I do not care for fish. I'm not sure what my issue is. I like shrimp, crab, lobster, and will even order those over a nice chicken breast. I'll occasionally eat salmon, but have to psych myself up for it. I'll even, every once in awhile, think that tuna sounds good. But. I am not one of those people who asks for the catch of the night at the restaurant. The last thing I'd eat on the McDonald's menu is filet o'fish and there's a whole lot of things on the Mickey D's menu that I'm not fond of. Actually, I kind of get a little flustered around other meat such as venison, beef with wiggly veins and gristle, chicken with purple stringy things...etc.
23 is going on a mission trip in a month. She'll be heading down to Chile. Fish is apparently often on the menu in Chile. Cow udder is available as well, but fish may be a step up from cow udder...even filet o'fish. 23 caught her fish/meat squeamishness from me and fears that this may manifest during her stay in Chile. You don't want to start off a mission trip by hurting the host family's feelings after all. So a sushi knowledgeable friend told 23 she'd get her acclimated to different tastes and textures by visiting a sushi happy hour.
Somehow I got roped into this little adventure as well.
My favorite part of the afternoon was the fresh ginger. I've never had ginger either. Weird, kind of like thin slices of cucumbery texture with a hint of cucumber taste and an almost citrusy/minty blend. A little goes a long way. But good. Now, I know what ginger will add to a recipe that calls for it. Then there were the steamed/roasted sea salt covered edamae pods. Yum.
Next. Calamari. Battered and fried tentacle parts, I believe. Chewy, not much taste beyond the fried crunch. Okay. Not my first choice in appetizers but I'd be willing to eat a few again sometime. 23 had eaten this before, so she was feeling strong.
Next came the long list of sushi to choose from. Four types were ordered. California roll, pretty bland, but we were able to eat this one with very little posturing. A spicy tuna/crab/avocado roll was the next on the plate. Okay. A little hint of the sea but the spice was nice and the texture was not overwhelming. My favorite was almost 23's undoing. Oh my. I didn't notice her watery eyes and the forced swallowing back of a wicked gag, but the grainy rice, seaweed, crab bits, cream cheese and the crunchy cucumber just about sent her to the girl's room. The texture of soft and squish with the crunch of the cucumber and the "fibery" feel of the crab was over-stimulation apparently. I liked the blend of flavors and was not freaked at all. It had a sweet pepper drizzle over the top, too. My undoing was the final offering. Oh, the mango sauce and the sprinkling of chopped cashews was fabulous. It was the biting into a mouthful of soft and chewy and all of a sudden realizing there is a small slab of salmon plastered on the roof of my mouth. Oh my. Chew. Chew. Chew. Ewww.
But we survived. We did it. She now knows that she can will herself to chew, swallow, swallow, swallow, her way through any meal the Chileans can toss at her. Just hoping she doesn't get a milk duct if she gets to sample cow udder.
I've been on an exercise DVD kick lately. (Did you know Netflix and Blockbuster online actually have exercise DVDs?) I reviewed them at Amazon and decided maybe I should post them over here, too. Last Chance Workout
Not a fitness expert, just one of those 40-somethings who wants to be healthier.
A little over a year ago I decided that my life was going to change one day at a time, one little choice at a time. Since then I have slowly lost 30 pounds and three sizes. Slowly. Our family has gone mostly organic or real foods, and though we indulge (and then regret) an occasional fast food splurge, we are all the happier for the food changes. Exercise has become part of the package. Pilates, walking, Wii workouts, different DVDs. While I'm not planning to do a marathon anytime soon I am attempting to work out more consistently looking for efficiency i.e. getting the most bang for my sweat.
I began watching Biggest Loser, the show, and find it inspires me on my journey because it goes deeper than weight loss, its change from the inside out, working toward healthier and better because we only get one shot at life.
That said, I appreciate the Biggest Loser DVDs that I have had the opportunity to view because they are encouraging, pointing toward health and better choices and movement. The participants aren't models, they are real people with real issues. Like Danny (Season 8 winner) in the midst of his transformation and with his knee/hip problems. Amanda and Liz from Season 8 still carrying extra weight, Daniel, Sione, Tara and Allen round out the "cast." Jillian leads them, and us, through the paces. A warm up, a cardio set, upper and lower body workouts and a cool down. Week one and two is the 30ish minutes of Warm up, Cardio and Cool down every other day alternating with the warm up, upper and lower body workouts, cool down. Week three and four are a 45 minute continuation of the same with the warm up, cool down and cardio and upper or lower each day. Week five and six is the whole shebang every day.
I don't want to meet Jillian in a dark alley, or in the gym. She seems so nice, so sweet, friendly on this workout video, but hints of her intentions and desire to strip the fat from the purchaser's body eeks out during some truly chilling moments. Some of the banter gets a little annoying especially when you've heard it several times. I did appreciate that the music isn't overpowering.
The workouts are challenging. Cardio bursts including jogging in place, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, boxing moves, jump rope (without the jump rope) are all flat-out, work to your potential go, go, go. In between these she adds strength moves incorporating hand weights. She takes the time to explain her reasoning and very basic form and how-to (though not on each move and not in full detail). Plank moves are abundant. Jillian explains the reason she likes different types of exercise (like boxing) because they are fat blasters. Her routines incorporate many muscle groups and she explains that the core is the focus of her sets.
I think this should challenge mid to moderate folks. The very advanced might consider it too easy, though she does say that with added weights or some small change-ups it will do what it's designed to do for all fitness levels. Beginners are able to watch two participants who keep the intensity low and modify the moves. The routines are easier to follow than crazy-fast aerobics, though Jillian keeps things moving. For the price, it's going to go into my library and I've ordered Shred because the reviews say it's a monster.Party off the Pounds
If laughter is the best medicine, then Richard Simmon's Dance Party may be the prescription.
I just finished t
his workout for the second time. Several friends got together for a dance party, and two of us gave it a test drive last night. First, you need to know that the pace is fast. If you get crabby when you are unable to follow choreography, you may want to think twice. The second time through I was still flailing all over the place. If you are concerned about looking good/smooth, take that into consideration. The songs, Mickey, New Attitude, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, etc. are not the original artists. The participants are all sizes and act happy to be there. Richard. Well, Richard has a sequin-encrusted heart. He is the all-time cheerleader.
The Dance party we had included several ages and fitness levels. Two of the younger girls are avid athletes and they had a blast and broke a sweat. Some of the older girls appreciated the low-impact aspects. All decided they'd like to add this to their fitness routine and would like to try more of Simmon's videos. I didn't feel any after-the-moves-fatigue in my butt or abs but my arms are feeling it.
If you like to have fun when you workout and you occasionally like to mix it up you might want to add this to your dvd library.Jump Start
I'm not a fitness expert...so consider my thoughts through that lens.
Jump Start would be a great introduction to the nuts and bolts of workouts. In ten minute increments the participant is given a decent building block of exercises. The participant starts out with 10 minutes a day, and works up into 30 minutes a day. There is a cardio, upper and lower body workout. The same workouts are repeated during the week, however, not back-to-back day-after-day. The following weeks build on that first week's schedule.
Biggest Loser's Bob Harper shares some healthy eating and inspirational information that is building block and common sense as well. The exercises are led by Biggest Losers winners (not all THE Biggest Loser but several favorites who've personally won through changing their lives.) This in itself is inspiring because anyone who watches the show knows where those folks started. And it is encouraging to see folks who are now in great shape still talking about hating a certain exercise or breathing hard/sweating while working out.
I think Biggest Loser fans who aren't currently exercising would make a good choice in getting this DVD. It could be helpful. and a great introduction to exercising and learning the nuts and bolts of how and why certain things are done certain ways. Anyone who is looking for a killer or very difficult workout won't likely be challenged though. I rented it and won't be buying it because after a week, I found that I wanted a little more change-up. Bob's advice was freeing and encouraging and I appreciated what I learned from it.
I mentioned two different e-mails that sparked the grinding of my mental wheels. One from a novelist friend who shared the tale of two checks. Let me share a bit before telling you about the second e-mail.
In the past few years I've read hundreds of books. All kinds and all across the spectrum of literary merit. Some I couldn't review because I feel a review needs to be able to offer something good to say, or at least one type of people group to steer that direction. (If you hate selfish, whiny main characters make sure you pick up this book!) But some.
Sigh.
Some books are transcendent. They move me, transport me and delight me. Oh, it is a rare and delicious experience to find a book that connects with my senses and my soul. Sigh.
Then there is the middle ground. Some really nice people tell some really adequate and entertaining and even thought-provoking stories. Some folks have buckled down, studied the market and decided that they WOULD be published. And whatever road that ended up being on, they'd go for it. So with a twist to their writing they coalesce their research, their training and their talent into a book that will sell. Right now, in the Christian fiction market, Amish is big. And there are a load of Amish themed books to choose from. I don't have a single issue with any of these hardworking folks (remember my post...the likelihood that a novelist makes pathetically less than minimum wage.) Actually, I admire them. They are the true worker bees, the reliable, the hard-working, the ones who are making their dreams happen.
But. I can't find that drive within. I don't want to write just to say I have. I don't want to be published just to hold a book in my hand and see my name on the glossy cover. I don't want to spin word webs unless I have something to say, and I want to be able to say it transcendentally. If I create, I want word tapestries that make readers laugh, think, sigh or weep.
And I just don't have that story within me. I can't find that character who screams to be fleshed out. I can't feel that situation that compels me to grasp at solutions and forces me to lose sleep.
Enter the second e-mail.
Within my critique group was a woman who masterfully spun words. I walked with her characters. And she kept refining and rewriting, always working on bettering her craft. And she was the one who's praise and critiques I coveted. A "well-done" from her was rare and a cause for celebration. And I collected those comments and stuck them away for encouragement on dark days. She didn't toss out "good" lightly and she critiqued word by word, thought by thought and ruthlessly. We've both stepped away from actively critiquing. But occasionally keep in touch.
She e-mailed me out of the blue. The Subject line said. "Good book." She tossed out the title and author and simply wrote.
"You must read it. She writes fiction in a style not unlike your own."
What she was saying, was that this author's voice was similar to mine. Voice is basically who you are leeching out into your life, into all that you do, all that you touch. It's your personality, your experiences, your passions, your dreams, your very soul combined and flavoring what you do and say. We all have a voice. The thing that causes people to say. "This is so you!" or "I knew you'd love it!" It is the perfume of me that I leave behind when I step out of a room.
Hmmm. How could I pass up this suggestion? She was telling me that she knew me and that she saw a like-minded person out there who processed like me and sent out a similar scent. After wondering if I could get it at the library or if I should just go ahead and order it, I put the thoughts aside and started organizing the book stacks in my bedroom and realized I actually had the book in my possession. (Sometimes I get books I've not agreed to read and review and sometimes they are far outside of my interest area and I'll not ever get to it. Usually these are pre-release copies with errors and not even something I can give to someone and pretend I purchased it. : ) ) This book was one of those and it sat at the bottom of the stack. The stinking thing was Sci-Fi/Fantasy. My heart sunk. Sci-Fi/Fantasy only ranks slightly above romance in my preferences. But her suggestion, and her likening the author's voice to my style/voice was too much to ignore.
Six chapters into this book I'm floored. The story has grabbed me and the voice has wrapped around me like a cozy, old-friend sweater. I know it's going to continue to pull at me and may very well end up breaking my heart. And I see a little of myself in the Pauline sentences, the cadence, the thoughts of the hero and heroine. There is quirk and there is an underlying theme of sadness.
Now. What does this mean for me? I don't know. I guess I'll continue to process and absorb, attempt to stretch and grow, and wait for my story, the one that can only be written by me, the one that clutches me by the throat and won't let me go. I am not inspired to mediocrity or just producing for the audience. And I'm definitely not inspired by money. : ).
Three different links to help with Haiti relief.
Click on the picture and be forwarded to the sites. 
I personally know the CMA (Christian and Missionary Alliance - my denomination.) and Samaritan's Purse.
I've told you all how I feel and where I'm at with writing "The Novel," specifically burned-out and not that interested anymore. I'm just going to write about what I feel like writing about and read and review what I want to read and review and see what the future holds.
So. Two extreme opposite e-mails came last week. One, my very, very, very good friend from my critique group who has clawed, edited, wept, nose-to-the-grindstone worked-for-it got her first royalty check. Royalty checks are lump sums of the author's portion of the contracted percentage of book cover price. I think most companies send one out quarterly. I believe she gets 7% from each book sold. An advance comes out of the perceived royalties. My friend went with a small company with a small advance.
The day before she got her royalty check she received a check for an article she wrote. Now, an article, no matter how detailed, how fact-filled, how carefully written, probably took her 1/10,000th of what she put into her book. An article takes days, maybe weeks. The novel took years. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that I probably invested 300 hours in her novel. Me. I critiqued it, suggested, edited, led cheers, discussed the pros and cons of where to attempt to sell her novel and built her back up rejection after rejection. Once she had interest, her publisher wanted her to cut 5,000 words, I was there for that, then came the marketing push. Yep. So if I spent 300 hours with her book, I know she invested thousands. This is a woman who doesn't scan words when she reads. Trust me, she's particular about each word.
Bottom line. Her royalty check was two dollars less than her check for her article. Really. In case you actually still have a "I want to be a WEALTHY or FULL TIME novelist someday" bubble, sorry I just popped it.
Flip sided e-mail tomorrow.
Yes. That Pat. My poet papa.
God can make the weeds in your life a magnificent testimony of His grace.
God's reminder that the canes of life's punishments and hardships are trumped by His all-atoning work. He turns the cursed into crowning glory. Amen.
This was one of those books. In the pile of books I wanted/needed to read. It was right up my alley. See my review below.
Talking to the Dead
In her first novel, author Bonnie Grove offers readers a tender, quirky story about grief—and second chances
“Kevin was dead and the people in my house wouldn’t go home. They mingled after the funeral, eating sandwiches, drinking tea, and speaking in muffled tones. I didn’t feel grateful for their presence. I felt exactly nothing,” writes Bonnie Grove in Talking to the Dead (David C Cook, June 2009). “Funerals exist so we can close doors we’d rather leave open. But where did we get the idea that the best approach to facing death is to eat Bundt cake?”
In her first novel, beloved author Bonnie Grove pens a poignantly realistic and uplifting story of hope, grace, and recovery from grief. Grove’s main character, twenty-something Kate Davis, can’t seem to get the grieving widow thing right. She’s supposed to put on a brave face and get on with her life, right? Instead, she’s camped out on her living room floor, unwashed, unkempt, and unable to sleep—because her husband Kevin keeps talking to her.
Is she losing her mind? Kate’s attempts to find the source of the voice she hears are both humorous an
d humiliating, as she turns first to an “eclectically spiritual” counselor, then a shrink with a bad toupee, an exorcist, and finally group therapy. There she meets Jack, the warmhearted, unconventional pastor of a ramshackle church, and at last the voice subsides. But when she stumbles upon a secret Kevin was keeping, Kate’s fragile hold on the present threatens to implode under the weight of the past…and Kevin begins to shout. Will the voice ever stop?
In this tender, quirky novel about embracing life, Grove patiently walks readers through the depths and mysteries of extreme sorrow after the death of a loved one. As she takes an unflinching look at the mental health industry, Grove’s training in counseling and psychology brings realism and empathy to grief and mental breakdown. While Kate must confront her own loss to find the grace to go on, readers will be led to the God who is always willing and able to comfort hearts in pain. My Review:
One of my favorite discoveries is a great book. Sometimes a great book makes me laugh, sometimes it makes me cry, sometimes it makes me jealous because of the wordsmithery of the author, and sometimes it penetrates my mind and makes me think and rethink.
When I open the cover of a book I'm not sure what I'm going to find. A rare book will grab me from the first sentence and hang onto me through to the end. But occasionally the first paragraph or even the first chapter will fool me into thinking I've got a great book, but sometimes the great fizzles into mediocre or even just entertaining. Those novels always leave me disappointed and sad over the lost potential.
I am shocked that Talking to the Dead is Bonnie Grove's first novel. From the moment I began reading, I was in the story, compelled to learn the details of Kate's spiral into the depths of grief and her attempts to claw her way out of her pain. Grove writes with a sensitivity and depth that is rare. Her background in psychology and her spiritual experiences gave a richness to this novel that is both fascinating and hopeful. Grove's lyrical voice, her humor, her descriptions added layers of reality to Kate and her friends and family.
My only complaint was that I didn't feel clarity and closure within a few of Kate's relationships. But that leaves room for a follow-up novel and I'd be very okay with that.
Upon closing the book after the last words I was able to sigh wistfully, the ultimate book experience.
