Half Baked

In honor of Prematurity Awareness Month, I snagged a copy of this new book Half Baked from the library.  Now, I don't have much time, or energy, to read these days for pleasure.  But, I ripped through this book in less than a week!

The author is the mom of a 25-weeker who chronicles the challenges of her pregnancy, hospital bed rest, delivery and her daughter's journey through the NICU.  It was great to read the "inner thoughts" of someone else who has been through a very similar experience.  And our stories have many eery parallels.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a NICU mom! 

I do have some criticisms though.  First, the author seems to resort to using her thesaurus too much, plugging in $.25 words in ways that do not flow naturally.  I mean, really, the word "soporific" shouldn't appear more than once in a book of this length.  I felt it detracted from her otherwise witty and "light" prose that made the book enjoyable (and easier to swallow given the gravity of its subject matter).  

Second, the author threw some stinging jabs at moms of preemies who weren't as sick or as premature as her daughter - as if our experiences weren't "bad enough."  I don't think it was her intention, and I can relate on many levels to what she was saying.  Its hard to be sympathetic when you are in the throes of the NICU toward moms of babies who were born weeks later than yours, and whose only "challenge" is to overcome some apnea or reflux issues.  When you are in that hell, those things seem trivial compared to the challenge of simply trying to get your baby to BREATHE on their own.  However, one mom's experience shouldn't diminish anothers.  You really cannot compare preemies.  I know I felt jealousy and resentment whenver I would hear of a baby who was Bennett's gestational age or younger who was doing better than he was.  Silly really.  I should be HAPPY that another baby isn't struggling as much as mine!  But, the NICU can make you a bit psychotic.  Regardless, I am assuming the book was intended to appeal to a wide-range of preemie-parents.  If were me I'd have softened that discussion a little more. 

Anyway - its still a great book, and it was great to hear that I'm not the only crazy psychotic preemie mom out there.  Read it!

Book Club: The Heretic's Daugther Discussion Post

Ok, book-clubbers! It is that time again. Actually, its past the date I had set, but I needed a bit of an extension and forgot to tell ya'll about it :)

This month, we read The Heretic's Daugther by Kathleen Kent. The book was set in a town not far from Salem, Mass. at the time of the Salem Witch Trials. I thought it would be a seasonly-appropriate book for Halloween.

So, let's give it a stab and DISCUSS!

1. What was your overall impression of the book? Love it? Hate it? Stopped reading in the middle of it? (ahem, Patty!)

2. What do you think of the character development? Were there any characters that you felt the author should have spent more time on? What about the main character Sarah?

3. Who were the "villians" of the story?

4. How did Tom's history play into the story?

5. If your mom had given you the opportunity to divulge all your complaints to her at the age of 12, would you have done it? Why do you think Sarah didn't want to?

6. What shocked you most about this book?

7. Did this book change your mind about the Salem Witch Trials and the people accused?

8. If you were Martha Carrier, would you have "confessed," or stood your ground to the truth even though you knew you would die for it?

9. If you were Sarah, would you have "confessed" or given testimony against your mother?

10. Closing thoughts?

An Executive Decision

Being that it is now six days into the the month of October and we still do not have a book selection for this month, I'm taking charge and declaring that our Book Club selection will be...

[insert drum roll]

This book came highly recommended to me, and it was on the National Bestseller list! Its supposed to be a bit "spooky" so I thought it would be fabulously festive reading for the month of October! Our discussion post will be on Friday, November 6th!

I received a lot of interest when I posted my idea for the Book Club, so I really hope more people can participate this month!

Book Club Discussion: The Lovely Bones

Welcome one and all to our very first monthly Book Club Discussion Post! I hope you've all had time to finish this month's selection so we get lots of participation!

My brain reserves are low at the moment, so I stole/borrowed/whatever some discussion questions from www.readinggroupguides.com. So sue me.

Let the fun begin!!!!

First, give your general opinions/impressions about the book, then attack any of the following prompts as you may or may not desire!

1. In Susie's Heaven, she is surrounded by things that bring her peace. What would your Heaven be like? Is it surprising that in Susie's inward, personal version of the hereafter there is no God or larger being that presides?

2. Why does the author include details about Mr. Harvey's childhood and his memories of his mother? By giving him a human side, does Sebold get us closer to understanding his motivation? Sebold explained in an interview about the novel that murderers "are not animals but men," and that is what makes them so frightening. Do you agree?

3. Discuss the way in which guilt manifests itself in the various characters - Jack, Abigail, Lindsay, Mr. Harvey, Len Fenerman.

4. "Pushing on the inbetween" is how Susie describes her efforts to connect with those she has left behind on Earth. Have you ever felt as though someone was trying to communicate with you from "the inbetween"?

5. Does Buckley really see Susie, or does he make up a version of his sister as a way of understanding, and not being too emotionally damaged by, her death? How do you explain tragedy to a child? Do you think Susie's parents do a good job of helping Buckley comprehend the loss of his sister?

6. Can Abigail's choice to leave her family be justified?

7. Why does Abigail leave her dead daughter's photo outside the Chicago Airport on her way back to her family? Did this bother you?

8. Susie observes that "The living deserve attention, too." She watches her sister, Lindsay, being neglected as those around her focus all their attention on grieving for Susie. Jack refuses to allow Buckley to use Susie's clothes in his garden. When is it time to let go?

9. In The Lovely Bones, adult relationships (Abigail and Jack, Ray's parents) are dysfunctional and troubled, whereas the young relationships (Lindsay and Samuel, Ray and Susie, Ray and Ruth) all seem to have depth, maturity, and potential. What is the author saying about young love? About the trials and tribulations of married life?

10. Is Jack Salmon allowing himself to be swallowed up by his grief? Is there a point where he should have let go? How does his grief process affect his family? Is there something admirable about holding on so tightly to Susie's memory and not denying his profound sadness?

11. Alice Sebold seems to be saying that out of tragedy comes healing. Susie's family fractures and comes back together, a town learns to find strength in each other. Do you agree that good can come of great trauma?

Book Club: Brainstorm for October!!

Don't forget that this FRIDAY is our first ever Book Club discussion post for The Lovely Bones! I can't wait!! I've pre-programmed the post to come up at 6:00 a.m. for those who are uber-excited and anxious to share their thoughts!

Being that October is a mere two days away...we need to start brainstorming book ideas for our October selection. EVERYONE - please post some ideas of books that are on your list to read!

WOO HOO!

Also, while you're at it - I recently had a funny discussion with some friends about finding time to read and the funny times and places we read. My friend and I discovered that we both sneak in a page or two during the two minutes it takes to brush our teeth (on the morning Bennett isn't hanging off me...)!!

What are the "interesting" ways you squeeze in a little page turning???

Imbalanced

Do any of these sound like you?

• A scale that doesn't budge, no matter much you exercise or how fervently you diet?
• You have low energy?
• Your skin is starting to wrinkle, and you're not old enough to have wrinkles?
• Your skin is breaking out?
• You suffer from mood swings?
• Your monthly cycle is irregular? (girls...)
• You feel tired no matter how much sleep you get?
• You keep losing and gaining the same weight?

Well, I gotta say, I was able to say yes to quite a few of these. And that is what gave me that "ah ha" moment that Jillian Michaels just might know what she's talking about in her new book, Master Your Metabolism!!!

These things used to describe Jillian too. Until she realized that her hormones were out of balance. And once she did something about it, things began to fall into place. She used to restrict her diet to 1200 calories per day and work out like a dog 6 days a week to struggle to maintain 120 lbs (she's 5'2'' - just like me!), and would instantly put on 15 lbs just from increasing her diet to 1500 calories per day (which is reasonable and appropriate). Once she was able to balance her hormones, she now maintains a sleek 115 lbs and eats 1800 to 2000 calories per day and only has to exercise 3-4 days a week (although, she really brings it when she does!).


So what is the secret you ask???? Well, you really ought to read the book to be able to appreciate the full spectrum of the problem and the solutions. Its an excellent book, and I burned through it in a matter of days. But in case you don't have time at the moment, I'll share the synopsis.

Basically, the chemicals, hormones, pesticides, additives, preservatives, etc. that are coating the food we consume, are throwing our hormones out of whack! Seriously, you gotta read the book to really understand it. But common sense will tell you that this crap can't possible be good for you, right??

Ok, so the synopsis I promised....

Rule 1 - Eat clean. Buy organic as much as resonably possible an avoid as much as you can any foods which have any additives or chemcials. Unprocessed, whole foods are best. What ever you do, avoid like the plague any foods that contain:

• hydrogentated fats (even partially hydrogenated)
• Refined grains (make sure the ingredient list says 100% whole grain!)
• high fructose corn syrup (this one is a toughie - its in SO much!)
• Artificial sweetners (sorry, the Diet Coke, even though 0 calories, is working against you!)
• Artificial coloring or preservatives
• Glutamates

Reduce starchy veggies (corn, potatoes), tropical, dried, or canned fruits, process soy, excess alcohol, canned foods, and sadly, caffeine.

Rule 2 - Fill up on lots of these foods!!!

• legumes (beans)
• alliums (onions, garlic, etc.)
• berries (organic, otherwise, they are sprayed heavily in pesitcides!)
• meat and eggs (she said eggs are nearly the perfect food, don't worry about the cholesterol)
• Colorful fruits and veggies
• Cruciferous veggies unless you are hypothyroid (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.)
• Dark green leafy veggies
• Nuts and seeds
• Dairy (ALWAYS organic!)
  
• Whole grains (again, make sure its 100%. It only has to be 51% whole to be able to say its whole grain!)

Rule 3 - Focus on getting a balance of 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% healthy fats. Additonally, make sure you eat breakfast, always. Eat every four hours, no exception. Don't eat after 9 p.m.; do not eat carbs at night! Only eat until you are full, but not stuffed.

Additionally, Jillian recommends you sleep at least 7, but no more than 9 hours a night. Use organic personal products inasmuch as you possibly can (your skin is afterall your largest organ, and we coat it with chemicals daily with non-organic shampoos, washes, etc.). Use glass food storage containers, and make sure you do not eat out of any plastics that contain BPA. Also, replace your chemical-based cleaners, with simple (and inexpensive) natural cleaners.

Ok, so I'm cheap. I can't just throw stuff out like Jillian urges me to. But, I do plan on buying organic and all-natural products from here on out. I have a known and previously diagnosed hormonal imbalances that made it difficult for me to become or stay pregnant. If these changes can help, well then, I'm all for that!!!!!

Book Review: Outliers

Ok, so it took me a tad bit longer than I had anticipated to finish this book. Not because the book wasn't fabulous (it was), but because I took a small hiatus in the middle to read another book - but that is a story for another day!

This is an excellent read! If you love "thinking outside the box" - this book is for you! It is in a similar vein as Freakanomics. Basically, this book takes people who are considered to be super successful and demonstrates the factors of sheer luck that contributed to their success. For example, the author, Malcolm Gladwell, proves that the success of hockey players depends not so much on their skill and natural talent, but really moreso on where in the calendar their birthday falls!

He highlights the truth of "no man is an island" in the most of extreme examples. Its a fabulous book! Very entertaining!

And the winner is....

Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold! Thank you for all who voted in the poll!

I will put up a discussion post for this book on October 2, 2009.

Happy reading all!!!

Now off to the library to pick up my copy.....

Online Book Club?

For the longest time, I've been wanting to join a book club. I LOVE books. And I love the idea of sitting around one evening a month with some lovely chicas, sipping wine and chatting about the books we've read.

Well, the latter part probably won't be happening anytime soon. I need to get the balls I'm already juggling organized before I can add another one to it, ya know?

So, it got me to thinking....how about an online book club?? And how about incorporating that into this blog?

What do you think??? We could choose a book every month, then have a designated day were I post a blog for that book and we can "discuss" in the comments! I know its not perfect, but its a start, right?

Who is interested?????

I'm a Quitter

Folks, I tried. My best. My very best. But I simply could not finish reading Founding Mothers. I love history! Yet, this book did nothing for me but put me to sleep within the first paragraph every single night. I've been working on it for months (have you noticed?), and still only made it about 1/2 way through.

I think the problem is that the content of the book seemed poorly organized. The author kind of rambled from one thing to another. I really couldn't tell how it was organized - not by person, chronologically, etc. I just couldn't stay focused!

I hate quitting a book. I feel like a failure. Especially a book like this that has such a wealth of information that my brain would like to absorb! But at this rate (one paragraph per night), it would take me years to finish this darn book!

So, I'm cutting my losses and moving on to Outliers (-->), which has already has me as a captive audience. I betcha I'll be done with it in a few days, so look for the review (its gooooood!!!!).

My New 'Do and a Book Review

I couldn't help myself with the rhyme! I didn't realize how loooooong my hair was! I got 8 inches taken off!!! I asked for light golden brown highlights, but it turned out darker than I had hoped. Oh well! I got long "whispy" side bangs and some long layers and shaping around my face.

Here's Bennett helping me show off the new hair. It was humid today, so some frizz despite.

This morning, I finished reading American Wife. I'm kind of mixed on it. The book is a fictional story about the life from girlhood to the present of a First Lady. It was a great story, BUT... the characters and plot were loosely (in some parts verrry loosely) based off of George and Laura Bush. Once we got to the present-day part of the story, it got a little "cheesy" - too close to the Bush Presidency. Otherwise, I really enjoyed it!

Now, I'm starting on Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts, which is non-fiction.

Book Review: The Host

Last night, I finally finished reading The Host by Stephanie Meyer (same chic who wrote the Twilight series). It was a long book, but I took a hiatus in the middle to read another book that sounded more interesting :) The Host started off kind of "eh" for me - a little too sci fi for my tastes. But about 1/3 of the way through it got really interesting!

Basically, the book is about these alien "souls" that survive by being implanted into other living things. These souls recently invaded earth and pretty much took over all human life. However, there was a small group of humans that still existed in hiding. There was a soul that could not completely take over her host, and who went to find the host's family in that enclave. That's where it gets super interesting! I would recommend it!

For the first time in a loooong time, I don't have another book awaiting me. I need to go to the library!

Random Recaps

Last night, Ace and I had free tickets to pre-screen the movie Angels & Demons that is released today. This movie is based on the book by Dan Brown, which is the sequel to the Da Vinci Code. I was wary of this movie because I really didn't think the Da Vinci Code movie was all that good. But, I had read the book first, and movies based on books never seem to measure up, do they? I have not read Angels & Demons yet though, and I thought the movie was EXCELLENT! And as a Catholic, I felt that it was much nicer to the Church than the Da Vinci Code was, which I appreciated. It did not really so much bash the church or make it suspect, yet it still had all the amazing "factual" and historical intricacies of the Da Vinci Code.

The fight scenes were awesome, as were the special effects. The actors were all very good, and the scenes really looked like the Vatican! I highly recommend this to anyone looking for something fun to do this weekend. I can't wait to read the book now!!


This week, I also finally finished reading The Mommy Wars. It was o.k. Yes, just o.k. I felt like the author picked mostly her friends and acquaintances to write the articles, so there didn't seem to be a wide variety of experiences or demographic represenation. Mostly, the contributors were all career writers. I found that most of them worked from home at least in some capacity. There were very few articles by women who are exclusively stay at home moms. There was very little of the divisive extremism that the real-life mommy wars are known for. All of the authors were very conciliatory about their choices and opposing choices. Not that it was a bad thing, but it was kind of boring after the first five articles or so.

One thing that struck me reading the book, is that very few of the contributors really seemed completely content with their choice to work or stay home. I know there are pros and cons to both sides, but reading this book left me with a sense that women (in general) aren't going to be completely happy no matter what we decide to do. That was ... disappointing ... for lack of a better word. Particularly from the stay at home mom side, I wanted to hear someone say "I absolutely love what I do, and here is why."

So how about that diet, huh? Well, I made it a whopping 5 days before I cracked. My blood sugar kept dipping too low, no matter how much I was eating. I guess the fact that I started out hypoglycemic and am still nursing didn't help. So, I switched over to Phase II, with limited complex carbs, and am doing better with that. I cheated a lot over Bennett's birthday weekend. During Phase I, I lost 5 lbs total. I've gained back 1.5 lbs as of this morning. I am recommitting to doing better on Phase II and adding in exercise this coming week! I set my alarm for 5:30 a.m. every.single.morning. this week, and slept in every day. We're going to Virginia Beach next weekend for my nephew's first birthday (a mini-escape of sorts), and will be required to don a bathing suit. This is problematic because I don't own a one-piece, and I'm no wear near an acceptable level of skinniness/fitness at the moment to rock a bikini! So, momma is going to be VERY good this week!

We have an exciting weekend ahead of us! I hope you all do too! I'll see ya Monday!