Thanksgiving 2012

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My favorite Thanksgiving food...and let's be honest all time food....mashed potatoes.

My husband and I switch off years to spend Thanksgiving with our families.  This is his year and the first time I will be at a "traditional family" Thanksgiving.  The only year I've gone it wasn't at the house it normally was.  That person had a cat and Brad and I had to leave early.  Since I am extremely allergic.

But that is not what this post is about.   This is the top 3 of what I am thankful for this year.  Besides mashed potatoes.

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 1.  My Husband 

My husband is pretty awesome.  He is always trying to make my world a better place.  He is the calm glue to my scattered randomness.  What impresses other women about him is that he helps cook and clean, and will pack my lunch for me in the morning.  What should impress them is what that says about him.  My husband loves me, respects me, and wants me to be happy.  He wakes up everyday and asks himself how he can be a better partner, and then he does it.  I can't ask for more than that.

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 2.  Good Health

I know everyone says this, but last year was crappy crappy. 3 surgeries, limited mobility, a horrifying glimpse into what bad health, and it's ramifications on everyone, really is.

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3.  My Job

I have a job that pays a livable wage, a boss that stays out of my hair, and work that I enjoy.  I haven't always been so lucky and I know that things won't always be this way.  I am going to be grateful for it while I have it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope your mashed potatoes are delicious and the memories that you make with your family are precious.

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The Opportunist (Love Me With Lies)

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Loved, loved this book.   Go read Gone Girl and then read this immediately following for a total mind bend.

What I didn't like first.  The title and cover imply that the main character is bad.  (upon reflection this is a really great title) She shares her guilt about some unnamed big bad and what a horrible person she is.  She is not.   Then near the end, she does something with good motivation and intentions the other character acts all betrayed all over again, and she takes that guilt even though she did it for him.  That really bothered me.

This is a book about deeply flawed people, the binds of love and the scars it leaves.  It's a testimony on loving oneself before you can truly love another.  A warning tale of what love can do with you, to you and make of you.

There are twists, turns and intrigue.  There is violence and sex.  There is love.

Everyone in this book will do/has done something unforgivable.  You still root for them, you will cry for them, and most importantly you see yourself in them.  Their failings are yours, their sins are yours, and their hopes are yours.

4/5 on this one.  

It's only not a 5 because I feel like the main character is unfairly singled out as the loan antagonist. And still get upset.

New Gym

For $35 a month, there were things that I put up with at my old gym.  Eternally broken equipment and toilets, crappy hours, empty spray bottles, no paper towels.  Then there were the "typical" gym things.  Like guys doing one rep and wandering around for 15 minutes.  But they were using that machine, so don't touch it.  Most of the people at my old gym were there to socialize.  My husband and I would walk in, stay for 45-60 minutes, do our cardio or our weight circuit, and leave.  We were among the few that ever left.  The same people that were there when we walked in would be there when we walked out. 

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The new gym is about $47 a month with annual fees.  I have been there three times.  The con's are that I seem to be to short for a lot of the equipment.  I tried to talk to someone about it last night but it was late and she couldn't leave the desk.  So I need to get someone to show me what I am doing wrong or show me an alternative.  That has me frustrated.  BUT the rest is AMAZING.  I've gotten on the hydro massage bed every time I go, and it is the best thing ever.  There are chair massages, red light therapy and tanning.  Lines upon lines of cardio equipment and open 24 hours.  The best thing is, all three times I've gone, everyone is there to work out.  No one is wandering around and chatting.  No one is staring at themselves in the mirror.  There is no clanging or screaming.  Everyone is on a machine burning calories.  It is a great environment. 

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Going to a new gym makes me more excited to go over the winter, and it definitely helps the motivation.  Sure, I may not want to go to the gym, but if I do I can get a hydro massage.  You have to love incentives.

The Keeper Of Lost Causes: The Firt Department Q Novel

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I bought this based on the suggestion of people in a reading group at my work, they gave rave reviews calling it a great detective novel.  The first thing I want to say about the The Keeper of Lost Causes is the author is from Denmark.  You will find some of the names, transportation scenarios, and money references much less jarring of you have read the Girl With a Dragon Tattoo or another Scandinavian author.  This was a detective story. A story about a damaged man and the ways he is coping with the damage.  He is not looking for redemption, but he is good at what he does, when he is not to busy being damaged. 

That was not what made this an interesting read for me.  Honestly, most of the scenes with the main character Carl Mørck I could have skipped.  He didn't interest me, his struggle didn't interest me, his lack of redeeming qualities  did not interest me.  In fact, if it wasn't for the victim, I probably would have stopped reading this book.

The chapters involving the victim were what kept me glued to the pages.  I liked her.  Her story, her psychology, what her life was.  Her story, was the best part of this book.  

I don't know if I will pick up another Department Q novel.  It did not draw me in and make me care.  The times it did were so different from the times it didn't, that the contrast made me view the entire book in a worse light than I might have other wise.

3/5

Happiness is the little things 11.9.12

1.  Video Games

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Seriously love RPG's.  I played Dragon Age I at least 6 times ( 30 hour game) I've played Dragon Age II, 4 times ( 40 hour game) Fable II so many times I can't tell you ( much shorter game) and Fable III 3 or 4 times.  I am kind of an addictive personality and an escapist.  Ok, I am totally an addictive personality and an escapist.  It's more interactive than reading or TV.  People who don't read or play video games only get to live one life. I have lived hundreds.  When you do all of the really sad nerd math up there you will realize why we don't have cable. 

2.  Indoor Cycling

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Yet another opportunity to reveal to you my oddities.  I love working out.  We had our hardest class yet on Monday and I was walking out talking about how much fun I had.  Other people were crying.  It's all about pacing yourself people!

3.  Carmel Apple Spice from StarBucks

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Just like drinking apple pie.  Don't let the picture fool you.  You have to order this VENTI or it does not taste as amazing as it can be.  I hate coffee with a fiery passion.  Yet somehow I am a gold card holder at Starbucks.  Figure that one out.  I started the whole card system for the free soy.  But they recently took that perk away.  Let's not forget I have to avoid soy now as well.  Maybe these will keep me at Gold Card status.

4.  Democracy

 

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I discovered during this election that I truly love democracy.  I was listening to people talk about how they would throw away their spouses absentee ballot if the knew they had voted for the other party.  Between conversations like that and some of the other craziness going on, it made me realize what a great country we live in.  We can choose our leaders.  As flawed and damaged as our system is, at the end of the day We The People have a voice.  And of you are even tempted to throw away someone else's vote you do not believe in democracy or America.  Being part of the democratic process is an honor, and a thrill.  That also means accepting the vote of the majority, even if you do not agree.

5.  Jonathan Apples

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I love tart and sour.  I know the world loves the Honey Crisp but not I.  Give me a half green, half red, tart, fleshy Jonathan Apple.  Which reminds me, I need to go buy another batch at the Farmer before they are out.

What's been getting you through the day?

Lucy Guardino FBI Thrillers

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I LOVED the first book.  I had never downloaded a Kindle book on my phone to read until I was reading Snake Skin.  CJ Lyons interweaves various first person narratives through out the book.  You want to keep turning to learn more about whichever character she is throwing at you next.  I don't like the main character, Lucy.  The author tries very hard to make sure you understand her, but I don't like her.  While the subject matter was dark I found the most disturbing scenes to be the one where it appeared she was systematically trying to tear her family apart.  I believe I bought this for under $3 on my Kindle and it was well worth it.

4/5

 

 

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Blood Stained was not the novel that Snake Skins was.  I found the subject matter far more depressing, and the new characters, especially the ones allowed first person narratives, far less interesting.  One of the things I liked the least, and a pet peeve of mine,  is as the reader, you know what is going on long before Lucy does.  For example, the entire book.  The other main first person perspective is transparent.  While the author never tells you what is going on behind his view, you know what's coming.  And you know it is sad.  Unless you are bored this winter skip this one.  I am looking forward to the third book which will be released soon, but the second book was forgettable.

2/5

October to November

October was quite a month.  I have lots of blogs in the draft folder that I wrote, but none that I was able to publish.  I hate it when bloggers say that.  I can tell you this, I will hit publish eventually.

My October fitness minutes were minimal.  I did a lot of walking dirt trails and paved trails but zero riding.  My Endomondo screen shot for October would look pretty pathetic if I shared it with you.

It is November, and it is cold.  My husband and I don't like coffee so we drink a lot of hit tea and hot chocolate.

I had a migraine for three weeks, that was fun.  I've decided it was the soy in the new vitamin I was taking.  I was in denial about that for...well....three weeks.  I had done a lot of research and had chosen a food based highly rated and well reviewed product.  I even bought it from Whole Foods.  Once I decided denial wasn't doing anything for my migraine, I stopped taking it. Life has been much better since then.  Now I need to start all over with my research and find a food based vitamin with NO SOY.  Ugh.

I've started indoor cycling at work 2 days a week with a group of my co-workers.  It's been 1 week and a lot of fun so far.

Yesterday I went for a 45 degree, 14 mile bike ride.  It was further on a different side of my path then I have gone before.  I took the hybrid with the wider tires and it was a nice adventure.  I think I will be riding it more in the winter than I did in the summer.

My aunt bought me cycling tights as an early Christmas present and they are awesome.  I wore only those ( not lined) and my bike shorts and my legs were not cold and did not feel the wind at all.  I highly suggest getting yourself a pair.  I tired to wear a neck gator but I felt like I was choking so I took it off.  I might try to stretch it out before I wear it again, or just buy a face mask.  We shall see how dedicated I am to cold weather riding.

I have read a multiple books I want to post reviews for and I am halfway through a favorites post.