Book Club: The Eyre Affair

Our Book Club chose The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde to be our July book. This novel revolves around a Special Operations Agent [for books] named Thursday Next and her adventures through cities, time/space and books to catch the villan in this book, Acheron Hades. Yes, I said books--as in leaping through the pages of classic novels and poems.

I am not a fan of science fiction or fantasy novels. Twilight was an exception because who is to say that vampires are not real? Certanily not me! I am not a Harry Potter fan either [put your guns down!].

[Okay, I did love the Time Traveler's Wife, too…so maybe I am just selective,.]

Either which way you look at it…I was not a fan of this book. It was brought up as a choice for a couple of months, so we decided to just go with it…errr…they did. I wanted no part of this book before, during or even now--but it wasn't a terrible book. At all.

In fact, if I was a fan of this genre, I would have loved this book and devoured the entire series.

I think that if you enjoy reading…and you enjoy this genre, then pick up the series. You will like it. It had some entertaining parts, such as the villan being named after a mythological hell…and Tuesday's boss being named Braxton Hicks.

There was just too much "unreal" for me to enjoy it.

Book 3/30

25 MORE Things About Moi

I am repeatedly getting tagged on Facebook from people filling out a '25 Things About Me' list. Frankly, I don't know how to fill out the notes on Facebook, but I am quite familiar with my blog, so I'm just going to write them here and then post a link on my new addiction. Sounds like a plan, Stanley!

As you know, I posted a more extensive About Me list last year, so it was very difficult coming up with 25 more items in addition to my previous 100. So…here goes it…

1. I love to put cinnamon apple sauce on everything [including Ravioli's]
2. I once pulled a back muscle in the shower while belting out Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful"
3. I have a magnificent view of the Myriad Gardens from my office window
4. I believe in God, but do not believe in organized religion
5. My sister and I were only grandchildren on my father's side, yet my grandparents could hardly stand us.
6. I love Indian Food. Every birthday, that is my meal choice. Period.
7. I sobbed uncontrollably at the end of Benjamin Button
8. I have become quite addicted to milk chocolate covered almonds of the Hershey variety
9. I want to move to the Eastern part of the United States
10. I love my friends - real life and bloggers!
11. I always route for the underdog
12. I am usually the underdog
13. I cried the first time my husband beat me at mini-golf
14. I am very competitive
15. My new celebrity crush is Bradley Cooper [although he does not replace my previously mentioned crushes: Ryan Phillippe and Ewan McGregor]
16. I think mowing the lawn is oodles of fun
17. My mom and I once bought 200 lottery tickets…and ended up winning only seventeen dollars
18. I once got chased to the police station by a crazy woman in a truck after I flipped her off in the Taco Bell drive-thru line
19. You can win me over with a cupcake--my ultimate weakness
20. I floss every day
21. I rarely wear make-up
22. I am addicted to Mafia Wars
23. I once licked all of the salt off of my airplane bag of pretzels and then gave them to my mom to eat [she wasn't happy]
24. My favorite gum is Trident: Original Flavor
25. I love love love Chocolate Chip, Orange, Zucchini Bread. Yum!


So there you have it. Not a super exciting list…but it took a LONG time for me to come up with 25 things and cross reference them to my old list. I only put one thing on there twice and that was 'I do not like to swim in public bodies of water'…so that item is doubly true.

Book Review: Twenty's Girl

I have been reading such serious and/or uninteresting novels lately that it was time for a light, airy book. Twenty's Girl, by Sophie Kinsella [my fav. chic-lit/British author] definitely hit the mark. This story focuses around a girl in her late twenties [Lara] who is being visited by her dead great-aunt [Sadie]--yes a ghost. Unknown family history and scandel is unraveled and a strong friendship between two unlikely characters is born. This book comes highly recommended by moi [to females].

Although some people brand chic-lit as 'lame' and 'brainless' literature, I feel as if the books are a break away from reality and everyone has a happy ending. I especially like these light books when they are set in different countries and this particular book has only strengthened my desire to visit London.

...I certainly want to know what a 'dough ball' is… sounds simply delectable!


Book 2/30

Midnight Streak - July 25, 2009

Last night at 11:00 p.m., I ran my second out of ten 5K's for my Bucket List. I participated in the Midnight Streak [no we didn't run naked] and it felt GREAT...plus I beat my previous run time by a little over 2 minutes--I ran 3.1 miles in 31:09!!! So. Excited. About. This!!!

I followed up my run with a late night IHOP meal. Nothing better than eggs and greasy bacon after a nice run, right???

Here's a picture of my watch. I don't know how I'm ever going to time something else and be forced to delete this...b/c I highly doubt I will ever be able to beat this time!!!



2/10

Bucket List: Granny Bowling

Another mark off the 'ol Bucket List for me. I bowled an entire game granny style last night--sober! It was a lot of fun [the company was even better!] and I bowled a 44, which was only 32 points below the 'real' game I played right before it. So I'm not a pro-bowler…whatev's!

As you can probably imagine, I debated putting this picture up. In the end [pun intended], it was the right thing to do. Do NOT judge the Lopez--or no soup for you!



Three down, Twenty Seven more items to go! Chuggin' right along...

Freedom Run and Downtown Dash

July 4, 2009

Andy and I participated in a 3K Freedom run in Bethany, Oklahoma on Saturday morning. It doesn't count towards my Bucket List [duh, it's a 3K], but I knew that signing up for it would motivate me to push hard for my 'homework'. I did push pretty hard--I came in 21/71 women and that made me super happy! I wasn't thrilled with my time, though--plus they didn't have a start mat to clock my real time and I like to start in the back of the pack. Anyhow, it was a fun run, good homework and I was glad to get it out of the way early!


June 13, 2009

This post is long past due! Jennifer and I decided a good way to kick off boot camp would be to run a 5K the Saturday before torture began. We ran in Oklahoma City's Downtown Dash--and this was the first of ten 5K's that I plan to run before my next birthday! Andy and Sarah ran with us, too--Sarah pretty much kicked arse! The 2009 Downtown Dash was an evening run based on one of the most humid days ever. It was pretty much breathing in liquid air and I am thankful that Jennifer hung back with me. [Note: Jennifer runs MARATHONS and a 5K is easy peasy for her--but she held back just for me and we got to talk! woohoo!] Needless to say, my time wasn't so hot, but it was good--and I can definitely beat it in my next run! Won't be hard anyway!
After the run, the plan was to go to McNellie's, a bar in downtown OKC. They handed out pint glasses at their water stop and if we brought them in, we got a free pint of beer. Well, we had an 8 year old little girl with us and she wasn't allowed in [which we didn't know b/c the race was not only family oriented, but it is a bar/restaurant type of place]--PLUS, because I didn't have my i.d. with me and I obviously look like a teenager [*smiles*], they would not let me in.

Andy and I headed over to Mama Roja with the Mobs and had a delicious meal! My last great meal before boot camp--woohoo!

Andy and Jennifer:


Danny, Sarah and Samantha:


1/10