I didn't have time to read a lot, but I think I made a decent showing - especially since my first book I started at Christmas and it still took me half of January.
Dragonfly in Amber - Diane Gabaldon Dear God, this book took three weeks of my life and I complained through most of it ... and at the end I wanted to immediately get the next book from the library. I'm going to wait so that maybe I can read SOMETHING else, but I think (possibly unfortunately) I'll be reading the next installment.
Wicked Business - Janet Evanovich Well, I needed a fun quick read after that. This series isn't as fun as the Stephanie Plum books (hey, you have your smut and I have this) but it was fun.
The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls (re-read) Every time I read this, I am flabergasted by how no one came to these children's rescue. A lot of it I can relate to, but not the downright neglect. Seriously. This was for my newest book club, and I still had a lot to say about it.
Hex Hall - Rachel Hawkins I had several work road trips this month, and listened to this during a couple. It was light and airy, but I really liked the voice of the narrator. It was funny and real for a teenager, without being all "like" and "totally" ... except when using them for comic effect.
The Light Between Oceans - ML Stedman Oh man, I picked this for book club which was at my house this month (you pick the book the month you host) and I didn't know ANYTHING about it. It was heartbreaking, and amazing, and sort of easy to read but such complicated emotions. At the end, I just couldn't fault anyone for their decisions, right or wrong.
Notorious Nineteen - Janet Evanovich Fun, fun, fun. Started last night, read and finished on the plane today.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
From the desk of the sick one
I had grand plans yesterday to blog. I was going to start
out with some good things for a Monday and then complain about how my whole
family was at home and I was stuck at work, working.
But then, I got sick.
It occurs to me this morning after I slept like the dead
through the night (thank you, Unisom) that I may have caught something from
Chuck E Cheese on Saturday. All those disease-ridden children and my sub-par immune
system. Or maybe it was book club Friday, where the adorable baby of the girl whose
house we were at turn up sick by Sunday.
In any event, I am sick, I am whiny, and I want to be in bed
watching tv marathons while drifting in and out of sleep. This is not conducive
to a happy-yappy blog post. Oops! So here are the “good” bullet points I would
have put out there yesterday:
- My stomach is no longer in shambles, as it was all week last week.
- I’m technically down for my Monday weigh-in (although only by .2, but I think that’s heading back to the complaint side of things)
- My wedding ring has been found! It was in the kids’ room, between their bed and the window. I don’t have any idea how it got from my nightstand to there, but I’m just going to be happy it’s been located.
- I finally dyed my hair, about a month after when it was seriously needed. I really was starting to feel that meme “Your hair’s not ombre, it’s just your roots showing”.
Those of you who take work home, how on earth to you open
that laptop or dig into that file later? I take home work constantly (including
over this weekend and last night) but I’m nearly incapable of cracking it open.
I feel that if I could get over this, I could get more done and would be less
stressed at work, but then I would be stressed about work while at home and
that’s no good either.
On another, possibly-stress related note, I noticed Monday
that I have forgotten to take my anti-depressant/anti-anxiety meds for more
than a week. I don’t know when I started forgetting, but I’m pretty much off
them completely. I don’t feel bad off them, so I don’t know if I should get
back on them (which basically in me causes morning sickness for a solid 10 days
before I start feeling better) or if I should wait and see if I don’t need them
anymore. I don’t think that I’m having any more anxiety than normal lately, and
I was pretty tore up last week over stress, but it was a very stressful week.
It’s not really like I was making something out of nothing. I don’t think I’ve
been yelling at the kids more than normal or fighting w C more than usual, and
other than my current insomnia (which Unisom is helping) I don’t feel any
different. I don’t WANT to be on anxiety meds if I don’t need them, but I am
absolutely not opposed to being on meds for my entire life if it improves the
quality of my relationships with my family.
So. I’m a little up in the air about all that.
Last night since I wasn’t feeling well my diet went a little
out the window. I made French Onion soup (it was in the freezer from Trader Joe’s)
and grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. Tonight I’m making more soup: sausage,
sweet potato and cauliflower. Let’s hope I don’t burn myself this time.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Running thin
I was talking to my coworker this morning about my book clubs, and I mentioned that I had one tonight that I have read the book for but the one next week that is at my house I hadn’t. Then I mentioned a kids’ birthday party that we are going to tomorrow, and she told me I seemed to be stretching myself a little thin. “You have two small boys! Aren’t they already running you ragged without all that other stuff?”
Hmm.
I know that most people when I tell them how much I do usually say that, but in my life I don’t really feel that way. I work about 45 hours a week, and am gone FOR work about 60 hours a week minimum, sometimes more. I have two IRL book clubs and two online that I participate in sometimes. I am on social media far too much, I acknowledge. I also participate in several exchanges online (scarf exchange, monthly CDP exchanges, etc). I cook all meals for my family, and do about 40% of the around-the-house chores (I fully acknowledge my husband does more of this). Occasionally (and trying for more) I exercise also.
I also have two high-energy, running, screaming, jumping make-me-run-for-the-hills boys.
So when I wonder why I had to start taking a sleeping aide this week because I was having bouts of insomnia and I had some pretty serious stress-related stomach issues this week, it occurs to me that maybe I should slow down a little. I don’t always feel stressed, but I always feel a little frazzled and angry. I don’t spend as much time with my husband as I should, and I have far too short of a fuse with my kids.
I don’t plan on giving up any of my activities. When I’m being honest with myself I know that I’m a better wife and mother when I have these things of my own. However, in the spirit of Ginger’s new resolution (not NY, just regular ole great resolution) I’m going to remind myself daily of the things I have to be thankful. I’m going to TRY very hard to spend better time with my kids. Not more, just better. Spencer can “help” me exercise and do jumping jacks with me. Henry can tell me what color his Froot Loops are (note: still doesn’t know his colors, except pink and white. This is normal, right?) I’m going to breathe. Relax. And remember that I am lucky and shouldn’t be this stressed.
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Hmm.
I know that most people when I tell them how much I do usually say that, but in my life I don’t really feel that way. I work about 45 hours a week, and am gone FOR work about 60 hours a week minimum, sometimes more. I have two IRL book clubs and two online that I participate in sometimes. I am on social media far too much, I acknowledge. I also participate in several exchanges online (scarf exchange, monthly CDP exchanges, etc). I cook all meals for my family, and do about 40% of the around-the-house chores (I fully acknowledge my husband does more of this). Occasionally (and trying for more) I exercise also.
I also have two high-energy, running, screaming, jumping make-me-run-for-the-hills boys.
So when I wonder why I had to start taking a sleeping aide this week because I was having bouts of insomnia and I had some pretty serious stress-related stomach issues this week, it occurs to me that maybe I should slow down a little. I don’t always feel stressed, but I always feel a little frazzled and angry. I don’t spend as much time with my husband as I should, and I have far too short of a fuse with my kids.
I don’t plan on giving up any of my activities. When I’m being honest with myself I know that I’m a better wife and mother when I have these things of my own. However, in the spirit of Ginger’s new resolution (not NY, just regular ole great resolution) I’m going to remind myself daily of the things I have to be thankful. I’m going to TRY very hard to spend better time with my kids. Not more, just better. Spencer can “help” me exercise and do jumping jacks with me. Henry can tell me what color his Froot Loops are (note: still doesn’t know his colors, except pink and white. This is normal, right?) I’m going to breathe. Relax. And remember that I am lucky and shouldn’t be this stressed.
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Thursday, January 17, 2013
Books I read: December
So … yo, this is late. I didn’t read a lot in December with everything else that was going on, but I did do a little reading so here’s what I consumed:
City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare you really could see November about this series. My BFF brought me the first three, and I loved them so much I got the next two from the library and devoured them as well. Fun series. Vampires, Faeries, Demon hunters … what’s not to love?
City of Lost Souls - Cassandra Clare ditto on above. Now waiting on No. 6 to make its appearance.
Looking for Alaska - John Green Everyone told me how lovely this book was, no one told me I’d feel like crying afterward. Very good.
Divergent - Veronica Roth LOVED. Loved.
That’s 102 books total for the year of 2012. I thought about keeping Firefly in Amber on my December list considering I started it around Christmas, but it turned out that I was only 142 pages in on a 1033 page book and the damn thing took me two weeks into January to get through. So it’s a January book. Not too shabby though. That doesn’t count re-reads, although I think only four were re-reads: the Hunger Games trilogy and I believe something else.
City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare you really could see November about this series. My BFF brought me the first three, and I loved them so much I got the next two from the library and devoured them as well. Fun series. Vampires, Faeries, Demon hunters … what’s not to love?
City of Lost Souls - Cassandra Clare ditto on above. Now waiting on No. 6 to make its appearance.
Looking for Alaska - John Green Everyone told me how lovely this book was, no one told me I’d feel like crying afterward. Very good.
Divergent - Veronica Roth LOVED. Loved.
That’s 102 books total for the year of 2012. I thought about keeping Firefly in Amber on my December list considering I started it around Christmas, but it turned out that I was only 142 pages in on a 1033 page book and the damn thing took me two weeks into January to get through. So it’s a January book. Not too shabby though. That doesn’t count re-reads, although I think only four were re-reads: the Hunger Games trilogy and I believe something else.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Bits on Friday
The fact that I’m moving at the rate of a slug today reminds me of a story from a couple days ago. So C was messing with something on the front porch, and I asked him what he was doing.
“I’m moving a snail off the porch” (and he’s got a giant leaf in his hand)
“Oh okay”
“It’s a snail without a shell”
“So … a slug?”
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“I’m moving a snail off the porch” (and he’s got a giant leaf in his hand)
“Oh okay”
“It’s a snail without a shell”
“So … a slug?”
- We got a new couch, which I’m way excited about except that it means we need a new end table (ours is about 5 inches too short) and a new chair (ours is huge and doesn’t go with the new modern sectional) and a new lamp (with one side table our old low-light buffet lights just don’t cut it) and new throw pillows (because, come on). So yay for shopping! Boo for not really wanting to spend MORE money on top of the couch and the car.
- We’ve sold our toddler bed and love seat on Craigslist but I’m still trying to get rid of the big couch. No takers yet, but I really don’t want to go any lower (I think it’s listed at $50, and it’s a really good couch). Any suggestions?
- The traffic for the last two weeks has been murder. Seriously, very bad. Last week two days in a row it took me two hours to get home, and I live 20 minutes from work. Monday I was meeting a coworker at the mall to leave my car and carpool to a work obligation and it’s a 10 minute drive that took me 50 minutes. Car-rrrazy. So here’s to hoping that subsides. I love my new car but not THAT much.
- I’m STILL plodding along in Dragonfly in Amber. I think that’s a very apt name for this book. I like it (or I would have abandoned it by now) but it’s just dragging. I think I only have 4 days left on my ebook library loan and I just don’t know if I can finish in that time. That would normally be nothing for me (even with 1033 pages) but I’ve got over 400 left. I don’t know, we’ll see.
- I haven’t had a soda in ELEVEN DAYS. The first several days were treacherous, and I daydreamed about getting a Dr. Pepper every second that I wasn’t doing something, but over the past couple the only time I think about soda is to marvel that I’m not craving it anymore. I still want one, don’t get me wrong. But I even turned down the free soda on the planes. I have also cut down on my alcohol consumption, having wine four times in the last two weeks. One time was with my friend in Jacksonville while I was visiting, twice with dinner and then Wednesday when I was sitting in the airport for two hours. This feels like still too much, but I was having a drink daily with or after dinner. I have at least cut down on that.
- I bought a ridiculous amount of vegetables two weekends ago to make sure we had enough veggies, and I’d like to now announce that besides 3/4 of a bag of lettuce that accidentally froze/thawed in the fridge (we have a cold spot) and had to be trashed we’ve eaten every bit of it. Tonight I’m making fish with lentils, sautéed greens, and cranberry sauce and then I HAVE to go shopping tomorrow because I’m actually out of veggies. (The cranberry sauce is because I had an extra bag of cranberries in the fridge from Christmas and they were going bad so I made them up the other night). The boys will probably/maybe eat lentils and cranberry sauce only, although S might eat the fish.
- My exercise this week has been ridiculous though. Monday I did Just Dance Kids, which was supposed to be with S but he refused to dance. Tuesday … nothing, I think? Oh, I helped move couches. Wednesday, nothing. Last night I went “skipping” with H which was much more tiring than I expected. Today I did get to the gym at work for 45 minutes finally. I’ve been almost always using the stairs except when I’m carrying a lot up to work from the car, but that’s my only steady exercise. Clearly I need to get on that.
- S started doing second grade math homework this week. In a way, I’m very excited about this – I’m so glad that even though he’s not even in VPK he is learning at his own rate (which is advanced) but I’m also concerned that when he gets to kindergarten (and even more so VPK) that he’ll be too advanced for his peers. I’ve been told that they do school in pods these days so he could go to a different class for math, etc. I guess we’ll have to see when we get there.
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Saturday, January 5, 2013
In the Air
I'm typing this while at cruising altitude, but don't ask me what that is because I don't spend enough time in the air to actually know. I spent Friday night in Jacksonville, as a work-slash-fun trip, but it's nice to get back to family. I was texted while I was there to ask what kind of oil to use for making popcorn so I was a little sad I missed popcorn-and-a-movie (dear lord, I can do without watching TS3 again though). But I did get to visit with a great high school friend and her family, and her extended family for a bit even (her brother and his family, and parents - all whom I know from high school).
I've been doing good on the no soda kick for the past (checks calendar) 3.5 days but I've MISSED IT. I daydream about the stuff. It's my crack, really. I haven't done QUITE as well with no sweets, but reasonably. I'm not beating myself up over my slip-ups. I had a handful of M&Ms on Thursday night, two mini Milky Way darks, and Lisa made a Toblerone mousse for dessert last night and if you think I'm going to pass THAT up you've got another thing coming. There were also a couple of small glasses of wine ...
I haven't done any exercising due to a bit of a crazy week, but I've forced myself out of the elevator at work a couple times and took nothing but the stairs while I was there - 6 flights a day, each way. (BTW, I did actually get into the elevator and then back out twice. It's work!)
I was amazed at how quickly I was acclimated to driving an SUV. I've never liked larger cars, and I've always appreciated being low to the ground - better for maneuvering, as it was. But after one week in the Tucson I had to get in a Mazda 3 rental and I felt So! Short! I got used to it, but the drive to my work obligation was very strange. I'll be glad to get back in my own beautiful vehicle. (Also, it's not often that I get in a rental and my car is better. I loved my Corolla, but bells and whistles it did not have).
This month is going to be difficult and crazy. I want to make good food choices while I'm on the road for work (I have seven day trips and this overnight) but any exercising I do will likely be at home. I bought myself a kettlebell (Shea, gonna come over and show me how to use it properly?) and I have a couple of exercise things to start (there's really good yoga doodads on YouTube, surprisingly).
The people in front of me are drinking on this flight. I know it's common, but it's like 9am. I am not opposed to an early morning mimosa, but it feels like it would be weird to have a 7&7 for breakfast. Just me, apparently.
I'm working my way through Dragonfly in Amber, but it feels like it's dragging and it disappears from my ebook library in a fair nine days (I'm somewhere around 250 of 1033). I have another book from the ebook library that is likely to take me a couple hours to read (Evanovich, don't judge) and then I NEED to get started on my two book club books. I picked Light Between Oceans for my pick for my main book club (it's my month to host) so obviously I should read the dern thing before people show up at my house to discuss it. For the book club that my neighbor started, we are reading Glass Castles. I've already read it but it's been a couple years so I need to get a quick re-read in before the 18th (and it won't even count toward my year of books, wah! I don't count re-reads). So four. If I can get through those four, possibly it will be a successful month. I do have several driving trips for work though, so if anyone has any good (cheap) audiobooks to recommend, please do.
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I've been doing good on the no soda kick for the past (checks calendar) 3.5 days but I've MISSED IT. I daydream about the stuff. It's my crack, really. I haven't done QUITE as well with no sweets, but reasonably. I'm not beating myself up over my slip-ups. I had a handful of M&Ms on Thursday night, two mini Milky Way darks, and Lisa made a Toblerone mousse for dessert last night and if you think I'm going to pass THAT up you've got another thing coming. There were also a couple of small glasses of wine ...
I haven't done any exercising due to a bit of a crazy week, but I've forced myself out of the elevator at work a couple times and took nothing but the stairs while I was there - 6 flights a day, each way. (BTW, I did actually get into the elevator and then back out twice. It's work!)
I was amazed at how quickly I was acclimated to driving an SUV. I've never liked larger cars, and I've always appreciated being low to the ground - better for maneuvering, as it was. But after one week in the Tucson I had to get in a Mazda 3 rental and I felt So! Short! I got used to it, but the drive to my work obligation was very strange. I'll be glad to get back in my own beautiful vehicle. (Also, it's not often that I get in a rental and my car is better. I loved my Corolla, but bells and whistles it did not have).
This month is going to be difficult and crazy. I want to make good food choices while I'm on the road for work (I have seven day trips and this overnight) but any exercising I do will likely be at home. I bought myself a kettlebell (Shea, gonna come over and show me how to use it properly?) and I have a couple of exercise things to start (there's really good yoga doodads on YouTube, surprisingly).
The people in front of me are drinking on this flight. I know it's common, but it's like 9am. I am not opposed to an early morning mimosa, but it feels like it would be weird to have a 7&7 for breakfast. Just me, apparently.
I'm working my way through Dragonfly in Amber, but it feels like it's dragging and it disappears from my ebook library in a fair nine days (I'm somewhere around 250 of 1033). I have another book from the ebook library that is likely to take me a couple hours to read (Evanovich, don't judge) and then I NEED to get started on my two book club books. I picked Light Between Oceans for my pick for my main book club (it's my month to host) so obviously I should read the dern thing before people show up at my house to discuss it. For the book club that my neighbor started, we are reading Glass Castles. I've already read it but it's been a couple years so I need to get a quick re-read in before the 18th (and it won't even count toward my year of books, wah! I don't count re-reads). So four. If I can get through those four, possibly it will be a successful month. I do have several driving trips for work though, so if anyone has any good (cheap) audiobooks to recommend, please do.
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Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Goal time
I’ve thought a lot about my resolutions this year. Last year … well, I can’t wait to get to a real computer and delete that list on the right there. I want to give myself a challenge, but I also want to not set myself up to fail. Without further ado:
Me:
I want to take care of myself this year. Last year I nearly pretty much stopped exercising, stopped running, started drinking soda again (a lot!), ate white pastas again. I fell back into the rabbit hole, as it was. So this year I need to get that all back. I gained weight (15lbs, all said and done) but moreover I just feel bad about myself. I have a new starting weight and while I never try to focus too hard on the number, ultimately I’d like to lose 33 lbs. I’m still not good at cutting foods completely out of my life (and I don’t think it’s a particularly healthy way to do it, although I understand the inclination) but I am going to cut sweets out completely for a month, and soda all together. I plan on one “starch” serving per day, less cheese and more complex carbs over whites. I want to explore tofu and eat more soups and salads. I am committed to using the stairs exclusively at work, and working out more at home and possibly again on my lunch break at work. I am committed to running again.
I am committed to Biggest Blogging Loser. (Last attempt I gained 4lbs, but the first time I lost 20lbs during BBL and 42lbs during that year, so there’s that. I didn’t try one iota this past attempt. This time: different.)
I want to make sure to take my anxiety/depression pill every single day. I need to focus on finding out if it’s helping or if I need to tweak my prescription. I need to use my eczema creams properly so my feet feel better.
My family:
I want to nurture my relationships with my husband and children this year. Last year … well, I just felt like I yelled a lot and felt overwhelmed a lot. I haven’t really figured out how to fix this for myself (open to suggestions!) but I’m just going to try not to yell. I’m going to try to smile more and laugh more and hope that with practice it comes more naturally. That happens, right? Fake it till you make it? So more playing outside with the kids, more date nights with the husband, more (sex), more laughter. Just more me. And them.
I think that’s a doable goal list. With this comes the usual – read (I read 103 books last year, I plan on sticking with 100 again this year). Trips – I’m going to The Blathering, a cruise with my BFF, hopefully a trip to DE, possibly Colorado if it can be worked out, and fingers-crossed a trip alone with my husband. I just bought a car, so I plan on cooking more and want to work on a meal planner so that my veggies aren’t going to waste. I’m now in two in-person book clubs (mine is defunct) so I’ve been working on that. And there’s work, which is busy busy.
.
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Me:
I want to take care of myself this year. Last year I nearly pretty much stopped exercising, stopped running, started drinking soda again (a lot!), ate white pastas again. I fell back into the rabbit hole, as it was. So this year I need to get that all back. I gained weight (15lbs, all said and done) but moreover I just feel bad about myself. I have a new starting weight and while I never try to focus too hard on the number, ultimately I’d like to lose 33 lbs. I’m still not good at cutting foods completely out of my life (and I don’t think it’s a particularly healthy way to do it, although I understand the inclination) but I am going to cut sweets out completely for a month, and soda all together. I plan on one “starch” serving per day, less cheese and more complex carbs over whites. I want to explore tofu and eat more soups and salads. I am committed to using the stairs exclusively at work, and working out more at home and possibly again on my lunch break at work. I am committed to running again.
I am committed to Biggest Blogging Loser. (Last attempt I gained 4lbs, but the first time I lost 20lbs during BBL and 42lbs during that year, so there’s that. I didn’t try one iota this past attempt. This time: different.)
I want to make sure to take my anxiety/depression pill every single day. I need to focus on finding out if it’s helping or if I need to tweak my prescription. I need to use my eczema creams properly so my feet feel better.
My family:
I want to nurture my relationships with my husband and children this year. Last year … well, I just felt like I yelled a lot and felt overwhelmed a lot. I haven’t really figured out how to fix this for myself (open to suggestions!) but I’m just going to try not to yell. I’m going to try to smile more and laugh more and hope that with practice it comes more naturally. That happens, right? Fake it till you make it? So more playing outside with the kids, more date nights with the husband, more (sex), more laughter. Just more me. And them.
I think that’s a doable goal list. With this comes the usual – read (I read 103 books last year, I plan on sticking with 100 again this year). Trips – I’m going to The Blathering, a cruise with my BFF, hopefully a trip to DE, possibly Colorado if it can be worked out, and fingers-crossed a trip alone with my husband. I just bought a car, so I plan on cooking more and want to work on a meal planner so that my veggies aren’t going to waste. I’m now in two in-person book clubs (mine is defunct) so I’ve been working on that. And there’s work, which is busy busy.
.
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