in my humble opinion) how many calories someone will burn for each minute of exercise.
You can see here, that my running at 5mph burned 397 calories. (YES!)

It then adds those calorie expenditures to your overall calorie goal.  (Yes, burning more calories means you can EAT MORE calories!)

Finally... probably the most important reason why I LOVE MyFitnessPal... is it works!
As I mentioned at the start of this post, I've been using the program for a little over a month.
And guess what!?!?
The scale has started to move in the OTHER direction.
It's not going up any more!
I've lost 5-pounds in just under 5-weeks.
I really do believe it's because I've paid attention to my calories in and calories out.
I think it's due to My Fitness Pal.

You can even have "friends" who you can share your weight-loss journey with and support each other.

I can't think of anything that I don't like about MFP.  I guess I would like to be able to see a full "calendar" of activity/food tracking along with weight... but that's nothing I can't live without.  It has other reports you can see that are okay - I'm sure others find them more useful that I do.  But hey, that's great!  The more tools, the better.

So, visit www.myfitnesspal.com today and sign yourself up.  It really is an amazing tool - if you dedicate yourself to it (like anything).

Turn the Page... Tuesday

Hello Book Lovers!
I'm sorry I've been away these last few months.
But now, I'm back and have caught up on a lot of reading, so here are my reviews.

For those of you who don't know about Turn the Page... Tuesday, visit Adrienne's blog at Some of a Kind to learn more... then play along!

I've completed FOUR books since I last blogged about them back in February.

www.stieglarsson.com

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
This is the 2nd in "The Millennium" Series - where we learn more about Lisbeth Salander's dysfunctional family and upbringing.  The story was far less interesting than the first book (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) in that the story dragged, you didn't really care about the characters, and you kept waiting for something to happen.  That something did finally happen (in the last 50 pages of the book), but it was a long time coming.  If I hadn't felt compelled to finish it before I watched the movie by the same name, I could have easily just put it back on the shelf without a need to go back.
I have The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest waiting for me, but I don't know if I'll make time to read that for a while, if ever.

rebeccaskloot.com

 The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
I have mixed feelings about this book.  My Book Cub read it for our May meeting and it seems many of my fellow members were conflicted about it as well.
The story starts in the 1940s/50s when Henrietta "donated" her cancer cells to science (without her consent or knowledge).  Ms. Skloot's investigation tracks the HeLa (Henrietta Lacks) cells and Henrietta's very poor, uneducated, and highly dysfunctional family for 50-years.
We learn of the numerous scientific breakthroughs attributable to the HeLa cells (vaccines, AIDS research, etc), but then have to weigh that against the ethical issue of taking Henrietta's cells without her consent.  Then, there's the question of money - how many scientists achieved money and prestige from these ill-gotten cells?  Should it matter, since the studies are helping so many around the world?
It's funny - for me, my struggle was not the bio-ethical issue raised by some, it was more of the story itself.  This should not have been a full-length book.  Instead, it could have easily been made into a journal article or paper.  Explain the science and mention the family - not create a long, drawn out drama.  I gave the book a 3.0.

www.charlaineharris.com

Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
Sookie is BACK!
I finally bought last-year's Book 10 in the Southern Vampire Series.  What fun it was to get back to Sookie and her strange world.  "Big thinker" book this was not... but a nice, light, almost-summer read.  Plus... I was quite pleased that poor Sookie didn't get too bumped around this time.  In fact, she seemed to be a rather strong character in this episode.
Ha!  I just noticed that the title is really quite appropriate this time... lots of family stuff in Dead in the Family.

www.katemorton.com

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
Ohhhhh, what a wonderful story!  You MUST read it!
Kate Morton puts the essence of The Forgotten Garden perfectly on her website -

... a lost child.

... a terrible secret.

... a mysterious inheritance.

This book follows the lives of three generations - all with their strengths and quirks... and more dysfunction.  But you fall in love with each of them (even the "bad" ones) and can't wait to turn the page to find out more.  In addition to the main story, the author includes "fairy tales" written by Eliza, the main character, that illuminate the feelings (or the truth) behind the story.
I have recommended this book as my Book Club's Summer Read - I'm excited to lead the discussion and hear what the ladies have to say about it.


I can't wait to see what others have read this month - I'm working on Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier now - which I KNOW one of the TTP...T participants read recently.  I'm a little less than half-way through, so I expect I'll be talking about it next month.

Thanks for visiting!  See you in July!

Turn the Page... Tuesday

It's amazing how much reading you can get done when you're not working and when the weather is chilly enough that once you're done walking the dogs, you all just want to snuggle up and read.

It's the first Tuesday of the year!  The first Tuesday of January!  So it's the first Turn the Page... Tuesday for 2011.  Don't know what TTP...T is?  Visit Adrienne at Some of a Kind for more info, then join us!

So, on with the reviews...

The first book I read was Jamie Ford's Hotel at the Corner of Bitter & Sweet (photo from Jamie's website).  I hadn't heard of this story till it was suggested for our January Book Club meeting.  I was leery at first, because it was another story about WWII and I was anticipating more of the same.  But, boy, was I pleasantly surprised.

The book could not be more perfectly named - every character, location, and interaction was both "bitter and sweet".  From the family relations (3-generations worth), to the love story, to the social and political story lines, it all made me smile and sigh. 

Before 'Hotel...', I'd never delved into the Chinese-Japanese-American relationships in the United States in the early 40s.  I knew OF the Japanese camps, but not the details; I was aware of the conflicts between the Japanese and Chinese throughout history, but Jamie masterfully took this history and painted on personal faces of this strife & suffering... and triumph (?) in the end of love and tolerance.

When I rate this book at the meeting, I plan to give it a 4 out of 5.  I highly recommend it, it's a good read.

Today, I'm almost finished with Book 3 of the Mortal Instruments trilogy, by Cassandra Clare (photos from her website).  Aimed at young adults, this set is fun, quick, and action-packed.  It revolves around a girl named Clary & her interaction with a race of people called the Shadowhunters, magical "superhumans", protectors of "mundanes" (regular humans) and killers of all things nasty - demons, mainly, but will take out the occasional vampires, werewolf or other beastie, if necessary.

In Book 1, City of Bones, Clary learns of her "Sight" when she meets the local family of Shadowhunters (one of whom is drop-dead gorgeous, but quite arrogant - Edward Cullin, anyone?).  Poor Clary's world changes SO dramatically in just a few short days after seeing her 1st Shadowhunter - her mom is kidnapped, she's attacked by demons, she has to negotiate with vampire and so much more.  Like I said - action packed - and a fun twist on the "alternative reality" genre.  I jumped right into Book 2.

Book 2 is filled with destruction and mayhem... for everyone.  Everything that everyone has thought was true has been shattered and they're seeking the truth.  Valentine is back and he's systematically draining the blood from each of the races (warlock, vampire, fae, and werewolf) to complete his evil plan.  He must be stopped!
Throw in a little teen love and forbidden love and you got yourself another lightning read.

Finally, here I am in the middle of Book 3.  Clary is trying to save her mom who is in a coma.  There's a new man in her life - who I suspect is evil.  And now the city is burning.  There are only a couple hundred pages left... I'm excited to see how this will all wrap up in the end.
I hope the good guys will win, but will there be a twist?  Will Clary end up with Jace?  Will Simon save the day?

This has been a fun couple weeks - breezing through an easy read in a world so different from mine.  Its been a nice visit, but I'll be happy to come back to reality soon.  I think.

What I should read next?  I got Larrson's Millennium Trilogy and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay for Christmas, so maybe I'll pick up one of them.  I'm also learning to crochet, so maybe I'll take a reading break and work on my Double Crochet stitch.  NAH, I can do both!

Happy New Year!  Happy Reading!

Turn the Page... Tuesday

Okay, I know.  It's Friday.  I had every intention of getting this post done on Tuesday, but I just couldn't swing it.

Let's just say, it's been quite a roller-coaster of a month so far.  Maybe I'll blog about it later... but not today.

Today is for books... yet another piece of my life I've neglected recently.  I'm back to reading for enjoyment instead of reading for obligation, so I hope I'll have some good stuff to share next month.

For this month's TTP...T, however, I simply get to say that I (finally) finished River Horse: Across America by Boat by William Least Heat-Moon.

As the title suggests, this is the journal of a man (and his crew) who cross the United States via the American waterways.  They stopped at various towns along the way and comment on noteworthy or historical places & events (Lewis & Clark's expedition is referenced often.)

The story was interesting, and enjoyable, but not very exciting.  Now, if I was on this trip, I would have hoped it would be rather uneventful.  No run-ins with wild animals or bad weather, no overturned boats or seasickness.  But, as a reader, it was a bit of a chore to get thru the voyage.

We read this for Book Club; our meeting was last week.  Out of 30 people, 1/2 did not complete the story due to the "bore factor."  The other half seemed to agree that it was a story of a man's indulgent trip, not very thrilling to the reader, but interesting nonetheless.  Average rating was 3 out of 5.  This was my rating as well.

So, if you're looking for the meandering read of a unique travel book, you might like River Horse.  If you're looking for action-packed suspense... this is definitely NOT the read for you.

Again, sorry for my delay in posting.  Thanks to Adrienne at Some of a Kind for leading this virtual book club every month.  Join in next time!

LOVE = Treadmill

I never thought I'd say this - but I am totally LOVING this machine!
It's been almost three weeks that I've been using it to continue my running workouts (since it is WAY TOO dark and cold to run outside at 6:30am).

Monday-Wednesday-Friday I am out of bed at 6am, dressed and ready to run at 6:30.

For the last week (or more?) I've been running 20+ minute intervals (no walking).  This week I hit 30-minutes of running!

30-minutes.
Running... for 30-minutes straight!

The last time I ran this long without a walk-break I hurt myself (see my Pain. No gain. post).  But today I feel strong and almost ready to try a 5K run.

Monday's workout was the first 30-minute run of the week.  Tomorrow, I'll do it again.  Then again on Friday.  My distance is only about 2.5 miles of running (2.75 with warm-up and cool-down), but that's because I haven't pushed myself faster than 4.4 mph.  Within the next couple weeks, I'll up the speed a bit and, hopefully, get to 3.1-miles in my 40-minute workout.


If I haven't said so recently... the Couch to 5K Running Plan WORKS! 

I am living proof.  I have never been a good runner (I'm still not a great runner), but this program is exactly what someone like me needs to succeed.  Now, I haven't completed the program in 9 weeks like it prescribes, but I'm close (I started about 12-weeks ago)... AND, I'm going to get there, just at my own pace.

A friend of mine asked me to run in Buffalo's Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning.  This is an 8K race (5-miles).  I KNOW I'm not ready to run the 5-mile course, but she says she's going to walk some of it... so maybe I'll join her for a Turkey Trot-Walk-Trot-Walk.

Turn the Page... Tuesday

Is it really the 1st Tuesday of the month already!?!  WOW.  August flew by!

Well, if it IS the first Tuesday, it can only mean it's "Turn the Page... Tuesday" time.  Many thanks to Adrienne at Some of a Kind for starting this fun virtual book club of sorts.  Check out her page today and then join in next month!

So on with the books....
If you ready my entry from last month, you know I was working on completing David Copperfield.  I'm happy to say I did it!  All 900+ pages.  Whew.  This was a lonnnnnnnng one.  Completely satisfying, however.  (I would have been very upset if I read all that without a satisfactory ending.)  I found out, too, that D.C. was originally published in 30-page "episodes".  That would have been a PERFECT way to read it.  Just enough to keep you interested without making into the ONLY thing you do in your spare time.

Also for Book Club, I read Shanghai Girls by Lisa See.  This was an incredibly quick ready (maybe it just felt that way after all the "olde English" in David Copperfield) and quite enjoyable.  It was a book of struggle during the 1930s-40s for two sisters from Shanghai who end up in Los Angeles after being married (in arranged marriages).  I thought of my own sister many times when reading about Pearl & May's relationship (and perspectives of each other, especially in the eyes of their parents).  I guess sisters will have similar feelings - no matter where or when they grow up.

This weekend I started a new book, River Horse by William Least Heat-Moon (Penguin Pub).  This is yet another Book Club selection.  The story is true - Heat-Moon journeys across America in a small boat, taking waterways throughout.  So far, I have only met the boat (the Nikawa) and his co-pilot (Pilotus), but I'm looking forward to their adventures.  It seems amazing that this is possible - I can't wait to find out more.

I'm almost done with my friend's baby blanket, so hopefully next month I'll have more books to talk about.  Sadly, I haven't figured out how to knit and read at the same time.  Oh well - multitasking is SO overrated.  :)

HAPPY READING!

Turn the Page... Tuesday!

I finished one book during the month of July.  I started a knitting project this month, too (see my earlier post).. for a baby shower this weekend.   YIKES!  It's not done!

This month's book (and last one of its kind for a while) is Book 9 of the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, Dead and Gone.  I ripped though it, completing it in less than a week (on July 11th).  It wasn't however, because of the "gripping" content.  It was mainly because it was so darn hot, I couldn't force myself to do anything.  Seriously... vacuuming went undone, didn't walk the dogs (not that they wanted to), lawn growing without mowing.  It never gets into the 90s around here.  It didn't quite reach it this past week, but with temps in the high-80s and 90% humidity, it sure felt like it.  Reading was my only option.
So anyway... about 'Dead and Gone'.  It was okay... the books have definitely gone downhill since books 6/7.  The story has just fizzled.  No mystery, no fun love story, a few new characters/creatures but even they are lackluster. 
Book 10 just came out... it's only available in hardcover.  I'm going to wait till the paperback comes out to get it.  I'm just not that interested.
Not to give up on Charlaine, however, I got the first in another series... the Harper Connelly Mysteries... with Book 1, Grave Sight.  Haven't started this one yet. Maybe I will this month, maybe Ms. Harris will have to wait a bit.

I've also made progress on David Copperfield.  I'm about half-way through now.  My Book Club is meeting on the 18th of August so discuss it.  Not sure I'll make it all the way, but I'm giving my all and really enjoying it.  David is in a better place than he was earlier in his life (it was miserable), and some old characters are doing new things.  Fascinating!

The others mentioned last month are still "in the works" but definitely on the back burner.  I'll get to them when I can.  But for now, I need to get my hands back on my needles... I have a LOT of knitting to do before Saturday.

Thanks for visiting.  To learn more about Turn the Page... Tuesday, visit Some of a Kind.  Then play along!

Turn the Page... Tuesday

March was full of more random reading - fiction, non-fiction, sports...  but one thing you'll notice is missing is Sookie.  I actually did it - one whole month without her & her vampires.  Crazy, isn't it?

Before I get too carried away with my book stuff... make sure you visit Some of a Kind for more TTP...T info and to see what others are reading.  Thanks, Adrienne, for this excellent idea!

So what was on the list for March, 2010?  In no particular order, they were:

Trizophrenia:  Inside the Minds of a Triathlete by Jef Mallett

Your First Triathlon by Joe Friel

As you can guess, these are books to help me in my preparations for my first triathlon coming up on July 3rd.  I won't bore you with the details of the books - but suffice it to say... I read them at the same time, and what a perfect combination.  Serious training info (YFT) with a lot of comic relief (T:ItMoaT).


My world has kind of become this mix of preparation and folly since I signed up for the event.  I'm trying to make my preparations fun and exciting - even tho there are days I feel my lungs are going to burn up or I wonder where this "mystery pain" came from.  I'm a little less than three months from the event... panic and pride are common emotions for me lately.
It's all good!

Olive Kitterage by Elizabeth Strout
This is my Book Club's selection for our April meeting.  I'm giving it a 3.5 (out of 5). 
At first, I really disliked Olive.  She seemed callous & rude, self-centered with a total lack of empathy.  But she grew on me, tho I never loved her.  I don't think she was meant to be the most beloved character in the story - there were plenty of others who instantly drew your affection.
I didn't know before I read the book that it's set up as a series of short stories (not necessarily ALL about Olive).  However, the characters created a "fabric" of sorts - people with intertwined lives showing different sides of their personalities depending on who they were with.  Olive is definitely the center of this tapestry. 
A nice story about life... and the people who live it.

Woodswoman: Living Alone in the Adirondack Wilderness by Anne LaBastille
I've only just started this book.  My husband bought it for me during one of our trips to the Library Book Sale (he knows I'm into books about strong, independent women).  This is Anne's account of her life as a newly divorced woman who sets out to make a life of her own in a self-built cabin the Adirondacks.  So far, she's built her house (and moved it due to a zoning issue) and is about to settle in.  This is real rustic living and I can't wait to read more.
There are two more installments of this autobiographical story... we'll see if I can find them, too.
You can do whatever you put your mind to!

Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
I picked this book up over the weekend; I was "between" books and wanted something short.  Like Woodswoman, I've only just begun Catcher so I can't comment on it yet except that Holden Caulfield seems like quite a character.  I've heard the book has been banned in some places, so I'm very curious to find out why.  I guess I'll learn soon enough.

Well, that's it for this month.  Unfortunately, I won't be able to participate next month - I won't have access to a computer till around the 8th of May... but I'll be sure to stop by to see what everyone else is up to when I'm back online.

Enjoy your spring wherever you are!  Happy reading.

Hello, TTP...T!

No, this isn't bathroom humor.

It's Turn the Page... Tuesday! 
Turn the Page is the brainchild of the fabulous & creative Adrienne who asks that we all post about what we're reading on the first Tuesday of the month.  Want to see what others are reading?!?  Want to join in?!?  Goto Some of a Kind and check it out.

So, what did I read in February?  Quite a lot, especially with it being the shorty month of the year.  But, BOY, are my selections random & disconnected.  Here they are - in order of completion:

The Slow Fat Triathlete by Jayne Williams
About a month ago, I officially said "OK" to a friend who asked me to do a triathlon with her.  At the time, I thought "SURE, easy, piece of cake - I'm in pretty good shape - been working out daily - I can do a mini-triathlon.  It's only a 1/2-mile swim, 12.5-mile bike, and 3.1-mile run."  Then I tried to "run" 3.1 miles a couple weeks ago.  WHEW... this is gonna be TOUGH!
But I digress.

I LOVE JAYNE!

Her book was given to me by a friend who ran a Triathlon with her daughters to celebrate her 50th birthday.  The first thing she said to me way "Don't take this book the wrong way, just read it."

So I did, and it was SO inspirational.  I know this will be a lot of work to accomplish, but Jayne gave me pointers, inspired me, and helped me feel that I can definitely do this.  I can't wait for the weather to warm up a bit (or the snow to melt, at least), so I can get out running and biking.  I'll keep ya posted on my progress.

The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates
I had just started this book when the last TTP...T rolled around.  I finished it this past weekend.  Next Wednesday is Book Club where we'll discuss it - and I have to bring dessert.  Suggestions???

Anyway.  The Falls was good.  At Book Club we rate the books 1-5 (5 being best), then discuss.  When I give my rating next week, it will be a 3.  Here's why.
I LOVED the "local" references - I don't live far from Niagara Falls and my job takes me there often.  After reading, I researched Love Canal because of it's role in the story.  The book mentions the Buffalo News and Courier Express (now defunct newspaper in Buffalo) and other landmark businesses in the area.    It was cool to see "my cities" in a novel.

The story kept me reading.  Just when my interest started to wane, JCO would bring in a "new" storyline or add a character that would pique my curiosity to continue.  She did this very well, all the way through the novel.

The story itself, however, was depressing, dysfunctional, and ... I can't think of another 'd' word.  I felt sad for or angry at the major characters in the book.  Too often I thought "how can she say that?" or "WHY?!?!!?!?!"  But I guess, if I had become a widow only 24-hours after my marriage, I might be a little dysfunctional, too.

This would be a tough one to recommend.  Not because it's not well written, but more because of the content.  It's sad & frustrating... and with life being sad & frustrating sometimes, I've been more into fun or up-lifting reads.  BUT - if you're looking for a weird, tough-to-swallow pill... this book's for you!

And finally... what would the month be without Sookie!?

Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
I'm almost 1/3 of the way through the book and Sookie hasn't been abducted, stabbed, chased by werewolves, or seduced by a vampire.  What's wrong with this book!?!?  Ha!
A lot is going on around her, tho.  Of course.
It's only a matter of time before something "serious" happens.  And it will likely involve Eric (a very old, very beautiful, Viking Vamp).

I told myself to lay off the Sookie books back in February.  But I needed something to counteract The Falls - something brainless and fun instead of dark and heavy.  Sookie comes thru again!


I have The Catcher in the Rye out as something I'm planning to read soon... in honor/memorial of JD Salinger who died earlier this year.  My Hubby has a strong connection to this book, so I'm interested in talking with him about it, too.


Well, I guess that's all.  It's almost 9pm... time to grab a good book and snuggle with the family.
Good night & happy reading!

Turn the Page... Tuesday

Happy Tuesday!
Happy Groundhog Day!
Happy Birthday, Mom-In-Law!
Happy Turn the Page... Tuesday!

January was a slower month for reading... I tried, but I couldn't get into Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises.  I quit right around last month's TTP... T.  I might go back to it, but not yet.

What would a month be with more Sookie!?  I had a blast reading more of the Sookie Stackhouse southern vampire series by Charlaine Harris.  This time, Book 4: Dead to the World.

It was neat to read this one right now (in January)... the story was set in January, too (tho it's substantially warmer in New Orleans than in New York).  Sookie set her New Year's Resolutions at about the same time I did.  (And that's the end of the similarities between her life and mine.) 
In addition to the usual vampires, shape-shifters and were-wolves (and were-panthers, etc) came out of the woodwork.  Oh, and witches... there were Wiccans and Witches this time, too.  It was a crazy scene.  I LOVED it!
Why it's named Dead to the World, tho, I'm not sure.  Keeping with the DEAD theme, I suspect.  I once heard an interview with Ms. Harris and she admitted that her publisher/agent usually choose the title, much to her dismay, sometimes.

I'm currently reading The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates.  This is the March selection for my Book Club.  I've never read any JCO before, but I've heard it's "different".  So far, The Falls is living up to that description.  In the first chapter (even told on the book jacket), a man commits suicide by jumping over Niagara Falls, leaving his wife of less than 24-hours alone in their honeymoon suite.
Cheery, eh?

I've been enjoying the story so far & the characters are vividly written.  Plus, I'm loving the references to the different locations in the book.  I live within 50 miles of Niagara Falls and can really see the scenes she describes from various visits there. 
I'm about 1/4 of the way into it... so, we'll see where it goes.  I'll be sure to post an update next month.

Well, that's it... like I said, kind of a slow month for reading. 
Thanks for stopping by!  Be sure to pop over to Some of a Kind to see what others are reading, or to join in!
See ya next month!

P.S.  Punxsutawney Phil (the groundhog) saw his shadow... 6 more weeks of winter.   Oh well, more time for reading.

Word of the day (& a podcast)

I was reminded of a word today.
A VERY COOL word.
The word is...

Syzygy
Pronounced: \ˈsi-zə-jē\ or 'seh-zeh-gee' for the non-linguists out there
Webster's definition:  the nearly straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies (as the sun, moon, and earth during a solar or lunar eclipes) in a gravitational system

How often do you find a word with THREE Ys and a Z in it?  Probably about as often as a syzygial event happens.  They're not that common - especially if you're talking about ALL the planets aligning, and not just the sun, moon, and earth.

So, what reminded me of this fabulous word???  I was catching up on over a month's worth of The Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcasts (syzygy was mentioned in the December 9, 2009 episode).

I heard about SGU about 6-months ago (maybe less) from the hubby when I came home one day complaining about people and their "homeopathic" or "natural" remedies.    He said SGU was an excellent place for science-based info... everything from astronomy to medicine to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
He was right.
Each member of the group brings his/her own unique perspective and expertise to the discussion; but better yet, their chemistry really works (no pun intended).

My favorite part of the podcast is the game at the end... Science or Fiction... when Dr. Steven Novella tries to stump his panelist with two 'science' and one 'fiction' news items (they have to deduce (or guess) which is which).  I always try to make my decision before the panelist give their answers, but sometimes I'm just blindly guessing.  At that point I listen to each person give their reasons for choosing their answers and then decide.  Either that, or I'm on the fence and wait to hear what Bob says and go with his answer.  ;)

That's about all I have to say (for today).  But, if you want to know more cool science-related current events... check out SGU - Your Escape to Reality.

Busy, busy day! (Turn the Page... Tuesday)

You would think a Tuesday wouldn't be jammed packed with stuff... but here I am, 11:02pm and I'm not quite ready to goto bed.  Well, that's not true.  I'm ready to goto bed, but I promised myself to post my Turn the Page... Tuesday info.  (Want more info on TTP..T or want to join in?  Visit Some of a Kind and see what's what.)

But first...
Happy, happy, birthday to me!  Happy, happy, birthday to me!  Happy, happy, happy, happy birthday to meeeeeee!!!!!
Every year my sister and I buy pedicures for each other as a birthday present, so today after work we went for our joint treatments then went to dinner together.  It's nice because we're both married with families and careers, so we don't get a lot of sister-time.  This has become a truly cherished tradition for the two of us.  If I wasn't so tired I'd hunt down my camera and snap a shot of my pretty toes, they look (and feel) great.

Now on to Turn the Page... Tuesday...

I have 32 pages to go in my reading of A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.  This is an incredibly odd story of an overweight, over-educated, "idealist" in New Orleans, LA and the variety of characters with whom he interacts.  My book club is meeting tomorrow to discuss this book, and I'm very cuious to hear what the others thought of the story.

It's brilliantly written.  There are a number of dialects and speaking styles used - and from what I understand, this IS 1960s New Orleans.  The characters are also rather brilliant (in the sense that they are clearly distinct characters - no confusing people in this story) - from delusional neighbors & inept police offcers to overprotective mothers and flamboyant homosexuals.  You would think with a cast like this it would have to be good.

Sadly, the story didn't hold my interest very well.  In fact, the only reason why I didn't drop the book and continue with the Sookie Stackhouse novels is because I felt I needed to finish so I could fully participate in Book Club.  Who knows, maybe after tomorrow night I'll feel differently, but at the moment I'm happy that in 32 pages I'll be done and I can put it on the bookshelf till the next time we move (hopefully many, many years from now).

December 2nd Update:  Post Book Club Meeting
Well, seems there were people who loved CoD and others who hated it.  I was among the 3-4 people who were in the middle.  By the end of the discussion, I had an improved appreciation for the book and the writing and a couple of the characters, but I still don't think I would recommend it to others.

Now, I'm on to the January selection... Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Turn the Page... Tuesday

 

YAY! Something new!

Today is 'Turn the Page.. Tuesday' - the brainchild of Adrienne of Some of a Kind.

What is TTP...T?  The first Tuesday of every month, bloggers (like Deb @ Barefoot Mom- who I learned from) post notes about what they're reading.  Be sure to check out these sites to see what good reads are out there... and then join in!

Currently, I'm in the middle of Book 2 of Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire Series.  I'm loving it so far.  Sookie is such a lovable character and I've already been "bitten" by the story line, so I'm really looking forward to the rest of it.  You have to be a little open minded (or at least like vampires) to get into this story.  Sookie is a telepathic human and vampires (like her boyfriend, Bill) live out in the open, amongst humans, with "minority status" and drink synthetic blood.  It's a fun, quick read - I expect I'll be through it by the weekend... then on to Book 3!

Now, this one might not count as a "Turn the Page"... because I listened to it in audiobook format, but Friday I finished "Nina Kimberly the Merciless" by Christiana Ellis and wanted to share it.

 

Nina is the young daughter of a fearsome (tho deceased) barbarian conqueror... but she's stuck in a boring little town with nothing to do & a young (idiot) king who's deluded himself into thinking Nina is his girlfriend.  This is the story of her quest.  She meets new people & communicates with an intelligent dragon, fights battles, and learns lessons about life... all with some humor and funny geek-pop-culture references (like: the best place to find a hero needing a quest is in a tavern on a rainy night).  It's a great, strong-female story... I highly recommend it.

Well, that's my 'Turn the Page' for November.  Will have lots to share in December... more books, including A Confederacy of Dunces by J.K. Toole that I'm reading for Book Club.

Too many books!

I've been meaning to post reviews/comments about the books I've been reading - both for Book Club and for fun - but I've been procrastinating.

Maybe it's just not that important to me?
Maybe I'm just lazy?
Maybe I'm preoccupied?
I dunno.

Here's a list of recently read books and a note or two about each (finally)...

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society -  M.A. Shaffer & A. Barrows

  What a fun book!  You wouldn't know it from its setting - post-WWII Europe (1946); Guernsey had been occupied by the Nazis for 5 years during the war.  It's written entirely by letter (correspondence between the characters) and describes the wonderful connection people have with books & each other.
  This was a "quick read" for Book Club - I rated it a 4 (out of 5) while the average among the members was 4.33.  Probably the only reason why I didn't rate it higher was because that the ending was rather predictable.  I still enjoyed it very much.  If you need a light read with a happy ending, read this!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - J. Austen and S. Grahame-Smith

  If you haven't ready P&P before reading this book, stop right now.  Read Jane Austen's book first.  Pride & Prejudice is AWESOME!  It definitely rates in my top-10 favorite books of all time.  The "play" between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy fascinates me.  In fact, all the characters keep my attention, no matter if I like them or not.  I heard in an interview (I think it was A.S. Byatt who said it) that Jane Austen makes the reader feel clever.  I agree.  As the story unfolded, I had many an Ah-Ha! moment when I, cleverly, figured out the latest twist.
  P&P&Z, on the other hand, felt slightly forced.  I definitely enjoyed it (this was a "for fun" book).  I liked the Ninjas and the references to fighting skills in the women as a positive trait in a mate, but much of the "zombie mayhem" the book promised was lack-luster and not very clever. 
  If this was a Book Club book - the group would never go for it - I'd probably give it a 3.  I don't know if I'd recommend it to others, but I wouldn't discourage people from reading it.  It has its merits.  P&P, on the other had... BIG 5!

Possession: A Romance - A.S. Byatt

  This was a Book Club book.  I recommended it as our "light summer read". Boyyyyyy, was I WRONG!  Let me explain...
  Each summer, we hope to get an author to come to Book Club to discuss her book and writing process.  If we don't get an author, we nominate "lighter" books to read since it's summer and everything is supposed to be light & fun in the summer.  :)
  This summer, the author visit fell through (or didn't get started, I'm not sure).  Either way, in May, or there-about, the group was asked to nominate books for the 2009 summer gathering.  The day before the nomination meeting, I got a flyer in the mail from the Just Buffalo Literary Society about their reading program - they promote 4 books in their "If All of Buffalo Read the Same Book"series.  In it, was what sounded like an action-packed, romantic novel about people who love books.
  "Great!" I thought, "This will be perfect for our group!"
  If you have read Possession by AS Byatt, you know this is NOT a light read.  It's incredibly dense, highly literary, and totally big-brained... so much so that only 6 out of 20+ Book Club members finished it (and we have some smart cookies in the Club).
  I learned after I was about 1/2 way through that there is a READER'S GUIDE to the book... not Clif Notes, but kind of a "how to read Possession" guide.  On Amazon, one of the Guide's reviewers said "It's more like if you invited a person who was way "too" smart and "too" informed to your book club discussion." You needed this to get all the subtle references that Byatt includes in the book.
  Since I was the one who recommended the book, I was asked to lead the discussion.  This was the only reason why I didn't give up on the book, too.  By page 200, I was wondering where it was going and if it would ever pick up.  It finally did, in Chapter 12, and in the end I was glad I finished it.  The story is wonderful... sadly, tho, it's so tedious (in my humble, not-so-literary opinion) that much of the joy of reading was bogged down.
  The group never rated it because so few people actually complete the novel.  But I would have given it a 3.5.  A great story, but tough to get through.  I might try reading it again 5-10 years from now... we'll see.  I would highly recommend the movie (with Gwyneth Paltrow and Aaron Eckhart), however, it was everything I was hoping for in the book.


I'm currently reading two new books... one for Book Club (A Confederacy of Dunces, J.K. Toole), and one for fun (Book #2 in the Sookie Stackhouse-Vampire series by C. Harris).  I'll save my comments about those for another time.

What are YOU reading?

All about Books

I need to get my thoughts down about Possession by A.S. Byatt soon...
Why not now?
Hmm... not ready.

Oh, but I can decide on criteria/format for what I want to put into my "reviews"... or maybe brainstorm what I want to include. I plan to visit some other blogs that talk books and see what these folks say.

1. Ratings
I'm not sure I want to put a numerical rating on the books I blog about. At book club we do. We rate books from 1 to 5 (5 being the best). We do this before any discussion of the book and many times my attitude towards it changes from the start of the meeting to the end. I'll be sure to include things that I liked/disliked. For example, were there themes, characters, writing styles I want to make note of? (I'm thinking particularly of Possession right now.)

2. A brief synopsis/summary
This will help me remember what the story is about - for future reference.

3. Feelings/Impressions
I see this as a kind of "catch all" for those random things that I want to say (or remember) about certain books. I suspect this will be where I would note if I would recommend this book to others... or not.

I think this is all, for now. My criteria might change after I take a look at other sites with write-ups about books.

Body Worlds

Blood Vessel Configuration of the Thoracic Organs
Copyright: Gunther von Hagens, Institute for Plastination, Heidelberg, Germany, www.bodyworlds.com

Whoa!

My education has included a number of biology-related courses and texts, but NOTHING compares to this. Better than any video or model, Body Worlds is an amazing anatomy lesson!

From the Body Worlds website (HERE) the purpose of the exhibit is: "The BODY WORLDS exhibitions aim to educate the public about the inner workings of the human body and show the effects of poor health, good health and lifestyle choices. They are also meant to create interest in and increase knowledge of anatomy and physiology among the public."

If you don't already know - these are REAL bodies. Humans (and animals) have donated their bodies upon death to be turned into educational exhibits. Dr. Gunther von Hagens uses a process called Plastination on the subjects to preserve each and every fiber or tissue or vessel.

I was incredibly impressed with this exhibit. Not only was the science evident, but it was presented in an artful way. I was drawn to each specimen - wanting to see each of the intricacies it presented. The whole bodies were fascinating! Musculature, nerve endings, connective tissue - all there to see in their real shapes and colors. But my favorite part had to be the blood vessels. Never before have I been able to SEE capillaries in their proper perspective. Yes, I know - some capillaries are so small that only one red blood cell can pass through at a time - but what does that look like? This weekend, I saw what it looks like "in real life".

About a quarter of the way through the exhibit, I asked "why aren't there any fat people? What about defective parts? All these bodies are perfect"... then I came to the various examples of diseased or "destroyed" body parts. Things like: the black lungs of a smoker, livers destroyed by cirrhosis, and then the cross-section of a morbidly obese man (I learned today, when visiting the Body Worlds website to write this blog, that skin and fat are usually eliminated during the Plastination process; so they wouldn't be found in the "statues" in the exhibit).

I could probably go on for a lot longer, but I need to stop now and get on with my day. However... If this exhibit is traveling through your town, GO SEE IT! It's a wonderful display - enjoyable as well as highly educational.